Livorno vs Empoli, Classic Tuscan Battle

By: Marco Stucazzo | January 19th, 2008

A Tuscan Derby/Relegation Battle/6 point game between Livorno and Empoli will be heating up the Picchi on Sunday Afternoon. Both teams are not that far away from the relegation zone and will be looking to render their cushion a little bit more comfortable.

This game officially marks the end of the first half of the season.

The two Tuscan teams are both enjoying a positive spell since they have appointed new coaches. Alberto Malesani is working wonders (as in not losing every single game) with Juventus/AC Milan’s farm team.

Ignazio Abate, Nicola Pozzi, Luca Saudati, Richard Vanigli, Lino Marzoratti and Luca Antonini are all former AC Milan youth products. Rey Volpato, Sebastian Giovinco, Claudio Marchisio and Felice Piccolo are all on loan or co-owned by Juventus.

I like the fact that Empoli are trying to fool the world into thinking they are the Azzurrini. They have the right shirt colour, at least. I’m looking forward to seeing 11 year old Sebatian Giovinco in action.

As for our favourite squad, we haven’t lost a game since October of last year. That’s right, last year! Camolese is doing a great job, so much, that Aldo Spinelli can’t even verbally bitch slap him in the media. And Aldo doesn’t even need a good excuse to rant in the media about his coaches, just ask Daniele Arrigoni or that Italian NT Coach, the former NY player, I forget his name.

The tiny tactician has revolutionised the team since he picked up the pieces that Fernando Orsi left. After getting 2 points from their first 9 games, Livorno seemed more than certain to be joining arch-rivals Pisa in Serie B. Then comes in GC Camolese and Livorno have not lost in the last 8 games, winning 4 of them in the process. The only thing is that we can’t seem to win frequently at home. However, we now have a 4-point gap with the danger zone. Thank You Giancaro Camolese , I mean Mauro Camoranesi?

Here’s another example of Goal.com’s excellent journalistic skills and fact checking abilities;

Livorno had a disappointing start to the season, but following the arrival of coach Mauro Camoranesi, things have gone extremely well, with the team unbeaten in their last eight league games, even though at home they only picked up one win in their last four matches.

Thank God for that pony tailed Argentinean winger. I don’t know how he manages coaching Livorno seeing how he’s busy playing for Rubentus and the Azzurri. Come to think of it, if Daniele Prade can be Roma’s DS and emergency Left-back, anything can happen in Serie A. Thank You Goal.Com for your factual accuracy!

Team News:

As we now know, Livorno’s midfield has so many holes; it looks like a Montreal Street. (If you’ve driven in Montreal before, you know what I’m saying)Martin Bergvold and Giuliano Giannichedda are out for about 3 months each. The 1st with a fractured right collarbone and GG has a 420th degree contusion on his knee. On top of that, E. Filippini a.k.a. the good twin, is suspended for this game.

Thank God Daniele ”DDV” De Vezze is playing extremely well all around the field. The only changes in midfield will be with ~~Nico Pulzetti~~ Massimo Loviso and Jose Vidigal filling in for Bergvold and the twin. The Back 4 (including Amelia) remain intact and the Tavano/Tristan duo will be looking to terrorise the Empoli defense all afternoon.

Tavano is playing against his Ex-squad, however, I don’t think he holds a grudge against them. Empoli is the team that put Francesco Tavano on the Calcio map. His great 19 goal season in 2005/2006 was greeted with a 10M$ move to Valencia and the fringes of the WC squad. I still get the feeling he’ll want to show them that he’s still a Tuscan star. The Caserta born striker is now over the ½ a goal per game ratio, but let’s keep in mind Tavano fades into obscurity the game after a brace. I just want to see Diego Tristan break out of his freakin’ shell!

Mr. Tristan only has 1 goal this year. But I think that doesn’t demonstrate what he brings to this team. His Free-Kicks are still as deadly as ever and at least 3 goals started on a set piece he took. He holds up the ball very well, which is crucial for a defend-first team like Livorno. The Andalusian bomber is a real threat on the counterattack and it’s great to see him zigzag through defenders, just ask Mateo Ferrari of Roma. Tristan has only played 7 of 18 games this season and his partnership with Tavano is getting better every game. There is a real possibility that Tristan breaks out and makes the Livorno faithful forget about Lucarelli’s non-arrival.

My only worry is that Livorno are getting a little bit comfortable with this positive run and take their foot of the gas. Let’s hope Tiny Tactician, GC Camolese a.k.a. Little Napoleon, will be able to motivate his troops for this encounter. I’m just hoping it won’t be as boring as the Reggina-Empoli game or the Cagliari-Livorno game.

Probable line-ups:

Good old (3-5-2):

Amelia,
Grandoni, Knezevic, Galante,
Balleri, Vidigal, De Vezze, Pulzetti, Pasquale,
Tavano, Tristan

Empoli

(4-3-2-1):

Balli,
Raggi, Marzoratti, Pratali, Antonini,
Buscè, Moro, Marianini,
Vannucchi, Giovinco,
Saudati

Prediction:

The two Tuscan teams won’t want to lose points, and I think a draw would do them both some good. Like Livorno showed in Cagliari, they kind of become over protective against the relegation battlers. I don’t know how this game will unfold, but I know that Livorno need to continue on their positive run. A draw would not be a disaster at the Picchi but a win would be a great moral booster, not to mention the fact that climbing up the table is a good thing. So I’ll predict what I’d like here;

3-2 victory with a Tristan Brace and a Tavano winner! (Eternal enthusiast Indeed)

Forza Labronici !