Spotlight: Spin doctor Sunday 24 December, 2006
Football Italia rounds up the winners and the losers from Week 18 of the Serie A season
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The winners…
Gionatha Spinesi (Catania)
The Pisa-born ace towered above everyone at the Massimino on Saturday with his first Serie A hat-trick. Deadly from wherever he found himself against Samp’s Luca Castelazzi, it will be his goals that will not only keep the Sicilian outfit in the top flight but aid their European qualification bid.
Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina)
Another inspirational display from the re-born Romanian in the drubbing of Messina. Adrian Mutu is threatening to have his most lethal season ever in Serie A following his summer switch and his partnership with Luca Toni is a dream come true. Phenomenal.
Rodrigo Taddei (Roma)
Give him a ball and let him entertain you. Rodrigo Taddei underlined his importance to the Giallorossi cause with a fine display against Cagliari. Not only was his goal out of this world, but his delightful touches are a joy to watch.
The losers…
Victor Obinna (Chievo)
He’s Chievo’s most dangerous element and he knows it. That makes his behaviour against the previously winless Ascoli criminal. To leave your side with 10-men after just 40 minutes was unnecessary and unforgivable when you consider his team’s struggles this term.
Vincenzo Iaquinta (Milan)
It was a day of rest for Vincenzo Iaquinta against Milan on Saturday. The Udinese man, linked with a January switch to the Rossoneri, never got in the game. Milan might be better off keeping faith with Ricardo Oliveira – especially as even he scored at the Friuli.
Lino Marzoratti (Empoli)
He was the worst of a bad bunch for Empoli in Reggio Calabria yesterday. The Milan owned stopper had an afternoon to forget as he and his teammates, formerly Serie A’s best defence earlier this season, went AWOL as Reggina hit four in the first 44 minutes.
The goals…
Rodrigo Taddei (Roma)
The Brazilian was the latest man to scissor-kick a goal in Serie A and it only took five minutes. A Christian Panucci cross from the right hung in the air perfectly for Taddei to ripple the net in spectacular fashion.
Fabio Liverani (Fiorentina)
The playmaker got his name on the scoresheet against Messina with a free-kick of the highest standard. It may not have been the most powerful shot in the world, but it looked like it would curl in from the instant that the midfielder caressed the ball over the wall.
Leon (Reggina)
Honduran ace Leon opened the scoring at the Granillo with some fancy footwork on the edge of the box, when he dribbled past three defenders before firing the ball low into the far corner of the net.
The numbers…
Record breakers
Inter equalled Roma’s Serie A record of 11 straight wins with a 2-1 victory over Atalanta. It leaves them with 48 points after 18 games – only Juventus, last season with 49, have done better.
Eighteenth time lucky...
Ascoli have finally won! The 3-0 over Chievo was their first of the season after six draws and 11 defeats in Serie A. They had not been victorious in the top-flight since Week 38 of last term thanks to a 2-1 at Empoli in May.
Solar eclipse
Roma and Inter finished the solar year with the most points in Serie A. The Scudetto chasing duo grabbed 86 points in 2006, helped by Juventus’ demotion to Serie B in the summer.
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Words: Antonio Labbate
Tifoziყოჩაღ კვერცხო
This post has been edited by Goodman on 24 Dec 2006, 22:50
მიმაგრებული სურათი
· 
იტალია 2006-07 წლების სეზონი, სერი A და სერია B(:D)
