Fiorentina Observed

I had the pleasure of watching the Milan/Fiorentina Serie A clash last Saturday and as a supporter of la Viola I thought I'd post some musings. The team had a slow start to the season but have picked up a lot of momentum thus far, and had they not been saddled with the undoubtably deserved but poorly explained 15 point penalty in the Juve scandal last summer they'd currently be standing 4th. This team plays in the English style, flat 442 and features a classic big man/small man forward pairing in Toni and Mutu, though Toni certainly does offer more touch, movement and vision than your typical Frankenstein target man. They're strong up the middle, they play wide and they seem to be full of confidence. I think they’d be a great matchup with any of the English teams in this years Champions league, had they not squandered this year’s entry through massive corruption and dishonesty. The Milan match was a striking demonstration of how both form and class have everything to do with getting results. Milan appeared to be a shambles with a makeshift back line, a midfield that seems to have lost its way, a target striker feeling the weight of expectation and a coach who seems petrified of bad results and has effectively neutered the swashbuckling aspect that can make this squad so good. The 2 headed monster of Gattuso and Seedorf seemed completely jumbled; they were constantly fighting for space going forward, not tracking back enough, not providing Pirlo the space he needs to pass the ball well and most criminally of all crowding Kaka too far forward to allow him to make runs. Most of the run of play favored Fiorentina who were able to move the ball forward very directly through Mutu and the underrated Montolivo and twice took deserved leads through Mutu, once from the penalty spot and once from a beautifully worked move that he concluded by firing home from well outside the box. Both times Milan were able to respond through moments of individual brilliance from Gilardino who was able to pounce on loose balls in the box but was otherwise starved for service. Once could say that the 2-2 result was flattering to Milan but to do so would overlook the fact that one of the advantages of strong financial backing is that the cabinet is stocked with players of such quality that they can save points from otherwise dismal outings (hello Chelski). Two final notes: First, while much has been made of the lack of fan support in Serie A this season, the Fiorentina Tifosi have continued to make their case as the most dedicated fan base in Italy. The Stadio Artemio Franchi has been packed to the gills for most of the season. Secondly, Fiorentina gaffer Cesare Prandelli seems to be fully in command of his squad and his supporters. Sporting a long greasy mane and a euro-trash leather motorcycle, he looks like he should be smoking cigarettes in a highway rest stop bathroom or perhaps asking the President for a billion dollars to fight global poverty. -RBS

Prandelli and Bono: Separated at birth?