Something is in the water…

March 19th, 2006 | by: Jay |

For the first time I can recall in a long time, only three teams in Serie A were left goal-less this weekend, and NONE of the results was 1-nil. What’s more, five teams scored three goals or more. Score lines have been looking more like Spain or Argentina than Italy. And with nearly two full months of matches left on the docket, no fewer than four men will end up scoring 20 goals a piece in the league alone.

It just goes to show, in a nutshell, you can place a premium on defending but if the talent isn’t there you’re going to give up goals no matter how organized the back is. And let’s don’t forget the names we’re used to seeing anchor the back lines of the big clubs are starting to get along in age, which could be an omen in the heat of the summer against the speedier teams.

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Don Italo

Yes Serie A has changed for the past few years. Honestly, I believe that Ancelotti is owed some credit for it. He has dynamised the AC Milan with a new strategy and the results have followed (won the UEFA Champions League and the Italian Cup in in 2003, the Italian Super Cup, the Italian title and the European super Cup). He has brought down Pirlo as a defensive midfielder and plays in a 4-1-2-1-2. In 2003, three italian clubs were in semi finals in the Champions League and two were in the final. Since then Italian Clubs have been in the final four nearly every year and its not because of the defensive play. Not anymore. Cattenacio has died when the Italian Clubs noticed that they weren’t doing anything in European Cups in the end of the 90’s beginning of this century.

Thank God for us as we dream of watching more Barcelone – Chelsea or AC Milan – Liverpool matches.

Plus, its true that most of the prominent and famous defensive players in Italy are getting more than old. I am still asking myself how Costacurta (who has signed yesterday another yearly contract) or Maldini can play at such a level.