For Udine… For Italy
By: vin |
17 Comments
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Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know it’s *just* UEFA and not the Champions League. That doesn’t matter now. As it turns out, this is what’s left – UDINESE are what’s left, and that alone makes this UEFA match the most important thing going on for calcio at the moment. That said, let’s all fall in line behind the Zebrette and wish them luck as they visit Zenit. (Unfortunately, I have a grad school assignment due on Friday, so I don’t have time for a full post, but Marco has a nice recap of the first leg, while the actual UEFA site has a preview.)
Forza Udinese!
Category: Udinese Team News
Guys, I’m happy that you’re happy, but these A.S. Roma impersonations…
By: vin | 8 Comments
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Um… yeah.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, after the jump you will see Di Natale doing what can best be described as Neapolitan Riverdance. I sh*t you not.
Category: Udinese Team NewsThrough.
By: vin | 4 Comments
Di Natale. Last minute.
Necessary?
Not this time.
But that’s why this one was so friggin’ good.
I’m calling it official: slump / crisis / complacent period = over. Granted, I was pretty certain it was over going into this match, but today just sealed the deal. See… when a match is was effectively tied up and your team’s through on aggregate, you could just pay it safe and/or lazy (depending on how you look at it) and protect your away-goal advantage… or at least… that’s what a less motivated, frightened, or super-conservative squad would do, and that’s what Udinese would have done just a few short weeks ago.
Not anymore. Now, even when they’ve just got seconds left and they’re already virtually through on aggregate, they fight for the ball at midfield, send it to Mr. Christmas himself as he blazes down the middle because he’s actually trying, and he’ll slice it in from 19 yards. That is what motivated, confident squads do; indeed, that’s what Udinese did. *Link to goals after the break*
Category: Udinese Team NewsThe Frozen Tundra of… Stadion Miejski?
By: vin | 7 Comments
Check out the pitch; it’s like something from the NFL Films archives!
(And check it out quickly, because you KNOW UEFA’s going to pull down these videos quicker than Catania pulls down shorts.)
Anyway, at least this was the away round, right? While I am not happy about the fact that Udinese allowed the home team to draw level minutes from the end of the match, I am satisfied with a draw, given the environment. (By the way, The video above is Udinese’s first goal, and Lech Poznan’s two goals appear below. Udinese’s second goal, which happened five minutes after the Quags’ goal posted above, was technically an Arboldea own-goal, but Pasquale apparently got a foot on it. Unfortunately, a Poznan supporter must’ve posted these vids, as they conveniently forgot to post the own-goal. Sorry about that. If anybody finds it, feel free to post it in the comments.)
Category: Udinese Team NewsGoal of The Friggin’ Year
By: vin | 8 Comments
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Napoli 2 – 2 Udinese
Lavezzi 24 (N), Hamsik 27 (N), Di Natale pen 32 (U), Quagliarella 45 (U)
First off, yes, I found videos of *just* the goal, but the commentary wasn’t in Italian on those, so I’m not posting any of them. Instead, I posted the video above, which shows the full match highlights, but with Italian commentary (because everything sounds better in Italian). Just advance it to the 1 min., 25 sec. mark to see the strike that everyone’s talking about. I’ve read that the crowd at San Paolo actually applauded the goal, which is impressive (and speaks well of Napoli tifosi)… although half of it was probably because Quags is from the Napoli area. Regadless, that’s some Jedi sh!t from Quagliarella. The force is strong with this one.
I realize that Udinese didn’t win, but wasn’t it great to see that they fought back? The fact that they didn’t just roll over shows that they’ve rediscovered some of their determination following the win against Juventus.
Now… the real test comes next week, as Bologna visit Friuli. If you’re wondering why I’m calling Bologna “the real test,” consider the fact that Udinese recently came up big against a great squad, and fought back to draw a very good one. Bologna however, present an enirely different type of challenge – one where complacency is the true opponent. And let me tell you something – in calcio, I’ll face off against Inter/Juve/Roma/Milan over complacency any day.
Forza Udinese!
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Category: Udinese Team NewsIt’s. About. TIME!
By: vin | 10 Comments
Udinese 2 – 1 Juventus
Category: Udinese Team NewsIt Started with Inter
By: vin | 8 Comments
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If you tried to determine when the Zebrette crisis began – when they descended into the Davy Jones’ Locker of calcio – you have to go way back to Sunday, November 9th. That match marks the first loss of their current slide.
Since that day, it’s been a mess: seven losses, two draws, zero wins.
So, what’s the deal? Why the crisis? In my opinion, it has nothing to do with the coach, his selection of players, or their level of fitness. This is about momentum (or in Udinese’s case, a complete lack thereof), and expectations. Allow me to explain:
Category: Udinese Team NewsNo! For the love of calcio, NO!
By: vin | 7 Comments
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If this man is hired, don’t stand near the gates at Friuli… unless of course you’d like to be trampled as every good player on the Zebrette roster runs for the hills.
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Category: Udinese Team NewsUdinese’s WinterMercato, a.k.a. Keepin’ the Squad Together
By: vin | 14 Comments
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Let’s start off with a quick round-up of the the transfer rumors involving Zebrette, shall we?
- Floro Flores has been linked with Napoli in the past, but he insists that he’s happy with Udinese.
- There haven’t been any concrete offers for Handanovic, so it looks like he’s sticking around… for the time being, at least.
- D’Agostino says he’s staying put. Juventus want him though, or so it’s said.
- Then again, Juventus are also rumored to want Inler and Zapata too. <Look Juve… just because your shirts are black and white too doesn’t mean you can just raid our closet at will, OK? That is, unless you want to give up say… Giovinco. Or Chiellini. Or Legrottaglie. Not interested? Didn’t think so.>
- Seriously though, Juve and Udinese have allegedly had *actual talks.*
- Anyway, if Juventus want Inler, they might have to duke it out with Arsenal, it seems, and I’m seeing (from totally unreliable sources, mind you), figures in the £8-10 million range being tossed about.
- Di Natale is staying until June, at least. Then he’s going to Roma, or wherever Spalletti happens to be coaching next year, assuming he and Ancelotti finally make out swap places. OK. That part about Roma is just conjecture, but seriously… if Spalletti’s still there, fuhgeddaboutit. Toto con Totti.
- Marino’s job is safe, says Pozzo.
- Sanchez says he wants ManYoo. I say keep wishing, Alexis.
- Last but not least, our only INCOMING *shock!* transfer rumor says that Udinese are moving toward a co-ownership deal (with Inter Milan of all teams) for Jonathan Biabiany, a 20 year-old attacking midfielder or striker (depending on what you read) who’s currently out on loan with Modena. Call me underwhelmed.
Train wreck, right? And now, for my completely well-informed hunch-based analysis:
Category: Udinese Team NewsWhat’s wrong with Udinese?
By: vin | 12 Comments
Let’s look at the facts here:
- Udinese haven’t won in Serie A since October 29th. (That was a 2-goal away win at Catania, in case you’re wondering.)
- Their most recent win (counting UEFA) was against Dinamo Zagreb on December 3rd.
- In more contemporary (post-Dinamo) history, Udinese were destroyed 3-0 by Atalanta on December 7th, and a week later, they threw away a 3-goal lead during Lazio’s visit, which ended at a draw. Most recently, the Zebrette were shut out at NEC.
So, where does that leave us? Well… you might not want to know.
Udinese (6-6-4) sit at 11th place (before the Dec. 21st matches), and are staring down the barrel of a visit to Giuseppe Meazza where the Rossoneri wait, plenty pissed off following their defeat at the hands of Juventus. After that, it’s the winter break, with the next match on January 11th against crazy Cassano’s Sampdoria.
Now… first off, it’s probably good that Udinese have to face Milan (rather than say… Lecce or Chievo) during this rough patch, mainly because the Zebrette traditionally play better against bigger squads. Of course, that’s when Udinese are playing *like Udinese,* and right now they’re not. Moreover, even IF (and this is a gigantic “if”) Udinese come up big against the Rossoneri, any momentum gained might be for naught, as the next match after Milan isn’t until after the break.
Category: Udinese Team News
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