Serie A:Inter, Roma seek quick fix for growing problems

godtabh

Preview

ILAN, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Unhappy coaches Jose Mourinho and Luciano Spalletti will make changes for Wednesday's Serie A matches after Inter Milan's poor home form continued at the weekend andp AS Roma suffered another crushing defeat.

Mourinho's Inter, joint leaders with Udinese and Napoli, travel to in-form Fiorentina (1930 GMT) having drawn 0-0 with Genoa on Sunday in another dull display in Milan.

The champions have no trouble ripping teams apart away from home but they have struggled to find creativity at the San Siro, with Mourinho especially angry with a lack of width on Sunday.

"My players on the field do what I say," the Portuguese told reporters. "Probably someone doesn't know me well yet. Who knows maybe I'll take it into account when I call up players for Wednesday."

Media reports said his anger was directed at Mario Balotelli, Julio Cruz and Victor Obinna, who came on in the second half.

Inter will come up against one of Italy's top strike duos in Fiorentina's Alberto Gilardino and Adrian Mutu, who scored one and two respectively in Sunday's 3-1 win over Palermo.

The Sicilian side's president Maurizio Zamparini, however, was not at all happy with Gilardino's goal, which came off his arm.

"Gilardino deserves a five-game ban. He even celebrated, incredible," he said.

Roma, runners-up last term, have more important issues to worry about for Wednesday's visit of Sampdoria after losing their fifth league game in eight on Sunday, a 3-1 defeat at Udinese.

President Rosella Sensi has sent the players on a team-bonding retreat to try to arrest the slide and Spalletti knows he is almost on borrowed time.

"Certainly I feel at risk, the club has to consider my position and everybody else's," he said. "I must find a system. I need to work out a different way of working."

Resurgent AC Milan, just a point behind the leaders after Sunday's 1-0 win at Atalanta, host midtable Siena.

Injury-hit Juventus travel to Bologna hoping their mini-crisis is over after winning Saturday's Turin derby against struggling Torino.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Time Home Away VENUE
19:30 UK Bologna v Juventus Renato Della`Ara
19:30 UK Catania Calcio v Udinese Stadio Angelo Massimino
19:30 UK Chievo Verona v Lazio Stadio Marc`Antonio Bentegodi
19:30 UK Fiorentina v Inter Milan Artemio Franchi
19:30 UK Genoa v Cagliari Comunale Luigi Ferraris
19:30 UK Lecce v Palermo Stadio Via del Mare
19:30 UK AC Milan v Siena Giuseppe Meazza
19:30 UK Napoli v Reggina San Paolo
19:30 UK Roma v Sampdoria Olimpico
19:30 UK Torino v Atalanta Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino

Inter have been up and down this term. Great away (the Roma game) poor enough at home ( yesterdays game). I think this may continue for a while but as long as they grind out results when needed it doesnt matter. Two team with great forwards so who ever can keep it tight at the back should win.

carlop

Napoli to be finally back on top of serie A on Wednesday night:D

godtabh

Jaysus when was the last time that happened?

Seaneh

Rossoneri Samurai!!!

Forza Milan!!!

Etc!!!

carlop

kearnsr wrote: »

Jaysus when was the last time that happened?

I dunno tbh but a long time, their revival has been excellent and they're building a strong team, outside chance of 4th spot if Roma continue to underperform the way they have been and Fiorentina find themselves distracted by a European run. Obviously Napoli being Napoli it'll all go tits-up soon but I'll enjoy it while I can!

godtabh

Napoli 1-0 up

anonymous_joe

kearnsr wrote: »

Napoli 1-0 up

On the same day Maradona's confirmed as Argentina boss. Spooky. :pac:

godtabh

anonymous_joe wrote: »

On the same day Maradona's confirmed as Argentina boss. Spooky. :pac:

Disaster for Argentina.

MILAN, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Champions Inter Milan recorded their second goalless draw in a row at Fiorentina on Wednesday to leave Udinese and Napoli clear at the top of Serie A.

Forwards Alexis Sanchez and Fabio Quagliarella netted with superb strikes to give Udinese a 2-0 win at coach Pasquale Marino's former club Catania.

Fellow surprise pacesetters Napoli beat bottom side Reggina 3-0 thanks to a simple hat-trick from striker German Denis.

The pair have 20 points from nine games with stuttering Inter slipping from joint top to fourth on 18 after again failing to find the net following Sunday's 0-0 home draw with Genoa.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho left forwards Adriano and Julio Cruz out of his squad for the trip because of indiscipline but they still had enough firepower and chances to beat a weakened Fiorentina.

Winger Mancini hammered against the bar and later blasted over from a good position while Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Hernan Crespo had decent chances.

Mourinho's three-pronged attack again did not function properly, however, and the home side's own version also misfired without the suspended Alberto Gilardino and injured Adrian Mutu.

"Without doubt we have had three great chances to score," Mourinho told Sky. "It is not easy to win here."

AC Milan moved above their city rivals into third, one behind the leaders, after a battling 2-1 home win over Siena.

Kaka's penalty after Filippo Inzaghi had been dragged back settled the game after Simone Vergassola had equalised Inzaghi's opener.

Juventus continued their resurgence by winning 2-1 at Bologna with winger Pavel Nedved scoring a neat first and then needing two deflections for his cross to sneak in at the near post for the second.

Juve, who were without Alessandro Del Piero and host of other injured players, now lie five points off the top.

AS Roma's home game with fellow strugglers Sampdoria was abandoned after six minutes because of torrential rain.

Under-pressure Roma coach Luciano Spalletti will at least be glad of the respite after a dreadful run of results with his side set to be fresher for Saturday's game at Juve.

Dave!

Anyone know what the story was with the Lazio game? I was looking at the time on Soccernet.com and waiting for it to end cos I had a bet on -- and it stayed on 90 mins for about 15 mins!!! Paddy Power also took a while to call it a win.

Was there actually a delay of sorts?