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Serie A's Unpredictable Season (Episode #50)
32 Plays14 days ago
In this episode of Calcio Culture, the hosts discuss the unpredictable nature of the Serie A season, highlighting key performances from teams like Inter Milan and dropped points from Napoli. Logs shares his experiences from a recent trip to Italy, while the group analyzes match results, player performances, and the implications for the title race as the season approaches its conclusion.
In this segment, the conversation delves into the performances of Atalanta, Roma, and Juventus in the Serie A season. Atalanta's strong season is overshadowed by missed opportunities, while Roma faces challenges in securing a Champions League spot after a recent loss. Juventus struggles with tactical decisions and injuries, raising questions about their future prospects. The discussion highlights the importance of managerial decisions and the potential of young talents in shaping the future of these teams. The hosts delve into the current state of Serie A, focusing on the challenges faced by Lazio, the tactical changes made by Milan, and the implications for Champions League qualification. They discuss player injuries, squad depth, and the importance of upcoming matches as the season approaches its climax.
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Transcript
00:00:06
Speaker
Ciao, Paisans! Welcome back to another absolutely stupendous episode of your favorite football podcast, Coucho Culture.
00:00:16
Speaker
It is your host, Logs. I am back after a hiatus. I know, i know it's been a long time. got caught up in the trip to italia got caught up in a little bit of aftermath from the trip a little hangover here and there you heard about it last week i won't touch on it now but good to be back before i introduce my co-host today i do just want to make sure that you guys are following us on all the platforms listen we were huge on all the socials on the trip to italia we will be continuing that
00:00:48
Speaker
throughout the rest of the season and into the summer. You know where to find us at cultural culture FC on all the socials, tick tock X, Instagram, YouTube, and where you're listening right now on Spotify and Apple pods.
00:01:04
Speaker
Good to be back boys. Mots, Vos, how we doing? Logue's king of the hiatus, back from hiatus. Same old dog, same old tricks. He's back. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. I'll always take a little hiatus when I need to. How we doing, Paisanos? Glad to be back. Last week's episode, I listened to it back.
00:01:22
Speaker
Great episode last week. Let's follow up this week with another great one. Excited for it. Mats, you should come into this one fired up. After a crazy weekend, nobody thought Juve would still be firmly in fourth place.
00:01:33
Speaker
Still got robbed though. We're in fourth. I don't know how we're in fourth, ah but we still got robbed in my opinion, which we'll talk about in a little bit. But this week, kind of a very good Snapchat or snapshot of what the entire Serie A has been this year. Once again, everybody just dropping points when there's a clear opportunity to go secure or take a step up or advance your position in the league nobody wants to um and that's been the theme this season to me i was thinking about it the other day ah when my dad was driving me back to the train station to new york kind of to me very similar to the the season milan won the scudetto no like an anomaly where everyone was kind of just dropping points every time you know with any thoughts there
00:02:19
Speaker
Well, it's funny you bring that up because there is one team that is dedicated to bringing themselves back into the pack, and that is AC Milan right now. But what I will say, and what I pointed out the other day in the chat, the year that AC Milan won, we had 86 points to win the Scudetto. If Napoli were to win out, they would actually only have 84.
00:02:38
Speaker
So just putting it out there that I don't know, maybe AC Milan should have won that season. Maybe they had a little bit of merit to bring home the Scudetto with 86 points and eight goals allowed in their last six months of the season.
00:02:49
Speaker
I don't know. That's just me. I don't know. I'm just saying it's it is similar. i think that, 86 points is solid, right? But when you look at this season as a whole, everybody lost a lot of games and that they shouldn't have lost and drew a lot of games that they shouldn't have drawn. And that's what happened. I mean, we, and me Mats, we talked about this at length last week.
00:03:07
Speaker
Inter had like, it was in their hands at so many different points this year. And when Milan won, was the same thing. It was in their hands at so many different points. And at every one of those like crucial crossroads, they just never got it done. And that's been the story of the season. And inters like really the best example of it because they're in second now. But when you go further down, it's the same thing. Like Milan have shot themselves in the foot a million times this year.
00:03:34
Speaker
Same thing. Like even below. Yeah. Bologna is a little bit different. You can't figure out how to win a game, dude. If you vent is, you vent just have, I mean, at this point, it's seen a little bit different, but they have four, more wins than they what they do they're in a totally different position than what they are right now and it's not like they were drawing to teams that they shouldn't have been drawing to so that was just kind of what i thought about it or just kind of my my two cents and quick thinking or quick uh zoom out of the league but logs i know that obviously we missed or you missed the last episode and didn't get a little chance to speak about
00:04:08
Speaker
Italy, but also before I do pass it over to you happy belated Mother's Day to every all the mothers out there that do listen to Calcio culture. And now you can go ahead and speak about what Italy was or how how you how you experience Italy.
00:04:20
Speaker
Yeah. Shout out all the Calcio moms really appreciate all the listens. Paisans, listen, trip of a lifetime. I know they talked about it last week, but we had an absolute blast. Six days in Milan, a nice day in Como, went to Bellagio and rounded it all out with Turin.
00:04:34
Speaker
Shout out to our boy Vincenzo getting us back to Mount Penza safe and sound. Shout out Vincenzo. Also, hang on, before you continue, also shout out Malpenza for just giving you champagne there.
00:04:45
Speaker
Very interesting. Shout out Malpenza. Nice, nice little touch by the Sheraton and Malpenza. If anybody's ever traveling to Milan, I do recommend a night stay there. Their restaurant open till 11 p.m. That's 23.00 for your Europeans.
00:04:59
Speaker
Nice little bottle of rosé champagne to top off the trip. It was perfection. But from my perspective, listen, Milan was absolutely incredible. Met our star player, number 10, Rafa Leao.
00:05:10
Speaker
rooftop after a little opera TV. Awesome to see him there. Little tough two days before a huge matchup, but he came out and he showed out. So maybe that's the good luck charm. Maybe he just needs to go to more rooftop bars. I don't know to stay locked in, but we were literally the Kings of Naveeli.
00:05:25
Speaker
Shout out Navili. Shout out all the bars there. An awesome time. Turin, all the piazzas. Absolutely loved it. There was just nothing better. it was a great trip. Shout out to Mats and Vos as well. I mean, it was the it was the best thing ever. And one last thing before I do move on to the fantastic weekend that we just had. It would be remiss of me not to cover ah quick kit score here.
00:05:47
Speaker
So we got two kits out of Italy's trip, and they're right here. Listen, had to go clean. with the with the first time to Italy clean nobody in the back just for the memes not too lucky though I did wear this to the Atlantic game we sucked I didn't wear it to the Inter Copa semi-final we won we didn't suck so maybe we're just gonna hang this one up in the rafters for the memes but what I will say is shout out to Juventus because their third kit this year clean this thing in person is just another level look at the detail for you guys listening turn on the video look at the detail this little little zebra action i will say my one qualm with the uh with the juventus store milan maybe this don't like milanistas but uh wouldn't let me customize the back of the shirt with del piero was really hyped about it they really let me down there still spent a bunch of money on it and we still have it so good kit review honestly
00:06:37
Speaker
U A's third kit, maybe my favorite kit of the season. I'll say it. I'll say it. But that's a love review. I love fact that we have a Milan fan, a Milanista, repping the Juventus gear.
00:06:48
Speaker
Absolutely love it. Listen, listen um i am I am unbiased when it comes to kits. I will review a kit with no bias, straight straight shots. so do like that take. That is a good take, Lugz.
00:07:01
Speaker
I think kits are an exception to the rule. You have our dad up super a badge over the heart when you wear that kit. I have a lot of badges. I wear a lot of badges. Last week's episode, you're wearing an Inter shirt.
00:07:14
Speaker
And this week, you're wearing an AC Milan shirt. And the week before that, he was repping Roma. so the guy i was gonna wear roma tall yeah I was going to wear Roma today, but I actually have some good things to say about Milan for the first time the entire season.
00:07:26
Speaker
Well, with that being said, I'm... Is that his ex-girl? Listen, and with that being said, do want to jump into the content. We had a great weekend. We're going to start off at the top of the table, kind of run down where we sit. Two games left.
00:07:39
Speaker
So what does that mean? We start... with Inter versus Torino, an absolute monsoon fest out on the pitch. Maybe played into Inter's inter strengths, that they couldn't move the ball. Torino a little bit little sloppy with the sloppy pitch, but in the end, 2-0. Inter come out on top, a huge three points given the other results on the table.
00:08:01
Speaker
Aslani puts a PK away, and Zielinski, which we'll talk about, puts one away early. Zalewski, Zalewski. Very similar. Zalinski actually played horribly. Zalinski played really well. but Puts him up 1-0 as Lonnie with the 49th minute PK.
00:08:15
Speaker
vote Second goal in row for Oslonnie. Well, discounted. Discounted as a PK. Both penalties. Both penalties, yeah. Your take on Inter coming out of this weekend. Yeah, that's a weird game. I thought Serena played very poorly, which I was extremely disappointed in. I think a lot of that had to do with the the ongoing circumstances that were this game, particularly in the rain. At the beginning of the game, there's a big stoppage for ah medical emergency, it looked like, in the stands. So just from the get-go, it was going to be a weird day. ah And again, Torino played bad, but Inter got it done. The biggest takeaway for me was the lineup that we saw.
00:08:50
Speaker
And this was probably the most rotated squad we've seen from Inzaghi all season. I don't think there was... Bastoni, I think, was the only guy that is the actual number one in his position who played in this game.
00:09:02
Speaker
And i I don't think we've seen that at all this entire season. So for them to be able to get it done was A, surprising, because I think as soon as we saw the lineups, We all kind of texted at the same time, like, uh-oh, Inter's in trouble here. We don't know what's going to happen. So that was surprising.
00:09:17
Speaker
I thought they played a little bit differently, more of like a pivot with Zelensky and Aslany rather than like a lone six, which is what we see with Hakann. So that was interesting to see. And then the other big one was Zelensky kind of playing as a number 10, drifting out to the left to kind of create a triple overload with... um Carlos Augusto and Bastoni moving forward. So that was just a danger area. And ultimately that is where the first goal came from.
00:09:40
Speaker
But that that's the biggest takeaway for me. Getting it done, rotated squad. There were some questionable subs that I thought, but we can talk about that a little bit. Mats, your kind of big takeaways from this one. um I thought it was good, good game by Inter in terms of like, yeah I think we kind of Was it a shock that we saw the heavily rotated squad?
00:09:58
Speaker
Probably not because they're coming off that Barcelona game, but we know what they've done in the past this season in terms of just fumbling points with the rotated squad. So I think we were all a bit nervous that they were probably going to drop points because of the squad. It turns out they didn't.
00:10:12
Speaker
ah And then I know that we had a, um in terms of the opinion on the subs for For Nzaghi, he did bring on his five starters, right? At different points throughout the game, right? Dumfries got in in the 40th minute.
00:10:25
Speaker
Same with DeMarco. Hakan was brought on in the 62nd with Barella. And then Atribi got on in the 80th minute or so. So we were, i think some of us were a little surprised to see him sub on the guys.
00:10:37
Speaker
I kind of looked at it as they're in form. You have about a month or half a month, three weeks now until the Champions League final. You need to keep their form at a high level, but you need to not overwork these guys, especially with how many games Inter's played over the past two seasons and these specific players being that they play on their national team. So,
00:10:57
Speaker
the Euros and and and and the World Cup and whatnot, even going back for years, a couple years in the past. But so I thought it was a good job by Nzaghi to get the guys in to make sure that their form doesn't drop, but not overwork them. So I thought that I thought it was overall a very, very good game. And I really liked the Zalewski, playing Zalewski in that new spot, and he clearly excelled.
00:11:19
Speaker
And a little little stat of the day for Zalewski, going to be playing in three straight European finals. He played two with Roma and now the Champions League. This is just going to be a great bit of business because Fabrizio Romano started to report that Inter's going to...
00:11:35
Speaker
um kind of ah activate his his trigger. Yeah. And thank you trigger his release clause for six and a half million. He had a great euros for whatever reason didn't gel in the Roma system.
00:11:46
Speaker
Sometimes that happens, but he we know how good he is, ah what he can do. i think we're starting to see it now. And it's a great rotational piece of good bit of business by enter there as well. a Quick thoughts on Zalewski there, because I know you were kind of ahead of the game on him.
00:11:58
Speaker
Somebody you pulled out at the beginning of the season. Big fan. I do like Zalewski. I've liked him from the time at at Roma. Certainly a little bit of ah a defensive pull, just giving it a wing back, but...
00:12:10
Speaker
and come in being brought up as a winger, but I loved the ability for him to shift to a more central role here. I think that him being on the ball gave a lot more confidence. um And I know that he drifted out wide, folks like you said, but it did create that overload. And I thought that was incredibly important for their first goal and to get some um some momentum going. I do think he's a great player. Six and a half million is certainly a huge discount for the quality that this guy can bring on his day.
00:12:35
Speaker
um a little bit inconsistent, but Also, the fact that he's had a million different managers doesn't really help. Shouts to Zalewski getting that goal, getting a little bit momentum going into the end of the season. They're going to need him.
00:12:48
Speaker
We've talked, we touched on this a little bit already, but when they need to bring on some guys on the backside, it gets a little bit tricky. They showed out finally with the rotation in this game, but we've seen previously that sometimes that the second line just doesn't get it done, especially with Eslani not being able to play.
00:13:06
Speaker
Like Akon does. And sometimes Darmian is not really showing out on the wing of the other side when Darmian, when Dumfries isn't playing. We're also seeing that with Taremi. Taremi has been an absolute dud this season. So again, i think it's a dud.
00:13:19
Speaker
I think it's been ah been a dud. Arnautovic, not a dud. But in any case, really important for coming down the stretch to get those guys in form. They will be playing some pretty big, important minutes. Actually, Zalewski played pretty well against Barcelona when he when he came on, I will say. So I think he's coming to form at the right time, and I think they're going him in different spots, especially after seeing him play this game.
00:13:38
Speaker
But from my perspective overall, good for Inter to get the three points. think that it was a little risky to bring on those starters in the second half, but at this point in the season, you've got to go all out for every single point so I can understand it from Mazzaghi.
00:13:50
Speaker
Get get the three points make sure you finish out the game, which is something that they haven't been able to do consistently and just move on to the next game. I know that we had touched on this maybe in the chat, but they now have four weeks to prepare for their next two games next three games for that matter. So they go they go to lots. They go to lots. Yeah, right.
00:14:09
Speaker
No, they're home with Lazio. They're home against Lazio. And then they Como, yeah. And then they go to Como. But in any case, they still have, for the first time all season, a full week to prepare for these games. And so you have a little bit more rest time.
00:14:21
Speaker
You are able to ah change up a little bit of the tactics based on the team, although Inter is not one to have to change tactics against the lesser teams, which is everyone in this table. And I think that this will play.
00:14:32
Speaker
right, we'll talk about that. But I think this will play into their favor that they have a full seven days each time to prepare and get a little bit more rest for the guys that have been in and out lineup. Definitely is. For me, there's a couple of pieces to this.
00:14:42
Speaker
Just to like actually bring it to higher, back out back out a little bit. They're one point behind Napoli, two games left. So they presumably have to win both games and then even then... That's not necessarily enough.
00:14:53
Speaker
So I'm kind of looking at this Nzagi's been tested. i mean, this this season was a big test for Nzagi. Not winning it is going to be a failure in my mind. I think everybody would agree with that.
00:15:04
Speaker
But now you're in a point now you can game plan fully, like as if you had no competitions to play for. You are week to week right now. You have a game at the weekend. you have a full week, next game, full week, next game.
00:15:16
Speaker
If you need to relay anything to your players, if you're going to change anything tactically to get it done, this is a time where you could showcase that. I think the only time this season we've really seen that in single game, like a single game that's how we're going win it was the Atalanta game where they blew the doors off of them.
00:15:33
Speaker
Granted, like he already had that recipe in his back pocket from previous seasons. But Lazio and Koma are two very different opponents in two very difficult opponents in in different ways. Lazio are probably not going to bring the game to Inter and are going to be happy to sit deep, which we've seen Inter struggle with on a lot of occasions this season.
00:15:52
Speaker
So it's going to be interesting to see what he does for that game. And then on flip side of things, We would probably expect Como to try to get after them a little bit, and they're a little bit tricky because they have a lot of good 1v1 players, which is interesting.
00:16:03
Speaker
Should play into Inter's hand in the counterattack, but I would like to see something different from Nzagi. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a slight squad tweak. Maybe it's a slight change into how they're going to counterattack. I don't know. But if they don't get these done, it's going to be on Nzagi. Like if they lose either of these games, like you're not going to blame the players. It's going to be the coach. you had a week to get it done to choose the right squad.
00:16:23
Speaker
And if they don't, then it's on him. I'm really interested to see what what they end up doing against Como. I do think that they win at Lazio next week. Lazio, a couple key suspensions, players a little bit injured, their back line certainly not there right now.
00:16:36
Speaker
So I do think that Lazio at home, I would count that as as a full three points. That Como game is really, really big. disrespecting Lazio. He's not wrong, brother. No, Zakane is not playing. they They were like three suspended players.
00:16:50
Speaker
and This is not the same Lazio squad that you've been praising all season, Vos. And yes, I've never, the entire season I've not been hot in Lazio. They've had, they've had their bright spots. They're shit. ah They've had their bright spots, but I think down this this latest stretch, they they just don't have it. And Mats is very, very close to being right that Roma's going to be above Lazio come end of the season, two games left. So I'm really interested to see what that Como game brings. Assuming that Napoli win next weekend and at Parma and Inter win against Lazio at home, that Como game at Como, the way that Como's been playing, the fact that they've been they've won now six games in a row in Serie A,
00:17:23
Speaker
Hottest team in the top five leagues in Europe. Czech Fabregas feeling like he's got something to prove, even though they have literally nothing to play for at the moment. That's a dangerous, dangerous game to go into Como for.
00:17:33
Speaker
So I'm excited to see what that brings. I hope that it goes down to the the wire here with three points out of both these teams next weekend. So we do have a little ah more pressure on this inter-squad. So with that being said, that brings us to the team actually at the top of the table.
00:17:47
Speaker
That's Napoli. They're one point ahead of Inter. They come off a weekend against Genoa. Unfortunately, with a draw 2-2, Genoa getting points. Patty just getting it done in the second half of the season with Genoa. A weird game. I think when you look at the when you look at the shot chart, Napoli was peppering them. Absolutely peppering them.
00:18:06
Speaker
Shout out Genoa's goalie. We talked about this a lot, that there's a lot of good goalies in this league, Serie A. I wouldn't say that Genoa's goalkeeper is up there with the best of them, but eight saves in a big game like this is certainly nothing to ah to bat your eyes at. So shout out to Sue Seacrest.
00:18:23
Speaker
But again, Mats, I know that you have a huge opinion on this, but this Napoli squad really need to lean on a couple of players into these last two games to to bring this to fruition, get the full six points, keep the destiny in their own hands.
00:18:35
Speaker
Who are they leaning on? Yeah. Well, before we go into who they're leaning on, like... Obviously, this was a stumble that I think me and Boast didn't see coming. ah We talked last on in the last episode. We we said we we foresee Napoli winning all three of these games. This game is also in the Maradona. So very unfortunate for them to not get all three points.
00:18:54
Speaker
But I think that the efforts that they put in, they deserve to win. Just like you said, Genoa's goalie kind of saved them this game. Napoli's goalie kind of also slightly cost them the game with their own goal.
00:19:06
Speaker
But you saw from their key players, Napoli's key players, that they are hungry, they clearly want to win. And those players specific, the most important one, once again, Scott McTominay, my MVP of the Serie A, if Napoli win the league, I don't think it can be a question.
00:19:24
Speaker
He got two assists in this game again. So one now he's's he's showing he's not only scoring, he's also creating um and has ah has a hand in the play in all of their goals.
00:19:35
Speaker
The goals that he scored have won them games, have won them full three points. He's the first midfielder uh at in napoli to score over 10 goals since omsik we all know how good arm trick was for naples and without scott mctominy this year you don't know where juventus or where napoli would be in the table they'd probably be nowhere close to a european spot with the with his timely goals and then the other two that i think have been playing very well down the stretch and i'm not including zambo because he's obviously one of the key pillars as well but it's lukaku and raspadori they are coming up big and scoring goals in the business end of the season raspadori won them the game last last week against leche won nothing and then lukaku had a goal again this week so obviously not the result they wanted and and that they tied but they still have the point cushion and their destiny is still in their hands
00:20:24
Speaker
And we know that Conte is going to get that message across. These guys are going to be motivated to win both games and then they'll win the Scudetto. And they're going to lean on those three guys. Yeah, for me, Genoa, if you score two goals at Genoa, I would like you to win the game. It's kind of how I generally think about it.
00:20:41
Speaker
Like they tied it up they score again. Genoa aren't like a great goal scoring team. I think they've been a really difficult opponent. So I'm not all that surprised by a draw really like this. This was definitely the hardest game in my opinion. and I think Parma is going to be tough, but it's not the same as this.
00:20:55
Speaker
This Genoa team under Patrick Vieira has been very, very good. Like I i can't overstate that, but Parma and Calgary, a different battle. I feel really good going into both those games still. Um, And I think that they will get this done. What is really, really worrying though, is Lubaca is most likely going to be out for both of those games. And I don't think we've really seen Napoli play at their best when Lubaca isn't in the team.
00:21:19
Speaker
The kind of like the variation that we've seen was Lubaca and Billy Gilmore. And presumably now it's Billy Gilmore having to do that job by himself, which I don't think he has done all that well this season. So that's a little bit of a hiccup. And I think the other thing I know you said, Zombo, we're not really going to say his name, like as one of the guys, but he's been hurt for a while and hasn't really gotten going since he came back.
00:21:41
Speaker
So that's a big hole to fill, and it's going to be Billy Gilmore and Zombo Anguisa are two guys that are going to have to pick up the slack a little bit if they do want to get this done. I think Anguisa will have a very big effect in the Como game. That is going to be a lot of ball chasing, and that's where Anguisa adds a lot of a lot of his ah his flavor, his spice, whatever you want to call it. They don't play Como.
00:22:03
Speaker
Parma and Cagliari. Oh, yeah. Parma and Cagliari. There's going to be a lot of running in all those games. So I think that's one. But yeah, the thing is, McTominay and Lukaku have just been hot all season. Lukaku, number two in total goal contributions.
00:22:16
Speaker
McTominay, number 10, which is just ridiculous for these two guys. Kind of both outcasts at the beginning of the season, realistically. We were saying Lukaku can't really be that guy. He hasn't really been the goal scoring guy, but 12 goals. Now, I think you can't really complain about that. I mean, that's that's much better. 13 goals. That's better than I think we expected. And the assist numbers just, I don't know how that happened. That's the craziest thing ever that Lukaku's got 10 assists in the league. So they they have the right guys hot to get this done.
00:22:42
Speaker
They just need some of those other guys to step it up. Especially because they're playing they're playing way worse competition than Inter Milan. They are playing worse like competition. But I think you are on like maybe even how me and Logan are downplaying Lazio.
00:22:54
Speaker
You're downplaying Parma a little bit. They're in form. They just beat Juventus. They tied Inter. They have a new coach or new manager. And since they appointed him, they have been a tough out. It is also in Parma.
00:23:05
Speaker
i do I do agree with you that there their opponents are obviously inferior to Inter's. But Parma is no easy. No, then we're getting three points for sure. Yes, I agree. Anybody in the league is like that. But Parma just lost to Empoli and then lost to Como before that. So they're not like – Losing to Empoli when you're battling for relegation with Empoli is a, yeah oh my god, bad.
00:23:28
Speaker
But also now Parma are three points clear four points clear. So they need to get points. they're going to be fine. They're going to be desperate as well. That's going good game.
00:23:39
Speaker
Yeah, power's been gunning for at least a point here, but I will i will shout out Lukaku. I called him out, don't know how many weeks ago, saying that he needs to step up and bring this Napoli team to the end of the season.
00:23:50
Speaker
You guys are calling me crazy. You can't ask for much more on him. I think since then he's been stupendous. i think he's been outstanding. I think that Raspidori, like Matsu said, that he he's definitely stepped up. His finishing has gotten a little bit better. He was always in the right spots, but would always bottle every chance he's been finishing, which has been a really bright spot going into last two games.
00:24:08
Speaker
But I will give it to Lukaku. Having the experience and having that drive the know-how to win this league has been huge for them. And so I do think that that paired with Conte, that paired with being business as usual for Napoli, given the fact that they have not played any other competitions this season, these last two games is literally what they've been doing all all season long.
00:24:30
Speaker
And if you put this this series of games in the middle of the season, December, February, whatever it may be, they would have no problem entering these games. So A little bit of pressure on them. We'll see if the if the maturity of the rest of the players can come through.
00:24:45
Speaker
i would say that most of these guys have been in a position where they've needed to win big games, um especially given their scudettes run a couple of years ago. So from my perspective, most, most like 90% of them, Politano, T Lorenzo, Alex Moret, Rock Monty,
00:25:01
Speaker
I already said Paulitano. Lukaku has already won the league. Anguissa, Labaka. The core of this team so it's mine there been there, done that. and It's not even the core. It's their experience their most experienced players have been there, done that.
00:25:16
Speaker
They know how to games. Most of their players. And I will say that we'll see how Parma shakes out this weekend, but Lazio still has a European spot to play for, and Como continues to show that they are not giving up on the season, even though they don't have anything to play for.
00:25:33
Speaker
So I do think that the intensity from the opponent's side is going to come at Inter more so than going to come at Napoli. And I think that Conte is just going to close this one out. Six points the last two games. You're going to Napoli raising that trophy.
00:25:44
Speaker
Lots I mean, I'm going to pick my Gu Mar happily see because I don't want Inter to possibly win the Champions League and the Serie I'm also a big supporter of Napoli, even though it makes no sense being Ventus fan.
00:26:02
Speaker
So I'm I got my faith in them. um because of that. Both? It's hard not to say Napoli at this point, but what a what I do think might actually happen, I could see both this team going four points out of these next two. i was just looking at Parma are playing Napoli and then Atalanta. They really need a point out of one of those games to stay alive.
00:26:22
Speaker
So that game is going to be very, very hard in more I'm thinking about it. And then Inter, I... just see one of these teams getting a point. I don't know why. They're both... Lazio gets a lot of second-half goals and a lot of late goals, been doing that all year, and that's kind of been Inter's kryptonite in the league all season, so I could see that one happening. They already did it at the San Siro once this year against Milan, so it's like they're so comfortable playing these games. Same thing with Como. um i just I don't see ah situation where Inter make up the point that they're missing and Napoli dropping enough for them to get there is really...
00:26:56
Speaker
really where it comes down to you really had to put that one in there didn't you you just had to talk about the Lazio at San Siro again but in any case two like listen in any case this is why we've been talking about it all season this is the most competitive league across Europe you have three leagues already already decided Liverpool PSG Bayern Barcelona basically has La Liga in hand the way Real Madrid playing is playing Syria is the last one to come down to the wire. but I think the most exciting league. We know it's the most exciting league.
00:27:25
Speaker
So stay tuned in for these next two weeks. We'll have it fully covered. That covers the top two teams. That covers the Scudetto race. Let's jump to another team that has already clinched Champions League.
00:27:36
Speaker
It's a great, great outcome for them. Atalanta over the weekend, play going to Roma, but they're at home against Roma. They come out with 2-1 win, Luckman with the first goal. Vos, you've been on them the entire season.
00:27:49
Speaker
For the most part, you're an Atalanta fan for most weeks, I would say. How do you how do you rate this season? What's your what's your take on Gasparini's maybe last season in Bergamo?
00:28:00
Speaker
Also a banger second goal from Solman. I just have to point that one out there. They won this one two to one on an absolute fucking screamer. Both the subs Gasparini put on ah linked up and scored the goal.
00:28:10
Speaker
Yeah. And this is going to be a hot take for me, but I am disappointed in this season. I think that this is the year they should have won it. And it would always, they're always going to look back as if they were going to win one. This was probably the best year they ever had. i think this is the best squad that Gasparini has ever had.
00:28:28
Speaker
And I think that the game this weekend against Roma just goes to show on their best day, the best version of Atalanta we've seen all season is either the best or the second best team in the league on their best day.
00:28:40
Speaker
Roma was the hottest team in Europe before this game, and Atalanta kind of... It was two to one. It was a close game, but I always felt like Atalanta were going to get it done. I genuinely think on their best day, they are the second best team in this league.
00:28:52
Speaker
And if fited some results had gone a different way, they win the Scudetto this season. The way they play is still beautiful. And the more I've thought about it, I think Gasparini to Juventus I'm opening up to. I was really against it for a long time, but now I think it could happen. I think it would be really interesting. I think it'd be a big change.
00:29:08
Speaker
for Juve, but you can't argue with what he's been able to do without spending all that much money. And if you just give better players, he tweaks a couple things, I don't know. But I'll... And that's kind of it on Atalanta. They're going to finish in third. I don't have much else to say. I'm really scared of the summer.
00:29:25
Speaker
But at the very least, I hope Gasparini stays in this league if he does move on from Atalanta. And if he does move on, I hope there isn't an exodus of players that follow him um and they at least stay in the league.
00:29:36
Speaker
But it's it's scary times, but...
00:29:40
Speaker
Atalanta going to look at this like it was a good season. For me, I'm disappointed. i When I said they're going finish in second, I wanted to put them in first, and I think they really, really should have done it. oh I'm surprised that that's your take because you are one of the biggest proponents of teams being on timelines.
00:29:56
Speaker
This Atalanta team, based on these performances, based on preseason expectations, aside from your miraculous call for them to be in first, apparently. was that this team was performing well, well past what I think that their construction was meant to be.
00:30:11
Speaker
I think that this teams this team came together in very short order. A lot of new guys coming in, a lot of injuries, Coop Miners leaving in the summer, Skamaka in and out of the lineup, not even in, never really in.
00:30:22
Speaker
Out of the lineup, they had to go get Ritteghi on the last day of the summer window, which was an absolutely beautiful move. But I think that this team was fully ahead of their timeline. you You also look at the fact that Scalvini's been out the entire season, which was supposed to be a huge part of their team.
00:30:34
Speaker
So in my opinion, great season for Atalanta. They're going to go into the Champions League next season. I do agree that this summer is an extremely important summer. If they do lose Gasparini, that hire has to be absolutely perfect.
00:30:47
Speaker
There is no room for error, just given the fact of how much Gasparini's fingerprints are all over the history of the success of this team. And so for them to even remotely replicate what they've got going on this season, next year, that manager has to be perfect slot in 100%.
00:31:05
Speaker
Don't lose too many players. They're probably going to lose A couple of great guys there. You look at Luckman, he's already on the outs. You look at Ritegi getting interest from the Prem. Bellanova certainly may move on if Gasparini's not there. And you look at s Scalvini, who may not ever come back to this lineup.
00:31:20
Speaker
But aside from the forward-looking, just focusing on what they've been able to accomplish this season, especially the competition around them, the level of competition this season that we've seen out Syria, I'm perfectly happy with ah third place a third-place finish for this team.
00:31:35
Speaker
Yeah, for me, I always had Atlanta finishing outside the top four to start the season. I definitely think that they have a good roster, but I thought that Coop Miner's hole was going to be tough to top to fill right off the bat, although they definitely filled it and it seems like they barely missed a beat without him. um But even with that, I still think that their roster wasn't a Scudetto winning roster. It could have fought for the Champions League and they did and they qualified for it. So I think successful season for Atlanta.
00:32:04
Speaker
Gasparini, this is his fifth time qualifying for the Champions League with Atalanta and I think eight years has he's been there. He said that this is his greatest achievement that he's done at Atalanta and his stint, which I don't believe. Everything that he says in the press kind of leads me to believe that he's leaving.
00:32:21
Speaker
And I think we all see that and think that. I genuinely don't know where he would go. There's not many opportunities out there currently that are better than Atalanta. Also, they did have the meeting last year that said, I want to keep these players. And they showed, Atalanta showed him that they're willing to invest, buying all the players that they did buy.
00:32:40
Speaker
But then you have the other the other side of the pillow where he trash-talked Luckman time and time again. he made wrong substitutions. like It's been a messy year for Gasparini and Atalanta as well.
00:32:52
Speaker
and if he could have had that be slightly cleaner i think you are right both this could have been way different every year and i think that shows gasperini's flaws and just gonna and just gonna give my opinion you saying him to you there's two can't manage the big ego we've seen that time and time again in his career there's too many players with big egos at juventus so where i i would love to have him because of the football that we play in the attacking style that he brings.
00:33:18
Speaker
I don't want him there because I know Juventus has a bunch of players with big egos that he doesn't manage very well. But in the grand scheme of things for me, having them already secured Champions League football with two games left to go, that being that the race is so tight at number four, I think Atalanta can take a breath. They had a successful season. They got Champions League money coming in. They can still potentially attract players with the Champions League ball, whether Gasparini is there or not.
00:33:44
Speaker
And then my last point that I'll say before we move on to Roma um is I do kind of agree with you, Loges, that it does matter who they hire because of what Gasparini has meant to the club and his style of play and things.
00:33:57
Speaker
But I think that we thought that it was going to be tough for Italiano at Bologna to... kind of recapture what Mata did, especially with teams picking apart California and Xerxe. And Italiano has not only done the exact same, he's achieved more than Mata did.
00:34:15
Speaker
The players have said how much more they like him than Mata. So that could happen, right? they Atalanta and Atalanta very well-ran club. They buy plant players for cheap, they sell them and they all suck where no matter where they go.
00:34:29
Speaker
Exhibit A, coupe minors. My new name for Coop Miners, Mr. Poop Miners these days. I'm not on that wave, but but he he definitely has not had a great season. So maybe maybe it's and the club can, they they're going to make a good decision on their their new manager if Gasper and he does leave and they continue the success that they've had. yeah last one one My final rant, and then we'll talk about Ram on this, just to push back on Logan and to kind of go on Mott's, what he was saying. As you do.
00:34:58
Speaker
Well, we were talking about timelines. I kind of think this is the culmination of everything Gasparini has created Atlanta. And where I do think they might be fine is if they do make the right manager decision and players are willing to stay for that manager. I'm not sure who it's going to be. I actually have no idea who I would hire to do this.
00:35:14
Speaker
But you look at the squad and they have some of the best players in the league. If Vertegui stays, presumably best forward in the league. Bellanova, one of the best wingbacks in the league. Ederson, arguably top three midfielder in the league.
00:35:27
Speaker
Ruggieri, up and coming Italian left wing backs, has had a great season. Obviously, there's holes they need to fill. But then you look at guys, more young guys. Karnasecki, we don't know what's going to happen with Scalvini, but he's coming back at some point, presumably.
00:35:40
Speaker
They still have Skamaka. CDK, still young, exciting, had a quiet middle of the season, has started to play well again. And you look at that, and that's a core group. that is probably better than some of the other teams we've talked about this season being kind of like your Lazios, even your Bolognas, which has turned into a ah different story, but your Fiorentina's, all that sort of thing.
00:35:58
Speaker
So there there are bones here to have this be a Champions League team next year. Even if you lose Lookman, there's other guys that are going to be there. And that managerial decisions can be really important. Let's go to Roma because...
00:36:10
Speaker
Unfortunately for them, they finally lost the game at probably the worst time of the season to lose it because the expectation has now shifted from let's just get better and get through the season to let's finish in the Champions League.
00:36:22
Speaker
And this was a tough drop of three points. This was tough for Roma, especially because, like you said, haven't lost the game since December eighteen They had the first loss in 2000. And they, um but I'll say it, i in my opinion, I think that they they got dominated.
00:36:37
Speaker
They deserved to lose this game. Atalanta, from start to finish, was the better side. And and I was even shocked that typically when... that happens to Roma when they are getting dominated in the first half. Ranieri is able to make small tweak to change Roma's destiny for the game and turn it and turn them around.
00:36:56
Speaker
Wasn't able to do that, even though he did bring on Salamakar's Baldansi, Sharawi and others. They still, in my opinion, weren't ever really in this game per se and creating a lot of chances that their XG was, I think, below 1.0.
00:37:12
Speaker
one point ah So an an unfortunate timing for them. Great for me, obviously, being a Juventus fan. But even though that they lost, they're still very well in this race because, like we said earlier, everybody dropped points that were was in that top four battles.
00:37:27
Speaker
Whereas Roma, they controlled their destiny. They knew the results of Lazio and Juventus. They knew what they needed to do. They didn't get it done. They still have a very, very good chance of finishing top four, playing these next two games. Roma, I mean, Torino and Milan, not easy. Not easy. They're definitely not easy games, but you still Roma right now are still I still think even though they have one loss, in my opinion, still the hottest club in Europe.
00:37:51
Speaker
Right. Milan. We don't know. Milan, you get a different different team every single time, although they're going motivated as well. It's going to great game. But Roma, if they can still go get their six points and the next two games, to great game.
00:38:04
Speaker
They have a very, very legit chance of making Champions League. And at the end of the day, i know it's disappointing for Roma fans to hear this, but them even being in this spot is an achievement in and of itself.
00:38:17
Speaker
Obviously, not I'm not saying that this has been a successful season for Roma because they probably had higher hopes, but them being in a spot to possibly attain Champions League, considering where they started, I think you have to look at as an achievement for them.
00:38:31
Speaker
I mean, they were in 14th how many months ago. So, yes, certainly an achievement, but definitely a tough outcome at the in the the dying stretch of the season. Still look at a bunch of bright spots from this team.
00:38:42
Speaker
i mean, Sule's ball in for the goal was absolutely amazing. Yeah, I'm happy you mentioned that. That's worth mentioning. He has gotten a lot better at that this season. His facilitation has been a lot better.
00:38:54
Speaker
Product of Juventus, they're always great. They always leave him there better, unlike Atlanta. But I still i don't think that you can be – you're definitely going to be unhappy as a Roma fan with this outcome and going down the stretch, especially with the loss they're going to get against Milan on Saturday, on Sunday.
00:39:11
Speaker
Listen, I'll take this as a win. Shout out Ranieri. We've been giving his flowers all season. That man should deserve flowers to the day he he croaks. I mean, this has been an absolute masterclass on how to turn the team around from nothing.
00:39:23
Speaker
So the fact that they're still even in a European tournament spot, good for them. Hopefully they hold on. Lazio is going to drop points, so at least end up ah ahead of them. And from my perspective, all in all, okay from Roma. Okay, great.
00:39:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think I think that's it. I mean, what is there else to say? I mean, the expectation from the middle of the season was let's let's not get relegated. So to be in this position, i don't think you can be there's not much more you could ask for.
00:39:48
Speaker
Yeah, that is true. But I think for Roma, any of the European spots, I think, will actually be OK. And kind of be in line with where they're at in terms of their development right now. Like if they're a again in the conference league, they'll probably be the favorite to win it. If they're in the Europa League, they'll be the favorite to win it. And I actually think that's a pretty good step for where these players are at. I know they were in that competition this year, but they were really not prepared to deal with three competitions this year whatsoever. We saw that from the beginning of the season and now having a getting some confidence after this year
00:40:21
Speaker
you can maybe then go on and win one of those competitions to next year. And Champions League, if they do end up with that, i they're not prepared to win that, I don't think whatsoever. But that will be good experience. And the money you get from that will reinforce the squad a tremendous amount to the point where they're going to be terrifying to play. And what they're actually really, really reminding me of right now is early stages of Klopp's Liverpool.
00:40:43
Speaker
That team ended up winning the Europa or losing the Europa League final. I forget. They either got there and lost. Yeah, I think they got there and lost actually is what happened. But it's part of the progression. Like you build out a couple of good players and then you get a little bit better and you get a little bit better.
00:40:56
Speaker
And if I hope they they notice that and remain calm and not try to win everything in one year. And just be really intelligent in the summer and add what they need and don't try to go win the Scudetto immediately. I think they'll definitely be in the conversation next year as we thought they would be this year.
00:41:13
Speaker
But just let the process happen. You are in a great spot. You have an amazing young core. Your veterans are kind of getting phased out of the squad. And it's just tremendous vibes there. As long as they hire the right manager after Rodney. That's a big if. A huge if, and that's a big if for a lot of teams. So we'll see if the management can come through there. But I think the biggest point that you brought up is let's make sure we move on from the from the old core that had gotten you here because it's not getting it done anymore. Pellegrini, I think you, I think should be on the outs. Mancini has been terrible. Thank God. Mancini has been terrible.
00:41:44
Speaker
Terrible. the list The list has come through there. Cristante, I know he had had the goal, but he's pretty bad. I'm not a big fan of Brian. don't think the pod is. But they do have that young squad. They do have Sule. I think Dolby is on the up and up.
00:41:56
Speaker
Divine Wrenches actually played some very important minutes over the last couple of games. Manu Kone, I mean, you can talk about that man all season long. Certainly the best player for Roma very consistently over the season.
00:42:07
Speaker
We talked about this the other day. Svilar, not his best game here, but I think has certainly solidified himself there in that spot. So a big summer window, a big managerial decision to be made. I would put them actually in the same, they are in the same position as at Atlanta for me going into They're in a better position. They are in much better position. They have their core. They got their core guys.
00:42:29
Speaker
Now it's literally just the coach and every, every report you hear or you read, it's, Ranieri is all over who he's appointing for his next guy, which he hasn't made a wrong decision all season. So you have to back him for appointing a good manager. And just like Bo said, a few a few extra pieces that they add, they are fully, fully in the Scudetto race next year with how well they played this year and how much ground they've covered year.
00:42:59
Speaker
from the start of the season. And unfortunately, that's just what happens when you start that poorly. You have zero room for error. And they didn't make an error until three games left in the season. But even though that even though they made an error,
00:43:15
Speaker
they're still very much in this position to get Champions League, right? A couple of drop points from Juventus and Lazio, which Juventus and Lazio, which we're going to about in a second, they are on, they are a depleted squad for the next game, both of them, with how many cards they have. So yes, Roma has a tougher matchup besides maybe against Lazio on paper than Juventus, but Juventus have almost nobody to play and they can easily, easily tie again. And if Roma win,
00:43:43
Speaker
They're now in the driver's seat. So they still have a chance to to get Champions League by all means. One point. was just going to say, before we jump to Lazio Juventus, let's not understate what they need for the summer.
00:43:54
Speaker
It's not that they need cup. They need some, you know, some role players. They need a star to come in. Let's not let's not get that twisted. Dybala is not. I don't think he'll be here next season nor be in the form that he was in this season. Luley takes that.
00:44:06
Speaker
step to be that star. Yeah, Sule already took that spot. Sule could take that step, but I don't think that he can do it himself as a 22-year-old. I fully think that they need a star to come in. Where? To play where? To play off the left.
00:44:17
Speaker
I think they need to get a good player to play off the left, but I don't think they need to break the bank. I think the only other position that is 100% necessary is a right center back, because I'm worried about Celleck in some of the big games. He's been solid, but he isn't like a game-breaking right center back, and I think that is the position to fill. Center, center back as well because Hummel is retiring. We don't know about Mancini.
00:44:38
Speaker
But I would agree with Vos here. They definitely need a player off the left that can play. Maybe it's Baldanzi though. Baldanzi played so well off the bench in this game.
00:44:49
Speaker
And my one kind of negative... towards Ranieri over the last couple of weeks is not playing Pizzilli and Baldansi enough because I thought Pizzilli has been phenomenal and I think he is a future partner with Manu Kone.
00:45:02
Speaker
But I mean, theoretically, if you want to break the bank, you could get a center mid too to play there. I think the time for Brian and Pellegrini are gone. Brian played, he's been on and off all season. He's scored, although I don't think he played particularly well.
00:45:13
Speaker
So I would push backlogs. I don't think they need to break the bank on somebody. Listen, if you want to hang your hat on the potential of these young guys, which I do not want to downplay at all, the potential this court coming up is amazing. But for the progression for next season, I'm not hanging my hat on the fact that Pizzili, Baldanzi, and Sulera come in and be the Dybala, Pellegrini, and Cristante. They've gotten nothing from Pellegrini this year, so you really don't need to replace him.
00:45:42
Speaker
all right they You want to end up in 6th or 7th again? i don't think that that's their goal for next season. So I'm saying that for as as a Roma fan, i want to be I want to do better than we did this season. We assume we have a little bit a budget going next season.
00:45:55
Speaker
i think They need to bring in somebody to fill these holes to be that to be that guy. I don't think Suley at 22 going to be that guy. I don't think Baldanzi, who's still 19 or 20, is going be that guy.
00:46:06
Speaker
Pizzilli is good, but again, not just not going to be that guy. We talked about Dopey. He's not consistent enough. To assume that they make that big at that big jump to waste a summer on getting role players when you could potentially bring in a surefire star, which they can. This Roma project is enticing.
00:46:23
Speaker
I think they can attract somebody. i don't I don't want to take the chance to have a mediocre summer going into next season and potentially not make a European spot for the following. That's all I'm saying. They definitely need bring players in. i don't know if they're going to bring in a star, but they're going to bring in guys to reinforce their holes, obviously, like every so every team does.
00:46:41
Speaker
force the holes. That's the name of the game. But we move on to another draw, another set of dropped points for teams that are in the race. Mots will kick it to you.
00:46:52
Speaker
Juve not getting it done again is, was it bad luck on their end? don't know. This was, I think that I, i mean, Logan might disagree. But I don't think I'd come on here and talk about how Juve get bad calls on them in the Serie A. I generally don't think I'd do that. I'm pretty even keel when it comes to how Juventus game is reffed, in my opinion. Maybe you guys have a different opinion.
00:47:15
Speaker
This game I was not okay with. The Kalulu one, I can understand. You see you clearly see a swing. But I very much was not happy with seven minutes of extra time. I don't think I think five minutes was the the maximum you could have added it and that game.
00:47:30
Speaker
And if you look, they scored their goal in the 96th minute. With that said, OK, there were a ton of things that Juventus did wrong here. And the first thing that I'll say is at the end of the game, when they're down 10 men, the substitutions that Tudor made. Hilarious substitutions. I didn't agree with them.
00:47:48
Speaker
Number one, he didn't agree with them because he took them off 10 minutes later. But taking off the taking off of Kolo Mawani is the problem that I had the most because the one thing that Kolo Mawani was doing and did for us was keep the ball for a minute at least.
00:48:02
Speaker
When we took Kolo Mawani off the field in the 75th minute, I might add, our game plan was try not to let them score and don't even hold the ball. It was defend below our penalty area.
00:48:15
Speaker
eight So not even 18 yards. It was like 10 yards in. the The entire team was in the box. And we would clear the ball, and instead of trying to – corner flag it and hold it or maybe try to counterattack. It was boot to half field.
00:48:29
Speaker
let them let Not one person would pressure the ball. They would have a free walk into our 18 to put in a cross. That is not okay because they were able to cross it 20, 30 times in the last 30 minutes.
00:48:43
Speaker
One of those is going to happen, get it bounced their way, and that's exactly what happened, and they scored to tie. So yes, I think a lot of things went against Juventus, but it came down to them not being able to execute when they, even when their backs were against the wall, abandoning playing offense, you cannot do, even if you're down 10 men, you have to try to have the ball because you'll see what that that's going to happen every single time I preach it.
00:49:09
Speaker
I preach a game in and game out. If you are just going to try to defend, defend, defend, and not even attempt to get the ball on the other side on the opposition, the other team is going to score. They're too talented. They want it too badly. They know what the stakes are. So Tudor, the substitutes bring on a 17-year-old kid an aditch and add Zich in a Midget and Conce Sao made no sense. And he, so he realized that.
00:49:31
Speaker
And then he brought on Doosan and Gatti and Gatti. Great. Doosan, Doosan literally, if you go back and look, he was, he was the one guy, not in the 18 yard line. He was in the, but below the penalty area.
00:49:43
Speaker
He was on the 18. We would head it out with the clearance. Instead of him trying to shield it, just kick it right write to him. Kick it right to him every time. Kick it. It's like, and then he gave it the ball right up to San. It was bad, bad, bad on Juventus' part. and But I do think the refs fucked us slightly because we definitely deserved three points because Lazio played like shit.
00:50:05
Speaker
Lazio, I was going to say, even with the red card, Juve should have won this game. Lazio could not have played any worse than they were doing. Rusic and Pellegrini, those are their their outside backs, were actually just traffic cons on the field. They were useless out there.
00:50:21
Speaker
Pelebershiru was... Terrible. And it just, this game showed all the holes in Lazio's squad by so, so much. And even when they were crossing the ball in so much, the guys that were delivering the balls, they were not very good balls. They probably kicked- Terrible balls. Seven crosses just out of bounds, like over the net. They are- Juve is unlucky to have tied this game. Valacio is equally as lucky to have drawn this game. And if Juve don't get shampoo ball, Kalulu is going to be kicking himself and the team is going to be kicking themselves.
00:50:53
Speaker
And Tudor absolutely just panicked and botched this one. yeah The thing that I really didn't like about the double sub was with Adzic, I really didn't like it because like it's a young player.
00:51:04
Speaker
You're giving him a chance to go out there, like run around. like He has a ton of energy. I don't know why he even took him off. He's big and he has a ton of energy. Made sense to be out there. He wasn't playing that bad either. drew a yellow card on Pellegrini.
00:51:15
Speaker
Yeah, and then and then to take somebody like that off, you don't know what kind of psychological damage you may have just caused him. And this could very well be one of those DBA players that now leaves and balls out for another team in the league just because of that one little incident.
00:51:27
Speaker
Yeah, and and I'll even say this. like Think about just how bad Juventus has been in this game all season long. They were winning one, nothing against the Lazio team in the 95th minute of the game.
00:51:41
Speaker
Like Juventus understood like, Hey, this is champions league ball. um And it, we kind of got an unlucky bounce. Kalulu, You can see that he swings.
00:51:52
Speaker
But the aerial view in which it was delivered to us, I don't even know how a camera got there. The stadium has a big hole in it. I actually don't know how they had a camera over It was literally, was so blurry. You actually can't see what happens besides a a flaring arm that obviously makes contact. So I do think the red card probably was justified. But like, come on.
00:52:13
Speaker
like i'm I'm telling you if that was Inter or Milan or not Juventus, they're not giving that red. They're not. Juventus is the victim. we all know how it goes. my its like generally i think I don't think that I play like that. The only time I play that card is in the transfer window, and I don't play that they're the victim. I play that they're bad negotiators, and everybody in Europe knows it.
00:52:33
Speaker
So they take advantage of of of the negotiation. But I don't, I genuinely do not feel, and Paisanos, leave a comment if you think that I'm always bitching about the refs and Juventus and trying to make up excuses because I don't think I'd do that.
00:52:45
Speaker
i won't I won't go on a limb and say you do that, but definitely a tough ah tough drop points for Juve in the ninety seventh minute, especially with the adjust the adjustments that they made to defend the crosses, which was their entire goal.
00:52:57
Speaker
Yeah, very, on like a forward-looking basis now, though, we got to talk about that, the upcoming games. You've been in the best position to get this done and finish four, I think by any team competing for it. They're playing Udinese and Venezia, and like those are both tough games. i'm not good Every game is tough now, right? like But when you look at the caliber of competition other teams are playing, Lazio have Inter and then Lecce.
00:53:20
Speaker
So let's let's talk about that one. Roma have Milan and Torino. So like of these three teams, you've earned the best position. I'll be it. No yieldies. No, this is back. Oh, you'll be back. Lloyd Kelly's obviously injured.
00:53:34
Speaker
Pierre Kalulu red card can't play his seasons over. Kefran Taram cannot play due to suspension. Nikola Savona cannot play due to suspension. Gatti cannot play 90 minutes because he's back and from injury. So I genuinely do not know who we play at center back because we have Vega and that's it.
00:53:52
Speaker
So like I think 100%. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Locatelli. That's what i was going to think we're going to have to see Locatelli play there. There is McKenna in the back line.
00:54:03
Speaker
He's going to have to play there. Who? Who? Wes, he's going to have to play a center. Yeah, the amount of positions he's played. But listen, and now Udinese just lost to Monza, so they're going to be uber-fucking-motivated.
00:54:16
Speaker
They also have nothing to play for! They're trash. don't want to know what they have to play for? Knocking Juventus out of Champions League spot. They're going to fall down to victim Juventus. Lorenzo Luka thinks he's going to Juventus, so he's going to turn off a goose egg in that one.
00:54:29
Speaker
But so, I mean, I agree with you guys 100%. We have the easier schedule, but we have we don't have the players. We're injured everywhere. we don't have the depth like i generally think the lineup at the udinesi is going we're gonna have 15 guys on the bench douglas louise has to play which i'm kind of excited about is coop miners back he hasn't played in a month he's been injured i genuinely are we're so thin you know what i will say though and this is just a random thought alberto costa first start of the season for you event his first full debut played very well played a great game a player promising i mean i don't want to go that far we've seen him play
00:55:03
Speaker
a total of 130 minutes in the Juventus jersey. But he did well against Lazio, a tough opponent. So like great we're going to get to see him again because we only have 12 guys to play. um But he played well.
00:55:13
Speaker
Yeah, for Lazio, they have some suspensions they're dealing with. They have Zaccani, who is presumably going to get replaced by Pedro. I don't think Pedro can play 90 minutes at this point in his career, um but that's a big loss. And then Pellegrini got suspended, their left back, and Nuno Tavares is injured. Presumably, Lazari will probably... I don't even know who will be the left back, actually, at this point.
00:55:34
Speaker
But it's a problem error for the team regardless. So you go down the pecking order more, that's an issue. Luckily for them, they're going to get their shit rocked by Inter, I guess. So it doesn't matter. After I decided it was going to hard game for Inter, lot of people might struggle in that one.
00:55:46
Speaker
I think they struggle. Mats, where do you think this ends up? between Juve, Lazio, Roma? The Juve Champions League, baby. We know what it takes. We got this lighter, easier schedule. I always will have faith in my guys.
00:55:58
Speaker
we If we play Dusan Blaovic, the over Kolo Mwani, that's over. I mean, just don't even, Juventus don't have di a chance if we're playing Dusan over Kolo. Kolo is miles better than every single Juventus player besides Kefran Taram.
00:56:12
Speaker
And it is so vi's so easy to see. If you just watch the Juventus game for 90 seconds, you see how much better he is than everybody on the pitch. And if we play Dusan Blaovic over him, we will not win.
00:56:25
Speaker
You need to ride out this Kola Moana. You need to secure him next year as well. Do what you got to do to get him. But I will say Juventus 4, Roma 5, Lazio 6. Let's bring it to... No, Lokes, what? You're not going to say yours? You're going to say yours. Listen, listen. I'm going to mine, though, because I know what you're... So let me say mine, because I'm going to disagree with you.
00:56:43
Speaker
I think Roma are in four because I think they beat Milan and I think they beat Torino. Lazio and Juve, I think are going to be tied on 60. You said last episode, you said Juve was going to finish in seven.
00:56:57
Speaker
And they they should have beat Actually, this is still tough, dude. I'm looking at this. well So here's, i don't know what it's going to be, but just to wrap up my point. Juve is playing Venezia on the last day of the season and Lazio is playing Lecce on the but um last day of the season. Presumably both of those teams, if they win, will not get relegated.
00:57:16
Speaker
So those games are going to be hell for Juve and Lazio. And I don't think either of them win. So I don't know. And I think Lazio will probably lose to Inter. Lazio gets one point.
00:57:27
Speaker
Juve will probably beat Udinese, though. So I guess Juve finishes higher than Lazio in that situation. don't know. Just something interesting to watch. Lovs, you can kick it on because I know you got a lot you want to say. Well, listen, and the reason I'm not commenting on where I think this finishes is because I have a huge bias coming into this. But I do want to bring it to...
00:57:44
Speaker
the cultural capital of football at the moment, and that is Milan. This team is absolutely on fire. 12 of 15 possible points in the last five games. The only points they dropped was a dog shit game against Atalanta that we were at. I was wearing the wrong kit. It was an absolute disaster.
00:58:02
Speaker
and will never do that again. But what I will say is that there are two teams in Syria right now that are vying for two trophies, and they're both in Milan. Cultural capital of the world.
00:58:12
Speaker
I said it here. Listen, Milan made a ah very specific change. I don't know how many weeks ago. Shout out to Constance for getting his head back into the season. The back three has been a revolutionary change for this team.
00:58:26
Speaker
I said it as soon as it happened. I don't know if you guys were totally hot on this, And I'm not saying that we play beautiful ball out of this formation, but going to the back three has been an awesome change. It has allowed Teo and Alex Jimenez to play at their best positions and not have to be so anchored back on the defensive, which I think has opened up the offensive and where we do where we play our best ball, which is down a goal.
00:58:49
Speaker
When we can open up and we we already know that we're down, we have to score goals. That's when we're at our best. It's so clear. It's been happening all season. You look back at the Super Cup, we were down in every single game there. The only game that we played well when we weren't behind was in the set the second leg of the Copa semifinal against Inter.
00:59:06
Speaker
And so this back three has been great. Again, We're playing dirty, dirty ball. It's nasty stuff, but it gets the job done. This is exactly what happened in our Scudetto winning year. Granted, we weren't giving up a lot of goals, but we were just playing dirty, dirty, nasty, nasty stuff. Stinky soccer out there.
00:59:22
Speaker
But it's getting the job done. A 3-1 win against Bologna going into the Copa final here. That's great momentum. Like I just said, we're coming off three. Four in row. Three wins in a row. You take the Copa.
00:59:33
Speaker
We'll take the Copa. So four wins in a row, all competitions. We are we're hot. We're hot. Players are back in it. Let's pump the brakes here. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. not pumping no brakes. We are hot. We are hot.
00:59:45
Speaker
I know, I know. But let me just finish. We're going to beat Bologna. All right, we're going to get our second trophy of the season. You're making a zone going to be easy. thing I think you guys kind of whooping Bologna's ass this week is going to make them be very, very fully elite. Okay, so let me jump in here. Reversion to the mean, sure.
01:00:03
Speaker
This is the point I need to make. They are not on fire. that is Let's not go that far. This started five games ago when they played Udinese in 1-4-0. They played bad, but Udinese played way worse than them. That was not a good performance. Yes, they won for nothing Most of the goals came very late in the game when Udinese was pulling everybody forward.
01:00:21
Speaker
Then they lost to Atalanta. The Copa Italia performance, I can't say anything bad. They beat Inter 3-0. I thought Inter played terribly in that one too, but that's besides the point. Then you beat Venezia. Congratulations.
01:00:33
Speaker
And then you were down 1-0 to Genoa and only won the game because there was an own goal. And then in this game, Bologna played maybe half of their best players. No Ndoy, Lukumi didn't start, Abashir came off the bench, and they actually almost won this game too. They had a ton of chances.
01:00:49
Speaker
They didn't bury them. But this Copatelio game is a actually completely different team. You didn't face Lewis Ferguson in the midfield, which is one of the best midfielders in the league. You're going face Dan and Doy at the wing attacking your most weak position. That has been the only reason that you've been... Not the only reason, but one of the main reasons you've been terrible all season. Like, let's not get carried away that they're on fire because they've been getting results.
01:01:10
Speaker
And let me go back on what I wanted to say nicely about them. When they're down, they have won. And I don't know why. and I don't know how. But they have won games late. they They somehow have been able to claw back from going down and win. always say...
01:01:26
Speaker
That is not a recipe so for success. And I expect that to end at some point, but I can't knock it when it's been consistently happening for for weeks, for maybe months at this point. They are so lucky to still be in the competition for European ball. And that is the good thing about them.
01:01:42
Speaker
that when they're losing, they they find a way to win, but they still play bad. like they They never play good. They just get goals sometimes is what I can say because Toshani Reinders is really good.
01:01:53
Speaker
Leao is playing well now, and Christian Pulisic occasionally pops up with one. Amanda has made his pennies score twice. Listen, Vos, I'm sick and tired of the slander out of your mouth about Milan.
01:02:04
Speaker
you just You just said it. I don't care how we win. I really don't at this point. I just want to win, and that's what we've been doing. It doesn't matter how you get the three points. If I get three points on that table, that's better than Juventus.
01:02:16
Speaker
Juventus can't get three points these days. Well, who's more points? I'll take my three points any day of the week. Who's got more points? care how we do it. I just got done saying how dirty, stinky the ball we've been playing is, but it's been it's been working.
01:02:27
Speaker
I don't care that we need to go down one goal. If that lights the fucking fire underneath the ass, I don't care. Let it happen. let it Put the fucking ball on their own. Let Mignon dribble the goddamn ball in the net. Go down one no in the first 30 seconds.
01:02:38
Speaker
and let's play some goddamn ball. I think that we are hot. I think that we have the momentum. At this point, we feel like we have nothing to lose. We are in a way better spot than we we were three weeks ago. i talked about it before. The game that we played against Bologna the first the first time around has been a tale of two cities since then.
01:02:56
Speaker
We are now only two points behind that same Bologna team in the table. We could have a European spot locked up tomorrow after a win, after a second trophy the season. And I'm telling you right now,
01:03:06
Speaker
Coming off of ah of that trophy win, going into Roma game at the weekend with a little bit more, a little bit more gas, a little bit more in the tank, this is dangerous. I see nine points out of these last three games. I don't know if they counted as three points when you win a trophy, but I'll take it either way. i Here's what I'll say about the ah Roma game, Loges.
01:03:25
Speaker
You have the trophy locked up. You already got Europa League. And if Champions League is out of your grasp, do you really have gas to play Roma? I don't know. I'm going to have gas.
01:03:36
Speaker
I'm saying the players. But ah here's what I'll say. I agree. Milan have way more momentum at this point in the season than Bologna. you played this game three weeks ago, Bologna had it. But, I mean, Vos over here talking about how Venezia is the hardest place to play in the league.
01:03:49
Speaker
Milan got it done 2-0, but he wanted to brush over that. That's facts. I mean, yes, they played terrible against Atalanta, the game that we were at. Parable. If you go all the way back to, what is that? The the first leg of the Copa, Drew Inter, that's not easy to do.
01:04:04
Speaker
Drew Fiorentina, Fiorentina's a good team, scoring two goals. They beat it in SA 4-0. Their one loss is to Atalanta. Then they beat... You know what I'm saying? So they only have one loss and two draws in their last one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine games.
01:04:18
Speaker
Where you go look at Bologna, it's not the same, right? They and they're pat they beat Empoli to get here. They drew against a terrible Juventus side. They probably deserve to win. They drew against Udinese. They lost against Milan.
01:04:31
Speaker
ah law They lost against Atalanta. Their one win that... like meant something that could have them have some type of momentum was against inter when we were at the San Siro two, three weeks ago. So Milan definitely have the, um,
01:04:47
Speaker
or the momentum going into this game? 100%. like I said, I don't care how it gets done. It just needs to get done. And I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm blind to the fact that Bologna played their B team last week.
01:04:59
Speaker
that's I mean, it's it's clear and obvious. But I almost think that that may have been a mistake in terms of getting ready for this game. We did talk about it. They were fully in the Champions League spot.
01:05:11
Speaker
That's all. I mean, but they were maybe looking forward to this game. Teams do it all the time. Inter was doing it all season. What I was going to say, though, is when Milan looks at this game, looks at the end of the season, i think they feel like they still have a lot to prove.
01:05:23
Speaker
I feel like this is a a different mindset than I've seen in the in the lull of the Compton South era where Compton South wasn't even managing players. We're just walking around the pitch. There's a little bit more fire.
01:05:34
Speaker
I like the formation change. I think that, you Reinder certainly has a lot to prove. He's in he's in talks to get a big move here. So I hope that we keep him. but he's got a lot to prove. Pulisic wants to stay. he's in He's in contract negotiations as well, even though he just signed a new one.
01:05:49
Speaker
Listen, I have really high hopes right now. My hopes are as high as they've been all season. I really want this for the squad. I do think that we come out with a win tomorrow. And I do agree, Mots, maybe we we lock up this spot and when we just sit in the last two games, I'd be sad to see it.
01:06:03
Speaker
But I do believe that with the momentum, we're just getting it done. This seems like a team of destiny to get us into the right spot. it done. I think what really plays in your favor is the fact that all three Lazio, Juventus and Roma dropped points last week. So if you go and you get all three points against Roma, now you're in striking distance.
01:06:22
Speaker
for Champions League, pending on what Juventus and Lazio do. But even if Juventus get all three points and they're at 66 and you beat Roma, you're three points behind. So if they drop points, you can you can backdoor cover Champions League spot, which would be insane considering where Milan was two, three weeks ago. And then also you have two trophies.
01:06:43
Speaker
But really quick answer for you from here, Logs. You weren't here on the last episode. Me and Boz talked about it little bit. but You being a Milan fan, want to get your take. If Milan, let's let's let's call they finish in seventh. No European spot, just just for the sake of this. And they get two trophies in the Supercopa and the Copa Italia.
01:06:59
Speaker
Do you, as a Milan fan, classify as a successful season? Well, I think if we win tomorrow, we get the championship spot. We get the the European spot. You get a Europa League spot. Right, which i'm I mean, even if we made Champions League, I'm probably saying the same thing I said last year that we yeah we probably just punt on something. Am I going to call this season a success? Absolutely fucking not.
01:07:19
Speaker
You can't. The expectations going into the into the season were sky high. I thought that we had made decent moves in the summer window. They didn't pan out. I thought that we made decent moves in the winter window. Those didn't pan out. Kyle Walker's going to back to Man City. Santi Jimenez looks like dog shit.
01:07:34
Speaker
So no, I'm not going to say that this was a good season. Had managerial selection kind of on both ends. Didn't get what we wanted out of Cone to the South midseason. But... It's a salvageable season. It sets us up to revamp ourselves next season. What a nightmare scenario is, is we drop every single game from here on out.
01:07:52
Speaker
We may end up in ninth. We don't have any European money coming in. Our ownership is incredibly stingy. And so that sets us up for a horrible window. I'm not sure that we keep Reinders not having any European soccer next year.
01:08:05
Speaker
layout is definitely be on the outs. Teo is already on his way to Real Madrid. It seems like Mignon seems to be wanting, seems to wants to go. He hasn't signed a new contract. So it's incredible. It's incredibly important. These last three games, for my opinion, there's nothing, to there's nothing that says that we need to stop playing right now. We need to just keep, keep it on rolling. And I don't care again. I'll say it a million times from Wednesday.
01:08:25
Speaker
I don't care how it gets done. Just get it done. So, yeah, I mean, is this successful season? no No, it's not. Well, I mean, here's the good news for Milan. They basically have a secured three points on match day 38 because they're playing dead Monza. So, like, you just got to give everything to this Roma game.
01:08:45
Speaker
Monza's dead. you if you will If they don't win that game, oh, that's bad news. But, Monza, that's it for us on the the Copa Italia. We got a wrap on the Copa Italia here. You had some stats for us.
01:08:56
Speaker
Preview the game. Yeah, just good to know the history stats of the day here. The two sides, AC Milan have won five total Coppa Italias. Their last time they won was actually the last appearance that they played in it in 2003. They have 15 total appearances in the Coppa Italia. And Bologna, obviously, a little bit less on their side. They have two Coppa Italia wins.
01:09:18
Speaker
um They have three final appearances, and the last time they won is 1974. So pretty decently, or at least a decent matchup. Pretty lengthy time for Milan to not win one. You would assume they would have won one before that.
01:09:30
Speaker
And then Bologna, obviously, they're going to want this being almost, what is that, 50 years since they last won round. So they're definitely going to come guns blazing. Yeah, I mean, the other thing is if if they win, what a season for Italiano.
01:09:45
Speaker
Like if they win the Copa Italia and then finish in a European spot, that is a phenomenal first campaign with this team. For sure. Especially with the way they played, how the players responded to him. yeah But yeah, it's it's been, if they don't win it though, and I said it last episode,
01:09:59
Speaker
kind of a normal Italiano season, finishing in seventh and no trophies, just like he did for Fiorentina year in and year out. Yeah, except for the So pressure is on definitely on Italiano.
01:10:10
Speaker
Yeah, so guys, we got that game tomorrow. And then at the weekend, we have got Atalanta going to Genoa. We already talked about a lot of these, I guess. Venezia going to Juve, Empoli at Monza.
01:10:21
Speaker
Oh, don't watch that game. Do not watch Empoli at Monza, please. I beg of thee. ah vanessia calri milon romarino letce lazio inter como verona applely parma in bologna forrantina And with that, that brings us to everybody's favorite segment here, Colby. well bonddding game Really the cool, really cool thing though.
01:10:41
Speaker
Really cool thing about this match week. The only game that doesn't matter is Genoa-Atalanta. they They've already locked up their spots, or at least Atalanta has Genoa. It doesn't really matter. Every single game other than that is Sunday afternoon for here in the U.S. It is Sunday night over in Italy.
01:10:57
Speaker
So it is very cool that they've set it up for a semi. It's almost like a last week of the season 2.0. So it's very cool. That is very cool. I like that. every game sunday 245 and that's just because just like logan said this league is the most competitive in the top five european leagues and not only is the first place not locked up but we have an absolute fucking dog fight for fourth place and fifth and sixth in european spots and it's going to be an epic last two weekends plus tomorrow's going to be a great game as well forgot to mention relegation battle also dogfight i will be watching i will be watching closely
01:11:36
Speaker
All right, Colby. We're back from the Colby. Colby, I don't think went well last week. on My leg did not hit. I know that. Logue's leg didn't hit. My leg just hit. Logue's is as hot as Roma for Colby these days. Very, very hot. hot as Como. I'm as hot as Como.
01:11:51
Speaker
So, Logue, you can lead us here. Yes. Colby. Second to last Colby this season, guys. It's going very sad that we're not to have a lot to bet on over the summer, but we will find ways for you to make money. Don't you worry about that. But going into this weekend...
01:12:05
Speaker
Club World Cup, but that's ah it's a crapshoot. I don't even know who's playing for those teams. In any case, let's lead it off. I've got Torino plus a half. They either need to win or draw for that to hit.
01:12:17
Speaker
They're playing Lecce. We all know the story behind Lecce. They're fucking awful. They're terrible. They should not be in this league. I'm rooting so hard for their relegation. That's why I've got Torino plus a half point, minus 110, kicking off the Colby this week. I think that's a logical pick there. I think you're forgetting that Lecce need a win really bad, though.
01:12:36
Speaker
Lecce are playing for something, Trimor playing for nothing. That's a very scary point. Very good point. Very good point there, Boz. Actually, might not be a great pick there, Logues. My pick, I wanted extremely, i very much. I went against every fiber in my being.
01:12:52
Speaker
to not take Juventus minus one and a half because I wanted to just bet on Juventus for every single game at the end of the season to win. But they're minus 250 for the money line. So there's no value there. And I don't see a way that they can beat Udinese by two goals.
01:13:05
Speaker
So I just couldn't take that. So I'm going take Como money line. Lowe's is hottest team in Europe, even though they didn't play in Europe this year. and They do play in Italy, but I think Roma's still hotter, even though they've lost.
01:13:19
Speaker
But I'm going to take them. i don't even know who they're playing, but I really like the value with who they're playing, Verona. I really like this value at plus 110. I don't see why they would lose. Verona's not very good. There have leaking goals. Como's extremely hot. They score like two goals a game minimum.
01:13:34
Speaker
So I love my pick. Don't really love Logan's anymore because of what Lecce need to play for. But I want to take Juventus, but I can't. I mean, Verona are also playing for survival. Every game is tough these days. I've got Roma-Milan over two and a half.
01:13:49
Speaker
Both teams need to win that game, so I see goals in it. In Milan games, they always concede one goal, and they've tended to score one goal, and I think there will be a winner in this game. Yeah, I think there will be a winner. That comes in at a min minus 136.
01:14:05
Speaker
But outside the Colby, me and Lokes also got a bet on this game. We got a jersey on it. I've got Roma. He's got Milan. If they draw, i don't know, maybe Mots gets something. I don't know. Mots is the field.
01:14:19
Speaker
um mad i would I would love a jersey. You guys pitch in for a jersey. You're not getting a jersey. You're not part of this bet. I'm thinking about this now. Logan has a little bit of a disadvantage in my opinion because Milan are coming off a midweek game.
01:14:33
Speaker
Don't. I'm kind of leaning more towards Nicolas Ravosa's side here, but I want Milan to win because I need Juventus to qualify for the Champions League. Listen, it's all about the dirty, stinky soccer. It's going to get me a jersey. It's going to get me a trophy. It might get me a champo spot.
01:14:48
Speaker
I've also got, people forget, I've got a dollar on AC Milan to make the Champions League this year. i got them at plus 50,000, so that could be a great hit if we do see a couple of points here at the end of the season.
01:14:59
Speaker
But in any case, yes, the old reliable bet jersey is on the Roma Milan game between me and Vos. Tune in for that. But you know the deal, Paisans. You bet the Colby. You bet every leg single. You put it on a round robin. You put your mortgage on it. You get a second mortgage. You put it on that.
01:15:15
Speaker
We got a plus 612 payout on the Colby this week. You put $100 down. You get 712 back. That's the name of the game. That's the math. That's how you win. And with that, another episode in the books. We're coming down to the wire here in Serie A. Cultural Culture has it covered.
01:15:31
Speaker
And we will be updating you on all the socials. You know where to find us at CouchoCultureFCX, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. You're listening to us on all your favorite podcast sites.
01:15:43
Speaker
That's Spotify and Apple Pods. Mots, take us away. Paisanos, Tanampi, Laguts, Torza, CouchoCulture.