Napoli-Siena

By: Joe | December 14th, 2007

Napoli play the penultimate Serie A match of the year on Sunday as they head north to take on a Siena side who’s looking to stave off relegation. The bianconeri have been no higher than 15th in the table all season and that was after the first week (a 2-1 home loss to Sampdoria).
Siena chairman Pier Luigi Fabrizi went all Zamaparini this year and re-hired Mario Beretta after giving him the boot at the end of last year when Siena avoided relegation on the season’s last match day. Fabrizi then coaxed Beretta back after losing to previously winless Livorno three weeks ago. The results have been surprisingly positive for Beretta as they’ve taken four points from his three matches in charge.

Compounding matters for poor Mario Beretta are Siena’s injuries, suspensions and outbreaks of malaria…maybe it’s just a flu bug but whatever. Siena will be missing their leading goal scorer Massimo Maccarone who injured his right ankle, MF Do Carme Alberto and MF Simone Vargassola who’s suspended. News also came down today that MF Paolo De Ceglie (14 appearances), Enrico Chiesa (2 appearances) yes, he’s still playing, MF Lucas Jarolim (12 appearances) DF Leandro Grimi and Napoli-loaned FW Christian Bucchi all picked up the flu today. The chances the sick players will probably recover in time to play. If not, you can look for the highly vaunted Siena primavera squad to make their big club debut. Despite their wretched season, Siena is particularly stingy at the Stadio Aretemi Franchi - Montepaschi Arena (they sold naming rights to their biggest sponsor) conceding only nine goals in
eight matches.

Siena’s hopes on Sunday rest on the shoulders of Austrian national team keeper Alex Manninger. The former Arsenal understudy to David Seaman is an extraordinary quick and agile goalie. Manninger once racked up six consecutive clean sheets in helping Arsenal grab the Premier League trophy. Manninger returned to active play two weeks ago as he fell out of
favor with the old coach after a 3-0 loss to Roma. Beretta came to his senses and put big blondie back in the nets. Manninger’s ability to quickly come out his net and make spectacular saves have been his hallmark.

Napoli will need to cut through a Siena defense that will do everything they can to keep a clean sheet. Without Maccarone up top and with a depleted midfield, Siena are sure to park the bus in front of Manninger and hit Napoli on the break. If only we had some speed on the wings we could look to get Siena out of position. Of course, Napoli will need to make due
without the fantasista Ezequiel Lavezzi who’s serving a suspension. You have to figure Lavezzi may have intentionally picked up the yellow last week in order to be suspended for this match as opposed to getting shut out of the Torino or Milan match. They’re both a greater threat than Siena but things don’t always work out as they’re intended and I hate players intentionally getting carded. It’s a bit like giving the playground bully your lunch money before he even shakes you up for it. He shouldn’t need to kick your ass now, right?

El Pocho’s absence means an opportunity for <cue the sound of trumpets> Emmanuele Calaio to do what he hasn’t been able to do since the disastrous opening week of the season: get into the starting XI. Even his first taste of Serie A was tainted as the former two-time Napoli
capocannonieri was subbed out in the second half because he cracked his head open in the opening day loss to Cagliari. Since then, Calaio has fallen out of favor with Coach Edy Reja, picking up the odd 15 minutes at the end of the match. Reja has often used him as the second striker off the bench, preferring to go with Roberto “one trick pony” Sosa. Things got worse for Calaio when he missed a penalty kick and Napoli settled for a draw against Reggina. This is
your chance, Calaio. The Palermo-born striker has been linked to Roma and Palermo and his chance of staying in Napoli blue may hinge on how handles these next few matches. We play Lazio mid-week and Reja would likely play him in that match as well in hopes of limiting Marcelo Zalayeta’s minutes.

Also out suspended is left-winger Mirko Savini. While not as rancid as Gianluca Grava, Savini has provided little threat down the flanks and is, at best, a mediocre defender. Rumours are Reja will employ a 3-4-1-2 and use Captain RedAss, Maurizio Domizzi, in Savini’s spot. While
Domizzi doesn’t have much pace either, he’s a much more talented crosser of the ball and has an absolutely wicked left foot. Look for Reja to also play Mariano Bogliacino in front of Zalayeta and Calaio. Meanwhile, Manuele Blasi will be suspended again if he picks up another yellow. He has to be in the league lead at this point.

3 points. Any way we can get them, I don’t care. We need to improve our horrible road form (5 points from 7 matches). Look for Calaio to lay it all out on the line and stick one past the Manningnator.

Stats

Form	Siena (D-L-L-D-W) 8G, 9GA / Napoli (D-L-W-L-W) 6G, 8GA
Home record	Siena (1-5-2) 10G, 9GA
Road record	Napoli (1-2-4) 12G, 14GA
Suspended	Siena: Vargassola / Napoli: Savini, Lavezzi
Diffidati (one more yellow and their out for next match)	Siena: Galloppa / Napoli: Blasi, Gargano, Cannavaro
Out injured	Siena: Maccarone, Alberto, whoever didn’t wash their hands coming out of the locker room Napoli: Calaio’s ego
Siena probable lineup (4-4-2)	Manniger; Bertotto, Portanova, Loria, De Ceglie; Jarolim, Codrea, Galloppa, Locatelli; Corvia, Frick
Napoli probable lineup (3-4-1-2)	Iezzo; Cupi, Cannavaro, Contini; Grava, Blasi, Gargano, Domizzi; Bogliacino; Calaio, Zalayeta