Prior to last Sunday’s loss to Bologna, Cagliari completed their Serie A safari tour with a 2-0 defeat at home to Lazio in week 28.
First stop was a well-earned 1-1 draw against the Milanese snake of Inter, which was followed by a resounding 3-0 victory over the little zebras of Udinese. A 1-1 tie with the elephants of Catania came next, before there was death from above, as the eagles of Lazio soared in Sardinia to earn the Biancocelesti a deserved 2-0 away win.
Just like the rest of their league rivals, the Isolani went into round 29 of the campaign facing the prospect of playing three games in just seven days. Therefore there were no excuses for under performing against a struggling Bologna side languishing in 18th position, and desperate to haul themselves out of the bottom three.
However, for the the third time in as many games, Cagliari saw red, as Daniele Dessena tarnished an otherwise good display by being needlessly sent off for kicking the advertising hoardings in what transpired to be a disappointing 1-0 defeat.
Grit and determination is exactly what is needed when your team is fighting at the wrong end of the table, and Dessena certainly displayed more of these qualities than a number of his teammates. Similar to his captain Daniele Conti though, who took an early bath against both Livorno and Lazio, he fell foul of his temper, showing that while it’s good to show your passion and commitment, you must also keep a cool head.
A penalty dispatched by Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, incidentally the player with the longest name in the Italian top flight, was all that separated the two sides at the Stadio Sant’Elia, however it was entirely fitting that Sardi defender Davide Astori was given the man of the match award at the end of the encounter.
One thing the Rossoblu can take incredible heart from this term, is the number of goals they have conceded, as they have shipped 39 in 30 games.
It may not seem like such a striking statistic, but when you consider that with the exception of Genoa, the Sardi have the best defensive record of any team in the bottom half of the table, so one has to wonder where they would be if they had a 20 goal a season striker in their ranks.
Were they to possess such a forward, not only would they be able to convert some of their draws into victories, but they would not be in the predicament that they are now.
Inter have tied more games than any other team in Serie A this campaign with 12, while Cagliari have drawn just one less than the Nerazzurri. Meanwhile, due in part to regular rotation of strikers and their inconsistent form, Marco Sau is the club’s top scorer with five goals, and their top four forwards combined have scored 17 of Cagliari’s 28 strikes this season.
Indeed, the Sardi have a worse scoring record than Livorno and Sassuolo, who along with Catania, currently occupy the league’s basement positions.
If they are to avoid relegation this term therefore, the Isolani will undoubtedly have their defence to thank – they say that the best rearguard wins the Scudetto, and whilst this isn’t ringing true this campaign, with second placed Roma currently boasting the most watertight back line, a solid defence can certainly do wonders for your survival hopes too.
Step up the only all-Italian back four in the peninsula’s top division.
Even though the defensive unit has been slightly makeshift recently, with Danilo Avelar covering for Nicola Murru on the left flank, doing a sterling job until his sending off against Catania, the first-choice back four has been quite convincing this season.
Davide Astori has been courted by some of the continent’s biggest clubs, and it’s no wonder, as he has developed a formidable centre-back pairing with Luca Rossettini. While the former is frequently considered for international duty, the latter is yet to earn a cap at any level for his country, but the campaign he is having could put him into contention.
The left back position is usually filled by Italian Under-21 international Nicola Murru – he is one of the most promising defenders in Italy, and at only 19 years of age, he clearly has a bright future, even if mistakes occasionally find their way into his game.
Then there are the less-heralded Gabriele Perico and Francesco Pisano on the opposite side – both have been unspectacular, and have shared the position between them, earning 15 and 17 appearances respectively.
Cagliari often concede more shots on goal than they attempt themselves, but their reliable defence has tended to act when called upon, and made sure that the Sardi have not been punished too severely for having their passes intercepted more than any other side in the league.
This was not the case when Hellas Verona came to visit the Sant’Elia for Wednesday evening’s fixture however, as the Mastini only managed one shot on target and were the inferior side for much of the match.
Many fans questioned Coach Diego Lopez’s squad selection, with Matias Cabrera returning from a one-month absence, and Sebastian Eriksson and Agim Ibraimi starting ahead of regulars Andrea Cossu and Victor Ibarbo. The opening 15 minutes were all it took to change their minds though, and even though Ibraimi’s speed of thought and technical ability caught the eye, all three showed that they are more than ready to give their contribution.
Nene was the man of the match, and as well as being a constant thorn in the side of the Hellas defence, he guided a well-directed header into the back of the net from a sublime Francesco Pisano cross in the 33rd minute to give Cagliari a 1-0 advantage. Rossettini must also be given special mention though, for containing the threat of veteran striker Luca Toni for the duration of the game.
The 1-0 win means that the Sardi have remained static in 15th, and are slowly edging nearer to the salvation of mid-table mediocrity – something which was looking extremely unlikely after their sharp downturn in results following the winter break, which saw them win only one in seven matches and earn just four points from a possible 21.
After a season of so many ups and downs, hope is growing that the Rossoblu can secure another season of top flight football, but more positive results will be needed, as they are just eight points away from the drop zone and will be nervously looking over their shoulders until they can ensure safety.
Follow Anthony Alborino on Twitter: @anthonyalborino
