The Reja Zone
By: Joe | September 2nd, 2007My skills as a prognasticator are only surpassed by my skills to convince professional beach volleyball players to buy me drinks and allow me to spread massage oil on their aching muscles. After a thrilling Coppa Italia match in which a 10-man Napoli went 120 minutes and won on penalty kicks when the socialist republic of Livorno couldn’t hit a barn door with a streetsweeper’s broom, you knew the squad would be tired.
Napoli’s depth would surely be tested on this afternoon in Udine. I felt the key lay in avoid having the too slow Mirko Savini, too old Andrea Cupi and just plain too bad Gianluca Grava spend any time time on the pitch. If we could keep up with the Udinese’s quick forwards we stood a chance of gaining a point. The measley threesome needed to stay home.
Coach Edy Reja had other plans. Insane plans. Plans that might make you think he’d really lost it this time. Edy wore a jacket and tie. Now Edy normally dresses for a match the way I dress for a barbecue. Yet there he was, looking uncomfortable at the Stadio Fruilli in his dark jacket, light blue shirt and dark tie.
The player decisions were equally bizarre.
Exhibit A: Grava gets his first taste of Serie A action in a 16-year career…and wears the captain’s armband.
Exhibit B: Savini is given another start after doing his best turnstile imitation against Cagliari last week.
Exhibit C: Andrea Cupi plays his second match in consecutive weeks after not playing for more than a year, and not at all regularly since 03/04 when he played 24 matches with Empoli.
Exhibit D: Young guns Gyorgy Garics and two-time Napoli cappocanonieri Emanuele Calaio were watching the match from the stands. They weren’t even on the bench.
Inspired genius or criminally masochistic? What could the old coot be thinking?
The spirit of Rod Serling was in Udine this afternoon as Napoli did something they haven’t done away from home since their third year of existence. They crushed an opponent by a 5-0 scoreline.
Reja’s jacket was already off by the time soon-to-be Argentine legend Ezequiel Lavezzi made a great run in the box and fed Marcelo Zalayeta to draw first blood. Lavezzi’s pace and quick directional changes had Udine defenders seeing the number 7 on his back all day long. He was Rosinalindo-like. El Pocho saw every part of the field today. Whether it was dribbling past defenders, making a great run down the wings or spinning Coda around like a top in the box for the third goal, Lavezzi showed why some rate his skills on par with Carlito Tevez. Granted, 95% of those doing the rating are Napoli fans. In any case, he’s providing tremendous value for his 6 million € purchase.
Napoli’s favorite red-assed Romano picked up his second consecutive goal and yellow card. He’ll beat you down and make sure you hate it. The free kicks he launches are on par with Massimo Oddo and he’s sharper in defense. You watching Napoli matches at all Donadoni? It doesn’t appear so since you needlessly called up Chiellini. (Given my prognostic abilities you can be sure Antonio heads in a late-winner against France next week.) The best part was at the half when he came over to shake the referee’s hand. I think he gave him the Bruce Banner speech. “Can we talk? I’m real sorry about that mix-up. I get angry sometimes. Don’t make do it again. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
The camera kept catching Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentis laughing on his cellular phone and sporting an ear to ear grin. At one point De Laurentis noticed the cameras on him and covered his mouth in order to not offend. Beautiful stuff.
So this is what Serie A is like? Kick off the season by losing your first home match in almost three years. Then follow that up by tying a franchise-record set 78 years for best road win. What on earth can happen next?
By the way, the last time Napoli scored five on the road was against Juventus. The following year Napoli won only the second scudetto by a team south of Rome. Got any plans this year? I suggest lots of brioschi and celebratory limencellos. Alternate them as you see fit.
 |
Serie A Match Schedule |  |
 |
Discount Travel to Naples |
| Napoli Results |  | Stadio San Paolo information & hotels |
Category: match review
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share
      |
Comments
-
That match was great. I didn’t get to watch, but there were at least 3 TV/radios in the courtyard with the Napoli game on, so I was listening. (Heck, I’d have been listening whether I wanted to or not.) By the end of the afternoon I was sure I’d gotten messed up on the score because someone had switched to another game midway through. I mean, a 5-0 away win? When does that happen?
Posted from
Italy
-
1929 was the last time, Lisa, and I don’t expect it to happen again for a long while. Genarro Iezzo made his trademark usual wonderful saves as Quagliarella and Floro Flores could have easily scored at least a few goals.
How is the feeling in Napoli for this squad. I can only glean so much reading the papers and whatnot but are the tifosi starting to believe we’ll return to glory in the next three or four years? If things continue to trend upward I could see this side challenging for Europe as early as next year if things break right.
Posted from
United States -
Floro Flores just shoot once into the sky, and Quagliarella only one great shoot.
I am wondering what game you watched.Five nothing doesn’t come by chance.
Posted from
United States -
Quags had at least 4 wonderful chances that I counted. I should’ve said Asomoah versus Floro Flores but whatever. I watched the same match you did, Enzo. It was great but Udinese had their chances, I wouldn’t take that away from them.
Posted from
United States -
Sorry about the delay, Joe, I have limited internet right now. Honestly, I haven’t been here long, not even a week, so I don’t have a very good feeling yet for who the reliable barometers of local sentiment are. I’ve heard varying opinions about the team’s prospects. Of course after this weekend, most people are feeling better about the team’s chances than they were this time last week. It’s definitely been an interesting start to the season.
Posted from
Italy -
Thanks, Lisa. No worries. Enjoy your time in Napoli. It’s a rough but beautiful city. The people are just like the sfogliatella…crispy on the outside (and sometimes flaky) but tender and warm on the inside.
Posted from
United States -
I am enjoying.
I’m actually living/working in Capua, but quite a few of my colleagues live in Napoli, so I imagine I’ll be spending some time there too. And after several years in London, the people and the food here are a shock to the system in a good way. Love the sfogliatella comparison! (Now I want one…)Posted from
Italy -
Good analysis on the match Joe. They completely ambushed Udinese who had just come off a 3-0 win at Bari in the cup, they were at home, and probably took Napoli for granted. Great performance.
Posted from
United States
Comments are closed
Home 
