The return of Count Chievo!!! (on donkeyback!)

By: Mostafa | January 31st, 2009

Well we are wll on the way of finding the door out of the relegation area, but that 90th minute winner in Reggina (courtesy of Italliano) and a solid game in Lecce, yep we sure can hold our own when we need it.

The Gialloblu obtained a precious point, and one that was doubly important considering things were not going the right way for them against the Lupi.

“We proved to have character,” commented the former Parma coach. “Without personality, you don’t manage to get back into certain games.

“We paid for the fact that we played with a man less. [Lecce midfielder, Giuseppe] Vives scored an extraordinary goal, but the crossbar and [Chievo goalkeeper, Stefano] Sorrentino allowed us to remain in the game.

“However it’s normal to suffer and it’s normal that we find difficulties. I’m serene as we are in many and this is a team who knows how to fight and that it has seven lives.”

Following this draw, Chievo remain 19th in the standings, as they have 17 points from 21 games played. They are two points shy of the survival zone.

So there you have it we have been degraded from donkeys to cats!, these were the thoughts of the wise Socrates Di Carlo, following the Reggina match and into the Sampdoria one.

Di Carlo believes that if his team plays with the same spirit against Sampdoria on Sunday, then they can target another positive result.

“It wasn’t easy to remain calm when playing in ten men and one goal behind,” explained the former Parma coach. “We could have given up, but instead the team reacted with great character, with the will to fight and we were rewarded.

“I think it was an important result and scoring in the final minutes is an important sign. We must still work a lot, as we have a long way to go, but the team is alive, does not give up and fights until the end.

“Now let’s think about Sampdoria, another important game which if we face with this spirit, we can really do well.”

Lost Recaps:

There and sorry for not posting as often as the top blogs here!
BTW: Special thanks to pauly for staying with me all this time!

And here’s something for tommorow:

Kick-Off: Sunday, February 1 (15:00 CET). Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, Verona

Donkeys Firing Blanks

Whilst Chievo’s season may have looked over by December, a great start to the new year has given the Flying Donkeys renewed hope of a great escape. New coach Mimmo Di Carlo has instilled his side with a belief that was clearly absent in the autumn and the Gialloblu are now proving a tough nut to crack as they continue to grind out results.

Following a vital victory over relegation rivals Reggina last weekend there is now light at the end of the tunnel for the Chievo faithful. Unbeaten in four consecutive games Di Carlo’s side are now just two points shy of climbing out the drop zone for the first time since October.

More worrying for Chievo is their continued difficulty in finding the net. The forward line is clearly not pulling its weight after having only produced 14 goals in 21 games. Club patron Luca Campedelli has brought in Nigerian forward Stephen Makinwa from Lazio to give some added clout up top. If Makinwa can get the Donkeys firing again, he could prove to be an inspired January transfer.

With the right attitude surrounding the squad, Chievo will be confident of frustrating Sampdoria, and making another small step towards salvation.

Blucerchiati Turning The Corner?

With the tables turning this season in the Genova, it has been a tough season for the Sampdoria faithful as they watch their cousins flying high. Walter Mazzarri’s men are a competitive outfit, but they have struggled to get off the ground so far in the Championship despite some consistent performances.

After being starved of a league win for over a month, Sampdoria finally broke their duck with a much needed victory in midweek against Lazio. Following the encounter Walter Mazzarri was keen to stress that the result was down to hard work and not the frailties of a poor Lazio defence. More promising for the Blucerchiati was the great form of Antonio Cassano, who proved a catalyst for every attack and eventually tipped the balance of the game in his side’s favour with a wonderful goal.

If Sampdoria can use their recent victory to stimulate a positive run of results, Mazzarri’s side could well go on to achieve a satisfying finish in the league despite their inconsistent start. With the return of key personnel such as Cassano and Angelo Palombo, coupled with the arrival of Gianpaolo Pazzini, the run-in looks promising for the Blucerchiati.

Mazzarri’s men will want to back-up their midweek exploits with another victory and finally put their inconsistencies behind them.

Form Guide

Chievo

28 January: Chievo 1-1 Lecce
24 January: Reggina 0-1 Chievo
18 January: Chievo 2-1 Napoli
11 January: Bologna 1-1 Chievo
21 December: Chievo 0-1 Genoa

Sampdoria

28 January: Sampdoria 3-1 Lazio
25 January: Inter 1-0 Sampdoria
21 January: Udinese 1-1 Sampdoria (2-5 on Penalties, Coppa Italia)
18 January: Sampdoria 0-2 Palermo
11 January: Udinese 1-1 Sampdoria

Team News

Chievo

Domenico Di Carlo has been rather fortunate so far this season concerning injuries, and Marco Malago is his only player currently nursing a knock. A bigger headache for the Chievo tactician are the absences of Michele Marcolini, Giampiero Pinzi, and Davide Mandelli, who all miss out through suspension.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Sorrentino; Moro, Yepes, Morero, Mantovani; Luciano, Rigoni, Italiano, Bentivoglio; Esposito, Pellisier

Sampdoria

The good news for Walter Mazzarri is the return of Paolo Sammarco and Giampaolo Pazzini after the pair missed out through suspension midweek. More concerning is Sampdoria’s long injury list with Daniele Franceschini joining Pietro Accardi, Hugo Campagnaro and Andrea Raggi in the infirmary. Daniele Dessena misses out through suspension.

Probable Starting XI (3-5-2): Castellazzi; Gastaldello, Lucchini, Stankevicius; Pieri, Delvecchio, Palombo, Sammarco, Padalino; Pazzini, Cassano

Players To Watch

Star striker Sergio Pellisier has featured in every one of the Chievo’s games so far this season. Despite this, the Italian has only found the net on three occasions this term and this may explain why the Gialloblu are suffering from a goal drought with only 14 to date. With Sampdoria undergoing a few problems at the back, there is no better time to start adding to his tally, and heave Chievo out the drop zone.

Antonio Cassano was on fine form for the Blucerchiati against Lazio proving decisive with his wonder goal that swung the game in favour of his side. With ‘FantAntonio’ on the field, Sampdoria always have the possibility to strike even against the run of play. Should ‘Toto’ be at his best again on Sunday, he could prove too much to handle for the Chievo rearguard.

PREDICTION

Chievo will take heart from having gone four games without defeat, and it will take that kind of form to see them climb out of the danger zone. Sampdoria may feel they have turned a corner after an important win in midweek and will certainly want to back it up, despite the difficultly in an away trip to Verona.

With four of the last seven meetings between the two sides ending in stalemate at the Bentegodi, I predict a share of the spoils once more.

Chievo 1-1 Sampdoria