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Free Weekly Episode - Napoli 2-2 AC Milan Serie A All-Time Classic, Thuram Keeps Inter Milan Top, Cambiaso At Death For Juventus, Cagliari’s Crazy Comeback, Tonali v Toney Ban & Much More (Ep. 372)
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From Napoli drawing AC Milan in an all-time Serie A classic, Marcus Thuram keeps Inter Milan top of the league against a woeful Roma, Moise Kean continues to impress but Andrea Cambiaso wins it for Juventus at the death, Cagliari's historic last gasp winner over Frosinone in 7 goal thriller, to profile deep dive on Matías Soulé and fall-out and analysis of 10-month band of Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, review of other Serie A fixtures as well as Baggio and Premface of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from an absolutely action packed weekend in Italian football.
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Transcript
Introduction and Exciting Football Weekend Overview
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese joined, as always, by Nima Tavalli. What a show we have for you today.
Serie A Weekend Highlights
00:00:15
Speaker
And we will review all of the weekend's serie action in what was definitely the most exciting weekend of the season so far. And one of the most exciting weekends I can remember for a long, long time. So many incredible games, so many dramatic games, so many late goals.
00:00:31
Speaker
thrilling comebacks, thrilling matches, amazing goals, possibly the greatest comeback in Serie A history as Claudio Ranieri's Calgary come back from 3-0 down with 18 minutes to go and
00:00:46
Speaker
down by a goal deep into injury time and they go on and win 4-3. It was just an unbelievable match. We'll talk about that. Interstate top of Serie A with a late Taram winner against Roma. Juventus beat Verona with an even later win, a 96-minute winner by Andrea Campieso.
00:01:06
Speaker
While Napoli also had an incredible comeback, two goals down at half-time, getting outplayed by Milan, they come back and draw 2-2 and almost win it with the last kick of that game as well. We'll also comment on Sandro Tenali's ban, we'll profile the breakout star of the Serie A season, Mateus Sulle, and all the usual bad show and prim face of the week at the
Supporting and Growing the Podcast
00:01:31
Speaker
end.
00:01:31
Speaker
So, for all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend Serie A action and all the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian football podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week, including our weekly Q&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all of the questions from our Patreons, plus the weekly
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Speaker
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00:02:19
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quality content for you. So let's get into today's show, but first word from our sponsor.
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00:03:23
Speaker
It's time to share your story.
00:03:45
Speaker
not only what a game but what a weekend because you know here on Italian football podcast we've had to talk about a lot of negativity in Italian football recently and you know all the stuff with the betting scandal which we're going to talk about again later on the show and all the stuff that's wrong in Italian football
00:04:04
Speaker
But this weekend, NIMA, was unbelievable. It was everything that we just love about Italian football. And it was just all the great stuff about Italian football. There were just so many incredible matches, incredible comebacks, late goals. I mean, and this Napoli Milan game was just the perfect end to just an incredible weekend of football, wasn't it?
Match Day 10: Best of the Serie A Season?
00:04:29
Speaker
No, Match Day 10 was, I think I tweeted it out after the game as well, that Match Day 10 of the Serie A has not only been one of the best, or has been the best this year, this season, but it's truly, for me, I don't want to
00:04:49
Speaker
go too far ahead, but yeah, this matchday 10 of the Serie A 23-24 season is this week's Bajo of the Week for me. It had everything. I mean, it was just, it had literally had everything, from drama to, you know, the world-class saves, amazing goals, crazy comebacks, I mean, just everything, everything, everything.
Napoli vs. Milan Analysis
00:05:13
Speaker
Everything, yeah absolutely everything and we'll talk about each of these amazing games as we go through the show but we're obviously starting off with Napoli Milan which was just your typical game of two halves because the first half was a great half by Milan and a very bad half from Napoli, Milan leading 2-0 into the break,
00:05:35
Speaker
created at least four big chances, scored two of them. They looked like scoring every time they came forward. They were cutting through Napoli at will. Napoli were awful. They didn't even have a shot on target, although they did have one big chance of Politano at the back post, which he put wide of a virtual open goal. But apart from that, it was all Milan. And it looked at half time like everybody thought, well, it could be four or five nil here. And Rudy Garcia,
00:06:02
Speaker
job was probably on the line and then Napoli come out second half a triple change at half time. They went for broke with a 4-4-2 which was really more of a 4-2-4. They get it back to 2-2. They could have won it at the end as well although Milan had chances to win it as well after the red card from Natan but then at the last kick of the game Covara with a great save from Manon
00:06:29
Speaker
I mean, it's just so hard to analyze this game. I don't know where to start, put it that way, with the analysis. I think we should start with that first half. I thought Milan were very good at it. They looked like this kind of old, the Milan under Pioli when they were at their best, when they were just so...
00:06:48
Speaker
You know, they they were so efficient and they looked ruthless because I actually don't think Napoli were poor in the first half in terms of how they played. I thought they were pretty all right. I thought they they did well. I thought they were in terms of.
00:07:03
Speaker
you know, how they looked on the pitch, I thought they were actually pretty good. The issue was, of course, that when Milan was so ruthless in Giroux, Giroux, who, you know, he hasn't scored for, I don't know, what was it, eight, nine games or something. And he just, he was just a killer. And just the air went out of Napoli.
00:07:27
Speaker
But Napoli's defence, that's where I think they were dreadful in the first half. People were blaming Mehret for that first goal and so was I for the first, when I looked at it, but then I looked at it a couple of times and I think the header is so powerful and it's so close to him.
00:07:49
Speaker
that, you know, I don't think it's a howler. I do think, however, Rahmani is, what is that defending? I mean, it's really becoming
00:08:03
Speaker
I don't know how to rate him anymore because on the one hand, I've always thought that he was a little bit underrated, but then on the other hand, I'm thinking, no, actually, he's not underrated. He might be a little bit overrated because of the fact that he's so inconsistent and now that he's supposed to lead this defense, he's making a mess of it. But what I really liked about Milan was how calm and controlled and cool they looked.
00:08:33
Speaker
But that Reindeer's shot that he should have scored and purely his reaction to that, that was just an omen of what was to come in the second half, wasn't it?
00:08:43
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, just staying on Milan. Let's discuss this from the Milan side, and then we can analyze Napoli's side of things. I mean, obviously, you have to give massive praise as you're rude. He ended his drought 10 games without scoring. We were asking questions last week. He's overplayed. This was his third game in a week. So it's pretty incredible that after three games in a week for a 37-year-old, he's able to do this.
00:09:12
Speaker
but you know he's come here two great headers and the second goal especially okay we'll come on to Rachmani and criticise him but but you know from a static position it's very that's not an easy skill it's a very difficult it's the hardest skill as a as a striker to when you're heading the ball is when you're static and you have to jump from a standing position and which is basically what he did for the second goal
00:09:36
Speaker
and he managed to generate that amount of power with his neck muscles and go above his man, but also out muscle and hold off Rachmani. So that was fantastic. And he's showed again big Serie A games. I mean, Giroud in the last...
00:09:52
Speaker
two years, you know, since the Scudetto season, I mean, incredible how many, you know, big games he performs. And obviously, he's becoming a bit of a pain in the in the bat finale over the last year or so with the Champions League last season as well. So we have to we have to praise him and he's a winner as well. You saw how angry he was when he got when he got substituted. So first of all, give praise for Giroud. I'll give praise to the attack, the attacking fluency of Milan in the first half. I thought that there was some really good team moves
00:10:22
Speaker
not just from Giroud, but Poulisic, I thought that was a big blow-in coming off at half-time. Ryan, like you said, Liao here and there, a bit inconsistent, but Théo and Calabria as well from full back were all contributing to really great team play, and I thought, yeah, this is a great reaction from Milan after losses to Juventus and PSG.
00:10:42
Speaker
Then we have the second half and this is where we need to analyze what went wrong for Milan. First of all, I think that losing Puducic at half time for Romero, I think that definitely affected Milan in terms of the shape and
00:11:01
Speaker
the balance between the attack and the defence. I think obviously Pudas is able to come back, he's fast, he works hard and Romero is maybe a little bit more lightweight. So I think that definitely affected the overall team collectively.
00:11:21
Speaker
And, you know, but I would like I think we have to also give praise to Napoli as well for the comeback. But yeah, Milan lost their way. Maybe there was a little bit tiredness, maybe from Milan's point of view, having the third really tough.
00:11:34
Speaker
opponent in the space of seven days, maybe that came into it. I also want to say Mike Emmanuel, as much as we praise him, and for me, he's in the top two goalkeepers in the world. And also granted, he made a fantastic save right with the last kick from Querat Scaley. Otherwise, you know, they could have lost, but he was at fault for both goals, both goals. The first one from Politana, I mean, that shot is, I mean, it's a lot of power, but it's straight, straight at him into the roof of the net.
00:12:04
Speaker
And the second goal from Raspadori is great of a shot it was and a great as a free kick. At the end of the day, if it's a free kick and you've got the players scores on the side of the wall that you're defending, it's the goalkeeper's fault. So that's a goalkeeping error. I think for the second goal, I have to say, I think his mistake was the way he positioned his wall.
00:12:28
Speaker
as well I agree yeah for me because I think because of the fact that he didn't position his wall well
00:12:36
Speaker
that meant that he was... It was almost in the middle, wasn't it? It was kind of the middle of... It was like God in the middle of the goal rather than science. Yeah, that's what I think is why he... Because at that point, you're thinking, well, where was the wall and why... And that kind of made his position strange too. The first goal, I think it's one of the goals of the season contender by Politano. That is just fantastic.
00:13:03
Speaker
uh the what he does ahead of that and also especially after you know missing in the first half that that sitter but yes it is but it but then again it is central but you have to remember it it is there's not a lot of distance and there's quite a lot of power in it um i don't think i don't think it's a howler you can say it's a mistake i mean i put it in the same category as with merit i think maybe a bit bigger i'd say than the merit one
00:13:28
Speaker
But yeah, look, he wasn't fantastic. He also made a big handling error before at the 21, which was earlier when somebody who might have been Chamorro did a fantastic goal saving block. So he didn't have a good night. He didn't have a good night. He did make the save at the end. So he kind of, yeah, at least he did something at the end. But yeah, I think Manon didn't have a good night.
00:13:51
Speaker
It's a difficult one to put your finger on exactly what went wrong with Milan in the second half and whether or not we should just maybe be praising Napoli for their comeback. They were getting overwhelmed for a good 20-25 minutes in that second half.
00:14:08
Speaker
Then I think once it got to 2-2, maybe Napoli ran out of steam a little bit themselves for a while and it kind of, until that kind of crazy injury time after the red card, it kind of went quiet and nothing really happened. And then Milan could have won it themselves with that Calabria header with, you know, before the Kavara moment at the end. So it was
00:14:29
Speaker
it was just an amazing game sometimes you just have to say wow what a game two teams that really went for it it was it was a joy privilege to watch this game it was it was like watching one of the great serie a games from the 90s it was it was yeah it was a quality game it wasn't two bad teams you know defending badly okay there wasn't there was some bad defending but it was i think was more down to great quality i think this game
00:14:53
Speaker
No, I agree. And also you have to, yeah, it would be very disingenuous of us if we don't acknowledge the fact that Milan were decimated in defense as well, which they were. And Pellegrino, who came on, is not supposed to, I mean, how many central defenders do they have? I mean, they had Cierd away. Ciao suspended. Ciao suspended. And then Calulu gets injured. I mean, it's just,
00:15:22
Speaker
when it rains it pours, doesn't it? And Marco Pellegrino, God bless, but he was not ready at all. And, you know, it is what it is, it happens to everyone. But I do think that, you know, and then obviously, you know, when he takes out, you know, brings on Florencin, moves
00:15:44
Speaker
plays him as a left back, plays Teo as a left center back. I mean, that's very, very makeshift. So it is what it is. But overall, I think over two halves, I think it's a fair result, even though, you know,
00:16:05
Speaker
I mean, after Natan gets sent off, I'm thinking, well, Milan can actually come back and win this. But I have to, we have to, look, the three changes, if I'm going to look at this from a Napoli perspective, making three changes at half time and having the effect that it did, Oostegord was good, Olivera was very good, Simeone, he's no Victor Oseman,
00:16:31
Speaker
but he's a very mobile, very dynamic player. He gave them a box thread. He gave them a box thread. He gave them profondita, as they say in Italy. And his movement and link-up play as well, it kind of helped Napoli play the way they usually like to play. And to me, from a Napoli perspective, the most positive thing of this is that despite all the problems with Garcia,
00:17:00
Speaker
The fact that you get a reaction from the team, like you did, that is very positive. Because I mean, if, if, if he'd made those three changes, nothing happened and Milan gonna win three, one or four, four, four, whatever, then that is, that's it. Then, then basically that's essentially Napoli season because then Garcia gets sacked.
00:17:20
Speaker
Yeah, no, it shows he hasn't completely lost the dressing room, if he's capable of getting a reaction. And that is very encouraging from an happily perspective, because you don't want to, regardless of what you think about Rudy Garcia, and you and I are no big fans of him, you don't want to sack a coach in the middle of the season because it kind of, you know, that's like, that's when all other, you know, options have been exhausted.
Napoli's Tactical Changes and Comeback
00:17:42
Speaker
because it kind of creates, you know, it screws up the season, essentially, because then you've got to have a new coach come in, he's got to build in his own, you know, it's a dangerous thing. I think we have to give credit to Garcia. I mean, the first half, okay, that's also on him, how bad they were the first half. They didn't unlock a team. They were, again, like everything that we've said about, you know, that there's no cohesion in the team, that the departments are not
00:18:11
Speaker
not together, there's too many gaps in between the defence and the midfield and the midfield and the attack. It was so easy for Milan to play through them, especially on the transitions. The pressing wasn't there, the organisation wasn't there. Everything that we associated with Luciano Spoletti wasn't there, and that has been all too common this season, unfortunately, and that was what we saw in the first half.
00:18:32
Speaker
The second half, Napoli were a completely different team. Whatever he said and did at halftime, it worked. It got a reaction. And the intensity was there. The team played with it. They were doing some really nice moves. They were really overwhelming, Milan, like I said, in the first half of that second half.
00:18:53
Speaker
and they got the two goals, they were creating two other big chances. It was a totally different Napoli team. If I'm looking at this from a negative point of view, though, I would say that
00:19:08
Speaker
It was a desperate move from Garcia and that can also be looked at negatively. It was a case of he went for broke, let's be honest, he went for broke in that second half. He said he went to a 4-4-2, it was really a 4-2-4. It was Cuvada and Politano playing as a left and right midfielder.
00:19:26
Speaker
but playing really high up, really, really high up. And then the fullbacks pushing forward as well, especially Oliveira, they were pushing high up as well. So it was really, it was almost like a 2-2-6. They went for broke, they went for broke and they were leaving gaps for Milan. And Milan, maybe, you know, they weren't able to get, they didn't manage to get out, which is to Napoli's credit. But, you know, they weren't, it was a bit of a desperation movement and Napoli can't be in these positions where they're
00:19:54
Speaker
they're in desperation because they're not going to have a successful season like this. And at the end of the day, they've still dropped two points and they needed to win this game. They were going to stay in the Scudetta race. They're now seven points behind Inter in the league. So yes, it's positive. But also, if we look at the bigger picture, it's still a negative result in terms of the overall picture for Napoli and the defense, especially
00:20:19
Speaker
The defence is not good enough for Napoli. It's too open. They can see too many chances game after game. I mean, the first goal, the marking on Giroud, I mean, where was the marking? Well, that's what I mean by money. I mean, sweet mother of God. You know, when I saw that first, I was thinking, oh, I actually think Medic should have that because
00:20:40
Speaker
He gets his arm up and he should be strong enough to try to block that. But then I'm thinking, well, it is very close. It was close and it was powerful. It's one of those where maybe the top three or five gold victims in the world would say that. But it's not a mistake. It's not a howler. But what is a mistake is Rahmani. What in God's name is he doing?
00:21:07
Speaker
I mean, when he came off, Napoli were better. I thought Uster God was much better. And he gave... Well, the second guy as well, he was at blame. He was out-muscled and like I said when I was describing what Giroud did well, you know, again, that's Rachmani's, you know, being done there for that second guy. Yeah, he did, he did.
00:21:25
Speaker
and i think we should be asking the question yeah i think we should be asking the question did is kim did kim and jay make him look better than he actually is and before saying he did i'm just saying that there's a question to be asked there because that before and before that kulibali i mean you know it's it's it just feels like at some point we might have to ask these questions about armani because now he doesn't have
00:21:50
Speaker
one of the two brilliant central defenders that Napoli had, Koulibaly or Kim and Jay, and now he has to be the leader and he's not being... A world-class centre-back will always make the player next to them look better than they are. I remember Canavaro when he was in his peak, he used to
00:22:10
Speaker
for the Italy national team. I mean, he used to make, I'm not saying they were bad players, but you know, like Materazzi for Italy or, or Bazzali before he, he was the Juventus Bazzali, you know, kind of, I remember watching him in the World Cup. I mean, he made those players look like, look, look like, you know, world class players, you know, that's, that's what an absolutely fantastic defender can do. So
00:22:31
Speaker
You know, I'm not saying that is the case, but that he is struggling. Rachmani, he's making mistakes. And the other thing I noticed about Napoli's defence is aerially they were so strong under Spoletti last season. Now they look like conceding every time a cross comes in, they're positionally, they're off. I mean, look at the goal they conceded last week. Again, that was a Rachmani mistake where he lost the flight of the ball and then and then I think it's Di Lorenzo let it hit him.
00:22:55
Speaker
And who was, was it Callery? Who did Napoli play the week before when they won well? The goal they conceded. The Hellas. Yeah, it was a grown-up. Yeah, yeah. The goal they conceded, and that came. Have a look at the goal they conceded, again, just from a simple cross. So they're not defending crosses and aerial balls well, and they're giving up too many chances. But on the flip side, the attack looked good in the second half, and Kylat Scalia, again, was incredible. He was amazing. He was very good. And Politana was good as well. Yeah, no, Politana scored one of the goals of the season. I mean, that is what...
00:23:26
Speaker
If we're going to... It is fantastically well done individually by Politano, but sweet mother of God, Theo Hernandez, what is going on? If we're talking about defensive errors. He's not been very good this season defensively, I think Theo. He's been inconsistent. I think he was very inconsistent last season as well, especially in Serie A, definitely. I thought he was very inconsistent last season.
00:23:50
Speaker
Yeah fair enough but I mean this season I think it's showing, it's really showing and but it's no no Kvara, Kvara was just so good yesterday. Amazing, amazing. I have to say I think his only mistake was that shot at the end, I think that's not a very good finish, I think it's too centrally on the goalkeeper, you know if Mignon lets that in
00:24:13
Speaker
then that is a howler. He laced it, he laced it, he went for power and maybe he should have gone for a little bit more precision. If you place that in, then that's a goal.
00:24:26
Speaker
Yeah, OK, let's move on to Inter Roma, another fantastic, well, dramatic ending.
Inter's Tactical Mastery Over Roma
00:24:35
Speaker
And we're going to have a lot of those in today's show. I mean, this game is quite easy to summarise. It was only one team playing, and that was Inter. They dominated possession and territory from the first minute to last. They created a lot of chances. It took them until the 81st minute before they finally scored.
00:24:54
Speaker
And Roma, we'll come to Roma in a minute, but Roma were just non-existent. But if we take this Rominta's point of view, I mean, this was only into playing it, and they were totally dominant in this game, and they finally got the win there.
00:25:08
Speaker
This was probably the game that I've enjoyed the most from Inter in terms of tactical approach and maturity over 90 minutes, because that's how I would describe. If I were to describe Inter's performance with one word, it's maturity. And it's a maturity that I've been wanting to see over 90 minutes, not just for a half. I've seen them do it for one half or 50 minutes. But I saw through over a game now where they
00:25:38
Speaker
They were just in control. They were so switched on, concentrated, focused on the job at hand, had an answer and a tactical flexibility for everything. I mean, if inter-attack from the right, from the left, down the middle, they were just keeping Roma on their toes.
00:26:02
Speaker
And it's one of those games where usually we've seen when they have chances and they don't score and they dominate. I think they have 12 shots on goal in the first half or something stupid like that. And they didn't score. Usually they get frustrated. But here, there was no frustration. They just continue to just drum away, playing their football, following their tactics, following their game plan.
00:26:31
Speaker
Finally, thanks to the substitutes, and I want to talk about the substitutes, Christiana Salani, that is a world-class play. He's been a player who Inter believe a lot in, but he's also a player where he's not really had that much of an impact whenever he started or played.
00:26:53
Speaker
But this is where it's, you know, he needs to start delivering because this is now him. He has to start mounting a challenge to start for a starting position and whenever he's in order to do that, whenever he's called on as a substitute, he has to deliver.
00:27:11
Speaker
And boy did he. Not just for that glorious cross ball to DiMarco, but also overall. And he's got such a right attitude. I loved what he said after the game where he said, look, you know, Chalanoglo and him were praising each other and they have had, they've got this bro man so much. But Chalanoglo for a week has been saying, you know, he's like my little kid brother.
00:27:34
Speaker
And then Aslan, he says, look, he's one of the best playmakers in the world. I learned from every training session. I have to improve defensively. He tells me what to do. Immediately said, you know, that shot at the end, that Cristante had, I should have done better there because I assumed that Fratesi was going to push up, but I shouldn't have assumed I should have done. I mean, that is just, I love where
00:27:57
Speaker
he is an interim mentally. This is a group of players, Inzaghi and Marotta and Ozilio, especially Inzaghi, they've created a working environment where these guys will really get on well, on and off the pitch.
00:28:12
Speaker
And it's an environment where, yes, you're competing for a starting position, but they help each other. You know, when Aslani says, you know, Chalanoglu tells me what to do in training so I can improve every training session.
00:28:29
Speaker
they're vying for the same spot. But you've created that kind of environment where there is competition, but there's also this kind of unity. That's a very difficult spirit and work environment to create. But they have done that. And I think that leads on to the maturity aspect as well, where it doesn't matter who starts, who plays, who comes on, who comes off.
00:28:56
Speaker
They have a game plan. They have an answer. They have a clear blueprint for how they want to play in both phases. And it's a blueprint in attack that keeps teams guessing because they can play down the left, they can play down the right, they can play down the middle. The link up plays, the little movements. I was very impressed. I genuinely, genuinely enjoyed watching this inter from the first to the last minute tactically. And also the fact that
00:29:27
Speaker
You know, when you, this can't be understated, or overstated rather, when you have a situation like that game where your goalkeeper has nothing to do, and then the opposition comes at you with the cristante header,
00:29:44
Speaker
your goalkeeper, when he makes a save like that, and then when he shows that he's got this awareness and he's still switched on, that creates belief and confidence as well. So no, Inter are doing
00:30:00
Speaker
Very well, I was very impressed. This is exactly the kind of development I wanted to see after the opening nine games where you've seen a few missteps You've seen some fantastic performances, but I wanted to see a controlled mature Performance and that's exactly why so it was total control over 20 shots to one 65% possession hit the bar twice And it wasn't easy to break down a team that were literally 11 men in their six yard box So, you know, it was it was you know, it came eventually and
00:30:30
Speaker
The only negative, I would say, is not really a negative, but just what happened is, you know, it wasn't that many clear, clear, clear cut chances, like we sometimes see, went in to dominate these games. But that was also because of the way Roma played and there wasn't many spaces to play. We do have to give, though, again, Taram, you know, he's becoming, you know,
00:30:54
Speaker
a player that can resolve these matches that are, you know, 0-0 or, you know, to win the games. We've seen that now. This is not the first time we've seen that. And he's proven to be an incredible sign in front of his dad, his legendary dad, Lillian, who was sitting there and wasn't sure whether to celebrate or not because
00:31:12
Speaker
He's a Juventus legend and his son's playing for Inza. He was kind of, should I celebrate or not? He was kind of like, but maybe that's just who Taram is. He's kind of that kind of person. And it was a great assist by DiMarco. I thought DiMarco and Dumfries were very, very good on the flags. Dumfries was very good. Very good. Wow. That was just the way that he
00:31:35
Speaker
He was bullied Zalewski for most of the first half. He was completely switched on. Look, I've been critical of him for the deficiencies he's got technically, and I think sometimes his read of the game. But if he's going to continue playing like this as he's done these opening 10 games, and especially against Roma,
00:32:00
Speaker
If this is the new Dumfries, then we're seeing a player that has taken the next step, Salto di Qualita, that they talk about in Italy. He is taken. He will then have taken a step upwards. Inzaghi will have made him a better player, because this season he has been
00:32:15
Speaker
Very good. And I think the game against Roma was probably his best one. He was absolutely... Yeah, what impressed me was there was one moment that kind of epitomized all that. And that was when he bodied, as the kids say, he bodied Lukaku, which let me tell you with Lukaku in his current shape is not easy thing to do because Lukaku has been massive. My God, what has happened to him? He's like a monster.
00:32:41
Speaker
But yeah, let's talk about Lukaku, because this was about Lukaku. I just wanted to, before we go to Lukaku, I just want to talk to Ram. The thing that I think is the most fantastic thing about him is that his Linka play is brilliant. His aerial ability is brilliant. But more importantly, dribbles. He tried six dribbles yesterday and he succeeded every single one. That's what's so... God bless. Lukaku never dribbled anyone when he played for Inter.
00:33:10
Speaker
Turam is looking like the complete kind of striker. The only thing, of course, is that he needs to become more prolific. But I mean, if you're involved in nine, 10 goals, nine goals in opening 10 games, you know, that's also a salto di qualita.
00:33:25
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. And the player he replaced, Romelu Lukaku, it was all about him going into this game. And the funny thing is that there was all this big talk about the Whistles and the Interfans were banned.
00:33:42
Speaker
from bringing in the whistles into the stadium. I don't know how many managed to bring them in in the end. But the point was, they didn't even have a chance to whistle in barely at all in this game. And in fact, I counted, he got his first touch in the 10th minute of this game. So it wasn't really.
00:33:57
Speaker
It wasn't even a story in the end, Lukaku, because that was just the kind of game it was. But if I am talking about Lukaku, he must have been thinking at the end of that game, or even during that game.
00:34:13
Speaker
What have I done to my career? And this isn't a knock on Roma, because I appreciate that Roma were also decimated. They had half their team out in this game with injury. So it wasn't easy. And it's never easy going to winter, who are obviously a better team than Roma. So it was never going to be easy. But there is playing defensive
00:34:34
Speaker
and being organised and then there was doing what Mourinho and I know Mourinho wasn't on the bench but he obviously prepared this game but there was doing what Mourinho did in this game and it was just an embarrassment it was an embarrassment I mean I criticize Allegri sometimes for being defensive this was a joke they made no attempt at all to play any football in this game
00:34:56
Speaker
at all. They were just 11 men in their penalty area for basically the entire game. Awful. They had a zero XG in the first half. Zero. Zero. Zero XG. I mean, that's almost impossible to have a zero XG. Their first shot of the game was the 64th minute, which was actually that great save that you mentioned there from Christante's header. That's it. They're defended so deep, so, so deep.
00:35:23
Speaker
They were just, all their only intention was to break up the game, petty fouls. And, you know, Brankly Stanton said it best after the game. He said, we played for the draw. You know, there was no hiding even.
00:35:40
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, that's fine. That's fine. And you can say they almost got away with it. They were nine minutes away from it. So maybe some might say it was the right thing to do. But I think there's being defensive and organized, and then there's this, which is just way over the top. And
00:36:01
Speaker
you know, is something that we've been critical of, of Mourinho, you know, at his time at Roma, especially in Serie A, that, you know, it's been too much, it's been too far this, this, this way. I do want to pretend again, I mean, no gibala, no spinazzola, no pelegrini. I mean, it's, you know, Roma don't have that much depth, and when you're missing that much attacking, you know, quality, then I kind of get that you just want to, you know, it's a league game, you just want to get rid of it.
00:36:28
Speaker
Um, yeah, but it was too much. It was over the top. It was way over the top. I'm not gonna deny that it was I mean
00:36:35
Speaker
I do understand the intro, but I mean, there's, I mean, there's park in the bus, which I think is what Marino popularized that phrase. I mean, it wasn't parked in the bus. This was, I mean, what was this? This was building a nesting in the penalty area. This was essentially moving into a penalty area and building a city in there. I mean, it was just, it was, it was, it was weird, but I do understand. I mean, at the end of the day, they just lost one nil. They, I thought defensively they were all right.
00:37:05
Speaker
I thought Lorente was actually good until the goal. He was actually really good. But just coming back to Lukaku, Lukaku must be thinking.
00:37:22
Speaker
I could have been into a team that's challenging for the major trophies, including in Europe. I mean, why not in Europe? And I met Roma, a team that, and this is what I have to do. I have to be here playing for a team where,
00:37:37
Speaker
To say, feeding off scraps to quite Nicole Antonio would again be an understatement. I mean, this was... Well, I don't think this is necessarily a fair representation of Roma this season under him. I mean, they have also been more attacking in different games and he has scored quite a few goals. He shows the gap between the team he's playing for the team and the team that he could have been playing for. But then again, Lukaku isn't the striker he was when he was playing for teams that...
00:38:05
Speaker
were challenging. Maybe not. He's still doing well. He's not helped himself with what he did with last summer, the antics of last summer, which I have to say, the mean girls stare that Francesco Acherbi gave Lukaku after they shook supposedly high five before the game made me choke with laughter.
00:38:29
Speaker
It was, I mean, for that entire sequence, it's like, it's just so funny. Laotaro, he tries to hug Laotaro, who slides away. Then he goes to Barella.
00:38:47
Speaker
I mean it's like it's like one of those like yeah hi like not even not even look like John sherry versus Wayne bridge to remember and then you have a cherub you high fives and then turns around and gives him like this mean girls high school like draw you know don't you know bitchy stare DiMarco barely looks at him I mean it was comedy.
00:39:07
Speaker
But look, it just reinforces that whatever happened, it's not him wanting not to go to Inter. This dressing room is angry with him. Chalanoglu after the game said no comment. The demeanor on his face changed. They feel betrayed by, I don't know what he's done to them, but these are his teammates, you know?
00:39:32
Speaker
or his former teammates, and they are genuinely pissed off and angry with him. And that is just, you know, regardless of what you can say that happened between him and Marota and Azilio, the dressing room, when the players in the dressing room, that's usually something else. You have players leaving clubs all the time.
00:39:52
Speaker
But this is just pure, they are angry with him. They just don't want to talk to him anymore. And it's truly remarkable. I can't remember seeing anything like this, to be honest, before. Yeah, no, absolutely. That's what I mean. I think deep down, even though if you won't admit it, Lukaku must be thinking, what have I done? What have I done to myself? Just last note on Roma, they're a way record. I was looking at this because
00:40:21
Speaker
I noticed that Roma have been so bad away from home for a while, so I went and dug out and had a look at the stats. And in 2023, this calendar year, in all competitions, this is their away record, 1-4, drawn 7, lost 11.
00:40:39
Speaker
It's just shocking. And in Serie A, it's 1-3, drawn five, lost eight. I mean, absolutely horrific. So that is obviously a big, big, big, big issue. Big, big problem
Juventus' Dramatic Win Against Verona
00:40:51
Speaker
for Roma. I mean, if there's any hope at all of them wanting to dream of getting in the top four this season, I mean, it's just not going to happen with an away record like that. And I think that goes again, can be tied back to
00:41:06
Speaker
to Mourinho and style of play. They're too over defensive and too counter attacking and you play away from home and you're this negative. I mean, it's not easy to get results. So yeah, they have to absolutely have to sort out that away record. Let's move on to Juventus who stay in the title hunt. They remain two points behind
00:41:36
Speaker
Inter. And now they're second in the table, Juventus now, right? Am I correct in saying that? Yeah, that's right. You were second in the league. No, they're second in the league. Yeah, they are. Inter 25 points first, Juventus 23, and they've moved above Milan because of Milan's draw. Milan 22, Napoli
00:41:56
Speaker
18. So yeah, they move up to second. And I mean, again, another dramatic ending in this game, they scored in the 96th minute.
00:42:09
Speaker
goal from Cambiello, which I think was a lovely story because it's gone viral. There's this lovely picture of him as a mascot, Juventus mascot in 2010 as a kid, which has been put next to side by side with the image of him scoring his first ever Juventus goal, which went viral. And he's a player I really believe in and he was fantastic when he came on. He caused all kinds of trouble on the left. So I really hope that he gets more chances because I really do believe in this guy.
00:42:39
Speaker
But talking about Juventus as a whole, of course they're playing against their poor team, but I actually think this was Juventus' best performance of the season. Juventus have won other games this season and I've come here and not really been that enthused by it and just been like, okay, they got the win, but they didn't play well and it's not really sustainable. This was the kind of performance that
00:43:01
Speaker
we need to see more of from Juventus if they are going to actually pose a challenge for the Scudetto this season and really progress and move forward. They created so many chances. They played good football. They put together good moves. Those patterns of play, which I taught, there was actually some patterns of play. I mean, Moisa Kane put about five goals in this game. We have two disallowed. Vlauovic should have scored. Chiesa had one off the line. Yildiz, Mr. Sitter.
00:43:29
Speaker
it just seemed like it wasn't meant to be. They should have had a penalty and then they finally scored in the 96 minute. So yeah, if we're looking at this overall, yeah, I think it was a very, very good attacking performance. They had six big chances. They had 30 shots.
00:43:46
Speaker
and they had a 3.34 XG, which maybe must be surely the highest of Allegra's reign. So I thought they were really, really good. Yes, I know Verona are not a good team. They got hammered by Napoli last week and they've really
00:44:01
Speaker
descended into the kind of performances that we predicted at the beginning of the season when we had them down as a relegation candidate. Well, they're now starting to look like a team that could struggle again against relegation. But from Juventus' point of view, I thought they were really, I thought they were really, really good. And
00:44:26
Speaker
I think Moisakine probably epitomizes the game quite well and events this performance because his all-round game again was so, so impressive. This is someone that we've been speaking about. I pinpointed a few weeks ago about how I'm seeing definite improvements. Oh, there's no doubt.
00:44:47
Speaker
Now we can't even talk about whether or not there is improvement. There is improvement. He has improved. He has taken a step too in quality. There's no doubt about that. His ability to link up, hold off players, and without losing speed, those are incredibly important characteristics.
00:45:16
Speaker
The problem, I think, the only thing left is still his finishing. If he can improve that, then you have a top-class player. You really have everything. He's aerially strong, his link-up play is good, he's quick. Technically, he's good. If he can start scoring as well, well, then congrats, Juve. Congrats, Italy. You have a top-class player on your hand.
00:45:37
Speaker
Yeah, and I think that I agree with all of that. I think everything in his game, apart from the finishing, has really improved. His hold-up play, his movement, his link-up, his dribbling as well, the way that he beat his man, took on his man. I mean, he's always been a strong guy, but he's now
00:45:59
Speaker
using that strength and muscle and physique in the right way. I mean, he's just, he's so strong. He's an absolute beast. We've like, can't push him off the ball. He just out-muscled in players and he's still young. That's why he's only 23. That's the thing. He's still very young. He's so, so strong. I mean, that first goal, I mean, the way he out-muscled two players off the ball, I mean, it's actually quite scary. Yeah, it was. You know, he's that strong. He really is that strong.
00:46:27
Speaker
and but yeah but his finishing I mean just to come on his finishing he actually had two fantastic finishes for the goals that were disallowed in this game so I just do I do feel like he's been really unlucky as well he had an amazing finish a few weeks ago and I'm forgetting which team it was where he got the ball in the right channel and he unleashed a magnificent right foot shot into the near post top corner and he got that got disallowed as well so he has had some really really good finishing and he has just been very unlucky but you know he's gone 11th
00:46:57
Speaker
Sounds crazy with praising him this much when he's won 11 games without a goal. But, you know, looking past that, definitely he's improving. I thought the second goal disallowed. I thought it was very harsh. I have to be honest. I thought it was very, very harsh. It's because of the elbow movement. They will always look at that. They're supposed to always look at that. You can't do that, whether you're defending or attacking as a player. That's something they look for.
00:47:28
Speaker
And I think he was more unlucky than anything. I mean, he's not, he's trying to, you know, he's like all players when they're trying to go for the ball, they're trying to control the ball. And he's trying to get away from his, from his mother who has two hands on him for starters. And he's really barely brushed him in the face. Varianni's conduct was embarrassing. He's up, he's watching the play. He's on his knees, watching the play. As soon as he sees King score the goal, he falls to the ground and starts holding his face. It was embarrassing.
00:47:55
Speaker
But they will always look for that, because there's one thing of pushing and challenging and pushing and tugging, and the referees will have to decide what they want to do there. But when as soon as you have that in the face thing, then it becomes something else, regardless of how hard or little. Yeah, I think that's fair. I think that's fair, but I just think it was such a bare, bare brush. Yeah, it was, but it's just a thing that they look at it.
00:48:20
Speaker
I think, yeah, I think it's harsh, but I can kind of understand it. I think it's harsh at the same time. I thought the referee though, and not just against Juventus, because I'll come on to Gatti, I thought the referee was embarrassing. Yeah, I mean, Gatti could maybe should be sent off for that. It's a slap, it's not a punch, it's a slap, but he's still hitting him. The referee misses that. Kiesa had a clear penalty, which he didn't give. Clear penalty, didn't even look at it.
00:48:51
Speaker
Then there's the AR, isn't it? I mean, that's how the communication was. Yeah. Okay. Fair enough. The officials then let's say, I think, yeah, I think the officials did not, but the referee also missed some blatant ones. There was, there was three clear corners and for Juventus and one clear corner for, for Verona, which referees right there in front of them, front of the play. And he gives the wrong decision. I mean, the referee was awful in this game and both sides.
00:49:17
Speaker
Yeah, and I think Hellas had had like penalty shouts as well. I think this could have deteriorated in any other game. I don't think this was a very good result. And I want to give Allegri credit for that. And this is one thing I do give credit for, Allegri is that when there's a feeling that decisions are going against your team, Allegri is very, very good at kind of
00:49:41
Speaker
keeping calm and making sure that the team keeps their head. And that's one thing I think Allegro's always been very good at. Very good at that. He never ever says anything about the referee. He's very, that's been his thing throughout his career. Never ever to say anything, whether it goes against or for, he just doesn't say anything.
00:50:00
Speaker
He might when things when things are really bad he might say look we might want to discuss this or you know the referee or someone has to explain to me what I was but but he's very he's very consistent with that and he's been like that at Milana Cali area you were both ten years I mean everywhere he's been he's been
00:50:17
Speaker
Very consistent about not yeah And if there's a reason why they scored in the 96 minutes also because they kept their heads and they kept going and you know That is you know, I want to praise a leg with I do want to praise the performance I'm you know, all I can say to a leg raise if you then just play like this every game I'm gonna soon be your be a fan of you again like I was in 2015, you know, just just so everyone don't think I always answer you like this was a great performance This is this is how you then just have to play. Yes. I acknowledge it wasn't a good opponent It's not a good opponent and
00:50:46
Speaker
you know, maybe that played a part into it. But you know, I think it was it was good to watch. I enjoyed it. I don't watch enjoy watching events much. Well, rarely at all. This was an enjoyable game to watch, even though it took to the 96 minute to score. I was enjoying watching the Juventus play. You know, so that was, yeah. And Juventus temporarily went top, which was the first time since Sarri, since the Sarri were obviously into have gone back ahead. But yeah,
00:51:10
Speaker
No, look, that Juva Inter game after the international break is looking very interesting. I mean, that run for both Inter and Juva until Christmas. It would be lovely if they go into that game with like
00:51:28
Speaker
no more than three points in between them. As an actual Scudetto showdown, that would be fantastic. There would be so much riding on that game if that's the case. Is the game in Inter? Is the game at Milan? No, it's at Juva Stadium, the first one, or Allianz Stadium is there.
00:51:48
Speaker
No, look, Juve got Fiorentina and then Caliadri at home and then of course after the international break-in. And this is what I mean. Look, after 10 games, he's two points off the top spot. His teams usually traditionally play well after Christmas. And this is what I'm saying, he's only got one game to play a week. And if he mounts a serious title challenge with this squad and these players all, you know, Moise Ken improving, Cambiazza looking this good, you know,
00:52:18
Speaker
gutty if he can you know because he's also i mean he's had shockers but if he can also i thought he was pretty all right besides you know that ridiculous slap in jurech's stomach or face but i thought he was all right as well i mean if he can continue to get these players to play as well as i go in this game didn't he yeah i thought mckinney was all right as well
00:52:37
Speaker
No, no, I'm sorry. You've gone through, but Kenny was not okay. Well, not when he went to a wing back. He was awful when he went to a wing back. Awful at wing back. Oh my God. And the fact that Locatelli as a regista is working out. Locatelli was good. Yeah, Locatelli was good in this game. Locatelli was good. The defense was good. The defense, I mean, the defense has kept all clean cheats since the Sasualo game as well.
00:52:58
Speaker
No, they fixed that. And no, no, look, if they continue to play on the again, it's just one game a week. So people don't, you know, that's what I was saying, count out your apparel. No, which wasn't good, actually. I'm also starting now with a
00:53:13
Speaker
came could almost push Blau which are out of the team if Kiesa comes back and start. I don't mean there's that question to be had. It's a good question to have. Okay, let's move on to the craziest comeback that I've seen for
Cagliari's Historic Comeback
00:53:29
Speaker
Not just for years, I'm starting to wonder, there's a debate to say this is the craziest, the best comeback ever in Serie A history. I mean, Caliari are 3-0 down to Frosinani with 18 minutes to go. They scored two goals, but then into the 94th minute, they're losing 3-2 to Frosinani, and then Pavaletti scores two goals.
00:53:56
Speaker
and they win the second in the 97th minute and they win 4-3. Claudio Ranieri's, Calgary, their first win of their season, their first win in 15 games in Serie A, dating back to the last time they were in Serie A. I mean, Nima, this was just
00:54:13
Speaker
What a game this was. It was crazy. It was absolutely crazy. And the thing, I mean, you got to remember, Kalyali missed a penalty too in the first half. So this was just a completely batshit game. I mean, it's one thing to take your first win of the season. I do think this was
00:54:38
Speaker
you know last chance saloon for Claudio Ranieri. I think he would have gotten sacked if they'd lost this game.
00:54:44
Speaker
but they win it, and there's winning, and then there's winning in that manner, which creates confidence and belief and wakes the team up. Afterwards, Caligari was celebrating, taking photos with the crowd and the mascot, like they won the title or something. That kind of stuff. Yeah, no, literally. And that kind of stuff builds character, but also builds belief. They believe that what they're doing is they found something to build on.
00:55:11
Speaker
which is really important, and it just spices up this relegation battle even more. So, no, it was an incredibly important win. It was just amazing. I mean, it was just amazing to watch. And all the stuff, miracles that Claudio Aries had in his career, this was just another one. In the Leicester story, I mean, this, I mean, it's just...
00:55:38
Speaker
The promotion just a few months ago, I mean, this tops that promotion probably, I mean, it was... Yeah, but Pavoletti as well, I mean, him aerially, Pavoletti's... Well, he's always been a beast in the air as well. He's just, you know, it's crazy, but... The Di Francesco, I mean, if there's anything, any game that epitovises Di Francesco as well is this game, isn't it? They're 3-0 up. They're 3-0 up, and you can't even win that.
00:56:04
Speaker
I know it's no it was it was absolutely mad. They were so open even at 3-2 and then like in into injury time and they were still like throwing men forward. Yeah but seriously if you look at what Pavlitti did I mean he came up he came on at half time he scores two goals he has an assist he wins a penalty which has overturned
00:56:23
Speaker
Did you see the winner? They were all queuing up to put it in there. Talk about substitution, like, you know, impact. Come on at halftime, score two goals, one assists, win a penalty, which is overturned by VAR. That is about as good as it can get. And I mean, you know, if he's going to continue, you know, he's going to have to play this good for them in order for Cagliari to stay up, because I do still think that they are not a very good team.
00:56:54
Speaker
No, absolutely. This is going to give them so much confidence. There's no doubt about it. In some ways, this is a shame, this result.
00:57:08
Speaker
in that it took away from what was an absolutely brilliant performance from Mateus Soulay. I wanted to do a little profile now on Soulay because there is an argument to say that he has been, I mean, he's certainly been the big breakout star in Serie A so far this season.
00:57:26
Speaker
There's an argument to say he's maybe even been the best player in Serie A this season. I think only Lautaro Martinez can probably argue against that. He's been unbelievable. And I don't think anybody expected Soule to be this good. He was loaned out to Fosinoni from Juventus this past summer after struggling to find any space at Juve. And having watched him at Juve last season,
00:57:51
Speaker
I didn't expect this. I thought he was someone that was technically very, very gifted with a lovely left foot, great control, great touch. But I didn't see him as somebody that could be really decisive, that really was someone that could really hurt and devastate the opposition.
00:58:08
Speaker
Yeah, he's come to Frosinone and he's scored five goals already for Frosinone in 10 games, two goals in this defeat to Calgary. He plays as a right-winger
00:58:24
Speaker
on the right of a 4-3-3 or with the Francesco at Frosinone on the right of a 4-2-3-1. He has occasionally played as a number 10 but right wing is his natural role. As I said, five goals in ten games, he's got one assist
00:58:46
Speaker
He's been statistically the best dribbler in the league by a mile. He's averaging 3.7 dribbles per match. The next best is Genoa's Albert Goodmanson with 2.2 a game. And then after that,
00:59:01
Speaker
we're looking at more than double anyone else in the league per match dribbles. That just shows you he's a dribbling machine. Again, having watched him at Juventus, I didn't see him as somebody that could dribble past players for fun. I didn't see him as that kind of player. He's second in Serie A for key passes per game.
00:59:24
Speaker
only Napoli's Piotr Zielinski is creating more. So he's been, as an attacking force, he's been unbelievable this season. And, you know, he's shown, I mean, Juventus tried to sell him in the summer. They put him up for sale. They were in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen, with Borussia Monchengladbeck. There were Italian teams looking at him, but they couldn't agree on a transfer fee that they thought was worthy.
00:59:51
Speaker
of selling him. So they decided instead to put him on loan to try and build up his value this way. But now looking at how good he has been, I mean, he looks like he's somebody that has a future at Juventus and can be a first team player for Juventus. I mean, he's been that good. Luciano Spoletti, the Italy coach, has expressed interest. He's Argentine by birth, but Spoletti has an interest in naturalizing him and looking at kind of Italy's attack. I mean, I wouldn't be against that.
01:00:20
Speaker
So yeah, he's been amazing. He's been at Juventus for three years, over three years. He joined as a 16-year-old in the January 2023, almost four years. He's worked his way up through the next gen, the successful next gen at Juventus. And he's been fantastic. He's been amazing. So he has won. Everybody should watch this season. He's a joy to watch.
01:00:40
Speaker
No, he really is. And the goals he scored yesterday were so typical of the goals he scored this season. He looks like a player who's matured to take the next step. I don't know if this is just good form or what it is, but he's been very impressive. I've been very impressed. And also against Caliario, I thought he scored two very good goals, didn't he?
01:01:05
Speaker
two very good goals and the way that he took that second goal. That's the one I'm thinking of. He just made it look so easy, just so classy, just effortless. He just went past the last man, sold him the dummy, come onto his right foot and then just slotted it past the keeper, so sumptuously. That was a truly wonderful finish.
01:01:28
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. He's a great player to watch. Right, rest of the other weekend results, Genoa beat Selene Turner 1-0, Sassuolo drew 1-1 with Bologna and Torino beat Lecce, 1-0 at Lecce. Away. Yeah, away. And then Monza drew 1-1 with Udeneza.
Upcoming Serie A Matches Preview
01:01:49
Speaker
And then on Monday evening games, we've got Empoli Atalanta and Lazio versus Fiorentina.
01:01:57
Speaker
Just before we finish with Badger and Prem Face of the Week, Sandra Tenali's ban has now been confirmed. He's been banned for 10 months for his illegal betting. He agreed to a plea deal with the FIGC, which involves a further eight months of rehabilitative work and 16 public appearances where he will educate youngsters about the dangers of betting.
01:02:24
Speaker
And that has now been ratified by FIFA. So it's a worldwide ban. That's his season over. He'll be out until August, 2024.
Controversies in Football: Betting Bans and Mistakes
01:02:34
Speaker
He will miss Euro 2024, which is devastating for Italy. Now, you went on to talk sport to discuss about this. So I'll hand this over to you. Now, what has frustrated me from the start, and I've been very angry about, is the fact that Ivan Tony got an eight-month ban
01:02:54
Speaker
when his offences were far more serious than Tenali's, because he actually bet on his own team 29 times, but 13 of them were betting... No, 13 of them were betting on his own team to lose and 15 on himself to score. 232 breaches in total, where Tenali never bet on his own team to lose, yet he's got a longer ban. So why is this such a problem?
01:03:23
Speaker
No, my problem with this is exactly what I said when I was on there with them. I mean, I was supposed to be there for just five minutes, but we ended up talking for 25 minutes, which we don't have time to do now. But look, my problem with this is simply this, that
01:03:41
Speaker
I, this is a FIFA, this is FIFA prohibiting this. It's Article 26 of FIFA's Code of Ethics that prevents football professionals from betting on football, from betting on any football activity. And it includes players, intermediaries, coaches, referees, and so on and so forth. So it's football professionals, they cannot bet on football. And if that's true, it comes from FIFA, meaning the
01:04:08
Speaker
the global body and head of football, then the way that these things are imposed, these sanctions are imposed, and the way that these rules are interpreted and imposed on people who violate them, there should be uniformity, just like there is with doping. They don't leave doping to say, okay, if you have a breach and you take testosterone, for example,
01:04:37
Speaker
In Italy, you get two years, but if you do it in England, you get nine months or 11 months or 13 months. I mean, they don't leave it up to that because the World Antidoping Agency, the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, this comes from them and all the national bodies are under them and they have to impose the laws and rules that are in place, right? So it comes from above. And that's where I think this is a problem.
01:05:04
Speaker
that I don't see uniformity in how this is interpreted and employed. And this isn't, again, as I said, as I told Jermaine Pennant when he started talking about erroneously saying that, oh, Tony never bet on himself. You know, he wasn't involved in the bets that he played. I was like, well, actually, he bet 15 times on himself to score. That doesn't get much more betting on yourself in a game, does it? But
01:05:27
Speaker
I don't want this to deteriorate into this kind of Tony versus Tonali thing, because that's demeaning to the discussion. The issue is, there's two issues here. First is, this is a FIFA problem, or this is a FIFA decision, or this is a FIFA law rule. Article 26 of the Code of Ethics. They don't want football professionals betting, and as such, if it comes from above, there should be a uniform way to handle this. There isn't.
01:05:57
Speaker
And of course secondly, you have the incredible hypocrisy of football betting
01:06:04
Speaker
you know, football, FA's and leagues and clubs taking money from betting companies while saying they can't, the players and not just players, no one in football is allowed to bet. That does not, I mean, this would be the equivalent of essentially football taking money from, like, what do you call it? Like,
01:06:31
Speaker
Well, what's the word I'm looking for? Where you have, where you take supplements, sorry, health supplements. Like this would be the equivalent of football taking money. Yeah, from health supplements that have, from companies that create health supplements that have substances that are banned. And then they say, well, you can't use it. Cause if you, I mean, it just, no, it's, there is a hypocrisy here. And especially because, well, you know, gambling is a serious addiction.
01:06:59
Speaker
And it's a societal problem overall. We have problems with this. It's not just in Italy. It's not just in England. It's everywhere where this is allowed and this is legal. And this is becoming a new epidemic, or it is already a new epidemic, and it needs to be treated seriously. I don't think, I think that football should, I'm not saying that football created this problem. I'm not saying football can resolve this problem.
01:07:25
Speaker
But football needs to carry its own weight and do its fair share, and it's not doing that right now.
01:07:31
Speaker
No, no, absolutely. Absolutely. We could talk about this for longer, but I think we've discussed it a lot in the last few weeks. And if you want to listen to him some more, definitely check out Nimr's interview on Talk Sport, which was on, which day was that on? Thursday, last Thursday. Thursday, yeah. You can find that on YouTube. I think Nimr put it on his... Yeah, put it on Twitter too. If you scroll down his page, you will find it. Okay, right. Let's finish off with Bad Joke and Prim Face of the Week.
01:07:58
Speaker
Right Badger you've already given, which was just Serie A weekend as a whole because it was amazing. Not on matchday 10, matchday 10. Serie A was just... And it's not over yet, we've still got Monday night games. Yeah, everything that happened was just mental. I mean if we weren't seeing him in Lazio's defences we could have another crazy...
01:08:20
Speaker
crazy that that's the thing i mean in polly atalanta can go god knows how i can go and lots of goals in that as well yeah it's it's absolutely mental but yeah no no it's it's it's it's it's it's it's the seria like the seria is always um
01:08:35
Speaker
It's always, it's never boring. No, no, no, no. It's nice to be able to talk about the good of Serie A. The league is insane. I do want to give a shout out to Carlo Ancelotti as well for winning the Classico and especially his, I mean, it was amazing just how cool he is. He just keeps so cool, Carlo Ancelotti.
01:09:01
Speaker
The way that he reacted to, I mean, Jude Bellingham, same goal, but the way that he reacted, just like everyone around him is just going. He's like that, you know, that famous meme where where there's like the burning in the background and the dog is like, this is fine. Yeah, no, no, but no, he's always very, very calm. And Carlo Ancelotti is just he's become he's really I mean, what he's doing at Real Madrid this second time around is even more impressive than what he did the first time by far. And it's
01:09:31
Speaker
The naive Carlito is it's shame. I think he's going to be together with Capello is going to be another great Italian manager never to coach the Italian national team, which I think is shame.
01:09:44
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. OK, Prim Face of the Week. Do you have one? I've just been sent one just this minute. OK, well, no, no. What have you got? So I've just got a, I've just been told that Good Morning Britain, which is a morning talk show in England. We're doing a segment on
01:10:11
Speaker
David Beckham, Rebecca Luce affair, which was part of the documentary that's been on Netflix, which has been a really, really good documentary, actually, on Netflix, on David Beckham. But they instead of using footage, they were using footage of David Beckham when he was at Realm of Dread. But instead of using footage of Beckham, they used footage of Guti.
01:10:37
Speaker
Which is pretty impressive, impressive, impressive. That is amazing. How do you do? I don't know. I don't know. I mean, they're both blonde. But apart from that... Yeah, but David Beckham is pretty famous in England, isn't he? Well, that's what I mean. I mean, this is quite impressive even for a prim face. This is just unbelievable. The prim faces are usually kind of, they're usually up to date with their English affairs.
01:11:01
Speaker
Yes, they should be. Wow, that is brilliant. That is impressive. In and of itself, absolutely impressive. If that's true, I mean, Jesus. I've just been sent in on a WhatsApp chat that I'm part of. And my friend, Ronan Murphy said maybe she had the affair with Guti.
01:11:27
Speaker
Oh, Ronan. Shitster, isn't he? Love it. Love it. Oh, that is impressive. That is absolutely impressive, even by not knowing. I mean, how do you get Beckham wrong? Wow. I don't know. That is impressive.
01:11:46
Speaker
As you would say, a new level of preference is unlocked. That is a new level unlocked. A new secret level unlocked. Not getting David Beckham wrong. That is just wow. Jesus Christ. If you ever watched Good Morning Britain, you'd know that. Please send that link us if you do. I haven't got it. I haven't got the footage. I've just been sent it in a text. I would like to see it myself.
01:12:15
Speaker
Wow, that is impressive. On that note, let's leave it at that. We'll be back on Tuesday for the Q&A and then we're back on Thursday for our usual midweek show. So until then, ciao ciao.