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Atalanta Top, Lazio Stun Napoli, Scudetto Over For Drawventus & AC Milan, Divine Dimarco & Much More (Ep. 477)
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From Lazio defensive masterclass when stunning toothless Napoli, the Atalanta Scudetto dream lives on, AC Milan out of Serie A title race, divine Dimarco when Inter dominate Parma, Juventus or Drawventus all but out of Scudetto race after another poor performance vs Bologna, to Thiago Motta Vs Max Allegri debate, Roma smash Lecce, Fiorentina record 8 straight wins in league, and previewing Match Day 6 in the Champions League where Juve Vs Man City, AC Milan Vs Red Star, Bayer Leverkusen Vs Inter, Atalanta Vs Real Madrid and Benfica Vs Bologna, as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week, plus much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from Match Day 15 of the 2024/2025 Serie A season.
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Transcript
Serie A Highlights: Atalanta's Ascendancy and Napoli's Struggles
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to the Italian Football Podcast, the official podcast of Football Italia. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nima Tavalli. On today's show we will react to the Serie A weekend action Lazio stunning Napoli at the study on Maradona, meaning that Atalanta go top of Serie A after making it nine wins in a row, a late Adimola-Lukman goal all but ending any hopes of Milan challenging for the Scudetto and we could say the same about Juventus or should we call them draw-Ventus as they draw yet again at home to Bologna coming from two behind
00:00:47
Speaker
Samuel Mbangoula curling home an injury time equaliser to preserve their unbeaten record. Insert continue their brilliant form with a dominant win over Palmer. Fiorentina make it eight wins in a row while we we have an important update on Eduardo Bove's health.
00:01:07
Speaker
after his Cardiac Arrest last week and Roma get their first win under Claudio Ranieri thrashing Lecce.
The Italian Football Podcast: Free and Premium Content
00:01:16
Speaker
We'll also preview the Champions League matches this midweek, big big midweek and we also have our usual Bad Show, Prem Face and Celia Ass of the week.
00:01:25
Speaker
For all our first-time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend study action and all 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 and&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all of the questions from our patrons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews,
00:01:45
Speaker
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Napoli's Offensive Challenges and Tactical Reevaluation
00:02:16
Speaker
So we'll start off with the big Sunday evening match at the Stadio Maradona. Napoli against Lazio. Napoli went into this game knowing that they needed to win to so go back to the top of Serie A, but they lose 1-0 to Lazio. A shot defeat for Napoli, which means that Atalanta
00:02:39
Speaker
end the weekend top of Serie A. We will talk about Atalanta's game against Milan shortly. um But first of all, this this shock defeat for Napoli, let's talk about it first from the Napoli point of view.
00:02:54
Speaker
um this was a frustrating evening for Napoli. They started really well, first kind of 10 to 15 minutes. they they were They were really started on fire. and You thought this was going to set the tone for the for the rest of the game. Tomine missed a big chance on two minutes. um But after that, they they struggled to create really anything. I think the the only other kind of half chance they had was a header off a corner from Anguista in the second half where it clipped the post. But apart from that, ah Napoli really, really struggled to create. They did. They they did, like you said, they they struggled to create. um And that's something that I think we've mentioned it.
00:03:41
Speaker
quite a few times on the pod ever since, you know, things have, it's waned off, isn't it? um And what was supposed to happen, the plan was very clear. Yes, Romelu Lukaku doesn't have the explosive, you know, pace that he once did. Yes, he does not, the player he once was, but he's good enough still with his back against the goal to hold up play and put others in play.
00:04:08
Speaker
and the goals were supposed to, that you know, this was supposed to be Schwicca's explosion. Well, they they started playing a 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2, however you want to play with it, and Schwicca never really blossomed, and so he reverted to a 4-3-3. The defense still looked good, but Schwicca still is not scoring. And for this system to work, he needs to have that 20-25 goal a season in the league goalscorer,
00:04:36
Speaker
And they're not Lukakuis and that guy. We know that. And so who's it going to be? Is it going to be Politano? Is it going to be Krita? My money was always on Krita. He's not anywhere near the player he was. He's better than he was last season, for sure. But he's nowhere near who he was in his first season. And I think that that is the reason, main reason why they've only scored 21 goals, which, if I'm not mistaken, is less than Juventus in the Serie A after 15 games.
00:05:06
Speaker
Yeah, so that's correct. They were quite some distance. Yeah. The seventh highest scorers, like out the top seven, they the Napoli are well short. and I mean, that is the biggest worry here. Conter's teams never really struggle.
00:05:24
Speaker
to to so create and chance because he gets to create and score because he's a he's a system coach, right? And he demanded these players and he demanded this. OK, McTominay has been a very positive um ah surprise for them ah in terms of goal scoring, but he was never going to be a 15, 20, 20 goal twenty goal a season striker or midfielder. It's just not going to happen.
00:05:48
Speaker
So these goals have to come from somewhere and they're not coming from the attack. That is a problem. And of course, when you have Lukaku in this kind of in this late stage of his career where he doesn't have that blistering pace, um he doesn't have that blistering ability to combine his power and pace and physique and and like, you know, beast mode that he was at Inter, he can't do that anymore. Well,
00:06:13
Speaker
What he can do, however, is put others into play. Well, then you need others stepping up, and others aren't stepping up. And that's the problem here, I think, for Napoli in terms of moving forward. um Yeah, because they can't keep winning 1-0. Well, no, it's not just that. Well, you can continue winning 1-0 if there is some sort of a... If there is a system in place that works, if you feel that... you know But the 1-0 wins that Napoli have had,
00:06:41
Speaker
they now They look a little bit different in this light now when you look at it after 15 games in the sense that well those you know you can you can you can you can grind out 1-0 wins.
00:06:54
Speaker
but the system has to be so there has to be something to suggest that the system is working and I feel that in the attacking phase after 15 games I don't see how that is true of Napoli.
Napoli's Potential for Growth Under Conte
00:07:12
Speaker
The phase hasn't been working in the biggest games against the big teams and the chance creation has been very very low in the big matches this season with the exception of the Milan game if you actually look at the expected goals in in the big games that Napoli had played this season, Milan is the exception and that wasn't a particularly high xG in that game, they had an xG of 1.13 against Milan. But if you look at the other games,
00:07:40
Speaker
um very, very low. This game, they had an extra 0.6 against Lazio. Only one shot on target in in in the in the whole game. and That was that McTominay shot after two minutes. They had a good exchange chance creation in terms of what they played against Roma. They had a decent... against Torino, but I don't know. The big teams. Yeah, but it's not just the big ones. Let me finish my point. In the biggest games against the biggest match, 0.6 XG against Laxio, 0.31 XG against Juventus, 0.66 XG against Inter. They're basically nothing apart from the McTominay goal.
00:08:22
Speaker
And in the Atlanta game where they got Hamid 3-0, 0.77 XG. So but the the stats are there in black and white. They struggle they're against the biggest teams. When it comes to the best teams, um they have struggled to to to to create chances.
00:08:38
Speaker
um and you know so You know, there's no need to panic here. There are only two points off the top. But, you know, we're looking at what is their weakness so far this season. And I think it's definitely chance creation and goal scored in general, but especially against the big teams. But that leads me nicely into what I think is the positive part for Napoli, something to feel positive about in terms of the attacking phase. And that is that what we know from Antonio Conte's teams previously,
00:09:10
Speaker
is that they generally don't create that much in the beginning. There's a there's a buzz first couple of games, then it kind of dies out, and then it needs time to settle in. And from January, February, that's when they really kind of hit their stride and hit their peak, and then everything kind of floats together, especially when he's only got one game a week. So I do think that absolutely there's nothing to panic about.
00:09:37
Speaker
um There are concerns, of course. like you mentioned, especially in the big games. And I think I can't remember who it was who tweeted out the stat that basically, essentially, apart from once or twice the last seven, eight years, every the the team that wins the league is the team with the best um result in direct encounters with the other big teams, right? I think it was Milan was an exception when they won the Scudetto. I can't remember. I don't have it off by heart, but I have this vague memory of it.
00:10:09
Speaker
That might, you know, that that's, that's, you know, it's still ah in the sense, okay, we're 15 games in, they have, they drew against, they beat Milan, they drew Juve, they drew Inter away. This was, you know, they lost to Atalanta at home, they lost to Lazio at home. You know, it's it's a mediocre, you know, head-to-head record.
00:10:28
Speaker
um But then again, neither of the others are impressing head-to-head either. ah You know, Inter don't exactly have the best head-to-head record either. They lost to Juve. They lost to Milan. They drew with Juve. They drew to with Napoli. Games they should have won. They beat Atalanta. It's not too impressive. um um I think they're going to play Lazio next, if I'm not mistaken. um So, you know, there there is There is, um yeah, they're they're playing Lazio next weekend. So, you know, that none of no one is running away with it. Atalanta as well. Atalanta, yes, they beat. Atalanta have done well.
00:11:03
Speaker
They lost to Inter, got smashed against the Inter. inter they you know So so you don't you don't really have anyone. They beat Milan, of course, they you know if you want to count Roma, which I don't i don't think
Atalanta: Strong Contenders in Serie A
00:11:13
Speaker
I don't count them. They beat Napoli. So yes, Atalanta are the ones doing the best results so far in the head-to-head against the top sides. But it's an Atalanta who But they haven't played Juventus, they haven't played Lazio. Yeah, they haven't played Lazio. Exactly. So it does feel like there's question marks and that's the positive side of these head-to-heads for Napoli in that aspect, in the sense that, well, there's lots of question marks. And that's the general feeling I have 15 games into this season that we were right that it's a three horse race.
00:11:48
Speaker
I had Inter, Napoli, and Juve. We got two of those right. I think we both said Juve, Napoli, Inter are going to fight for the scoretto. Well, we got two of those right. It is Napoli, it is Inter, but it's Atalanta. I don't see Juve and Milan.
00:12:03
Speaker
Anyone near this? yeah i i feel I said that Juventus could hang in there certainly longer than they have done. well i had i didn't think I didn't think they would win it. I thought that they could maybe challenge and and try to hang in there, but I didn't have Atalanta. I'd be honest there. No, neither did I. I didn't have Atalanta. I had Napoli and Inter for sure. Yeah, yeah I had Napoli and Inter. I had Juventus perhaps even winning it. If I remember, they were going to I had them as my favourites to win. I think I had them in my last Serie A ah like the after the Mercato had them first I think I had Napoli third into second I can't remember now but definitely not Juventus. It's very tight look it's really tight at the top so you know there's going to be things are going to change this is this is a just one game but but we but you know we we Napoli have shown, have shown, we've seen what Napoli's weaknesses are now and now they have to try and address them. um It really is as as simple as that. I mean, I thought that, the you know, if we, if we look at it the other way, I mean, they didn't really concede anything. We'll come on, so Lazio, I mean, Lazio didn't create anything clear cut themselves in this game. I mean, they hit the bar with a wonder shot and then the winner
00:13:08
Speaker
and is a great strike, but it's a mistake from Olivera. It's bad yeah different but it's a wonderful pass by Nauslian as well and a way to give praise to him for that. well yeah but The defender should cut it out, it bounces, he should cut it out, he lets it run through to him, it's bad defending, but it's ah it's a great finish, it's so it's a low very low chance, probability chance that you're going to cut in and score from there and it's a brilliant goal from Isaksson, so you know you give credit to that but in general Napoli are disappointed today. Considering that they rested their whole team in midweek against Lazio, all 11 players were rested purely to concentrate on this game and to be fresh for this game whereas Lazio rotated a little bit but but played quite a lot of their of the players. um then um yeah It shows that yeah Napoli yeah
00:13:59
Speaker
one competition now, but they they they yeah they they didn't they didn't get it right today. But we have to give credit at the same time to Lazio now. They've shown that this is not they're not just some kind of flash in the pan. and I think that they are I think they're going to, they again, like I said with Juventus, I'm not saying they're going to go and get in the top four, but I think that they are definitely going to challenge for the top four. I think we've i've seen enough we've seen enough from them now that there's enough quality. They've got an excellent coach in Baroni who's already put in his you know he's putting his hat in the ring for coach but maybe Coach of the Year already. without a day
00:14:37
Speaker
And, um you know, I think they're stacked in attack. They've got so much depth in attack, so many goal scorers, players that can chip in with goals but from from the attack and even deeper down in the pitch. um But what was so impressive about them today, and this is something that maybe we had concerns about them earlier in the season, even when they were in the gi on their good run, is defensively how solid they looked, how organized they look.
00:15:00
Speaker
you know They were so well set up, there were no spaces for Napoli to play through them, whether they went through the middle, whether they tried to put crosses in. um they they were They were so well organised, defensively, fantastic. Gila was great, really great. Nuna Tavares showed how much he has grown defensively. I remember watching him at Arsenal a few years ago and and he could not defend. i mean He really has come on leaps and bounds already this season as defensively.
00:15:30
Speaker
um And then, you know, you look at the midfield, I mean, they were without the suspended Ravella. Bissino would have usually come in, but he was injured. So they brought in Delhi Besharu, the youngster, and he was fantastic. and I thought he was the best, best midfielder on the pitch. I mean, that shot, that deserved a goal. I mean, that was an absolute blockbuster bet. I mean, he runs, he's physical.
00:15:52
Speaker
um He was bullying players, and but he was doing his defensive work as well. um I thought he was excellent and I think he's a big talent, so they' they've got players coming through um as well. so yeah I like what I'm seeing from Lazio. I really do. Don't sleep on Lazio.
00:16:11
Speaker
People just don't just expect them to fall away. I do expect Fiorentina to fall away, as we'll we'll discuss later in the show. I don't think Fiorentina can keep up a challenge for the top four. I think they will eventually fall away. But Lazio, I'm not saying they will, but I think that um we can't just expect them to slip away. I think that they've shown enough, they've got enough quality and they've got a really, really good coach that they can they can have their say in the top four this season. I i remember when Baroni was appointed at Lazio and and for no reason, Beppe Marotta made a statement congratulating Lazio on an excellent appointment.
Lazio's Transformation Under Baroni
00:16:46
Speaker
um There is cause to believe that when Marotta speaks about these matters, he knows what he's talking about. um his His career would suggest that he does, um and and he's been proven right. It's been, like I loved Baroni, what he's done, and I think he fully deserved.
00:17:05
Speaker
this appointment and this big chance at this stage in his career, but I would be a damned liar if I were to say that I expected him to do what he's done so far. I mean it's it's truly It's truly remarkable what he has done with Lazio. He's 61 years old. He's 24 year managerial career. I'm looking at the list of teams. He's coached job.
00:17:41
Speaker
you know He did excellently at Lecce. He did very well at Hellas. A miracle. A miracle of what he did at Hellas. And so now he goes to Lazio and he's kind of using all his experience. um You know, he's never really been in Europe before, he's or he hasn't been in Europe before. And he kind of now they're doing fantastically in the Europa League. This is the first time he's playing three times a week, really.
00:18:08
Speaker
And they, you know, they should be perfect in the Europa League if they hadn't been robbed. No, I think he's rotated brilliantly. He's rotated brilliantly. The team is fresh. Physically, they look very, very, very fresh. They're very fresh. It's difficult to pitch today as well because it was raining, which makes it heavy and very tiring, and they didn't look tired. You know, so I thought I'm but i'm very impressed with Baron, I have to say. and He was a good player in his playing days as well. He was part of the Napoli yeah team but onela city um call In fact he scored the goal that won them on the final day, that won them the Scaretta in 1990. Yeah, 89-90, I remember. And he won the Supercoppa as well with them in that season, in 1990. No, look. against You know which team he scored the the title clinching goal on the last day of the season? Do you know who it was against? Wasn't it Inter? Lazio. Lazio, yeah, you're right. So so there you go. It's a bit of a full circle there. is Full circle moment for Napoli. Sorry, for Barone. No, he's done an absolutely fantastic job and he the way that he's built this team and and the players that that he's but he's getting the most out of, you know, young, old,
00:19:22
Speaker
um you know the way that he uses someone like Tijani Noslin, the decision-making, the timing of of that substitution. and and and and to and i he's he's He's absolutely killing it right now. um And Nuno Tavares again, I mean, it's so he was he so good. but He was disciplined today. He didn't just bomb bomb forward like a madman, like he does sometimes. you know He was disciplined and and I just got out. I just got to say how impressed I've been with Gendouzi since he came to Lazio. I was not this guy's favorite. He was not one of my favorite players. I've always found him to be a little bit of a headless chicken. But it seems like since he's come to Lazio and the coaches he's had, he's been very disciplined and especially this season. This season especially. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. It's like he's taught him how to think.
00:20:11
Speaker
Baroni and it's it's it's it's very interesting yeah no it's it's very very cool very cool to see and and now when players like Isakson who've been a flop until now or if they start score now it's it's you gotta hand it to Baroni and again as I've said a hundred million times on this podcast Lotito is a master at getting at rebuilds. The first one, two seasons, the first two stages of a rebuild, Lottito always gets right. It's the third stage when they want to take that final step where he just becomes too arrogant and it's not and and doesn't have their the the competence to take it that far. But this at this point, he always has an ability to to reboot and rebuild with very little. And he's always questioned. Lazior always questioned and always criticized like there were last summer.
00:21:00
Speaker
when they do a reboot and a restart, and ah but but he always me always proves his detractors wrong. um And and or his Lazio, I should say rather, always prove their district detractors wrong in this stage of the Lazio project. And you've got to hand it to them. i I've watched ah most of their games in the Europa League as well. And I've got to tell you, I wouldn't be surprised if they went on and won the whole damn thing there, because they are they look so like control, they look so clear, they look so cohesive all over the pitch. You barely tell the difference when they are in Europe and they're in the Serie A. If anything, I think they've impressed more even when they've been rotating in Europe than they have been in the Serie A.
00:21:47
Speaker
So, no, you got it. You got to give it to them. They're definitely I mean, this was the worst thing that can happen for me landing you over this result. they They'd be kicking themselves. Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah. I mean, they don't want I mean, they they they want they want Lazio Fiorentina. They seem to slip up. Yeah. And they're not. But they're not winning. Yeah. And I got to be honest with you. I think that Lazio for sure are in the top four race. I expect Fiorentina to kind of fall off, maybe finish fifth, sixth, something like that. But Lazio, no, there this is no no i've seen it i've seen too much ah I've seen enough of Lazio to be quite confident that they're going to be, again, I'm not saying they're going to get it, but I'm saying that they' they're going to be challenging. They're going to be in the fight for top four until the end. And it's they're going to push Milan and Juve to the very
00:22:35
Speaker
edge. um And if I'm more you Milan than Juver, I'd be very worried.
00:22:43
Speaker
I think both of them, yeah. I think i think both have to be have to be have to be very, very careful. and They do. be Careful for sure, but I'm not worried for you, but I'm worried for Mila.
Tight Race at the Top of Serie A
00:22:54
Speaker
I think both have got to get going because Lazio, I've showed a lot. I'm impressed. I mean, the the top of the table is insane right now. I mean, Atalanta 34, Napoli 32, Fiorentino and Inter 31 with but that game in hand that they still need to play out.
00:23:11
Speaker
Lazio, 31. I mean, three points separating the top five. I mean, it's mad, isn't it? It's absolutely mad. It's a lovely Serie A. I love the Serie A when it's like this. And it's when when it's this tight in every part of the table where it matters, whether it's the the winner, whether it's top four, whether it's European spots, whether it's the relegation battle,
00:23:36
Speaker
This is the Serie A when it's absolutely at its best, when it's a nail biter and how we've missed it because the last two seasons, especially in the top, we've not really had that, have we? No, and nice absolutely. Let's hope it continues.
00:23:48
Speaker
Yeah yeah absolutely. So let's move on to to Atalanta against Milan way back on on Friday ah evening and Atalanta just march on Nima, yet another ah victory for them and not their their best performance but it was ah it was a win um and with ah both their goals coming off off set pieces, headers off a free kick and ah and a corner. So for for all their free flowing football that we've seen Atalanta play for for so many years now, maybe during that time that they've they've lacked that ability to to win ugly ah in in ways like that they did.
00:24:32
Speaker
against Milan and I think that that can only be seen as ah as a good so good sign because I think to win titles and to win certainly to win championships and win the Scolletto you've got to be able to to win ugly as well there's going to be games that are going to be tight um especially you know later on in the season when when tiredness kicks in and so to be able to win this game against Milan even though I thought they were the better team and to be able to win scoring off set pieces in a game where I thought Milan actually defended pretty well apart from the these two set piece goals. um I think that yeah know that's that that should also be seen as a positive for Atalanta. It shows that they are becoming more of a a complete team now.
00:25:20
Speaker
Absolutely. It was a very mature performance by Atalanta. It was um from pretty much from the get-go again, Retegi benched in a big game, playing with a kind of a false nine, reinforcing the midfield, um which has proven rather successful for
Atalanta's Tactical Maturity
00:25:37
Speaker
Gasperini in big games, starting with an Apoli game. um And I mean, if we start with the Atalanta perspective, um it's it is a it's it's it's a mature performance by a team who showed that they very much are a Scudetta contender. they didn't they they This isn't the Atalanta of a couple of seasons ago. This is an Atalanta who
00:26:07
Speaker
behave like a team, like a top club, like a top team that knows how to fight for titles, which is, you know, the only title they've won is, of course, the Europa League. But they've been to a couple of Copa Italia finals under Gasperini. They've been finished in the top four, the Champions League runs and so on and so forth. And that's given them kind of a whole club, kind of a belief and experience which allows them to to completely systematically take on these these big games, which which I think they did brilliantly against Milan. I think it was ah it was um it was a very, very, very mature performance. um And it was a very calm performance and and the way that they again, i'm I'm so impressed by how
00:27:00
Speaker
Atalanta managed to play to their strengths and to Milan's weaknesses in a very systematic, cool, calm, collected way even after Milan equalized Atalanta, you were watching this, I felt like, well, Atalanta going to keep systematically breaking down Milan to see where they go, um playing their brand, you know not compromising on their identity necessarily, but also adapting to the fact that Milan are a big club like they did against Napoli, showing that they can't push as high up as they do against Milan or Napoli as they do against, you know, smaller clubs, like when they play Udenese or whatever. So it was again, it was a tactical maturity from Gasperini. You know, the individuals were going to talk about Lukman de Kettler. You know, Pasalic was great. Samazic, when he came on, was great. Rettegi, I thought, came on at the right time and did his part. It's a very united squad. It's a very united team. um It's a very united club.
00:28:05
Speaker
and they have this dream that they believe in, and I think they are right to believe in it. They are dark horses, as I said in my preview in the preview of the Serie A before the season started. They are, despite all the Lukmen and Skamakas and Skalvinis, who incidentally made his return in this game, um despite all of that, they have really strengthened more than adequately enough. um and And they're not weakened. um If not stronger, they're certainly not weaker. They've won nine wins in a row now. Yeah. Club record equalled. And they've um never less than two goals scored in that in that run. So, I mean, they's scoring they're scoring for fun. They can't stop scoring. 12 wins in 13.
00:28:47
Speaker
in all competitions and and Brown Madrid at home next as well which will be great so they I mean they really are they're riding the wave uh at the moment and they're looking great and and you know the I mean the Quetzalez that the one I guess to really single out in in this game because you know this I think that the goal that he scored really demonstrated the not only Atalanta and how they've become more complete but also the development of De Kettler himself because of course you know he came to Serie A, joined Milan, is very highly rated, had a complete disaster there, ah just looked like
00:29:29
Speaker
weak, timid, scared, you know, schoolboy when he was at Milan. He's gone to Atalanta, Gasparini's worked his magic and in 2024 he's one of only three players in Europe's top five leagues so to to have 15 goals, 15 plus goals and 15 plus assists. The other two are Salah and I'm gone blank on who the other one was, but one of them is Salah. And De Ketzler, so De Ketzler is only one of only three. And if you look at the goal that he scored, the way that he was strong, he was aggressive, he manhandled Teo Hernandez. So, you know, De Ketzler, like Atalanta, has become a man. He's become, you know, this big, impressive,
00:30:22
Speaker
uh man he was a boy he's now a man uh and that goal and aggression the physical strength uh you know and he's really getting really good in the air as well diketile like he's actually being used again to to you know we we we we talk about kind of not having retagy and wondering is there an aerial threat is there a direct threat well actually like i've noticed that atlanta have actually sometimes been going direct to diketile just like putting a little long ball a little direct pass to him and he's and he's been using his height so like he's even developing that side of the game so the Quetzalero absolutely and you know and another right call by Gasparini to to to to drop Rettige like he did against Napoli and play played the Quetzalero so
00:31:03
Speaker
Yeah, he he was I think the standout player from attacking since and then of course you got lookman as well Who actually didn't have one of his better games? But he turned up when it mattered a huge, you know, he's he's turns up in the big games like he did in the Europa League final and minute winner and it's a poacher goal again showing how all these Atalanta players are ah becoming complete players like Lookman isn't a poacher he's not that kind of player but he's got a poacher's goal brilliant movement lost his man span off his man from a corner getting scores of his head you know so you know it's really impressive Atalanta just how how you know they they are how complete they're all becoming
00:31:45
Speaker
They really are complete. They're a side that, like I said, the maturity of it. They can attack and defend and win games in many different ways, which is the hallmark of a team that wins championships and wins leagues and wins important trophies. And that's what I meant when I said about the maturity and how tactically Gasparini has learned how to to take on these big games. The only big club he hasn't, he has a dreadful record at is against Inter, but we'll see when they face each other again, not just in the Supercoppa, but more importantly in the Serie A, how he takes on that va game. Does he adapt again? Does he again play with a false nine? Does he again try to pack the midfield and try to cut off Inter's passing lanes and press them that way? Because there were still moments, like for especially when when Milan scored their equalizer, where there were
00:32:36
Speaker
where Atlanta were too easily carved open. That's still an issue. I think that's more a systemic issue, more than a tactical issue. If you play like Atlanta and Gasperini play, those things will happen. And so it's incumbent on the opposition to take ruthless advantage of that when those opportunities present themselves, like Milan did, it was brilliant. I mean, the way that tail down through the line to Liao ran with it, one pass, one but I mean, three single three simple one-pass passes and the equalizer was there.
Milan's Defensive Vulnerabilities
00:33:07
Speaker
So Atalanta do have weaknesses. Yeah, in the first half they were a little bit more open, but the second half, um as we'll come on to, Milan were a complete non-entity from the ah center, from the
00:33:18
Speaker
the the halfway line upwards and Atalanta closed that down. The only criticism I had, and I was going to actually criticise Gasparini a little bit, is that I thought that Atalanta had clearly run out of ideas in the second half until the substitutes come on, Rettaghi and Samosic, and Gasparini waited until 15 minutes to go to make those substitutions.
00:33:38
Speaker
I thought he waited too long and but you know they got the goal and he was off a corner so I think maybe a little bit lucky a little bit fortunate I think that's when he waited too long on this I think he should have made those subs at least 10 or 15 minutes earlier which is unlike him to be fair he's usually very proactive and usually goes much earlier than most managers so you know not much to read into that but It worked. It doesn't matter. They should have actually made it 3-1, Retigee missed the one-on-one in injury time to score the third. But yeah, Atalanta, they find a way. And yeah, it's looking so, so good for them. They're right up there at the top, challenging at the top.
00:34:20
Speaker
and Yeah, it's going to be fascinating to see how they do. I'm really looking forward to the Real Madrid game. So, Mike, it's going to be very interesting because I think if they win that, and Real Madrid are kind of shaky this season, um but if they win that, they are on four um you know they can finish at the top eight.
00:34:39
Speaker
It's another test also about this maturity, like you said, because they lost in the Super Cup, the first game of the season in the European Super Cup, and now they played them again. So it's it's again, it's a good test to see what lessons they've learned from that, how their players have grown from that. um Because what we've seen so far is this is an Atlanta team that are growing from a mental point of view. And in terms of experience, and in terms of game management and and yeah just knowing what to do at the right moments that and that is the sign of a team that has been there for a number of years now and is now ready to you know and comfortable um in their own skin so I'm yeah very very impressed less impressed by Milan
00:35:20
Speaker
um I thought, if we look at this from the Milan perspective, I actually thought, if we if we if we look at them from a defensive point of view first, its to kind of start with the sort of positives, I actually thought that Milan's defending and compactness in this game was actually pretty good the for most of this game, apart from, and Fonseca said this at the end of the game itself, apart from the two set piece goals. they They let themselves down on those set pieces. and But in open play,
00:35:51
Speaker
they really, Atalanta didn't create anything. Really, apart from that, that retigee chance in injury time, which was because Milano pushing forward, came about because Milano pushing forward trying to get an equalizer. So, you know, it can't really count that. For the most part, really, Atalanta didn't create anything from open play. and They let themselves down on on the set pieces. I thought they were pretty compact. I think Musa definitely helps the team be more You know, everything we've criticized Milan for being so open, like we saw against Liverpool, like we saw against Club Bruges, even against Sloban Bratislava when they scored that goal. You remember the guy run from his midway in the Milan half straight through on goal. All that kind of stuff. I think i think that there was definite definitely progress on there. But what we did see, again, from a defensive point of view, is Milan conceding the same goal that they repeatedly conceded in the season, which is
00:36:42
Speaker
crosses to the far post, whether that comes from a corner or just from a straightforward cross. Milan cannot and are not defending crosses to the far post. There have been so many goals and chances they've conceded this season. Obviously, the calorie game was the best example where they conceded two goals and had two goals disallowed in that match with crosses to the far post. And we saw again in this game, the first goal is a cross to the far post um which um which which the kettle a scores at he he man handles the tail Hernandez which makes a change the other way around but so but so yeah and then this' is the the winner again Emerson is who actually I thought had it had a pretty good game um you know went to sleep he was sleeping he lost his man he was bull watching and lookman span off him and scored and and that's just
00:37:40
Speaker
That's just basic defending, isn't it? That's that's just basic standard defending, that is. you know Defend your far post if you're a fullback. Stick, watch your man. Hold your position. Be aware. you know And Milan, yeah, they let themselves down in this game. and escape No, no, ah I think, I think it's, I mean, when de Kettler scored, I did kind of had this feeling that this is very much circles, like things coming, you know, full circle, in the sense that de Kettler
00:38:17
Speaker
was chased out of a Milan where Pioli, where he didn't suit the football Pioli wants to play at all. Meanwhile, Milan, he would be almost irreplaceable if he played for this Milan under Fonseca, given what he wants to do tactically. um He scores that goal. Then you have a Milan who defensively, you can argue that Fonseca is to blame for sure. But then you also look at Emerson Royale and Teo and you look at how awful they are.
00:38:47
Speaker
on defensive set pieces time and time and time again. And you're thinking, OK, well, that you know, this this that this was already a problem and now it's become 100 times worse. And then you have Fonseca there who seems completely unable to mitigate or do anything about it, because it's not the first time that Milan concede on set pieces at the back post.
00:39:11
Speaker
And it's like, it's it's starting to feel that ah all the mistakes that they made, Milan, tactically, technically, in the summer, in terms of Emerson Royale being 15 million paid for him, it's all kind of manifesting those, you know, those question marks are manifesting themselves of as abject mistakes now on the pitch. And I think it's perfectly,
00:39:40
Speaker
you know I've not had Milan all season. I don't think they had it they they had a prayer in the Scudetto race, but now they're definitely out. There is no discussion. you can't No one can seriously tell me that Milan are or in the Scudetto race or or have anything or remotely have a prayer. in or it's not just it' it's not it's not the you know we'll come to the events us later It's not just the race. I mean, that's that's obviously over, but i mean the top four races now, you know they they read i mean they're nine points off the top four.
00:40:10
Speaker
Now, you know, okay, that's Fiorentino and I don't think Fiorentino will keep it up. but and yeah But, you know, they are, as as ah as I'm going to say about Juventus afterwards, if you know Milan and Juventus keep performing and as they are with the results that they're getting,
00:40:26
Speaker
the likes of Lazio and Fiorentina will have a chance, a very real chance of getting a top four place. Not not so much because of them, and they're both doing great at the moment, but more so because of Milano the Juventus, like not getting enough points. Do you know what I mean? So Milan and Fonseca, who is safe at the moment, and and you know we're told that you know as long as he finishes in the top eight, he's going to get through to the new year, the top eight of the Champions League, which with a win in midweek against Redstar, we'll put Milan on the brink of finished in the top eight.
00:40:57
Speaker
um you know it's um it's yeah they do have to be they they They really do have to be careful. um and you know What Ponceca hasn't been able to do ah and And this really become apparent in this game in the last few games I think is that Milana run able to marry together being compact and good defensively with their good attacking It's either one or this season. It's either been one or the other for most of the the season so far. It's been You know, they've been screwing lots of goals there. Obviously, they've got lots of great firepower. They've got they've scored a lot of goals They're going to continue to score a lot of goals and
00:41:36
Speaker
And, but they've let themselves down defensively by being way too open, you know, in those games, which are, which I mentioned in the Champions League, but also games in Serie A. and the calorie game and not being able to defend the crosses of the far post, being too open through the middle, ah defenders to team, the defenders not defending as a team, all those problems. But then they've also actually had that had a string of quite a few clean sheets and a few games where they've actually not really let the opposition have many chances. Again, if you take the Juventus game, okay, Juventus, and they're not very good at tackling, even like Inter in the in a Derby, they limited Inter, I think considering the strength of Inter,
00:42:14
Speaker
And I would say and in this game as well, I think that, you know, they're again, Atalanta really created virtually nothing until that recipe chance, the infront open play. So like they were reasonably compact defensively, but then they lose, then that they then when in those games where they are compact defensively, they offer absolutely nothing offensively. um So in this game against the you know, in this game against Atlanta, I mean, they they created, I mean, the goal was great. The goal was fantastic. It was a great team move. But apart from that, okay, they had a goal disallowed before that. The second half, I think their XG was about 0.15 or something in the second half. I mean, they just, they were just a complete non-entity. There was just zero threat at all.
00:42:56
Speaker
going forward ah in in the second half. They can't put the two together. If they're going to be solid defensively and compact defensively, then everything offensively goes out the window. And if they're going to be good ah offensively and create lots of chances, they're way too open. Fonseca has been unable to to create a balance of marrying offense and defense together. And I think the fact that we're in you know December now, um i think that is ah that I think that is a concern.
00:43:24
Speaker
I agree 100% with that and I feel that whatever the the the those weaknesses tactically of Fonseca as well as I think in terms of whether or not he's he's good enough to handle this ah club of Milan stature and to to mount a A title challenge, all of those fears have now been confirmed as realities. And I think if you also, it's kind of what you said, I think you can basically copy paste when it comes to Yulva, but from an opposite angle in the sense that Yulva are very defensively solid, but they're not, like they can't create anything in the in the final third. Whilst Milan, when they create something in the final third, are completely open in defense.
00:44:05
Speaker
Well, actually, when Juventus tried to go more attacking, remember they went through that sequence where they started conceding those goals. That's 4-4, yeah, right. no it's it's it's it is it is it is i it is it is There are issues there, but the problem I think here with Milan is more than, maybe perhaps, well, not more than, but slightly more, is that, even though it's kind of similar, is that I think there's a personnel issue as well. I think Milan have defensive personnel issues. I don't think they've got very many defenders who are good enough to help out, to play the way that Fonseca wants to play. And I think that regardless of who's the coach, it's obvious that some of these players defensively, either if it's because of Fonseca's instructions or what it is, I think with Teo it could be that, or that he's being used with, you know, wrong and in defensive set pieces. But with Emmerson Royale, that's a flop signing. I mean, you can't,
00:45:04
Speaker
tell me that he's been, he's improved Mila in any shape, size, or form. You can't tell me, and you can use all the underlying stats and whatever acronyms and you want to, but you can't tell me. Actually, you can't with him. you know yeah Well, some would ask, you'd be surprised. but you can't argue that he has improved Mila. There is nothing to suggest that he has. In fact, I think you could make an argument that he has weakened Mila, and the fact that Calabria is is is an option still further reinforces this point.
00:45:41
Speaker
Again, um emerson Emerson is a complete, is definitely a downgrade from the Collaborate going forward and Collaborate is not very good going forward. yeah know Emerson ah is is is is horrendous going forward. He's got nothing going forward. you know His strength is more defensively.
00:45:56
Speaker
I actually thought he was actually, I actually thought he did quite well in this game apart from that he just he switched off on that goal which obviously is very very costly cost on the game but you know I don't want to go after him too much in terms of overall performance in this game I actually thought this was one of his best performances. Yeah but it's not just this game though I mean again we're in December and Milano completely. No no listen I was against this side listen I've watched him at Tottenham for the last two years and I can't believe that anybody at Milan that has watched him play for Tottenham could could possibly think that this was a good idea signing them. And then you've got Teo again, you know this this notion that you also see at Inter with DiMarco in terms of Ariali, that they just can't defend back post. Well, I want to raise that because Fonseca went ballistic at full time, think yeah saying saying that it should have been a it should have been a foul.
00:46:47
Speaker
what do you what do you think of of it i don't i looked i've looked at it and i don't think you know he i think it's when when when he got the jump i think he got the jump on him and i think it comes from there doesn't it he got he was exactly that that's precisely the point but regardless you could you know i think it's it's a call and you i've seen you've seen people give it as a foul you've seen not give it personally i don't think there's enough in it to give it as a foul But for me, I don't really care what he what he said, but the fact that he said it in the manner that he said it suggests to me that this is someone who is precious. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's because you can't tell me this is not a this wasn't a travesty of justice. This wasn't a miscarriage of football justice or anything remotely like that.
00:47:35
Speaker
It was a call, which I think most people, when they look at that and understand how the laws of the game work, don't have much of a problem with that thing. Has it been given? Yes. Would it have been harsh to have given the foul? Yes. But not to give it. Is it a travesty or miscarriage of justice? Absolutely not. Fonseca was arguing was a miscarriage of justice, which is ludicrous. what and And that just goes to show that he's again under a lot of pressure. And I think he understands that he could be but you know He could be out by January. I think that's a real, real thing for him. Nine points off top four of Fiorentina who also have a game in hand. So they can't say that they got a game in hand on me, Fiorentina.
00:48:18
Speaker
Yeah, because that game was also postponed. So I think the issue here with this with this with this incident is yes, we have seen them given and we have not seen them not given but I think you've got ah the starting point from Teo's point of view is he gets caught under the pool. yeah he's He's in a bad defensive position himself in the way that he you know, and and it it starts from there if he if he if he isn't caught under the pool and you know, and doesn't allow the kettle to get the jump on him because he's got his back straight to him, then, then, then this probably doesn't happen. And also, I can argue that almost he jumps into the kettle, the kettle, his body positions, yeah, his body position is bad. Yeah, um I can't really explain it more than that. Like you just you just, if you if you know, you know, you know, his body position is bad. And that makes it difficult for him to win this ball. And I don't think
00:49:11
Speaker
he wins He can win this ball. and It's a great free-kick as well. like it is it makes It's a difficult one to defend. like I'm not even sure if I can criticise Manon for coming not coming out for it, even though it's in the six-yard box. It is a difficult ball to defend, but I think that he's goingnna the way that he was that the the two players are are squaring up to each other, that's De Keter is winning that all the time, whether he puts his hands on him or he doesn't. so No, the way I see it is the Hitler is first into the area into that position. I think he jumps first. He he he's got he's he's the first to get to the ball. He's the first to dominate that area. Theo is reactive. He jumps into the kettle and more than tries to get the ball. And I think that's the that's why I think, you know, because that's the clever thing you do when you're late. You jump into the player to claim that you're foul.
00:50:06
Speaker
That's how I read the game. And i and you know this is something that he and DiMarco, who are two of the best left-wide players in the world, they have a problem aerially. They have a defensive issue, especially aerially. They are not very good in the end, either one of them. um We've seen it with, this is the reason why we don't you never ever want to see DiMarco play as a left center back ever again, because he gets completely dominated every single time in that area.
00:50:33
Speaker
um you know, ink interplay a back three so they can mitigate for that. But when you play a back four, and you're counting on your wide defender to help out defensively on the far post, on the back post, and you've got someone like Teo who, as one of our patrons said, he's like the outfield version of Vicario, well, you're gonna have problems, aren't you? So, and this is not the first time it happens either. And and I think what Teo does in that situation is smart. He jumps into,
00:51:02
Speaker
dar de keler to say that to to kind of make it look like he was fouled, but the referees didn't fall for it. e Regardless, you can't tell me this is a miscarriage of justice. This isn't Lazio against Ludogora. We have seen him because he does give a penalty that everyone in the world with a pair of functioning eyeballs can see as a penalty. Like this isn't that. This is a call which you've seen them given. You've seen them not given personally. I think it's the right call. I don't think it's a miscarriage of justice. I don't think there's a anti-Milan agenda. I think it's utter bollocks, excuse me, to say that. I think it's pathetic to argue that. The same way when Conte talks his nonsense, it's pathetic. But both managers, for different reasons, feel the pressure.
Inter's Strong Performance Against Parma
00:51:45
Speaker
Conte feels the pressure because he knows that he needs to do this in order to create space atop of the league. And you have Fonseca, who is doing for the opposite reason. he me He's feeling under pressure because he's nine points off fourth.
00:51:58
Speaker
and he knows that he could very much be a dead man walking. Yeah, yeah. Okay, listen, let's move let's move on. um Let's move on from Atalanta versus Milan and move on to Interparma. Not too much to say about this game. This was a ah really comfortable win for Interdominant performance. 3-1, created lots of chances, conceded barely anything.
00:52:26
Speaker
um two Two really excellent finishes. The DiMarco goal is a well-class finish. ah The flick through his legs with his left foot and then onto his right foot was was outstanding, magnificent. um Deserves some more credit, I think, than than than it got. It was really was a touch of ah touch of class. and And then I thought Bareilles' finish, I mean, it was pretty it was made really easy for him, the kind way the guy dived in. But that was a nice composed finish as well. Taram scores again.
00:52:56
Speaker
um very simple day at the office for for insta and then marva are very open and we know that they are pekya is very open and he likes to you know he made life easy for inta but what i did i mean if i take the positive from this game it was nice to see again the this this feeling that we've had since the hellas verona game that in there are a team that are now hitting form and they're a team that systematically like in Zaggy's football is is settled in regardless of who plays everybody knows what they're supposed to do in both phases they build from the back there were several several instances where they played vintage Simone in Zaggy's football you know as I said these these these expansive triangles won't touch football ah horizontally more than vertically the goal for Barela is a perfect example of that
00:53:47
Speaker
you know, Di Marco, Turam, Makitarian with a magical ball to Barilla. It was beautiful. This was in Zaghi's football. But it's also, you know, Parlu have to, you know, concede that Parma made life very easy for Inter. So from that perspective, Inter were looked without breaking much of a sweat. They were able to play their football and how they wanted to tu two two to to take on games and impose themselves in both phases.
00:54:16
Speaker
but What I do have problems with is the finishing. Lautaro Martinez was dreadful in this game. There's no alibis for him anymore. He misses three, if not sitters, then big chances. his He loses the ball time and time again. He doesn't win it back as much as he used to. His passing isn't good enough.
00:54:45
Speaker
like there There is a problem there and in all of Inter are playing for him to help him come out of this and he has lost weight. He looks fresher. He looks sharper. But my God in heaven, this is not good enough and he needs to snap out of it as soon as possible because there are games every single three days now from now until March essentially. And that's not even an exaggeration.
00:55:10
Speaker
um And between the Copa Italia, the Super Copa, the Champions League in Serie A, interplay every three days, Lautaro Martinez is the captain and he needs to start behaving like one, and he needs to start performing like one more than behaving, sorry, he needs to start performing like one on the pitch.
00:55:26
Speaker
But as I said, there were positives. He looks fresher. He looks sharper. He looks more healthy. He looks more informed. But he also looks like someone like Lautaro can do when he's unbelievably frustrating to watch, when his confidence levels, because I think this is more a mental thing more than anything else. is It's gotten to his head. And he, you know, when he was trying to, you know, those penalties that he didn't get in order to to kind of break this duck.
00:55:53
Speaker
he needs to He needs to start delivering, and I'm sure it will come. but ah because As his you know natural fitness looks better, he's you know he will stop he will hit his stride, but we can't sit here and pretend that that was a good performance by him, by any stretch of the imagination, because it absolutely wasn't. The midfield was great, Mikitani... First-world problems, eh? First-world problems. I wouldn't say it's first-world problems. Compared to Juventus and Milan, it's very, very much first-world problems. I don't know if it's first-world problems when your captain misses sitter after sitter after sitter and blimped up for no reason in the middle of the season last February and then in the beginning of this season. I wouldn't say that that is a concern. It's the fact that the rest of Inter
00:56:36
Speaker
are hitting their form, which is the saving grace. You can't keep counting on that. Sooner or later, if you squander chances, you're going to get bit in the butt. And and I just hope for him to say that he snaps out of it because he needs him. But Inzaghi afterwards was very clear that, you know, it' he's probably going to rotate. Bastoni was taken off as a precaution.
00:56:58
Speaker
No, it's it'ss it looks good for Inte in the sense that the system is working, whatever problems they seem to have in the beginning of the season, seem you know in terms of how sluggish they looked and tired they looked. That seems to be gone now, thankfully for Inte, from an Inte perspective. And they look to be hitting their stride, and they're and they're not really it doesn't really feel that they've hit full form just yet.
00:57:22
Speaker
And I think that's a good thing because December, January, February, that's when you need to go on this run that Atlanta are on now nine wins in a row. Like they need to win 10, 12, 15 games in a row from now until end of January, February. If they are to be involved in the Scudetto race, if they are to be, you know, win the super cop by, if they're going to go far in the cop, etc, etc. But.
00:57:46
Speaker
not it's the the positives are the fact that they created loads seemingly without breaking a sweat the positives are that they played their football in both phases seemingly without breaking much of a sweat the identity and clarity was there everyone looked good except for Lautaro however he does look physically fitter and fresher that's a positive as well yeah and also the fact that Inso's form since the Milan Derby is insane it's 1-11 drawn to and for all the concerns about the defence since the 4-4 against Juventus when that was really raised, Inter conceded two goals in seven games, and one of them was an own goal and the other was off a corner I believe.
00:58:33
Speaker
um um not if I'm not mistaken. So, yeah, um very, very good um and made Palmer look very, very simple. a Palmer team have actually been very, very dangerous against the bigger teams and this season, Juventus and Milan in particular. and So, but let's move on to Juventus now, who preserve their unbeaten record in Serie A, Un Bangula,
00:59:00
Speaker
scoring right at the death two minutes into injury time to to save UVA 2-2 coming back from two goals down.
Juventus' Struggles and Injury Crisis
00:59:08
Speaker
but um The bottom line is overall, it's ah it's another negative result for Juventus, who now fall, I mean, we can now absolutely for certain write off the Scudetto. I mean, i there's any doubt about that. um this' the you know They're way off the top. But but even though again, as we said with with Milan, Juventus really do have to be careful now with the with the with the top four.
00:59:34
Speaker
um you know if Fiorentina win their game in hand, there'll be seven points. I know their game in hand is against Inter, but the they you you know there'll be seven points off off the top four. um And and you know as I said for Milan, while we don't expect a Fiorentina or even a Lazio necessarily to continue the incredible starts to the season that they've made, if Milan and Juventus keep you know producing the results that they are, then by default, they're going to struggle to get in the top four. That's just basic fact based on the results that the and the performances. and so So yeah, it is concerning. It is concerning. um In this game, I thought Juventus were really poor for the most of this game. and Defended poor, which hasn't been the case this season. Locatelli and Rui on the first goal, dreadful defending.
01:00:30
Speaker
Locatelli and Gatti on the second goal, all for defending. um Defensively they they struggled. Gatti, he had a shocker here. Caloula was pretty poor. Rui, it's I can't criticise the guy because it's so obvious that he's nowhere near this level at this stage of his career. um I mean, hes you you saw that, ah but you can't blame him. He shouldn't be left, Juventus shouldn't be in a position that they're having to play Rui.
01:00:58
Speaker
um And, but not just the defence, the midfield was awful that it motivated the decision to to to bench to round, which I kind of understand because you've got, you know, yet need to rest, and but there isn't many options. Locatelli and Fagioli, my gosh, they they were bad um in this game. I mean, Bologna, until the Bologna first goal,
01:01:20
Speaker
Juventus were completely dominated in midfield, outplayed. Juventus couldn't get out at all. This wasn't like some of the other games we've had with Juventus where they've dominated possession but they've just been completely sterile. This was a game where Italiano for really until Juventus went for broke at 2-0 and tried to try to desperately rescue the game and managed to get their way back it and managed to somehow salvage a point. This is a game where Juventus are outplayed in terms of the football, in terms of the control of the game and the Italianas completely outcoached Motta in this game. um So it was it was very, very concerning um and like we said you said about Fonseca
01:02:05
Speaker
his comments at the end of the game i think the fact that motta got himself sent off ah guess totally that's an example of the that is ah that ah highlights that the pressure is is getting to to to motta um and i would expand on that the players, I didn't like the fact that the players were arguing, complaining at the ref. The ref was awful in this game, right? And there's no doubt about that. But if you're a big team, you can't, you know, winners, winning teams do not argue and moan and blame the referee, especially when they're for for relatively minor things like getting a yellow card or giving away a free kick in the middle of the pitch.
01:02:44
Speaker
They were moaning and arguing nonstop. They were losing their their heads over over these like minor fouls that they weren't getting. And that is not how a team, a winning team behaves. And that for me, that was that was very concerning as well. um I don't mind players complaining as long as they don't lose their concentration and focus. Yes, they did. And that' that shows to me that Juventus are under pressure.
01:03:14
Speaker
Again, to echo pretty much what we said about Milan, I'd say this is even worse. Because realistically, no one but the most ardent Milan fan believed Milan had a sprayer to win the Scioretto this season. However,
01:03:35
Speaker
Juventus spent a lot and they are out now in December out of the Scudetores earlier than last year with Allegri. That is utterly unacceptable. There is no painting, there's no perfumes or Any spin in the world that can change that fact that Juventus have already failed in the Serie A at an earlier stage than previous seasons under Allegri, especially last season, and that's just unacceptable. That is just not good enough. Whose fault that is? There's plenty of blame to go around.
01:04:15
Speaker
The injury situation, which is a joke now, can be us out again. God knows what is a month now. What is it? He's going to be gone. Oh, um well, as we were recording this on Sunday afternoon and the last I heard.
01:04:27
Speaker
that they were doing tests today, um so I don't know if anything's come out yet about how long he's going to be out for. so yeah i saw something I hope it's not a month otherwise because he's been Juventus' best player this season, so it's it's a total disaster. If Rui has to play another game ah left back then we we might as well just go home now. so um yeah is so yeah I think you're spot on, there's a lot of blame to go around. I want to continue because I think there's also Giuntoli. I want to, I think, not just because, not just what he did is,
01:05:03
Speaker
oh no, yeah, now I saw it, he's got some, he's got an ankle injury, Cambiaso. Yeah, well, yeah, we knew that, yeah. Yeah, nobody says they're going to monitor him, but Yeah, he's going to come back until he's not going to be out until 2025.
01:05:19
Speaker
um Christ almighty. When Giuntoli failed Juventus, not just this summer, but also the summer under Allegri, and the windows under Allegri, he didn't give him anything. Well, he was you veners were hammed I can't blame Giuntoli for the Allegri summer. Juventus were completely hamstrung, they were butchered by by the yeah the ban in Europe. There's nothing, nuclear but there's nothing like but he couldn't do anything in that summer. yeah There was nothing he could do. So I don't blame him there. No, well, he couldn't do anything. He didn't do anything.
01:05:48
Speaker
And and the and and he didn't you know when it was clearly obvious that Allegri was going to leave at the end of that season, it was obvious to everybody. And and that's why Allegri reacted the way he did. He felt disrespected, right? So everybody knew this. And yet there were no real preparation done. That entire year is just a wasted year. Nothing was done to prepare for Tiago Motta coming. And when Tiago Motta came, if you remember last summer, a lot of things were done really late as well.
01:06:16
Speaker
um we i think they did they did prepare but they they they did do the preparations like the ku miners deal was done months was prepared months in advance they just couldn't get the funds they couldn't get the offload the players in time we an offload play at some players you know you you know i think listen i think the mistake that that jucily made was the squad wasn't big enough. So as soon as they started, I don't care, the injury situation is separate, I'll come to that. As soon as the event has started to get these injuries, and of course there's way too many injuries than could anybody could possibly thought that you can prepare a squiffer to deal with this many injuries. any Any team would struggle when you've got more than half, you've got half your squad injured. Of course, any squad's gonna struggle. But they were still, even regardless of the injuries, they were still too thin. And that is, you know,
01:07:08
Speaker
to go into the season, for example, with only one fit striker, that's on Gently. You know, because we everybody knew that Millik was going to be out for half a season. You can't go with just one one striker into the into the season. they were they were one They were short on one winger as well. They tried to bring in Sancho. When that hap didn't happen, they just didn't bother bringing anyone else. So they were short on a winger um as well. They were fine at Centre midfield, but obviously the injuries and the the inexplicable form of of some of the bad form of the sign-ins. Defense, they were too short. There's no doubt that they tried to sign Toddebo and Kalafuri before, and then when they didn't get them, they just got Kalulu and they didn't bring anyone else in. So they were left short, probably one or two men in defense short. So I think that's the biggest criticism on Junzli is that he he didn't get he didn't bring in enough numbers.
01:08:01
Speaker
um and the one criticism that i've made and i've i've been i have to have to say i've been proven 100 right on this i was very very critical of the decision to sign because i understand that that jinsey only had so much budget to play with and in some ways he's done a very good job at getting all the high earners off on on cutting the salary the wage bill down massively. He'd done very, very well on that. And I understand that he only had so much budget to play with and it wasn't easy um to to to do all the business that he was trying to revolutionize the squad with but the budget he had to play with. I mean, you're going to spend a lot of money, but their net spend is only around about 50, just over 50 million. So it's not like they went out and spent a crazy net spend. you know they They spent a hell of a lot of money, gross-wise, but when you when you when you take the
01:08:50
Speaker
when you when you cut off and especially when you then do the amortization with the wage bill and everything he's actually does the spending actually hasn't been that high um but it wasn't easy to do that juggling but where i'm very very critical of is the decision to sign d click oreo i will make i said it the the then the minute they bought him i think it was a big big mistake because that they spent $20 million on De Gregorio, right? That should have been, if they weren really, really wanted to sign De Gregorio, they should have booked it for next year. If were they were that desperate to sign him, they should have booked it for next year. There was no need to spend $20 million on De Gregorio now when he had Chesney already for one more year. And in the end, they they got rid of Chesney and they had to give him a payoff for him to go. I don't know how much it was, but they had to pay him off. So it wasn't like he went for free. They already had Perin.
01:09:37
Speaker
who's actually become the first choice goalkeeper in the last few games. He played again at the weekend. Perrin's clearly good enough to to to do to do a to do what they wanted to have him for one season. They should have gone with Chesney and Perrin just for this one season, or if they really wanted to get Chesney off the books, get rid of Chesney, have Perrin as your number one, and bring in someone for cheap.
01:09:57
Speaker
for for for a season as you as as yeah as your backup goalkeeper, that would have been absolutely fine. Spend that 20 million on bringing in a player for your outfield, which you need, or even bringing in two players. That was a big, big mistake. from good That is where I'm most critical. that yes money but mean you That's absolutely part of it. I mean, it's it's all of that. and also and that's not By the way, can i just just to specify, just just so that no one has a go, that's not me saying that I don't like Gregoria. I think he's good. I think he's actually done quite well for Juventus and I think he's going to be a good goalkeeper for Juventus.
01:10:29
Speaker
you but that that they needed to see they needed to understand what the priorities were. And by signing through Gregorio, it meant that they they they went short in the outfield, in certain areas of the field, and that has hurt them more when now, during the season, with with a lack of squad and with all these injuries. So that's where I blame Juntzli the most. Yeah, no, without a doubt. um it's it's It's that, but you know to continue what I said, that The injuries juntoli and for for everything you said, and and and also we have to talk about Yagomota. He has so far failed to create ah to to at YUVA. I mean, we're talking about a YUVA, okay, they haven't lost. That's great. And that's always important. And draw ventus and all that, paregentus and all that that everyone's joking about. But at the same time,
01:11:25
Speaker
When you create 0.48 in the first half against Bologna at home, um you have one chance really, which Vlauvic again squanders. Well, Fagioli missed the Sia, to be fair, in that first half. That was the big chance, the Fagioli one, which he put over. But yeah, not not good enough. Again, under one XG in total, of this game.
01:11:47
Speaker
you know it's not it's no it's not good enough It's not good enough and and it's it's not just this game, it's over and over and over again this this season. and they they just It's like I said, they it looks really nice.
01:12:03
Speaker
went as soon as they reached just outside the penalty not in this game though in general yes in general this season yes not in this game no ideas this game was horrible even from that even from that aspect it's horrible it was but yeah it was also this is also on motta and he you know again I've been told for the last four years that Chiesa was destroyed because of Allegri. Well, Federico Chiesa now plays with the cop kids. He's the star of the cop kids. He plays with children in Liverpool. He doesn't even play with the second team. He plays with literal teenagers. That's Federico Chiesa.
01:12:42
Speaker
ah like we destroyed them wow the first half of the sit and let you have but less or way no no i i've got come back on that just before you move on ah legweed destroyed caseys in the first half after season did not the first half of the first season Federico Chiesa's career was ruined by the injury. It had nothing to do with Max Ali. He is literally playing with teenagers in Liverpool. yeah That is not on the first half of his first of cop kids not's what nima the first time you know this because we we spoke about on the pod numerous times the first half of of his first season and under
01:13:15
Speaker
under Allegri case it was a total disaster under under under Allegri before his ACL when he was playing him at right wing back you know so let's not forget that as well he didn't play him all the time at right wing back he played him a couple of games there but he also said that he wanted to play him as a second striker and he refused to play there and said he hates playing and he wants to play he played him at right i mean and yeah and and And the result of that has happened, what? Well, now he's the star of Cop Kids. He's not even part of the first team. He plays with children in Liverpool. That's not Allegry's fault. Then you have Dusan Vlawic, who, if you go on social media, Juventus fans are now, for 2024 alone, doing... ah video compilations of his misses, which are three, four, five minutes long, of Vlawic missing sitters. That's not Vlawic, that's the, that's that was also his But it's not, this is what I'm saying. Tiago Mota has been given more backing, has been given pretty much everything he needed, and he's failed so far. Allegli was not backed.
01:14:10
Speaker
So I think we should... Well, Allegri wasn't back... No, he wasn't back last season. He was back in the second season. He was back. We cannot say he wasn't back. Look at... He got everything he wanted. Every single sign in that Allegri asked for in his second season. He asked for... He got Pogba. He got Di Maria. He got Paredes. Every single player he asked for, he got. He wanted ready-made development. He got everything he wanted. He did not get everything he wanted. And the very idea that you're looking for Pogba... Okay, I'm making it up. He did it. he named the three players he wanted were Pogba, Di Maria, Peredis. They were the three players he got all of them. He even said after that that he got the players that he wanted in the transfer market. So he got what he wanted that season. Last season he did it but that was because of the not getting in Europe and there was nothing that could be done. But also if you look at his entire tenure all I heard for the three years he was there was
01:14:57
Speaker
how what a disaster he is, how horrible he is. He was a disaster but that doesn't change the fact that he was a disaster is irrelevant. Moza's struggle is irrelevant. Thiago Mota has been a cluster f of a disaster so far at Juve despite being back 10,000 times more than Allegri was in three years and all I'm hearing is Allegri was horrible, Allegri was horrible. Allegri was horrible, that doesn't change. Allegri finished not for every single season. He won a trophy. Thiago Mota is is not in the top four now, he's creating less than that and he's got a much better squad than Allegri ever had. No, no, no, no, no, the fact of the matter is, the fact of the matter is that Lotus also had half of his squad available, you can't sense being back. And Max Allegri had a club that didn't exist because they did a bunch of nonsense which forced them to resign. So what's the point? No, the point The point is that a lot of struggles doesn't make Allegri good. No it does, it means maybe the problem at Juventus has had nothing to do with Allegri as such but it's everything to do with a club who's in complete turmoil, who has no idea what they're doing and they haven't had an idea what they're doing pretty much since Marota left.
01:16:12
Speaker
That's the point. And he has got absolutely F all to do with with Max Alegli, who despite in the face of unbelievable problems, created and the delivered good results. Whilst Thiago Mota, who is is is was backed fully, has delivered worse results. and does that I was nuanced then. I'm nuanced now. I'm saying Mota still needs time. You can't just give up the project.
01:16:38
Speaker
completely, but at one standard we'll do just fine. If we're going to crucify Allegri as being this, that and the other, the same standard should apply when we look at Thiago Motta, who is failing. I agree with you, I agree with you, but but that number but the same goes the other way. You can't say just because Motta is struggling right now that suddenly Allegri did well, when when everybody that watched Allegri for three years could see could tell you that he was a diser he was that he was horrific.
01:17:00
Speaker
and everyone was absolutely horrific so that doesn't change any understand that the reason why allegri failed those years was because of a eventus incomplete turmoil theentists are not in complete turmoil anymore now they have a new management in place and management that is making mistakes but it's incomparable to compare this Juventus with the one that Allegri inherited after the Cristiano Ronaldo debacle. It's just not even remotely comparable. And if you take all the ah all the factors into into consideration, you see that actually Allegri did pretty okay. It wasn't that bad. The problem then comes that when you start investing, Douglas Luis, 60 million, complete flop. Cook Miners finally scores a
01:17:37
Speaker
but he's hardly been nima there's been there's been there's been circumstances to both the struggles of allegory and motto if you want a nuanced take there's been circumstances now we can talk about him being back to more in the transfer market this this summer in terms of trying in terms of trying to build something for the future, absolutely, no doubt about it. But when when you have nine of those players unavailable for the last month and a half, then that is a circumstance, a huge circumstance, which you can't say our motto's got all the players that you want. He hasn't had them. They've all been injured, most of them. you know So so you know there's circumstances. It's not just one or the other.
Criticism of Italian Coaching Methods
01:18:12
Speaker
And I agree with you. For those ah for those that that said it was all allegory,
01:18:16
Speaker
Well, it's been shown it wasn't all allegory, but also the same goes the other way, Nimr. The same goes to the idiots that are all pining for allegory to come back, thinking if allegory was in charge, that suddenly it all would be okay. It wouldn't be all okay. It would be the same as it same as as it was. So, you know, there's this's you got if you want to talk about nuance, you've got to go both ways on both on both sides. um that's the that's the that's the that's the way If I want to blame Mota on something about the injuries and say that he's actually contributed to the injuries, I've been speaking to sources.
01:18:45
Speaker
at Juventus, actually. And I've been told by a number of sources that Juventus players are not happy with Thiago Motta's training sessions, that they're too intense, that he's making no exceptions or changes based on if there are multiple games in a week or if players are coming back from international duty. And that a number of the players believe that this is this is contributing greatly to their to their to their to their injury crisis. Now, if I want to criticise Motta,
01:19:14
Speaker
if this is true, and um this comes from more than one source, if this is true, then yes, this is where you start criticising, we definitely start criticising, because he's directly contributing to this injury crisis. um And, you know, McKinney, I've been told that McKinney came back from international duty. And as soon as he stepped off the plane,
01:19:34
Speaker
the same day or the day after, he was put into a highly intense training session and then he got injured straight away because he wasn't, you know, he was overloaded. And the motto, there's been criticism that motto is treating the eventers like Bologna in the sense that Bologna were playing once a week, last week, and ah last season, sorry, and and that um the Allegri is, i'm sorry, that um that this season the eventers are playing and you know twice a week and that you know you have to tailor your your your training regimes and your intensity of your training sessions and the number of your training sessions and and how you train the players and the rest that you give the players when you're playing more. um So this is what I've been told.
01:20:13
Speaker
you know and think yeah and i i don't want to blame it all amater because again i've been following you venus for years and i know during the alleris time injuries were also they were never as bad as this i mean this is off the chart this is this is an absolute scandal what's going on and again coming back to motta needs to be taken into account you know look at the events of scene that played against bologna i mean dan low who's completely finished ruey who's who's a setier cheap player Yeah, I we don't know what level player is is not ready at this level no he's not Exactly, that's the point. and gasy yeah like Timothy Weyer, you know, Fagioli, these are the level of players we're talking about here. So, you know, these kind of things need to be taken into account. But if Motta motta also, he needs to he needs to look at himself and realise, well, you know,
01:20:59
Speaker
We're playing twice a week. I need to, you know, I can't do things exactly how I how i want to do them. and But I think this is an Italian problem as well. I think Italian, I've said it many times, all the coaches I've been to, Italian coaching in terms of training the players physically, it's completely outdated.
01:21:14
Speaker
um Is too intense. They run plays into the ground starting from preseason into the matches And that is why the seriei is that is the worst league in Europe foot for injuries for ACLs We had another ACL by the way at the weekend. ah It looks like ah gaspar for let's say it's because that we're not we're Over we're we're we're exhausting our players and we're training them too hard um so you know, this is what I've been told um and It would make sense. So I think if this is this is if this is the case No, i if if that was the case it would make sense, but it could also be a way by people at Juventus trying to protect their own asses by blaming it on Mota and saying that it's and you know the the reason we have such an injury crisis because of his training methods as opposed to
01:21:59
Speaker
the the staff that work with with the health and to monitor players' health and and
Juventus: Comparing Allegri and Motta's Tenures
01:22:04
Speaker
so on and so forth. they yeah it could be so i don't i don't i'm not you know i don't I take that with a pinch of salt. I do, however, think that, yes, Mota is to blame for this as well, because, again, it's not just him. It's all it's it's all of the above. How much ah how much portion percentage to blame, most 30%, 40%, 20%. That's a separate debate. But the fact of the matter is that Juventus today in December 2024 are way off worse with a better team than Allegri had last season. And those are just the facts.
01:22:38
Speaker
and injury wise they're also far worse and Allegri was also mocked for the way he prepared players. I'm just saying my nuanced position on this is I'm not giving up on their motta project but it would be completely, in fact I think he should be given more time, I think Giuntoli should be given more of the blame for not doing properly in in neither window neither last summer or this summer or any of the or any of the windows that he's been at Juventus to be perfectly honest.
01:23:04
Speaker
and so we should give him time and it takes time to grow and all these things but the fact of the matter is the way that Allegri was shat on for three and a half years for three years continuously and Mota being given a pass despite being given more funds i don't think he's been given a pass who's given him a pass nobody's giving you are you're literally giving him a pass i'm giving him a pass compared to allegri you're giving him a pass which i think is just rid ridiculous am i I thought I've said something completely different for the last month, where I've been criticising Mota continuously for a month. I'm saying it's simple that, because Mota is struggling with Juventus, does not change anything, because the fact that Allegri was horrific for Juventus for three years. That's what I'm saying. If that's given Mota a pass, then I don't see how that is given Mota a pass, because I'm literally saying... If Allegri had spent as much... No, I'm saying Allegri got everything that he wanted in the second season, which is plain fact. He even said it himself. He even said it himself. So you have a sporting director that doesn't even see a problem with the fact that you bring in Paredes and Pogba and that was Allegri's demands.
01:24:12
Speaker
So you could break Allegri took over the transfer. Allegri was in charge of transfers that second summer. Jose Mourinho demanded Frank Lampard and Ricardo Carvalho at Inter but Inter said no. they got Instead they got um they got ah Lucio and Wesley Snyder and they won the treble. like this is the This is why you have a sporting director. Someone who understands the dynamics and the finances of it and can bring the coach on board. Juventus have not had a proper sporting director for years. They have Giuntoli, who's obviously failed since he's been there, because look at the state of Juventus now on the squad. So that's what I'm saying. it's There's plenty of blame to go around. There's plenty of blame to go around. Juventus were bad under Allegri. They're bad. Well, they are. They are. They are. There is hope for the future. That's all I'm saying, that there is. Yeah, which is why I'd much rather be as the Juventus fan, much rather be in the position you went to sorry now than under a leg. And the leg, there was no hope. It was just going to be like this forever with no not building towards anything. And that's exactly what I mean about giving what a pass. No. I'm not talking about Monter, I'm talking about the whole project here as well. I'm not talking just about Monter. There was no project under Allegri because there was no so no club under Allegri. That's the point I'm making and that's where we disagree. I think that Allegri was very poorly treated and I think that he this is redemption for him. Allegri had no no no intention himself of building a project, which is why when he which is why he didn't. That's why he demanded established players in like a 34-year-old di Maria and a clearly pasted Pogba and a Paredes and it's taken some out. If an actual sporting director was there to create a project and and unite, he would he would not have been in that position. But Juventus, like I said, there was nothing there. And so they had to just bring in something to make him happy. Again, you work you work as a team. It's not just one manager. This isn't football from the 80s anymore. You have to have a team behind you with a clear project, with a clear identity. Allegri was sold to the wind.
01:26:06
Speaker
just left alone here, like we just make this work for a couple of years while we balance the books and then bring someone to replace you. Oh, in the meantime, you're going to be hung out to dry every week in the media. Like, no, it's it's it's this. He was treated poorly. And I think it's it's not fair to to to to crucify him the way that he was, especially when he when it's worse now, the results are worse now. The injuries are worse now. People keep on. now And the position of Juventus in the league is far worse.
01:26:34
Speaker
Well, people keep going on about them being nine points worse off now than they were under a leg we had last season. But that's not how you look at it. You look at it over the course of the season. After 15 games, we can't make comparisons. Well, no, because the well, if we're going to do that, then we can we'll compare the second half of Mota's season. Absolutely. But I don't have leg we had one of the worst second half leg. We had one of the worst second half of the season in the history of the first season.
01:26:59
Speaker
He won't perform them. No, forget about the points in the first half of the season. The points just in the second half of the season were one of the worst second-halves of the season points-wise in the history events. It's irrelevant how he did in the first half of the season. I'm talking about the points. Look at the points in the second half of the season last season. It was one of the worst points in history events. I do not know the future. I don't have a crystal ball. I have no idea. If I did, I would play the lottery every week. I have no bloody idea what's going to happen in the future, right? If I could accurately predict it, then I would, like I said, I play the lottery. I play Toto Calcio every week. But no. So what I'm saying is the only comparison we can make is what
01:27:40
Speaker
based on the results we have and after 15 games with Mota these are the results compared to last season after 15 games that's what and that's the comparison we're making and that's the only one we can do well we can but i think i don't think it's relevant when you when you look at the same course it's relevant which not because you look at the second half of the points Compare the points per game last season. Allegri last season, I've just worked it out, points per game, 1.86, for Mota, 1.8. Finish the season with 71 points and Mota right now will finish on 68 points. So three points less than Allegri. So Allegri's got three more points over the course of the season. So he's doing a little bit. So far, you know so far but again, like again i don't i don't that those predictions are irrelevant. I'm talking about the actual measurable quantifiable results that we have up until this point.
01:28:30
Speaker
the when we get to match day 35 36 38 then we can compare them overall but right now as of things are Tiago Mota has been back far more than Allegri and he's delivered far more results. And those are just the facts. Those are just the empirical facts. Now, why that is, it's a completely different discussion, which we've already covered. My issue is Allegri was very poorly treated. And I think it it was poorly respected, disrespected. And I think this is redemption for him. And it just goes to show that it wasn't it's not that easy at a club like you to have to handle everything, especially when you have a sporting director that from the minute he took over was obvious. He didn't want you there.
01:29:07
Speaker
with Giuntoli. Everybody knew that Allegri was going to leave as soon as Giuntoli was appointed. We all did that. and and And they did nothing for it. So I blame Giuntoli more. Now, this is it salvageable? Of course it is. I remember Marotta when he took over Juve first and how severely criticized. I mean, I've got this thing. I have a very good memory. I remember how Juventus fans were slaughtering Marotta in the beginning when he came to Juve.
01:29:31
Speaker
when he appointed del Neri, when they failed, and and and everything that happened in the beginning. It took some time for him to learn the ropes. I'm sure Giuntoli will learn the ropes. because But they finished seventh in his first season. Yeah, he did. so but But Marotta did. But like I said, Marotta, because he he was given time, he he got into it. Giuntoli has a better CV at that age than Marotta did, so I have no doubts that he will probably turn the ship around. But the fact of the matter is, at that moment in time, Marotta was severely criticized, and you were severely criticized, and they should be the same the same same standard should apply now. That's it. Yeah. Well, listen, it was always it was never going to be a panacea. It was impossible. There are too many changes, too many players brought in and revolutionized in in in one summer. The youngest squad in in Syria, which you can maybe criticize gently for, maybe. You can say maybe they to maybe they've got too many young players. OK.
01:30:22
Speaker
But the point is that Juventus were never going to be a title challenger, you know, at the start. No, no, no, no, no. They had to be. You can't sit and tell me that you net spend that much and you're not. time They haven't net spend that much. It's net spent about 50 million. nimma There's not that much. Which is quite a lot by Serie R standard. You can't lets literally sit and tell me that. But it's not even it's a net spend on transfer fees. If you look at the wage bill, the wage bill has gone down massively. So it's not even really a 50 million net spend if you amortise it over the over the years. You know, if we're playing championship manager, yes, we can say it's 50 million net spend. I'm talking about.
01:30:50
Speaker
you know so it's not it's not really they haven't actually spent that much they have yet spent 50 million on transfer fees on transfers yes but no no no no no no that's what they have in players in versus players out in transfer fees yeah and the salary bills gone down massively yeah but that's that's a separate debate they have arguably strengthened the squad the results are not good enough that's just the fact that it's true that is true but again circumstances you know you you you look at the squad you've got half your squad out it's not easy It's not easy. That needs to be taken into a account. Plus, there were gaps. You can't say that there wasn't gaps that that in the squad. Again, you can blame that. You can also say it's unrealistic. You can also say it's unrealistic to to expect Juventus to change their entire squad in one summer, especially with the limits of the budget. but i do But I don't think it's unrealistic to expect Juventus to not fall from the title race on December 8th. That is not unrealistic. That is is just poor. And that's the point I'm making.
01:31:48
Speaker
I think that's fair. I do think that's fair. but you know and and you know i've been I've been critical of Motta a lot. and and I was the first person to talk about his weaknesses before anybody else, when everybody was saying that that that Motta was going to bring back the beautiful champagne football. Before anyone else, I was still talking about his weaknesses. They weren't watching Bologna. properly Yeah, I but before anybody else. So so when you start saying, sorry, no, no offense, then when you start saying bullshit, I'm giving that i'm that I'm giving him a pass. You know, that's not true. him i say um no but So don' don't start. Allegry delivered these results. You'd be you'd be hunger striking outside of the Italian embassy in London with a fatwa against Allegry. So that's the difference. That's what I'm saying.
01:32:27
Speaker
Well, I think I've been pretty harsh on Motta. And again, you you can't solve it. Don't bullshit me. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be sitting here, you know, I'd be doing what the English journalists do and and not saying that Motta was potentially to blame for the injury crisis. I'd be keeping that quiet because I don't give a shit, you know. So the the point is that at the moment, Juventus are struggling and and if they don't, you know, start turning this around, they're going to they are going to struggle for top four as well, just like Milan.
Juventus and Milan's Top Four Prospects
01:32:57
Speaker
i actually yeah they are they are this is this is it i think right now we can i think we can say pretty much is I think we can say with certainty now that one of Milano Juventus are going to miss out on top four. I think so too because I don't see Napoli collapsing. I certainly don't see Inter and Atalanta collapsing out of the top four. So I think yes, I think one of them will miss it and it's going to be a disaster for either one that does it. Personally, I think Juventus are in a better position to finish in the top four than Milan is.
01:33:22
Speaker
um But again, remains to be seen. Could change those, like if if Milan change manager, you know, and bring someone someone better in, like could resurrect that. But again, within when do they do that? Is there enough time and so on and so forth? But yeah.
01:33:37
Speaker
We'll see. but i still want I do want to praise Boulogne though because um um just quickly and Doy um I've said for a long time that as soon as he starts scoring more goals we have a ah really potentially top level player and and second game in a row now he scored, he scored two last week. He also hit the post early in this game and he destroyed Rui. I felt a bit sorry for Rui to be honest because he he was so so out of his depth and and he's a kid he shouldn't be in the situation to begin with no he shouldn't but i haven't said that though like i mean you lose cabal to an acl then you lose cambiaso i mean really third choice left back i mean okay maybe what maybe they should have a third choice left back but i mean it's also
01:34:22
Speaker
It's a bit circumstances, isn't it? How can you, how can you, how can you expect that to happen? You can't prepare for three ACLs, like you just can't, like no one can. It's, it's not, you know, injuries is one thing, but two, three ACLs is just, that's ridiculous. Yeah. Uh, Castro and Pobega.
01:34:40
Speaker
interesting player Castro for his age. It's been confirmed that Inter are interested. That back heel flick was absolutely stunning. It was brainless defending by Gatti to go out to him. I don't know why he went charging out there. I just hold your position, but that's kind of what Italiano is good at. They're good at dragging players out of a position like that.
01:35:02
Speaker
It was a great finish as well from Pobeka. Dinked finish. They were both excellent. But the player that really stood out for me was Bukema. Sam Bukema, the centre-back. A really interesting player. Dominated Vlaovec, really, for most of the game. and But he's not just a good defender. He's very, very good on the ball as well, like his range of passing, long passing, cross-field passes. Big teams are looking at him, including Juventus, apparently.
01:35:29
Speaker
um I like him. I really, really like him. becamemer So I think he's one. He's another. now But on here again, I've got got some, they've got some good players that are going to going to join big clubs. I think. Yeah, I think so. I think Santero Castro is the one that we're looking at because he's doing really, really well.
01:35:45
Speaker
He's only 20 years old. you know This is his first season. it's um yeah It would be cool to see if if Italiano can do something with him. He's an interesting player. I want to praise Italiano and then criticise him at the end, but I praise Italiano. He out coached Motta in this game.
01:36:03
Speaker
And this is the first time that motto hasn't been out coached really this season apart from the Stuttgart game against owners He hasn't been that that isn't one criticism that you can have a motto. He hasn't been out coached. He's just been sterile offensively um He's always been that generally events have been the team in control of games They've never really been, you know tactically outcoached and opened up and apart from that Stuttgart game and then this game and this game he was He outcoached Motter and that was very, very impressive, but he let himself down um at 2-1, you know.
01:36:38
Speaker
They should have just, again, that this is where Mitaliano lets himself down. you know Why are they pushing forward at 2-1 in injury trying? And then they lose the ball. And like Juventus did against Letche earlier in the week, they're pushing forward with numbers, they lose it, and then Juventus have got an extra men going forward. They counter Blauwitsch cuts it back to Mbangoula. It was a great goal for Mbangoula, fantastic goal. but you just can't do that. So, I mean, that's where Italiano lets him down because other than that, I thought he outcoached Motta in this game. I don't know. Agreed. I think especially in terms of how impressing he had Motta's number. And I think lots of people are looking at that and going, hmm, is that how you do it? But no. Yeah, they couldn't get out. They couldn't. Yeah, they couldn't get out. And I think if we're talking like Bologna, we're unlucky too. I mean, they had more than enough chances to kill off this game.
01:37:35
Speaker
But no, look, it's Italiano and his Bologna, I think, are this is their level. I don't i don't see them. They're on the table side. They have some interesting players. you know It's going to look like this. They don't really have a proper goal scorer. Ndoy is probably going to be the next one that they sell, big money transfer and so on. So we'll see.
01:38:00
Speaker
Yeah, I'm i'm just a bit disappointed. They're actually, to be honest with you, considering all the sales they've done, that they're actually doing pretty well in Syria. They're actually, they're just beloved. In fact, if they'd have won this game against Juventus, they hadn't conceded that late goal. I think, if I'm not mistaken, I'm just going to check the table now, if they'd then won their game in hand, so they would have gone up to 24, Juventus would have sort of been on 24. Yeah, if they'd have won their game in hand, they would actually would have gone above Juventus.
01:38:27
Speaker
and they would have been above Milan as well. so they would have been but If they hadn't have conceded that late goal, they would have been ah the game in hand away from going going above Milan in Juventus. In fact, they would have been above you in Milan already. so yeah what yeah so you They're level with Milan, actually, right now. in me two point so They're actually in Serie A, they're doing well. It's just in Europe that they they really disappoint, which we shouldn't be surprised by because, obviously, inexperienced and they lack the quality. But I would have expected more than one point, to be honest. I think that is ah that is a bit of a failure from Italian to only have one point. you know I'm not saying they should qualify, but...
01:39:01
Speaker
three or four points. It seems like he can't, like we've seen this in Fiorentina as well. He failed in the league for all the years he was there, but he did decently in the cups. He got to two conference league finals. Other way around now. Yeah, it's the other way around now. It's crazy. Roma though, they get their first win under Claudio Ranieri against Lecce, dominant win, 4-1. They create countless chances.
01:39:28
Speaker
they They probably could have scored double the amount of goals that they scored. Sellemaker's probably should have had trick. He scored his first goal for Roma. They were good. I was impressed by Roma. I mean, Lecce are a terrible team and makes me feel even worse about how the hell Juventus can't beat this Lecce team. They are so bad.
01:39:48
Speaker
um But for me, yeah I mean, I don't want to piss on Roma's parade here, because I think this was an important win for them to calm down. And, you know, they played the three, four, one, two. Di Bala was good. Paredes was good. Hummelz was excellent. You know, the the players you mentioned. Hummelz was fantastic. Yeah. Esharavi was great. as alex Alexis Salomekis. But then you look at the bench of unused subs. Enso Lefé, Bal Dansi, Pellegrini Sule.
01:40:17
Speaker
angio and soelalll you know these are players they sign most of them this so like this summer or the like within the last 12 months, except for Pellegrini.
01:40:27
Speaker
that's not a you know that that's that's That's problematic. I think in the sense that you can't even against lecture get them. Well, this is a write off. We know that, don't we? So, um unfortunately, it's a write off. It's just it is what it is. It's scored, which I thought was good for them. So that's positive. Well, you know, it's it's nice to see Roma continue to play the youngster. I think what Raniemi has done well is is that he's tried to create a team and a team that plays like men that stand up to be counted for that are going to be
01:41:00
Speaker
you know they're not going to be pushovers and we see that that that he's trying to create a team that work hard, that they're organized, competitive, they've got good team spirit, they're physical and you can see that in the players that he and the players that he he plays in terms of their characteristics, even physically, like the three big centre backs, imposing centre backs, Hummels, Mancini scored a header, Undikar, you know, their leaders. Hummels, I think, is raised having not got a look in before, is really turning into a leader um for Roma now.
01:41:33
Speaker
and Conay in mid-fear. Conay's been the one. I really like Conay. He's fantastic. He's fantastic. He's been the the one success story from the summer market. I really like him. I love the kind of feel that he is and the way that he... I love his physicality, but I also like his technique. I like his shooting. I really i enjoy him. I enjoy watching him play. I really do. He's quality. He is quality. yeah So far he's been anyway. He's been very good. He is. He is.
01:41:59
Speaker
so So yeah, I mean, it's a win. um They've got Colmaugh and Palmer next before Milan in Serie A, so they need to win these two games and then they can you know try and move up the table before that lot big game to close 2024.
01:42:14
Speaker
is um yeah is so But first they got Braga in the Europa League, which which they need to win as well. yeah yeah And then they got Como away, then they got Santori in the Copa and then they got Parma before before they got Milan and then Lazio the Derby early in 2025, which is going to be a cracker. Yeah, always is, but especially now with andi the battle for midtable yeah can i i say that yeah but i mean that's that's pretty much how it's been but lats you are not midtable they're fifth
01:42:45
Speaker
oh no no sorry out before you said milan talking about over milla and but yeah lazo no no i was talking about the milla hary the de be de la apitale and in early january which is going to be very, very spicy affair. Yeah, for sure. Fiorentina calorie. So Fiorentina win one nil, Cataldi with the winner. Fiorentina's hero, Cataldi, in many ways than one.
01:43:08
Speaker
yes absolutely yeah yeah quite fitting after after he uh helped to to save the life of Eduardo Bove last week who Bove will talk about in a minute but um Fiorentina's form now eighth win in a row in in Serie A it's insane that they joined i mean first of all can i say they didn't play well in this game um they didn't even they didn't deserve to win this game um to be honest they had a 0.25 xg if Cataldi's goal was a bit of a bit of a really individual, fantastic strike from outside the area. I think Callery deserved a draw in this game. But again, like a bit like Atavana Fiorentina showed that they can win scoring lots of goals as they have done recently, but they can also, you know, win kind of playing ugly and and just defending and being compact. And, you know, not only can I just say, yeah, just to finish them up that not only have they won these eight games in a row during this eight game run, they've only conceded three goals so that they've shown that defensively they're actually
01:44:04
Speaker
Quite solid. Very, and I'm really impressed with what Paladino's doing. I like that he has shown that he understands what he's grown with the task, as we say in Sweden, um from Monza to Fiorentina. We knew and already at Monza that he can organize attack. He has very interesting movement you know attacking patterns.
01:44:27
Speaker
But when you get further up the pyramid you go, it becomes more and more and interesting and and the task becomes more difficult whether or not you are able to actually sort out the defence and score and win and grind out results. I mean, that's that's what a winner makes. um and And he's, you know, eight wins in the Serie A in a row is very impressive.
01:44:51
Speaker
and not conceding very much either. and And to grind out results despite a difficult, you know, ah you know shocking week. I mean, again, Fiorentina with a medical emergency, you know, it's, you know, this this is a club that has been very, very unlucky with these things in recent years. And to be able to focus the squad after being knocked out in the, you know, on penalties in midweek in the Copa Italia to kind of you know, turn it around is is impressive, I think. And to be able to deliver and get back to winning ways and not concede and, you know, night it was it was impressive. It's impressive. Paladino is doing a very good job and people need to not sleep on Fiorentina. I think they're going to cause teams quite a bit of problems this season. Top teams. Yeah, I mean, they the they're very fit. They look very, very well physically conditioned, a bit like Atalanta.
01:45:45
Speaker
um And yeah, apparently one of the doctors of the Fiorentina team is Nigolo Gori. who was the doctor from the Italian cycling Federation between 2017 and 2020, which was the period, ah which was called the, the it's got a special name in Italian, like the the the that the Italian and cycling of miracles or the era of miracles or so something like that. Basically it was a kind of a bit of a golden period for cycling and he's working for them. So I'm sure that he's, what, why are you laughing? don't put words in my mouth now in and he's got them he's definitely he's definitely going to be he definitely knows a few tricks like to get well there we go we because see this is what i knew you were moving towards you you started laughing that's why i started laughing exactly because i know you i know he's a bit of a bands play figure at puritina let's say that lucky
01:46:43
Speaker
is those said he's a bit of a bangs bow figure. at fear oh there we go There we go. No, but they do look physically very well conditioned. Atalanta, I should have said it before, atalanta look incredibly well physically conditioned this season. like it's um um It's unbelievable how good they look physically. um and That makes a big difference you know in games. i mean like Again, coming back, I don't want to keep bringing it back to Juventus, but Juventus look so flat They don't have that intensity, which they had in the first month of the season when your mentors were really good, pressing really well, smothering teams, not letting them out. Inventors don't seem to be able to do that because
01:47:20
Speaker
physically, they're not in the same condition they were for for one reason or another, including the injuries. Whereas, Fiorentina, Atalanta, these two teams in particular, they look physically, they look so good. you know Even Lazio, I think, physically look really, really well conditioned at the moment. It makes a difference. you know and and And yeah, so Fiorentina are looking great, but you know on the defense, I have to, I watch the game um against Callery and Komutso, he's really turning into a, I'm really looking forward to seeing this guy's development because he's really turning into a commanding centre back. He's a big physical specimen. and I like him. he's he's He's a real monster in the air, like he either tacks the ball and he's commanding and he makes the ball his own and and he
01:48:09
Speaker
and yeah he's a real he has a presence yeah he's intimidating you know and so young yeah what is it 19 i think yes i mean young defenders usually nowadays don't ginger as well i mean how many who's the greatest ginger italian footballer that we've had beyondini is the one that comes up to mind he played for italy one time as well actually beyondini but i mean apollone he was he was he was ginger he was a good player in the in the 90s for parma What other ones have we had? Ginger, Italian also. If you're listening guys, ginger footballers. Who's the best Italian ones? Italian ginger footballers. In line-up of Italian gingers, the best one you can find. Yeah, he's really... But Fiorentina's defence actually is really good because, I mean, Gosens' left back has been... He's got to be one of the better left backs of Serie A, Gosens. And Dodo has really pushed on. He's definitely one of the best right backs in the league, Dodo. Really like him.
01:49:07
Speaker
going forward. He's always a danger. um And De Gea in goal has been you know so good. So it's weird, isn't it? like Defensively, Fiorencina are actually really, really good.
01:49:20
Speaker
No. they What a turnaround. It is, it is. Yeah, it is. and And I'm impressed, like I said, about Paladino. I'm really, really impressed with him. I think he's doing a fantastic job. And it's easy, surprising. He's surprising me. I was expecting him to do good, but not this good. Maybe it's an overperformance. And you're a little regressed to the mean, because I don't think... I think it is. I think they will start to to drop, but I mean, you know,
01:49:47
Speaker
again I'll come back I don't think that they can realistically challenge for top four but again I'll repeat if Juventus and Milan keep performing and producing the results as they are then Fiorentina are going to be there or thereabouts just based on that. It's a little bit like when Sarri finished second with Lazio wasn't it? I mean it wasn't exactly the most No, the points, Tali, wasn't particularly great. It's more down to the others not being able to to win their games. I mean, to reach the Champions League final, losing 12 games in the Serie A, finishing third, if I remember correctly. Well, even finishing third with 12 defeats, is is you should be the you should be... You should be struggling really. So yeah, it depends what kind of season that so far this season I think even with Juventus in Milan the crisis the crisis these these crisis wouldn't be as fully blown if Virantina and Lazio weren't going, you know, even Atlanta weren't going on these crazy crazy runs I mean Atlanta how many nine in a wins in a row? Virantina eight wins in a row? Lazio like was it 10 wins in 11 before that defeat? I mean, you know is is
01:50:53
Speaker
if they if they were a bit kind of normal still good runs but normal then Juventus would probably only be a couple of Milan would only be a couple of points behind then there would be no you know people wouldn't be saying it sometimes it depends season on season kind of how everyone else is doing um just um Bovet we have to talk about Bovet this is still a developing story but the latest is that I mean he's he's still in hospital as we record but he's due to leave hospital next week um So it this hasn't officially been confirmed, but I think it's pretty much been kind of acknowledged that he did have a cardiac arrest yeah and that they are now making a decision. I've seen some reports saying he's going to have a defibriator defibrillator implant. I've seen other reports saying he's still considering whether to have it implanted or not.
01:51:44
Speaker
It's pretty simple though, isn't it Nimmer? If he does have it implanted, then that's his career over but in Italy and for the Italy national team. Well, if he doesn't have it and and and implanted, he's his career in Italy is over because they don't, I don't think they're going to. You'd have to pass it. You'd have to pass a medical. Yeah. Yeah. and Which he probably wouldn't pass. Exactly. um So I think he's going to have it, but I think he's going to leave the city out. Just like Christian, I mean, the Christian Erickson, what happened to him, we all know he suffered cardiac arrest. He had a defibrillator implanted. Well, he's playing in the Premier League.
01:52:20
Speaker
You know, so you can't have a career. It's just not going to be in Italy. And it's also end of career for Italy national team, which is sad, really sad, because this is a player that was knocking on the door of an Italy national team call up 22 years old. And, you know, I don't know whether I mean, he's he developed so much this season, you know, we don't know how he would have developed. But yeah, I mean, the fact that his Italy national team career will be over as well. His Fiorentina career is over. His Fiorentina career is over. Yeah.
01:52:48
Speaker
um Which is a shame because he was doing really well. But I mean, again, the most important thing is that he's alive. You know, he's OK. No serious, you know, post medical emergency issues. Yeah. I mean, it's obviously serious. If you're getting a defibrillator implant, then it's serious, isn't it? So, I mean, thankfully he survived. That's the most important thing. And this will protect him going forward. um It's From a footballing point of view, it's this really, really so sad. It's so, so sad at the age of 22. And that's his Serie A career over and his Italy national team career over. It's heartbreaking. It really is. No, it is. It absolutely is.
01:53:36
Speaker
Yeah, but it's again, you know, um this is happening too much in the last few years and nothing will be done about it. They won't do an investigation into it. They don't want to go there. But, you know, it's happening too much. I mean, again, when I was growing up in the 90s, when we were growing up in the 90s, this never happened. You know, you never heard about these things, not in the top leagues. Well, it happened, but it didn't happen like this. No, it didn't. Not this much. And if it did happen, you'd it'd be something that you would would dominate the news for months, years even. Like when Mark Vivian Faux happened, you know. I was just glad to see him.
01:54:10
Speaker
Mark Vivian Foe, you heard about it for years afterwards. Muamba, which was what was about like 2010, 2011, these things happened you know in the top leagues. youd You'd get something like this once every few years. It's happening all the time now. um So it's something that, you know, it it really does need to be looked into. They won't, they don't want to go there um but for various reasons, but it's is's is yeah It's happening too much, it's it's happening way way too much. um Rest of the weekend, Serie A fixtures, um so Genoa nil, Torino nil, Verona one, Empoli four, and great week for Empoli because they knocked out Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia playing their reserve team.
01:54:56
Speaker
and Esposito scoring two goals in in this game. What a weekend this has been for the Esposito brothers. brother All three of them scored this weekend. Well not just that, assists as well. like they've They've had an unbelievable The other two play for Spezia. They scored, I think Salvatore scored twice. Pio scored his eighth of the Serie B. And of course, Sebastiano scored mid-week. That was a great finish. Which cost me my bet, I should just say. I was only waiting on Fiorentina to win. They were 2-1 up with 15 minutes to go and I was just waiting for them to hold out. It was a great finish to be fair. He's got class that guy. He does have the class. Whether or not he can make it to the top but he's definitely got the class. He's got that touch and that natural ability. No doubt about that.
01:55:53
Speaker
Yeah, no, it's easy. Look, he he this is his level. In my opinion, Empoli is a solo, like this is his level. He's not better than that. um and And I think it's great if he scores. I hope he gets another one another couple of more so that Empoli buy him from Inter and we we don't need to have him on the books anymore.
01:56:13
Speaker
because in turn I've been trying to shop him up, shop him off for for a couple of seasons. He's doing well though, he's got six goals this season already. Yeah, four and two in Coppola. I mean that's it's pretty impressive, you know. um He's only 22 years old. No he is, he's decent but he's not, I just don't see him as a top striker, like I don't think he's got what it takes to be at the very top. We have to see how he develops. I mean, he's a bit of a problem position for modern football, isn't he, as well? that That's part of the problem, um I think. But so yeah, good to see. um theti We're recording this before Venezia Como, because we're actually recording most of this pod ah in this Sunday afternoon, and then we're going to quickly nip on after the the game between Napoli and Lazio just to record that. so
01:57:00
Speaker
Yeah, we're recording this. We're recording the beginning at the end. At the end of the the beginning, if that makes sense. So yeah, we won't come back to this. So Venezia Como and then Monzero Plain-Udonieza on Monday.
01:57:14
Speaker
um Champions League fixtures midweek, Champions League matchday six. um So big games, massive games this this um this midweek. We've got Atalanta vs Real Madrid via Leverkusen, Inter on Tuesday and then on Wednesday we've got Milan vs Red Star Belgrade.
01:57:34
Speaker
Juventus vs Man City and Benfica against Bologna. So the Tuesday Games really is kind of about Atalanta and Inter trying to get results to finishing the top e to to get in the top eight. Inter just need three points from the last three games to to finish in ah believe to finish in the top eight. So they're in a good position and they can even probably afford a draw.
01:57:59
Speaker
even a defeat wouldn't be the end of the world in this game for instance so theyre they're quite relaxed going into this match Atalanta though Atalanta need five points from their last three matches two of those games are against Madrid and Barcelona so and then their other game is one I can't remember who it's against it's one they they should be expected to win so realistically they're probably going to need to beat one of Madrid or Barcelona or draw with both of them so I think they should just go for it. yeah I think they should just just try and get the win. They win this game and then they're on the brink of top eight as well but it's going to be a great game as we said before. Milan, red star, Milan need ah to two two wins in a draw from their last three games to finish in the top eight and they've got quite an easy last three matches so that this is a muscling game for them.
01:58:49
Speaker
um Bologna, they're out. Basically, they've got one point so we can we can forget about them. They need to win all three of the last three matches to somehow qualify in the top 24. So I think we can forget about that. But Vico is hard. And then you've got Juventus Man City, two teams that are both but really struggling. Both teams have got two wins in 10 games. And Juventus obviously another injury now with Cambia. So it's a good time to play Man City. It's also a good time to play Juventus as well. So Yeah, I'm hoping for Biscota in this game. I'm hoping that Pep and Amata, former Barcelona teammates, I think they were Barcelona together, maybe at the end of perhaps maybe the end of Pep's reign, maybe they can come together and do a little Biscota and go for a draw because both teams need two points from their last three games to qualify in the last 24. So a point would but do both teams handy. So nice little Biscota, how about that?
01:59:47
Speaker
Yeah, um yeah. Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me. But no, in all honesty, <unk> we'll see what happens. But yeah, I'm i'm really keen to see Atalanta, Madrid, Leverkusen, Inter, Juve City. I mean, those those are these are really big games. I'm really keen to see Atalanta and see if they can beat Real Madrid and finish in the top eight, which would be a huge achievement.
02:00:13
Speaker
um I'm really keen to see the tactical battle between Chabi Alonso and Simona Inzagi. That's the main takeaway. um um um um and of That's what I'm mainly keen on watching, to be honest with you. um But yeah, and it's and then of course you've got Yuva City as well and and see how that goes. like Can Yuva you know it's It's a little bit too teens with the self-esteem in the toilet right now. you city so It's going to be interesting to see how they handle it. and Can Juva bounce back? i mean One thing that is positive about Juva is that they they still continue to score late goals from behind and they won't lose. That shows character. so That is something that's very positive as well. We have to remember that. and i think that's
02:00:53
Speaker
That's also something that I think started with Alegri but has definitely improved under Tiago Mota. This notion that Yuva just never say die. but in the and They do have spirit. They do have spirit. there that that's that's what that's that that certain ah Certainly they they haven't lost that under Mota.
02:01:12
Speaker
Yeah, that was one of the few positives from the Bologna game. Absolutely. And then Mangoula's goal was stunning as well. I love that finish. Badjo, Premface and Selya Ass of the Week. Badjo, so you've got... I've got quite a few. DiMarco's little thing when he before he scored. The Mikitarians pass in Zaghi's movements before Barilla's goal and Mangoula's finish.
02:01:38
Speaker
um What's his name? Castro's flick on in the Bologna game. Quite a few there too. Esposito brothers as well. Yeah, the Esposito brothers for sure. Quite a few badgers. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Perenface of the week. we We haven't managed to find one, have we? Well, no. For me, that I don't care if people think I'm being boring or a stick in the mud or whatever. But to me, watching Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher and Kate Abdo do tit puns to make Micah Richards laugh was
02:02:20
Speaker
so infantile that I don't even know where to begin. like yeah i mean it's it's just I just found it really, really childish. so yeah You can call me a boomer, you can call me whatever you want, but I think breast puns on TV when you know saying things like, Oh, what do you what do you think of breast Jamie? I like the look of him. I mean, it's like you just read the transcript of that. And it's just like, I can't believe they go along with it. You know, I'm all up for a bit of word puns. But I mean, that is that's kind of like, it's something that you use 13 year olds. That's something like 13. I'm thinking i'm i'm I'm past this now.
02:03:00
Speaker
Do you know what I mean? I've i've graduated from from the from the school of of of ah puns with breasts. I grew up, i I think I grew out of that after going to KFC, you know, like the age of 11. What would you like? Oh, I'd like some breasts please.
02:03:19
Speaker
Yeah, no, no, i don't I mean, to me, it was just child. I just find it really, really childish and reductive. And and um and and I mean, that whole so that whole show is just it's just scripted. It's just staged and scripted the entire course. It's like it's just it's so like it's just, you know, these, you know, and and the whole it's so fake. Michael laugh. And and he's he's I don't know. I like Michael Richard. I think he's a fun guy. And I think Terry Andre is actually a very underrated analyst if he's used properly.
02:03:49
Speaker
um And to a certain extent, Jamie Carragher as well. I actually quite like him and Gary Neville on Sky when they used to go back and forth. um Tactically, that is. But yeah, this is just the whole thing is just so cringe. At least for me, it's, you know,
02:04:04
Speaker
TV time turned into not you know 10 year old boys group chat is just not you know don't mind that you know i think a better banter is good but yeah me too but you gotta you gotta pick the right stuff and and are we really going there no seriously jamie what do you think of breast i like the look of them yeah
02:04:26
Speaker
yeah never mind yep let's set about that said yeah uh ass of the week right um i've got i've got a few first of all dobbik's name yeah it's being spelt wrong on his shirt for the roma versus atalanta game dobbik yeah dobbik insane that made me laugh it's area i just never they they just they never changed did it hilarious can't even get the name spelt right um The FIFA Club World Cup draw was just a, but we're talking about CBS. I mean, Del Piero talking about immigrants coming over and saying, what the hell was going on? and Yeah, it's murder. It's like, De Letta Liotta gets called up on stage to to help present. And Del Piero goes, another italian ah, another another ah and wave of immigrants in Miami.
02:05:22
Speaker
And then they had like, didn't they have Donald Trump there as well? No, Ivanka. ivanka ivanka ivanka yeah But i mean um yeah but there was ah there was a clip from Donald Trump, which I've seen oh yeah i did see yeah where he disses Barron, his son, for liking soccer but not being good enough, which is hilarious.
02:05:42
Speaker
He throws shade on his own son. I'd laugh my ass off. It was so bizarre. It was so funny. And then when he says that, Johnny, the way he pronounces Johnny and Fantino's name, I am addicted to that.
02:05:54
Speaker
you know, Johnny. like it's just It was like, you know, what it was it was benga was dancing. He's a president and I'm a president. I mean, it's just comedy. He had benga dancing. He had Gloria Estefan. It was like it was like it was like a kind of, you know, like a regional Italian TV variety kind of show. It was like it was everything's going wrong. It's like rise like essentially it was like media set New Year's show. Yeah. From 1987. Yes. It was hilarious. hilarious.
02:06:22
Speaker
and were absolutely hilarious but panto i'm um Unrehearsed pantomime. lucky yes um that's but yes that's that's the best way to describe it yeah but the The Trump thing though had me on the floor. I could not stop laughing.
02:06:34
Speaker
um and and yeah it was it was just it was is insane it was very very funny very very funny the final one this i'm a bit late to the part and this is actually like two weeks ago now but we should ah we should look did you see did you see the Aston Villa versus Juventus broadcast with where he had Llorente
02:06:54
Speaker
Marcheseo and Gianfranco Zola, they were obviously trying to dress because the game is in Birmingham, which is where Peaky Blinders are from. They're obviously trying to dress like Peaky Blinders. So they had Marcheseo look like they had the cap on and everything. I mean, like Italians are usually like, we are the best at fashion, right? We dress the best, we look the best.
02:07:14
Speaker
Wow, what the hell was that? I mean, Marcheseo, like the the best comment I saw on one of the posts was it was one of the comments was it was like all three of them wore each other's clothes. Yeah, none of the clothes fitted them. And Marcheseo looked like he looked craziest. He looked absolutely craziest. It was very, very funny. Yeah, his was like, like it was like drowning him. Basically, it was like 10 sizes too big for him. And Lorente wore like Zola's because it was too small so Marchese wore Lorente's because it was too big Lorente wore Zola's because it was too small but Zola wore Marchese's
02:07:55
Speaker
oh my god it was it was very so bad right okay let's leave it at that and thank you everyone for listening um we will be back this week for definite q and&a and post-match champions of the midweek show for definite we might have another show possible interview possibly not it's it's Sort of firm not confirmed. So well, I don't want to say for definite on that and but yeah, we'll have plenty if you come in this week So enjoy the week ahead everybody until next time. Ciao. Ciao