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Free Weekly Episode - #PioliOut, Lautaro On Fire, Osimhen More Complete Than Haaland & Much More (Ep. 294)
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From Lautaro Martinez starring for Inter in derby della Madonnina win, Stefano Pioli facing the sack at AC Milan, Rafael Leao's future in doubt, Napoli win again as Victor Osimhen can't stop scoring to José Mourinho's Roma the Serie A's set piece kings and much more as Nima and Carlo break down another crazy week in Italian football.
Every Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast is free for all. To listen to all full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP to become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Introduction and Delays
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast.
00:00:06
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese coming to you a little bit later today on Tuesday rather than Monday in order to allow Nima to return from his trip to Milan where he was watching the Milan Derby. I'm sure he's in a very, very good mood today. Although having listened to some of his voice messages he sent me yesterday, I think he's probably a little bit hanging and a little bit tired.
00:00:36
Speaker
But I'm sure he doesn't mind that.
Milan Derby Analysis
00:00:38
Speaker
What we're going to do today is we're going to talk about, obviously, the Derby. Many of you will have listened. Our patrons will have listened to my Snap post-match podcast I did on Sunday evening talking about the Derby. So if you haven't listened to that, do check that out. What we'll do today is we'll just take that on, and we'll carry on discussing the fallout from that game.
00:01:05
Speaker
all the winners and losers, the key takeaways and particularly where Milan and Stefano Pioli go from here after yet another loss.
Napoli, Zaniolo, and Milan Trip
00:01:15
Speaker
We'll also review all the other big talking points from the last matchday with Napoli of course winning yet again and a couple of others non-matchday related topics including Zaniolo,
00:01:29
Speaker
moving to Turkey, to Galatasaray. So we'll talk about that as well. Okay, let's get into it. Right, so the Milan Derby, I think there's only one place to start and that's Nimr. Tell us all about your freedom to Milan and what you, well, don't tell us everything you got up to. We don't want to know everything. Tell us stuff that you were allowed to put on air that you got up to.
00:01:52
Speaker
Um, no, so I mean, I hadn't been in Milan for, for at least four or five years. Um, and I met friends and I've made lots of new friends and colleagues through, through, through the year. So, um, it was pretty much just kind of a trip to reignite a few relationships, meet new, you know, meet people that I've only ever spoken to on Twitter and WhatsApp. Uh, and, and, and, um, also to, uh, to go there with two friends from uni, we always spoke about, uh, going to the Milan Derby together. And we did finally, um,
00:02:22
Speaker
we you know, we've been to it's quite funny because when we went we I went to because Jason is also one of our patrons he he
00:02:31
Speaker
He's a West Ham fan and we went to before the Berlin got torn down. We saw West Ham against Everton and Lukaku scored in that game. So it was that long ago. And so we finally got to do this again and Lukaku scored, but for some reason it was disallowed. It shouldn't have been. But no, it was a really good trip. It was really nice. I hadn't been there. I mean, I love Milan, especially during Milan Fashion Week. It really is the place to be.
00:02:57
Speaker
during Fashion Week, and it was really, really nice. The city really lives up, and the weather for once was really nice. It was sunny and not the misty, rainy, cloudy, cold thing that you would expect, and there's so much to see there, from Navilu to
Milan's Social Scene
00:03:18
Speaker
To brara to do more to some zero to you know my favorite spot in the land now which is roberta kawali's really catchy restaurant nightclub.
00:03:30
Speaker
It's, yeah, no, it really is. I mean, pink neon lights and black, synthetic black, white zebra and tiger tablecloths with, with really like good music. And then as the night goes on, great cocktails. And then as the night goes on, it becomes a nightclub every time someone orders a bottle of
00:03:56
Speaker
or I don't know, something for 500 euros, a bottle of champagne or two bottles of vodka or whatever it is. They play the, you know, that scene in Rocky 1 where he's running up the steps. Up the stairs. That's the classic scene. And it's a really good night out. And of course, Saturday Milan Fashion Week, that's like the high end when everything ends. So it's basically lots of very
00:04:25
Speaker
Very good looking people who met who don't who who's metabolism is very high and and and yeah no it's it's it's a beautiful city it's a wonderful city and I love when they put the Milan Derby around that he really is a smart thing to do because it really Milan shows itself off from its most beautiful aspect. And you met somebody inside as well.
00:04:46
Speaker
Yes, I did. I just had lunch with our good friend Gianluigi Longari and I was on my way to meet another good friend of ours, Adriana Del Monte.
00:04:56
Speaker
where he lives in Milan and for coffee. And so I just ran into Simona. Yeah. And I, you know, he was in a obviously understandably in a fantastic mood. He's all smiles. And I just said, you know, hi, Mr. Can I have a photo? He said, of course you can. And then I said, thank you for last night. Great win. And he said, you're welcome. And thank you. And I said, well, now
00:05:20
Speaker
now bring us the Champions League trophy and he laughed and he said, let's hope so, let's hope so. He was in a very good mood and he was happy and he was incredibly well dressed. That jacket, that scarf and coat that he was wearing is just one of the most elegant coats I've ever seen.
00:05:46
Speaker
He was there with his kids, I think, and his wife, and they were all in a fantastic mood. So no, it was all great, and it was really kind of friends I know, who let me in, you know, gave me a guided tour, a private guided tour of the new HQ, because I've never been to the new HQ, I've only ever been to the old one, by Corso Vittorio Manuela, by the Duomo. So I'd been in the old trophy room a couple of times, and the old offices before,
00:06:13
Speaker
Now, obviously, it's a completely different organization. It's a much bigger organization. It's much more corporate. And it's huge. And at the very top, of course, they've got this, you know, the roof, which is, you know, where you've got a view over all of Milan. So, yeah, no, it was really, really nice. It was nice to see that. It was really nice to see that.
00:06:38
Speaker
Of course, you were at the match itself and you watched Inter beat Milan.
Inter Milan's Tactical Mastery
00:06:44
Speaker
I can't believe I'm saying it was only 1-0. I keep thinking it must have been more than 1-0. I'm thinking back. I'm thinking it was only 1-0. How was it only 1-0? Like I said before, everybody would have listened to my
00:06:58
Speaker
to my post-match, so I want this to focus more on you and get your key takeaways from the match, both just from a general football match point of view, but also from stuff that being at the game, you don't always get to see if you're watching it on TV. It was a completely dominant inter-win, right?
00:07:19
Speaker
Well, yeah, in the first half, for sure. It really felt like, and I was getting frustrated because I felt like the more chances, the more possession they had and the more control they had, and they didn't break the deadlock, it reminded me of the Derby, which ultimately cost them the Serie A title last year, where they were 1-0 up and dominated, but couldn't kill the game off. They created quite a bit and it looked really,
00:07:46
Speaker
you look they look really in control but for me more than anything like when i when i woke up that day and i saw that me and we're gonna play three five two um well i've you know you or everyone who listens to this partners that i don't think you can play a three five two not with this they don't have a squad for it and stephan up you only certainly isn't a coach who can play a three five two i've never really thought he's he's a three five two coach even though i know he did it a lot to go forth.
00:08:09
Speaker
But that's not really how, that's not the kind of coach he is and I don't think Milan have the players for it. And Milan literally had nothing. They were so poor in the first half. They, I mean, the simplest of passes, the simplest of movements, the simplest of linkups, they just couldn't do it. They just literally could not do it. They looked so rustic. They just didn't look like the players knew where they were going, what they were doing.
00:08:39
Speaker
I thought Ben Ching-Liao was completely bizarre, and so did everyone else. Everyone looking was just thinking, what's going on? I think I read the day after that, Arigosaki said that it was like Mila and Phil looked like they feel that they're primavera team.
00:08:56
Speaker
Um, and it was the, that's the kind of vibe you got. But of course, when you're only one nil up and then go into the second half, um, you know, he makes changes. He brings on Liao. He brings on a salad makers. He moves to a four, three, one, two centralizing Liao. And then all of a sudden inter struggle are struggling to keep up because obviously they're tired. They're midfield has outrun so long and they're only one goal up. So there was a little bit of a struggle there. And then finally.
00:09:21
Speaker
And then when Simone brings on Gossens, Brozovic, and Lukaku, it feels like, okay, well, actually now we survived that difficult period. Now we're going to bring on players who can stabilize this. And Brozovic did look a bit rusty, but him and Chalanoglu and Barella, I mean, I do, unfortunately for Inter fans, I think from an Inter perspective, I think it's going to be the last six months we see them together. I think Brozovic is leaving in the summer.
00:09:48
Speaker
they are. It's a good midfield. It's such a good midfield. It really has everything. And Barela, you talk about him being a fantastic player, but he's a Toto Campista. He's everywhere. He was everywhere and did everything. And now he's developing this kind of telepathic communication with the other midfielders, and the rest of his team, where he's doing these backheels and these flicks.
00:10:15
Speaker
He's really comfortable in his body, and he's just such a joy to watch. And Milan Scrino, obviously he did an interview with the Curva, they didn't publish verbatim what he said, but they obviously reported what he said.
00:10:32
Speaker
That you told him in the summer that they were going to sell him he didn't want to leave yet to find a new club he you know he claimed according to the court of our screen I told them that he wanted even offered to ray lower his wage demands and so on but the most important thing of all of that was to see how nobody boot screen yard and screen yard when you watch him on the on the pitch that I'm going to miss him so much he is such a leader on the pitch which you don't see on TV.
00:10:59
Speaker
He orders, he really rallies the troops, he orders people up, he orders people down, he tells them he himself takes a step up when he needs to. He's going to be severely missed at this event when he leaves in the summer. But, you know, enjoy them while you can, because Brozovitch and Bar-el-Ancalalonglu together,
00:11:21
Speaker
it's it's going to be you know it's it's it was really nice to see a lot of course he is now. The symbol of the scene that he is the captain he plays like a captain behaves like a captain he's really taking this you know armband situation on.
00:11:37
Speaker
and taking it to a different level. So now it's going to be, I mean, if they aren't going to win the Serie A title, they kind of threw that away in the opening 10 games of the season. But they will, I think they will finish second. And I do think that the Champions League is where it has to be. The focus has to be there to get to a quarterfinal and we'll see what they can do. And it stands them in good stead as well.
00:12:00
Speaker
for that quarterfinal or for that last 16 but in order to get to the quarterfinal that you know again we said it last week or after the supercopper how you know Milan's form performances and their results in the big games against the big teams has been so impressive in recent months and this was just another example of that you know they've now beaten Milan convincingly
00:12:23
Speaker
twice in the last few weeks and, you know, Napoli as well in 2023. That's three big wins in a row in 2023. And impressive wins as well. They deservedly won and dominated every single one of those games. And it's not even close. And so they deservedly, wholeheartedly deserved to win every single one of those games. And interestingly enough, they didn't concede a single goal in any of those games.
00:12:50
Speaker
Which is also an interesting fact. Lukaku is starting to look like himself. He's looked more alive in the last week and a half than he has in 18 months.
00:13:12
Speaker
I think one of the things that you noticed, and I remember remarking on this after the Atalanta game, Inter are using him correctly as well. They're playing the ball at his feet when his back is against the goal, and no one can come near him.
00:13:28
Speaker
When you play the ball in the air and lost it to him he struggles to hold it down but if you played at his feet when his back is against the wall was back against the goal and the opposition's are trying to get around they don't get near him i think three times try to like push kick shove couldn't get near him look out for just.
00:13:47
Speaker
Push this up push to hold his arm out and it looked like you know like one of those things when you were holding a child that like a child's head at arms distance and they're like pushing away and kicking and they can't reach you like that's how it looked like at times he's so physically strong and he's actually a decent cross of the of the ball I really liked when he drifts out to the right or the left and links up I think that is something that could include into could really benefit from in the Champions League and in the city as well I think now
00:14:17
Speaker
It's so important for Jekyll for Simona to have both Jekyll and Lukaku, they offer him so many different tactical options. And with Lautaro, who pretty much is the focal point of Inter's attack now,
00:14:31
Speaker
That's a good place to be in, for Inter. It's a shame, because it feels like Inter, I'm not saying they could have won the Serie A, but they could have given Napoli a bit more of a run for their money if they had had a fit Lukaku from the start of the season like he is looking to do now. They lost too many games at the start, because if you actually look at their form, like I said, in the last 11 games, they've won nine, drawn one, lost one. I mean, that's Scudetto winning four, based on those 11 games.
00:14:58
Speaker
The Serie A season isn't played on the last 11 games, it's played on the whole season and they've dropped way too many points in the start of so many games at the start. But in the last 11 games, they have matched Napoli. They really have. The problem is the Napoli have been fantastic all season. They just don't drop points. It will take a choke. We'll come to Napoli in a bit, but I think if there is one team that can at least cut the gap and ask
00:15:27
Speaker
give Napoli something to think about, it isn't. No one else in Serie A is going to do so. Certainly Milan are not going to do so. I want to discuss this in depth today. That is obviously, again, I know we discussed it last week, but now it becomes even more of a crisis. That
Milan's Tactical Challenges
00:15:48
Speaker
is the future of Stefano Pioli because
00:15:52
Speaker
It is the question, should Milan sack him? I know we discussed this at length last week, but we're a week on now, and they've just been beaten again convincingly. I know it was only a 1-0 defeat, but
00:16:08
Speaker
In many ways, I think this performance was even worse than any of the other performances we've seen, even worse than the 4-0 against Lazio and the 5-2 against Sasuolo. And the reason I say that is because Milan just submitted in this game from the first whistle.
00:16:27
Speaker
They had no game. As I think Arigosaki said in an interview yesterday, that they basically completely betrayed their identity and everything about them. To just basically just turn up and put 10 men behind the ball playing Katanacho.
00:16:45
Speaker
And they were just waiting to lose. They couldn't even barely get out of their area, let alone their half in the first half. And in the second half, they didn't really do much better. They didn't create a single chance in the game. And, you know, into over 80% possession for most of the first half,
00:17:04
Speaker
Milan, I think, didn't have a single shot until just before the hour mark when Giroud had it just over the bar. And the only single chance that Milan had in the entire game, actual chance, was when Liao went on a counter-attack after an inter-mistake, an inter-attacking, and then they passed it to Giroud, and it was an excellent chance, but Giroud miscontrolled it, so they didn't even get a shot.
00:17:25
Speaker
in the end. That was the only chance they had. It was at Cherby's, at Cherby did a tackle there who was really good at Cherby, but he's doing, he does one thing that drove me insane and he keeps doing it time and time again and he seems to think he's Lucio.
00:17:41
Speaker
he goes on these marauding runs and the problem is he's not Lucille and he's old and so instead when he goes on these runs he stands there panting for air like a old age pensioner and he looks absolutely embarrassingly awful and interworld or two men or at least one man down in defense and that's something that he needs to stop doing and that was incredibly frustrating to watch when you were there but
00:18:04
Speaker
No, I thought he was good. I thought he was good. But for me, Chalanoglu, watching Chalanoglu, what a player he is. What a development that Simon Inzaghi has done with this guy. He was unplayable. His delivery is magnificent. He's passing the movement, the creativity, the vision. They've really... I mean, Simon Inzaghi has really turned him into something...
00:18:31
Speaker
I never thought not one strength that he could ever become no that's why they haven't missed brother but you're doing this not at all bringing it back to Milan bringing it back to Milan i just think that with purely the reason why i'm now. Almost ready to say that i think i'm rid of them is to he's just making really just.
00:18:51
Speaker
illogical. He looks desperate. He looks desperate. That's the thing. When a coach looks desperate, and that's what I felt with a 3-5-2, he's panicking. Nothing's working. And he can't get into the player's heads, it seems. And so he panics. And that's what that 3-5-2 was. It was panic. They went into the derby essentially saying, let's not lose with a lot of goals. Exactly. That's my exact point.
00:19:15
Speaker
and that is that you can't do that as the champ as the reigning chaseri are champions and and again this it's unbelievable how this milan were dominating and coasting two nil up against iroma with 10 15 minutes left two set pieces poor defending later and it's complete freefall and pioli now looks more
00:19:40
Speaker
completely clueless as to what he wants to do, what he needs to do to stop this, than at any other point since he joined Milan. This is how purely looks before he gets the sack at Inter, Fiorentina, at Lazio. This is how it looks.
00:19:56
Speaker
And I think that... I think the decisions in this is what makes you lose the dressing room and lose the fan base. Yeah. This was the lose the fan base moment. Exactly. Because everybody agreed that he had to change formation. I said... 4-3-3, what are you doing? Just put an extra man in the midfield. Yeah. You want to go more compact, go extra man in midfield.
00:20:20
Speaker
Saki said the same thing yesterday and I always I very rarely disagree with Saki when he's talking about tactics and he said go for go to each of they should have gone to a three four three three as well and the reason that Saki gave and it was spot on and that is if you go to a four three three you can you can be more compact you can have that extra man midfield and you can tighten the ship up a little bit obviously they've been very leaky recently with the goals and everything but
00:20:44
Speaker
But at the same time, you're not betraying your identity. You're still going to be positive. You can still be positive with a 4-3-3. With this 3-5-2, they were basically just, they just went allegribal. They just went 10 men in defence and literally... They didn't go allegribal. This was, let's put 11 players out there and try not to lose 5-0. I mean, there was nothing. It was completely passive. They couldn't
00:21:10
Speaker
And the players look confused as well. They didn't know what they were doing. I mean, this is why it doesn't make sense, Nima. You go 3-5-2. OK, fine. I don't agree with it. I don't think I like you. I don't think they have the players to do it. I think it's desperate. But to do it in a game against a team that's played 3-5-2 for four years and knows it inside out, you go light for light. Usually, if you go light for light in terms of system, in terms of formation, light for light.
00:21:32
Speaker
generally the team that wins is the team that knows the system best and or has the better players and I think in this case or the players in better form and in this case it's inter in every single category well of course it is they played it for since since what his name since Konta came and for me it's after this game I was like actually thinking okay well
00:21:57
Speaker
Maybe it's not a bad idea if they get rid of purely because to me, this is desperation. It reeks of desperation. Desperation, but there's no logic behind it. That's what I'm saying. Desperation has no logic behind it. We all get desperate. There's always desperate times. You have to make a decision. You have to make big calls, but there was no logic behind this because even if you even go in the 3-5-2, you're going to play a counterattacking game. If you're going to sit back, which is what they did, they sat back,
00:22:23
Speaker
then you want players on the counter-attack to be able to do something on the counter-attack, right? So what do you do? What does Piotr do? He drops rapidly out, but probably the most devastating counter-attack player in the whole league. He drops him and he puts in, and this was bizarre, he puts, obviously, well, Giroud, okay, you're going to play Giroud, you can't drop Giroud, but he's not suited to that style of play. But you play Origi, right?
00:22:47
Speaker
who had played 45 minutes of football since November, hadn't started a game since November, had played two substitute appearances in three months and a 20-minute appearance and a 25-minute appearance, horribly outperformed. When you start him, of course he's not going to be fit or sharp enough to start a game.
00:23:08
Speaker
It didn't make any sense. And then you had Macias playing at Senate midfield for the first time in his career. I mean, what the hell is that all about? It was bizarre. It was completely bizarre. And what I mean by that is exactly that. Desperate. It was panicked. It was desperate. There's no logic when you do that. And he's completely out of ideas. And it feels to me that he was just trying to stop a complete embarrassment of that on that night.
00:23:34
Speaker
And the thing about it, Nima, also, as you would have seen being at the matches, at halftime, he made some substitutions, first of all, at halftime. So, I mean, the business, he obviously, Messiah sent him a field failed because he come off at halftime. But then after 10 minutes into the second half, they then changed formation from the 3-5-2 and went to a 4-2-3-1, after which Milan improved. I mean, they weren't great, but it wasn't
00:24:00
Speaker
just 10 men in defence then, there was a little bit more structure, they understood the formation because they didn't have a clue about any of the movements or the playing the 3-5-2 before then. They went to a 4-2-3-1 and they finished the game, they didn't really create much apart from that juried mis-control, but it was much better with the 4-2-3-1. The problem is now, where do Milan go from here? From what I've read and I think from what Pioli hinted at is that they're going to stick with the 3-5-2.
00:24:28
Speaker
Well, that doesn't make any sense, because the 55 minutes that they used the 352 in this game was a total disaster. It was only after they got there. No, I disagree with that. I think when he brought on Salamakers and Liao, when he switched to a 3412, it actually looked better. I think the key, I understand what I'm critical of is why didn't he do that
00:24:49
Speaker
In the test to begin with because that makes more sense because i really think that. The key out of this is to centralize leow i think that the left wing of teo leow it's been found out and teams know how to neutralize them i think the only way.
00:25:05
Speaker
to move forward is to centralize layout a bit more central to moving more in the middle and have him cut in and drive the ball forward because i think that is where the his future line i think that's where he will when he learns to score more from that position i think that's where he will. Become the only that you always say that he has the position to be cuz it does look you know the fact that his style remains reminds you a lot of andre and i really think that i agree with that.
00:25:28
Speaker
I think that's where he needs to go. But I don't think the 3-4-1-2 is what they should be doing. I really think it should be a 4-3-3 or a 4-3-2-1. Actually, I was scared they were going to play a 4-3-2-1. Because if he plays a 4-3-2-1, then Hansel Liao...
00:25:43
Speaker
a bit more centralised than the Christmas tree formation behind Giroux, I think that would have caused him more trouble. I think they would have made much more compact. I understand why he's trying to do that. And the reason he is, he kind of started against Torino in the Copa, didn't they? When they lost, he played a 3-5-2 because he was thinking, well, I'm going to play Antonio Conte in a couple of weeks, and who else to train on better than to do that against Yuri Cheninzagi? The problem with that is,
00:26:13
Speaker
is that he doesn't have the players to do it. He doesn't have the midfield to understand what needs to be done and he certainly has no wing backs. You can't play 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 or however you want to say 3-4-1-2 or whatever if you don't have wing backs. Teo is not a wing back. Teo is a full back. He's a fantastic full back. I disagree with that. Teo is definitely a wing back. He played there in France in the World Cup. He's definitely a wing back. Calabria
00:26:39
Speaker
And he always played in a back four. He played for France in a black four too. They didn't play a back three with France in the World Cup. They played with a back four. Well, no, what they did is what Inter did when they had Maikon as well. They had a back four that inverted to a back three, similar to Italy did with Spinatoa. But it's still a different, it's still a different, it's still a different, yeah, no, but he's not done so very well.
00:27:00
Speaker
Up until the World Cup, they played that for like two years. Yeah, but he barely started for France. Then he only started because his brother got injured. My point is simply that he's not the natural wingback. Maybe you can turn him into one, but then you go on the other side and you're thinking, well, what, Calabria's a wingback now? I mean, no. No, Calabrian, no. Teo definitely is. I just think he's in terrible form. I think he's just in terrible form. He looks cooked from the World
00:27:25
Speaker
They don't have, it's not just about the wing backs, it's just also that he doesn't have the midfielder can play that. They don't know what they're doing in Tonali, who I've never seen him this poor. I have never seen him this, he looks more like a question mark and confused than he did in his first year at Milan when he just didn't know what he was doing. It's genuinely- But let's be honest, it's everyone though, isn't it? Can you name a single Milan player? No, every single one. It isn't just out of form, but is actually-
00:27:54
Speaker
I think it's no, they all are and everyone is, but the thing is with Milan is that I honestly think that Milan, I think the future of this Milan is a 433. I honestly think now that with Gattuso being there as an option,
00:28:10
Speaker
because top four would be a disaster if they fell out. I think as a caretaker coach, I wouldn't be surprised if they brought in Gatuzo, and if it really got desperate. And then next season, if I know Ricky Massara properly, I think they will go for Zari, because the Zari that we've seen at Lazio, that plays to this 4-3-3 with this kind of false nine, Milan have the players to do that.
00:28:36
Speaker
without investing too much. I think that's the natural progression from what Pioli did. I would say that the alarm bells are really going off now. I really think he could get the sack now soon, because there's one thing to lose. There's one thing to try to do something.
00:28:55
Speaker
But something, show me some sort of sign of life. There was nothing, nothing at Milan right now. That is genuinely what it is. The top four now, they're still in the race, but they risk the top four now. We have to be honest now, they're down in sixth place. They're only one point out of the top four because Lazio only drew on Monday.
00:29:23
Speaker
But, you know, they've got some tough games ahead. They've got Torino coming up. Torino. Torino is starting to do a little bit better now. And they've got Atalanta, obviously a huge game for top four. And then obviously they've got the Champions League against Tottenham, which as it stands, well, it's going to be a comfortable victory for Tottenham. I don't see Milan. It's any other way that we can see that game going. So, you know, it's going to...
00:29:49
Speaker
The morale is going to go down even more. They have to make a decision. They're in their worst run for five years. They've lost five games in a row. They have to make a decision. How many games will it take for Milan to make a decision? Do they have to go six defeats in a row, seven in a row, eight?
00:30:09
Speaker
No, I think this coming weekend will be... I think the Torino game will be a bit... I'd be very surprised if he were to lose that horribly and they look dreadful. They can survive a draw, but they can't survive another defeat. I really think that will be the time when they sit down and say,
00:30:32
Speaker
What do we do here? Because they can't afford to not be in the Champions League next year. They just can't. No, they can't. They can't because the money... Well, then goodbye layout. I mean, they're struggling. I mean, that's what we really report. That brings us all nicely to layout because I want to discuss layout.
00:30:50
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the thing is, like, I saw a report on that because saying that actually Milana put the brakes on talks there a little bit because they need they can't afford to extend his contract when top four is at a risk. And Gazzetta said that and then they reported today, I think that it's it's looking more far away than ever before. And his body language as well. He does not look like he's interested.
00:31:17
Speaker
He really doesn't look like he's interested. I think that's absolutely his body language in the last Not just the last two games in which he started as a sub but even predating that the last month 2023 his body language in 2023 Has been horrible. It is the body language of someone who is not happy who just can't be bothered That can't be bothered
00:31:43
Speaker
Doesn't gonna be bothered. Yeah totally indifferent indifferent not even not even and no because when you show anger your shows that you care it shows that you care when you when you're angry it shows that you you know you want to win or your you know your your reacts into something.
00:32:00
Speaker
You know, it's like, do you know what I mean? It's like going to all relationships. It's like a couple together. You know, if one of the two gets angry with the other, it shows that they care. If they just don't say anything and they're completely indifferent, they don't really give a shit. Do you know what I mean? No, exactly. I think this is the way I look at this relationship between Liao and Milan. It's just that he just doesn't seem to care anymore. And I just think that right now,
00:32:30
Speaker
it doesn't look good at all for so many different reasons in terms of the chances of him renewing. Number one, he's been dropped. So he's not going to be happy about that. He's been dropped for the last two games. He doesn't start the Milan Derby, the biggest game of the season for his club. Doesn't start that game. That can't be good. That's not going to improve the chances of you signing a new contract. Number two,
00:32:55
Speaker
you look at Milan, how badly they're doing, how badly they're performing, the fact that they might not even qualify for the top four as it stands as you're negotiating the contract. But also, you look at the work they've done in the transfer market, they win the Scudetto last summer and then last season, and then in the summer, they just buy youngsters basically, which we know the reasons for that. But to Liao, if you're a player
00:33:19
Speaker
You know that's building up to become one of the best players or plans to be one of the best players in the world You look at that and already you're thinking hmm Is this the car mark the right club? Then you see the lack of business in January at a time when they clearly and I said it and I still believe they made a mistake They needed to bring someone in in January to give them a job. They didn't do it So he looks at that and sees that don't buy anyone in January either
00:33:41
Speaker
And also, he just looks at the overall state of Italian football right now that financially, how not just Milan, but everyone doesn't have any money. They've become a feeder. They're all broke. We've discussed all the scandals that are going on, Juventus, but also other clubs, Milan as well, have been investigated, other clubs as well. He probably looks at the whole thing and you think to yourself, would you sign a
00:34:04
Speaker
Well, Milan aren't being investigated. That's not entirely true. What's happening is that the owners, the sale of Milan is being investigated. So it's not Milan being investigated. I think it's important. If you were Liao, would you sign a new contract when you know that you can get an offer from the Premier League or from, well, let's just say the Premier League or another major superpower? Real Madrid or whatever. PSG or Madrid.
00:34:34
Speaker
where they will double your wages at least right they'll be able to pay off that that uh uh outstanding debt that you owe to sporting Lisbon but also not just from a financial point of view but from from a sporting point of view you can actually join a club that um you know can challenge for major trophies and not just
00:34:55
Speaker
in Europe, obviously the Champions League, we know Italian teams can't challenge for that, like Milan, but also domestically, like Milan, they're in a position where they're way off, even challenging domestically in Serie A, let alone in Europe. They're not going to win anything this season, they're not going to win a trophy, all the chances to trophies are gone, they're out of the coppa, they lost a super coppa, they're not going to win the Champions League, they're not going to win the Serie A, so they're not going to win anything this season.
00:35:21
Speaker
And he looks how long he's been there and he sees, okay, we won the Serie A, but they weren't in a position to be able to dominate from that and to build the winning cycle. So of course he's looking at... I mean, if I'm Liao, I'm looking at my future and I'm thinking, right, my contract runs out in 2024. I'm 20, was he 23 years old? Was he 24 now? So you're looking at you and you're thinking, right, what am I going to... What am I staying here for? What's my next step?
00:35:46
Speaker
Well, I can stay at Milan at a club that's doing terrible, a club that's not got any money to invest, a club that, you know, or I can join a club where I can fulfill my sporting ambitions and also double the money. I mean, it's a no brainer, isn't it? Let's be honest. We're Italian fans. I want, you know, everybody knows me.
00:36:04
Speaker
Of course, I want me to keep it close. Well, we both, I mean, the thing is, like, it's we both have to do well. But at the end of the day, there's no why would why would anyone? I mean, I'm sorry, but that's just Scrinya. Scrinya is in a similar situation. Scrinya was a different situation because that was inter-screwed that up. Inter-screwed it up, yes. Because he wanted to stay.
00:36:28
Speaker
No, but the decision interscrewed that up because they told the player with 12 months left on his contract that they wanted to sell him. And then when they couldn't get what they wanted, because they wanted 80 million euros for a central defender with less than 12 months left on his contract,
00:36:43
Speaker
and PSG said we're not paying that, because Leonardo is no longer there, because they have an adult running the ship now instead of a child who plays FIFA. So they didn't pay for it, and so instead they went back to Scringard, and by then Scringard already was allowed to talk with PSG so he knew what he could make, and had an actual offer, so Inter completely fucked that up.
00:37:02
Speaker
Part of the point I'm making is that we're gonna you're gonna get these big name players like Scrinia like Raphael and these lights where they're gonna have decisions to make of where to sign the new contract where they can earn a fraction of the money that they that they could for team abroad but not only from the financial point of view but also they have a sporting decision to make where they can stay at their current club and know
00:37:24
Speaker
that there is no sporting project at that club and that's the same at Milan, it's the same at Inter, it's the same at Juventus, it's the same with all the big three clubs. They know that there is no future at these clubs in terms of the club just don't have the money or the sporting project to be able to build and for them to fulfill their ambitions at the club.
00:37:41
Speaker
The only one who really has that is Napoli right now, or even Roma. They're the only ones in Lazio. Those are the only ones who have a serious sporting project in different sizes. But Napoli is the one that looks the most in the one that has the best position to actually start a winning cycle, to be honest.
00:38:05
Speaker
regardless of how you feel about De Laurenti's, he's always turned a profit except for the Covid years. They're in a very stable position and with Osseman looking like he's doing, you know, I mean, he, even if they weren't, they win again, they win again, comfortable. Osseman scores twice.
00:38:23
Speaker
I'll swim in the scores twice again. I thought actually the first half they were actually pretty poor,
Serie A Highlights: Napoli and Roma
00:38:28
Speaker
Napoli. They weren't good at all in the first half, but then they took over in the second half. You know, a little bit fortunate, I mean it was a penalty, but a little bit fortunate with how the penalty came with the handball from Wrecker. If you actually look at it, it took the most awful bounce, I mean the terrible pitch and it kind of weirdest bounce ever.
00:38:46
Speaker
It was unlucky. Wrecker was a bit unlucky, but he was a penalty. But then from then on, once they scored that, I'm glad that Clara Scadia took the penalty, by the way, because we've been crying out about how Napoli keep changing their penalty takers. They've got a terrible record from penalties. And he buried it, put it right in the top corner. I think Clara should be the penalty taker. He should be the penalty taker, yeah. Yeah, I've been saying that for quite some time. So, yeah, Clara, and then obviously, man, of course, you know, another two goals.
00:39:14
Speaker
his his headed goal i've just seen today they've measured it that he actually leapt to a height higher than Cristiano Ronaldo did when he scored that famous header against Sampdoria yeah the heir of Cristiano Ronaldo thing yeah now he's yeah Osseman's on fire 16 goals and 16 starts in Serie A and only Harland has a better average
00:39:36
Speaker
and more non penalty goals in Europe's big five leagues this season. And that brings me on to ask, you know, Victor Osseman, is he actually more complete than Haaland? I think he's a more technical player, but I think Haaland is much more stronger, is physically much stronger, is quicker and is a more physical presence than Osseman is. But I do think Osseman has better technique and I think Haaland is better in the air.
00:40:07
Speaker
But, I mean, we're talking. I think, I mean, I think, I think Harlan's a better player than Osseman. I'm not, you know, I'm not saying Osseman's a better player than Harlan, but I think that Osseman is a more complete player than Harlan. I can see why you would say that. Because I look at Osseman and really, you can't pick, literally cannot pick out a weakness in Osseman's game.
00:40:27
Speaker
No, we really can't. Because he has areas that he can improve, of course. Yeah, exactly. But he's got everything. He has the capacity to do everything. Well, I mean, I've been saying for two, three years, I think he's the best number nine and the most complete player is number nine and said, yeah, we both have. So, you know, it's because of these things. We saw these things. We saw the talent that he has. He's a very young player and now he's finally showing what he can do when he's got players that suit him really well, like that midfield they have, like Vichakvara Trelya, who's been
00:40:55
Speaker
an absolute revelation. What a find. What a fantastic find he's been. There's no doubt that they're going to win the Serie A. The 13 points clear. This point has never happened before that anyone lost it. It's impossible. You look at the games they've got coming up as well.
00:41:14
Speaker
against Bethea, you saw, you know, they got the Champions League, I think they're going to start roting. Yeah, I mean, yeah, hope they're going to win that. Yeah, but yeah, they got kind of screwed by the referee for perfectly honest in that Copa Italia game as well, even though they made 10 changes to the lineup.
00:41:29
Speaker
Look, I think it's quite obvious that I think they're going to win. Even if they draw, even if they lose, doesn't matter. Ten points clear. This is one point. They have built such a huge margin. They've built such a huge lead. They can afford to lose four games and still be one point clear.
00:41:50
Speaker
and they're not going to lose four games. It will be the biggest choke job we've ever seen. In history, it will be the biggest choke job in league history if Napoli don't manage to win the Serie A title this season. Let's be honest. And I don't see that happening. When they've got Corrado and Ossemane, if those two stay fit...
00:42:06
Speaker
it's very very difficult because they're just not just that but then they throw in cholito who comes in and scores every 63 minutes i mean it's just it's it's just they they are looking at those two up front i mean they are they they are the most complete they are they are the most complete they are the most complete team in the seria napoli this season i have the best depth i have the best height then the the table doesn't lie when you're at this point
00:42:29
Speaker
When you play like this and you weaken, we can't just score goals for fun. I mean, every time we've done a statistical division or analysis of it, Napoli dominate every single attacking one. And it's not by chance when that happens. The underlying metrics, yeah. The underlying metrics, they just show what it is. They are the best team in the Serie A and it's not even close. And they have the best number nine. They have a very good defense. A very good defense. Here's a question for you.
00:42:58
Speaker
See, at the start, I think everyone was saying, because Osymene was injured for a while at the start, that, you know, Kvadatskaya, there's no doubt about it. He's the best player in Serie A this season, blah, blah, blah. But now, who is the best player in Serie A? Who has been the best player in Serie A? Is it Kvadatskaya? There's quite a bit of shouts for that. Because I feel that, come the end of the season, if Napoli do what we expect and win the Scudetto, that's going to be one hell of a battle between those two as to who actually gets the
00:43:25
Speaker
I think it's going to be Osseman. I think Osseman is getting it because he's also going to be top goal scorer. So for me, and because of the fact that he's going to be top goal scorer and he doesn't take penalties. So for me, it's a no brainer. It's going to go to Osseman. But and then also given his role in this Napoli and so on and so forth. So now I think it's going to be Osseman when they win it for sure.
00:43:46
Speaker
But I do think it's an interesting debate to be had, because you can also argue Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski, you can argue Kim Min-jae, you can argue Quara, I mean there's so many people you can argue. Kwanji Zeus, yeah, everyone. No, it's not Kwanji Zeus. He has nothing to do. And the funny thing is, I think Astigor doesn't even play that much, and that's a player I really rate.
00:44:10
Speaker
Now, Napoli are building something interesting, and you know that what's really positive from a Napoli perspective, and also for Italian football as a whole, is the fact that Aurelio De Laurentiis will not sell his players unless he gets paid what he wants. And it doesn't matter who it is, and everybody knows that. And Osseman knows that. So, this summer, unless somebody pays him the 110 or 115 or 100 million pounds, however much he's decided that he wants, Osseman isn't going anywhere. And what you also know is that Giuntoli
00:44:36
Speaker
and the organization that they've built at Napoli, they've already got replacements lined up, if that happens. Whoever that will be, we don't know. But we know that their scouting is second to none, and we know that they have deserved us giving them the benefit of the doubt. They really deserve it. Yeah, okay. Let's move on to Roma.
00:44:58
Speaker
Set Peace Kings Roma in corners this season. Absolutely insane. Another 2-0 win, another two goals off corners. This time it was Ibanez and Tammy Abraham, Headers on Paolo Di Bala's corners. Those two goals came in the first six minutes, actually. There was no more goals after that.
00:45:20
Speaker
That took the number of goals that Roma have scored this season for the Serie A, seven goals from corner kicks this season. If you add that to two goals, they've scored off three kicks.
00:45:36
Speaker
That's indirect free kicks, you know, cross to the box. And also three penalties. So 43% of their Serie A goals this season, that's insane, have come from offset plays, which is absolutely mental. And it just shows what we both said, didn't we? We said a couple of weeks ago after the Milan game that Roma are the best set piece team in Serie A. And even in the Napoli game, they gave Napoli just
00:46:04
Speaker
asked Napoli so many questions from set pieces and from corners and they look so dangerous throughout that game that Roma, they really are becoming a really difficult team to play because even when they don't play well within the Milan game, if they get corners, if they get a chance to put balls into the box, they've got so many giants in their team that they're going to cause trouble and they're in the top four now, they're looking
00:46:32
Speaker
No, I think they're going to finish in the top four. As I said all along, I think they're a shoe, and I think Mourinho will micromanage the shit out of this, and he's doing it by these set pieces and all that. He is focusing on getting them back into the top four, because that would be quite the accomplishment. Let's remember, regardless of what, you know, take aside what the Juve shit show,
00:46:56
Speaker
to bring Roma back into the Champions League in the second year, winning a trophy the first year. This is really turning out to be a success here now in Roma, and he's becoming untouchable for the first time, really, since he was at Inter in 2010, in the sense that every war he picks, every battle he picks, he wins, and he wins by knockout punches. Whether it's the kid Afen-Ajan,
00:47:25
Speaker
There is only one emperor of Rome, and Jose be thy name. He wins every single battle he goes to, and he has the entire backing of the club and the fans too.
00:47:43
Speaker
And so he knows what he's doing. I don't ever think that we're going to see a Mourinho like we did in the early part of his career when he just was a trophy hoarder. But this is what I meant when I kept telling you a few years ago that I don't think he's finished at this level. I think that he still has something to give. He will never win trophies at that level again. I do think he has one or two major trophies in him.
00:48:08
Speaker
uh, you know, two, three, whatever. But I don't, but so, so now he's rebuilding that. And I think he's got his eyes on that Real Madrid job. I think he's, his entire thing now is to show that he can do at Roma, end it well, get him into the top four, that he can handle crises, that he can work with these players. And if Carl Ancelotti were to be sacked, I think he will, you know, I think, I think that's the job he's going for. I really do.
00:48:37
Speaker
Yeah, well, Angelotti is definitely at risk of the way that Madrid are playing at the moment.
Zaniolo's Career Challenges
00:48:43
Speaker
Yeah, let's move on to Zagnolo, though. It looks like, well, it is. He's on his way to join Galatasaray in Turkey.
00:48:54
Speaker
22 million euros, of which 15% of which Roma won't even get because it will go to winter. He does have a 35 million clause included in that contract, which allows Serie A teams or any teams to sign him starting from this summer. So, I mean, the way I look at this deal is number one, it's bad for Roma because they're only getting 22 million. Mine is 15%.
00:49:24
Speaker
minus 15%, so that's way short on what they were aiming for. They were asking for 35, 40 million, but actually if you go back
00:49:33
Speaker
you know, the start of last summer, you know, they were looking for 50, 60 million, you know, and so that, I mean, his price has plummeted, and that's a symptom of everything that's been going on with Zanyola and his career. And also Bat-Rome, I don't think, handed it particularly well themselves either. But also, more importantly, what I wanted to say, for Zanyola to be joining Galatasaray, and, you know, this isn't meant as any disrespect to Turkey, to Turkish League.
00:50:03
Speaker
It really is. It just shows. It's sad. It's sad to see Zanielo's career come to this at 23 years old to be joined in Galatasaray. It's very, very sad. I don't think it is sad. I think it's sad, but it was kind of inevitable after those two injuries and that he was unable to come back. And then last season he had a full injury free season and he just didn't look like
00:50:28
Speaker
he had what it took to play at that level in the Serie A. We'll see what happens in Galatasaray. Maybe he can kickstart his career because someone like, for example, Mauro Icardi is doing really well there. If you actually watch Icardi play now, he's doing things that he never did at Inter. He's doing link-up plays, building up his movement, he's trying to do things. Mertens, I think, what has he scored now? He's scored six goals in 22 games already, so I think he's going to get more
00:50:59
Speaker
more room. He's in time on the ball. He's going to be playing with players who know the Serie A and can help him off the pitch. I mean, Sergio Oliveira, Lucas Torreira, Fernando Musleta. I don't doubt that he'll do well in the Turkish league, but it's the Turkish league. It's a very poor quality league.
00:51:21
Speaker
Yeah, but I think it was inevitable after those two injuries, to be honest with you. I'm sorry, but at that point in your career. Maybe it was inevitable, but he's managed himself and whoever is advising him, he's been managed so badly that he's come to this. That includes the way he's behaved with Roma. He'd have been much better off just staying at Roma until the end of the season and then joining someone properly in the summer.
00:51:45
Speaker
Well, that's not possible after Mourinho did what he did, and after, I mean, the fans came and threatened his life and he had to move back to his parents in Ligurio. Yeah, but who started that in the first place? It was Zaniolo that started it. He started it in the first place. Okay, he got a few boots, but you're going to get boots if you're playing badly. He started this, the chain of events that led to, yes,
00:52:07
Speaker
it wasn't handled well by Romareva but it was initially it was Zanyola that started the process and he's been you know he put in a transfer request and everything and you know it's it's yeah he put in a transfer request but then he declined this is not a good pathway for Zanyola no it's not but i think but i think i think it's kind of expected but who knows i mean if he goes to turkey and he actually sounds like you're writing off his career then pretty much i am well i am i have been for a long time and and and and it's not i don't think he will ever
00:52:36
Speaker
I think the only way that he comes back is if he goes to turkey and they start winning titles there and he can build his physique up again and and start to get his confidence and enjoys football back and then somehow. If somebody were to you know if they have if galatas and i were to play in the champions league again and he were to perform there and maybe one.
00:52:56
Speaker
Topside in Italy would be interested in signing him. That's the only way, but I just don't think... Unfortunately, I think it's a shame, because I think him, you know, again, had he not had those two injuries, I think we would be talking about a completely different career trajectory. And we'd be talking about it as Agnolo, who'd be playing at a much bigger club than Roma, with all due respect.
00:53:16
Speaker
and far bigger than Galatasar. He's been managed badly and I actually include Roberto Vancini and I include Roma in the handling of his return from his first ACL injury. When he was rushed back straight away, he comes straight back from injury, straight off the training field, playing full 90 minutes, twice, three times a week. Vancini even called him up a month later after his return, put him in the Italy squad, even played him in those World Cup qualifiers. The one when they drew, he came off the bench, didn't he? Do you remember they drew? Was it against Bulgaria?
00:53:46
Speaker
And then it was so badly managed by both Roma and by Italy. They have to take a hell of a lot of the blame for the injury side of things. From the whole, just his old attitude and personality, of course, that's on Zaniolo. And that's why, and I said it last week, he has become the new Mario Bellatelli.
00:54:08
Speaker
I don't know if I would go that far, but I do think that it's... I don't think that Balotelli... I get why you're making that comparison, but I wouldn't go that far, because I think Balotelli was different. He never had those injuries. And in terms of his professionalism, lack of professionalism... But I think it's conditioned by that. Yeah, I get that. He can't handle criticism either. That is a sign of a big player. His top players have to be able to handle
00:54:37
Speaker
criticism or just not give a shit about some unknown person you don't even know criticizes you or boost you know okay it's not nice not saying it's nice the negative energy is real energy is real you've got all that negativity and people booing you you feel that and it anything you know it can it does have an effect on you but from it's from a point of view of how you react to it you've got to just you just got a you know
00:55:00
Speaker
don't let it get you down and don't let it affect you and he can't handle it. I think that is something that Balotelli could never handle. He couldn't handle criticism.
00:55:13
Speaker
Well, it's also because they're very, very young and they become very, very young. I remember Mourinho back then during the Balotelli era said that, you know, back in the day when they were young, they weren't millionaires. Now they're millionaires before they've even done anything. And so you're essentially dealing with someone who's really young, rich as hell and thinks he's, you know, and you've got absolutely no control over them. And I think
00:55:34
Speaker
with the wizard yolo i think it's also one of you know he you know rome rome rome is a special city and rome is a special club and the next crisis is only ever around the corner at roma and
00:55:48
Speaker
with all the Roman radio stations and everything that goes on. If he goes out on a night and meets a girl, then it's going to be spread everywhere. It's Rome. I'm sorry, but it's Rome. It's like that. It's always going to be like that. He didn't handle that at all well. I don't think he had
00:56:05
Speaker
the club managed to protect him from that either. Roma's never been good at that, has it? But then he's also unlucky that he hasn't had the people around him. Well, the thing is, you'd expect someone like Pellegrini and Totti and these guys who are Roman to kind of take him under the wing, but Totti's not got nothing to do with the club anymore.
00:56:27
Speaker
Pellegrini doesn't seem like he's wanted to either. Just his management. Who's his management? Who are the people that are advising him and protecting him? And the drama with Zakani and the ex-girlfriend. Yeah, the drama with Zakani's ex-girlfriend and the baby and all that. It just became this kind of difficult moment. Well, that's the problem, isn't it? When you come from, I don't want to say a bad family, it's a horrible thing to say, but when you have a family around you that are not
00:56:53
Speaker
Able you mean trash trailer trash. It's okay to say cool. Yeah, okay, you know Like guests on the Jerry Springer show if they spoke Italian, yeah Yeah, no, I know what you mean. But yeah, it's it's it's look it is what it is. It's a shame thing I think he would have been able in a bit in a much better position to be protected if you hadn't had those injuries and he had had fantastic seasons and we'll be talking about a player who Roma would have probably cashed in on a hundred million for and so it sold somewhere else and
00:57:22
Speaker
But unfortunately, I don't think he will ever get there. I hope I'm wrong. I hope he can go to Turkey and rebuild himself and then maybe come back and become a part of the Italian national setup. Because I think in terms of talent goes, he really was the generational player that we've never really seen. And the Italian midfielder that we have... I can't remember another midfielder who was like... They usually don't generally produce these kind of... And it's a shame. Kiesa and Zagnoro, two plays that break the mold of Italian players.
00:57:51
Speaker
just, you know, had that incredible pace and dribbling and the ability, power as well, yes, that kind of power that you associate more with the Germans or North European, or you know, but together with the skill and the creativity and the imagination that you associate with the rhetoric.
00:58:13
Speaker
Latinos and the Italians. They had both. Italy doesn't generally produce the players that have all of those things. And Chiesa and Zaniolo are probably the two of the exceptions really, aren't they? I just hope that Chiesa can... I don't think... I mean, you are too smart to do that.
00:58:35
Speaker
Were you there handling his return better in terms of giving him out of time? Oh, they are just taking it so slow and calm with him. That's one of the things I'm thankful for Allegri being a cautious bastard for. No, but it's the right thing to do. And I think the reason why Mourinho was so good for him last season is that he's the same way. But the problem is that Zagnolo could never repay that despite scoring in the conference league final and winning them the trophy and blah, blah, blah.
00:59:03
Speaker
there was not that step up, if you know what I mean. Yeah, no, for sure. At Atlanta, just quickly, they slip up to Sassuolo. The only thing I want to say about this game, they lost 1-0, is I thought that they got absolutely screwed with a Maeda red card. That was absolutely disgrace, that red card.
00:59:22
Speaker
To be honest, to be truthful, Sassuola were already the much better team at that time. So I'm not saying that Sassuola wouldn't have gone on to win the game. They've hit form now. Obviously, they've beaten Milan. They were excellent again before the red card and after it, and they fully deserve the win.
Serie A Controversies and Highlights
00:59:39
Speaker
Noliente and Berardi, great goal from Noliente. Berardi, those two, I love watching them play both of them.
00:59:47
Speaker
they're starting to show what they, starting to get results that they should be getting for the players that they've got in their team. But from Atalanta's point of view, I would be absolutely up in arms, getting a red card like that for Mater. It was just an example, really, of when a referee doesn't understand football, probably hasn't played the game, because that kind of, well, whoever made the decision, was it the VAR? Was it the referee? I can't remember, but that foul would never hurt a player bad, seriously.
01:00:16
Speaker
Never. No, look, I think again it's this interpretation of, you know, dangerous, you know, jocos correto, as they say in Italy, and I think they decided that it kind of was. It's one of those ones where when you watch it in slow motion, you see the studs up, you see the studs up and making contact with the opponent, and it looks like, oh, that's a dangerous spell because, you know, you've got your studs up and you're putting it, you know, it was
01:00:45
Speaker
higher than the ankle. So it looks, do you know what I mean? It looks in slow motion like a really dangerous foul. Like, oh my gosh, you know, you're going with studs up. You could, that's a, you could break someone's leg, you know, if you see it in slow motion. Actually, when you watch it in usual pace, I mean, it's just, you know, anybody that's kind of played the game knows that that just, that doesn't do, is just never, that's never going to do a serious injury. The, the, the, the, the force and the, the connection with the player just isn't going to do a serious injury. So it shouldn't be,
01:01:12
Speaker
It's just not a red card, but that ended the game really, which is a shame for Atalanta. The other thing I would say, Zapata and Muriel, oh my God, they are so finished. They really are so, so finished.
01:01:32
Speaker
And it's so strange because usually Atalanta cash in on these players long before this happens. They don't make a mistake, yeah. They don't wait too long. No, they don't. And I think it's like, hmm, I wonder what they've done here. How they handle this. Both of them as well. You'd have thought at least one of them they would have got rid of, wouldn't they? Very strange. Very strange.
01:01:54
Speaker
Okay, right that's that's That no hang on just before we talk just before we talk about man city Just the rest of the weekend match calendar So we had and we also need to pick a badger in prim face of the week So if you haven't thought of that name us just think what I read out these results Bit last minute calm today. So rest of the weekend match calendar. So we've got cremin easy nil Let's say to looks like cremin easy. Well, they said I've got a win have they
01:02:24
Speaker
Still no win. Torino is starting to pick up now. They still don't score many goals, but they are, as you say, a pain in the butt. I'm sure they will be for Milan this season. Fiorentina shot defeat to Bologna at home, 2-1. What the hell happened there?
01:02:46
Speaker
Vincenzo Italiano happened. That's what happened. Vincenzo Italiano happened. I mean, oh my God, this desert. You hate Vincenzo Italiano? No, I don't know. You know what? I don't hate them. I hate this ridiculous hipster bullshit hype around them.
01:03:06
Speaker
That's what I can't stand. I actually like Italian... I think what Italiano did at Spezia was nothing short of a miracle. I think that is an absolutely fantastic demonstration of what a young coach can do with barely anything to do it in. I think it was absolutely fantastic. But this notion that he's automatically turned into this kind of the second coming of Christ and, oh, let's all play like Guardiola. Guardiola knows how to defend, okay?
01:03:34
Speaker
These two do not know how to defend. And if you bring them to a big club before they're ready and they've developed and had their coaching careers, both of them, both to Zerbe and Italiano, you will have burnt them both out. Similar to what Chelsea have done to Graham Potter now, who is a coach I actually really rate. I saw what he did in Sweden. I really liked it. I thought he could have been a great coach.
01:03:54
Speaker
I think, but fortunately, he went to Chelsea and they are a coach killer and what happened in there used to be that as well. So a lot of clubs are coach killers and that's this notion and I'm scared that it's there to be an Italian are going to end up somewhere. They won't be able to handle it and then goodbye careers. That's the point. Okay. Right. So let's move to bad Joe and prim face of the week.
Celebrating the Milan Derby
01:04:20
Speaker
Okay. Bad Joe, who we got.
01:04:22
Speaker
For me, it's called the Milan Derby. I mean, everything around it. The sound wave, the level of noise, the banners, the T-foes, everything around it, every single time.
01:04:42
Speaker
I go there, you know, this was like, I think this was, this was my seventh Derby. This was my, I think like 13th, 12th, 13th game at the San Siro, every single time an evening game at the San Siro, just a Derby game just blows me away. Every single, everything around it, the way the city lives up for it, the way, just the theatre of it is just, it has to be, it's just Italian football at its absolute best.
01:05:10
Speaker
Yeah, well, I can't go against that. You were there and it certainly is the occasion. And we've got to give a shout out to Osseman for hitting that fan by mistake during training before the game and then giving her a hug. That was really lovely as well. I thought that was beautiful by him to do that and the way that the fans let him in. It was really nice to see.
01:05:32
Speaker
OK, right. Prem Face of the Week. And we have to include Samuel Ventress, King Leo on Twitter. He's a page dwellers and he sends us brilliant ones. Prem Face is everything. He sends us the best. He sends us the best. And I think we only use one of them before and we should do it every week, really. He's really like our Prem Face hunter, isn't he?
01:05:53
Speaker
He finds the best ones. So what we got this week from here, we had a few, we've got Richard Keyes basically. Oh dear. Jimmy Greaves was Lionel Messi before Messi. And let me just preface that by saying that Jimmy Greaves was an absolutely unreal player. He was amazing. He was. He is the best striker that England have ever had, better than Harry Kane. Let me tell you that. Without a doubt. With Harry Kane just overtaking him in the Tottenham, breaking the Tottenham
01:06:21
Speaker
all-time goals record and but yeah what again why do they always have to why do they do thank you the the the comparisons are the ones that just literally like they're completely different players as well i mean just yeah british was a goal scorer i mean okay messies are number 10 like he's a classic like it's always so cringy isn't it yeah yeah so richard keys and
01:06:49
Speaker
He's, he's had many messy before messy. He works in the Middle East for being sports. He's out there. And his shows are, I mean, they're broadcast, you know, not to England, obviously. But he's bitter.
01:07:06
Speaker
But if you ever watch his broadcasts, he always presents as if he's presented to an English audience. And that is, again, the hallmark of the prem face. It's like your audience is always an English audience. Even though, in the Richard Keyes case, you're out in the Middle East and you're not broadcasting to
01:07:30
Speaker
My favorite part is his Twitter feed is basically just him talking about how he's always right. That's literally every single, every single other tweet is needless to say, I'm right.
01:07:42
Speaker
But I mean, let's remember he's incredibly bitter for what happened to him and those leaks and what happened because he got sacked, didn't he? Wasn't it Sky Sport he was on? I can't remember. Sexism, yeah. He said some really horrible things about female referees which were caught on half hot air. It was lots of things, wasn't it? I remember. Who was the other one?
01:08:03
Speaker
Yes, that's the comment. That's the comment. He asked his co-presenter female to tuck him in. That's the one. Yeah, that was the one. And Andy Gray was the other one, right? Yeah, Andy Gray, that's who I was talking about, yeah.
01:08:20
Speaker
Sorry, I thought you were talking about Richard Keyes. No, no, it was only Greg that asked the presenter to tuck his belt in. Oh God, Jesus. Tuck him in. I remember that hot mic thing, but it was many things that he got done for the knee.
01:08:36
Speaker
that they were repeatedly thinking. His Twitter feed is very, very funny because he's so angry about that he's no longer allowed on English TV. His Twitter feed is just non-stop about him patting himself on the back. He's right on everything. It's very, very, very, very funny.
01:08:58
Speaker
It sure is. Okay, that's all we have time for today. We will be back this week. We'll be back on Thursday. We're going to do our Q&A on Thursday. Yeah. This week. So it's going to be a combination, isn't it? Like the Q&A. And we're going to talk a little bit about you over there. And we've got lots of questions coming in because we didn't do it on Tuesday. So we're going to do it. It's going to be a little different on Thursday. Yeah. We'll do a review of the Adventist game. Yeah. Yeah. Against Selena Tana on Tuesday.
01:09:20
Speaker
And we'll be talking about all the things we didn't have time to talk about today, including the Manchester City financial scandal and the latest on the Yuba case, which we've got questions about as well. So that's going to be on Patreon only. So make sure to check that out on patreon.com slash TIFB for $2.99 per month, XVAT. Yeah. Right. That's right. That's correct. Yeah. You always know that. I love how you always say that as well.
01:09:50
Speaker
I don't, I don't know. And then you always go, shit, that was my cue, wasn't it? Brilliant. I'm not in it for the money. I'm just... No, we're not, we're not. No, we're both in it for the abuse.
01:10:05
Speaker
we never we never put our prices up see never we never know we never do that never gonna happen yeah we're like should we put our prices up and i'm like no screw that no no no inflation is killing us but anyways right we'll see you then ciao ciao