L’Udinese come home from Bologna with a point that certainly leaves bitterness in addition to the positive aspects shown by the Cannavaro boys. First positive result for the coach who took over last week, a small step forward which keeps the rankings complicated, but which at least is heartening with regards to the performance put in by the Juventus team. The zebras, in fact, seemed more combative than before and eager to try to change the course of a negative season and which is at real risk of closing in the worst possible way.
In terms of initial choices, Cannavaro for now is not touching the hierarchies built by Cioffi in the past weeks, even if something will necessarily have to change against Napoli given that Payero and Nehuen Perez will be disqualified. The approach to the race was positive, with Udinese defending in a compact manner, taking away the pace of Thiago Motta’s Bologna and still trying to attack so as not to limit themselves to a 0-0 draw. At the end the goal arrives and the Friulians almost score an encore.
Then obviously in the second half the moment of difficulty arrived and here we can’t give up, there continue to be decidedly gross errors which undermine the good things done in the application of one’s gaming philosophy. Ferreira concedes an avoidable free kick, Okoye completes the work by reading the trajectory very badly designed by Saelemaekers and letting it bag. In the final half hour Cannavaro tries some unusual changes, giving minutes to Davis and Brenner, who have remained practically unused until now. It was the Englishman who sent the potentially winning shot onto the post at the end, with Udinese also being a little unlucky in this sense. A heartening performance, even if other results in the last four days will be needed to change the ranking.