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Atalanta Beat Lazio, Hakimi Joins Inter, Milan Defeat Roma (Ep. 48)
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Transcript
Introduction and Welcome
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to the Seria show!
00:00:16
Speaker
Hello, everybody. We are back.
Chaotic Schedule with Frequent Matches
00:00:18
Speaker
Chloe, Nima, this is going to get a little chaotic now because we have two matches every single week. So some of what we're discussing at some points may seem redundant, but we haven't discussed it yet on the show.
Lazio's Recent Performances
00:00:31
Speaker
So let's start with Lazio. Lazio, Lazio, Lazio. Chloe, I know you're not happy with.
00:00:39
Speaker
some of the things that may have transpired involving Lazio. No comment. Before we send you into a rage, let's start with Atalanta Lazio, which was, if you're talking about throughout Europe,
00:00:57
Speaker
I think since the return that probably was the best match, right? I don't think there's anything even close. Without a shadow of a doubt, I thought Lazio looked like a team that is prepared to win the Scudetto.
00:01:15
Speaker
the goals they scored were beautiful but Atalanta scored six goals on them otherwise they will score six on you like this is this is how they play they just seem unstoppable right now
00:01:29
Speaker
Now, I'm just going to say they've got this air about them that the other team scores two against them. Whereas, you know, you'd see another team walking back to the halfway line with their heads down, thinking, oh, I forgot to say.
00:01:46
Speaker
it doesn't register on their radar it's like it's still nil-nil and they just keep going you know they don't they don't care how many goals you score it was the same with Udinese at the weekend
00:02:01
Speaker
It doesn't matter. They know they're shaky in their defense or they're not that solid. It doesn't matter because they've got five, six players up front who can score for fun. If it's not Zapata, it's Illicic. If it's not him, it's Muriel. If it's not him, it's Alejandro, it's Papo Gomes. If it's not him, it's Malinowski. If it's not him, it's Gomes. You've got six players and the top score is less.
00:02:26
Speaker
It's absurd. It's ridiculous. I mean, and then just just looking at their wing backs. And I mean, it's just this team is mental. You know, what we said when we were, Chloe and I said about them, you know, potentially winning the Champions League. Yeah, for sure. One off games behind closed doors with this, with this offensive firepower, for sure. I mean, if they can maintain this form into, into, uh,
Controversial Penalty Against Fiorentina
00:02:51
Speaker
into august why not why not all right okay well you two are being too positive now let's let's make chloe depressed yes bring it down okay i think before we get into this conversation regardless of who you support i think we would all agree that that penalty that was awarded to latzio which i believe is the 15th of the season which is a record
00:03:17
Speaker
I won't open that can of worms. It is a record. It's just a fact. I think we would all agree, all reasonable people would agree that the penalty awarded absolutely absurd and should never have happened when you have VAR at your disposal. It was Rosario Abiso against
00:03:37
Speaker
against Inter for Ferrantino when the ball hit D'Ambrosio's chest and he gives a penalty for a handball. I mean, it shouldn't happen with VAR. It shouldn't happen. You have a video there. There is no excuse. There's no touch. Nothing. I don't understand how they managed to get it wrong with video. It takes a special kind of idiot. I'm not sure it was even checked. I'm not sure
VAR and Penalty Decisions
00:04:00
Speaker
it was even. It wasn't. That's the issue. Like, I mean, you know,
00:04:05
Speaker
You can forgive a mistake, but to not check the VAR on something like that. You know, if any of us did that in our jobs, that we would be fired. On the spot. On the spot. Incompetence. Well, the part that bothers me, we all know Nigella Arizzoli, the famous Italian referee who is, I guess you would call him like the head of the Italian referees. He is
00:04:29
Speaker
the designator, essentially, he said, I don't know if you guys caught this, but he said 99% of referees would have awarded that penalty and that VAR couldn't have caught that. Why not? You are. They're all idiots. And if that is 99%, I'm sorry, but, you know, if 95% of them are 99, whatever, cannot catch that, then us sitting at home ought to replace them on the field, to be fair. It doesn't make sense. I mean, to me, I can understand that if you don't have the camera angle that you might get it wrong.
00:04:59
Speaker
But this notion of clear and obvious error, stop it. If that's not a clear and obvious error, when the videos can get it, then you should have... It's like that thing that happened in England, the Premier League, with a malfunctioning Hawkeye system and the goal. That wasn't a goal, it was a goal, but it wasn't a goal. Remember that? It was a few weeks back. I mean, this is embarrassing. If the TV cameras can in slow motion catch it,
00:05:26
Speaker
and your system can't, there's something wrong with your system, fix it immediately. I mean, in general, I hate all these conspiracy theories about referees in Syria. I don't think it's good to
00:05:43
Speaker
to speculate too much because, you know, it's the league that we love. We don't want it undermined by wild conspiracy theories. However, if you look at Lazio, however, I'm going to do it back with it now.
00:06:00
Speaker
If you look at Lazio, they've been given 15 penalties this season, which is the most in the league, but they have also been given the least number of penalties against them against them. And, you know, we all I think all as anybody who's neutral would like to see a different winner after eight years of UVA winning. We would like to see one. And there's 10 match days left. I think we're like forgetting that like.
00:06:26
Speaker
I mean, this isn't 15 throughout the season, which I guess to a certain degree I could digest. This is more than one every other match. Yeah. And, you know, I can understand if they, you know, maybe if they're looking to try and get something a bit different. But, you know, somebody who is actually a lawyer and a Milan fan who has nothing to do with this situation,
00:06:52
Speaker
tweeted the other day that Claudio Latito has too much power and you know in general I wish I didn't have to say it I don't like the conspiracy theories but it does make you wonder and make you think when something as blatant as that when Fiorentina were streets ahead of Lazio in the game they were playing much better and you know even Lazio supporters that I've seen on Twitter are saying that it's not a penalty
00:07:18
Speaker
It's not a penalty. Let's keep it real. It's nowhere near a penalty. And the fact that they don't use the VAR to change that decision and they hide behind clear and obvious error. That's a clear and obvious error. And if your video can't catch it, there's something wrong with your video. Back to the drawing board. Sort yourself out because it's ridiculous.
00:07:43
Speaker
As you said, you know, the conspiracy theories, you know, they're not fun, but, you know, this is, you know, it becomes a point where it becomes ridiculous when it's won, when it went throughout the season. It's an all
Lazio's Penalty Dependency and Season Review
00:07:56
Speaker
time record now that Latzio have broken 15, 15 penalties in one season. No other team has been. I think it's the equal, the all time record.
00:08:06
Speaker
this is getting like in one season and this is getting a bit absurd and it's and the way that lotito waltzes around and and you know pretend you know acts like he's some sort of you know mob boss as well i mean it's just it's not a good look it doesn't look good uh and then they're not helped when that i can't even describe him but they're spokespersons i mean this guy i mean and the thing that's kind of a shame too or not kind of but
Fiorentina's Struggles to Convert Play to Wins
00:08:35
Speaker
I don't even know if they need those penalties half the time because they have been so damn impressive this season. Absolutely. Absolutely. It almost seems sort of unfair on their part that this is what we're discussing instead of their incredible season. Agreed. I think if we're just discussing that match alone, I thought that was, I mean, harsh on Fiordatina does not even begin to put it fairly, I think. I thought,
00:09:04
Speaker
Fiorentina were extremely hard done. Yeah, it's unfair. But again, having we said this all this season, Fiorentina play well, but they don't win and they don't get the points. And obviously this was different. This was a different thing. They were a bit robbed, let's be honest.
00:09:19
Speaker
but this is something that has gone on in Fiorentina throughout this entire season. They play well but they don't win and they don't get the points on the board which is weird because the squad looks better, they've played better. I think it's a lack of a goal scorer, you know, if you look at how ridiculous Atalanta are, I mean they're off the charts but
00:09:42
Speaker
you know, Fiorentina have got two joint top scorers and they've got six goals each. I mean, what does that tell you? They just they need someone who can put the ball in the back of the net because the build up play is all very good. But it is. Well, that's a perfect segue because
Inter's Missed Opportunities and Need for Rebuild
00:10:00
Speaker
hold on. You know who didn't put the ball back in the net, Nima? Jesus Christ.
00:10:04
Speaker
The worst, that is the worst miss I've ever seen. I've been waiting for years for a worst miss because there was one from Douglas Micon who crosses it to Jekyll with nobody at the far post and he hits it with his left foot and it somehow goes wide. It defied the law of science, basically. But Galleodini finally, finally unseats Jekyll for the worst miss that I have ever witnessed in my life. I've never seen anything like it. Never seen anything like it.
00:10:33
Speaker
Ronnie Rosenthal they talk about in Liverpool in the 90s nothing like it because he's moving those players behind Keith I think the Ajax player not same thing there because I've looked at I've looked at all these famous howlers Francesco Bayana in in Fiorentina Different because he's like he's throwing himself. This is absolutely the worst miss I've ever seen at professional level. I've never seen anything like it it shouldn't happen and and it's it's it's just it's always
00:11:03
Speaker
sasolo and concilii and it's and it's and it always happens you know with with with galliardini it's just it's enough now he's been there for four or five years he's not going to be whatever they want him to be it's you know danielo d'ambrosio is not going to turn into mike on andrea arranocchia may look physically in his face like alesandro nesta but he is not alesandro nesta can we please stop with the same
00:11:32
Speaker
Mad, you know, the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. These players are not good enough for Inter and it's not a chance that it's always them.
00:11:46
Speaker
How many coaches at Inter's career have these people killed? I'm going to stop you because they just made probably the best transfer market deal in the league in the last few years. I refuse to allow you to complain like this. Well, Hakimi is not going to be done until next season and it's clear that
00:12:11
Speaker
You know, this is again, I mean, you guys thought Inter was going to win the Scudetto this year. And I told, and I was completely against it because this, you know, we're not, Inter aren't good enough. They really aren't. When, when your start, you know, when, when you have Borja Valero as, and, and Galliardini and D'Ambrosio and Ashley Young and Candreva and Biragi and, and all of these people, I just want to puke in my mouth. You know, it's just, you're not going to win any titles with Danilo D'Ambrosio. You're not, you're not going to. It's not going to happen.
00:12:39
Speaker
And that's what this is. These players are not good enough to win titles. And now this is the first year with Kante. This is about building and improving on last year, which they have on several levels.
00:12:57
Speaker
now next season is when they really have to start winning this season it's about improving and they have to a certain extent in terms of lines in the game and identity but at the end of the day this is still Inter and against Parma but I don't know if you guys saw it but Antonio Contez when I think it's Victor Moses when he misses that cross to Romelu Lukaku and Lukaku loses it and
00:13:24
Speaker
and bellows out expletives at Victor Moses and effing hell, Victor. And you see on the sidelines Antonio Conte, the inter have broken him. It was the face. He made what I call interface.
00:13:39
Speaker
When Interfaces, when Inter have brought you to the point of tears where your feelings are, you're angry and you're upset and you've given up and you're like, for the love of God, stop torturing me. That's what Antonio Conte had right there. That's Interface. You know when you used to have them...
00:13:56
Speaker
Sorry Nima, go. No, it's like this man has won without suffering all his entire life. He's been arrogant, he's been this, he's been that. It took him nine months to break him down to a shell of what he used to be.
00:14:11
Speaker
You know when you used to get like a player cam on Sky Sports or something where you could just change the view to follow one player? I wish I could just change the view to watching Conte's face when he's like not enjoying it because it's just more entertaining than football I think. The look on his face is just, he's completely broken. That's the face of a broken man and that is, that's Inter, that's what Inter does to you. So welcome to the family Antonio.
Roma vs Milan Analysis and Management Concerns
00:14:40
Speaker
All right. Well, what do you think of Hakeemi then? Because that I mean, that I think is wonderful. Doesn't even begin to describe that move. You know, look, look, Hakeemi is exactly what Inter need. He's perfect for contest system. This is exactly what they should have done. But we couldn't afford it. Inter couldn't afford to have done it last year. They had to wait. Now they've done it this year. And with Tonali coming in, then we finally got some, you know, this is finally looking like a squad of 25 players of equal quality.
00:15:11
Speaker
It's quite clear that what happened against Sassuolo and Parma has woken Marotta and Conte up and they've realized that it's just not good enough. They need to improve on the wings and they need to have a better central defender in Diego Green is not good enough.
00:15:28
Speaker
they need more options in midfield. I think Raja Nangolan is now definitely coming back into the squad. With Sandro Tonali and Vicino, I think Galliadini is out. I think a lot of things are happening. I think this was like the straw that broke the camel's back with a lot of them. With Ranokja, it was against Asolo. I don't know if you guys remember a few years back when
00:15:50
Speaker
when Mancini had taken over and and he he Ranocchia did something so stupid at the San Siro and and Mancini is screaming what the f are you doing at him loudly you can hear it and he had interface then as well because it was another one of those like what the hell what's the wrong what's wrong with you what are you doing why are you doing that there's no need for that and so that i think this is finally one of those things where they've
00:16:16
Speaker
The penny has dropped. This is not good enough. You cannot have these players. Some of these players are just not worthy of playing for Inter and they have to be removed. And I think that's going to happen this summer. Finally. Hey, another good segue. You know who's not good enough? Roma.
00:16:32
Speaker
Bad in just about every regard. Now, before we talk about Roman Milan, I just want to establish that this was like the first meeting when they met earlier in the season at the Olympics. No team was good. There just had to be a winner. And one just happened to be less bad than the others. I feel so bad for anybody who actually subjected themselves to that because that was, other than maybe 15 minutes, that was
00:16:59
Speaker
Just. It was an ugly game, wasn't it? Oh, it was. It was terrible. And I'm I'm almost more concerned that Paolo Fonseca said that La Roma did well in the first half, because I like I went back and watched bits and pieces. I'm like, maybe we were watching different things. There was nothing good that Roma did. Roma gifted them a goal. Davide Zapacosta basically handing them a free goal. And then Amadou Diawa.
00:17:29
Speaker
Again, for the second match in a row, gifting a penalty and another goal. It wasn't that Milan did well. It was just two really bad teams and one was just slightly less bad than the other. Again, that was so reminiscent of the win that Roma had against them in Rome earlier in the season. It was terrible, ugly affair.
00:17:50
Speaker
Just these two teams, man. I really don't know what to make of them. Obviously, Milan, they get the victory, but Roma, they're going to pack it up. And I totally get that in their mindset. It's 10 dress rehearsals now for the Europa League and maybe put all your eggs in that basket. But it's like, well, the club doesn't have a European trophy. So that doesn't seem like a great idea. To me, to me, that's like.
00:18:14
Speaker
To me, that seems like what's happening in Roma is the complete unraveling and falling, the wheels coming off the Palota project in an absolutely horrific way. And I'm really worried about Roma because you can probably shed more light on it. The club's finances don't look good.
00:18:36
Speaker
The sporting director is having a mean girls argument with this president in language that he doesn't speak and now he's out. You don't have a sporting director. You have a bunch of players who need, you know, the contracts need to be extended and renewed. No one knows what's going to happen there. This is not good. This is really, really dangerous territory and clubs can really take a long time to come back from that. And I don't know what's going on here.
00:19:02
Speaker
I think you're right, Nima. I think, you know, if you think back to the end of last season when Fiorentina was going
00:19:09
Speaker
through their takeover. They almost got relegated. Sorry to inflict that on you, John. But I do think things that are going on behind the scenes can have a really toxic effect on what's happening in the pitch. And I also think in another similar way to Fiorentina that I think Roma need a goal scorer. I think they didn't do good things
00:19:36
Speaker
at the weekend but they have shown good play and I think Jack always had his time and I think it would be good for them to get shot and get a goal scorer in.
00:19:50
Speaker
Yeah, they're over relying on him. The only light I see at the end of this tunnel for Roma is... Palata has to sell. He 100% is going to sell. It's just a matter of time and to who? Because I don't think it's going to be Friedkin. I think it will be somebody else. But yeah, not good. Not good at all. They're...
00:20:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's not feels more like a chore to watch them. And it's, it feels very grim just because from my perspective, I don't see many building blocks beyond maybe Nikolo Zaniolo, Gianluca Machini. I guess if you want to throw the Awada in there, but he's been so bad since coming back that everybody seemed to sour on him. So yeah.
00:20:36
Speaker
But that's the thing. I don't think that's such a bad squad. I think Gianluca Mancini is a fantastic player. I think you do have good players. I think Spinazzola and Zappacosta, although they don't look good, Pellegrini, you know, there is... No, you see, I understand that you're pissed and you have every right to be pissed. No, no, no. I think I've always disagreed on Pellegrini from the start. Yeah, I know. I know you've been skeptical to him and Florencia. I understand that.
00:21:04
Speaker
But like when it comes to Roma right now, I think it's a complete, this is an issue where like Chloe says, it's one of those things that when the club is in such complete turmoil that it is right now and nobody knows who's in charge and if anyone's in charge and how long
00:21:24
Speaker
Then it's just they're going through the motions and thank God that Roma are fifth. If they were locked in a mid-table to low, you know, relegation battle, this could really end badly. And I just hope to God because the Serie A needs a strong Roma, Lazio, Napoli, Inter, Milan, and Uwe. Like these are the Fiorentina, these are the teams that historically have done well in Europe and, you know, held the Italian banner high.
00:21:49
Speaker
And Roma and Milan are looking absolute shambolic right now. And it's not good. It's really not good. No, no, it's not. But another segue. You know who is looking good? Napoli. Jesus. I know we keep saying it, but God.
00:22:10
Speaker
You know, what a revenge. I can't believe Milan just let him go like that. I really can't. I don't know if I'm more amazed that they let him go or by what he's doing at Napoli because, I mean, they are playing just so differently.
Napoli's Improvement Under Gattuso
00:22:24
Speaker
And again, I'm saying it for like the 50th time. This guy is not a master tactician. It's not like he's sitting there being mistaken for pep, okay? They're finally just playing with balls. They're playing smart.
00:22:39
Speaker
They have a very basic and clear understanding of how he wants them to play and they go out and do it.
00:22:51
Speaker
It just really shows you that you have a decent manager who is a good man manager. He doesn't have to be good at tactics. But if he can, you know, light a fire underneath everybody, sometimes that's really all you need. And look at what they're doing on the transfer market now. I think they're ready to, I mean, again, we were talking about them completely tearing it down.
00:23:14
Speaker
four, five, six months ago, we were saying, this is it. You have to start from scratch, tear it up now. I mean, I think they would be stupid to do that. Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah, I guess. But I mean, at the same time, I think you got to get some of those players out of there. I think the Gulams and the.
00:23:30
Speaker
You know, and the Alans and the Milics and all that they need to have a lot of redundant pieces. Yeah. And, and, and, and Lozano. Look, I see the thing is I read an interview with Marcello Lipi who said that he thinks he was kind of alluding to that this, this notion that Gattuso doesn't understand tactics is quite exaggerated and pretty silly.
00:23:50
Speaker
because he thinks that together with Simone and Zaghi, those are the next two Italian super trainers. Well, hang on. We're not saying he doesn't know tactics. We're just saying he plays very basic football, and there's nothing... I don't think there's any shame in that. Absolutely not. Lipi won a World Cup. Nothing wrong with that at all. Marcelo Lipi didn't exactly revolutionize with his tactics either. Football goes on cycles, doesn't it?
00:24:14
Speaker
And we're in the cycle now, it's the cycle of the ideologues, it's the peps, it's the clops, it's the saris, all of these are the nom du jour. But one thing that will always do well is you have the pragmatic coaches will always do well, the allegories, the leaf peas, you know what I mean? They will always do well.
00:24:36
Speaker
and Gattus was one of them and it's really exciting to see to see where he can go and talk about an own goal by Milan and I'm so glad that we also you know we said it I mean I remember I said I said this is a mistake by Milan
Milan's Future and Rangnik's Impact
00:24:50
Speaker
And I think we all did. And I think it's sad to see. They had something good going. And now it's rungnik mania. And we don't know how that goes. I mean, just think about it. It could be a complete disaster. Yeah. And it could be a failure of this. And this could be one of those horrible crashes, because then they have to find a sporting director and a coach.
00:25:16
Speaker
I just don't think it's a good idea. I mean, I could be completely wrong, but I think to give time that much power to somebody in a league where the coaches and the sporting directors are always separate. And, you know, I guess it comes from Gazidis because he was Arsenal and Wenger did both jobs, which is, I guess, common in England. But, you know,
00:25:45
Speaker
Well, so why would you repeat the same thing? It just doesn't make any sense. But then again, Rangnik has done brilliantly. Let's be honest. But as you said, this is Italy. This is not the Wunder's League.
00:25:58
Speaker
Well, he's never, he's never coached outside Germany. So, you know, that is a massive gamble for a course you are already really struggling. And I think going back to Gattuso, I think the idea that he is not amazing tactically comes from the fact that when he was given the Milan job, he'd only really had very small jobs like at Pisa and inside person, the Milan youth team not really had
00:26:26
Speaker
job and all of a sudden he's on AC Milan's bench and I think it also comes from the fact that as a player he was the grafter at the back and he had a lot of more technical and more talented players around him and I think that probably sells him short because he's worked under the success of Carlo Ancelotti at Milan, he's been in those Champions League winning sides, he knows what it takes to win
00:26:55
Speaker
He's not dumb and I don't think he's going to win titles but if you want to get into the Champions League every year I don't think that you can do any worse than Gattuso and for that reason Milan were ridiculous in getting rid of him.
00:27:11
Speaker
So we say he maybe has his downfalls tactically. I think as a man manager though, the way he played, I mean, he was never going to be mistaken for this technical player, right? What do we all remember Gatuzo for? Up and down the pitch, tackling the balls. I mean, this was a guy who, again, he played with the fire underneath him.
00:27:32
Speaker
And I think that's what makes him sort of like his DNA, I guess, is what makes him a good man manager. Again, I'm not saying or we're not saying that he's not good from a tactical point of view. They just play basic football and that's okay. But if you have the guys motivated, that matters far more than anything you put out tactically.
00:27:57
Speaker
And he learned to be unselfish in that role and give the ball to others who could do more with it. And that is part of being a team. And that is what he's obviously conveying over to those Napoli players who didn't want to play for each other before he arrived. They could barely look at each other and now they're scrapping and giving everything for each other. And I think that's where it comes from.
00:28:22
Speaker
Yeah, I completely agree, completely agree. Alright, so as we're recording this, Torino is hosting Lazio.
Atalanta vs Napoli Preview
00:28:31
Speaker
I don't believe we just had kickoff. So as of now, there is no, there is no score. But we also have Genoa hosting Juve and then tomorrow we have Bologna Calieri, Inter Brescia, Fiorentina, Sasuolo, Leccee, Sampdoria, Spal, Milan, Verona, Parma,
00:28:51
Speaker
And then on Thursday, we have probably the one we're all waiting for, right? Atalanta Napoli. So delicious to watch that. Yeah. And then Roma Udenese. So let's talk about the Atalanta Napoli one. It's in Bergamo. So I really don't know because you have the flashy, quick style of Gasparini, but then you have, again, the basic stout,
00:29:20
Speaker
style of Gattuso. So what are we thinking here? Because I really don't think Napoli are going to leave themselves exposed to the extent that we saw Lazio. No, not at all. It's like one philosophy versus another, isn't it? I think it's really, really hard to call. I couldn't say either way what was going to happen because they're two sides that are really in form. Atalanta, yes, they can score a lot of goals, but they also concede a lot.
00:29:51
Speaker
It's one of those where you can't call it and that's what makes it exciting, the fact that you've turned it on and you couldn't say what was going to happen. So, you know, that is the definition of a football match that's good to watch, surely. Yeah, no, I 100% agree and it's going to be really interesting to see if
00:30:13
Speaker
if his counter-attacking style against a team like Atalanta pays off and who scores and who's more lethal. I think that'll really decide it. But it wouldn't surprise me if this game ended 3-3. It really wouldn't surprise me one bit. But it's definitely, definitely going to be very interesting to see what happens.
00:30:38
Speaker
Can I just interrupt and say that, uh, Lazio have just gone behind to a Torino penalty and I'd like to add that Karma's
Torino's Penalty Goal Against Lazio
00:30:44
Speaker
a bitch. Oh! What a s- Oh my word! Wow.
00:30:51
Speaker
Oh, I'm awake now. I was starting to fall asleep. This was a very straightforward podcast. You better spread from the top rope. Boom. Yikes. Okay. Is Simone Zaza going to take it though? No, they've scored it. They've scored it. Oh, they have. Andrea Bellotti, no? Okay. Yeah. All right. Oh, good. Zaza is not even on the pitch. Thank you. That's always a good start.
00:31:18
Speaker
That is, um, addition by subtraction, as they say with him. Hey, real quick, one thing we haven't talked about, which I know is like Nima's, I won't say fetish because that's too harsh of a word, but the relegation race and the Serie B.
Sampdoria's Relegation Threats
00:31:34
Speaker
So, Spal, Brescia, done. They look done on 18 points. But for that final place, we have Leche,
00:31:44
Speaker
at 25, Genoa 26, Sampdoria 26, Utenese at 28, and just to be kind, I won't say Fiorentina 31, just to add a bit of levity for Claude. No, because they're not going to go down. I mean, let's be honest. No, they're not going to go down, of course not. It's between those tight teams. Let's just say Genoa, Utenese,
00:32:03
Speaker
And it's really worrying that there are two teams from one city there. And Sampdoria, if you ask me today, look dreadful. Absolutely dreadful. They look so bad. And I do feel bad for them from the extent that, hey, Claudio Ranieri, just in terms of people I like in the world of football, he's easily in the top five.
00:32:23
Speaker
So him being subjected to this relegation race breaks my heart for him. But then their president is also a massive Colleone, so it's easier to accept from that respect. He's mental, absolutely mental. Oh, he's insane. Okay, just from my perspective, selfishly, Utenese man, I want to see them go just because the Pozzos, okay, I understand there's more money in the Premier League. I understand that Watford are,
00:32:53
Speaker
far more of a moneymaker for them than Udenez could ever be. I get it. But it's like, can you start caring about this team at least a little bit? Agree. At least pretend you care by showing. No, because they really did. By bringing in a decent name or two. No, but they really did. They really, really did. And that's what pisses me off is that when they really cared and when they ran this like a proper business, Udenez, they were one of the, were the atalanta of like 10 years ago.
00:33:18
Speaker
or five years ago. And they worked consistently for 20, 30 years under the Potsos. They really were impressive. And it's so, you know, they've got a new stadium, they've got everything in place, and now they just don't seem to care. And although they have Pier Paolo Marino, who I absolutely love, I mean, if we're talking brilliant sporting directors, that man is the professor of sporting directors, I mean, his career. For those who are interested, I mean, goes all the way back to Naples,
00:33:44
Speaker
and Maradona and all that. But no, he's fantastic and he's running the show there, but he doesn't seem that it's working and other things aren't working. And I find it really sad because Udinesse used to be, you know, they belong in the Serie A, they're a mid-table Serie A team. And they have, you know, they need to wake up, they need to start investing in that club and start building in it properly instead of putting everything in Granada or more in the Watford. I get that, money, nice. But like you said, either sell or start caring.
00:34:14
Speaker
Yeah, well, the thing is, nobody wants to see Sam Genoa go down for obvious reasons. Great Darby. Love the stadium. Oh, if you've never been to the Farraris, I highly recommend it. It's fantastic. In Leche, just because I, again, I am a fan of having some
00:34:35
Speaker
Southern diversity in terms of location of the teams. Um, I would hate to see Leche go back down. And given that I feel like they have at least shown enough to remain in the Syria, I think it would be very harsh on them if they did get sent down. And I admittedly, I like Livarani as a manager. I think he deserves a look.
00:34:58
Speaker
But Udenese, man, I just... no. They need a shot in the ass, and I think a year in relegation would do that for them. But let's talk about Benevento, because they are forming what looks like a football manager's 2014 edition dream.
Benevento's Promotion to Serie A
00:35:19
Speaker
So they get promoted.
00:35:22
Speaker
We see Pippo and Zaghi, we see the celebrations on social media, it's fantastic. And then within a matter of like 48 hours, who are they linked to? They're linked to Loigremi, Gleek, the former Torino defender, who else? Andrei Sherl. I mean, this is great six years ago, but we can pretend it's still great.
00:35:43
Speaker
But, I mean, it's good for a team that's just getting promoted to the Serie A and wants to stay there. It's at least showing some effort. That's what I'm saying. But, I mean, if you look at that team as well, I mean, you've got Roberto Insinio, the brother of Lorenz, so you have Luca Cardirola, who was a former Interman. Yeah, the Interman who played a couple of years in Val de Bremen, and he was supposed to be really good, and he's, you know,
00:36:05
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, didn't he bail after like the u21 world cup? Yeah, right. Yeah, he did and then you have a hetamai You know, you've got some you've got some interesting players and then marco sau who? Tear it up for for caliari. Um a few years. Yeah, if I tear it up, uh too cool as a year, but No, he was he was he was he was I liked him as a player. Um, but I mean these this is an interesting team this is an interesting team and I think that you know, if if they uh
00:36:35
Speaker
I think they can, I really like that stadium, speaking of stadiums, I really like that stadium. And it would be cool, again, like you said, some geographic diversity, you know, Benevento playing local Darby's against Naples or Napoli is pretty cool. And it's a pretty stadium, they're fun.
00:36:53
Speaker
They're a fun club, you know, they have around. Yeah. Great fans. Great fans. Yeah. Yeah. So no, I'm happy. And again, as I tweeted yesterday, is this the breakthrough for people in Zagi's coaching career that he's been waiting for?
00:37:10
Speaker
Um, because at Bologna and Milan, it was an absolute eyesore. It was painful to watch. He did all right in Venezia, but now if an event, it seems to have clicked and I'm really excited. I hope he doesn't do that stupid thing again, where he leaves for pastors greener, stay there, build something do next year, set it in Syria with Benevento and see where you can take them. I'm really keen to see where that goes. I wonder, I wonder if he will end up being one of those guys that is really good.
00:37:40
Speaker
getting teams promoted from Serie B, but then he gets to the top flight and his abilities just disappear. I guess this season is like his make or break in Serie R. If he fails again, then he will never get hired again by a Serie R club. I mean, when he was with Bologna or something like 10 games without even scoring a goal. Yeah, I was just about to bring up this time of Bologna.
00:38:08
Speaker
So, yeah, it's his big chance. It seems like the club's going to back in with some experienced players, some decent names in there. It's kind of a bit like when Bakari Sanja went there for a little while. Oh my gosh, wow. Sandro from Tottenham, yeah.
00:38:28
Speaker
Yeah, it was a cool story. And I think they brought a lot of interest and a lot of joy to Serie A, even though they went down with a record low points total. There was that moment when obviously the goalkeeper scored against Milan. And, you know, it was great. It was great fun. I hope they can do a little bit better this time. And it's Inzaghi's big chance to prove that he can do it in Serie A.
00:38:55
Speaker
All right, okay, before we go here, four points separate Juve Lazio.
Juventus Leading the Title Race
00:39:00
Speaker
Is it still Juve at this point? Is anybody ready to buy into Lazio? No, no, it's Juve's title to win, like just stop it. Yeah, I think...
00:39:11
Speaker
There's enough, although they're trying to adapt and it's not quite working yet to the new style, I think there's enough in them from the past that's just got this muscle memory, they know how to win, they know how to get the results and I just think
00:39:26
Speaker
Although there's 10 games to go, they've got this gap now and they don't often lose that kind of gap. I mean, the last eight years have proven it and it's going to take something big, something really strong to break that run. And I don't, I thought maybe it would break earlier this season, but not now.
00:39:48
Speaker
All right, everyone, let us know what you think. If you can continue to like, rate, subscribe, leave us reviews, all that good stuff, we would greatly, greatly appreciate it. As always, thank you for listening and we'll talk to you next time. Bye bye.