Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to the Seria show!
Speaker: Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another edition of the Serie A show. As always, I'm joined by Chloe and Nima. Nima's actually running a bit late, so he'll be on in just a few minutes. But Chloe, we have to start with the biggest topic. We have a genuine title race here between three sides after Lazio defeat Interia.
Speaker: Absolutely. I don't think any of us said that Lazio were real, real title contenders, but they've just slowly kept winning. And it was obviously going to be a crunch weekend because Juve had a slightly easier fixture versus Brescia. And they were going to benefit in one way or another because both Lazio and Inter, they couldn't both win because they were playing each other.
Speaker: and you know for a neutral it was a great game versus Latio versus Inter but I can't imagine that Nima would be too happy with the outcome really.
Speaker: It's interesting because I think there are various moments throughout the season where we can point the Lazio and you can find genuine weaknesses. Roma, the Derby, for instance, against Roma, they were absolutely dreadful. They were so lucky to leave that moment at the point. In the Europa League, they were terrible.
Speaker: It's so crazy to me that think they are going on this run. If you had to put your finger on just one thing, what is it? Because I think there are various things you could point to. For me, don't you think it has to be at least in some part due to the consistency? Because they have in Zaki there. Not the majority, but the main core of players who are the most important. Luis Alberto, Immobile, Milinkovic Savage.
Speaker: They've been there for quite some time and they've managed to keep the main core of this team together. Do you think that is
Speaker: playing the biggest part in all this or do you think this is perhaps it's you know what they got knocked out of the Europa League they're playing one match per week they got knocked out of the Copa Italia they get a week's rest they have one competition to focus on and that's a huge leg up versus their other two opponents for the Scudetto I mean what is it's so difficult to pinpoint where their success what what is at the heart of it
Speaker: Yeah, it is. And I think it's a combination of factors. And I think the biggest one of those is the one that you mentioned that they are the only side in that title race that have settled both a lineup and the coach. Because obviously, you may have undergone big changes this season. Obviously, it's a change for the better, bringing Antonio Conte.
Speaker: that that too is a change and I think that he
Speaker: hasn't had enough time, probably, to get the kind of consistency of results that he would like. And Inzagi's got the advantage over both of them in the way that he has his settled system, he doesn't change formation, he has settled players. And previous times they've had flashes of brilliance, they've destroyed teams the last couple of seasons, but they've not been able to win every week.
Speaker: and they've crumbled and I think in those two seasons you could look to the fact that they were in the Europa League and the Copa Italia, I mean last season they won that competition and got right to the end of it but now you know now they're really coming into their own and I think it's because like you say they've got that one competition to focus on
Speaker: and he's managed to keep the likes of Milankovitch Savage and they're really all beginning to shine at once. So I think it's a case of everything's coming together perfectly for Lazio and we're seeing the result of that and not like we said, none of us predicted it.
Speaker: How much do you play in part, though, of the one competition? Because I do think that is a huge advantage over the two. In my opinion, I would say where Lazio, Lac, versus their two counterparts in this title race, I think we would all agree that depth is probably the biggest factor, right? Yeah. And if they've not got that depth, the fact that they're not playing every few days really does help, doesn't it?
Speaker: I guess you could point to that as to why they fell away at the end in the last couple of seasons when essentially it's pretty much the same squad. Yeah, I completely agree. I think that is such a huge advantage that people really maybe are underestimating a bit. And Nima has just joined us. So, Nima, we are unfortunately starting on a unfortunate note for you.
Speaker: Inter, they lose to Lazio. You are on record. We just have to give you some stick. All of us say some things that come back and bite us. You tweeted out that Lazio are no way contenders. They're not.
Speaker: Uh -oh, they're not they're not. I mean it's the thing is it's it's what dave 24. There's 14 days left. It's 46 points left to play for Um, they're not contenders. They're going to they're contenders for the champions league I tweeted out saying that they are contenders to for the champions league spot and I and I agree with that Um, do I think that they will fight where the score? That would pass day 30 31. Absolutely not. Um, do I think they will finish in the top three? Absolutely. Yes
Speaker: So there's nothing, nothing has changed here. The only thing we're seeing here is that Lazio are very good. They're extremely good. Simoni Inzagi is showing off what we've all said on the show previously, that he is the next Italian super coach. This is his masterpiece, I'd say, that Ilitare and Lotito, who get a lot of stick, have built a fantastic team.
Speaker: But going from that to winning the Serie A? No. All right. Well, why do you say that? What is it? Because Chloe and I, before you just hopped on, we were pointing out some things that maybe worried us about them. The thing I pointed to was their lack of depth. I think they're like Roma in the sense where generally, when they have their best 11, they're extremely good.
Speaker: But I think if you remove a couple of those pieces, we could see them crumble a bit. Now, fortunately for them, that hasn't happened. But why why do you say they're not? Why do you say they're not contenders for the title? Because exactly of what you said, their first starting lineup, their first 11, or I'd even go further and say that their first 12, 13, they have about 13 players that are very high quality, but you can't go through a season only playing.
Speaker: with 13 players. There's going to be suspensions, there's going to be injuries, and based on that, just on the balance of probabilities, it's not going to go all the way because Juventus and Inter have much bigger depth in their squads. Juventus for sure, no doubt in my mind that Juventus have a bigger squad. I don't even think that's up for debate.
Speaker: But that doesn't take anything away from Lazio. I think that's where this kind of becomes a little bit weird because I don't think that Lazio, you know, what they've done is simply fantastic. I don't think anyone can take that away from them. I did not. I mean, I thought they were going to finish fifth. They were going to fight for the Champions League spots, but I wasn't sure if they were going to make it or not. And they're definitely making the Champions League now.
Speaker: And that is in and of itself completely amazing because they don't, I mean, their budget and the budget they've had to buy players for is nothing compared to the other two teams. So I think we should give credit where credit is due. And they play some amazing football. I think this new Metzala role that Sergey Mlynkovi -Savage has got, Luis Alberto, who I've praised to no end.
Speaker: these are fantastic world -class players, in my opinion. I honestly think they are world -class. I think Acherbi has been the best central defender in the Serie A, without a doubt. Luis Alberto is leading the assist chart in the Serie A, and he's been absolutely fantastic.
Speaker: Chirimobula scores more than he plays games. So, you know, all of that is, you know, their top three team, but they're not going to challenge for this Corretto, which is going to be Juventus' title to win, and Inter are going to finish second. I honestly believe that.
Speaker: I think as well, the fact that Lazio won that game from a neutral perspective, it keeps the interest going for longer. If Inter had won that game, you could probably discount Lazio for the reasons that Nima suggested that injuries, you know, if one of their key players gets an injury,
Speaker: they are really stuck really and if they'd lost that game there'd be too much ground to cover but the fact that they won keeps all three sides in it and it's continuing to look so so interesting, much more interesting than in the recent past so obviously Nima will be disappointed that they lost and I think
Speaker: You know, it was a great game and Inter really gave a good account of themselves. I think they were unlucky to lose, but maybe Lazio just shaded it slightly. I think they were better. I'm not going to, you know, I'm going to be completely honest. I think they were better. I think Lazio were better than Inter and Inter, one of the aspects that really annoyed me with Inter was the fact that Antonio Conte, you know, ever since he took over, he's talking about that with intensity and power and movement and, you know,
Speaker: All that stuff is supposed to be how Inter win games. But ever since the Derby, Inter have started the games very passively. They've been defending far too deep. And we saw the same thing now against the Lazio. And they did the same thing against Napoli and the Copa Italia. There's a disconnect there. They did not approach the game the way they have so far during the season. And that is entirely up to, down to Conte. Sure, you have to respect your opponent.
Speaker: If you go, if you play like that, like the way that Inter did away against Barcelona, I mean, then why are you chickening out and playing defensively against Lazio? I don't think anyone in their right mind could suggest that Lazio are better than Barcelona, are they? I mean, it just sends the wrong signals. And I think Inter approached it completely wrong. And I think Lazio deserves to win the game. There's no doubt in my mind about that.
Speaker: All right, can you explain what Conte is doing with Ericsson? Because I do not understand it.
Speaker: I don't think, I think he's doing, but you know, in his mind it's coherent, but then again, he's insane. I don't, I have no idea how this mind's work, this man's mind works. I mean, he's not, you know, he doesn't, he doesn't use the same logic as the rest of us do. He, you know, he comes out and says that, well, I guess you can, I guess you can say there is a little bit of coherence. He says that, you know, I usually don't play players that haven't trained with me and know what I ask of them.
Speaker: and therefore the same goes with Ericsson, but I was forced to play him so much in the beginning, and that's why I did it. He wants him to understand what he wants him to do, and he doesn't feel that Ericsson does that, and he says it's going to take time, and as long as it takes, he'll bench him other than that. But yeah, but this is Conte, this is what he does. He winds when he gets what he wants, he winds when he doesn't get what he wants,
Speaker: This is Konta. This is nothing new under the sun. He's done it all the time and throughout his career up until this point. It's interesting, Nima, that you mentioned with his lineups that the word's chickening out. I think that a big thing with Konta, and I'm not sure how many people pick it up or notice it, is that for all his bluster and his
Speaker: his manner in the way that he he comes across as like this kind of scary fierce guy who doesn't take any prisoners and I think underneath it there is sometimes a lack of confidence and and I think that's why you know we saw it when he was coach of Italy that he went with players that he knows and that he can work with rather than
Speaker: the players who technically are the best players and you know it's interesting that you you kind of picked up on that too. Yeah no I absolutely did and it's it's because it's such a disconnect between what he said earlier in the season I mean Inter went against went to the Camp Nou and really took the game to Barcelona in that first game if you guys remember the Champions League
Speaker: This was not the same approach that we saw against Lazio. It was a completely different approach. It was a much more careful and almost scared approach. Whilst against Barcelona away, they went there to physically outrun, outforce, outthink, and outplay Barcelona. That's what I expected him to see, especially after the way it completely exploded in his face in the Derby when he was so passive.
Speaker: The way that Inther just approached that game was so, so passive and scared. And they were defending him so deep. And Milan just walked all over them. You think that, you know, he'd get like a wake up call and return back to how this played up until this point. But it seems it's the other way around. It seems that this is the development and the evolution that he's had at Inther is that he's gone from, you know, from playing aggressive and high intensity to being passive.
Speaker: That makes Inter a sitting duck. That was the problem that Inter had during Spalletti a lot of the time, that they couldn't make it pay, and they were a little bit too reactive, as opposed to active. I don't understand what's going on here, because it's completely contradictory to everything he said in Danapotel at this point. I really don't understand what's going on, and I think he has to answer these things.
Speaker: But, I mean, going back to the Lazio game, again, I think Lazio fully deserved to win their game. They won fair and square. It's not their fault that Conte was too chickened out. And the fact that Gianluca Arauqui, a clown, was officiating again. He's ruined games for the past 12 years.
Speaker: is nothing new. I also tweeted out the sooner this guy retires, the happiest day for Italian football in a long while, because the incompetence that this man puts out is just, oh my god.
Speaker: And I say incompetence because in the first 20 minutes of that first half, he missed four clear bookings. Candreva should have been yellow carded for that handball. There were a couple of challenges the Lazio did. I mean, it was it was it was just awful. And then he pulls up that penalty out of his rectum and it's just game over. And it's just it's just I'm tired of him. I'm really tired of Gianluca Rocky. I'm really exhausted about it. Oh, is that all?
Speaker: No, I totally, I completely get it. Let's move on though, because Atalanta, I mean, has there been a more exciting time for them than these last like five days? Because they beat Roma, and then in the Champions League, I mean, if we want to discuss a dismantling, that was a proper dismantling of Valencia at the hands of Gasparini's men.
Speaker: Guys, I couldn't believe that because they should have had another goal or two to their name. I thought 4 -1 was actually flattering to Valencia because they were so outmatched. It looked like a city of B side or a city of C side against Atalanta. They were so far superior.
Speaker: I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And everybody, and here's the thing, we all watch the Syria on a consistent basis. So when you get these people who are watching for the first time, they go, oh my God, Atalata is so underrated. Look at this team they put together, Joseph Illicic, one of the most underrated players in all of Europe. It's like, no.
Speaker: No, he's not. He's not underrated. He's pretty much rated by every single person who watches Serie A. You don't even have to watch it on a consistent basis. If you watch Atalanta more than once this season, you properly rate Josep Belicic. So that's one of my biggest pet peeves when you have instances like this.
Speaker: People watch one game in the Champions League of Atalanta and suddenly they're an expert. And then they're coming up with how much Atalanta, what their wage bill is, what the transfer fees that they paid for all these players are. It's like, yeah, I mean, this team was, this club was in Serie B and they've been a yo -yo club for the last decade. Like, yeah, I mean, what do you expect? The budget?
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, do you expect a budget similar to Juve? I mean, what world are we living in? Let's pay attention here. I mean, come on. Yeah, let's show with the hot takes. Yeah, I know you mean. Yeah, no, it's ridiculous. And and I thought, but the thing is with Atlanta that it really frustrates me because I thought they were really good yesterday against Valencia. But what really pissed me off to no end is because is how even though they're four nil up, even though they're four one up,
Speaker: It feels like they haven't won the game. They could still end up drawing it 4 -4. And this is what annoys me with Gasparini is the fact that when you're 4 -0 up, you should be able to play in a way to close the game up. Yeah, shut up shop. Yeah, shut up shop. Oh no, he doesn't do shut up shop. No, no, no, no, no. The door is always open. Come in and see what you want.
Speaker: Well, yeah, Manchester City realized that, yeah. Yeah, exactly. And that's kind of frustrating because I think with the attacking prowess they have and with the talent they have, they could go really, really far and they're going to throw it away because of some ridiculous ideological debate that this guy wants to prove to someone, God knows who. And I think it's just so, so, so sad that he does this because it's just, you know, they could have done so much better.
Speaker: Do you not think, though, that sometimes when a team is so, so good in attack, I mean, they're better than, in attacking wise, they're better than any of the top three we've just been discussing, that you can't sort of, it's almost like you can't have the attack without not being great defensively because they are so attacking. It's like,
Speaker: It's hard to explain. I'm talking about when you take off caldera and put on Duvan Zapata when you're foreign a lot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's that whole philosophy, it's that whole we don't give a shit, we're going to go for it that makes them so, so dangerous in attack. I'm just saying why not moderation? That's all I'm saying. I agree with what you're saying. I think you're absolutely right. That is his philosophy, that is his ideology and he should go with it.
Speaker: But Kaldara offers Duvan Zapata. I mean, it's like when you're playing a video game against like a six -year -old and you're trying to teach them at FIFA. Look, no. CB stands for central defender, central back.
Speaker: CF is central forward those two should you know like it becomes like at that level and it's becomes like it's just it's just I just found it really frustrating because I wanted them to win and I want and I tweeted it out yesterday I hope they win the whole damn Champions League I think it would be absolutely amazing if they pulled off one of the greatest upsets of all time and went to the final or semi final or even won the whole thing
Speaker: It's not going to happen. It's not likely. But if it happened, it would be amazing. And one of the ways that they can go all the way is to not make these insane gung -ho kamikaze type performances where they have 11 strikers on the pitch. It's like Zeman on steroids. That's all I'm saying.
Speaker: So we even get that result, though, against Valencia. I mean, Valencia are a team that we've seen in the Champions League on and off since the beginning of the tournament. They're quite an experienced Champions League side. And for Atalanta, who have never ever been in the competition before, to have even
Speaker: disregarding the fact that they should have shut up shop, that they've even managed to do that is crazy. The only thing that I didn't think before the game but after the game is that
Speaker: I never watched La Liga. I don't enjoy Spanish football really at all. But when you watch a highlights package of the goals, you can see some very, very suspect defending on show there. It's not like Italy. And to face it aside like Atalanta must have been a crazy prospect for them when normally the defense is just not solid.
Speaker: You know, I think that was maybe, maybe it was better for Atalanta to face a Spanish side in that respect than a German or an English side. That's a fair point. I think you're right. I think that's a very fair point. And in fairness to Nima, when Valencia got that one goal, a part of me or a quick thought came into my mind. I was like, God, that's going to be it, isn't it? It's going to be that one that ultimately gives them. Yeah.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. I mean, they they are like almost like suicidal tactics, but it's them. It's them. It's them. It's them on steroids. And I don't understand why, because I understand his philosophy and I think he should stick to it. But for goodness sakes, when you're for no off, you don't take a second. Why would you take a central defender? Yeah, I agree. I completely agree.
Speaker: I was just sitting there going, come on. I'm still in Australia, isn't it? Yeah, it was. It was. I agree. He has to show some moderation. Before we go, though, let's just discuss real briefly what's coming up this weekend. We have Brescia Napoli, Spal Juve, Fiorentina Milan, which I would say is probably the highlight match of the weekend, Geno Alazio,
Speaker: Let's discuss Fiorentina Milan because this Milan really have turned things around, right? So I would assume you're feeling a little uneasy about this one.
Speaker: Yeah, I think that we said that after the Derby match, that there were enough positive signs on show there to indicate that they weren't just going to collapse in the next match after that sort of real heartbreak against Inter. And they didn't. And, you know, OK, Torino is struggling this season. But they've got back to winning ways. And I think that's really important for them.
Speaker: However, Fiorentina did pull off a very impressive win over Samp away from him. Very, very. And I think it could be a case that after all this time, they sort of finally unlocking the potential they have in the squad and to have a confidence boost like that was amazing for them. So I think it will be a really interesting game. Obviously,
Speaker: Pioli is returning to Florence where he's absolutely adored and loved, so it'll be interesting from that point of view. But to see two teams who've kind of struggled this season and are steadily improving face -off against each other will be really, really good. Yeah, Fiorentina, I'm really looking forward to that, because I think Milan are playing, are behaving like a big team. They're starting to have a big club mentality in the way that they take on their games. And Fiorentina have played some great attacking football recently,
Speaker: Even again, with the game they lost against Atalanta, I thought they were phenomenal for long stretches of that game. So I'm really looking forward to that. But I'm also really, really looking forward to Helas Verona Cagliari. I think that could be quite an insane game as well. Helas, who have played some really good football and beating Juventus not so long ago. And also Cagliari, who have been a little bit out of form, but I think
Speaker: are really looking to, to come on again. And I also want to see if, um, what, what role my third way. You said it. No, because I mean, let's chat, let's share, you know, I think one thing that Antonio Conte, I think we've been, we've been saying it for quite a long time here now that we say, you know, that the level of the Serie A has increased. It's a much better league than it was before. The bottom teams are much better than they have been previous years. And let's chase one of those teams.
Speaker: They play really good football. Livrani's got them playing some damn interesting football and they're starting to win games as well. And he should absolutely be poached in the summer by a big club, by the way. They are with the lack of the lack of resources that they have. In my opinion, right next to Verona, they are one of the most organized sides in the entire league. Absolutely. Agreed. Couldn't agree more. Couldn't agree more.
Speaker: And they play, and the fluidity with which they attack, and this man Kozu, and he's such a joy to watch. And then they have Falco, who doesn't have a...
Speaker: I don't know what he has that, that's not a left foot, that's a cannon he's walking around with. Like these blasts, the rockets that he fires off. No, it's a really interesting sight. They're on a three match win streak. I mean, they've beaten Torino, Napoli and Spao. That's not a bad spell. No, it's not. And I think that if Roma need to watch out, they need to bring their A game into this game. And I'm worried because I really believed in
Speaker: in this Fonseca project. And I thought they were, you know, I tipped them to be finished fourth to go to the Champions League. And I didn't think that they were because it's starting to look like a collapse. And we know, John, you know better than anyone. When things collapse at Roma, they things can very quickly spiral out of control.
Speaker: Yeah, it's never an easy, just a small little collapse, like a tower of blocks. It's atomic bomb -like. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it is never just a very straightforward, oops, bad season. It's usually things implode.
Speaker: But do you think, I wanted to ask you, don't you think that this notion, that this kind of coincides at the same time, this collapse? Don't say it. No, don't say it. No, it doesn't. It doesn't. It doesn't. Zero. Zero. If I talk about a completely parallel experience that has nothing to do with Roma, but
Speaker: last season if you if you look at Fiorentina when they nearly got relegated and they were just awful it was when their takeover was going through yeah now this is unrelated to Roma and it doesn't you know it doesn't have anything to do with it i mean i just i just remember Iinta at the same time like the you know owner ownership changes are huge big like these are big deals because everything is like it's an upheaval you have a completely new new structure coming in place and i think
Speaker: And this this has to have an effect on it. And I think it's difficult for a coach who's spending his first team first year in his career as a coach in Italy. You know, Interhad Matsari, he's the crankiest human being on earth. You know, you call him Katsari, which I think just sums him up perfectly. And he was able to protect the team that way. Fiorentina were struggling because they had, you know, they almost got relegated when that happened. So I don't think we should, you know, sweep this under the rug too much. Don't you think?
Speaker: No, I'm going to sweep it under the roof because Roma have... They've had meltdowns before even when the ownership situation was completely in place. They had the manager in place. So Roma can do it all by themselves. They don't need the takeover. They don't need any excuse. They don't need help. Yeah, they're fully capable of melting down on their own.
Speaker: But before we go, I got to say, and I think I speak for calling myself to your coverage of this freakin takeover has been absolutely world class. Well, thank you. Thank you. You should be absolutely applauded for that. It's amazing what you've been doing. Well, by the time we next week, when we record, if it's Wednesday or Thursday, I may be in Houston to see through the entire thing. So if anybody listening here is Houston based,
Speaker: um let me uh send me a message on twitter or something because i have no idea what there is to do in houston admittedly i don't think i i think i've been to texas once in my life um but yeah roma the the the deal will be closed in houston uh starting next week so and you want to do some sort of live in houston it's done yeah
Speaker: Oh, we will be doing that without question. I think the Americans around there, when I show up with this little small convoy of Italians who aren't speaking any English, they might be a bit confused as to why I'm standing outside the freaking group's headquarters with...
Speaker: with a glass of wine and various photographers and videographers. But if you're listening to this in your Houston base, please feel free to join up with us. Next week we will be camped outside the freaking group in Houston. So look forward to seeing anybody. Because I know of our millions of listeners, there has to be at least one who lives in Houston.
Speaker: Next time you hear us, I may be in Texas. Roma may be in full meltdown. They may be getting a new owner. So I basically look at this as Armageddon for the next week. So yeah, I hear you. Okay. All right, everybody. Well, thank you so, so much for listening and we will talk to you after the weekend. Bye bye.
