The undoubted highlight of round three of the Serie A season was the top of the table clash between AC Milan and Juventus. The match ended 1-0 to the Bianconeri in a game they dominated for large periods at the San Siro.
Elsewhere Parma edged out Chievo in a five goal thriller, Roma overcame Cagliari and Inter stalled away to Palermo.
The formation chosen for Team of The Week is a 4-3-3 with youngster Alessio Cragno getting a spot in goal following an impressive debut.
Ashley Cole makes his first appearance of the season and there are also representatives from Parma, Juventus and Fiorentina in the side.
As ever please feel free to leave a comment if you disagree with any of the selections!
Alessio Cragno – Cagliari
The 20 year old didn’t show any signs of nerves as he made his Serie A debut against high flying Roma. Was ultimately on the losing side, conceding two goals in the process but showed enough to suggest he could have a decent future. Couldn’t be faulted for either of the goals that went past him and made some impressive saves during the 90 minutes.
Stephan Lichtsteiner – Juventus
Was his usual bundle of energy down the right flank as Juventus dominated AC Milan for long periods in the big clash of the weekend. Gave Mattia De Sciglio in the left back position a torrid time on occasions and created several goal scoring chances.
Danilo – Udinese
Nullified the threat of Gonzalo Higuain and company in the Napoli front line, making the Azzurri’s much vaunted attack look rather pedestrian. Also popped up to score the only goal of the game with a close range effort.
Stefan Savic – Fiorentina
Put in an accomplished performance in the Viola back line. Was always in the right place at the right time and worked well in tandem with fellow centre back Gonzalo Rodriguez. Helped his team keep a clean sheet against Atalanta and secure three vital points.
Ashley Cole – Roma
The Englishman has had a quietly effective start to his Serie A career. Was solid and dependable against Cagliari. Doesn’t make as many of the attacking forays as he used to but is defensively very sound and reads the game expertly.
Alessandro Florenzi – Roma
The Roman native has had limited playing time at the start of the season, with competition for places fierce in the Giallorossi midfield. Was given a start against Cagliari and didn’t waste any time before making an impression, creating an assist for Mattia Destro and then getting on the score sheet himself.
Afriyie Acquah – Parma
The young Ghanaian had an eventful game against Chievo. At times did not offer enough protection for his defence but his influence grew as the game progressed. Was crucial in helping his team win the midfield battle and build a platform for the attackers to go on and win the game.
Roberto Pereyra – Juventus
Impressed playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role. Did nothing overly spectacular but showed good technical ability when on the ball and possesses a decent turn of pace. Has earned himself a call up to the Argentina squad following his good form.
Jeremy Menez – AC Milan (2 Team of The Week Appearances)
The only player who showed any quality for a poor AC Milan side. Was isolated for pretty much the whole game but still managed to turn the Bianconeri defenders inside out on a couple of occasions. Had one moment of outrageous skill when he plucked a high ball from out of the sky before going on a dribble.
Antonio Cassano – Parma
Every once in a while Cassano has a game where he reminds everyone of just how good he is. And how good he could have been. Was the fulcrum for all of his team’s attacking moves and scored two goals against Chievo, the first in particular a stunning swerving effort that flew into the top corner.
Carlos Tevez – Juventus
Mr reliable for the Old Lady, at least in Serie A. Posed a constant threat to the Rossoneri defence with his movement and deft touches around the box. Scored the decisive goal of the game in the second half, finishing of a well worked team move.
