| |
|
| Week 36 Spotlight: Pat on the back |
Monday 1 May, 2006
|
|
 Player of the Week: Vieira (Juventus)
Juventus would be wrong to dispose of Patrick Vieira after just one season in Turin as his performance in the 3-0 win over Siena demonstrated. The Frenchman was the midfield inspiration behind the Bianconeri’s success in Tuscany, a victory which edged them nearer to a 29th Italian Championship.
Vieira opened the scoring at the Artemio Franchi when his strength in the air was just too much for the ‘other’ Bianconeri to deal with. He then set-up Adrian Mutu’s strike, Juventus’ third of the game, just five minutes later with a sublime pass which underlined that he’s got vision to go along with his physicality.
Juve have missed Vieira for much of 2006. Although he has been regularly selected in the side, he’s struggled to perform at the high levels which he set himself at Arsenal in the past before his £14m summer departure from Highbury. Despite an encouraging start alongside Emerson, in a midfield partnership which boss Fabio Capello suggested was the best in the world, Vieira’s form did dip – and significantly.
His physical problems have hampered his ability to train and Capello’s non-existent rotation policy hasn’t helped him catch his breath. He wasn’t contributing to the Juventus cause as was hoped and his sheer amount of foul tackles were giving the Italian media plenty of negatives to comment on.
It had got to such a point that whispers started to circulate suggesting that the Old Lady of Italian football were even considering his sale at the end of the season. The supposed plan is that he will be offloaded and replaced at the Stadio Delle Alpi by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard for the 2006-07 campaign.
In all honesty, the chances of seeing Vieira depart after just one year at Juventus look slim. Unless the Frenchman specifically asks to be sold then he will still be in the side next term, where he will have the possibility to underline his status as still being unquestionably one of the planet’s top midfielders.
After all, he’s visibly hungry to prove his worth. Last week’s altercation with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in training clearly didn’t disrupt his preparations for Sunday’s match. He scored his fifth of the campaign – all away from home – as well as protecting the back four and being prepared to aid the side offensively. Welcome back Patrick.
|
|
Goal of the Week: Dacourt (Roma)
Olivier Dacourt is just weeks away from ending his Roma career but he’s certainly left the Giallorossi fans with something to remember. His goal at Chievo on Sunday not only ensured his side a point in the 4-4 draw, but also won him our Goal of the Week honour. After actually bumping into teammate Edgar Alvarez on the edge of the box, the Frenchman picked himself up to unleash a curling shot, on the turn, which found the top corner. |
|
Number of the Week: 124
David Trezeguet’s goal at Siena was his 124th in the Juventus shirt, thus drawing level with the legendary John Hansen in seventh spot in the Old Lady’s scoring charts. The latter, if you discount the Argentine-born Italian Omar Sivori, was previously the club’s most prolific foreign player and it now seems just a matter of time before Trezegol is handed that crown in Turin. |
|
| Words: Antonio Labbate |
|
Past Spotlights
A unique review of each round of Serie A 2005-06, including Player of the Week, Goal of the Week and Number of the Week. More
|
|
|
|
| |
