Serie Aaaaargh!… : Lazio, Ronaldinho, Robinho

Robinho matures into manhood at Milan

Richard Whittle — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:14:00 GMT

RESULTS Sat 27 Nov Sampdoria 1-1 Milan, Juventus 1-1 Fiorentina Sun 28 Nov Internazionale 5-2 Parma, Bari 1-1 Cesena, Bologna P-P Chievo, Brescia 0-0 Genoa, Cagliari 3-2 Lecce, Lazio 1-1 Catania, Udinese 3-1 Napoli, Palermo 3-1 Roma

If a Brazilian can't settle at AC Milan, he's not really a Brazilian – more like an Argentinian.

The club has always been a home from home for Samba Boys, from Altafini and Amarildo to Cafu and Kaka, so there were expressions of puzzlement amongst the Rossoneri hierarchy back in August when it was suggested that Robinho was a risky signing.

True, there had been tantrums and walkouts at Real Madrid and Manchester City, but there has never been any suggestion that the fleet-footed South American would be storming out of Milanello.

He slipped in quietly, compared to the headlines surrounding the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Many believed he would either play second string to Ronaldinho, who had been buzzing in pre-season training, or as a luxury substitute whenever Alexandre Pato’s fragile frame gave in. Many outside the club expected party tricks with Dinho to focus on the dance floor, but the only time Robinho was photographed away from the pitch was coming out of a Brazilian food store with a bag of rice.

Massimiliano Allegri’s initial 4-3-3 formation ensured Robinho was indeed the odd man out, but the coach's switch to a more balanced 4-3-1-2 – not to mention Pato’s injury problems and Ronaldinho’s nocturnal wanderings – has seen Robinho take a more pivotal role.

A model professional, then? Allegri certainly thinks so, putting his trust in the new Brazil captain, who has taken the pressure off his coach when the question "Are Milan too reliant on Ibra?" Saturday’s goal at Sampdoria was his fourth in the league, just three behind the big Swede who has also scored two from the penalty spot.

But for losing his bearings in front of goal at Bari the other week, he'd probably be level with the Swede in the scoring charts. Either way, it certainly looks as if he is finally fulfilling the potential he has only shown in flashes since arriving in Europe five years ago at the age of 21.

There had been question-marks over whether he was too much of an individual for the constraints of the Italian game and although his party-piece is still the pedalada – the exaggerated step-over – it is employed to turn defenders to distraction rather than infuriate his team-mates.

His licence to roam from left to right has definitely given Milan a new impetus and when Zlat is off-colour, as was the case this weekend, the nimble support striker has been on hand to energise the team.

Having taken the lead in Genoa, the league leaders might have lost their way after the opposition equalised, but it was Binho who offered the greatest threat – and it was no wonder that the other Ho was left on the bench until the last minute, seeing as a certain Scandinavian is now the untouchable one. After all, Allegri had maintained that it would be very difficult to see all three ball players on the pitch at the same time – and it was certainly a blink and miss it moment.

Just for the record, Ronaldinho has not started since the 3-1 win over Chievo on October 16 and another late night before the Fiorentina game has not helped his cause; the former World Player of the Year is now the luxury benchwarmer.

Lazio, Napoli and Juventus couldn't take advantage of the leaders dropping two points, but Inter shook off weeks of self-pity to stick five past Parma.

Sub-zero temperatures and a noon kick-off seemed just the ingredients for another sub-standard display, especially with Samuel Eto’o sitting out the first of his three-game suspension.

However, those hardy souls willing to drag themselves to the San Siro under slate-grey Milanese skies were rewarded by a vibrant display from the ailing champions – but only after it seemed that Javier Zanetti demanded that Rafa Benitez push Wesley Sneijder forward to support Goran Pandev and Jonathan Biabiany in attack.

As with the Champions League win over FC Twente in midweek, Inter enjoyed a fair share of good fortune – the lack of which the ever-more isolated Benitez had been bleating on about for the last seven days – in the shape of two deflected goals from Dejan Stankovic.

The Serbian bagged a rare hat-trick and described the win, Inter's first at home in the league in just over two months, as being like a dose of penicillin. It remains to be seen whether it's a panacea or a placebo.

Pippo strikes again but Mou's Madrid mug meek Milan

Richard Whittle — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:28:00 GMT

It was fitting that Filippo Inzaghi’s record-setting goal would come from his favourite position – offside – even if SuperPippo was pipped at the post in his moment of glory by the Special One.

AC Milan looked home and dry against Real Madrid thanks to Pip’s two-goal burst, only for that old Jose Mourinho jinx to strike again when Pedro Leon made it 2-2 with just about the last kick of the game.

Grabbing the record as the top goalscorer in European club competitions overall, the veteran striker had already whipped out two commemorative shirts emblazoned with the number 69 and 70 – but it was the Portuguese who was whipping down the touchline in final celebration.

Still, Inzaghi has now moved ahead of Gerd Muller and Raul in European goals scored – and in front of Marco van Basten’s 184 goals in the Rossoneri goalscoring charts, an amazing achievement for the 37-year-old whose career looked to be over five years ago.

It was one of those rip-roaring evenings at the San Siro and Mourinho was primed to play the pantomime villain when greeted by a wall of whistling and jeers, responding with a three-fingered salute reminding the red and black half of the city of his personal achievements last season.

"Yoo-hoo! I'm back!"

At least Mou’s presence had encouraged Massimiliano Allegri to smarten himself up, instead of looking like some small-town council official who had allowed his mother to cut his hair and pick out his clothes from the local Upim (cheap and not so cheerful clobber outlet for the sartorially challenged).

However, he has not yet stamped his authority on the side. Otherwise he wouldn't have given in to the obvious pressure coming from Silvio Berlusconi - not the first time someone has had to bow to the little cavalier – to play Ronaldinho in place of the in-form Robinho, who had kept his compatriot out of the side recently.

Forget the "diplomatic" injury, the club have been kidding no one – Allegri doesn’t want the boss’s favourite party guy in his side, but it's the coach who is hamstrung at the moment.

At least when the No.80 had proven that he is only in shape to hang around Milanese watering-holes, there was the oldest swinger at a loose ball ready and more than willing to seize his moment.

The first goal was a typical Inzaghi reaction to a goalkeeper making a complete hash of a routine ball played into the six-yard area. And the second, well, it made up for all the other times he hadn't been offside in his career.

Taking care of business: Pippo bags the first

Milan’s display may have lacked the slickness of the big city but there was plenty of provincial endeavour on show – although that will not serve in progressing a long way in the competition.

This is where Allegri needs to overcome his awe at coaching a club with such a rich tradition in Europe and shed the inferiority complex which makes him concentrate on nullifying the opposition rather than believing in the instincts of his own team.

Milan never used to worry about going a goal down but now their play is hampered by what-ifs. It took to some shoddy Madrid defending and a myopic referee’s assistant to get their noses ahead last night, but ultimately they lacked belief in victory.

The Rossoneri may have suffered a late sucker-punch, but AS Roma came off the ropes to produce some deft counter-attacking to down Basel and put the Giallorossi back in the box seat for the runners-up spot in their group.

It was a positive evening for another old hand, Francesco Totti, who got on the scoresheet for the first time this season in the 3-2 win – and can now put his feet up and watch the Rome derby at home, where in true Roman scaramanzia [good luck] he expects Lazio to win with a Sergio Floccari penalty.

There may be life in both old dogs yet but there is still much work to be done for all three of Italy’s Champions League representatives – and finishing second in their respective groups will only cause concern for Inter, Milan and Roma further down the line.