Round five review: True leaders yet to reveal themselves

It has been an intriguing start to the Serie A season and round five has only further added to its intrigue as just five points separate first from 18th in a table so tight that one win would change the scope and ambition, albeit temporarily at this early stage, of any Serie A club. Inter got this round underway and Claudio Ranieri began his tenure in emphatic fashion with a 3-1 win away at Bologna. Gone was the 3-4-3 formation championed by Gianpiero Gasperini and in came a 4-3-1-2 formation which gave Inter a more solid approach to the game and brought the best out of their available players. No Sneijder, no problem as Milito, Lucio and Pazzini all found the net to get their season back on track.

Both Milan and Roma got their seasons back on track with wins, albeit unconvincing in nature. Both clubs scraped to 1-0 victories over Cesena and Parma respectively thanks to Clarence Seedorf and Osvaldo and eased the pressure on their respective managers. Up next for Roma is Atalanta, who would, but for their six point penalty, be top of Serie A right now on ten points after another home win this time against Novara. The win was somewhat controversial in nature after the away side had a goal ruled out late on but that will be of no concern to the Nerazzurri fans who have had a superb start to life in Serie A.

One club that has not had a superb start to their life in Serie A is Siena, but with a 3-0 win against Lecce today they eased concerns over their goal scoring issues and built on a superb away performance at Roma midweek. Joining them on five points is Catania who held Juventus at home in a 1-1 draw. They were unlucky not to win and perhaps would have but for a goalkeeping error in Milos Krasic's drive which leveled the tie just after half time. Catania had a chance to win it at the death but failed to capitalise on a strong breakaway chance. Juventus remain unbeaten, along with Atalanta and Udinese, the latter of which joins them on top of the standings after a 0-0 draw away at Cagliari in Sardinia. 

Also drawing 0-0 were Lazio and Palermo who played out a stalemate at the Stadio Olimpico. Both sides had decent chances to take the initiative in this one but in the end could not find away past each others defense. For Lazio with Fiorentina and Roma up next in the league two points dropped here may be looked back with regret in the rounds to come. Napoli also dropped points in the Saturday evening game at home to a strong Fiorentina side while Genoa relinquished their top stop after being reduced to ten men in Chievo and falling to a 2-1 defeat after having initially led.

So another round in the books and although not as entertaining as ones just passed, in terms of goals at least, the table is set up in such a manner that anyone on four points or more will begin to think they could make a run at Europe or in some select cases the Scudetto this season. This tight nature coincides with some huge clashes in the next round with Juve hosting Milan, Inter hosing Napoli and Lazio heading to Florence. It's not make or break yet but each one of these six will be looking to lay down a marker heading into the International break while Roma, Udinese and initial pace setters Genoa will be looking to capitalise on the fall out.