When it’s hard to go on…

By: Anthony | December 18th, 2008

How do I possibly go on? How am I going to wake up tomorrow? What am I going to do now?

Well I really don’t know what to say, nor can I find the words to describe that abysmal performance today in Genoa against Sampdoria. We had chances, didn’t capitalize, and ultimately payed the price.

From start to end it was an even game with Sampdoria getting that one crucial goal 15 minutes before the end of the game.

Kanoute didn’t start because of the groin injury he picked up against Villarreal on the weekend but is said to be fit by this weekend when we travel to Mallorca. Luis Fabiano started up top playing just ahead of Renato.

Cause for Concern
Like I mentioned in my previous post, there is a serious cause for concern. Fabiano is definitely not performing up to standards and Jimenez absolutely must go out and buy another striker in the January window because quite frankly we can’t keep operating like this, Renato and Romaric are not out and out strikers and playing them behind the lone target man isn’t effective as we’ve seen this year. Goals have been rare with us, both conceding and scoring. Last year it was totally opposite, Kanoute and Fabiano wouldn’t think twice about smashing a ball from 20 metres out, or slotting them perfectly beyond the opposing keeper’s reach. This year though… things seem to have changed, they’re not the same, I don’t see the desire in Fabiano’s eyes anymore, he’s a temperamental kind of guy and is moody out on the pitch. We need another quality striker to come in and really push both Kanoute and Fabiano to play harder and show why we should play them instead. Kone and Chevanton have been huge losses for us, from four top class strikers down to two is a huge blow and the goals aren’t flowing in like they used to. In terms of the UEFA Cup, what’s done is done, we have to now look ahead because reminiscing isn’t going to get us anywhere, we’re out, thats the end of it, there won’t be a third trophy in four seasons.

Leadership
I was thinking, “Damn, we really need Javi Navarro back”. Okay, so we have one of the best pairings in La Liga in Escude and Squillaci, technically they are both very good defensively and commit very few errors. However, I really feel like we are lacking the leadership out on the pitch, as much as Palop, Kanoute, Renato, and Maresca are experienced, I feel like none of them have the capability of leading a team like Navarro did during our five trophy, fifteen month reign of Europe. It’s sad because it really does look like Javi’s career is over, but maybe it would be really good for the team to get him on the coaching staff, and yes, I do realize that defense is not our problem, but I’m talking more in terms of morale.

Looking Ahead
Well I never expected exiting in the group stages of the UEFA Cup, but now that it has happened where do we go from here? Well, this is the optimistic approach I suppose… There still is the League which isn’t over just because Barca just very may well be the best team in Europe, the Copa Del Rey which anything could happen, and we could gain some glory there, and hopefully at least qualifying for Champions League for next season, and seeing how amazing Real Madrid is playing it is looking quite promising.

Jornada 16
This weekend in our sixteenth league match of the season we travel to the island of Mallorca where we take on RCD Mallorca in a game where we hope to keep our winning streak in the league alive and hopefully pass Valencia for that second place spot. If we win which we should do considering Mallorca have gone seven games without a win and we have just come off two major wins in the league against Villarreal and Real. Hopefully we can put the UEFA Cup defeat and exit behind us to move on and focus on the important task ahead of us which is the league and Champions League qualification.