Author: Hans

With a 1-1 draw against Inter we end a dramendous year. Last May we saved ourselves in Serie A in the last match against Palermo in an empty Luigi Ferraris, 3 coaches were fired (Marino, Malesani and De Canio), we lost the derby, president Preziosi wants to sell the club and most of all the atmosphere in the stadium has gone down in 2012. To cure all of this the draw in Giuseppe Meazza gives hope for the future. We played good football (after the defeat in Pescara (2-0) and the draw at home against Torino (1-1, goal of Granqvist) we hope that we have reached the bottom now), scored the opening goal and succeeded to stop both Milito and Palacio.

 

Despite the draw we are still number 19 of the standings, but only 2 points away of the 17th position which means the longest stay of Genoa in Serie A since World War 2. Keep the faith!

After the victory against Atalanta last week we all hoped that the crisis was over, but against Chievo it was clear that the problems are not over yet. Mr. Delneri missed Borriello and Moretti (both banned after their cards in Bergamo), while Chievo had our ex forward Alberto Paloschi in the team. After two errors of youngster Mario Sampirisi the score was 0-2 (both goals of Paloschi). In the 25th minute Delneri substituted Tozser and the new player Said scored within 15 minutes: 1-2. A good result to reach halftime and to give the team extra instructions, but in injurytime Alberto Paloschi scored again: 1-3. In the 56th minute captain Jankovic scored a great volley and after the red card of defender Andreolli of Chievo in the 71st minute the match was completely open again. False hope: in the 91st minute Stoian scored the deciding goal: 2-4. Genoa is again in the relegation area. Next match: Pescara-Genoa, so number 20 against number 18.

In his 7th match Luigi Delneri booked his first victory. Already on Thursday the team was in Lombardia to prepare themselves for the match. The last position in standings should be left as soon as possible. In the 39th minute Andrea Bertolacci scored the only goal with a great volley in the far corner. In the 2nd half Atalanta did everything to score the equalizer, but Sebastian Frey was unbeatable today. Next week against Chievo we have to miss both Moretti (2 yellow cards today) and Borriello (yellow today), but this doesn’t matter at the moment: with these 3 points Genoa is on the 16th position in the standings, 1 point above the relegation-area.

After 7 defeats in a row of Sampdoria and 5 defeats after each other of Genoa, but teams hoped to realize at least a draw in the derby. After 16 minutes Poli opened the score. At the moment Genoa was the best team in the field and the equalizer was expected, Cesare Bovo scored in our own goal: 2-0. In the 2nd half it was again Genoa that was the strongest team, so the goal of Immobile in front of Gradinata Nord wasn’t a surprise. Of course the team of Delneri also did everything to score the deserved equalizer, but 1 counterattack of Sampdoria gave them the deciding goal: 3-1.

After 90 minutes the score was 2-2 between the friends of Genoa and Napoli. Unfortunately the Azzurri scored twice in injurytime. Ciro Immobile opened the score in the 24th minute and with the 1-0 advantage the first half ended. After 9 minutes in the 2nd half our ex-midfieldplayer Mesto scored the equalizer. Within 2 minutes Genoa again took the lead by Bertolacci. After this goal Napoli beame stronger which lead to the 2-2 equalizer of Cavani in the 79th minute. An honest draw, but in injurytime Hamsik and Insigne scored twice. Again a defeat for the boys of Delneri, but for the first time with the new trainer we scored twice and played good match, 1 week before the derby.

In the hard season last year for sure Andreas Granqvist was one of the less players who always scored a reasonable grade. Our Swedish rock was honoured before the last training of the match against Napoli. Our last Genoa Club Amsterdam Genoano of the year: Rodrigo Palacio already plays with Inter. Let’s hope very friendly (and good dutch speaking!) Andreas will stay longer with us.

 

Genoa misses Marco Borriello. Without our topscorer it is very hard to score and to play offensive. With Mr. Delneri the defensive part of the team increased a lot, but every match we take 1 goal and lose 1-0. In the homematch against Fiorentina we deserved to loose with more then the only goal of Pasqual in the 14th minute. Goalkeeper Frey saved us several times, but Genoa never was close to a draw. Three days later in Siena we played a typical 0-0 match with less emotions, but Paci headed a corner behind Frey so the hometeam stole the points.

In a very bad match that only deserved a 0-0 at the end it was (of course) A.C. Milan that kept the 3 points. In the 76th minute just after Delneri had substituted Moretti (why?) it was Abate in offside-position who gave the assist to Stephan el Shaarawy (ex-Genoa): 1-0. Genoa played a very bad match and only had some long distance shots that didn’t worry goalkeeper Marco Amelia. In the offensive way Genoa played a very poor match without Marco Borriello. Especially Tozser and Bertolacci seemd impressed by the San Siro stadium and forgot to play football. Let’s hope Thursday against Fiorentina we can see a real football-match, certainly with more offensive football.

Within 24 hours Enrico Preziosi did find a new trainer to subsititute Luigi de Canio: Luigi Delneri. The former coach of Sampdoria and Juventus signed a contract till the summer of 2014, but it will be a surprise if he still we be our trainer in June 2014. The new coach has tot start without Vargas and Borriello who both are heavily injured till the beginning of December (so after the derby).

What a fantastic start of Genoa against Roma. Within 15 minutes we scored twice with fantastic goals of Kucka and Jankovic, after Bosko first hit the crossbar: 2-0. But after 15 minutes it was over, Genoa only defended and seemed very scared of A.S. Roma that scored twice before halftime: Totti and Osvaldo and twice after halftime: Osvaldo and Lamela: 2-4. One day after the match trainer Luigi de Canio was fired by Enrico Preziosi. Is it because of the last 75 minutes of the match against Roma or for another reason ?