OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/football/...r_stalemate.php Fiorentina feel full force of Italy’s press after stalemate The approach to the first leg of a European tie should come labelled with the sort of warning usually found outside schools or at zebra crossings: Stop! Proceed with caution. When the price of failure is so astronomical, it is little wonder that any high-scoring, adventurous football is usually reserved for the return match when the need is greater. The first leg, therefore, is mainly just about treading water to avoid rendering the second tie an uphill struggle, or worse, a foregone conclusion. It perhaps explains why both Rangers and Fiorentina expressed a quiet satisfaction after the scoreless, toothless, rather anaemic draw eked out by the sides at Ibrox on Thursday night. Rangers seemed content with keeping another clean sheet at home. Fiorentina travelled home satisified that they had denied their hosts a first-leg lead. And yet, not everyone in Italy was appeased. Amid grumblings that Fiorentina had been out-catenaccioed by Rangers, La Gazzeta dello Sport, Italy's much-respected football newspaper, pointed an accusatory finger at Cesare Prandelli's impotent attack. Regrets for Fiorentina - Pazzini in the firing line', screamed the headline. Adrian Mutu and Mario Santana did not escape criticism either, but it was the contribution made by Giampaolo Pazzini, the 23-year-old who scored a hat-trick for the Italian Under-21s in the opening match at the new Wembley Stadium, that drew the most criticism. "Against this meagre Rangers side, Pazzo' could, perhaps should, have scored. And he neither did that nor came close. He was then substituted again for Bobone Christian Vieri and a lot later than many thought he should have been. What has happened to Pazzini?" Strong stuff indeed, especially given Fiorentina are just one game away from reaching the UEFA Cup final, although the newspaper did have the decency to admit that, in a team game, one player alone cannot be fingered for any perceived failure. "Mutu, after some nice play in the first half, became progressively peripheral, ditto for Santana, Kuzamanovic mainly made a mess of things, while Liverani plays too deep to be able to communicate effectively with Pazzini." Rangers, too, were to blame for Fiorentina's shortcomings, according to the Italian side's players. "We had prepared for the game to contain their attacks and play on the counter but in reality the opposite happened: us on the attack and them trying to break it up," said Mutu, prompting the question as to whether Prandelli had actually watched Wattenaccio in action this season or had his players simply not heeded their manager's instructions? "We lacked the necessary devilment to score," added Santana. Not everyone followed La Gazzetta's hardline stance. "After a good result on a difficult pitch like Rangers', why are we criticising the squad? What do these journalists want?" posted one fan, not unreasonably. Another supporter risked possible extradition after suggesting there may be some outwith Italy who possess a modicum of tactical nous. "Is it impossible for us to accept there are actually other people who know a bit about football? Italian teams are not the only ones who know how to play football. Even when the football is ugly, it is the result that counts," typed one Fiorentina fan as a squadron of carabinieri lined up to take away his passport and send him on a slow boat to Greenock. Another ventured: "All this outrage because of a draw in Glasgow? I thought it was a good result." As did Prandelli in his initial post-match briefings, before admitting on Italian TV that he would be slated for a similar home performance. "I'm surprised by just how negative Rangers were in front of their own fans." he said, again raising doubts as to whether he had actually watched any of the DVDs of the Ibrox slogs against Panathinaikos or Sporting Lisbon. "If we had played like that in Florence, without a shot at goal, I would hate to imagine the reaction we would have faced. We would have been criticised in the press and on television for months. "Playing against a team like that is always difficult, but I felt we handled the match as well as we could have. I know Rangers have performed well away from home in the UEFA Cup this season, but I have total confidence in my players. Perhaps it's time Rangers' luck changed." The Corriere dello Sport hoped so too, paying a grudging tribute to the Scots' indefatigability. "The wall could not be broken down. Fiorentina will try again in Florence," was how they introduced their analysis of Thursday night's events. Tomas Ujfalusi, the long-haired Czech stopper, expressed a confidence that Fiorentina would indeed unleash their most destructive wrecking balls to break down Rangers' resistance next week. "We played an excellent game in defence and were very well organised. All that was missing was a goal and a bit of luck. But we can be happy with 0-0. We need to perform similarly defensively and I am convinced we will play better in attack." They will need to. The Italian media will let them know in no uncertain terms if they do not. 12:34am Saturday 26th April 2008 By GRAEME MACPHERSON I've travelled in time according to this Herald article. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintbob1969 1,560 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Do you think the lad is the offspring of Archie McPherson? Not saying it's nepotism or anything like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stardog 11 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 This is playing right into our hands. This idiot Fiorentina coach will now throw everything at us in the next match and we'll nick 5 goals on the counter attack. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kontermanletsfly 0 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 This is playing right into our hands. This idiot Fiorentina coach will now throw everything at us in the next match and we'll nick 5 goals on the counter attack. *rubs hands in evil fashion* mwah ha ha ha ha. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueben_d 40 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I remember one of the Fiorentina players said before the 1st leg they weren't worried about facing a hostile crowd, in fact it was worse to be getting whistled at by your own home fans. Hopefully this will happen and it will affect them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvager 498 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Intersting views. Mine is that we played the game pretty much as Walter wanted but with less possession. We cannot do this and survive at Parkhead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andypendek Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 wattenaccio doesn't have much scansion, we need a word that ends in 'n' so it can smoothly run into the 'naccio' part. Govanaccio for me. <literarypedantloyal> Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlegKuznetsov 10,816 Posted April 26, 2008 Author Share Posted April 26, 2008 wattenaccio doesn't have much scansion, we need a word that ends in 'n' so it can smoothly run into the 'naccio' part. Govanaccio for me. <literarypedantloyal> What would "oor wee Nacho" make of it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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