Lots of Udinese!

22-04-2012

Samir, the silent protagonist: the average betters (“improves”?)

He has allowed (“he allowed”?) Chievo to be given a penalty kick to save it immediately after. Samir Handanovic is known for being a specialist in nullifying penalties and he has wanted (“he wanted”?) to remark it also during yesterday’s match. To do so he “has had” to floor the French player Thereau, giving him the chance to shoot. Often a saved penalty is due to a mistake made by the striker. Not in this case. The credit goes all to Handanovic, able to choose (“who was able to choose”?) the right angle. He has said that it was harder to save Bradley’s sure hit or Cruzado’s shot, but he is probably joking. It is the second penalty he has saved since the beginning of this season. Last year he had stopped 6 strikers (Eto’o, Barreto, Di Michele, Hamsik, Cavani and Zarate), and the number of victims is growing and growing: it is the 14th penalty he nullifies (out of 37) since he came to the Serie A.
He has also conceded less goals: last year he conceded 40 goals out of 35 matches (1,14 per match), whereas this year he has conceded 32 goals out of 33 appearances (0.97 per match).

 

22-04-2012

Handanovic: “Change attitude in first halves”

Once again, another penalty has been saved. Also Chievo’s Thereau has surrended (“surrendered”?) to the law of Samir Handanovic. He has saved countless penalties since he came to Udinese: “My job is to save and that’s what I’m here for – the keeper says -. I’m happier than anyone else when we don’t concede any goals”.

Udinese have appeared (“appeared”?) rather different between the first and second half.
“Here is what happens: we give away the first half and then we feel regenerated in the second half. We’ve been doing so for some matches, and it’s not good. We need to play the last five matches with a different attitude”.
Is everything at stake in these last two weeks?
“We have to play 5 fundamental matches that will allow us to fight for a place in Europe”.