Up in Northern Italy, form club Bologna are in the headlines again for the wrong reasons. The club is doing remarkably well, considering their idiot manager has signed what the media have described as “banter players,” but the decision to sell Kennet “Big Ken” Andersson has really upset the natives. Manager Dave Black has of course played it down, but with the club right in the hunt for a Champions League place, his lax attitude to the sale of the club’s top scorer has not gone down well. The arrival of ex-Man Utd youth player Graeme Tomlinson as a replacement has not exactly set pulses racing and only time will tell if the added scrutiny on the goals scored column proves costly. The Rossoblu might never forgive and forget if their season crumbles, like this delicious pastry, from here.
Thanks AC Jimbo. Things are going well at Bologna, we’re right in the hunt for a Champions League spot but there are a huge 12 games ahead. Selling 30 year old Kennet Andersson was a gamble but one I feel I had to take. Can we muddle through and make this dream a reality?
First though we’ve got the Coppa Italia semi final. The first leg is at home and it’s vital we have something to defend when we head off to Parma. As it turns out, we are irresistible. We plunder 25 shots and thoroughly deserve to win. Buffon was sold to Juventus on deadline day and his replacement is seemingly without hands.
Mamma Mia
How do you follow up a 5-0 win over titans of the league? That’s right, a scrappy 0-0 at Vicenza.
A turgid first half against Lecce gives the Kennet Andersson fans something to shout about. Look, he’s not coming back. Emmers and Molnar shut them up whilst more importantly securing us the points. Tomlinson arrives from the bench to make it 3, my freebie hero is at it again.
The return leg of the Parma tie is essentially settled after 9 minutes when Marc Emmers heads home another important goal. We go on to lose 2-1 on the night, which doesn’t matter, but we also lose Baggio for a fortnight, which might. Bad management, it has to be said.
Juve in the final of course.
Without Baggio there’s a lot expected of the back up but one of the more consistent original squad members pops up with the all important goal away at Empoli.
That’s followed up by a thrashing of Udinese. Romario scores twice, which in itself is a minor miracle, whilst GT10 is amongst the goals again. It’s a strange old game sometimes.
It’s also getting lovely and tasty at the top.
Baggio returns on the eve of the Juve away game. We couldn’t, could we?
No, we couldn’t. But we didn’t disgrace ourselves.
We edge back to winning ways at home to Lazio. Molnar has done reasonably well since arriving.
A bonus as Milan slip up in the Milan derby. Is that really a shock result? Shows what a poor season Inter are having.
With 6 games to go, the title is probably gone but only goal difference keeps us out of the Champions League spot.
It’s therefore a big problem to lose 4-2 to our direct rivals. Granted, when Kluivert, Weah and Del Piero all score you know you’re up against a ridiculous team but we injure one of them and make it respectable later on.
The stats tell a different story.
All that frustration is taken out on Brescia, where even the Micker scores on his return from a broken wrist.
Coppa Italia final is over two legs and a spirited showing sees us lead twice away at Juve only to settle for a 2-2 draw. That’s not terrible, with the way the two legged final bug often operates I wouldn’t like to bet on the outcome.
A hard fought win at Sampdoria keeps us in the hunt. Rob Page’s late header could prove vital in the final count.
Parma are brushed aside yet again, we’ve had their number a few times this season. A quick check of the fixtures tells me that Milan’s last game is at Juventus, so that’s got to help.
Getting tense.
Romario! When he gives us the lead after 10 minutes I’m dreaming of a Coppa Italia. It lasts 6 minutes before unravelling very quickly. There’s always next year.
Naples, where Maradona is the favourite son, has seen some ridiculous things. But probably not as ridiculous as Graeme Tomlinson appearing as a 31st minute substitute and plundering a hat-trick.
Milan drop points too, so we’re now in the drivers seat as Juventus win the league.
Atalanta are unfancied and we don’t fluff our lines. Obviously Tomlinson scores, he’s going to be in the World Cup squad at this rate.
We did it! Champions League playoffs await. Juventus lose the final to Man Utd which I think had they won we’d have got in automatically.
That’s nice for the coffers.
A tremendous showing from most. Proud of the lads.
Baggio ends as the top scorer. He’s off to the World Cup with Italy but obviously age is coming for him. Solving the “number 9” problem is paramount to our next step. Andersson had 12 when he left so would probably have got more than 15. He got 3 for Lazio, if you’re wondering.
The great provider, Mick Quinn. Oh and Shalomah, who was brilliant.
Something is severely wrong, as Liverpool win the Premier league. Man Utd always win in season one, it’s like an unwritten rule.
Unexpected boost to the coffers.
Italy and Baggio win the World Cup, completing his redemption arc.
What a lad.
Tried to pull off another banter signing but he chose the banter move himself.
The awards are fairly dull, nothing for our lot.
Our transfer budget had been looking healthy but this decimates it. It’ll help longer term of course.
The squad is quite small now. We have £6m to add to it. What we need is depth at the back I think.
Instead, here’s another banter signing.
See you for season 2 next week, aye?