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Free Weekly Episode - Lazio Stun Inter, Roma Hold Juventus, CR7 To Napoli For Osimhen, & Much More (Ep. 251)
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From Maurizio Sarri tactically schooling Simone Inzaghi, Max Allegri's Juventus unlucky against José Mourinho's Roma, Vincenzo Italiano's Fiorentina show how to handle Luciano Spalletti's Napoli to Cristiano Ronaldo-Victor Osimhen swap, Carlo and Nima break down another action packed weekend in Serie A.
Every Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast is free for all. To listen to all full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP to become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Introduction to Hosts
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast with John Solano, Carlo Garganese and Nima Tuvali.
00:00:24
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese and we've just been through match day three now, another thrilling weekend of football, three really high quality games in particular between Inter and Lazio and Inter between Juventus and Roma and between
00:00:48
Speaker
Fiorentina and Napoli on Sunday evening. Lots of goals in the other games as well.
Juventus vs Roma Match Analysis
00:00:55
Speaker
Let's get straight into it.
00:00:58
Speaker
OK, let's start with the biggest game, let's say, of all, Juventus versus Roma in Turin. This was a must-win game, or certainly from Juventus' point of view, it was a game that they absolutely had to perform much better in after a dismal draw at Sampdoria in the beginning of last week. And the game finished 1-1, Juventus took the lead in the first half
00:01:27
Speaker
through a brilliant free kick from Dusan Blavitch in the opening minute. And then Tammy Abraham equalised off a corner in the second half. So Nimr has already done a post-match podcast which you can listen to on patrons only. But yeah, I'll give my point of view first here.
00:01:52
Speaker
So obviously everybody that listens knows that I've been very, very critical of Allegri since he returned to Juventus and in particular as well this season. You know, Juventus haven't started well this season in terms of just their overall play and performance level before this match against Roma and in pre-season as well. I thought that in the first half in this game,
00:02:19
Speaker
Although it's not my type of football, I thought Juventus were very effective. Allegri's football was very effective. In the first half, Juventus were sitting off
00:02:30
Speaker
not super deep, but they were letting Roma have the ball and then stealing the ball off the central midfielders as Christante and Matic and then launching fast counter-attacks. And that was very effective. They created a lot of good openings that didn't always culminate in big chances, but a lot of times that they should have really put the game to bed in the first half. And Blauwitsch scored a fantastic goal. Locatelli scored a fantastic goal that was disallowed.
00:03:00
Speaker
and there were lots of other moments that could and maybe should have led to more goals. Roma really were overwhelmed in terms of Juventus' intensity. But unfortunately, Juventus couldn't keep it up in the second half. I think it was a little bit
00:03:19
Speaker
Max Allegri going into his old trap of trying to just contain in the second half. But I also think that Juventus put so much intensity into that first half, they couldn't maintain it. And they looked gassed, I think, by the hour mark. And this is something that we've seen before with Juventus under Allegri in the last year. And when Juventus have gone against type and played,
00:03:47
Speaker
with more intensity and not sat super deep and just try to basically play catch an actual encounter attack when they've actually tried to be a little bit more proactive and put men forward and try and take the game to the opposition a bit more, which is what they did in the first half against Roma.
00:04:05
Speaker
Even though they weren't really playing a, let's say a possession style football, they were playing with a lot of intensity. They couldn't keep that up. And that happened last season against Inter in the home game in Turin, which is probably their best performance. And also against Villa Real in the Champions League second leg, last 16 second leg last season, when they were played with lots of intensity in the first half and didn't get the goal. And then they just completely fell apart in the second half. They just were exhausted second half.
00:04:34
Speaker
So, you know, I think that, yeah, Juventus, you know, they need to be able to maintain that kind of level for longer than they have been in these few occasions that they have tried to play this type of football. So, yeah, they couldn't hold it on. And Roma came back into it, and I thought, with a better team in the last 35 minutes, the last half an hour. And, yeah, they got the equaliser.
00:04:58
Speaker
I mean for me Juve were outstanding for an hour, absolutely outstanding. I think Mourinho said it best after the game when he said we were lucky in the first half to just be training by the goal. Juventus showed that their highest high is very high and they are levels better than Roma when they play at their best and
Player Performance Highlights
00:05:22
Speaker
the way that they
00:05:24
Speaker
dominated the midfield. I mean, the aggression was absolutely fantastic to see how they won the ball up really high. Whether it was Locatelli, Miretti, whether it was Vlawic or Quadrado, they were on Roma like white on rice. They didn't give them a second to breathe.
00:05:42
Speaker
I really, really liked a couple of things. Miretti, I thought, was he has to start now. I mean, that was what a performance, what a player, what a little jewel they seem to have on their hands. I mean, I said in my post-match reaction pod that, you know, did we just witness a star be born? Because the way the maturity, which he showed, the aggression, this ability to transport the ball between midfield and attack,
00:06:11
Speaker
No, I really, I really, really liked it. I understand the comparisons with Marquisio, much more now, because Roma are a good side and Juve didn't give him a sniff for an hour. And they were unlucky. I think to disallow the goal was the correct decision based on how the rules are. But what a goal by Locatelli, absolutely stunning rocket. And he was great as well.
00:06:34
Speaker
I thought Danilo and Bremmer together in mid central defence was really really good as well. I really liked that partnership. Yeah, Tammy Abraham didn't get a kick like the whole game, apart from his goal and that another chance where he kind of miskicked it. Yeah, for me they looked balanced and they looked like that would be the way to go. I still think you should play a back three with Danilo Bremmer and
00:06:59
Speaker
and Gatti to the left. I think that I'm outstanding. I think this U of M was made to play a 3-5-2. But, you know, they weren't exactly, they were really good. For an hour I thought they were outstanding. I thought what was better about Juventus in this is, even though, and I will still maintain this, I still maintain that, you know, if you want to be successful over the course of a season, now in modern football you need to, generally you need to be
00:07:26
Speaker
having more possession and having more territory than Juventus even had during this game. But especially in the first half as well. But I thought that if Allegri is going to play this way, this is the way that
00:07:41
Speaker
that you've got more chance of having success with, a more kind of Antonio Conte style, because we know that Antonio Conte, his teams, don't have much possession. But when they do, you can see the method. There's a clear kind of methodology that when they have their periods of dominance, they look like scoring. They've got that intensity. And, you know, when Conte's teams are on top, the periods that they're on top,
00:08:07
Speaker
They look like they look like scoring. They look like creating chances when they attack. They attack as one. They attack as a unit. You know, it's not this this kind of which has been the big problem under Allegri throughout his reign and is what we were discussing last week after the Sam Dora game where it was abysmal was there's just the team. There is just no team. There has been no team. There's been no unit. The team hasn't moved as one when they attack the rare times that they attack and move.
00:08:32
Speaker
They don't. It's all disjointed. There's huge gaps between the defence and the midfield and the attack or no midfield as it was the case against Sandor. In this game, there was in the first half to first 55, 60 minutes, there was that. When Juventus were attacking and launching these attacks, they were launching the attacks as one. It was compact. That was better.
Weather and Game Dynamics
00:08:53
Speaker
They need to build on that. They need to try and take the positives. I could sit here and criticise Allegri loads for the way that the second half Juventus
00:09:01
Speaker
sat off. I want to try and be positive. I want to try and take the positives from this game. I think a lot of that is also because of the heat. It's very hot in Italy right now. It's hot all over the Mediterranean. We're seeing reports about forest fires and droughts and whatnot. It's very hot right now. This takes a lot out of the players. We saw it even in Rome. That was an evening game.
00:09:25
Speaker
and you know just on the sidelines just standing still both coaches look like they've taken a shower before after 10 minutes I mean it's incredibly hot right now it's incredibly humid and I think that takes a lot out of the players but yeah no I agree with you I think you know I
00:09:40
Speaker
I, I, I, if I'm going to be critical, which I was a little bit, I think he, he is his worst enemy here a little bit. His suffer bad. His suffer bad. We'll come to Simonians arguing how bad his subs were. That was, that was, that was this weekend across the board. That was something that was noticeable. Bad substitutions. I think he doesn't, he doesn't really have a lot of choices here. That's the thing. I think,
00:10:05
Speaker
I think he got it wrong from the start against Amtoria. Here he got it right from the start, but he has substitutions. Yes, he has an excuse here or caveat here that he doesn't exactly have the best substitutes to maintain that kind of football. But to me, it still is frustrating.
00:10:26
Speaker
for him for me to see that you know he's a little bit his own worst enemy I don't understand why he can't you know change it up because I mean that's what he said when he's at his best he changes it up through a game you know you started with a 4-3-3 that's great when things got tired well then switch to a 4-3-1-2 and bring Mielek next to Blauwitsch but he didn't do that and then I don't know I feel like this was a missed opportunity for you but I really think it was a missed opportunity because I think
00:10:54
Speaker
looking at this game, if you watch this game, Juva cannot be happy with just one point because when you dominate the way that they did and impose yourself the way that Juva did for an hour, the game should be in bed by then. On that note, this is the problem, this is what I've been going on about all during the pre-season, is that Juventus don't have enough goals in their team, even when they're playing well, even when they're playing well and they're completely on top in the first half.
00:11:25
Speaker
You can talk about Blauwitsch's Wonder Strike. I mean, I saw the XG, but you look at Blauwitsch's Wonder Strike and Locatelli's Wonder Strike. Those XGs are like ridiculously low. They're Wonder Goals. They're Miracle Goals, both of them. That's like 0.05 XG you'll probably get for those goals. So you're getting nothing from them. But if you actually genuinely look, and I mean, I did say before that they had a lot of moments that could have led to clear cut chances, but they didn't.
00:11:44
Speaker
you know, they don't have the goal scorers in their team.
00:11:52
Speaker
create them, so that doesn't count. How many difficult saves did Rui Petruchio have to make in this game? I can't think of any at all, really. I think a lot of cuts rather had a good chance where he took it out wide a little bit and then it didn't become a big chance because the first touch, he took it too wide and then that could have been a really good chance. But they didn't really create that many clear cut chances. And like I said, there isn't that many... But having said that, though, on the other side of the coin, Roma created nothing other than offset pieces.
00:12:22
Speaker
the only chance they had was the corner and then they had another one afterwards where, you know, it was badly defended as well. And, you know, they could have, they could have got a goal. So, you know, it was, they were, they were unlucky. They did deserve to win this game event says that they also, well, I agree on the look, they should have had a penalty for small in town ball. I mean, that's, I have to look for me, for me, that is a handbook. Like, I don't know that that's a penalty. I don't get the decision.
00:12:49
Speaker
But the thing is this, I have also read before this season where they were talking about that they were going to be much more stringent with handball offenses in the penalty area. And I'm thinking, well, the law hasn't changed. It still says, you know, if it's unnatural position above shoulder, but there's also the deliberate aspect. I think maybe they're going more on that in the sense that
00:13:12
Speaker
you know, they argue that, you know, he didn't do it on purpose. But that just, that makes handball offenses pretty much impossible then to get a penalty. I don't understand. I don't, I'm confused with that. I have looked for the answer, but I'm not, I'm yet to find it. Because to me, that's about as clear cut penalty you're going to see. I mean, his arm is by his head.
00:13:35
Speaker
It's not a natural position. It's in front of his head as well. Yeah, I don't understand it. And I've looked everywhere and I've not seen any former referee. I haven't seen anything from Marrelli either. I don't understand the decision. But I do remember them saying that they want it to be much more stringent. And I think that's how it should be. But not in this case, you know. But there needs to be cohesion, Carlo. This is my point. There needs to be a clear cut
00:14:03
Speaker
They have to explain why and how and when. Well, that does need to be explained. This really does need to be explained because I mean, you know, I don't think there can be an explanation. I mean, it's a penalty 100 times out of 100. Well, I mean, the thing is, the only argument is it's not deliberate. And I don't think it is deliberate. I think it's clumsy. I mean, it's not deliberately handling the ball. That's the only reason. But then that makes it impossible to do penalties.
00:14:26
Speaker
You jump with your hands above your shoulders, in front of your head. It's a handball. For me it's a clear penalty. I'm trying to understand the thinking here because the VAR showed it. Everyone reviewed it and saw it, so I'm thinking the reason why they didn't give it. There was another small in handball.
00:14:47
Speaker
which was again also a bit clumsy but it was totally accidental and I agree it wasn't a penalty where where he was kind of making a challenge and his arm happened to be out while he was making turns and he kind of fell on it and that is that is definitely unnatural that's where they need to be more lenient because it's kind of he was making a challenge and that kind of that can happen that kind of thing can happen but got jumping up for a header with your hand in front of your above your shoulders in front yeah that's a means
00:15:11
Speaker
like a punching motion. I mean, there's just not even if even if you try and argue that that is, you know, when you jump in yet, your hands do come up a little natural. You just that is just you just can't do that. You know, that you have to find it strange. I'm trying to I'm just you know, I'm going to keep looking to see if I can find some sort of explanation for that because I don't understand it. If there's been a change of
00:15:35
Speaker
rule or interpretation or a new policy, then I'm gonna, you know, on Thursday or whenever, on the Patreon-only pod, I'll explain it more because I don't understand it. To me, that's about a clear-cutter handball offense that you just do in a healthy area. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Just, I mean, you touched on him very briefly, but Miretti, I mean, it's still early days. We haven't seen enough of him to really say how good we think he can be, but
00:16:01
Speaker
he was very very promising signs in this in the first half in this game but for me i like there's a few just little things little small details which you know i maybe i appreciate more because when i played i was a midfielder central midfielder tackling central midfielder and
00:16:17
Speaker
There's a few little things I like that he does. The way that he receives the ball and he attack, he's already always forward thinking. The way that he does little passes into the, like, into Vlovich, into the front man, he follows his pass, like little gives and goes. And yeah, I'm intrigued by him. Let's say that I need to see more of him. Exactly. I'm intrigued. I'm definitely intrigued by him. And then there's no, I mean, I mean, you just look at the difference.
00:16:46
Speaker
when Miretti's been on the pitch, both in the Sampdoria game and also in this game. I'm not too fair, it's not hard. No, but Rabio was good. Rabio, Locatelli, Miretti, that's Juva's midfield trio right now with this current squad. We're recording this on Monday 29th. Yeah, Paredo's will be official soon. But if it's like that, then I'd... I mean, I really like that.
00:17:14
Speaker
I thought Rabio was really good these two games. I think he gives them the dynamism that they need. And it's clear that Zakaria, they see him as more of a rotation player, which I think is fair. He was terrific. Him and Makeni when they came on. Yeah, no, Makeni, Makeni. I wonder, I mean, we know that Makeni's had some sort of shoulder injury, dislocated shoulder. He looks so often. That's the reason.
Juventus' Off-Field Issues
00:17:38
Speaker
I know you don't like him and all that, but I mean, this is, he looks
00:17:42
Speaker
I'm just glad that all Juventus fans see it now, because I've got so much abuse for ages from Juventus fans. Oh, Mckenny, you are, you're so horrible to me. Well, guys, you can see it now. No, I think this is more than, I don't think this is ability. He just looks off it. He looks off like he's not good enough. That's a different thing. I'm talking about his current form. And to me, this is a player who's just not match fit. He's not
00:18:06
Speaker
he's just not in he's just not he's just off and he looks off his body language the way he moves it's just i'll tell you else i'll tell you who else looked off i'm dying to get your opinion on this so let's start off with the funny because there's also a serious it's so there's a
00:18:21
Speaker
I'll tell you what, everything is going off at Juventus at the moment, on that off the pitch. I mean, two of the most craziest stories I've seen in a long time and just genuinely insane overnight. I mean, let's start with the funny because then there is we do need to talk about Pogba because that is serious.
00:18:36
Speaker
Pavel Nedved, now at first I saw this, I saw people talking, I thought this has to be some kind of joke or something. I thought is it like, you know remember when Sylvia Beliscony, they used to have the actor that used to like make videos pretending to be Sylvia Beliscony, everyone used to fall for it. Like the one where there was like the traffic warden and he was pretending to spank her ass. And then he had him like picking his nose in the coffee shop and all this kind of stuff. And I thought this must be some kind of actor pretending to be Nedved that's doing this.
00:19:04
Speaker
But it's not. It's him. So I got to say, I got to say to our patron, Misak, who sent that video to me, I thought, well, that's not him. It is him. It's him. I mean, it's just well, it's just just for those who haven't seen it, there's two incidents. First of all, there's Nedved. He's in having some kind of house party and he's basically with three girls that dance into some music. And he's like in the middle, like a sandwich in the middle and he's broken.
00:19:33
Speaker
He's groping the breasts. There's nothing wrong with that essay. I mean, it's not, it's consensual. They're all having fun and whatnot. It's just a little bit embarrassing. His wife might not be too happy about it. That's their problem. I mean, that's between him and his wife, but I don't think it's a scandal. I think it's a little bit embarrassing.
00:19:52
Speaker
It's a private video between friends, whoever leaked it and sent it around. I think that's a bit of a dick move if we're perfectly honest. Clearly, you don't do that to your friends. I think he has the right to have a personal life and this wasn't out at a nightclub. This was clearly at someone's home.
00:20:10
Speaker
so it's somebody he knows. So I think I find it the whole thing a little bit. I don't care. I just think, yeah, it's a little bit embarrassing. It's like when you see videos of yourself when you're drunk out. It's embarrassing. You're embarrassed. It's a normal human emotion and feeling. It is what it is, but it's not a scandal. But what is embarrassing for sure is the second video.
00:20:50
Speaker
That doesn't look good. More from the sense that Juventus are under so much attack at the moment. Things are going so bad and have been in his position in particular. Nobody knows what he does still. No one knows exactly what his role is. No one. I haven't spoken to anyone, even those that are close and that actually know what Pabro Nívez's role is at Juventus. Nobody knows what he does. So that is just going to add to the pressure on him.
00:20:52
Speaker
of him in the street.
00:21:19
Speaker
Again, it's unnecessary. I don't think it's a scandal. I have no problems with people being drunk on their off time and doing whatever. I just think that it's unnecessary, especially someone in this position knows. I mean, it's one when you're walking on the street at that stupid o'clock in the morning off your face. I mean, just get into a car. I'm sure you have a phone where you can get an Uber or something. I mean, you know what I mean? It's just I don't understand the problem.
00:21:42
Speaker
It's unnecessary. Maybe he was walking from that house. Well, probably, but still, why not get a taxi? I mean, at that point in time, there's no need for it. Be a little bit more discreet. So for me, it's more embarrassing more than anything. I don't see the scandal of it. The second part, though, this Pogba thing, I still feel the whole thing is a piss-take. I feel like this is someone playing a hoax on us.
00:22:10
Speaker
The entire story is so mental. It doesn't feel real. No, I still don't fully understand it, to be honest. I try to read as much of it as I can. It doesn't really piece together. What it comes out, what has been reported in the French media is that
00:22:28
Speaker
Paul Pogba is being blackmailed by a group of people. And one of those people is his older brother Matthias. And they want X amount of money. And this sort of thing started in Manchester United. He told their lawyers, they contacted the police. Now Matthias has gone on social media saying he's going to reveal the truth about his little brother.
00:22:57
Speaker
And he kind of outed it yesterday after Paul Pogba fought back, you know, filing a report with the French police. And pretty much is basically saying that Paul Pogba, you know, this Matthias Pogba is saying that Paul Pogba hired a witch doctor to put a hex on Kylian Mbappe. I mean, it just feels completely bizarre. And Pogba is obviously denying it.
00:23:24
Speaker
And things have really gone bad between them. And according to Pogba, he's allegedly being blackmailed. They're asking him for 13 million euros. He's talking about an incident when Manchester United, when one of his friends were there. He helped, obviously, these people, his childhood friends, but one of them misbehaved and stole a credit card and maxed it out for 200,000 euros. And the whole thing feels like just a really weird
00:23:52
Speaker
episode of Jerry Springer crossed with, you know, I don't know, Hollywood, Hollywood Reporter crossed with the National Enquirer kind of thing. It's just bizarre. And you've got witch doctors and you've got, I don't know what, and poor Jillian Mbappe is involved somehow now. And
00:24:10
Speaker
I'm just trying to think what the motive would be for Pogba. What would the motive be? If this was actually true about the Witch Doctor, what could possibly be the motive for Pogba?
00:24:25
Speaker
casting a spell on Mbappe. I'm just trying to work it out. I don't see it. It's not like Tonya Harding and... They're only playing the same position. They're both going for the gold medal.
00:24:44
Speaker
the same thing. They're not competing for anything. So I don't see, you know, surely, you know, they don't play in the same league, they don't play, their teams are not in an event that's never going to challenge for many nights, never going to challenge for anything. You know, they want France to win that's good for France to win the World Cup. So I don't, yeah, it doesn't, it doesn't really,
00:25:00
Speaker
I don't understand either. The whole thing just feels really dumb and crazy. I haven't said that though, Nima. This does seem to be something that goes on a lot in the France national team because the Karen Benzema and Balguena incident was also similar, wasn't there? It was all gangs involved in that and blackmail and this does seem to be something that seems to be quite rampant and rife in France.
00:25:28
Speaker
Yeah, it's not the first time, you know, among players. But I mean, I know this does happen in football. I mean, like, you know, there are, you know, there is a dark side to football where the underworld does have control over over, you know, these billionaire footballers, you know, it happens in, you know, but even like the ultras in Italy having control over certain players and what they do. But, you know, also that, you know, you go back to Maradona's time where
00:25:56
Speaker
the Kamora were basically in control, semi in control of Maradona. And, you know, this has happened and does still happens, but this just is, yeah. No, this feels like this feels almost scripted. Like this is, do you know what I mean? It feels like a really bad daytime soap opera. Do you know what I mean? It just feels completely, the more it goes. And I just feel like the more I read about it, it's like,
00:26:23
Speaker
Are they for real, these people? Like, are they real? Like, is this actually happening? This feels so bizarre. And you can't be happy with this. I mean, they bring them in. He was half injured. They already they kind of already knew it, allegedly. He gets he worsens his meniscus and now he's gone for 40 days. He's not going to have the operation. Prioritizing the World Cup.
00:26:43
Speaker
A head of humor. Oh god, stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. There are no spells, Jesus. No, it's bizarre. Yeah, it's absolutely bizarre.
00:27:04
Speaker
The juju. The juju. No, stop, stop. The gin, the gin in your part of the world. No, it doesn't exist. It doesn't exist. Stop it. Let's be rational here for crying out loud. I seriously don't think Paul Paul was hired a witch doctor or a witch something or witch whatever to cast a spell on Killian Emma, but I think the whole thing just is absolutely bizarre.
00:27:25
Speaker
Yeah, I'll tell you what, even the best switch option in the world, we wouldn't get the eventers to win anything. Maybe try that. Okay, let's move on to Roma, because we spoke about the eventers now. So just quickly, from the Roma point of view, what do you think that they take from this game? Actually, I'll go first, because you've already done your post-match. So what I took from this game from Roma is,
00:27:50
Speaker
something that I said during the first weeks of the season that I remember I asked, you know, having a two-man central midfield in a 3-4-2-1, would they be outnumbered? Would they be too open? That's exactly what they were in the first half. The two-man midfield of Matic and Christante, who were all for, especially Christante. I mean, he got completely outplayed by Miretti, Christante.
00:28:17
Speaker
would that be an issue against bigger teams away from home? I said those exact words and that's exactly what played out in the first half. They were way too open. Juventus were just, that was Allegri's game plan. It was sit, wait, then just press and swarm the two men in midfield and then break through that space.
00:28:36
Speaker
You know, so I think, yeah, Mourinho said it himself, that they were lucky, that they, you know, lucky to only be one nil behind at half time, and he made the changes. And he kind of went to a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-2-1. It was more of a 3-4-3, in my opinion, it was more of a 3-man sentiment field in the second half. They had an extra man, basically, in the centre. And I think what he did was with Pellegrini, it's like without possession was a 4-3-3, and in possession was a 4-2-3-1.
00:29:02
Speaker
And I think against the big teams, I think that's how he has to play, or play a 3-5-2. But regardless, yeah, I think Mourinho said it best. They were lucky. There's no doubt about it. And I think we saw the why I think this talk of Roma winning the scoretto is ludicrous, because I just don't think they're good enough.
00:29:24
Speaker
They don't, they're not there yet. I don't think they have the quality to win this league and they showed why against you. They have weaknesses and I guess the better teams that's going to be exposed. I thought they sent to midfield, and this is why I said at the beginning of the season, I don't think Roma sent, I think Roma sent to midfield is a problem.
00:29:45
Speaker
not a problem, but it's a weak area. It's not, you know, there's too many, there's sentiment field is better than them. And, you know, even events feel dominated them. And I think that, yeah, Christante Matich sent them in field, you're not gonna, you know, I'm not sure how far you can go with those two. And maybe you need, yeah, wine elder being injured is a big blow for that reason. You know, maybe you do need. Well, they're bringing in money.
00:30:12
Speaker
They're bringing in Madi Kamara now from Olympia Kos. I'll be honest, I don't know how good he is. I reported in summer 2020, two years ago, that Roma Fiorentina Milan were all interested in him. Back then he was 23 years old, he'd just come off the
00:30:35
Speaker
back of winning the domestic double for the Olympiacos League and Cup double. He'd scored quite a bit of goals as well in those seasons. If I remember correctly, he'd scored six goals in the league, both his first season, 18-19 and 19-20.
00:30:57
Speaker
And then obviously because they didn't let him go or because Olympia costs wanted 15 million euros, they didn't, you know, no one was willing to pay that back then. He was, you know, his motivation went and he's only 25 years old. I think he will, I think he will do a job for Roma. I think he suits Mourinho really, really well. And I'm happy he's getting this move. I'm happy for everybody involved. I think this is a good move all round and it's a loan with an option to buy and it brings the value of the transfer to a ramp.
00:31:26
Speaker
14 million if Roma by him. He's only, again, he's only 25. I like it. I really, I think he can do a job for Roma. And I know that he wants to play in the Serie A. I mean, he's been linked to Fiorentina, he's been linked to Napoli as well. I know Napoli was looking at him very closely, a good colleague of mine in Greece, Antonis Vakonimidis, he reported that he was very, you know, Napoli was seriously considering him before going after Angusat.
00:31:52
Speaker
So there is a player there, and I think he can actually do a job for Arma. Better than Cristante, for sure. Let me put it that way, because I do not rate Cristante. Never have, never will.
00:32:07
Speaker
Yeah, I thought he did all right in the first couple of games of the season, but yeah, he's, he's, uh, yeah, I'm, I'm not sure of him. And Mattage, Mattage grew as the game went on, I thought, but he's, his lack of pace is a big, big, it's a big, big problem, especially against teams that, that, that do what Juventus did, where they swarm you and then attack you. And he's just too slow. He's too slow, Mattage, but
00:32:30
Speaker
Yeah I thought he did he did he did play well as the game went on Matic I thought and Mourinho also do have to give him credit for making the changes and and and yeah getting getting the point out of them. Okay let's let's move oh just one other point the Juventus fans who booed Di Bala I mean
00:32:47
Speaker
wankers. Sorry, just have to say it. I mean, it's, it's, it's, yeah, wasn't nice. I mean, to be fair, most of the, most of the, most of them applauded them, but there was quite a, yeah, and quite a few fans, you could hear them clearly on the TV. Well, he still got, I mean, he did get an assist and he, he, you know, and then Tammy still scored. I think, I think this is like learning money, learning curve for Tammy Abraham. He was still pretty young. He still got a goal despite
00:33:17
Speaker
a very bad game which is important for a striker. Yeah okay let's move on to Lazio Inter on Friday night. Lazio 1-3-1 I thought this was a from a neutral point of view I thought this was an absolutely fantastic game a brilliant brilliant game. I'll let you take it away first from from let's start from the Lazio point of
Lazio's Victory Over Inter
00:33:39
Speaker
view first. No I wanted to say that I want to speak about Lazio first because I think Lazio deserve nothing but praise for this performance.
00:33:47
Speaker
Maurizio Sarri, I've said in previous podcasts that this season that I think they look so much more solid defensively than I've ever seen them. And boy, are they solid defensively. They got it absolutely spot on. Sarri wanted to push Inter out to the
00:34:05
Speaker
to the wings where he doubled down with two men on Dumfries and on DiMarco. And he just impressed really high. He closed down the space in the middle, took out Brozovic, and it just frustrated Inter, completely, who looked flustered and tired. It was an even first half. But then again,
00:34:34
Speaker
The, you know, the first goal they scored is just classic Sarri, granted Inter completely, collectively fell asleep. Defray and Bastoni are way too deep. Skinyan is the only one in that situation that is where he's supposed to be. DiMarco is way out of position. Galiadin is facing Handanovic for some reason and not putting pressure on Milenko Itzavic. Brozovic realises too late.
00:34:58
Speaker
And Lukaku isn't pressing. And Handana, which doesn't come out. So I mean, it's just a collective collapse.
00:35:07
Speaker
that is classic Sarri that through that long ball behind the defence and Philippe Anderson just you know places the simplest of headers it was a stunning goal and they scored quite a few of those and no they were outstanding they were he's got his tactic I mean the thing is when when Simone Inzaghi when Inter in the second half equalised and are dominating and Lazio really are on the ropes there instead of pushing on forward
00:35:36
Speaker
He doesn't. He waits. And Sarri then makes two, three changes and brings on Luis Alberto and Pedro. And then the initiative goes back to Lazio and they don't look back after that. Stunning goal by Luis Alberto. No, it was absolutely insane. Pedro's was lovely. I mean, you know, you probably should have had a penalty just immediately before that. But, you know, instead, I like that they play the advantage. And if you score a goal, the match should stand.
00:36:07
Speaker
So no, I think Lazio were absolutely outstanding, and they've got depth for once now as well, in pretty much all positions, maybe not in central defence. But no, I was so impressed by Lazio, and I was so impressed by Sarri.
00:36:25
Speaker
Sorry for me was, was, got his tactics spot on. They were compact. You, you mentioned last week, didn't you, about the defence that they do look much more compact this season. He's, he's, he's, although Louis Alberta come on and, I mean, he didn't, hasn't been starting, has he? But although he came on and obviously produced the moment of quality that really won the game, you know, they go in for a more, you know,
00:36:50
Speaker
they're going for players with more substance, let's say, in the central midfield rather than, you know, the kind of art history that Luis Alberto brings. But yeah, I thought that they pressed into central midfielders and they tapped from there, kind of similar to what Juventus did.
00:37:13
Speaker
Yeah. They gave up the possession. Absolutely. Because you expect Sarri's team to have more possession generally, but actually Sarri switched it up a little bit and then he let Inter have the ball and they targeted the space, like you said, between the full backs and the centre backs, especially on the DiMarco Bastoni size, which has been a weak area for Inter when DiMarco plays there. I mean, it's weird, I guess I jinxed it as usual. You know, we were speaking in the preview, in our preview pod on this game and I was saying how DiMarco really has
00:37:42
Speaker
Yeah, he has grown on me so much. But the problem is that this game didn't suit his characteristics. I mean, this is the thing that, you know, this is why you have so many different players with different characteristics. And he got it wrong with DiMarco. He got it wrong with Galiardini, even though I think I understand why he played Galiardini. People need to remember that this Frankenstein monster, that Galiardini
00:38:06
Speaker
Arintar has two jobs, to score against teams from Liguria and to Man-Marks in Milenko with Savage. That's Conte, he's the one who invented it. Inzagis just continued with it, because he was the Lazio coach and he saw how good Gagliartini was doing that under Conte. But the issue is that, well, Sarri is there now and he's seen through it.
00:38:29
Speaker
and Milinkovitch Savage is such an intelligent player that you can't, you need to adapt how you play against him. Brilliant pass from Milinkovitch Savage. Yeah, it was stunning, but I mean, this is what I mean for that first goal. He's completely, you know, Galiadin is completely out of position, but it's a stunning, I mean, look, there's no doubt now that Seligah Milinkovitch Savage is the best midfield in the Serie A by a mile.
00:38:48
Speaker
No one else comes close. Not in terms of his highest highs or his depth in terms of how many positions he can play. He doesn't have a single weakness. He's never injured. He's got a good shot. He's good in the air. His craft, his vision, his passing. All fantastic.
00:39:05
Speaker
No, he's a complete midfielder. He can play in every single one of those midfield positions centrally. He can play deep, he can play as a metallica, he can play as a tequatista. He's absolutely fantastic. He is the best midfielder. The big question now is can Lazio challenge the top four?
00:39:20
Speaker
I still don't think they're good enough to finish in the top four. I think they will give Roma a run for their money for fifth. And also Lazio, to me, I have both Roma and Lazio as dark horses in the Europa League because we know that Sarri
00:39:37
Speaker
He knows how to win this trophy. He's done it with Chelsea. We know that now he's also got options and depth. So I'm saying watch out for Lazio in Europe in the Europa League. I'm not sure about that, but I do think... I'm saying they're a dark horse. I'm not saying they're favorites. The favorites are Man United and Arsenal and all these usual things. And whoever comes down, which could be Inter as well from the Champions League. But they're a dark horse for sure.
00:40:04
Speaker
Yeah, I think that this is this game also showed again what I said before the before the game that the top eight are just going to take points off each other all season. We've seen it in all three, all three big games. Oh, yeah, the eight. Yeah, the eight brothers. We've seen it in all the big, big, big, big games this season and the kind of the result didn't go for, let's say,
00:40:25
Speaker
The three points didn't go for the, let's say, the biggest team or the favorite, let's say, of these matches in the bigger team. They didn't win. Juventus, let's say. Well, I mean, we're three days in the season and not a single team has maximum points. I mean, that is very early. Six teams on seven points.
00:40:48
Speaker
Yeah, seven points. And I mean, like we said, I mean, this is going to be the Serie A where the top seven or top eight are going to play their own Serie A. You're going to have the top, the bottom four, five having their own Serie A and the rest are going to be in the middle. It's going to be three Serie A's. And I think it's going to be tight. I mean, I think from one to seven, one to eight, it's not going to be that many points that divides them. And they're going to take points off of each other. It's a very evenly balanced Serie A. No, I agree. I agree.
00:41:16
Speaker
you absolutely absolutely. But I just got to say, I mean, this, you know, a packed Olympico, those songs, the chanting 10,000 inter fans, the atmosphere, the music, I mean, this, you talk about great advert for Serie A. This, this, this had everything. If you're a neutral, you watched that game and you loved it. You absolutely loved it. It was beautiful. It was Italian football from its most beautiful side.
00:41:43
Speaker
Okay, just to expand a little bit more into, I did want to talk about DeMarco, we've already done that. I want to talk about Lukaku. Now, two parts to this. First of all, do you think, as I do, that Lautaro has scored a really great goal himself? Will Lautaro outscore Lukaku this season, number one? I think he will. Number two,
00:42:12
Speaker
Lukaku is too early for us to make any concrete observations on Lukaku as to how he's going to do this season. But I said it straight away for the first game. He looks still a little bit... I know he's had an injury now, but forget about the injury. He looks like he's a little bit off it. He's missing something. He's missing
00:42:39
Speaker
a quarter of a yard or half a yard from his first. He's basically the Chelsea. Let's say that, you know, it's still early days. You know, he's a big guy. Sometimes those kind of plays do need a little bit more warming up into a season. He had an awful year, you know, all that kind of stuff. So I'm not saying. But so far, you would agree he's been a little bit underwhelming in terms of his overall game. He's still you know, he's still he's still school for me. This is this is down to him overworking.
00:43:07
Speaker
he is working really hard and he has been working really hard i think he needs to you know they need to find the right balance of the level of training the intensity and and what he's doing i think this injury suggest to me that he's overworking himself but he won't he won't so badly.
00:43:25
Speaker
to succeed and enter and redeem himself. And that's where Simona has to kind of calm him down and take control of the situation and say, look, I know you want to work hard. That's great. But you're going to get injured, which he is now. And he's probably going to miss out. I mean, it's the kind of injury where two to three weeks. Yeah. I mean, he's going to miss. He's going to miss. He's going to miss every. He's going to miss until the international break. I'm going to miss the dark back for sure.
00:43:50
Speaker
Well, for the Derby for sure, Bayern Munich as well, Remonese tomorrow, he's going to probably, I mean, I think he's gone until the international break, until after the international break. Which is mid-September. Mid-September, isn't it? Third week, I think. Mid-September, yeah. So, yeah, so I think that's just what it is, what it is. I think he, but the thing with Lukaku is we know that at this point in the season, he's always looked like this. He's a slow starter. It takes time for him to get going.
00:44:20
Speaker
And I think this injury might be the little bit of a wake-up call for him that he needs. And I think for Inter, it could be a blessing in disguise because I think Laotaro, last season, towards the end of last season, Inter were outstanding in attack. The free-flowingness with Laotaro as the tip of that attack, the killer, the focal point. I think he needs to be that.
Lukaku's Impact at Inter
00:44:44
Speaker
and I think against Cremonese we'll see Jekyll start next to him and I think against Mila we'll see Joaquin Correa play next to him and I think that's the way to go. And that's good because if they get a couple of good results against
00:45:01
Speaker
be if they win against Milan, if they get a drawers or even win, heaven forbid, you know, God willing to buy in, then, you know, then they're, you know, then Matt puts pressure on Lukaku to, does he get in the team? I think eventually this is the kind of thing you iron out. But I think this kind of makes the choice easier for Simona in that he can revert back to what he knows works. He doesn't have to shoehorn in Lukaku into this.
00:45:29
Speaker
So you think he's shoehorning Lukaku in a little bit at the moment? I think a little bit he is shoehorning. In what way does it differ from Zanzaki's usual or the way he wants to play? Well last season Inter didn't play like they do now. They don't throw the ball
00:45:44
Speaker
high up to Lukaku for him to hold it up and then play off of someone. And it makes the midfield, Brozovic, Chalanogu and Barella, completely obsolete. They like to have a lot of the ball. They like to one-touch pass his movement, you know, the triangles that I've always spoke about on this part about how Inzagi likes to create numerical advantages and triangle in midfield and play his way through. They don't do that for as long as Lukaku's been there. It's just been Dimarco long ball up to Lukaku who wins it, plays it off to Lautaro.
00:46:12
Speaker
And you can tell that the midfielders don't like doing that. They're not in the game. And that's something that I think we'll not see now. Now, okay, Brozovic and Barrella haven't exactly been good, and they need to step up their game. But I think this is good for everybody. It's backed a little bit with work last season in which you know works.
00:46:38
Speaker
And for Lukaku to maybe slow down and do a bit of rehab and let his body recover. And I think that's a good thing for everybody. And I think with Inzagi, I liked what I saw in his lecture when he plays a 3-4-2-1, when he needs to, it's controlled, it follows a pattern. But I do think that Lautaro needs to be the main man now.
00:47:01
Speaker
You know, I get he wanted Lukaku. I get why he wanted Lukaku, etc. But I think he needs to let Lautaro be the main guy because he's good enough to be the main guy. And and he's I mean, that goal he scored, that's that's a killer. That's a poacher's goal that he scored against Lazio. And he's looking more and more like that player. And I think that's I think it's it's only fair that he does that. So I'm not panicking. But the thing that I didn't like the most is this. And we saw this last season with Simona.
00:47:31
Speaker
when he chickens out, but then he learned from it. There's lots of things. The fact that when he needs to manage a game to win, he chickens out. Okay, last season he had the excuse that
00:47:49
Speaker
He didn't have that many options in midfield and that he was new. Now he doesn't have that. He's got the players that he needs to play his football and he needs to go for it. And I felt that to me, it was a step back in the sense that it felt like you haven't learned anything despite last year when you saw that you learned your lesson last year, but it seems you've forgotten it.
00:48:12
Speaker
And he needs to sort out, finally, the third thing, he needs to sort out that defensive line. Inter, he needs to get the balance right. Look, you don't have Milenkoic and Bremen. You can't play that high up. You need to get the balance of the team right. Otherwise, teams will rip you apart on the counter, like, and play the ball behind you, like Lazio did. Brilliantly, by the way.
00:48:36
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agree. There's definitely they need to sort. They need to decide. He needs to decide, you know, is he going high? Is he going low and then play the right players accordingly?
00:48:49
Speaker
Simple as that. OK, let's move on to Fiorentina versus Napoli. Now, I thought this was another great game, I have to say. Even though it was 0-0, I thought it was a gripping match. I thought that all three of these matches that we've gone through in depth here were great, great advertisement for Serie A.
00:49:11
Speaker
With all due respect, I have to disagree a little bit here. I like the intensity and everything around it, but I saw far too many simple individual mistakes from both Fiorentina and Napoli's midfield, ironically, which I've praised.
Fiorentina-Napoli Match Breakdown
00:49:29
Speaker
There were so many simple mistakes that you don't expect
00:49:35
Speaker
from from Lebotka, Anguisa, Amrabad etc. I thought Amrabad was a monster. He was great. He was brilliant. I thought he was great but there was there was a little bit too many simple mistakes for my liking but I agree with you in the sense that the the I mean the Artemio Frankie when it is like this it's it's like a it's boiling isn't it and it was a high tempo game and I really like that
00:49:58
Speaker
But for me, there were a little bit too many individual mistakes, simple, unforced errors from both teams for me to really think that this was a high quality like the other two. I think the other two games were much better in terms of quality. I think this was the third best game, so to speak, of those three.
00:50:15
Speaker
I thought Fiorentin did a great job if you think that Napoli coming into this game fly in, so many goals in their team, so dangerous. Fiorentin, and this is what I love about Italian, he took the game to Napoli pushing high up the pitch and trying to pin them back.
00:50:34
Speaker
And I thought they did really, really well. I mean, Napoli, I thought Napoli, Napoli had the bigger chances. I think Lozano missed an absolute sitter. I don't know how he missed that header at the back post. I have no idea. I mean, wow. Yeah. I mean, it was a very, very simple chance. I mean, just get it on target at least. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's all you needed to do was get it on target. Head it down on targets a go. Yeah.
00:50:56
Speaker
He missed the entire goal. It was dreadful. But I thought they've limited them. And I've thought, again, a bit like Juventus in the sense that they didn't have many clear cut chances, Fiorentina, but they had a lot of openings where if they just did the right final pass, they would have had a big chance and they were let down by that. And I thought that Sotil was very, very lively, but was, again, just let down by his final pass. But I thought that he showed
00:51:26
Speaker
that there is a lot of promise there. Jovic, I thought, was terrible. He was invisible from this game completely. He was terrible. And when you're talking about simple passes given away, for me, I agree there with him. He was giving it away, really simple passes, laying it off, giving it away. Yeah, he definitely needs to do better.
00:51:45
Speaker
I think Italiano showed how you're supposed to play against this Napoli. That's the blueprint. You have to, you can't let them attack you with pace because they'll rip you apart. You need to, maybe not man-mark like Dodo did with Calatzelia, which was really interesting to see. I thought he did great. I thought Dodo did great. He did great. But I mean, to me, that was, that's why, yes, I know that Fiorentina not conceded for three games now.
00:52:12
Speaker
But that kind of defending is very, very shaky. It's a risky way of defending. Basically, it's man-mandered marking. And whenever Napoli played past Fiorentina's first press, there were oceans of space for them to play into. They just couldn't capitalize.
00:52:31
Speaker
I did great. I liked him at Shapta. But what I saw him at Shapta, mainly in Europe, well, pretty much all in Europe, to be honest with you, not that I watched the Ukrainian league. But, you know, he looked somebody that was better going forward, I thought, and just ultra attacking really high up the pitch all the time, which obviously was super event like they're telling you, but actually against Napoli, he was actually very good defensively. And yeah,
00:52:58
Speaker
Fire at Scalia didn't really didn't really do much of set for that chance for Lozano. So I mean, you just don't have an assist because it was a brilliant cross. No, it was a brilliant cross. I think this was good. This was this was a good step forward for for both teams in the sense that for Fiorentina it's a step forward because they get to show that they can defense attack is the best defense for them. And it works if they press like that. And if if they're back four wins their individual
00:53:27
Speaker
you know, head-to-heads with their, you know, with the opposition, then they are actually defensively solid. Golini was lucky not to concede. That Aussie man was offside because he made a howler. Not convinced by him, never been. For Napoli, I think this is important. Napoli's problem is always for Spalletti and whoever is the coach there to manage to calm people down and manage the expectations.
00:53:54
Speaker
I think Spaletti losing his head at the end. I understand when people insult your mother, you get angry, but you're not helping the situation. This is Naples, you know, you can't, you need to be the calming, you need to be the person with the cool head in Naples. Otherwise you risk destabilizing everything. And here's what I, this is why I think Spaletti's weakness. He's a bit of a hothead.
00:54:18
Speaker
And I don't think that's a very good idea when you're in Napoli. I think you need to be cooler than that. And again, I understand why he was upset. I'm just saying that he shouldn't have lost his flight. He holds it in Spoletti, doesn't he? He holds it in and then he just let it out. And then it explodes. And that's not good. That's volatility. And Napoli is a volatile city and it's a volatile fan base. It's a volatile club. You can't have that and around that. And we'll see what effect this has. I hope it has none.
00:54:48
Speaker
for them, but I do think that there are lessons to be learned here. I still think that Napoli were good, and I think that it's a good lesson for them this early on to see what happens. You know, what are you going to do when teams play like this against you? I think in Donbola, the more he gets into it, you know, like you said, you know, in terms of his individual ability to break through the lines, he can be a weapon. They've got a lot of options off the bench.
00:55:14
Speaker
I mean, yeah. I thought Politana was really good when he, when he came on, he ran. I liked Raspadori. I thought Politana was a little bit disappointing, but Raspadori I think is when he gets match fit, he can do a job for them. No, look, they have options. Again, there's depth in most teams in the Serie A.
00:55:31
Speaker
Okay, we have to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo.
Should Napoli Sign Ronaldo?
00:55:34
Speaker
So reports, continuous reports about Napoli potentially signing Ronaldo from Manchester United in a swap deal involving Victor Osseman. Osseman would go to Manchester United for over 100 million euros. Ronaldo would then go to Napoli on a loan deal with Man United paying most if not all of Ronaldo's massive salary.
00:56:00
Speaker
Simple question, Nemo, you go first. Should Napoli take this deal?
00:56:04
Speaker
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances should they take this deal. It's great for Man United. It's a great business deal. OK, you get 100 million euros. You get Cristiano Ronaldo, who is a fantastic goalscorer. United pay most of his wages. Financially, it's a fantastic deal. But tactically, it would be suicide. I mean, you saw yesterday against Fiorentina what Osseman does. His movement, Ronaldo barely moves. He walks.
00:56:35
Speaker
Osman drops deep, he links up really well, he works, he's everywhere, the positional movements with the other front too, he offers so much. Cristiano Ronaldo at this point in his career, he doesn't do that, he scores you goals, he will always score you goals because he's a
00:56:54
Speaker
world-class finisher, one of the best, if not the best of all time. We know that. But I think this would really disrupt how Napoli played. I would not do this. I really wouldn't. No. No, I wouldn't. From a tactical point of view, I think that what has been so great about Napoli so far this season is the intensity that they play and how there's just so much pace in the team now, everywhere. Yeah.
00:57:23
Speaker
They've lost the players, the players that they lost from last season, the aging players and the slow players, Insinia, Mertens and Fabian Ruiz, who's on his way to PSG. Now, they replaced the players that they've replaced them with in the starting 11. There's no there's no everybody can can follow exactly what Spelletti wants with in terms of the high press, in terms of moving as a unit, in terms of all working hard, you know, off the ball.
00:57:54
Speaker
positionally and you know Ronaldo we've seen it you know since he since he joined Juventus and then again went after he joined Manchester United that you know yes like you said he was school goals but you know that you can't play as a team with Ronaldo.
00:58:08
Speaker
So, yeah, I think while from a financial point of view, it's, you know, it is an enticing offer. If the offer does come in officially, it is an enticing offer. I mean, you're getting over 100 million for Forossemen, and then you're basically getting Ronaldo for a season for nothing with no wages paid, you know, very, you know, I think De Laurentiis will will ask for United probably to pay all the whole salary.
00:58:34
Speaker
He has no shame. I love him. I wish he was the owner of my club because he just has no shame. He doesn't care. That's the best thing about Napoli, the fact that he's such a ball buster to deal with. Clubs, everybody knows it, so they don't go near him. They have all their ducks in order whenever they go near him because they know he's just unbelievable with that.
00:58:58
Speaker
Yeah. It's a tricky one because I'm a little bit concerned that De Laurentiis takes this offer. And I'll tell you why. Oh, he will. I'll tell you why. Not just from the financial point of view, but you know, De Laurentiis is now like in his early 70s. Now he's like 72, 73, something like that.
00:59:15
Speaker
And, you know, he's probably, you know, he's getting old and, and, you know, he's, he's very much, I think he will want to, he'll be thinking to himself legacy wise, I want to be the Napoli president that had one of the greatest players of all time. Well, yeah. Cristiano Ronaldo, you know, have that in the history books. However, Ronaldo ends up doing and however, Napoli end up doing with Ronaldo and however, you know, Ronaldo is remembered as a Napoli player. I mean, that is something to have on your record, you know, when he's long gone, De Laurentiis and he's passed
00:59:45
Speaker
passed on, you know, 50 years, 100 years time, it's like, you know, Cristiano Ronaldo, the football legend played for Napoli, De Laurentiis was the president, you know, De Laurentiis holding that shirt up with Ronaldo when he said he just comes across as the kind of, you know, yes, that kind of person. That's the person isn't he? He's a showman. He likes it. He likes to be the man movie
01:00:05
Speaker
producer. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So that's what that's what concerns me that maybe you know, he might take that. He might take that off. And maybe he will. And maybe he will. And maybe he thinks that, you know, what instead of, you know, maybe he will do it for Napoli. But you know, is this the concern, isn't it about playing as a team? What will Ronaldo do? You know, also from the Napoli team seem very much together. And have you seen the way that Ronaldo has been behaving? Yes.
01:00:32
Speaker
for United. It's been disgraceful. He didn't go on their pre-season tour of the Far East and of Australia, citing family reasons. Then he went home at half-time during the only friendly he decided to turn up to. He went home at half-time during the game, he left.
01:00:55
Speaker
you know, on all of his teammates by, you know, by all accounts are basically fed up of him. He's been treating, you know, you know, Salkin and, and, you know, how will he, how will the Napoli changing room react to having reality? I don't know. I guess there is that, there is that. But one thing that would happen is that he would be the undisputed king and focal point of Naples and Napoli. And that would remove a lot of the pressure off everybody else. And I think a lot of players would find it really, you know,
01:01:25
Speaker
Challenge like, you know, a big challenge and a landmark of their careers to having shared a dressing room with him. I personally think that I would rather keep Osema tactically. And and I'd rather they brought in Kayla and Ava, instead of Alex Merritt, to replace Merritt because I think, again, he showed
01:01:45
Speaker
He's just not good enough. That is where I put the experience. And I think because I rate Navas to the skies. I think that will be unrelated to it. So I don't think that will have any bearing. But I mean, if you're going to put in like if you're looking to bring in experience or whatever it is, I'd rather put that there.
01:02:03
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, but I think, you know, in terms of Napoli's Corretto chances, yes, Cristiano Ronaldo still in a good team with these players is good enough to help Napoli win his Corretto. Of course, he's a fantastic finisher. There's no doubt about that. But I think it would be a little bit too short-sighted. And I think it would not at this point in the window.
01:02:25
Speaker
I have to say also, the little that Ronaldo has played this season, he has been terrible, like awful, like way, way off it. I mean, and then if you saw him when he came on at the weekend, he was, he was an interest. He doesn't want to, I mean, yeah, I mean that, that could possibly be it. But, you know, again, you know, he's getting on a bit. He's not yet. He's not going forever. But I mean, we've been asking, we've been asking these same saying these same things about Ronaldo year after year. And he still, he still keeps on scoring. So you can never write him off. But same time.
01:02:53
Speaker
You can't guarantee either. I'm not sure you can guarantee anymore with Ronaldo. It's a difficult one. I think the only way that signing Ronaldo ends up being, you know, worth it is if Napoli win the league. Otherwise, you know, De Laurentiis is going against his whole model of sustainability.
01:03:13
Speaker
and you know you could say oh it's only a one year loan so you know if it doesn't work out they're just sending back in a year and you know they but then they still need to sign another striker don't they we're using the hundred million um which i'm sure they'll find someone they always do the good at doing it but i don't know i just feel like they've built this really exciting team and and it's i don't know i wouldn't either i'd let it gel
01:03:36
Speaker
But, yeah, I mean, it is. I mean, it would be good for Serie A. It would be good for... Sure. Not that, you know, they still wouldn't be able to sell the League of the League in Serie A. But, you know, it would be good for us. It would be good for our podcast. Ronaldo, he always creates talking points and headlines. He sure does. And so does Aurelio De Laurenti. So those two together is a match made in heaven.
01:03:56
Speaker
Okay, let's move on. Let's move on to Milan Bologna. Very, very quickly on this game. Pretty straightforward win, wasn't it, for Milan? I mean, I think it's what everyone expected. I mean, Bologna really don't have much to offer this season. They don't look like... Yeah, they're not a great team. I like what I saw from Liao. I like what I saw from Liao.
01:04:19
Speaker
I really like it is working so well yeah he wasn't great first two matches no he woke up exactly didn't and yes you can see school ski was a bit of a howler for that but i mean whatever it's still a good goal it's still a good movement by him and the kid the letters really looking more and more like he's adapting better to life.
01:04:39
Speaker
They got the assist. You got the assist. A few nice little turns. Yeah. And no, I mean, for me, the most thing, the thing that I, again, with a penalty decision, how that how Tomori got away with that is beyond me, because that is the clearest penalty that I mean, and people are wondering why VAR didn't intervene because VAR can't intervene when the referee sees a situation and he decides that he doesn't think it is.
01:05:08
Speaker
and he's seen everything, then the VAR can't intervene because it's not a clear and obvious error. It's when the referee hasn't seen something or has misread or misinterpreted the situation that they can intervene. But the VAR couldn't intervene. However, it said that, that's a penalty. There's no way you can, you know, I mean, come on, what are we doing here?
01:05:27
Speaker
Um, but it's, it's a mistake and it was, it's a shame because I think I liked the referee in, uh, in Juve Rome. I liked the referee in Lazio that I thought they were good. And, and then you, you know, you, it's like, you know, and then you have these kind of stupid things, you know, where, where, where
01:05:44
Speaker
But the question is always, isn't it? Would you rather have a referee get all the little decisions wrong, but get the big decisions right in a game? Or would you rather a referee get the big decisions that really affect the game wrong, but get all the little decisions? For me, I'd rather the referee get the big decisions right because they're the ones that affect the result of the game. Me too. I agree 100%. I'd rather the referee get the big decisions right.
01:06:10
Speaker
With Fabry was perfect as knowing as it is. I mean it is irritating when it's very annoying But but I mean it's but for me Fabry in that case was perfect. Let's say he was perfect I mean, maybe he missed the corner here or there but I mean if that's yeah, I mean I can live with that That's not a we're not you know, that's that's that's an acceptable, you know mistake But other than that, I thought it was really good. I like the level he held he was consistent You got all the major decisions, right?
01:06:38
Speaker
The VAR did brilliantly. So no, I think he's looking, I liked what he did. But speaking of that, our good friend Berlusconi was not happy. Yeah, let's move on to the other talking points. He was not happy with the referee. I don't know if he saw what he said. After losing to Udenese, they asked him about the referee. He called him horrendous. And they asked and he said, what's his name? Di Berlo? Well, he should be called Di Bruno. Which is
01:07:06
Speaker
That's out of Mourinho's playbook. That was fantastic. I'm not seeing anything now with Stropais on his way out, but it seems he is. Yeah, so the other game is Monzo De Nese, 2-1-2 De Nese, Creminese against Torino, which was 2-1 to Torino, Spezius Asuolo, which was 2-2, Selenita and Ahmed Sampdoria 4-0.
01:07:32
Speaker
Verona lost 1-0 at home to Atalanta and Lecce drew 1-1 with Empoli. So I think the big talking points are the two managers that are already under pressure, right? Stropa at Monza and Verona. Cioffi. Cioffi at Verona. Who's going to go first? I think Stropa or I hope Stropa. I hope Cioffi stays because I thought they were good against Atalanta.
01:07:57
Speaker
They actually, I watched that game, they were really, really good. They were unlucky not to score. And Atalanta were very solid. And Atalanta have options in attack as well. I mean, they brought on, the plays they brought on were really good. And you can tell that this is an Atalanta that is, you know, this is year zero for them. And they're looking, they're going to be a difficult side for everyone to play this year.
01:08:21
Speaker
But Verona were good. Verona put them under pressure, and they scored, and they should have scored. But they were a little bit unlucky, a little bit poor finishing. But no, I think this was a step forward. And remember, Verona played Napoli, they played Atalanta, and they played Bologna. And they have one point, and that's against Bologna away, which is OK. Napoli and Atalanta are teams they shouldn't really be touching. So I think it would be ridiculous to sack him now.
01:08:50
Speaker
Whereas Monza, they have issues. Okay, Napoli losing to them, losing to Napoli is okay. But the rest of the games, the other two games they played, they've been dreadful.
01:09:04
Speaker
Yeah, okay. Right, so let's move on just before we finish up with Badger and Prem Face of the Week. Champions League draw, very quickly, on Friday. So Italian teams Napoli got Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers, Inse got Grieber Deaf, Bayern, Barcelona and Victoria Pilsen. Milan got Chelsea, Salzburg, Dynamo Zagreb, Juventus got PSG, Benfica
01:09:33
Speaker
and Makabi Haifa. So I think from this I think Milan should be okay.
Champions League Draw Reactions
01:09:41
Speaker
I think they should go through. I think Napoli, I think, should feel like they can make it in second place, although, you know, Ajax and Rangers is definitely not easy, but I think they can make it.
01:09:56
Speaker
Juventus, I have third favourites in that group then versus Benfica for second. Oh, come on. You can't be serious. You can't be serious having you were behind Benfica.
01:10:09
Speaker
Yes, I do. I do. I have them as third favorites. And so do the bookmakers, by the way. And Inza, I think, will go out. Sorry. Of course they will. Of course they will. Bayern are going to steamroll everybody in that group. And then it's between Intel and Barcelona. And Barcelona are a good side. Not just the Wandowski, but they're midfield. I mean, the players, they've signed Rafinha, they already got the Pedri. I mean, what are we talking about?
01:10:32
Speaker
It's interfinishing third, simple as that. I mean, it's a horrific draw. I think Napoli have the ones who I actually think of all the Italian teams have the best chance to win their group together with Milan. I think Napoli can hurt Liverpool. I respect Rangers and Ajax, but I think Napoli play the kind of football that will help them in Europe.
01:10:59
Speaker
Milan, Milan, I think should definitely finish the top two and in Juba as well. Inter, look, they, they have to win their games against Victoria Pilsen. There's no, there's no margin of error here. And where Inter are, I mean, they started home against Bayern.
01:11:15
Speaker
a good result, they could, you know, if they were to win or draw, that's a good result for them. But I just buy an artist insatiable, they are unstoppable. That's that. That was the team I wanted to avoid at all costs. I did not want by Munich. But here we are.
01:11:34
Speaker
Yeah, you can't get much worse than that. But having said that, if there's one positive from this, I think it does increase Inter's chances of winning the league quite substantially. Being out of Europe, we've seen it in the last two seasons. We've been inside the season before and then Milan last season, it really does help. So I think it could definitely help Inter.
01:11:58
Speaker
in Celia. Europa League, we don't need to comment on this, Roma, Ludegretz, Betis and Helsinki, Lazio got final, FC Michiland and Sturmgratz and the Europa Conference League, Fiorentina, Istanbul, Hartz and RFS who are from Latvia. The Italian team should win their groups. I mean, I expect all three of them to win it.
01:12:24
Speaker
Betis could be a tricky one, but yeah. And Lazio, I guess, depends how seriously Sari takes the Europa League. I hope he does. He doesn't usually take Europe seriously, Sari. So we'll see. With Italian teams, anyway, I mean, in case you won it with Chelsea. Yeah, he won it with Chelsea. So no, I want him to take it seriously. I really do. And I think he will. I honestly think if the three of them win their group,
01:12:47
Speaker
then it gives them a much easier draw in the second round and going forward. So there's hope. Okay, midweek round. I'm just going to read out these fixtures. We will have a Thursday episode where we will review, do a midweek review of these matches.
Weekly Football Winners and Losers
01:13:04
Speaker
for patrons only for patrons only as well as closing up the transfer market and giving a quick review of the winners and losers. So we've got Sasualo Milan, Intercremonese, Roma Monza, Empoli Verona, Sampdoria Lazio, Udinese if you're in Tina, Juventus Spezia, Napoli Lecce, Atalanta Torino and Bologna Solenitana and Badjo and Primface of the Week now.
01:13:34
Speaker
Okay. Badjo Maurizio Sarri. Yeah, it has to be. Um, he was, you know, he was the way, the way he took this game on, the way they started the starting formation, the approach, the changes, the in-game management without a doubt, Badjo for me. Yeah. I'll give a shout out to Luis Alberto as well. Yeah, for his goals. Sensational goal. And also do some blavish, which was also an incredible goal. Gorgeous. Incredible free kick. Yeah.
Football's Embarrassing Moments
01:14:03
Speaker
Prem face of the week.
01:14:05
Speaker
Do you have any? No, I mean, well, we have so many we've had this past week. But I think the Ned Ved is so embarrassing. It's just to me that is just so prefacery, like that is, you know, grabbing this woman. Harry Maguire in Greece. Yeah. Or was it something like, oh, it's just so it feels like it's just it's just it's cringy. It's really, really cringy. Yeah.
01:14:35
Speaker
Yeah, I think we have to go with Pablo Nedved. The Pogba situation is more crazy. It's serious. There might have been a criminal offense committed, but the embarrassment, Nedved is for me, the whole thing feels very 1990s English football. Do you know what I mean?
01:14:57
Speaker
like Christmas parties that Sir Alex Ferguson banned at Manchester United scandals that always happened. It's just embarrassing.
01:15:08
Speaker
I enjoyed the Chelsea fan shouting out at the Chelsea owner not to sign Gordon from Everton. That was very funny. I enjoyed that as well. But that isn't really a moment from Phase 3. That's just hilarious. That was really funny. Tell him not to sign him because he's shit. Don't sign Gordon. He's shit.
01:15:28
Speaker
It was really funny and made me laugh as well.
Upcoming Patreon Content
01:15:32
Speaker
I'm sure there will be some more classic moments of print based history this week and the final week of the window. You can guarantee it. For sure.
01:15:43
Speaker
Right, okay, that's all we have time for today. We will be back on Tuesday for our Patreon's Q&A. We will answer your questions that you send in. Then on Thursday, as I said before, we will have our Patreon exclusive Thursday review show and all the midweek matches, instead of, yeah, plus a
01:16:08
Speaker
a review of the transfer window, which closes on on Thursday is going to be some certainly some more deals within the next few days. And also remember to give us a five star rating on Spotify, iOS, all these platforms we listened to as we really appreciate it. And if you want to get all the content, patreon.com slash the IFP two ninety nine, excluding the 80 per month. Talk to you also.