retired_kausar

Sunday 21st November 2004
Sampdoria vs. Livorno

Again adopting the 4-4-2 tactic, we continue our run of good form with another home win. The first half is a dull affair with both sides cancelling the other out. We come out in the second half however with a flourish, Bazzani scoring with a well taken shot under pressure before the opposition have a chance to even touch the ball. We secure the win in the 69th minute, Flachi scoring with a well taken if slightly unusual free kick, using his right foot when facing the goal from the right side. We do suffer one setback however, Palombo being dismissed for a second yellow card after a foul on Vigiani.

Final Score:
Sampdoria 2 Livorno 0

Whilst we have not played any of the top teams other than the nil nil bore draw against Milan and bearing in mind that we have played more matches than our immediate opposition in the table, it is still somewhat of a feat that we currently lead Serie A, the table looking like this:

1.SampdoriaP12W8D2L226
2.MilanP11W7D4L025
3.JuventusP9W7D2L023
4.FiorentinaP12W5D5L220
5AtalantaP10W5D3L218

Our next match is against Inter away, time for us to see just how good we actually are.

retired_kausar

Sunday 28th November
Inter vs. Sampdoria

It’s all over by half time as Inter absolutely destroy us. Stankovic scores from two free kicks (although it has to be said that the first had a wicked deflection), young prodigy Martins gets one and Sampdoria old boy Veron shows some of the class he has been missing since his ill fated excursion to the English Premier League.

The second half is not so much of a one sided contest and they only get one more, their other exceptional striker Adriano scoring a beauty. At least we know where we stand now.

Final Score:
Inter 5 – Sampdoria 0

retired_kausar

Saturday 4th December 2004
Sampdoria vs. Roma

For the second time in as many weeks we face top quality opposition, this time in the form of Roma. Things start badly, Cassano, possibly the best of the current crop of young Italian strikers, showing his class as early as the second minute. Receiving the ball from a long kick from his keeper, he easily beat defender Falcone (playing as a result of Legrottaglie being suspended for picking up five yellow cards so far this season) and left the keeper no chance with his well placed shot. When their other young striker Corvia found space between the two central defenders and scored with a powerful shot in the tenth minute it seemed like it was all over.

To their credit, the players never gave up and Bazzani got a consolation in the 85th minute. However, after losing two on the trot we need to pull together and try to get something out of our next match away to Atalanta.

Final Score:
Sampdoria 1 – Roma 2

retired_kausar

Sunday 12 November 2004
Atalanta vs. Sampdoria

The two defeats in the previous games have seen us drop form top spot to fourth place. In fifth are today’s opposition, Atalanta. Should they beat us they will leap frog us in the league which would be disappointing as, if anything, their pre-season prediction would be worse than ours.

For over an hour we hold out although it has to be said that the better chances fall to them. On 65 minutes however they score, Pazzini making the most of Legrottaglie’s failure to clear effectively to pick up on a loose ball and slot past the keeper. The second ,on 87 minutes, which kills off the game once and for all, falls to Pazzani as well. This time the young striker (who undoubtedly has an exciting future ahead of him) heads in form Inacio Pia’s well weighted cross.

Final Score:
Atalanta 2 – Sampdoria 0

retired_kausar

Saturday 18th November 2004
Sampdoria vs. Bologna

After such an encouraging run of good form our recent slump continues as we fail to beat Bologna a team who have been underperforming all season. Over the course of the gane we have 24 shots, 10 of them on target, we hit the woodwork twice and Max Tonetto has a penalty saved by the outstanding Italian ex-international keeper Pagliuca. In contrast they have one shot, off target. A deeply deeply unsatisfying result.

Final Score:
Sampdoria 0 – Bologna 0Saturday 18th November 2004Saturday 18th November 2004