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Free Weekly Episode - Inzaghi's Inter Crisis, Anguissa's Napoli Show, Dybala Roma Heroics & Much More (Ep. 262)
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From Simone Inzaghi's Inter crisis, Roma finally win away at San Siro, André Anguissa show for Napoli, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic masterclass for Lazio, to Atalanta's defensive solidity and AC Milan's team spirit Carlo and Nima break down all the action from another crazy weekend in the Serie A.
Every Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast is free for all. To listen to all full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP to become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Kicking off the Italian Football Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast with John Solano, Carlo Garganese and Nima Tuvali.
Serie A Returns: Inter vs Roma
00:00:24
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian Football Podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese and Serie A was back after two weeks off due to the international break. Straight back into it with a huge, huge match Roma or Inter versus Roma.
00:00:46
Speaker
in which Simonian Zaghi has now replaced Max Allegri as the most under pressure manager maybe in Celia or the most under fire manager in Celia. Lots and lots to talk about but we will have to start with Inter against Roma so let's get straight into it.
Inzaghi's Crisis at Inter
00:01:06
Speaker
OK, only one place to start. Inter versus Roma. Inter took the lead. But for the fourth time this season after taking the lead, they ended up losing the game. This match has plunged Simoni and Zagat into absolute crisis. It has really divided the Inter fanbase after the game. A legary out hashtag was trending on social media after the game. And from what I exactly
00:01:36
Speaker
Not Alegria. Alegria is always trending. Hello, Mr. Freud. You're going to pin this on Alegria as well, are you?
00:01:47
Speaker
Well, you would love to swap managers. So why not? I think for their sakes more than anyone. I think, yeah, I do. I would. I think Simoni and Zaghi were the squad that you have. I think it would suit him more and his football more maybe. So are you then from that? Are you in Zaghi out then?
00:02:07
Speaker
No, absolutely not. I think it would be suicide in this situation. Look, my take on managers is very simple. It's always been like this. And I saw Claudio Ranieri saying the same thing today.
Analyzing Inter's Defeat: Mistakes and Criticism
00:02:20
Speaker
that the only time you change a manager is if he's lost a dressing room. And I think it's evident that that's not happened here. So they believe in him and they're fully behind him. Dimarco almost got angry when he was asked this for the fifth time after the game against Roma. In an interview with sport media, I said almost snapping, saying, look, we're all behind in Zagi period. Stop asking.
00:02:43
Speaker
Um, pretty much. Um, so, and we've heard the same things from Lautaro, from Hananovich, et cetera, et cetera. So it's, um, the players are fully behind him. And also I've got to say, I mean, just going off the game against Roma, the gate, just in and of itself, I thought this was, I agree with Simone and Zagis.
00:03:00
Speaker
analysis that this was Inter's best performance of this season. Now, granted, it wasn't a very fantastic performance. It was an okay, decent performance. It wasn't a great performance, but it was Inter's best performance overall, performance-wise, on the pitch this season. And I agree with what he says, that this is his inter, like they played like his inter. I think the first goal, the lead-up to the first goal, even Rui Patrice, should absolutely have done better.
00:03:27
Speaker
on the finish, I think the lead-up to the goal was Nzagi Ball, without a doubt. And I think that's encouraging. I think the reasoning to loss this game is more down to individual lapses of concentration for the winner, absolutely. I mean, what Scrinjaro Macerbi and the rest of the back three are doing is
00:03:48
Speaker
absolutely beyond me, but also Samir Handanovic. That is a very savable shot. Mike Manion saves that shot. Alex Merritt saves that shot.
00:03:59
Speaker
the Dibala won the equalizer. These are key moments in the game where your goalkeeper, if you're a top team, you have to have a top goalkeeper who makes those decisive saves and Andana, which is just not doing them anymore and he's too inconsistent because before that he made two really good saves on a
00:04:21
Speaker
on shots that if it had gone in, it wouldn't have counted because there was a free kick.
Debate: Should Inzaghi be Sacked?
00:04:26
Speaker
I can't remember who stood on Dem Dumfrey's foot and basically took a shoe off. So that goal wouldn't have stood, but he made two saves there. But then when he's actually supposed to make a save, and that is a very savable shot, I don't care what anyone says, the ball goes straight at him. It wasn't like a thunderbolt by Di Bala,
00:04:45
Speaker
Where you know, it was a rocket. It wasn't he hits the ball. It's a good finish, but it's absolutely savable It's not you know, I'm not asking for the moon here. I'm asking for a ball coming at the goalkeeper He should be able to save that and he should because his reactions fight three years ago He would have saved that because his reactions were better. He's slow. It's slower now and it's only natural This isn't a critique of you and I know it is father time is undefeated You know the older the get you the older you get
00:05:11
Speaker
your reactions deteriorate. And that's true of everybody in life, not just football. But Simonian Zaghi, yes, I think he has a responsibility. I think, again, the reactive
00:05:27
Speaker
The reactive substitutions, I tweeted four minutes before the goal came. Now's the time to make the substitutions. And he did them immediately after Roman scored what became the winner. That is absolutely on him. This is something he needs to react quicker. It's as simple as that. And also he needs to make the Onana replacing Handanovich thing permanent.
00:05:50
Speaker
even if it risks pissing off Samir Andanovic because, you know, he said himself after the game in what was very diplomatic. I thought that was really intelligent of him to say that. He said that, you know, we didn't deserve to lose the game. Our goalkeeper even didn't even have to make a save or didn't even make a save, not have to didn't even make a save. And you can interpret that both ways. You can interpret that as saying, well, they didn't create anything Roma and the two goals were, you know, they make of that what you will.
Inter's Strategic Challenges
00:06:20
Speaker
And the other way to interpret that is Sameel Hanovich is not good enough to start and didn't make a single save, which is also true. So, yeah, that's a really interesting statement by him. But I think
00:06:45
Speaker
No, to sack him at this point, when there's no real option, there's really nobody to replace him. There's nobody to, if they can't afford to pay another manager. And the natural replacement would be Yoki Tomastukul, given that he plays three back three. But where are you going to find the money? And would Tukil even be interested? I mean, it's just, no, absolutely not. And also, above all, he's got the player still behind him.
00:07:12
Speaker
Yeah, I think, listen, I think absolutely, you don't sack him, but something has to change because, you know, as the famous saying is, you know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Well, you know, I raised the beginning of the season about the 3-5-2 formation and whether Inter have been found out, whether
00:07:37
Speaker
It's become too predictable and I am now I'm starting to think more and more that they need to they need to make a change because You know you look at the results you look at the performances Into this season have five wins five losses in all competitions five losses in their last eight games Which is you know, that's borderline relegation form. So, you know
00:08:03
Speaker
something has to change. He said at the end of the game that this was Inter's best performance of the season, and I don't know, given how Inter have played this season and underperformed, maybe it was their best performance of the season, but
00:08:21
Speaker
If this is the best performance of the season, then it's just not good enough because, you know, although Inter controlled the game, they barely created a clear-cut chance, the whole game. There was the DiMarco goal, which, as you said, was a well-crafted goal.
00:08:40
Speaker
But yes, the keeper should have saved it. But it was that was we could maybe call a clear cut chance. Apart from that, can you name me a clear cut chance in the whole game? I can't I can't think of one. Well, I'm on the offside goal that was buried. That was just just offside. Yeah, but it was offside. The free kick is not a clear cut chance. It's a free kick. Apart from that, Inter didn't create any clear cut chances. Do I think they deserve to lose? No.
00:09:03
Speaker
Do I think they deserve to win? No, I don't. In fact, you look at the XG and Inter's XG was 0.7, 0.7 in this game. Actually, Roma's was 1.04 or something. So, you know, the stats show it as well. And, you know, I think that Inter have become, are becoming predictable, both offensively and defensively, from an offensive point of view.
Inzaghi's Tactical Decisions Questioned
00:09:27
Speaker
We did a deep dive on Thursday, which I tell everyone to check out, which was fascinating and really played out in this game. Inter don't have anyone that can eliminate their man, that can dribble past their players, that can create overloads, because last season it was obviously they had Perisic, and we're seeing how important the Perisic was now. This season, and as we showed on Thursday,
00:09:51
Speaker
Inter's top dribbler in Serie A this season is Balela of all people. Now, he has ranked 37th in Serie A for Serie A's top dribblers, which really says it all. But also defensively, Inter are having these lapses in concentration, even in games that they are controlling. They have 13 goals conceded, which is one of the worst in the league. Handanovic, yes, we know, should be dropped. I think there's anybody that disagrees with that now.
00:10:19
Speaker
But with regards to Inzagi, there's so many players out of form now. If it was one or two players out of form, you could blame that on the individual players. But when it's all of them out of form, then the buck has to stop at Inzagi. Mentally, I think the players look weak. And for me, they've been ahead four times this season in games, and then collapsed after conceding an equalizer.
00:10:49
Speaker
I look at the team and there's full of leaders in that team, full of captains. But they're not leading. They're not leading, but that has to be down to the manager. How can you have a team of leaders? How many national team captains have you got?
00:11:04
Speaker
Yeah, have you got that team? And so, you know, I think you have to put that down at the coach. And, you know, I don't believe he's lost the dressing room, the players say he hasn't lost the dressing room. But you know, he is doing some, he is doing some strange things, there's substitutions are one thing that I thought the two substitutions against who Danese like really early in the game, is it 20 minutes or 30? Yeah, I thought that was madness, absolute madness when that was
00:11:25
Speaker
You know, whether whether you're trying to send a message to your squad or not, that the only message that sends out is what the hell is this manager thinking? What is he doing? Well, he didn't apologize for that. And they did speak about that. And that's why I think the players like him as well, because he's not you know, he owns that. And he did that immediately after the game as well. And he
00:11:42
Speaker
He took complete responsibility for that and then he protected players that way. And look, I think he is a player's coach. That's his leadership style and they really appreciate that. And not just appreciate that, also that they like playing his football. Last season he played really attacking, entertaining football. They did, yeah. And the players enjoyed that. So I think it's all of the above for in terms of the dressing room.
Inter's Squad and Transfer Market Issues
00:12:07
Speaker
But look, the fact that all the players are out of form,
00:12:11
Speaker
whether it's physical or mental, I don't think you can just put that on the coach. If you take into account what happened this summer because of the situation you had with Suning, it's like one thing leads to another. It's a collective screw-up. I think it stops with everyone. Steven Zhang and Suning's putting the brakes in financially and basically taking steps sideways for two transfer markets in a row, two summer transfer markets in a row.
00:12:41
Speaker
And the Scrinyard's contract situation, which they haven't handled well, Stefan Defray as well, they should have got rid of him this summer, but they didn't, because they couldn't, because nobody wanted him, and they couldn't invest if they had let him go. I mean, things like that. And these things lead to another. And let's remember Simon Inzagi, they made Simon Inzagi look like an absolute idiot this summer, when he, before the friendly against Lugano, comes out and says, we're going to buy a central
00:13:07
Speaker
central defender and that was Bremen and he didn't end up coming. He didn't, if they didn't, and he was stuck with us and he prepared a preseason playing something another style and since then he's been trying to adjust that. Now it's looking better on the pitch, the results are dreadful but I think it's looking better on the pitch and I think that back to me suggests it's a slump in form and also Romelu Lukaku's injury, let's not underestimate here,
00:13:32
Speaker
Simone and Zaghi placed a big deal of faith at Romelu Lukaku, and I'm not ready to call Romelu Lukaku finished or a flop or anything like that, but let's be honest, the only two seasons that Romelu Lukaku has consistently been fit and delivered at a world-class level is under Antonio Conte Inter and Pintus as the fitness coach. I believe in coincidences, but this is too much of a coincidence.
00:13:56
Speaker
You know, this is not a coincidence. To be fair, he is Belgian. I hear you, but for club level, yeah, but I guess we do have to also point out that he has scored a lot of goals for Belgium. He's a record scorer. Yeah, but surrounded by giving to Brian Edin Hazard, all those players. I mean, I'm sure you and I would be as well. Look, my point is simply that he's supposed to be a leader at this inter and he's not fit to lead.
00:14:21
Speaker
because physically fit. Marcelo Brozovic has not looked well this season. He's pushing 30. Stefan De Frei is in complete freefall. 30. Handanovic finished. Over 30. So you're saying they're lacking motivation as well. I'm saying that it's a collective thing.
00:14:40
Speaker
With Defray, Handanovic and Jekko, the mentality, I don't doubt, the ability, I think there's a clear decline. I don't think it's just mental, I think there's a physical decline. They can't deliver at this level anymore. And they're pretty key players, that's your captain, that's your starting central defender, and Edin Jekko was supposed to replace Romelu Lukaku.
00:15:02
Speaker
Right. But they're not delivering with Marcelo Brozovic. I think it's more down to physical, you know, physicality and that he's been carrying something. And obviously, we know it's not just the older players, it's the younger players as well. I mean, yeah, Scrinya, okay, you can maybe put that on the transfer.
00:15:20
Speaker
I mean, these players are supposed to be not even at their peak of their careers yet. And these players are just an absolute shadow of themselves. It's not just the players like you can say are reaching that age where maybe they're starting to decline, like DeVry, like Brozovic, who actually, to be fair, I would say both of those, they're still 30, 29, 30. So they shouldn't really be declining that.
00:15:41
Speaker
What they are, except for Brozovic. I'm not ready to say that about Brozovic, but with De Frei, I am 100% saying that. Yeah, he already was last season. Exactly. We already saw it last season. We saw it this season. Even if we don't want the Scurretto, we saw it with De Frei. I do think that in Zaghi needs to change something. He can't keep playing the same style of football that he has been because it's not working. He needs to change it up. And I do wonder whether, you know, a bit like Roberto Mancini with Italy, where, you know, they had an incredible system that won them the Euros and it was brilliant.
00:16:11
Speaker
But after a while, you know, teams started to figure out the patterns of play, you know, the way that, you know, their little maneuvers and movements and, you know, everything that they do with the ball, without the ball, your team starts to find you out. It happens with everyone. You know, Pep Guardiola changes his tactics every single season because he knows that team's caught on. You know, maybe exactly maybe Inzaki needs to needs to switch it up. Now, I was chatting about this with a few into friends. The problem, the problem is, though,
00:16:41
Speaker
They play a 3-5-2. What the hell do you change to? Inter can't play with a winger system because they don't have any wingers. You can't change to a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, can you? You don't have to play for it. So what do you change with? Can you change formation? I'm not even sure you can. I don't think you need to change the formation. I think what you need to do is to do what he did in the beginning of last season and what he did many times at Lazio in order to control. And that is to play a 3-5-1-1.
00:17:11
Speaker
Chalanoglo is a number 10, Jeko Lautaro is a lone striker, preferably Lautaro, and have Aslany, Barela, Miguitarian in midfield behind them to control the midfield, to pack the midfield centrally and control it, which all four of those, all five of those are adapted to his system to play this one-touch quick passing, because I don't think it's them being found out as such.
00:17:37
Speaker
I think it's more down to form as well. I think it's individual, unforced error. But then you have to leave one of Lautaro Lukaku out of the team. Well, Lukaku is out of the team because he's constantly injured. When is he going to be back and when is he going to be match fit? So I think at this point, what I would do is just build around Lautaro and play four players centrally to control the proceedings because it's not working.
00:18:06
Speaker
It's simply not working. Jekyll, I mean, God bless him, it's not his fault he's 36, but he is 36 and he can barely run. It looks ridiculous. When he runs,
Roma vs Inter: Defense and Key Players
00:18:19
Speaker
I laugh. I'm laughing at an interplayer when he runs on the pitch because it looks so slow.
00:18:25
Speaker
Mike. Okay. Well, let's move on to Roman now. We have to obviously give them credit. I didn't personally think that Roman played a particularly great game. I thought that they were good defensively. They were solid. They barely conceded any clear cut chances, as I said before. They had the higher XG than it was, as I said. But I thought they were
00:18:45
Speaker
pretty, I mean, Mourinho watched the game, he parked the bus, Mourinho, and watched the game in the bus. That's how defensive Roma were. They played with a very deep line, but Inter couldn't really find a way to break them down. I guess you have to give credit to the way that they set up.
00:19:05
Speaker
I think that Chris Moreland, I thought was excellent. I thought he was he was man of the match for me. Obviously, he scored the winner that played with that. But I thought he also played very, very well defensively. He made a really he made a key block at the end when when it was 2-1. And I thought he was he was also showed leadership, which we were talking about as well. Absolutely. I thought that
00:19:28
Speaker
I mean, obviously, the big talking point is going to be Diwala. You know, he scored the goal. Well, he's got the equalizer. I thought he wasn't. I don't think he played an amazing game, but I thought he had some bright sparks. He had some nice little moments. And, you know, he made the difference, obviously, again, which he's which he has done this season. And all the all the talk is going to be did into make a mistake. You mentioned Lukaku there. And, you know, you're having your reservations over Lukaku. Now you look back now with hindsight.
00:19:58
Speaker
should you then should the inter have signed Di Bala instead of Lukaku and what do you think of Di Bala just in general for Roma this season? Undoubtedly yes because I'm really surprised they went with Lukaku because the way that Inzaghi plays his football the the midfield movements and that he has Laotaro as the number nine and Di Bala and those two playing off of each other
00:20:24
Speaker
is just to me, that's the natural way of playing. I know that Lukaku and Lataro work together, but it's not the same inter. They don't perform, they don't defend the same way, they don't press the same way, they don't play the same way, the midfield
00:20:39
Speaker
is is it's chalanoglu is is there instead of well dibala doesn't press let's not pretend well exactly and and and also there's no hakimi there look it's it's it's a different inter and i think dibala would have been the natural decision and also from a financial point of view as well you don't own romellu lukaku
00:20:55
Speaker
What are you going to do in June 2023 if Graham Potter turns around and convinces Romelu Lukaku to return to Chelsea and Edin Jekyll leaves on a free transfer? What are you going to do? You have two strikers that you need. You have no money and you need to sign two strikers. The most expensive position on the pitch to fill. What are you going to do? You're completely screwed.
00:21:16
Speaker
So this is it's genuinely gobsmacking to me that they didn't go after Di Bala because they would have owned him. And he's only 28. And I think he can score. He's not. And he has become in Rome as main man now, because what I thought was interesting about this game was and I predicted this at the beginning of the season when when when Mourinho went with all four attacking players, Abraham, Di Bala, Zagnolo and Pellegrini together. And I said in big away games,
00:21:44
Speaker
there's no way Mourinho can play all four against him, unless he's, you know, almost, he's been very, very too attacking if he does that. And we saw in this game, he dropped Abraham, who hasn't been in the best of form, has had a bit of criticism, has been underperforming, also missed a big chance in this game at the end to make it 2-0. You know, he dropped Tony Abraham, and so Di Bala has become
00:22:10
Speaker
the main man for Roma. And he wasn't fully fit either. No, he wasn't. And that's another thing, his fitness has not been an issue. And he's been handled and managed really well.
00:22:24
Speaker
And I think he's been great for Roma. I think he's been consistently Roma's best player this season, together with maybe Smaldini. And I think Roma fully deserved their win. I felt they were very solid defence. So we actually thought when they created chances, they created dangerous chances. It felt like they could score. Every time they attacked, it felt like they could score.
00:22:50
Speaker
and they looked sharp. And that's something we've seen with Roma throughout this season. They are dangerous in attack. And look, it's...
00:23:00
Speaker
Fully deserved win. Congratulations. Five and a half years on the last win against Inter. I mean, the duck is broken and Mourinho finally wins, you know, at the San Siro again. And no, compliments to Roma. They fully deserve the win. And it's going to be interesting to see what they do from, you know, how they build on this win.
00:23:21
Speaker
I have got one negative for Roma though, Rui Patricio, who, I mean, I think we disagree over just how bad an error is. For me, it was a big, big error for the goal. I'm not taking away anything about Inza's build up play and Corrata the goal, which I thought was great, which was great.
Goalkeeper Errors: Handanovich vs Patricio
00:23:38
Speaker
For me, for me, it's a big, big mistake. It's a, it's a goalkeeping. It's a big goalkeeping error that, that is Patricia. And it's not the first time this season, he's making a lot of errors this season. And so, and I've just picked out a stat actually. So, um, the three teams who's goalkeeper with, who have the worst turnover of expected goals against. So, um, do you want to guess who two of the three goalkeepers are?
00:24:02
Speaker
Well, it's Andanovic, Henry Patricio, without a doubt. Andanovic is the worst. I saw that statement. The worst is Andanovic. So, Inter have conceded 5.13 goals more than they should have done this season. This is just in Serie A, by the way. I mean, Andanovic just played every game in Serie A? Is that right?
00:24:22
Speaker
Anand has only played the Champions League game. So Inter should have conceded 7.87 goals. Let's round it up to eight goals. They've conceded 13. Roma have conceded eight goals. They should have conceded 5.55. The other team in the top three are bottom of the league, Sampdoria, who have conceded 16 goals. I mean, that tells you everything you want. Yeah.
00:24:50
Speaker
There's nothing to add. I mean, everything is screaming for Inter to get rid of Andanovic. And I think going into next summer, Roma have to do the same with Ori Patrici. Yeah, because he's getting on as well, you know. I thought he was good last season. I thought so as well. He added the kind of experience and stability which they've lacked because Roma have a disastrous
00:25:11
Speaker
recent history. Ever since Alisson Becker left, it's been a complete. Yeah. But even before that, they had a bad record of goalkeepers. I mean, Antonioli was pretty good, I guess, for a while. And then when he was playing at 41,
00:25:26
Speaker
He was pretty ridiculous. Well, they won the Scudetto with him, but... Yeah, that was in 2000. I'm talking about with him. Yes. Michael Consul was, I think, really good. But apart from that, Roma really don't have... I've had some disastrous goalkeepers, let's be honest. Your countryman, Olsen... Yeah, Robin Olsen, it was just, why would you bring him
00:25:47
Speaker
a guy who's always played in front of defenses that defend deep, and all of a sudden you're asking him to be a sweeper keeper. I mean, he was destined to fail. A good friend, Monchi, we can thank him for that. But no, I got to say though, you know when everyone listens to the pod know how much I've believed in Gianluca Mancini.
00:26:11
Speaker
and that I think that there's a player there, but I'm starting to jump off that ship now because it's looking like the Titanic. The mistakes he makes makes me wonder if he is even a professional footballer.
Napoli's Midfield Mastery
00:26:27
Speaker
I mean, he misreads situations in a way that this game, I don't understand how he could have been so late and out of position so many times. And now he's playing in a position where he's supposed to play to the right of a back three. Back three, yeah. I mean, I'm really starting to doubt, because I really thought, I really liked him in Atalanta, and I thought there was a player there.
00:26:49
Speaker
Yeah, I've almost not given up on him. But when I'm thinking of the Italy national team, I'm like, no business. When I'm thinking of the future of the Italy national team, now that Benucci's should be too old to play the Euros, I'm thinking we need a right sense, right sense, right footed centre back, basically, right sided centre back to get my words out. And I'm not I'm looking past him. I'm thinking, right, where can the next one come from?
00:27:12
Speaker
Yeah, me too. And I'm not there yet, but I'm moving towards that. And anyone, you know, you all, everyone who listens to this pod, you know, I, I've been, I've believed in him for years now, but it's, he's, he's not developing. He's not delivering consistently at that level. And, and the mistakes he's making is the mistakes he's making are just, wow. Well, let's move on to somebody that certainly is playing consistently and delivering every, every week.
00:27:37
Speaker
the next two segments I think we're going to talk about both of them then maybe at the end we can come to the conclusion of who we actually think is the most complete central midfielder in Serie A at the moment because I think it's out of these two right now but let's start with Napoli and Anguisa because he put in an absolute monster over before
00:27:56
Speaker
monstrous, monstrous against Torino. Two two goals, two brilliant goals from Anguisa. The first one was was a fantastic header, like really underrated, like not enough people talked about what a fantastic header this was. If you look at the way that
00:28:11
Speaker
how he headed the ball. He was kind of off balance and his body was in a weird position. It was brilliant. And then he did a solo run, which, okay, the defending, it was a bit like the Red Sea part in, but it was still, you know, the way that he drives forward. I mean, I've said it before recently, he really does remind me, I'm not saying he's anywhere near as good as the legend.
00:28:34
Speaker
Patrick Vieira, but the style of play physically, technically, the way he pushes and drives forward, those long legs, you know, spider legs, Patrick Vieira, I mean, yeah, he makes those driving run forwards, he wins tackles, and now he's adding goals to his game. You know, before this season, I think he turns 27 by the end of the year, before this season, Anguissard had two goals in his entire career, two.
00:28:57
Speaker
he's now got three this season alone because he also scored that fantastic goal against Liverpool in the Champions League and him and the Boca as a central midfielder and then you add obviously Zelensky as well to that mix and you know because it sometimes is a free it's a two but it can also be a three because they kind of they alternate between a four two three one and a four three three don't know it's very fluid very complete midfield
00:29:22
Speaker
And Spaletti team and Spaletti, this is Spaletti nirvana football. Like in Spaletti's crazy head, this is like the perfect storm. He has the perfect players to play his kind of football, the tactical fluidity. And also what he's done to Lobotka and Anguissa, how he's improved them is just unbelievable. I mean, we've seen him do this before with other players, but this is, I wonder if this is not his Mona Lisa now.
00:29:52
Speaker
I mean, Anguissa and Lobotka, but the development they've made, the level that they're playing at, is at the highest level, top level. And you can't have people just say, oh, Seria, you know, these players is only consistent. Oh, look at it go to Liverpool. Yeah, exactly. Watch them in the Champions League. I mean, they just did smash teams. Look at what they could have beaten Liverpool 8-1.
00:30:14
Speaker
with a little bit more clinical finishing. Well, they should have done. They should have done. Have a look at the clinical chances they had in the game. It's just, there's such a complete midfield, such a balanced midfield. I mean, that midfield, that midfield really does have everything. It has legs.
00:30:29
Speaker
Because you know, they angry side gets around the field.
Napoli's Title Hopes and Squad Depth
00:30:32
Speaker
It has control with Lobotka. It has, they're able to play short passes. You know, Zielinski and Lobotka, some of the football little one twos and triangles that they play. You know, it has the tough tackling and the physical brute of, you know, and the aerial strength of
00:30:49
Speaker
of uh of angry sir as well it has goals uh in the team with you know salinski's always been a goal scorer in midfield and our angry sir is adding goals there as well i mean you know it can it can mix it can mix it up it i mean it just has everything doesn't it that that midfield it has everything and it's the most important it's the midfield um that has to click in order for you to win titles and have success
00:31:13
Speaker
and together with Carathelia, who's just, you know, I don't even know. And to win big games. I've always said that in the big games, it's your midfield that win big games. It is, it is. Especially in knockout games, it's, you know, you've got, when the pressure is on and, you know, it's
00:31:30
Speaker
when you see who rises to the occasion, that's when you need your midfielders to dominate and win that game for you. And they just always seem to control it. The Milan game was an exception, but I think they were tired in that game. I think they had a long run of fixtures and they were just exhausted and yet they still come away with the win. Well, exactly. And this is what I think is the difference. I mean, and also when you take into account the Carathelias there, I mean, it's unbelievable.
00:31:54
Speaker
Another fantastic goal. Another fantastic performance. Raspadori, Politano's playing out of the best he's ever been. Amazing. So much pace. Did you see some of the rates? I didn't realize how quick Politano was until recently when I've seen him go on these counter attacks. When he gets away, you don't catch him. He's quick.
00:32:15
Speaker
He's really quick. He's always been quick and it's funny because him and Spoletti have never really gotten along or here, but he's playing the best football. No, he was close to leaving this summer. I mean, he was kind to on the transfer list. They argue all the time and yet somehow on the pitch it works.
00:32:32
Speaker
So that's a good question. And even Mario Doi, I mean, I look at what Spelletti's done with him as well. I mean, he was a real, I don't want to call him a laughing stock, but he was always considered the weak link of Napoli. And maybe he still is, you know, maybe against a top class winger, you know, maybe teams will be able to get at him. Maybe they will. But when you look at in a team environment, how well he's played in this team environment, you know, he's he's the way that, you know, when you're playing with a team that plays football on the on the ground,
00:32:57
Speaker
you know, lots of short passes, you know, he keeps the ball as well as anyone because he's so comfortable on the ball. But he also he uses the ball really well, you know, and he's getting assists and it was his cross, wasn't it? For the for the anguished first go, I think, you know, so, you know, Napoli, you know, Napoli are also doing well because they're getting into big leads in games this season and it's allowing them to take their foot off the gas and rest in the second half. And that is really important because there's so many games at the moment that being able to, you know, bring on and they have a good squad as well, being able to have the good depth.
00:33:27
Speaker
take players off. I mean, I remember it gets Liverpool. They would, I mean, at the hour mark, they were taking Cloud at Scalia and they took like three players. I think on ZB in like the 60th minute, it was like, they're almost taking the mic. You know, it's like, I think, look, I had Napoli going into the season. I gave, I had them as my dark horse to win the Serie A. I have them the favorites now
Impact of World Cup Break on Teams
00:33:48
Speaker
with Mila.
00:33:48
Speaker
I don't think this... Yeah, I think those two are definitely the best. They have been so far. But look, I have them as... It's between those two. I don't see how you then enter anywhere in this title race. In any way. I'm sorry. Neither of them look like... Usually I wouldn't rule out, because I look at their squad.
00:34:07
Speaker
But I just don't see it. I look at how they're playing. I look at the underlying stats, which we went through in depth on Thursday, and nothing suggests to me that they are. But who knows? Look, I think one thing, because I've read people say the other way, Paolo Condor, a journalist I really respect, said,
00:34:30
Speaker
that Juvain Inter will be really punished by the World Cup. I disagree with that. I actually think, much like the COVID break kind of ruined Lazio's chances of winning the Scoretto, I think when you have two months break in the middle of the season like that, that actually speaks in favor of both Juvain
00:34:50
Speaker
Well, if you're performing badly going into it, absolutely. It can only be a good thing, can't it? If you're performing well going into it, you don't want the season to stop. Of course you go. Exactly. So it goes that way. But then I guess it also depends how much football you play during that time. And I actually look at Napoli's squad and they, I mean, look at their team. They barely have anyone playing at the World Cup. I mean, most of them are not playing.
00:35:10
Speaker
No, I know, I know, I know. Their entire front line, all of them, every single one of them, all six of them are maybe just Lozano. They're up five of them. None of them are going to the World Cup. Cholito maybe as a bench player, but he won't be saying that. I don't think he'll make it. But if he did, he won't play much. Yeah, exactly.
Midfield Battle: Anguissa vs Milinkovic-Savic
00:35:28
Speaker
Anyway, let's move on. We will discuss it there. It's a good topic. We'll discuss that before the World Cup, like which teams are going to
00:35:34
Speaker
benefit and be punished the most by the World Cup. We'll definitely discuss that in November. Not long ago, not long away now. Okay, so to answer the question that I basically
00:35:44
Speaker
started with was, is Languisa the most complete central midfielder? Well, we can't answer that question without talking about Sergei Milinkovich Savic and his brilliant performance. Now you watched this game in full. I couldn't catch all of it. So I'm gonna let you take this one away. I mean, just how good was he in this game? He's not. Look, everyone talks about Afailiao and they have real right to.
00:36:05
Speaker
But he's not just, but the best player in the Serie A is not Rafael Liao, it's Sergey Milenko, it's Sadej. The level that this guy plays at is world-class. It's a simple, it doesn't matter if it's Inter, it doesn't matter if it's Juve, it doesn't matter if it's Cremonese, it doesn't matter if he plays as a 10, as an 8, as a 6.
00:36:22
Speaker
He will deliver everything at a high level. His passing, his crossing, his physique, his aerial ability, his shooting, his intelligence and timing runs. How is he still at Lazio? His passing and his creativity I think has moved to another level.
00:36:45
Speaker
I've never seen, I've never, honestly, I mean, I've always thought that Sergio Minkovic-Savage is capable of doing a moment of brilliance in terms of a great pass or through ball, but I've never thought of it as one of his big weapons, whereas this season, he's delivered passes which
00:37:01
Speaker
I've never really associated with Milinkovitch Savage this season. The thing is, it's not just the season, it's the consistency. His entire tenure, entire time at Lazio has been world class. He is the best player in the Serie A, and I don't think anyone else comes close right now, honestly. I think these things of who's the best player depends on form and all that. But I look at the past three, four, five years, and I don't think anyone else comes close to him in terms of consistency.
00:37:31
Speaker
I mean, he's just unbelievable. And he's the most complete midfielder by a mile. You know, it's it's not even he doesn't have a weakness. Tell me what his weaknesses because I can't think of it defensively. No, I think he is. That's the thing. I think he is strong defensively as well. I mean, he he he helps out. I mean, the man's the vision that he possesses, his read of the game. That's why I think he's good defensively as well. He his physique.
00:38:01
Speaker
speaks for itself. And he's also kind of taken away the poor discipline part of his game. He used to get sent off for doing stupid things. He's removed that completely. This is one of the few world class players in the Serie A and he plays for Lazio. Congratulations Lazio as long as you have him. He is by far, I mean, him and Liao, to all of Serie A, enjoy it while you can. I don't see how both of them stay in the Serie A past this summer.
00:38:31
Speaker
I really don't. If you're looking at positions where you create goals,
00:38:39
Speaker
you can hurt teams. It's central midfielders and wingers. Those two are just for a world class. And I just don't see how, unfortunately, how they stay beyond next summer. Unfortunately, I hope so. But I don't see how they do it. Because they can, I mean, they can win bigger trophies, and they can make more money elsewhere. And I just think the pandemic has allowed us to keep them. And I don't see
00:39:05
Speaker
I'm just looking at his stats now. He's more of his underlying stats, so we all know he's the top in Serie A, isn't he, for assists this season? I think he's got five assists, three goals. He's got the most key passes in Serie A, so we know about how great his creativity... But he can dribble as well. Again, what is his weakness? He's not slow.
00:39:29
Speaker
Yeah. He's dribbling. Where is he in dribbling in Serie A? Let's have a look. He's done 30 dribbles this season. He's about 25th in Serie A for dribbles. He's about the same for tackling as well.
00:39:48
Speaker
Yeah, pretty good. Complete, complete, complete player, complete midfield. To answer the question, if you had to pick, choose between Milinkovitch Savage and Enguissa and your team, who do you go for? Oh, Milinkovitch Savage any day of the week, like, without a doubt. Like, he's just, I love Enguissa, don't get me wrong, but I think Milinkovitch Savage is just, look, if, if, if, if Milinkovitch Savage joined, if, if Monopoly sold Zielinski and bought Sergei Milinkovitch Savage, that's the best midfield
00:40:16
Speaker
maybe in the world right there right now if they if they if they can get it to work yeah i've always wondered i've always wondered why a big club hasn't come in for melancholy shows i know lutito asked for crazy money i know that but yeah i've always i've always thought that if a big club really wanted melancholy savage
00:40:33
Speaker
I think it's also down to COVID and stuff like that. And he's not the kind of guy who creates problems. I think the COVID, the financial impact of COVID has yet to recover. And that's why I think next summer, given his contract situation,
00:40:50
Speaker
You know, I wonder if you've aren't saving up for that because that would be my question. Lots of milligrams. So it's just how how how well he fits into a team environment. And I'm thinking at the absolute top level, is he a bit too much of a pogba? Isn't in that he's you know, he kind of does his own thing sometimes. But you can't say that because if you look at the three different coaches he's played under at Lazio, he's done well for all of them.
00:41:20
Speaker
Like under all three different systems. But it's three different systems, three different roles. That's what I mean. He can play as a six, he can play as an eight, he can play as a ten. He can play in every single midfield position centrally. And he does so at a really, really high level. The guy, I think the debate is over, the data's in, the results are in, he's the best midfielder in the Serie A, and it's not even
Juventus' Strategy and Media Pressure
00:41:42
Speaker
close.
00:41:42
Speaker
Okay, okay, that's your vote. Okay, let's, let's move on to your ventures. We're going to make this one quick. So all those that complain about us talking too much about you mean about you loaning over a leg. There's no way here. We won this week. So we'll only spend 30 seconds on it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
00:42:08
Speaker
Well, okay, right. You know what? I had a few people at in me last night. Where are you now, Allegri? You said Allegri. Where are you now, Carlo? You said Allegri was a dinosaur. And I'm thinking, let me just think about this for a minute. Allegri's won two of 13 games before the game gets Bologna. That's ridiculous. It's now three in 14.
00:42:37
Speaker
Okay, sorry, I'll take everything I said back to you. No, no, no. I'll take everything I said back. The reactionary takes... No, but the reaction... Yeah, it is. It's the reactionary takes on social media. It's like, you say one thing and somebody thinks... Somebody doesn't understand what you've said and then they think that, oh, I own you now. It's like, we're not even talking about the same thing. I saw someone put out a tweet and they added me in it. It's got about 8,000 retweets. It's some guy... 8,000 retweets? Or 8,000 likes or something. I don't know.
00:43:05
Speaker
something like that. It's gone viral in a survey. I'm going to retweet it to send it to me. I won't let it annoy you. It's got a picture of a legary next to Guardiola, right? Oh my God, you have to send this to me. It's got a picture of Guardiola next to a legary. Underneath of Guardiola, it's got Guardiola
00:43:28
Speaker
wins 6-3, uh, invented football, then it's got, under a legory, wins 3-0, dinosaurs.
00:43:39
Speaker
That's what I mean about the reactionary stoop. It's not even reactionary, it's just completely nonsensical. I saw another person, I can't remember who it was, a true galaxy brain on Twitter, misquoting, because Simon and Zagie, obviously, before the game, when he said, Roma said that, you know, everywhere I go, I win trophies, I raise the value of the players and I and I halve the deficits financially. And someone said, oh, I half misinterpreted that as I reduced the losses.
00:44:08
Speaker
thinking he's talking about the losses on the pitch, and I'm thinking that's so genuinely dumb that I couldn't even stop laughing at it. It's like, what are you talking about? You don't even know what you're saying. I love the gazetta de la sport doing a placeholder on exactly getting the snap. And they published it. I can actually explain why this happened. A lot of media do this, mainstream media.
00:44:35
Speaker
for SEO reasons. In order to get ranked highest on Google, they prepare sacking articles. Sometimes they prepare the month in advance. I actually know SEO teams will actually do this if they've got a lot. So even now, there'll probably be placeholders of a peoly sacked.
00:44:54
Speaker
And yes but let's accept them and you know even people that do incredibly well and so what is that they got these all they will go to the mall right now already and say that when they then actually. Sometimes they time them into the past as well so that so that you know people can't find them and then when it does actually happen.
00:45:13
Speaker
They rank highest, they rank first. But it's unacceptable, you can't do that, that's incredibly irresponsible. Because what they're doing is essentially turning, they're creating a storm and creating a narrative, and Gazeta has decided that they no longer want Simón and Zagie and Inter.
00:45:30
Speaker
It's as obvious as that, creating narratives that he's the reason Inter didn't sign Di Bala, as if completely disregarding the fact that, well, to be honest, a club like keep this should be having signing both Lukaku and Di Bala, not talking about the financial aspects. I mean, the agenda is there. It's absolutely, it's genuinely embarrassing.
00:45:48
Speaker
There's always agendas, to be fair. But let's move on to Juventus. Let's move on to Allegri. So, yeah, I mean, not too much to say about this game other than, you know, Juventus deserve to win. They won. I thought they played with a little bit more anger. They were a bit more angry in this game. A little bit more urgency, a bit more intensity, a little bit more like they wanted it, which I think is a good thing in terms of, you know, all the question marks about, you know, has Allegri lost the changing room? I think at least they showed that they were putting in
00:46:18
Speaker
They were putting it in there. Well, I didn't think they, if you remember, if you say, if you remember, I said, I don't think he's lost the dressing room. And I think that performance kind of shows that in the case that he has a layer lost. Having said that, though, yeah, having said that, though, you know, we're talking about Bologna here, who are, let's be honest, they are, they're horrific. I mean, monsters come in, and he's lost his boat. They're dreadful.
00:46:40
Speaker
They are really bad. They're really, really bad. But, you know, I don't want to take everything away from Juventus because Juventus have lost to some really, really bad teams. I'm not meeting really, really bad teams this season as well. You know, they lost to Monza, for example, who were bottom of the league when they lost to them. They lost to, they drew with Salome Turner at home and we've just seen Salome Turner get hammered 5-0 by Sassuolo. You know, Juventus have played awfully and lost and drawn to some dreadful sides.
00:47:09
Speaker
you know, you have you can only beat, you know, who you're playing. They've done that. I thought that if there's one person I do want to pick out, Malik, you know, that he's he and I was speaking today to a French football journalist. And I asked him, how was Malik when he was at Marseille? Because, you know, he kind of become a little bit forgotten when he was at Marseille, didn't he? Which is why some people
00:47:33
Speaker
were some Juventus fans were unhappy with Juventus signing, because it's kind of like when he's at Marseille, they're not the club they once were. They're playing in the league. No one really knows what he was doing there. So it's kind of like underwhelming signing, isn't it? But I was told that he was actually really, really good at Marseille. He always scored when he played, but he was just disliked by both Sam Pauli and then by Igor Tudor because they didn't feel like he kind of fitted into their style of football.
00:48:00
Speaker
But he you know, he actually always delivered when he played and I mean I have to be honest I think I was actually fine with his signing because I thought that Juventus was signing him to be a backup to Vlauovic in a 4-3-3 and I thought as a backup That's fine. I'm fine with that as it happens He's now playing in a front two, but I have to say I think he's been really really good despite Juventus being awful Almost this season. I think he he's always performed. He's done really really well and he was good in this game
00:48:29
Speaker
I think this 4-4-2, which goes into a 3-5-2, is how Juventus should play. I think this is when Juventus look more balanced, and I think Vlawic, next to Milic, is good for both of them. I think it gives Vlawic, it makes him less isolated up front, and he's a young player, remember, he's still very, very young, and I think he needs to feel more involved, and I think with Milic up there, I think they
00:49:11
Speaker
But I think it might be the best formation for Juventus purely because I think it's pretty clear now that Allegri is incapable of creating any kind of system in which there's any kind of real passing through the lines.
00:49:24
Speaker
They link up pretty well and I think it's only going to improve.
00:49:29
Speaker
you know, any kind of cohesion in terms of creating passing patterns and building up and creating anything through the middle. But really, Juventus' best hope this season is get the ball out wide and put in crosses. And, you know, if you've got Kostich, who's one of the best crosses in Europe on one side, OK, they don't really have anyone on the right side.
00:49:51
Speaker
in the middle you've got two guys who are fantastic in the air and two are both big they're both brave and strong and aggressive and you know just almost like what they did against PSG until Allegri made that stupid substitution and took off uh
Atalanta's Tactical Evolution
00:50:07
Speaker
whoever it was he took off, I think it might be Millik actually, just get the ball out wide, get crosses in, it's basic football, it might not work against the biggest teams but it might guarantee Juventus points against the smaller teams and just get the ball in the box and let them attack it and let them head the ball and that might be the best thing
00:50:26
Speaker
that Juventus can do, to be honest. But it's a start. It's a step forward. Let's see what they can do now from there. Arnaltovic, though, I think that's entirely pissed off and was like, get me the hell out of here. Arnaltovic is really disinterested.
00:50:42
Speaker
Yeah, that's his body language that it wouldn't surprise me if even Juventus came in for him in January, possibly. I said it before like if I'd love to have him. Maybe Man United. No, I'd love to have him at Inter next summer when Jeko leaves. I think he could do something for Inter as a backup player.
00:51:06
Speaker
It's not young though, you'll be 34. Well, as a backup player, I mean, he's younger than Jekyll. Yeah, as a backup player. He's younger than any Jekyll, so yeah. Well, you're younger than Jekyll, nearly. I'm not, I'm actually not. Okay, Atalanta. I don't back up to Romelu Lukaku. That's the difference. Let's move on to Atalanta. So this is a really, really fascinating story. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen a team, I mean, this is like,
00:51:36
Speaker
Pep Guardiola suddenly playing Catanattro. It really is like, that's how much of a change around it is.
00:51:44
Speaker
They're not playing the Catanacho Atalanta, but they have gone from a team that were completely gung-ho, throwing men forwards, leaving themselves one-on-one at the back, you know, one-on-two sometimes, you know, creating overloads with the center back pushing forward, to a team that is so controlled now. Disciplined, controlled. That's what I like, the most organized,
00:52:10
Speaker
No. Organised is the perfect word. I mean, they're organised. When you attack them, they're all in position. They're not, you know, they're where they should be.
00:52:19
Speaker
They know what they're doing. They know when to do it. And that's the thing that's so impressive with this, is that they're not exactly the oldest squad. They're actually pretty young squad in key positions. And all of them are so organized, so disciplined. They know what they need to do. They know when to do it. They know all of them where the other one is. It's really, really impressive to see this. Shout out to Gasparini for this. Yeah. How he's reinvented himself at the age of 60.
00:52:47
Speaker
Yeah. 63 maybe? I think 64. To be perfectly honest, I don't think it's much of a reinvention. I remember even at Genoa in his first tenure, I remember in 2008, 2009, I think it was, Mourinho played him and he just completely nullified that interside. And they were pretty solid. So he's always had this in his toolbox.
00:53:13
Speaker
Um, but now I think that was a lovely, genuine team, wasn't it? Yeah. And they scored a lot. They scored a lot, but they also knew how to turn it on, turn it, you know, defend. And what he's doing now, look,
00:53:29
Speaker
It's really interesting. To me, it looks like he's auditioning for the Uber job. That's how I interpret it. He's auditioning for a bigger job now. The biggest criticism to him has always been, yeah, you play nice football, but you never win because your defenses are never solid. Well, this is an audition, saying I can absolutely play organized, strict defensive football and win games.
00:53:51
Speaker
And to me this is an audition for bigger things. They've conceded three goals in eight games. The best defensive record in Serie A, one of the best in Europe. He was one of my tips to be one of the breakout stars of the season.
00:54:11
Speaker
We'll come to Lukman in a bit. Okoli. I wouldn't say he's been an absolute standout, but I think he's just been a calming influence. He's been solid. He's kept his position.
00:54:25
Speaker
but also he's aggressive. He's so aggressive, he doesn't give his opponent a second, whether it's in attack, whether it's in defense, he's on them like white on rice. He just doesn't give his attacker a second to breathe. He's all up in their face, he's pulling, you know, and also he's doing it in such a way that he's not crossing the line, if you know what I mean. He doesn't give away many free kicks, he doesn't give away red cards and stuff like that. He knows
00:54:53
Speaker
how to do it just, you know, the Italian football, you know, you were talking about aggression, controlled aggression. Yeah. Yeah. And you were talking about before about, you know, central defenders for Italy. Yeah, that's just exactly what I was going to say. We need a right sense of back there. We need a right sense of back. He's the player that I'm pinning my hopes on. I have to be honest. He's the one I'm hoping will develop.
00:55:15
Speaker
because he's always been good for the under 21s as well. And I don't think it's any coincidence that as soon as Palomino has been finally replaced by somebody competent, that you see a big difference in Atalanta's organization. Because the thing with Palomino is he is the perfect description of someone who is just
00:55:35
Speaker
he's just like a play he's a playstation defender he's all over the place you know he can do some good things he's you know he's quick he you know i wonder why he's quick he you know he puts in tackles he's aggressive as well you know jesus christ
00:55:51
Speaker
Even when John's not here, bangs ball jokes are just... Well, no, no, he literally has been done for Dopin, so, you know... Yeah, we can say that. We can actually say that for him. But, you know, he's all over the place. You can't hold the defensive line with someone like Palomino.
00:56:07
Speaker
he's going to go what he goes wondering off doing his own thing, you know, you know, with with with the Atlanta defenders now that they're all holding their positions and I mean, I think they've been a little bit fortunate. I think they've got more points. They don't I don't think they don't deserve to be top of the league. They've definitely got more points. I mean, I look at the Roma game and they were absolutely battered in that game and they somehow come away and won it. They've
Fiorentina's Offensive Struggles
00:56:29
Speaker
got more points than they should. But there is totally fully deserved that they're
00:56:33
Speaker
But the thing is, I think given the nature of this area, I think they will... I don't see them finishing in the top four. I don't see them maintaining what they're doing. I think they're over performing a little bit. They're over performing. I look at their underlying stats and they're over performing at the moment.
00:56:53
Speaker
They deserved to win this game, it's for your team. They were the better team. They were definitely the better team. And we have to shout out Lukman. Yeah, we have to shout out for Lukman for sure. He's been very good. He's been very good since joining. But I'm looking at, I mean, if I'm looking at, if I'm in there, I'm looking at Okoli without a doubt for next summer, or even in January, try to set something up there because Acherbi is on loan, he ain't getting any younger. Defray is completely dead and finished.
00:57:21
Speaker
So what do you know, and he's got an expiring contract. Does Screna leave? Regardless, you need a defender. I'm looking at Ocoli. I'm looking at someone who's young. I'm looking at someone who's Italian. I'm looking at someone who works in a back three. I'm looking at someone who has aggression and pace and physicality and imposes himself.
00:57:39
Speaker
I'm looking at that guy for possible to bring in. That's a good shot. And just quickly on Fiorentina, we discussed on the Thursday pods looking at their stats about how they have some of the best attacking stats in terms of being in the attacking areas of the pitch, in terms of creating
00:58:00
Speaker
if it's not chances it's I think it was chances they were right they were they're up there um but they're not scoring goals well you know after watching this game and I watched all I watched this full game and I studied them in detail their their attackers are dreadful I'm sorry it's going on they're all they need a whole new attack I don't know if it's possible they need to buy three new attack well Niko Gonzalez I don't know why he didn't play this game was he injured again I don't know why he was out because he was it just come back but
00:58:27
Speaker
Nico Gonzalez is good. He's top. I'm happy with him. But they need to buy two new attackers because they have nothing. They have absolutely nothing. They can have the ball as much as they want in the final third. They ain't creating and scoring anything with those with those attackers. Kwame is a steady achieve player.
00:58:43
Speaker
I mean, he's he's absolutely he's horrific. He's horrific. He's literally got one goal in two years, except for when he's lazy. Then then he's like Buba, like Baba Karr, who it's got to be as well. Yeah. I mean, when those two playing there, if they played into every week, like I said, they win the Ballon d'Or between. Yeah. But you know, Fiorettina's attack is horrific. It's just there's just nothing there.
00:59:05
Speaker
I mean, they're as impotent as Pele. I mean, I mean, there is absolutely nothing. There's absolutely nothing there. That's all. Oh, yeah. So that's what
Serie A Weekend Match Summaries
00:59:16
Speaker
they need. And I think they're going to struggle because I just can't see them scoring. I can't even they couldn't even beat that furniture store in the Europa League.
00:59:24
Speaker
And they got hearts. So they got the hearts this Thursday. Let's see if they can get a result against them. But we have to move on. Milan, we haven't discussed about Milan. We're going to discuss about Milan in the extended preview. We're going to do a little preview on a bit more of an extended preview on Chelsea versus Milan. So when we talk about them there, we'll just extend and talk a little bit about the Serie A game as well. So we'll come on to them. Before we do, though, before we come on to the Champions League preview,
00:59:49
Speaker
Just quickly, let's go through. Lecce Cremenese won one. Sampdoria lost to Monza, 3-0. And Sasualo, Hamid, Selenitana, 5-0. Verona versus Udeneza is playing on Monday. We recorded before that game. So any observations on these? I think just Gianpalo is the big one, isn't it? Well, for me, it's Lecce Cremenese. To me, it seems those two teams are probably going to go down both of them. Sampdoria, Monza, Gianpalo sacked.
01:00:18
Speaker
Monza win. Imagine that, since we've been saying on this podcast I've been, you have, saying, get rid of Stropa, Monza are a good team. And immediately, voila, they bring him Paladino, who was, like you said, he was having lunch with Adriana del Monte, our friend, when he got the call. I mean, he wasn't even, you know, and then all of a sudden he turns everything around. Sosolo suddenly turned a 5-0. Andrea Pinamonti, even though Sosolo scored five goals and he scores one and it's off a penalty, is not involved in the game.
01:00:44
Speaker
What's going on there? It's everything we predicted. We've got a question about Sassuolo actually on our Tuesday Patreon Q&A, so we'll talk about them in a little bit more detail than we're going to be able to hear. But yeah, it's good to see Sassuolo two wins in a row now, get back on it. And with Sampdoria Monza, the only thing I would say is good to see Pasina
01:01:04
Speaker
Pacino, who was a bit of a shambles, his move in the first weeks of the season. He wasn't even playing under struggle, which is embarrassing. He was brilliant in this game. He scored, he had loads of shots. And on midfield, Ravella and Sensi. Sensi scored, and Caprari also scored a brilliant goal as well. I think there's a lot of exciting players in that team and I still stick by them. I think they can get into the top half this season, I think. Agreed.
Champions League Challenges for Italian Teams
01:01:31
Speaker
Yeah, Champions League preview then. We'll come to Chelsea Milan last. So first of all, Ajax versus Napoli.
01:01:41
Speaker
I mean, I think that a draw is a good result here for Napoli. I mean, it's fine. They can get a draw in this game. B-A-X at home. They're through. They're qualified. So, a draw... Look, I have Napoli winning before going in, you know, before the Champions League started. I said, Napoli are the team in the... of the Serie A team with the biggest chance to win their group. And I stick by that. I think Napoli will win this game. I think they will take the six points against... That's 12 points and then, boom, done.
01:02:11
Speaker
I mean, I mean, the way they're playing on form, you know, there's no reason they shouldn't go and win this game. Absolutely. What all I'm saying is if they get a draw that for me, that's not the end of the world. That's fine. That's fine. I mean, okay. Yeah. They want to win, try and come top, but get the draw. They're on course for qualification.
01:02:28
Speaker
That's absolutely fine with me. Also, because I look at Liverpool and they really... Well, come on to Liverpool because I wanted to say something about this area being our badger over the week, so we'll come to that. But Ajax are still a dangerous team and Kudos is a great goal against Liverpool. He's definitely one player they need to keep an eye on. He's a fantastic player. Inter Barcelona, obviously this is a must-win game for Inter, but let's be honest.
01:02:52
Speaker
It's a long ask, isn't it? It's a long ask, because I think even if Inter were in form, I think Barcelona are a better team. Because I think if you look at the players they have, they can have a really good team. I saw a lot of people in the summer saying, oh, Barcelona, blah, blah, blah. But no, Lewandowski is not past it.
01:03:10
Speaker
that midfield, Gavi Pedri, Kesia. Just have a look at Lewandowski's goal record this season. No, Barcelona are a very, very, very good team. I have Barcelona. For me, Bayern Munich and Man City are at another level. Then I have PSG and then I have Barcelona and Real Madrid and these
01:03:30
Speaker
Barcelona dominated, absolutely dominated much of that game against Bayern Munich in their first game. They didn't win the game, they didn't go against them, they went against them. But yeah, Leventos has got 12 goals in nine games this season. I'm worried that if Inter aren't awake, they're going to be embarrassed.
01:03:52
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's Boston have also been really, really good defensively. Yeah, they have. They've got one of the best defensive records in Europe this season. So I don't know how many goals they've conceded. And I think it might be only one goal they've conceded in La Liga, if I'm not mistaken. Let me just have a look.
01:04:10
Speaker
Yeah, one goal. One goal. One goal conceded in seven games in La Liga this season. And they're top. They're now top of the league. Nineteen scored in seven. One conceded. So, you know, they're not going to be... It's... Inter have to win this game. They absolutely have to. But they're not going... Even if they fluke it, even if they fluke it, they have to win this game if they want to have a chance of going through it. If they draw or lose, yeah, it's game over.
01:04:35
Speaker
Okay, Juventus, Maccabi, Haifa. I mean, Juventus zero points from the first two games. You talk about a must-win game. Oh, it's absolutely must-win. It's absolutely must-win. It's absolutely must-win. It doesn't matter how. We're just winning the game. They won. The win against Bologna will give them confidence. They will surely win this game. They have to take six points against Maccabi, Haifa. It's as simple as that. Anything other than that, and they risk even missing third, finishing last in the Champions League group, which is, wow.
01:05:06
Speaker
Yeah, that would be embarrassing. Right, okay, let's move on to the big one. Chelsea versus Milan at Stamford Bridge. So we'll do a little bit more of an extended preview on this game. Now, my view of this game is that if Milan had all their players, had a full-strength squad for this game, I really would fancy them.
01:05:27
Speaker
maybe not to win at Stanford Bridge, but to get a draw for definite and certainly to really have a chance to beat Chelsea in the return game at San Siro.
01:05:37
Speaker
The problem is, I mean, Milan have so many injuries. I mean, they are decimated, absolutely decimated. And they've just got three more injuries in the game at the weekend. So Calabria's now out. I think he's going to be out. Selamaker's is out. Kiaia got injured as well. They're already missing. Teo Hernandez, Mike Manon.
01:05:59
Speaker
Oregi is a huge, huge doubt, and he's barely played. He's nowhere near much fit. Zlatan, of course, is out. It's actually his birthday today, 41 years old. Junior Messias got injured before the game at the weekend. Florenzi is out, obviously, in the long term.
01:06:15
Speaker
But also added to that is that they couldn't register a number of players as well. Ranks to your Adley, back of your car, all of them were unable to register. So they're actually going to go to this game. They're going to travel to London probably with 14 to 15 players available. So, I mean, they are, like I said, completely decimated.
01:06:38
Speaker
it's going to be realistically is going to be really really difficult and it's a shame because chelsea are very vulnerable that they they don't look right this season obviously thomas tuckel got the sack a few weeks ago he's been replaced by graham potter who's manager i like but
01:06:54
Speaker
You know, Chelsea, I think they broke the record in the summer, Chelsea, for spending in a transfer window, the biggest ever spending spree ever in history in a summer. But despite buying all those players, I look at their team and for me, they're not particularly much stronger than they were last season, which is a crazy thing to say when you've spent all that money. And I think the reason for that is I'm not sure whether they bought players to suit a certain system or to suit
01:07:21
Speaker
the other players they're playing with. That's the impression that I've got. So criticism that I've had at Juventus in recent seasons as well, that when you buy players, they've all got to suit a certain style of play and be able to play with one another. Excuse me. I'm not sure if that's the case with Chelsea. And you've seen that with their performances. They haven't looked great. They just about scraped the win at the weekend against Crystal Palace.
01:07:44
Speaker
for that reason Milan have a chance but can you see them getting a result with all these injuries and with such a depleted team? I think winning will be really difficult which again for all the reasons you outlined is a shame because I think a Milan at full steam and at full health and a full squad could actually take it to this Chelsea. I really think so.
01:08:04
Speaker
And it's like you said, it's a shame, but I don't think with all these injury problems and with all these players that are half injured and not fully fit, I think they have to just focus on salvaging a point. That's the main focus, salvage a point. But having said that, purely, as we saw against Empoli,
01:08:26
Speaker
again, the in-game management is just, and the belief that he's instilled in these players. I mean, the mental strength that it takes to do what they did against Empoli after conceding late, late an equalizer from a brilliant free kick, a bit of a great free kick, bit of a howler from Tatarosano as well. Yeah, I was going to say, it was a weekend for God. Yeah, but it was still, I mean, it was a good free kick, but it was a bit of a howler by Tatarosano, who's going to start against Chelsea probably as well. So, yeah.
01:08:56
Speaker
Well, Tatarizani wasn't even in the original Champions League because they were allowed to bring him back in. But my point is simply that when you do that and then you turn it around and you have, you know, Balotore scored the 2-1 goal because he's playing above his level. I mean, that is purely, that is a system. This squad is so united. They believe in everything they do.
01:09:19
Speaker
And for me, that's their one hope in this game. Well, not just that. It's their spirit. Not just that. Also, because Rafael Liao is unplayable right now. He is absolutely unplayable.
01:09:35
Speaker
everything goes through him and no one seems to stop him. Even when they put two players on him, he goes past both. He just looks like he just he's just too good. He's just too good. And Chelsea will be taking the game to Milan, which means there's going to be space for Rafael to attack. Look, I obviously Chelsea are favorites. But if I were a betting man and this was one of those, you know,
01:10:01
Speaker
I think you get good odds on Milan winning. I'd put a little bit of money on that. I really would, because it could be. I mean, that Rafael Liao finish was absolutely unbelievable. Unbelievable. That reminded me of a peak Ronaldo, the Brazilian, the OG, the OG Ronaldo. I mean, the way that he just... I remember when I used to play, that's one of those finishes that I used to try in training all the time and I could never do it.
01:10:27
Speaker
I could never do it. I never understood. It's like the way that you dink it under the ball and get it. But the way that the physics of it, the way that it kind of just goes up and down. Yeah, why it goes kind of goes up and down is
01:10:43
Speaker
That is such a hard skill, believe me, that the difficulty level of doing that is so, so hard, that exact execution. I mean, you don't see how many footballers you ever see to a finish like that. You get lots of people doing dinked finishes, of course, where the keeper rushes out to you usually at the angle and you just dink it over him. I mean, that's not a particularly hard finish, but this one, where you're running at the goalkeeper and you just kind of
01:11:10
Speaker
just kind of effortlessly just kind of loft it over him and it kind of just goes up and down, you know, like a falling leaf. I mean, it's stunning. And so no, I think it's going to be really difficult for Mila and Chelsea are massive favorites. But when you have Rafael Liao and Ismail Benasser and Sandro Tonali and these guys and Pobega and all these other guys and Giroud playing the way he is.
01:11:35
Speaker
Giroud is ridiculous, the number of games he's played. It's just on the high level he's playing at. I maintain that his only vision has never been in better form or in condition, better condition than he is right now.
01:11:49
Speaker
He is, but the big but is he hasn't performed in Europe in a big game since joining. And so it's about time he did. He's always been largely been disappointed in the Champions League full stop for Milan, if I'm perfectly honest with you. You know, I know he scored in the last game, it was a penalty, wasn't it? He scored in the last round. So, you know, he's a penalty.
01:12:13
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. Yeah. We look forward to that game anyway. That's going to be, that's definitely going to be an exciting one. Some big Champions League games this week. Okay.
European Matches: Roma, Lazio, and Fiorentina
01:12:21
Speaker
Yeah. Just to quickly go through the other games in the Europa League. Roma and Lazio have both got one win and one loss. Lazio go away to Sturm-Gratz. Roma host Real Betis. And in the conference league, as I said before, Fiorentina go to Scotland to play hearts. They've only got one point from two games, so they really need to
01:12:40
Speaker
Yeah, start picking up points. Badgeo and Prem Face of the Week.
01:12:48
Speaker
Right, Bad Joe, you've gone for Rafael Liao, you've already explained yourself, so we don't need to go over that. I'm going to go for Roberto Deserbe, debut for Brighton, he got a 3-3 draw at Liverpool, and yeah, he certainly helped shut up a certain grave soonest and a few others in that. They raced into a 2-0 build and they created lots of chances in that game and played really great football as well and played the kind of Deserbe kind of football.
01:13:14
Speaker
that we know that they play, which is very, very open both ways. So, yeah, that was very exciting to see. Prem face of
Humorous Commentary and Closing Remarks
01:13:23
Speaker
the week. We've got two here. So first of all, I've got one, and that was the former goalkeeper. I'm not even sure if he still plays Ben Foster. He called Mattie Cash the Polish Cafe. Just a bit like the Aston Villa right back.
01:13:43
Speaker
These, these, why do, stop, just why stop doing this? It's so silly. Polish kafu. Go away. Like, oh my God. And but for me, it's got to be 442. I think it's still up, calling Raphael Brazilian. No, he's not. A simple Google search would have told you as much.
01:14:08
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's yeah, it's it's it is what Brazil Portugal. I mean, you know, they both speak. I mean, yeah, I mean, Portugal used to own Brazil. That's the response. Yeah. Yeah. Backing thing, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Hashtag Brexit is Brexit. Right. Right. No, it's it's it's it's so so so cringy.
01:14:31
Speaker
Absolutely, right. Okay. Okay, right. Yeah, that's it. That's it for the show. So we'll be back. Yeah, we'll be back. Lim always comes in because he knows I forget what to say. So Tuesday, we've got the Q&A show with our patrons only. And then Thursday, we've got a review show of the midweek Champions League action, which as we yeah, as we've just gone through lots of exciting games. So lots to talk about that.
01:14:57
Speaker
Yeah, you can get every all of those things on patreon.com slash two. You can support and get all the content on Patreon by going on Patreon. Sign up patreon.com slash the IFP for two ninety nine XVAT a month. And those of you listening to this show on Monday, it's a free show. So please continue to, you know, share and whatever platform you Spotify, iOS, go go podcast. Please give us five stars and share. And we really, really appreciate it. You've done really appreciate.
01:15:24
Speaker
I've never had more listeners than we do right now and we want to keep growing. So thank you. Yeah, thank you indeed. Until next time, ciao ciao. Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop.