A.S. LIVORNO CALCIO

[Forza_Roma]

Serie A Week 30 - 1/4/07 (14.00 UK)

Livorno - Catania
Stadio Picchi New Livorno boss Fernando Orsi will be hoping to get his coaching career off to a flying start when the struggling Amaranto welcome freefalling Catania to the Stadio Armando Picchi. Given that he had to leave a job with Inter behind to take up the new role, Orsi will be hoping that he can bring a winning mentality to a club who have picked up just one victory in their last 16 League matches.

Catania have hardly fared much better, failing to win in their last nine games and going completely off the rails since the disgraceful behaviour of their supporters in the clash with Palermo in early February, which sparked Stadiopoli. They haven’t played a home game since, as the Angelo Massimino has been put out of action for the rest of the season. It’s probably for the best, given the dross which they have been serving up of late.

Boss Pasquale Marino will be hoping that his decision to switch from a 3-4-3 formation to a more defensive 5-3-2 pays dividends, seeing as they have conceded an incredible 54 goals already this term. One of the men to miss out due to the tactical reshuffle is likely to be Fabio Caserta. Giuseppe Colucci is injured, so Giuseppe Mascara is tipped to take his place. Veteran hitman Giorgio Corona is also expected to be dropped, with Mattia Biso coming into the side.

Despite Livorno’s struggles, Orsi is unlikely to make wholesale changes to the team which tamely surrendered to Udinese. Skipper Cristiano Lucarelli, despite having another bust up with President Aldo Spinelli, will plough a lone furrow up front with his only support coming from January signing Stefano Fiore. The experienced duo will be hoping that Aparecido Cesar can supply some telling crosses when he returns to replace fellow new boy Carmine Coppola.

The Amaranto defence is expected to be given a shake-up though, with Samuel Kuffour and Giovanni Pasquale both likely to return to the team. The men to miss out will be Rahman Rezaei and David Balleri. Given that Orsi is a former Lazio goalkeeper, it’s unlikely that he’ll stand for a repeat of the Udinese horror show.

Man on fire: Cristiano Lucarelli (Livorno) – Although he is hardly on fire, Lucarelli is one of the few players on either side to have come out of the last month with any credit.

Last season: Not played

Form guide: Livorno (D D L D L) Catania (L L D L L)
Livorno (probable): Amelia; Grandoni, Kuffour, Galante, Pasquale; Filippini, Morrone, Passoni, Cesar; Fiore; Lucarelli
Catania (probable): Pantanelli; Silvestri, Stovini, Sottil, Cesar, Vargas; Edusei, Biso, Baiocco; Spinesi, Mascara
Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Form wise these are two poor teams.

Something has to give.

[Forza_Roma]

New Livorno boss Fernando Orsi will be hoping to get his coaching career off to a flying start when the struggling Amaranto welcome freefalling Catania

Maybe Livorno will have something to offer in this match. I will be pulling for Lucarelli as usual!

[D-Kin]

Well teams usually get a boost when a new manager takes over, we'll see what happens.

[D-Kin]

New Livorno Coach Nando Orsi is looking forward to his debut against fellow strugglers Catania.

“I am happy with the squad at my disposal,” said the man who replaced Daniele Arrigoni 10 days ago following the 4-0 defeat at Udinese.

“The lads are eager to work and follow my instructions carefully in training. I think we can do well together.”

This is Orsi’s first Coaching job after acting as assistant manager to Roberto Mancini at Lazio and Inter.

“I have not decided on my starting XI yet, but I don’t believe I will make too many massive changes. I shall field a 4-4-1-1 system.”

Livorno are in dire straits with just one win from their last 16 Serie A games and come face to face with another struggler, as Catania haven’t celebrated in nine.

“Catania are a team that play good football,” added Orsi. “We must be careful to control their system that has two wide support strikers.”

Goalkeeper Marco Amelia is out injured, so former Messina man Emanuele Manitta starts between the posts. Stefano Fiore plays just behind striker Cristiano Lucarelli.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Catania.....goal by Sottil...from a corner, he gets a head to it, puts it in the back of the net....Hope Livorno come back!

[Forza_Roma]

1-1 Goal by Lucarelli....a nice shot from outside the box...all level!

[Forza_Roma]

2-1 Livorno. Goal by Fiore. Good work by him to get the shot off and put it between the keeper.

[Forza_Roma]

HT 2-1 Livorno

[Forza_Roma]

3-1 Livorno...goal by Lucarelli from the penalty spot...many penalties today....Pantanelli almost saved it...his hat didn't bring him luck on that one...good for Lucarelli

[Forza_Roma]

4-1 Lucarelli with a hat trick.......way to go Lucarelli!!

[Forza_Roma]

FT 4-1 Livorno...Lucarelli the hero!!

[Forza_Roma]

Lucarelli is awesome!

Serie A Week 30 - 1/4/07 (14.00 UK)

Livorno 4 - 1 Catania
Sottil 14 (C), Lucarelli 20, pen 83, 92 (L), Fiore 45 (L)
Stadio Picchi

Livorno fought back to give new Coach Fernando Orsi a victory on his debut with Cristiano Lucarelli's hat-trick.

Nando Orsi made his debut on the Livorno bench - and in Serie A - after Daniele Arrigoni was sacked. Orsi's career had until now been as Roberto Mancini's assistant manager at Lazio and Inter, but hoped to revive a team that had won just once in 16 games. Catania were in dire straits too, without a victory in over two months, and had Giuseppe Colucci out for the rest of the season. Pasquale Marino switched to a five-man defence.

The Amaranto had a strong start, as within the opening three minutes Antonio Filippini's header had brought a great one-handed save out of Armando Pantanelli and Cristiano Lucarelli hit the woodwork, although he was offside.

It was Catania who broke through, though, with their first real scoring opportunity after 14 minutes. A corner kick was floated in and found Andrea Sottil totally clear for a free header from eight yards. The defender did not even need to jump and could angle it into the far top corner undisturbed.

Livorno fought back immediately with Pantanelli tipping a Pasquale stinger over the bar.

It was one-way traffic and captain Lucarelli grabbed a deserved equaliser when he spun round between two defenders in the D and smashed a powerful right-foot strike past a surprised Pantanelli.

David Balleri clattered into goalkeeper Manitta and both were stretchered off, forcing play to be halted for several minutes. The Livorno defender got the worst of it.

Lucarelli combined with Filippini and the striker drilled just wide, but Stefano Fiore let Livorno go into the break 2-1 up. He spun round Lorenzo Stovini with his right foot and nutmegged the goalkeeper from the byline with his left.

Catania did not give in and Giorgio Corona rattled the crossbar when it might have been easier to score from Davide Baiocco's intelligent through ball.

Pantanelli needed a reaction save to parry Lucarelli's point-blank deflection from a free kick.

The Sicilians' hopes of a fightback were further hit when Baiocco picked up his second yellow card, maintaining Catania's appalling disciplinary record this season.

Nonetheless, Giuseppe Mascara hit the back of the net with a volley, albeit when he was offside so it did not count.

Stefano Morrone swung wide from distance, but 10-man Catania almost snatched a point at the Stadio Picchi. Corona's effort was turned on to the post by a fortunate Manitta, standing in for the injured Marco Amelia.

In the final minutes Lucarelli's attempt was closed down by Sottil's arm and the referee did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. Lucarelli converted despite Pantanelli guessing the right side and celebrated his 100th Serie A goal.

The captain concluded the match in stoppages with a hat-trick, pouncing on a defensive error to blast home a right-foot effort.

Livorno: Manitta; Balleri (Grandoni 29), Pavan, Galante, Pasquale; Pfertzel (Coppola 58), Morrone, Passoni (Vidigal 67), A Filippini; Fiore; Lucarelli

Catania: Pantanelli; Silvestri (Corona 46), Cesar (Caserta 46), Sottil, Stovini, Vargas; Baiocco, Edusei (Biso 73), Lucenti; Mascara, Spinesi

Ref: Romeo

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Lucarelli back to his best.

It's good to see Fiore scoring as well.

[D-Kin]

Livorno chief Aldo Spinelli was pleased with Nando Orsi’s debut on the Amaranto bench. “I should have hired him two months ago.”

The new Coach replaced Daniele Arrigoni before the international break and led the Tuscan outfit to a 4-1 win over Catania on Sunday, thanks to a hat-trick by captain Cristiano Lucarelli.

“I am pleased with Orsi’s work, as well as that of trainer Professor Ventrone,” Spinelli told Radio Anch’io.

“I have finally seen enthusiastic training sessions, I hope this will continue,” added the outspoken President.

“I had already been following Orsi two months ago, I should have hired him back then. The team was not doing well and they all needed a shake.

“The players had saved Arrigoni and I had to accept that, but now I know that I should have changed sooner.”

Spinelli, who reiterated his will to sell Livorno at the end of the season, stated that he was pleased with Lucarelli’s performance, despite their latest bust-up over Arrigoni’s departure.

“I get mad at him because he is the captain. Yesterday I applauded Livorno and Lucarelli for his 100 Serie A goals,” explained the Amaranto official.

“In any case, the team must listen to the Coach and not to Lucarelli. I hope things are finally back on track.”

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