04/02/01 - I don't know what Ulivieri will try to do with the squad.  I'm not sure of his tactical style, but it is clear to me that the back four is not helping our defense too much, though the wingers have expressed their support of it.  Until Fuser or Conceicao assert the play they are capable of, though, it doesn't help much to have them happy.  The scoring used to be in the midfield (when it was 6 people) and now it is all Di Vaio.  Imagine if Malesani had played him when the midfield was in form!  He might still be around and we might be in the top half of the table.  Fortunately, the pack is close, but the new Gaffer has a lot to do.

Here's the poor/unlucky/tired/pathetic squad:  Buffon; Sartor, Thuram, Cannavaro, Bennarivo; Fuser, Lamouchi, Almeyda (Boghossian 46, Bolano 53), Conceicao; Di Vaio, Amoroso (Mboma 61)
Goals: Di Vaio 35, el Diablo 74, 83

04/02/01 - They lost, and I don't want to talk about it right now.  I have always hated Batistuta.

03/02/01 - Latest team news:  No Milosevic or Torissi, so Bennarivo and Amoroso may start in the 4-4-2.

01/02/01 - ANOTHER NEW MANAGER: Renzo Ulivieri takes the place of sick Arrigo Sacchi.  I hope he serves us better than Cagliari.  On a side note, Udinese beat us 2-1 in the first leg of the coppa Italia semi-final.  Next leg next week.  Who knows what will have changed by then.  Not a good time to play Roma, if there ever is one.   Where would Malesani be right now?  Who knows...

Squad: Guardelben; Torissi, Thuram, Cannavaro, Falsini; Fuser (Conceicao 46), Lamouchi, Bolano, Micoud; Amoroso (Di Vaio 88), Mboma
Goals: Amoroso 7, Margiotta 75, 92

30/01/01 - Well, Udinese are the next test.  The 4-4-2 might be the answer, since the 4-3-3 seems to make the players uncomfortable.  Fuser is happy, but Conceicao is still not adjusting to Sacchi, apparently.  Good news is that Sacchi is interested in retreiving Bonazzoli from Verona, since the two clubs share ownership of the young starlet.  It will be intersesting to see which players come to prominence (Di Vaio, Sartor, Fuser, Appiah?) in Sacchi's Parma, and who drops out of sight (Junior, Bennarivo?).

28/01/01 - A WIN!  Finally, the gialloblu have crafted another 2-0 victory like in their earlier period of good form.  And who scored?  Malesani bench-warmer Di Vaio.  Playing Conceicao on the left solved that problem as well, I'm sure.  Great result, but it took a 6 game winless streak to get the team serious again.  Sacchi still has a lot to do, noteably in his next league match.  Roma next week is where the gialloblu will really have a chance to prve themseles.  Before then, a coppa match against Udinese (?). 

Squad: Buffon; Sartor, Thuram, Cannavaro, Torissi (Sensini 78); Fuser, Lamouchi, Boghossian, Conceicao; Milosevic (Micoud), Di Vaio (Amoroso 90)
Goals, Di Vaio 37, 58

27/01/01 - If there ever was a must-win match, this is it, folks.  Verona are a good side, with two superb young strikers (one of whom left the gialloblu at the beginning of the season).  For this match, we will again see the 4-3-3, with Torissi at left-back.  I'm glad he is getting playing time, but it really isn't his best position, and he isn't so good on attack.  I hope Falsini recovers soon, though I would think Junior would fit the role well, too.  However, Sacchi clearly doesn't have the right squad for his tactics, and that is too bad.  Hopefully Parma can score twice in that match, and hold on to a lead till the end of the match.

24/01/01 - Sacchi is so attached to 4-3-3 that he would play Fuser as a striker against Udinese in the Cup.  Conceicao has been silent as a striker, when he is a very good winger.  Now, in the 4-4-2, his players might be able to take advantage of the width of the field more, but I don't know Sacchi's intentions.  At least he is giving Appiah playing time.  I heard rumours of a deal for Bonazzoli involving Mboma-intersting.

22/01/01 - Okay, so maybe my perspective is skewed, and blaming Di Vaio instead of Buffon for the loss is a bit off-base, but a clean sheet for 94 minutes isn't bad.  And in all that time, a team like Parma needs to get that security blanket of a second goal.  Look what happened to Leeds against Barcalona.  Where are the goals from Conceicao and Lamouchi and the midfield gone?  If Parma needs goals, why isn't Micoud, scorer of three this season, on the field?
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