Parma, Last Train to Salvation

By: Francesco | February 5th, 2008

Probably the best thing from the weekend was Cristiano Lucarelli scoring his first goal in a Gialloblu’ shirt, but the game was a bad loss to Atalanta (3-2). More after the jump.

Here are the highlights:

Poor marking on the first goal, how could the defense let Pellegrino get to that ball?

Then the penalty kick. Lucarelli scores, but the referee makes him take it again. I never understood this rule. If the player scores, what’s the point of taking it again? Nobody will have an advantage if it goes into the net. I understand the other way the rule is used, when you miss a penalty and there are too many players in the box that can get to the rebound first. And if the referee was consistent, he would’ve made Lucarelli take it a third time because on the second kick there were so many players in the box as well.

But Lucarelli redeemed himself with that beautiful header. A nice cross from Cigarini, and Lucarelli rose the highest and put it past Coppola. Hopefully that’s the first of many in the Gialloblu’ shirt.

Then you have to say Parma were outdone by two great goals. Bellini’s strike was brilliant, and the fact that it came from a fullback makes it even more brilliant. Then Sergio Floccari decided to become Diego Maradona and decided to dribble past 3 players and finish calmly.

Parma pulled one back with the late Gasbarroni penalty, but it was too late.

The Gialloblu’ decided to lose on the wrong day, as struggling Torino got a win in Reggio Calabria, and Siena seem to be reborn under Mario Beretta and thumped Roma 3-0. This leaves the Crociati on 19 points, just 1 above the relegation zone.

This is not what Ghirardi had in mind. Ghirardi was aiming for a nice midtable finish, maybe even an Intertoto Cup spot if we did really well.

Even though he was confirmed by Ghirardi today, Di Carlo looks to be on the edge now. That’s why this weekend’s game away to Cagliari is the Last Train to Salvation.

If Di Carlo messes up on the island of Sardegna to last place Cagliari, Di Carlo will most definitely get the axe, and reports are 4-3-3 enthusiast Alberto Zaccheroni and Gianluca Vialli are waiting in the wings. (I don’t buy the Vialli rumor, he’s linked with every open job and never actually gets the job, due to the fact that he likes being a TV Pundit.)

I think it may be time for Parma to make a change. Di Carlo is a competent manager, but he is just too inexperienced for Serie A and we need an experienced manager. Zaccheroni has been a hit and miss, he was great at Udinese (3rd place) and Milan (Scudetto), but terrible at stints with Inter and Torino.

But we’ll have to see after this weekend. Hopefully Di Carlo proves us wrong and we win this weekend, but Cagliari are on a hot streak, beating Napoli 2-1, and drawing Juventus 1-1 in Turin.

All I can say is Avanti Crociati!

I’ll get a Random Parma Video up some time this week.