We excuse any double-takes for those looking at the current Serie A table and wondering if there is some sort of misprint.
No, you’re seeing things correctly.
We can’t remember the last time Inter Milan was so close to the drop zone into December, either, but the Nerazzurri are indeed near the foot of the Serie A table with Christmas looming. Sitting at 15th place, just three spots away from relegation, is not where we are accustomed to seeing Inter at this time of the domestic campaign.
Nonetheless, that’s the way it is right now for the blue half of the San Siro, which looks to begin the climb back up the Serie A table on Saturday when hosting high-flying Udinese. European betting shops have an Inter win priced just better than even money at 11/10, with the take-back on an Udinese success at 5/1. Draw prices are sitting at 23/10, with the 2½-goal total priced near even money both ways. Kickoff time on Saturday is at 2:45 p.m. (ET) with ESPN3 and the FOX Soccer Channel providing coverage in the states.
It’s not quite panic time at Inter, however, because Inter has advanced safely to the knockout phase of the Champions League. And owner Massimo Moratti acted swiftly when the side was floundering earlier in the autumn, quickly hitting the eject button on manager Gian Piero Gasperini and recalling a familiar face, noted quick-fix artist Claudio Ranieri, who has mostly excelled at a variety of stops in his managerial career that includes Valencia, Chelsea, Juventus, Roma and several others.
Inter looks to be moving in the right direction with back-to-back wins over Cagliari and Siena, but it will not be easy until Dutch midfield catalyst Wesley Sniejder returns from a thigh injury that has kept him out of action for much of the fall. Sneijder’s absence has also made it harder for Diego Milito and Thiago Motta to unlock the gate, as these proven goal scorers have combined for just five thus far in Serie A play.
Meanwhile, Udinese continues to pop along quite nicely in the third spot in the Serie A table, riding the goal-scoring exploits of Antonio Di Natale (9 goals thus far), who will likely be Italy’s target man for Euro 2012 action next June. Stellar work in goal from Slovenian keeper Samir Handanovic, who has allowed a Serie A-low 6 goals in 12 matches, has also fueled the Udine’s side rise in the domestic table.
Euro soccer fans in the states will have another TV treat a bit earlier on Saturday when Chelsea travels north to Newcastle for a critical English Premier League matchup to be televised on ESPN-2. Kickoff time at the newly-named Sports Direct Arena (better known as St. James’s Park) in Newcastle will be at 7:45 a.m. (ET).
Midweek pricing on the match at various European shops shows the visiting Blues even-money to get the win, with a win for the host Magpies fetching an appealing 14/5 on the take-back. Draw prices are sitting at 12/5, with the 2½-goal total hovering around even-money both ways.
That Newcastle enters action sitting ahead of Chelsea in the domestic table is a surprise to many who believed the Toon Army would quickly disappear from the upper-reaches of the EPL table after their unexpected quick start. Give shrewd manager Allen Pardew credit, however, for continuing to mix and match effectively, able to isolate productive Senegalese striker Demba Ba, the summer transfer from West Ham already with nine goals to his credit.
The Newcastle lineup is young and frisky and has a decidedly international look about it. Argentinian hardman Fabricio Colocinni anchors the backline with countryman Jonas “Spiderman” Gutierrez provides width at midfield. Pardew made another couple of inspired offseason additions when adding French midfielders Yohan Cabaye (from Lille) and Gabriel Obertan (via Man United). There is pace aplenty in the Toon midfield.
The recent “murderer’s row” of matches vs. Man City, Man United, and this one vs. Chelsea has yet to throw the Toon off the rails, either. A 3-1 loss at City was not unexpected, but Pardew’s troops showed grit and resolve Nov. 19 at Old Trafford in a 1-1 draw that confirmed the faith in this edition of the Magpies. Unencumbered by European duties, Newcastle can focus fully on EPL and upcoming FA Cup duties in an attempt to bring the first silverware to the long-suffering Geordie fan base since 1969.
As for Chelsea, there is growing concern about the direction of the Blues after recent losses to Arsenal and Liverpool have dropped the Stamford Bridge men down to fifth, a spot below Newcastle, in the EPL table.
The Blues already have six losses this term in a variety of competitions, a high number even considering the under-strength squad new manager Angel-Villas Boas put on the field in Tuesday’s Carling Cup loss to Liverpool. A 2-1 home loss to the same Reds nine days earlier, however, caused more red flags to apear at the Bridge, on the heels of a recent 5-3 home loss to Arsenal and a 1-0 defeat across town at Loftus Road vs. unfancied QPR.
Chelsea rebounded with a weekend EPL win over Wolves but there are increasing worries that Chelsea could lose its way under Villas-Boas much as it did for Carlo Ancelotti last term.
While the striking options remain rich, and with summer addition Juan Mata (via Valencia) adding some extra midfield bite, the defense is looking more and more vulnerable, exposed in recent defeats vs. Arsenal and Liverpool. John Terry’s commanding presence as a centre back appears to be on the wane, and Chelsea has demonstrated a noticeable (and worrying) lack of pace on defense lately. Age seems to be creeping into the lineup, with key outfield cogs Terry, Frank Lampard, and Florent Malouda now all on the other side of 30, and seeming to have lost a step. Which could prove a problem vs. the free-flowing Newcastle machine.