Tuesday 9 March 2010

Bianchi goal streak reignites il Toro

Sorry for not blogging about City legend Rolando Bianchi for a while. Torino have been going through a tough spell. Last time I mentioned them, they were second and Bianchi had nine goals in eleven Serie B games. But results tailed off soon after and coach Stefano Colantuono was replaced by Mario Beretta. After six weeks of Beretta, and no noticeable improvement, the board dismissed him and brough back Colantuono.

Since Colantuono's return they've taken fourteen points from seven games, with Bianchi leading the charge. He scored the opening goal of Colantuono's second reign - an equaliser in the 4-1 win over Grosetto. Then there was a brave 0-0 draw at Empoli, before a 1-1 draw with Brescia in which Bianchi scored Torino's equaliser.

Rolando was absent for the 1-0 win at Albinoleffe but did star in the 2-3 home defeat to Salernitana. Torino were 1-3 down with 23 minutes left when they won a penalty - which Bianchi missed. It's testament to his bravery, though, that the penalty they won later on he stood up and scored, even though it was not enough for a point. He made good his error in the next game, scoring the only goal in the 1-0 win at Padova. But all of this was build up for the home game with Frosinone on Saturday. Bianchi took two penalties, scoring the first and then the rebound from the second, and added another with an acrobatic stoppage time volley to seal a 3-1 win.

So in the six games he's played under Colantuono this time round, he's scored seven goals and missed two penalties on top. Torino are just two points from the play-off spots, while Bianchi has the second most in the division with 19 league goals thus far.

Here is Bianchi's weekend hat-trick against Frosinone:

3 comments:

thomas said...

still think, if we kept him, he would of done alight, with a good service. He was by no means a bad player.


Sign him up!

Unknown said...

He was and is an excellent player whose positioning and off the ball runs were top quality. Somehow he fell out of favour and I never understood why. Another player who should never have been sold but instead loaned out.

satis said...

Come on Wallace, he wasn't an excellent player. His finishing was poor, his hold up play was mediocre and he managed 4 goals for City when they were flying under Sven. He's now playing second division football.

But yes, his movement was top quality.