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Free Weekly Episode - Roma Ndicka Scare, Inter Milan Prepare Scudetto Party, AC Milan & Napoli Thrillers, Dinosaur Allegri At Juventus & Much More (Ep. 411)
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From Evan Ndicka medical scare as Roma clash with Udinese abandoned, Inter throw away win against Cagliari but can secure the Scudetto in Milan derby, Rafael Leao show against Sassuolo when AC Milan draw as Stefano Pioli under fire again, Torino and Juventus play out bore draw as Max Allegri sets new negative attacking record, Lazio thrash Salernitana as Luis Alberto announces hos departure with Felipe Anderson on verge of signing for Juve, to Bologna drop points again in Champions League race, Lecce record massive win in relegation battle, Napoli defensive woes continue in Amir Rrahmani and Alex Meret horror-show against Frosinone, plus previewing the Serie A clubs involved in the Europa League and Conference League, as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from an action-packed weekend in Italian football.
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Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast
00:00:03
Speaker
to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese, joined as always by Nima Tovale. On today's
Serie A Weekend Review
00:00:13
Speaker
show, we will review all the weekend's Serie A action. We will start
Roma vs Udinese Game Incident
00:00:17
Speaker
with Ivan Indica after the worrying scenes that led to Roma's game with Udenezer being suspended on Sunday evening. Inter,
Inter's Scudetto Pursuit
00:00:28
Speaker
prepare the Scudetto party after
00:00:31
Speaker
Well, they didn't beat Kaliri. They drew with Kaliri, but they know that they can still clinch the Scudetto in the Milan Derby this next match day. And what a way to clinch it. That will be Milan drawing 3-3 with Sasualo in an absolute thriller.
00:00:49
Speaker
The Turin Derby, though, was not a thriller. It was one to forget in a nil-nil board drawers. Max Allegri is
Criticism of Max Allegri
00:00:56
Speaker
hammered again by the Juve fans, and I have some very revealing underlying attacking stats that I've gone out and researched that show just how bad Allegri has been at Juventus, particularly this season from an attacking sense. Napoli's season can't end quick enough as they draw with Frosin on in another thrilling game.
00:01:18
Speaker
and which really, well, the relegation race now is as hot as ever. We'll
Supporting the Podcast
00:01:24
Speaker
have our usual bad show prim face in Celia as of the week and we will preview the second legs of the Europa League and Conference League quarter-finals with also a little word on the first legs from last week, which were absolutely incredible.
00:01:38
Speaker
For all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend cellular action and all of the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian Football Podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week, including a weekly Q&A episode every Tuesday where we answer all of our questions from our patrons,
00:01:55
Speaker
plus the weekly thursday midweek review show plus interviews post-match reaction and much much more then go to patreon.com slash TIP and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT you can also now sign up to be a paid subscriber on spotify and we'll provide the link in the description it's the same price and same terms
00:02:13
Speaker
And for all of you that do listen on Spotify, Apple and iTunes podcasts, we'd really appreciate if you'd give us a five star rate and give us a follow and a like. We're also on YouTube. We've just gone over 2000 subs and give us a like there. It really helps us.
00:02:29
Speaker
to grow and do more quality content for you guys. Just
Partnership with Football Italia
00:02:34
Speaker
a reminder also as we announced in last week's show that we are now officially partnered with Football Italia, we're the official podcast of Football Italia which is the biggest Italian football news site in the English language in the world
00:02:53
Speaker
So we're really delighted about that. So we'll be doing more. Well, we're doing content with football Italia going forward and including this week, Nima. Are we able to announce that yet or the interview that is coming this week?
00:03:11
Speaker
I have scheduled one, an exclusive with Thomas Zillakos. He was linked to buying by Manchester United. He's been linked with Inter. There's been some legal issues there as well.
00:03:30
Speaker
and he gave us the exclusive and said he's not going to speak to anyone else except us. So we will be doing that this week at some point. He was actually in talks for Manchester United actually before Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos came in. So it's going to be a very interesting interview also for that. So yeah, look out for that and that's this week, later in the week. We'll be doing that interview.
Ivan Ndika's Collapse
00:03:57
Speaker
Okay, let's get into today's show. So we'll start off with a serious issue, and that was the Udinese versus Roma game, which was called off with just over 15 minutes to go after a very scary incident involving Ivan Ndika, who collapsed on the pitch holding his heart and complaining of chest pains. He was stretched off, although he did remain
00:04:23
Speaker
alert and conscious throughout and he did give a thumbs up to the crowd as he went off but obviously everyone very very much worried. He was taken to the changing rooms Daniela de Rossi went to see him. He was given an ECG which is an electrocardiogram and those results came back as worrying. So he was rushed to hospital with a police escort
00:04:51
Speaker
and obviously everyone very much worried and the Roman players and De Rossi asked if the match could be suspended, which it was, the NES and the referee agreed to it. So Indica went to hospital and obviously there's big concerns and you know we've seen in the last two or three years
00:05:09
Speaker
you know, increasing amount of players with heart issues.
Inter's Focus for Milan Derby
00:05:13
Speaker
And this was obviously, you know, everyone was very, very much worried. And Roma did release a statement on Sunday evening saying that Indica was conscious, that he was undergoing further tests in the hospital. We're recording this on Monday morning.
00:05:27
Speaker
and he but it seems this hasn't been confirmed at the time of recording thankfully it's reported he didn't have a heart attack according to the test at the hospital and there has been other reports that he suffered a knock to the chest earlier in the match and that the bruise might have
00:05:47
Speaker
caused these chest pains and breathing problems that he had. But obviously the tests will determine that. The Roma players went to see him, as De Rossi and the squad. So we're just, yeah, we're just hoping that these reports are right, they play out and that it's not anything serious, that it was just, he took a knock and
00:06:14
Speaker
You know, that's what caused this scare. But it was, yeah, very much, very much, I was watching the game in very, very much scary, scary scenes and I'm watching it.
00:06:26
Speaker
Yeah, it's never nice to see things like this. It's very debilitating. All of a sudden, to watch players fall over and react like that, it's brought back. My first thought was of Christian Ericsson, that situation, and it was a little bit chaotic. Thankfully, nothing serious happened, but of course, it's not a nice thing to see.
00:06:52
Speaker
No, it's not. And we just, yeah, we just, as I said before, we just pray that it's, that's it. And then Ndika makes a full recovery and that he's back on the pitch. Well, as soon as possible, straight away, hopefully, I will see. The game itself will be
00:07:12
Speaker
the remainder of the game will be played from the moment that it was stopped, which I think was about the 73rd minute, and they'll play the final 17 minutes or however long it was until the end. So they haven't got much to play. The game was at 1-1 at the time.
00:07:38
Speaker
Udenaลพe took the lead in the first half and Lukaku equalised in the second half. It's obviously a big game for both teams, but it's a game which obviously the football takes is an afterthought. It's a secondary best and it's really sad to see.
00:08:01
Speaker
Yeah, I just hope that he recovers fully and that he's all right. Yeah Yeah, i'm sure news will come out um over the course of monday and we'll know exactly what what the situation is Um, let's move on to to inter though nimmer who uh are ready for the skeletal party After milan who will come to drew. Uh, well, actually the milan game didn't actually have any have any bearing anyway. Um, but um in sir in sir
00:08:27
Speaker
If they are ready to party, they can win the Scudetto a week today, actually. It's next Monday, weirdly enough, the Milan Derby. And if they win that game, Inter will be champions, which will be like the perfect time then, won't it, to celebrate the... I can't think of a better game to win the Scudetto.
00:08:48
Speaker
This has been something that Inter have avoided talking about, but of course have been asked about, non-stop for two months. But now we're here. Of course, Draw against Kalyari was not exactly the best way to go into it, because had they won, after Sasolo and Milan drew, Draw would have been enough for Inter to secure the squareto against Milan. When Milan's the home team at the San Siro,
00:09:17
Speaker
It's, uh, you know, it's, it's now it's here and now they can't run away from it and inters for poor form and poor performances post-athletical Madrid. You know, I, I, this is something that we have to talk about into inter inter just, I feel like there.
00:09:35
Speaker
They're not there mentally in the sense that... It was predictable though, never, wasn't it? I think we both... I predicted that a lot of people said this was going to happen after Atletico, that Scudetto's won. It's just kind of natural, isn't it? A little bit. A lot of motivation and you've really got nothing to play for now. You've won the title and it's just seeing it out, really.
00:09:56
Speaker
Yes, it is that, but it's also, it's not just that, it's also how, it's not just a mental thing. It's also, I feel like Inter have a little bit, have dropped off in form too. And I do think Simona Nzagi needs to think about this movie next year, that how do you build and plan the season and rotate so that you don't end up in a situation, so that you have energy throughout the season, if you know what I mean.
00:10:21
Speaker
Um, so that you still can, can, can like, I mean, obviously it's difficult to be switched on in August as it is maybe in this situation now, but my, my issue is more, uh, there's a drop-off, there's a mental drop-off here. And I think there's still, there's still some growth that needs to be done. Um, because they, it's not just because of athletic commentary and going out.
00:10:43
Speaker
I just feel into lack a little bit of mental sharpness and have done for a couple of weeks and fatigue, mental fatigue. I just think for me, it's been something that's not since Atletico Madrid, I feel into are not are not are tired, mentally tired. They're a bit drained. They they lack the
00:11:01
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's a mental thing rather than a physical thing. In fact, we were praising it, and I think rightfully so, in Zaghi for kind of rotating more early on in the season, like in the Champions League, in which, you know, kind of in a way came back to bite them a little bit because they played at least. My issue isn't that... I don't think it's physical, is the point. I think it is a mental thing. I think it's a combination of several things. I think it's both physical and mental. I think Inter played good enough to create so many chances, and they did against Cagliari.
00:11:28
Speaker
to win the game. I mean, they had an XG of just under three, creating chance after chance after chance. But it's like when the sharpness isn't there and when Lautaro is looking like he's on holiday and tired,
00:11:40
Speaker
then then you don't win games as clearly and this is this is this is this kind of this kind of whether it's if it's mental then it's lethargic it's lethargic and it can't happen it's unacceptable because you haven't won the title yet it's one thing if you'd already won the title and you're just you know whatever but you haven't won it
00:12:00
Speaker
and you're now in a situation where you're going into the Milan Derby against a Milan who is going to be foaming at the mouth to stop you from winning the title against them and you're just, you've been on holiday for four weeks. It's not good enough. You have to be switched on throughout the entire season when it matters. And that's what something that coaches like Conte, Mourinho, Klopp, Guardiola, the best ones
00:12:26
Speaker
are very good at this and Simona isn't quite there yet I think there is areas to improve here and I want to see that with him for next season I want him to to show as he's done this season compared to last season that he can take steps that he can switch the team on mentally that maybe
00:12:43
Speaker
in his approach in his planning something needs to change i think i think i think this is him yeah i don't read too much into it from that sense if it just happened when everything is still on the line then absolutely i would agree i think it's i think it's natural interest loss motivation they've had the skedato one for weeks and weeks
00:13:03
Speaker
and they've got nothing really else to play for this season. So that affects you. And then also, you know, you've got the euros coming up, intro got a lot of Italian players, probably some of these Italian players are also,
Serie A Relegation Battle
00:13:14
Speaker
you know, they're just taking 10, they're taking 10% off. And that's all it takes this level.
00:13:19
Speaker
taking a couple of percent off at the highest level of professional football. And it makes the difference, even if it's just unconsciously in your mind, you know, you don't, there's a 50-50 challenge and maybe you think half think about pulling out of it slightly because you don't want to risk getting injured. And this is what happens. So, I mean, I don't think it's anything to get too alarmed by. As you said, they also created quite a lot of chances. I think we will see the real winter
00:13:46
Speaker
at least from a mental or motivational point of view against Milan because it is the Milan Derby and because they want to create a historic day of winning the Scudetto on the day against Milan. You know, that should be something very special. I think we'll see a much more motivated inter in that game than we saw in this.
00:14:05
Speaker
But we have to also praise that man, Claudio Ranieri, who we did a whole segment on in last Monday's show. He does it again and calorie done it again. Everything we said in Monday's show came true again that calorie just do not give up.
00:14:22
Speaker
that they fight back all the time, they don't know when they're beaten, they score so many late goals. I said on last week's show how Callery had gained eight points in injury time this season, as well as scoring a 120th minute goal to win a Coppertalia tie. And here they are again. It wasn't as late this time, but they twice come from behind and then they equalize, I think, with seven or eight minutes to go.
00:14:45
Speaker
And they could have won it in the end as well. Viola Mida had a huge, who I think has been really good and scored a really great equaliser, had a huge chance in the 95th minute with a header to win the game. So, I mean, yeah, again, Calgary, I mean, and Ranieri. Last week they beat Atalanta. This week they draw with, they draw with Inter. They drew with Apple a few weeks ago. I mean, they're getting results against big teams and it's another huge result for them in their irrigation fight.
00:15:11
Speaker
No, it is. But the handball rule, this is ridiculous. How was that goal allowed? I mean, what's going on? A couple of years ago, they were very clear. If the ball bounces off an arm, whether it's deliberate or not, in the lead up to a goal, if you can't assist or score with your hand, doesn't matter if it's deliberate or not. Now, it's just complete confusion.
00:15:41
Speaker
And I thought that was still the rule. I have to be honest when I saw that I couldn't believe that that goal was given because my understanding of the rule was exactly what you just said that if it's it doesn't matter if it's accidental or deliberate if it hits a player's hand goes
00:15:55
Speaker
go straight to another player who then scores, which is what happened here, that it has to be disallowed. But then I'm seeing yesterday that, because the Italian media were talking about this, and IFAB clarified that apparently, which I didn't know about in 2021, that accidental handball that leads to a teammate scoring a goal, having a goal scoring
00:16:23
Speaker
uh opportunity will no longer be considered an offense which i wasn't aware of that that rule had changed but it's absolute madness it's beyond madness it's stupid like why are you over complicating things you're not allowed to score with your hand i don't care if it's deliberate or not you cannot score with your hand that goes against the spirit of the game which they never stop harping on about
00:16:46
Speaker
the spirit of the game. It's football. And if you score and create with you a chance with your hand, it kind of goes against the spirit of the game called football. No, I mean, it's just it's insane. It's insane. But it goes again, everything that I've been saying for years now that every single rule change that's made is to benefit.
00:17:06
Speaker
the attack, to have more goals scored, to have more chaos scored, to attract more neutrals and therefore more money to the game because this is what they want. They want goals and chaos. You can handle the ball.
00:17:23
Speaker
and score straight after the next rules gonna what's the next rule gonna be you can score with your hand i mean it's gonna as well gonna be the next one you know it's it's it's bizarre soon soon in about five years time they'll be looking back at the maradona goal against the england and they'll be saying that you know that was that was a fair goal and
00:17:42
Speaker
No, but it's bizarre. It makes no sense to me. There was no need. There was no pressing issue here for them to change this. This goes against the spirit of the game because accidental handballs, fine. But not when immediate goal scoring. That's just insane. There should be no voluntary and voluntary natural position situation there. You cannot score or assist with your hand. Simple. Full stop.
00:18:12
Speaker
It's just it's used to be like that a couple of years ago and it was good because everyone knew what it was about. It's like, well, you know, it's the same thing for everyone. You can't score, you can't assist with your hand. Full stop, done, finished. It's just ridiculous. But it is what it is and so...
00:18:31
Speaker
Well, it's big for calorie in the real occasion. So, I mean, it could be at the end of the season, it could end up being the difference between them staying up and going down. I think they're staying up. I think they're staying up. The way that they... Well, the spirit that they're showing is fantastic. I thought they played a really good game. They did. They've got 31 points. Let's have 32. I feel like those two teams are out of it now because
00:18:56
Speaker
I know it's just four or five points down, but I think it would take a lot for Sassolo, Frosinone, Verona, Empoli, and Udinese to overtake, like two of them to overtake both Leche and Caliari at this point when they have 31-32 points. Caliari have got Genoa, Leche, Sassolo coming up. Leche have got Sassolo, Monza, Caliari, Udinese, Atalanta and Napole.
00:19:22
Speaker
essentially, you know, Monta have nothing to play for. Sasolo are in a dogfight, you know, if I think four, if they just take one to one, two more points, I think then let you are fine. I think so. So and then Caliari as well. I mean, they are they're going to stay up. I don't see them going down and they are.
00:19:39
Speaker
It's so impressive. It's looking good for them now. It's looking good for them now. They put themselves in a good position. But Frosinon and Sasolo, I mean, yeah, I know Frosinon had to go a point, but... Well, let's move on to Sasolo, because they were involved in an absolute thriller against Milan. Again, they throw away a lead.
00:19:57
Speaker
They were 2-0 up and 3-1 up and they end up drawing 3-3. So let's talk about this from Sassuola's point of view. Because they have thrown away a lot of leads recently, haven't they? Should this be seen as a good point against a team as good as Milan? Or should it be seen again as two drop points because they need wins? Well, it has to be two drop points because they were 2-0 up, they were 3-1 up.
00:20:22
Speaker
They should have won this game because Milan were out of it. Milan weren't focused and they could have killed Milan and they didn't. They just keep letting them in because defensively they're a mess and have been for seasons now. You saw it against Sala and Itana, you saw it against Vardinesse in the last couple of weeks. I mean, they are an absolute mess defensively. And it's just... They shouldn't be in the relegation battle. They really shouldn't.
00:20:50
Speaker
But they are, because I don't think they are qualitatively bad enough to go down, but they really... Not with variety, that's for sure. Without variety, there's more of a debate there.
00:21:05
Speaker
Yeah, it's I thought Ludiente was fantastic in this game and he scored two goals and obviously Pinamonti helping Inter again. I saw you say it. He scored 10 goals this season. It's insane. Isn't he the top Italian goal scorer? Am I right? Is that correct?
00:21:24
Speaker
I think he might be. I think he actually might be, yeah. I think which kind of says it all about how bad Italian attackers are right now that the top scorer is... I'm pretty sure. Orzolini and Pinamonte on 10 goals. Right, okay. He's a top scoring striker, that's why. Yeah, he's a top scoring striker. That's shocking, that is. I'm depressed now.
00:21:51
Speaker
Yeah. He's the top score in, he's the top score in Italian in open play. Cause also then he's got two penalties. Yeah. He's got, he doesn't take penalties. He's got one penalty. That's bad. But yeah. Um, yeah, they, they, they, they, the thing is if you keep drawing it and a lot of the teams at the bottom are drawing at the moment, it's not enough to, to, to make a difference at the moment. You have to.
00:22:16
Speaker
You have to get wins. If you get a win, it's priceless. But from Milan's point of view, it's quite clear where their focus is on. It's on this Roma
Milan's Europa League Focus
00:22:25
Speaker
return game in the Europa League. Which they lost insanely. We'll come to that when we talk about the European games. But they rested most of the team for this match, which obviously conditioned the game. But they still played Liao, Theo Hernandez, Loftus Cheek,
00:22:45
Speaker
So they still had some big names there, but this kind of result confirms what I said before, this time last week, when Milan had made it seven wins in a row. And we remember we were discussing about how
00:23:02
Speaker
you know purely looks like he's going to stay now that's what all the reports are coming out that you know having earlier on in the season beginning the season it was almost unanimous and everybody agreed that well this is going to be purely last season and this is the right decision that Milan need a new coach in order to make that that step that step forward
00:23:21
Speaker
and how that view has completely changed after this good 2024 they're having and after this brilliant seven-match winning run. And we were discussing it, and both of us were kind of on the fence. We were kind of like, well, I'm not sure it's a brilliant run. And I said, well, we've seen this under peyote before, that they've been patchy. They've gone on these amazing runs. And then all of a sudden, they've gone on a bad run. And at the end of the day, we need to see substance. And if they go out to Roma,
00:23:49
Speaker
then we're not seeing that substance. And then the last two games, they lose to Roma, they draw this. And all of a sudden, everything, in my opinion, is on the line now for purely in this in this return game against Roma. Because if they go out to Roma, then it's like, well, what was the point of this long run? You know, it just means nothing. And nothing, absolutely nothing. And I think it also kind of shows what we, you know,
00:24:16
Speaker
my kind of overall feeling has been that maybe you know I think purely will has done an absolutely amazing job at Milan I think he's been absolutely fantastic he's brought Milan back from hell
00:24:27
Speaker
But, you know, at some point after four and a half years, almost five years, I think it's time to move on. And I'd like to see Pioli at Napoli, because I think he, I think we, you know, I respect Pioli a lot. I think what he's done is unbelievable. And I think the football he plays would be much more suitable to Napoli than what Vincenzo Italiano does. And no, I don't buy the Antonio Conte rumors. I'm sorry. I just don't. I think that's just De La Rente's having a bit of fun with everyone.
00:24:55
Speaker
I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I just don't buy it. And I've spoken to people in April as well and they're like, yeah, that's, you know, they just don't buy it either. They just don't buy it. So, no, look, I think it's time for Milan to maybe pass. I mean, unless he wins the Europa League, I really don't see, you know, I think it's just run its course. It's not about, you know, purely out or purely in. It's more an issue of the relationship has just run its course.
00:25:23
Speaker
from where I stand anyway. Yeah, well, you know, I want to wait until after this Roma game and then... Well, like I said, if they win the Europa League, that changes everything, because that's a European trophy. That's really important. Italian teams don't win European trophies, especially the two major ones. What I mean is, if they go out to Roma, then I think I'm pretty much... I'm firmly...
00:25:46
Speaker
Yeah, no, no, if he gets knocked out by De Rossi, who is just turned a coach a couple of weeks ago, then then it's time to then something is up. I think it's it's it's it's it's a it shows something larger there that he's he's not, you know, as I said, I think the relationship will have run its course. But if you were to kind of stage a comeback and if you were to take me down to the final and maybe even win the trophy, yeah, then then I think you'll be very difficult to find a way to sack him.
00:26:16
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. I think that's fair. The one positive though for Milan in this game was Liao, who would have been rested. What a goal. He would have been rested. But the only reason he played was because he was so bad against Roma. They wanted him to pick up his form again ahead of the second game. And he
Rafael Liao's Performance
00:26:36
Speaker
was really, really great. I mean, he led the fight back. He scored with a great goal. He got an assist.
00:26:42
Speaker
And so that was important. But what I really wanted to speak to you about with Liao, because I know you love these kind of things, was the hilarious beef that he had with Antonio Cassano earlier last week. I mean, did you see that? Did you see the beef between him and Cassano?
00:26:59
Speaker
It's very, very funny, because Cassano, because for some, because Adani has kind of brought Bobo TV to Rai, and essentially brought Cassano into Rai, which is just, it's so insane. Whoever proved that is just like, what do you think was going to happen? He's unhinged, has no filters, says anything that comes to his mind. He's essentially an Italian Joey Barta, and he has no filters, no consultant filters. I like that comparison.
00:27:28
Speaker
Like he's just completely off his face and most of the time just doesn't know what he's just incoherently rambles and rants. And he went on this rant about Liao being a normal player, there's nothing special about him. The thing he said about back when I played, Liao wouldn't even get in a team that finished sixth or seventh, which is like,
00:27:51
Speaker
It's like the Italian prem face. I mean, he does not know what he's talking about. And he's just off on his off on it. And Liao was very, very sensitive guy. We know that he gets triggered by stuff like this. And so he responded the way that he does by clown emojis on Twitter. And it's like it's it's just it's comedy, isn't it? It's such a serious ass thing. It's it's it's the most serious. This is like one of those Italian football problems. You don't see this anywhere else.
00:28:19
Speaker
where you have this kind of beef between people. And I mean, that thing as well, Lรฉal wouldn't even start for its Serie A team who's 7th or 6th, 7th, 8th back when I played. It's like, that's nonsense and you know it. And it's just, it's childish. But it's Cantonio Cassano. It's like Cappello said, he has his Cassanata, his meltdowns, his Cassano meltdowns every now and again.
00:28:46
Speaker
He had another Casanata this time. I'd rather Liao not have responded on the pitch. I mean, he did those clown emojis and then put in one of his worst performances of the season against Roma. But that's the thing, he still gets affected by it. Which is ridiculous. Top players don't get affected by criticism. In fact, the opposite. They spurs them on. When Cristiano Ronaldo gets booed and whistled every single game, he says it actually makes him play better.
00:29:15
Speaker
was the same way. When you blew them, you pissed them off. But that's the thing. I think it's also a generational thing. I think this generation is much more online and I've grown up much more online.
00:29:30
Speaker
you know these things no it's true i don't want to sound like a boomer but the young generation no offense they're so sensitive they can't take no but they're more sensitive criticism no no i think it's the manner in which the criticism comes they can't hand like they're much more they live their lives much more online
00:29:46
Speaker
And so when it comes online, someone like that, and it's on social media, they react very viscerally. No, for sure. For sure. But like the young generation, like, you know, mental health problems are through the roof with the young generation. And there's a reason for that. And part of the reason is that the way that they've been brought up and protected and, you know, they can't take
00:30:09
Speaker
No, they can't handle adversity. They can't handle simple problems. Simple problems, I don't even call problems. You know, that is the young generation. This is going to happen with a proper boomeratha, aren't you? But it's true, though. I mean, the facts show it. I mean, mental health is pretty true. I'm not belittling mental health because it's a problem, but I'm talking about how, you know,
00:30:35
Speaker
No, they are sensitive little problems. Yeah. No, but the thing is, I don't know if they I just see it like they they they have grown up on the Internet. They've grown up on social media in a different way than we have. So we're the last analog generation. I mean, we grew up in a non-digital world that became digitalized. Right.
00:30:56
Speaker
So they've grown up in the digital era completely. So I think these kinds of things harm them and reach, you know, they're more susceptible to that kind of stuff online. And I think that's, you know, and Liao is... Basically what I'm saying is I would rather him scored against Roma and then
00:31:18
Speaker
did his kind of response rather than doing it before and then letting that energy and that thoughts in his head going into the game are about, do you know what I mean? I just think it's
Handling Player Criticism
00:31:29
Speaker
the wrong way to go about it. Absolutely. I think because you waste energy putting focus on the wrong thing when you do that.
00:31:37
Speaker
Just don't bother with it, just shut it out. And I think that's regardless of what generation you belong to, I think that's the right approach in life, that when you feel that someone gratuitously criticizes you, when someone unfairly goes after you, just ignore them and do the talking on the pitch, focus on yourself, because that's the only thing you can impact. And I think with Liao, there's a little bit, I still think that he's a sensitive guy, I still think that there's a lot of emotional and growth and maturity that he needs to do.
00:32:06
Speaker
uh you know but we saw it with you and kolosevsky when he did what he did and we've seen we've seen i remember at the time when i said it with kolosevsky i said this is proof that kolosevsky is is not is not gonna is not gonna well i didn't think kolosevsky would make it as a top player because i don't think he's got the ability
00:32:25
Speaker
But I also said that this is also proof that he hasn't got the mentality of a top player, because a top player would not get that affected by a simple bit of criticism from somebody he's probably never even heard of. And then you make a three-minute video about it. For 54th in the Premier League. That's still never going to stop being funny. But yeah, no, it is. Not a great performance by him at the weekend, by the way.
00:32:54
Speaker
Really, what happened? Tottenham got hammered by Newcastle. Alexander Isak scored, didn't he? He did. He's playing fantastically. He could actually become top scorer. Yeah, he is. He's very, very tight at the top of the top. He's on seven, he's on 20. He's having a fantastic season. Adorgi and Picario have dropped off what Tottenham have as well, especially the defence.
00:33:27
Speaker
But Tottenham have a game in hand on Aston Villa, and they're only three points behind, so they can still make it to the Champions League. And then, who knows, they're playing Arsenal next. So maybe if you put something out there for Kornosevski to make it go viral, then you can do another hype video when he finishes fourth and take a victory lap.
00:33:49
Speaker
Even Tottenham fans that were abusing me are all now like, are abusing Koulaszewski now as well. Anyway, talking about abuse, Max Allegri got more abuse from Juventus fans after this.
00:34:05
Speaker
from you. Well, he's about to get some views from me. So, nil, nil, Torino versus Juventus in the Turin derby. It was not a very good derby at all. Juventus were good for about 25 to 30 minutes and Wlowicz missed, well, one massive chance, another pretty good chance as well.
00:34:26
Speaker
But then, as always, they stopped playing and they were non-existent for the last hour of the game. The second half, Torino with a better team and could have won the game at the end. Lazaro had a huge chance with a header right in injury time.
00:34:43
Speaker
And that pretty much sums up the game. Overall, not good enough from Juve and once again, as I said last week, Juventus are incapable of playing more than, well, say one good half, one good half an hour in this game. They're just not able to maintain any level, good level for more than a short period of a game.
00:35:11
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, it's, it's, it's Yurich. It's the Derby. This is always, this is, this is never, when is this game between these guys been this kind of like exciting? Do you know what I mean? Like, it's just, it was, it's just, it was, if you're looking for goals, then you don't watch Allegri against Yurich. Like, do you know what I mean? What do you expect? It's got literally Mil Nil written all over it. Like,
00:35:38
Speaker
During their tenure at Torino and Juve, I looked, has there ever, I don't think they've, there's been more than, I think the average is less than a goal again, between these two. Like, since, since Juri Orich took over at Torino and Juve, and I likely returned to Juve, like, what, what would you expect thing? No wonder you love it. Yes, I do. And, and, and, and it's a very tactical game. And it's, it is actually, the intensity is not too bad. And the way that they press each other and try to hurt each other was a very fair,
00:36:08
Speaker
very well balanced game and actually Juva had the better chances to be honest. I mean in the first half Juva
00:36:16
Speaker
Vlalovic shouldn't be missing that first chance. That's a sitter when he gets the post. You've got to put that away. And it kind of affected his game after that. That's something that Vlalovic does need to improve on. Same with Chiesa. Certainly, Chiesa never used to be like this. Since he's been playing in this position up front, he's kind of, you know, feeling sorry for himself more. But both Vlalovic and Chiesa. But Vlalovic, you know,
00:36:40
Speaker
this is something that he definitely needs to improve from a mental point of view. Like I
Vlahovic's Challenges
00:36:44
Speaker
find that with Laovich, that once he misses a big chance, he lets it affect him for the rest of the match. I've noticed that a lot. And Kieza as well, like if Kieza, once he has his first bad moment, he then starts, you know, it seems to affect him. And that never used to be the case with him. Kieza would always be
00:37:01
Speaker
uh you know he would go and go and go again if he got tackled six times in a row he would go again the seventh time and beat his man and score you know he yeah he always like he was fearless and i feel like both of these two guys like once the the advert they face a bit of adversities and vladovich you know once he missed that chance early in the game it affected him after that
00:37:22
Speaker
Yeah, it does. You're absolutely right. And I think that's part of the growth that he needs to do. You have to shake it off and start, you know, and it's something that comes late in careers can come. I mean, you know, majority of Ibrahimovic's goal came after he turned 30 in his career. So, you know, that kind of, he had as many goals after 30, which is a great, one of the great stats as many goals after 30 as he did before 30. So, you know, you have to, you know, that's, that's maturity. It takes time. And I'm blah, which is, I think overall it's been a positive season for him.
00:37:51
Speaker
It's been a step forward from the last two seasons, that's for sure. One thing that I do want to talk about is Allegri. Of course, I want to speak about Allegri. This game was a microcosm of the shortcomings of Allegri during his second spell at Juventus from an attacking point of view.
00:38:18
Speaker
and Juventus had in the second half an xG of 0.15.
00:38:25
Speaker
Which was, was that more or less than the XG against Fiorentina in the second half? I think it was just more. I think it was 0.11 against, so that's progress from Elektra and the Fiorentina game. But Juventus were just a complete non-entity in that second half. And it sums up just how bad
00:38:52
Speaker
offensively Juventus have been under Allegri during his second spell at the club. I mean it's just not good enough and this is why when I start calling Allegri a dinosaur, an attacking dinosaur, it's mostly around his inability to
00:39:10
Speaker
to create chances, to score goals, to have those attacking patterns of play. And I did a little bit of a deep dive, and I had a look at some of the underlying stats, and the overlying stats, if that's a word, of Allegri. And Allegri's Juventus have 45 goals in 32 games this season. That's the sixth highest number of goals in city. That's the lowest amount
00:39:39
Speaker
Juventus have in 25 years at this state of the season. So 25 years is another negative record. I hope someone's tidying up these negative records that Allegri has during a second spare, because every week there's a new one. So that's obviously unacceptable for a team like Juventus.
00:39:59
Speaker
is even more unacceptable when you look at the attackers that Juventus have. I mean, Wlawicz, Kiese, Yildiz, Milit, Kien, you know, I'm not saying this is reverted back to Viali Ravanelli in the 90s, but it's still a very good level of attackers. I mean, that's unacceptable. Juventus are the fifth highest scorers away from home. At home, Juventus are the joint eighth highest scorers in Serie A.
00:40:25
Speaker
together with calorie. I mean, that's absolutely shocking. Now we'll come to the underlying stats, which are just as abysmal. And the underlying stats generally play out when it comes to the actual normal numbers. And Juventus are, and this is the key one for me. This is the key one for me. Juventus are sixth in Serie A for XG for expected goals from open play.
00:40:55
Speaker
They have an XG of less than 1, 0.95 XG per game average from open play. And this really sums Juventus up. They're actually Juventus first in Serie A. This is this season for expected goals from set plays.
00:41:15
Speaker
So this really sums up what Juventus are and what Juventus have been under Allegri. They're a team, a set-piece team, crosses and corners. That's it. That's where their chances and their goals come from. Crosses and corners. And Allegri has been paid nine million a year for three seasons to play Brexit football of corners and crosses. It's like a 1980s English Division One team. Like watching Wimbledon from the 80s. The crazy gang. The crazy gang under Mike Bassett. Not Mike Bassett.
00:41:45
Speaker
Bassett. What's his first name? Not Mike Bassett. What's his name? Bassett. Anyway, his name is Bassett, right? He might have been Mike Bassett. But this is a fantastic one. Juventus are 10th in Serie A this season for shots on target. 10th! 10th in Serie A. 10. That's unbelievable. They're 5th in Serie A for big chances. They're 8th in Serie A for corners. Dave Bassett. Dave Bassett. That's it. That's it. Dave Bassett.
00:42:15
Speaker
They're eighth in Serie A for corners one. So despite being the best in Serie A for set plays, they're only eighth for winning corners and they're sixth in Serie A for touches inside the opposition box. So I mean, listen, you get the picture now that Juventus are, it's very difficult for Juventus to create chances and score goals when you're spending
Allegri's Future at Juventus
00:42:39
Speaker
that amount of time in the opposition box, when you're putting so little pressure, you're creating that number of corners. But this is not just this season, which was supposed to be an improvement on the last two seasons in terms of the underlying stuff.
00:42:58
Speaker
but they were 11th highest, I didn't realize it was that bad, they were 11th highest scorers in Serie A in the 2021-22 season, which was Allegri's first season, and then they were sixth highest scorers last season in Allegri's second season, and then they're the sixth highest scorers this season again. And remember, they are playing once a season this season, so it shouldn't be this bad really.
00:43:25
Speaker
So, yeah, that's that's the underlying metrics. And that just really just sums up Juventus under Allegri that it just hasn't been good enough from an offensive point of view. It really hasn't. It's just it's just not good enough. And that's why at the end of the season, I'm I'm pretty confident now that Allegri will will will leave the end of season. And I think the proof NIMA was the did you see that the letter from John Elkan to the next or shareholders
00:43:53
Speaker
last week in which Allegri's name wasn't even mentioned. That's the sign, isn't it, Nimr, that this is it for Allegri, isn't it? I think it's not just that. I think it's the fact that after Andrea Nieli and that kind of leadership of Uwe left, the manner in which they left and Juntuli coming in, him being their three seasons, I think it's just natural that
00:44:21
Speaker
And I just feel like it was inevitable that was going to happen because the vibe around Juve is so toxic. The fan base is not happy with him. You know, they're very divided. It's a lot of arguing. And you can't have that. Juve is not that's not how Juve works. They don't they don't like this kind of this energy around them. And I think what will happen is that in classic Juve fashion, he'll win the Coppa Italia, he'll finish third.
00:44:47
Speaker
and then they will basically have a conversation and part ways respectfully
00:44:53
Speaker
you know, without much drama, because that's just how you will run things. And I think it's the right thing to do, because it's clear that if Juventus sporting directors, a sporting project doesn't want to be where Allegri is, then I think there's no point in continuing this project. And that's what I've been saying for months. And Elkan said in his letter that he basically said this is the Juventus of Junzli. He said Juventus' future was in Junzli's hands.
00:45:19
Speaker
Which is exactly the right way to do it. I saw that, and I loved that. Because it is year zero, it literally is. It's a new sporting project. I think it's a clear sign that Allegro is God.
00:45:43
Speaker
Yeah, I think Legu's been a little bit more nervous. He's had some rouse with the players recently. I think this is the end. I was thinking for a couple of months now that I think that he's going to leave at the end of the season and I think he'll have been there three years.
00:46:03
Speaker
But this is the first public sign that we've had from Juventus because they don't usually reveal much. Juventus need to get that Champions League place and then they can start officially planning for the next season and that's why getting this draw is not good for Juventus. I think they should be fine for the Champions League because we've now got a 99.8% chance of getting fifth.
00:46:24
Speaker
place to get him the extra the extra spot in the Champions League. We may even get a sixth spot if Atalanta go on and win the European League. Yeah, I am so pro Atalanta in the Europa League, it's not even funny. I think they deserve it and I
00:46:39
Speaker
Well, we're going to get to that in a minute. But yeah, let's move on from this. Felipe Anderson to Juventus. Yeah, just very, very quickly on this because we're going to run over. But Felipe Anderson to Juventus is pretty much a done deal now. I don't understand this. I don't understand it. So I think it's a mistake. I think he's looked finished for a while. I mean, yeah. And I just don't.
00:47:10
Speaker
Who's going to be the coach for him? Well, what I understand about this is he's 31 this month. I think he's only 31 any day now. He's to get a four-year contract reported, or even if it's a three-year contract, you know, so what, he's going to be 35 at the end of his contract. Even if we pretend that he's not passed his best, which I think he is, how many good years are you going to get out of him? One.
00:47:38
Speaker
two maybe. He's on four million a year net per season. This season he's got five goals and six assists in 32 games. Two of them were in the last game against Salah Nizana. It just doesn't make any sense and it doesn't really align with this kind of new Juventus project. I understand that you do need some experienced players but
00:47:59
Speaker
the right experience players i just yeah i don't it doesn't make sense to me no it's it's for me it's i i get if you want experience and you want some kind of but he's gonna cost quite a bit and he's he's um he's looked finished too and and i just don't see
00:48:16
Speaker
Like I don't, who's going to be the coach? Like what's the plan behind this? I didn't get it. I mean, it suggests they're going to go to a 4-3-3, which I guess is one positive or 14-1 because he's a wide man. He's a wing man. He's versatile. He can play both sides and maybe look at it at that. Probably. But it's, yeah, for the money, for the wages and he's still technically very, very good. He's still technically been very good. I remember seeing him in the Bayern Munich game, technically he was fantastic. And again, the problem is that he's 31.
00:48:44
Speaker
physically doesn't have the bits of acceleration and the burst to beat his man and to do those kinds of things, which makes him pretty impotent in terms of doing damage to the opposition. So what's the point? I agree. But then again, this could turn out to be the Leishsteiner move from when they last had a reboot.
00:49:09
Speaker
Yeah, the Lickshiner wasn't 31, he was 20. No, he wasn't. Like with Vuchenich when they brought him in first as well, he was actually pretty good. I mean, he could be one of those things. We don't know. I'm very skeptical. I'm very, very skeptical. Yeah. I'm surprised. Another play they are going after is Catafiori. They're actually in negotiations. That would be a better move. Bologna, just very, very quickly, they draw again. They just couldn't score against Monza. They had the chances, but they couldn't put it away.
00:49:38
Speaker
Look, Roma could overtake them because if they beat Odineze, they will have, uh, well, they'll have 58 points when they, um, they're on 31 games now. So, and then Roma host Bologna, uh, soon. Well, next weekend. So, you know, yeah.
00:49:59
Speaker
Yeah, there'll be two points behind. I'm always, they've only got 17 minutes left, so they've not got much time to win that game, but there'll be two points behind and then they could beat Boulogne and go above them. Yeah. Boulogne should be fine to get the Champions League placed, but yeah, they have started. You remember, Atalanta two games in hand.
00:50:18
Speaker
They're playing Verona tonight or on a Monday and then they got the Fiorentina game that they need to play as well at some point. Yeah, it's not secure. They have to be a little bit careful because it will be a shame if they throw it away after such an amazing season. But despite that, they should have still won these last two games. They've had the chances and they deserve to win those games. They just haven't put the chances away. Napoli draw 2-2 with Frosinone in a game with loads and loads of chances for both teams.
00:50:46
Speaker
I think the takeaway from this is Champions League chances, I know you will say this was already over and it probably was, but the Champions League chances are now I think we can say 100% are over now, but also I think we can also say 100% that Calzone's chances of the permanent job are definitely over because he started actually really well. We were praising him. He was unbeaten in his first five.
00:51:10
Speaker
and they had that big 6-1 win, didn't they? And now
Calzone's Role at Napoli
00:51:14
Speaker
they have just one win in six and it seems like it's drifting back to Garcia Mazzari kind of level of performance and he certainly won't get the permanent job now, that's for sure. This was a game that was so many chances for both teams, just two teams with dreadful defending in this game.
00:51:39
Speaker
Rahmani and Mehret, did you watch the goals? He saves a penalty and then he does that for the first goal. This guy has a mistake in him and it's always a huge howler.
00:52:00
Speaker
He's terrible at his feet in him as well. And this is why Napoli will replace him at the end of the season. Well, they have to. He's going to leave and they're going to need the upgrade. And that was one of their weaknesses, wasn't it? He actually did all right last season. He didn't disgrace himself, but we always said that Merritt was a weak link in that team, didn't we? Yeah, we did. And so defensively, there's lots of work to do. And then you have
00:52:27
Speaker
I mean, Rakhmani, Rakhmani's had a horrible season. He gave away- That penalty he gave away. I did recall that it caused him all kinds of problems. I don't want to praise Shadyra. I think he's been really fantastic recently. He's a handful. He's good in the air and he's physical. And Rakhmani was terrible in this game. And without Kim Min Jae, he's looked like a very, very
00:52:49
Speaker
average player without Kim and Jay you know he needs someone to hold his hand but that's something that is people don't don't realize that this that you get that i've seen that so many so they've seen it so many times in the past where
00:53:04
Speaker
players have looked fantastic next to him. Fantastic player. And Cannavaro used to be the best example, but Cannavaro used to raise the level of the players next to him so much. He used to make players look like world beaters next to him, like Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup. And even Bazzali, when he played with him in that World Cup, you know, Bazzali was not the player that he later became at that time. And he made them look like fantastic, absolutely incredible players. And then
00:53:30
Speaker
You saw them without them. I remember Zlatan with Nocherino. It doesn't get much more like example of that. Like world-class players make players around them play better. Nocherino had a fantastic, you know, he got to the Italian national team. It's never more pronounced as it is with Centrebacks for me. Because Centrebacks, they're your partner, especially for playing in a two-man Centreback partnership. And, you know, Rachmani playing next to ordinary Centrebacks has looked really, really ordinary.
00:53:59
Speaker
and and and we've seen that this season he's he's had a horrible horrible season and and again in this game he was he was very very bad and but Napoli created loads of chances I mean Osseman Osseman had missed three I was gonna say he missed how many sitters did he miss I mean it's just he missed two one-on-ones and another huge well basic three one-on-ones basically he did eventually score
00:54:24
Speaker
only because he was played on side by some more shocking defenders, so it was five yards behind the rest of the play. He was better, though, in this game, obviously. His overall performance was good. I do want to praise Politana because he scored another brilliant goal. It's two games in a row that he scored
00:54:43
Speaker
Fantastic goals. He scored a Worldie with a volley, didn't he? Last week against Monza. And this was brilliant, cutting in from the right onto his left foot, far post. So that's a positive. I think Luciano Spoletti, who was actually watching the game, I believe, was... Yeah, he was. I mean, that's positive for Spoletti that, you know, if there's any bit of hope that we can hold on to with Italy's lack of attackers is that
00:55:12
Speaker
Some of them, a few of them are actually starting to step up a little bit in the last last few weeks. We will come on to, um, also palette palette on his last two games as an Yolo had a pretty decent performance, um, got praised by a Marie against the, in the win against Arsenal. So, you know, there's something there that hopefully we can hold some hope on the head of the Euro. I didn't want to praise shadira though. I thought he was brilliant. It's a parent club as well. Two goals. Uh,
00:55:40
Speaker
a real handful. He's a handful, isn't he, Chadira? No, he is. He really is. And, and, um, but it's, it's, it's the Xavier De Francesco special. I mean, does he get sacked before the season's over? Because they can, they can really go down. I think that they're, they're committed with him now. I really do feel like, you know, they're, they're, they're all in with De Francesco.
00:56:08
Speaker
live by if Di Francesco, die by Di Francesco, because it wouldn't surprise people. I mean they're out in the relegation zone at the moment, but it depends on Verona. Well, they're on 27 and Verona... Oh, so it's actually a play-out, a play-out, isn't it? They're in a play-out position right now. But in the days, it's still a good result. It's an important point, it's an important point.
00:56:34
Speaker
The other weekend fixtures, Lazio Hamma, Selene Turner, who we know are basically down for one. The big news from that was Luis Alberto announcing that he's leaving after the game, after the season. Well, he says he's leaving. I mean, it's not just up to him. But that was an interesting timing while there's still six games to go that he announces that he's leaving.
00:56:57
Speaker
Yeah, I think they need to remove away from him because this is non-stop in arguing, fighting back and forth, like this needs to end. Lazio can't have this distraction with him all the time. It's been non-stop for three or four seasons now, where it's constantly arguing back and forth before the season, during the season, after the season.
00:57:14
Speaker
Enough, enough. They should have sold him, he wanted to. I also understand why they didn't, they'd lost to Lyd, so Serjay Milinchein, Milincovitch Savage, and they didn't want to lose, you know, another cog of their midfield, you know, straight away. Let's say B, Empoli 1-0, that's massive and... Absolutely huge. Yeah.
00:57:34
Speaker
Yes, Sansone is scoring the only goal of the game late on in 89th minute, but as I said, I think Leche on 32 points now should be able to stay up, and they should stay up. They deserve to stay up. I think they've had a very positive season overall, and they continue to impress.
00:57:57
Speaker
And it's a nice story. It's a beautiful place. It's a beautiful fan base. It's a nice story. Yeah, for sure. Pioratina Genoa Atalanta Verona are the games to be played on Monday evening.
00:58:15
Speaker
Right, just before we finish off, we've bad Gio prenface Iselius of the week and this coming midweek or Thursday, obviously no Italian teams in the Champions League. We have the second legs of the quarter finals in the Europa League and Conference League. Roma at home to Milan leading 1-0 from the first leg of San Siro, Atalanta
00:58:39
Speaker
at home in bed after this unbelievable 3-0 win at Anfield. And then Fiorentina playing Victoria Pilsen at home after the biggest board draw. If you thought the Turin Derby was bad, then Victoria Pilsen against Fiorentina, the 0-0 draw was the XG, combined XG in that game between both teams was 0.44 in that game. It was one of the worst games of football I've ever seen in my life. It was so bad. It was so bad. It really was.
00:59:08
Speaker
Victoria Pilton, because he's won goal in nine games in the competition this season. So, Fioritilla need to approve their attack. But, yeah, I think we expect that Fioritilla to go through. Yes, we do. I mean, they're going to be at home as well. Yeah. And there's no away goals rule. So, they can be a little bit more offensive. And Roma Milan, how would you see that go for second? Because... Oh, I can't. I think it's wide open. Yeah. Milan have the quality to turn these games around on their heads.
00:59:36
Speaker
But Roma at home, at the olympico in Europe is also a different animal. I think this game is completely wide open. I think it's 50-50. I think we can go anywhere. I'm not missing it for anything in the world. It's 51-49. I think Romy have to make favourites because they've got the crowd behind them. They've got the olympico with them. De Rossi outcoached, if you want to listen to my post-match book.
01:00:00
Speaker
podcast. Derossi outcoached Pioli in this game. He outcoached him. He got his tactics spot on. I thought... He's done it quite a few times this season. He outcoached the Zerbe. He completely humiliated the Zerbe. He's outcoached Pioli. He really put up a fight against Nzagi tactically.
01:00:19
Speaker
This is a good, this is something on the right, on the right to take out Teo and Liao was genius, like who would come up with that? I thought that was brilliant, but just just the way that he totally,
01:00:36
Speaker
just nullify the threat until that Giroud chance at the end, which he should have scored. It was an open goal, basically. He did great. So yeah, that's going to be interesting, the tactical battle between them. Atalanta Liverpool, and that brings me on to Badger of the Week. So this is going to be Badger of the Week is Nimr. Nimr is Badger of the Week, because I have to say, Nimr was the only person, nobody else, nobody else called this, that
01:01:01
Speaker
he called it. I like to make fun, I like to wind him up, calling him a jinx and all this kind of stuff, that he hates it. But I have to say, Nimr called this, Nimr said, he called it, he said Atalanta, I think they can, they compete Liverpool at Anfield. And, and it's like, you know, it sounds crazy. Liverpool were on a 40, however many 40 game unbeaten run at Anfield however long it was. And, you know, they were top of the Premier League and, and
01:01:28
Speaker
and Nima saw some of the chinks. They'd lose to get hammered by Atalanta and then they'd lose at home to Crystal Palace as well in the weekend as well. So I have to say Badger of the Week, Nima. Well done. Thank you so much. But no, it was for me, it was one of those things where you see Atalanta continue to grow and develop and really hit form.
01:01:52
Speaker
and the way that they played and you also look at the players available to Gasperini and tactically what he can do to counter Liverpool's kind of football and we know that Gasperini yes he's a fantastic attacking coach but he's also very very tactically a student shutting games down closing them off completely and hurting teams on the counter attack and he worked that too
01:02:15
Speaker
It was fantastic to watch them again. I've never seen, I said to my players, I've never seen a team cut through Liverpool time and time again, as Atlanta did. They were just, they, they waited, they pounced, they hit them on the transitions and they cut through and they created, I counted eight clear chances in the game.
01:02:32
Speaker
And Skamaka, he shows why I love the kid. I really, really do. I think he's a unique player and the quality he has. And I'm so thrilled that I tweeted this out. I'm elated with how he's reacted to the criticism from Gasparini and Spaletti by taking him in stride, taking him the right way, understanding
Skamaka's Growth
01:02:54
Speaker
that they want his best, they want him to react, they want him to focus.
01:02:57
Speaker
That shows maturity and it also shows that's how a winner reacts. You react to criticism, like we said about Liao earlier. Somebody that a winner reacts like that, you use the energy from that to spur you on.
01:03:14
Speaker
Yeah and you take it the right way. I said that when he gave an interview a few weeks ago when he was asked about what you make about all the criticism that you keep getting from Spelletti and Gasparini because they both publicly criticised him this season and he says I think they use it to try and motivate me.
01:03:32
Speaker
And I love that. I love that reply. That's the way to go. You know, somebody would have said, oh, you know, some people would have said, oh, no comment, or some people would have said, oh, well, that's their opinion. Or, or some people would have said, well, you know, I disagree with them. You know, he didn't. He, he, he said that the perfect, that was the perfect response. And, and now, and then he showed it since. Um, so yeah, well done to him and that he's, uh, yeah, Atalanta and Schimacher and, and, uh,
01:03:57
Speaker
They're badgers of the week, and I also would add Mancini as well for two goals in a week. But not just that. Look, he's defending. This is a qualitative leap now, in my opinion.
01:04:14
Speaker
from Mancini. He's played well this season, but he's playing at a very high level now, defensively above all, and he's doing it. He's barely conceding anything. He's not putting a foot wrong. He's kind of using what he's good at to destabilize the opponent, but he's doing it in the right way. He's not losing his head. He's not giving away yellow cards. He's not giving away stupid
01:04:41
Speaker
free kicks. I think we're seeing maturity here. I think Daniele De Rossi, I think we saw improvement a lot in maturity under Mourinho. Under De Rossi, we've seen him take that to the next level. I really really hope that this isn't just a little flash in the pan. I really hope that this is a permanent switch. Me too. Because then that would be really good for Italy.
01:05:05
Speaker
Exactly, and it's also because we desperately need a right side. And we also, if you remember, this is a guy, I mean, for those who've listened to the pod for a few years, you'd remember that I'm a huge fan of this guy already at Atlanta. I thought there was something there.
01:05:21
Speaker
And since then, he's kind of, it's been three, four years where you've been like, well, you're waiting for an hour, kind of almost give up on him, or I did give up on him. But this season, the last year and a half, especially these last few months, it's not a flash in the pan. It is a
Mancini's Defensive Maturity
01:05:38
Speaker
qualitative, it's a leap in quality.
01:05:40
Speaker
whether now he's in form and so he plays extra well, that's fine. Maybe it's that. I hope not. But I would be lying if I didn't say that for the last year and a half, you are seeing a qualitative leap from him consistently in his defensive play above all. And he's matured as well.
01:06:03
Speaker
the way that he handles situations on the pitch, the way that he doesn't lose his head, he doesn't get sent off anymore. The elbows have stopped, which I think was a big deficiency in his game. No, I'm really impressed by the man. I'm really, really impressed by Mancini. Bastoni Acherbi Mancini, if they're going to play like this,
01:06:25
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, if Italy's going to have a solid defense in a back three with those three starting with Donaruma behind them. Look, that can go. That can go. Solid defenses get you far in tournaments. And it's with the Lorenzo who we it's so weird because after we praised him about him in the beginning of the season when he was that was really, really good as being so consistent, he's gone off a cliff. Whilst Mancini has gone the other way for me, Mancini not only gets in the team, I think he should start.
01:06:56
Speaker
if he's going to play like this to the right of that back three. Yeah, let's hope his film continues. Prim Face of the week, Nima. Right, so I've got a few here. The first one is this video that kind of went viral before the Liverpool vs Atalanta game on Sports Italia. Did you see this video? Yeah, I did. Where they were interviewing a Liverpool fan about his Atalanta players and he struggled to name a single Atalanta player.
01:07:25
Speaker
Yeah, but it's a Liverpool fan. I don't know, you know, he doesn't watch the league, so you can't really, you know, whatever. I don't mind that really. It's more when you have these people who are pundits, who just chat shit and say stupid things like, what's his name?
01:07:45
Speaker
It's like the way they disrespect like that, that is more just, you know, I don't care what fancy things. I mean, you know, everybody didn't know the newer gave Liverpool 40% chance of going through to the, to the, to the next round, which is just insane. I mean, I'm not, listen, you can never, never rule out Liverpool. We've seen so many comebacks. They're great. They're a great team.
01:08:11
Speaker
But if they are going through, they didn't go through because they had a 40% chance of women. That's just literally insane to say such a thing. They've got probably a 10% chance of going through. They've got 40% chance is absolute insanity. The funny thing was is that he was asked after that to give his percentage of another team going through in a tie. And he gave them
01:08:36
Speaker
He gave them a lower percentage, even though they were only one goal behind. I'm just trying to think, I can't remember which game it was. Pulling out of his rectum, isn't he? I mean, it's this kind of stuff that you just pull it out your ass. That's all they're doing. They're just pulling out their ass. They don't think about it. It's just it's just it's just nonstop propaganda. It's just nonstop. You know, Premier League is the best thing since bread came sliced. And we will always say that no matter what happens. And it's like,
01:09:04
Speaker
Well, that's not really your job, is it? You're supposed to be a pundit, supposed to be an analytical, you're supposed to contextualize, supposed to add something to the conversation, not just sit there like a, you know, petulant teenager and say something provocative just for interactions. It's pathetic. It's childish. And I think it just demeans the
01:09:23
Speaker
the conversation around and the coverage around the game. And it's just boring to listen to. And it's like it's also this thing where they never learn, do they? Like they never learn. It's like how many times do you have to get, you know, have egg on your face and end up with egg on your face and look stupid before you stop saying these things? You know, it's like, you know, the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, not expecting different results. And it's like,
01:09:53
Speaker
It's just, it's just, it's sad really now. It's gotten to the point where you're like, you're almost expecting it, or I am expecting it. I'm wondering, so who's going to say so-and-so doesn't get into the so-and-so team now? I mean, it's like, you know. Flatter rubbish. Flatter rubbish. And then a really exaggerated Cockney accent as well as the Martin Samuel, as I call it. Something exaggerated, stupid, irrelevant, and said in a really exaggerated fake Cockney accent.
01:10:24
Speaker
That's what that is. The Martin Samuel. Talking about something that Martin Samuel would say, the final premface of the week is a culinary premface. It was this video also... Are you writing your food again? Yeah. So it was this video of this, I think she was American, this American lady who's doing a video of making some gnocchi.
01:10:48
Speaker
and she calls it yonky. So you add the yonky to the pan. I think I've seen that. I think there's this account on Instagram which I follow. They're Canadian, Italian-Canadian. They're really funny. They're called the Bello brothers. One of the guys
01:11:08
Speaker
I don't know which one is which, but he gets so annoyed in the most Italian way about people who can't, about food and people who can't pronounce it. And this video died. He's like, he asked Google how to pronounce gnocchi and gnocchi said it. And he goes,
01:11:28
Speaker
Even an American robot can pronounce it properly. I was dying. It was hilarious. Yeah, this is what I was saying, Yonky. Everybody was writing Yonky. Yonky was thinking, what are people writing? I thought it was some racial slur or something. Yeah, like Honky. Something like that. Yeah, I know. It's very, very funny.
01:11:52
Speaker
final finally
Cassano vs. Liao Debate
01:11:53
Speaker
serie yeah ass of the week so we're gonna go with cassano yeah it has to be cassano i mean what what what layout doesn't even get into a team that's six seventh when i played i mean get out of here shut up i mean it's just
01:12:08
Speaker
Just be quiet. And it's like, who brings him on? Like, why would you like let him stay on YouTube? He doesn't need to be on right. Like, do you know what I mean? Like, it's just, there's no need to put on on right. Like on Dominica Sportio. There's absolutely no need for it. It's just it's just so cringy. And everything he says. It's not what he says. I mean, which is bad enough. It's the way he delivers it.
01:12:30
Speaker
you know, like, he's just so like, he's like, aggressive, aggressive. And like, he waves his hands around and like spits coming out of his mouth and you literally foam it out. He's so out of his mind, like, it's just. Oh, dear. And it's like, it's just, oh, yeah. I remember Zlatan saying about him a long time ago when a Swedish journalist compared the two and Zlatan was like,
01:12:59
Speaker
excuse me he was literally raised on the street like come on stop like i can read and write he can't you know like there's levels to this all right i may be ghetto but i'm not like you know don't compare me to him and it's like it's uh it's yeah he is what he is it's
01:13:21
Speaker
He's often, as always, you know, as Capello said, Casanate. You know, he called his meltdowns Casanate. He had another Casanate. And it's, yeah. Okay, let's leave it at that. And we'll be back Tuesday for the Q&A. We will have a, we're recording an interview later in the week. And then I think we will have a pending availability. We'll have a reaction.
01:13:50
Speaker
pod to the Thursday, Thursday evening European games. Absolutely. Absolutely. This is a big, big, big, big night for Italian football. Yeah. Okay. Right. Let's leave it at that. Have a great week, everybody. We'll see you next time. Ciao ciao.