Italian Football Thread
- Thread starter Kev
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Osvaldo officially excluded from Italy's Confederations cup squad, following his bust up with Andreazolli. Not a fan of him, but I'll admit he was superb over the last few weeks in Serie A, so slightly disappointed for him.
And glad to see Rafa landing the Napoli job. Would be interesting to see if he implements his 4-2-3-1 at Naples, who have only really played a 3-4-3 over the last three years under Mazzarri and Leca.
And glad to see Rafa landing the Napoli job. Would be interesting to see if he implements his 4-2-3-1 at Naples, who have only really played a 3-4-3 over the last three years under Mazzarri and Leca.
Bevab
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War
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Serie A's looking pretty exciting this season.
Napoli and Roma have started the season on fire. Juve look strong. Inter look much improved and Fiorentina could be up there if Rossi and Gomez strike up an understanding.
Napoli and Roma have started the season on fire. Juve look strong. Inter look much improved and Fiorentina could be up there if Rossi and Gomez strike up an understanding.
StinkyBoHoon
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and milan look awful 
really disappointed with Allegri so far, last season his slow start was understandable, he'd lost the two best players in the squad and took some time to find a new balance, which he did by trusting and bringing in young players. this year we've seen none of that, a rubbish transfer campaign (not entirley his fault but he reportedly asked for matri, which was a total waste of money and our majore summer signing) and injuries aren't helping, but hell, if we're going to lose at least lets lose seeing what cristante and saponara can do and if Niang has progressed. instead we're relying on Birsa and Robinho. The unrest that makes el shaarawy's future uncertain is an added worry.
really disappointed with Allegri so far, last season his slow start was understandable, he'd lost the two best players in the squad and took some time to find a new balance, which he did by trusting and bringing in young players. this year we've seen none of that, a rubbish transfer campaign (not entirley his fault but he reportedly asked for matri, which was a total waste of money and our majore summer signing) and injuries aren't helping, but hell, if we're going to lose at least lets lose seeing what cristante and saponara can do and if Niang has progressed. instead we're relying on Birsa and Robinho. The unrest that makes el shaarawy's future uncertain is an added worry.
Backing Roma to finish top four this season, if not top three. Their front six are on par with Juve's and Napoli's imo, if not better:
-----------Totti---------
--Ljajic----Pjanic------Florenzi
----Strootman---De Rossi---
Totti has still got it man!
Just hope Rudi Garcia would start Florenzi on the right, and not his former Lille pet in Gervinho, who has yet to improvise on his finishing, missing atleast a sitter a game!
Also very happy for Rafa Benitez. Finally gets to manage a side with an incredible fanbase and owner. Good riddance from the Blue Plastics in London! Napoli's defence still looks messy, but their front six more than makes up for the same, and they consistently happen to outscore their opponents.
On Milan, Stinky's pretty much spot on. Having secured Champions League football battering PSV, they were linked with Eriksen, Sakho and Ljajic with only a week to conclude the transfer window, but ended up with Ale Matri for 11MP and Kaka on a free. Awful. Midfield's in absolute tatters bar Montolivo. No creativity whatsoever. Could stuggle to finish in the top five (have no idea why I tipped a top three finish for them in the season predictions thread!). Over to you again, Balotelli. Oh wait.. he's banned for three league games now - one that includes Juve..
Their cousins in blue have surprised me so far, considering they have an extremely average squad too. The Mazzarri effect?
-----------Totti---------
--Ljajic----Pjanic------Florenzi
----Strootman---De Rossi---
Totti has still got it man!
Just hope Rudi Garcia would start Florenzi on the right, and not his former Lille pet in Gervinho, who has yet to improvise on his finishing, missing atleast a sitter a game!
Also very happy for Rafa Benitez. Finally gets to manage a side with an incredible fanbase and owner. Good riddance from the Blue Plastics in London! Napoli's defence still looks messy, but their front six more than makes up for the same, and they consistently happen to outscore their opponents.
On Milan, Stinky's pretty much spot on. Having secured Champions League football battering PSV, they were linked with Eriksen, Sakho and Ljajic with only a week to conclude the transfer window, but ended up with Ale Matri for 11MP and Kaka on a free. Awful. Midfield's in absolute tatters bar Montolivo. No creativity whatsoever. Could stuggle to finish in the top five (have no idea why I tipped a top three finish for them in the season predictions thread!). Over to you again, Balotelli. Oh wait.. he's banned for three league games now - one that includes Juve..
Their cousins in blue have surprised me so far, considering they have an extremely average squad too. The Mazzarri effect?
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thedon5
Panel of Selectors
Gervinho needed to start well to get his confidence high. It didn't happen so unless he gets a lot more chances to prove himself and get his confidence up he'll be a huge failure at Roma too. Should've gone back to France IMO, he'd still absolutely tear that league apart.
Definitely liking the look of Serie A now though, haven't been a fan in the last few years but it's certainly opening up now, still below England, Spain and Germany though.
Definitely liking the look of Serie A now though, haven't been a fan in the last few years but it's certainly opening up now, still below England, Spain and Germany though.
thedon5
Panel of Selectors
They were after him, in face before the window it became common knowledge that he was going to United.
Either he picked Roma over them or Man Utd weren't actually in for him though. Big miss, he is way better than Fellaini. He could still move to a bigger club in a couple of years, though I see that being Real or Barca.
Either he picked Roma over them or Man Utd weren't actually in for him though. Big miss, he is way better than Fellaini. He could still move to a bigger club in a couple of years, though I see that being Real or Barca.
thedon5
Panel of Selectors
Totti proving himself to be a real great. If he can steer Roma to a title before he retires at the end of next season then he'll surely be remembered as being one of the best trequartistas ever as well as a great leader on the pitch. Won't be touched for a while I think as Roma's greatest ever player.
Gervinho is a quality player when on form, unstoppable, as we saw at Lille. He's got the confidence now to go on and get around 15-20 goals and 5-10 assists. The manager will help in this respect.
The start to his career at Roma was always going to be very important, and this is far better than the red card and 3-match ban he received at Newcastle in his Arsenal debut.
Gervinho is a quality player when on form, unstoppable, as we saw at Lille. He's got the confidence now to go on and get around 15-20 goals and 5-10 assists. The manager will help in this respect.
The start to his career at Roma was always going to be very important, and this is far better than the red card and 3-match ban he received at Newcastle in his Arsenal debut.
War
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Pirlo's predicament by James Horncastle - ESPN FC
Oh dear whats going here with the great Andrea & Juve?!
Oh dear whats going here with the great Andrea & Juve?!
StinkyBoHoon
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there's a couple of things bug me about that article. milan don't have policy of extending rolling contracts? this is a team that had seedorf, maldini, costacurta, inzaghi and probably others that have slipped my mind doing this until they were well into their late 30s. Abiati is on a rolling contract right now. it was simply milan wanted to look forward beyond his role in the team, no policy disputes. There's no real regret, sure it would be nice if Juve hadn't won the league, but Milan were further than Pirlo off the chase.
secondly, I've discussed this milan fans before but Pirlo's "a pen..." speech is beyond irritating. what did he want? they'd been paying him enough money that he could have bought a high end ferrari every single week for 10 years. pens are symbolic retirement gestures, he was on 5.8m euros a year, one of the top salaries in the world. it annoys me no end whenever I here him whinging about that.
thirdly, sadly, pirlo is a genius but also a liability, he can be pressured and bullied, in fact one of the reasons milan looked to get rid of him isn't because he's not brilliant, but that beating us had become one of the simplest gameplans in football management, i.e. mark pirlo out of the game. Vidal's been protecting him but Vidal isn't playing quite so well this season yet so he's been struggling and is again a liability.
I love Pirlo, he's a fine player and, with ancelotti, re-invented the deep lying mid position, but his achilles heal has always been he needs some willing to do the donkey work for him. Juve have Pogba, who is excellent, but not willing to do all the donkey work as he sees himself as a creative force in his own right, it becomes a matter of balance and I think Juve are beginning to think sacrificing Pogba to let Pirlo strut isn't quite such an easy decision with Pogba maturing.
secondly, I've discussed this milan fans before but Pirlo's "a pen..." speech is beyond irritating. what did he want? they'd been paying him enough money that he could have bought a high end ferrari every single week for 10 years. pens are symbolic retirement gestures, he was on 5.8m euros a year, one of the top salaries in the world. it annoys me no end whenever I here him whinging about that.
thirdly, sadly, pirlo is a genius but also a liability, he can be pressured and bullied, in fact one of the reasons milan looked to get rid of him isn't because he's not brilliant, but that beating us had become one of the simplest gameplans in football management, i.e. mark pirlo out of the game. Vidal's been protecting him but Vidal isn't playing quite so well this season yet so he's been struggling and is again a liability.
I love Pirlo, he's a fine player and, with ancelotti, re-invented the deep lying mid position, but his achilles heal has always been he needs some willing to do the donkey work for him. Juve have Pogba, who is excellent, but not willing to do all the donkey work as he sees himself as a creative force in his own right, it becomes a matter of balance and I think Juve are beginning to think sacrificing Pogba to let Pirlo strut isn't quite such an easy decision with Pogba maturing.
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