Sempre
03 Jan 2006, 01:02 AM
Tuesday, we are told, Antonio Cassano will be officially
unveiled as a new Real Madrid signing.
Reports in the GDS and Marca are suggesting as much,
anyway.
If this is true he will join a new wave of young Madrid
purchases: Sergio Ramos, Cicinho, and Robinho having
come before him.
Here on BS the signing would no doubt be greeted with
over-reactions both positive and negative, misinformation,
hype, and hysteria.
This I can say because I have read comments of posters
on the Madrid boards and the Roma boards as well. He is
surely a player that excites strong reactions, yet what is
badly needed for partisan fans and neutral observers alike
is a thread offering some fair-minded perspective on the
player, who may soon enter the limelight at Madrid and for
the Azzurri at the World Cup.
That would be useful in the coming weeks, when Cassano
could well be the subject of close scrutiny.
Here then are some facts and figures for the curious to
refer to:
1. Cassano is 23 years old and has compiled these goal-scoring
statistics:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=281511
The Gazzetta dello Sport analyzed his numbers and concluded
the following: By the age of 22, Cassano had scored more goals in
Serie A (43), than any other Italian fantasista (that's a creative
forward, operating as play-maker or support striker) before him at
the same age.
That list of forwards includes Del Piero, Totti, Rivera, S. Mazzola,
Baggio, Vialli, Zola, Ravanelli, and Antognoni. (In all cases these
comparisons are meaningful except for Baggio's, who suffered a
horrific knee injury at 18 and had not played nearly as many games
as Cassano had by 22.)
2. These numbers need to be looked at carefully.
His haul of 60 goals from 181 appearances indicates his scoring
ratio is below that of the top strikers, who usually can average
a goal per two games.
Yet Cassano is not a pure goal-scorer. He is an inventive dribbler
and passer who likes to notch assists as much as he likes to score
goals. I have not found a full record of Cassano's assists, but last
season he notched 9 for Roma and the season before that 13 for
the same club. (In seasons where he scored 9 and 14, respectively.)
It is also notable that in a large number of cases Cassano had
not played 90 minutes in an appearance and was either subbed
or used as a sub when scoring a goal or making an assist. This
was the case both at Bari and in his seasons at Roma.
3. Cassano has scored against the best opposition he's faced:
Juventus, Milan, Inter, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Poland, Sweden,
Bulgaria. He's beat Buffon, Blanc, Seamen, Toldo, Isaakson, Dida,
Cannavaro, Casillas, Panucci, Cordoba, Dudek . . . . And many
others.
A close look at his scoring record shows that in the more
prestigious tournaments, Cassano has raised his game:
a) 5 goals in 11 appearances in the Champions League, 4 goals
in 3 appearances in the UEFA Cup, 3 goals in 6 appearances for
Italy.
b) yet in the minor Coppa Italia, just one goal in 8 appearances;
At Euro 2004, Cassano played the equivalent of 2 full games
and notched 2 goals and 1 assist, where Italy's total offense
for entire tournament (3 games) was 3 goals and 3 assists.
4. All of these numbers are useful in combatting the following
notions: Cassano is 'unproven'; 'inexperienced'; 'untested at
international level'; 'inconsistent'. And the like.
5. Now posters who will try to defend Cassano's behavior by
saying he's merely been a bit thick or inclined to the occasional
tantrum are wrong.
Cassano is a veritable headcase: he has fought with, and fallen
out, with every coach he's played for except Giovanni Trappatoni
and his mentor at Bari. Here's a list of his antagonists: Rudi Voeller;
Claudio Gentile; Luciano Spalletti; Gigi Del Neri; Bruno Conti.
If Cassano loves and respects Fabio Capello, it doesn't mean he
didn't cause Capello woe at Roma. On more than one occasion
Cassano wouldn't answer his phone, did not show up at training,
threw a fit when subbed, and fought with fellow teammates.
6. Cassano is undisciplined as a player, hates tactics, demands
total freedom to improvise, will not defend, is moody, emotional,
and absolutely unpredictable. When given freedom to operate as
he likes, though, he terrorizes defenses and produces goals and
assists. On the other hand he has never shown the ability to
conform to team play as coaches so often demand.
This then is Antonio Cassano's profile by the numbers and by
past behavior.
What it indicates for me is that Cassano is well-qualified to play
as a forward for Madrid, has all the talent to succeed, has already
proven that his talent is of international class, and may, in due
time, become the best Italian player and one of the very best
creative forwards in world soccer.
So that, if he fails at Madrid, it would very likely be for reasons
other than lack of experience or proven skill.
Here is a link to a biography of Cassano:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Cassano
Here is a link to a compilation showing some of Cassano's
goals and at times outrageous skills:
http://www.soccerpulse.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=60071&hl=antonio+cassano
unveiled as a new Real Madrid signing.
Reports in the GDS and Marca are suggesting as much,
anyway.
If this is true he will join a new wave of young Madrid
purchases: Sergio Ramos, Cicinho, and Robinho having
come before him.
Here on BS the signing would no doubt be greeted with
over-reactions both positive and negative, misinformation,
hype, and hysteria.
This I can say because I have read comments of posters
on the Madrid boards and the Roma boards as well. He is
surely a player that excites strong reactions, yet what is
badly needed for partisan fans and neutral observers alike
is a thread offering some fair-minded perspective on the
player, who may soon enter the limelight at Madrid and for
the Azzurri at the World Cup.
That would be useful in the coming weeks, when Cassano
could well be the subject of close scrutiny.
Here then are some facts and figures for the curious to
refer to:
1. Cassano is 23 years old and has compiled these goal-scoring
statistics:
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=281511
The Gazzetta dello Sport analyzed his numbers and concluded
the following: By the age of 22, Cassano had scored more goals in
Serie A (43), than any other Italian fantasista (that's a creative
forward, operating as play-maker or support striker) before him at
the same age.
That list of forwards includes Del Piero, Totti, Rivera, S. Mazzola,
Baggio, Vialli, Zola, Ravanelli, and Antognoni. (In all cases these
comparisons are meaningful except for Baggio's, who suffered a
horrific knee injury at 18 and had not played nearly as many games
as Cassano had by 22.)
2. These numbers need to be looked at carefully.
His haul of 60 goals from 181 appearances indicates his scoring
ratio is below that of the top strikers, who usually can average
a goal per two games.
Yet Cassano is not a pure goal-scorer. He is an inventive dribbler
and passer who likes to notch assists as much as he likes to score
goals. I have not found a full record of Cassano's assists, but last
season he notched 9 for Roma and the season before that 13 for
the same club. (In seasons where he scored 9 and 14, respectively.)
It is also notable that in a large number of cases Cassano had
not played 90 minutes in an appearance and was either subbed
or used as a sub when scoring a goal or making an assist. This
was the case both at Bari and in his seasons at Roma.
3. Cassano has scored against the best opposition he's faced:
Juventus, Milan, Inter, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Poland, Sweden,
Bulgaria. He's beat Buffon, Blanc, Seamen, Toldo, Isaakson, Dida,
Cannavaro, Casillas, Panucci, Cordoba, Dudek . . . . And many
others.
A close look at his scoring record shows that in the more
prestigious tournaments, Cassano has raised his game:
a) 5 goals in 11 appearances in the Champions League, 4 goals
in 3 appearances in the UEFA Cup, 3 goals in 6 appearances for
Italy.
b) yet in the minor Coppa Italia, just one goal in 8 appearances;
At Euro 2004, Cassano played the equivalent of 2 full games
and notched 2 goals and 1 assist, where Italy's total offense
for entire tournament (3 games) was 3 goals and 3 assists.
4. All of these numbers are useful in combatting the following
notions: Cassano is 'unproven'; 'inexperienced'; 'untested at
international level'; 'inconsistent'. And the like.
5. Now posters who will try to defend Cassano's behavior by
saying he's merely been a bit thick or inclined to the occasional
tantrum are wrong.
Cassano is a veritable headcase: he has fought with, and fallen
out, with every coach he's played for except Giovanni Trappatoni
and his mentor at Bari. Here's a list of his antagonists: Rudi Voeller;
Claudio Gentile; Luciano Spalletti; Gigi Del Neri; Bruno Conti.
If Cassano loves and respects Fabio Capello, it doesn't mean he
didn't cause Capello woe at Roma. On more than one occasion
Cassano wouldn't answer his phone, did not show up at training,
threw a fit when subbed, and fought with fellow teammates.
6. Cassano is undisciplined as a player, hates tactics, demands
total freedom to improvise, will not defend, is moody, emotional,
and absolutely unpredictable. When given freedom to operate as
he likes, though, he terrorizes defenses and produces goals and
assists. On the other hand he has never shown the ability to
conform to team play as coaches so often demand.
This then is Antonio Cassano's profile by the numbers and by
past behavior.
What it indicates for me is that Cassano is well-qualified to play
as a forward for Madrid, has all the talent to succeed, has already
proven that his talent is of international class, and may, in due
time, become the best Italian player and one of the very best
creative forwards in world soccer.
So that, if he fails at Madrid, it would very likely be for reasons
other than lack of experience or proven skill.
Here is a link to a biography of Cassano:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Cassano
Here is a link to a compilation showing some of Cassano's
goals and at times outrageous skills:
http://www.soccerpulse.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=60071&hl=antonio+cassano