Udinese...

02-10-2012

Focus on Liverpool and the away game at Anfield

The forthcoming opponent to Udinese (“Udinese’s forthcoming opponent”?) is one of a kind, a team that has made the history of English and European football, in one of the most suggestive stadia of the world for its atmosphere, its passion, its red wall and its 60.000 people singing “You’ll never walk alone”. It’s Liverpool, of course, the 5-time Europe champions (“European champions”?), 3-time UEFA Cup and Super Cup winners, 18-time England champions, having won 7 FA Cups and 8 League Cups. An impressive record. A thrilling history and a respectful present, with top-level players.

Liverpool haven’t made a good start this year: 5 points in six games (either: “Five points in six games” or “5 points in 6 games”?). But in the Europa League they have scored 5 goals to Young Boys (“against Young Boys”?) in Berne, playing with reserves.

The football manager is Brendan Rodgers (“is Irishman Brendan Rodgers”?), Irish, who did great things for Swansea. The “Reds” play offensively: 4-2-1-3. With Pepe Reina as a goalkeeper since 2005, Kelly and Johnson on the wings and the central couple Agger-Skrtel to grant (“to give”?) physical strength and reliability. The strongest and most representative player is in the middle: Steven Gerrard. A life spent with Liverpool (“He’s spent his life with Liverpool”?), he is the institution, the flag of the squad, he who lifted the Champions League (“Champions’ League”?) Cup (and scored one goal) in the magical Istanbul night in 2005, 593 appearances and 53 goals scored. He is helped by one of Rodgers’ trusted players: Joe Allen, who arrived to Liverpool (“who arrived at Liverpool”?) together with the coach from Swansea and has already become irreplaceable, always on the pitch, never been substituted (“and has never been substituted”?). According to the game (??), they are helped by the Turkish player Nuri Sahin, on loan from Real Madrid, or (“and”?) the talented home-grown Jonjo Shelvey. Room for fantasy (“There’s room for fantasy”?) in the front (“up front”?) with the young Spanish Suso, lined up on the right (“who is lined-up on the right”?) in the last couple of games, with the teenager (he’s only 17) Raheem Sterling on the opposite side, then the two strikers who can also play as playmakers: Luis Suarez, one of Juve’s desired players, and Fabio Borini, back to England (“back in England”?) after a brilliant season in Rome.

Udinese...

09-10-2012

Giampi-goal: the gladiator at San Paolo

Giampiero Pinzi has managed to “punch in” also this year (punch in what?). Our number 66, with the goal scored at San Paolo, reaches 15 goals in his absolute score (??) with Udinese. Being a midfielder, scoring is not his actual job, yet in 11 seasons for Udinese he has scored at least once in 8 of them (8 of them what? Games?).

Napoli seem to be Pinzi’s favoured (“favorite”?) victim as he had scored to them (“against them”?) last year at the Friuli (“stadium”?): Napoli, as well as Inter, got two goals from him. More “democratic” the balance of the other 11 victims, struck (???) only once each.

The first goal was December 2001 in a local derby to (“against”?) Verona. After the lead taken by Muzzi, Pinzi scored the 2-0 goal, which would turn out to be the winner as Verona only managed to have Oddo score one goal. He also scored in European cups (“European cup games”?): 16 September 2004, Athens. Pinzi scored the illusory (???) equaliser to (“against”?) Panionios, who would win 3-1 and qualify for the following stage. One goal in the Coppa Italia, in the 2006/07 season: a crucial goal scored in extra time to (“against”?) Albinoleffe, which allowed Udinese to qualify for the following round of the competition.

Udinese...

08-10-2012

Pozzo: “We won’t lose anymore if we play like this”

After the match at the San Paolo  (“stadium”?) Udinese are feeling bitter, but they also know they would have deserved a happy ending: “Tonight’s match was extremely difficult, but we’ve faced it greatly – Gianpaolo Pozzo said to Udinese Channel -. I am happy with the performance, not with the scoring. Our Brazilian players are finally showing what they’re made of. Maicosuel has done a good job, he’s an adaptable playmaker. We won’t be losing many games if we keep playing like this. The squad is doing well physically, but we couldn’t score in the second half. Napoli have  (“has”?) incredible strikers, but they have been lucky too: we were still attacking when the match finished. Had we drawn, we wouldn’t have stolen anything. It’s been an unlucky night and Napoli have been pitiless. They will play for the shield (“title”?) along with Juventus”.

08-10-2012

Viviani: “We are growing. We aim at avoiding relegation”

After the beating in Naples, Fabio Viviani, assistant of Francesco Guidolin (“Francesco Guidolin’s assistant?), has commented on the match and the squad’s performance: “I believe Napoli made several efforts to face this Udinese. We’ve performed very well against a team which is aiming at the shield (“title”?). We missed those 5 centimeters on Faraoni’s shot. We are growing (up?) and today Maicosuel has given an important contribution, we are growing. We keep looking at the ranking. There was the danger of leaving our minds at Anfield, but the San Paolo (“stadium”?) made us feel the reality. Our goal is still to avoid relegation, we are justly worried”.

What do you think of Guidolin’s expulsion?
“Nothing particular, just a misunderstanding”.

Did you find Napoli invincible?
“Napoli are great, but Udinese came here with great personality (??). Napoli had to score two masterpieces to win”.

8-10-2012

Pinzi: “Great Udinese, yet no points”

The great goal scored by Pinzi at the San Paolo stadium was not enough to get at least a draw from Napoli. The goal of Pandev (“Pandev’s goal”?) at the end of the first half has set the scoring on 2-1: “We have seen a great Udinese and we feel sorry to go back to Udine with no points. Our performance was great and if we continue this way the points will come. We have to keep believing in what we do”.

How are you all doing?
“I could take the pitch tomorrow, but the break will do us good. We need to recover”.

What do you think of Maicosuel?
“The Brazilian player was a bit blue (???) after the failed penalty to (“against”?) Sporting Braga. He’s a quality player and now that he’s back in shape he’s another weapon we can use”.

8-10-2012

Udinese Tonight: Heurtaux, win his shirt!

Udinese Tonight is back this evening starting from (“at”?) 9 pm on Udinese Channel (channel 110 of the dttv), hosted by Gabriele Schiavi and Chiara Perale. Tonight’s guest will be Udinese defender Thomas Heurtaux. Many features, exclusive images and interviews. Udinese put (“gave”?) as a prize the shirt of our number 75 that will be given to the author of the most original message!

Udinese...

30-09-2012

Fabbrini: “A pity we hit the crossbar”

The second consecutive 0-0 for Udinese has been welcomed with regret by Diego Fabbrini: “It’s been a tough game, we’ve delivered several attempts (??) – the ex-Empoli player said -. We couldn’t score, but we’ve gained one point that is useful. We are happy with our performance but we can do better”.

We saw you talking with Di Natale, what did he tell you?

Same things you always say before a game. We’re friends and he’s one of the strongest Italian players. He’s part of this group.

What do you think of Genoa?

They are a good team and have given us troubles (like those in Northern Ireland?). The only regret is that crossbar hit by (“which was hit”?) Danilo in the first half.
How did you cope with Ranegie?

I have a good feeling (??) with the Swedish player as well as with other forwards. I try and adapt to the physical and technical features of my team-mates.
How are you getting ready for the away game at Anfield?

Two tough games are ahead, Liverpool and Napoli. We’ll try to face them as best as we can.

Poor Beatles!

From a recent article in Repubblica's "XL" magazine on the movie and album of the same name by The Beatles.  You'd think that the journalist would at least take a look at the album cover to make sure if it's "Mystery" or "Mistery"!!!!!

Udinese...

28-09-2012

Focus on the opponent: Genoa at the Friuli

The next guest of the Friuli stadium will be Genoa, opponents coming from a season spent on the rollercoaster and finished still in the Serie A but with the constant fear of relegation. The team has started the new season with a new, calmer, more self-confident squad, which has even given some trouble to Italy’s current winners, Juventus, and won away to Lazio (??), who had never lost until then. We are talking about Genoa, coached by Gigi De Canio, an old friend of Udinese.

What kind of squad are they? After a season of excess (“excesses”?), finally the first thing you can see is balance (“the first thing you can finally see is a balance”?): a close-knit, equilibrated (“balanced”?), young group with a few champions who have also experienced the Champions League (“Champions’ League”?): we are talking about Sebastien Frey, probably one of the best goalkeepers of the last decade, and Marco Borriello, the player who won the shield (“championship title”?) and fought for a European title with AC Milan and Roma and is now back to the place (“back in the place”?) where he grew up. No one has ever forgotten his 19 goals scored in 2007/08 so here he goes again with Genoa to form the attacking couple along with a young talented player who comes from a great season: Ciro Immobile, last year’s Serie B top scorer and winner of the championship with Pescara, he has already become an idol for the North Bank (??) both for his technical qualities and determination.

The offensive duo is usually supported by a playmaker, a role likely to be taken by Bosko Jankovic, who has fully recovered after years of severe injuries. The midfield area is given to Jurai Kucka, back at the levels of his first season, when he had drawn the attention of Inter. Apart from the Polish player, there are plenty of players to choose among (“to choose from”?): Berolacci and his incursions (??), the geometries of Merkel (he’s also a mathematician on the field?), the substance of Seymour and the coolness brought in by Tozsè and Anselmo.

Right behind, the defence is usually made of four men, even though De Canio has lined up a 3-5-2 in Genoa’s latest match against Parma. The benchmark is the Swedish player Granqvist: it took him only one season to be noticed by our top Clubs. This year’s new talented player is Michele Canini, who had been one of Cagliari’s top players for years. Either reserve or first-string player in a three-man defence is Cesare Bovo, back to Genoa after three years with Palermo. The fresh man on the flanks is Mario Samprisi, a 19-year-old player who, after a glimpse of Serie A last year was launched (where, on the moon?) as a first-string right centre-half. Opposite is Antonelli.

The first lunch game (will the players be eating on the field?) of the year is about to begin: we will need, as always, to see the best Udinese possible. After Turin, we are hungry for three points…. (and we readers are hungry for proper English!!!!).

Rome's Fiumicino airport!

The rather "interesting" sign at Rome's Fiumicino airport at the baggage retrieval!