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Free Monthly Episode - Serie A's Covid-19 Chaos, Juventus & Napoli Draw, Roma Crash Vs AC Milan Etc. (Ep. 183)
362 Plays4 years ago
John, Carlo & Nima discuss the fallout from the COVID-19 chaos in the Serie A, Juventus and Napoli's draw, Roma defeat to AC Milan in a controversial game as well as all the latest talking points in the world of Calcio.
The first episode of The Italian Football Podcast is free. To listen to all other full episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP to become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Introduction and Welcome
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast with John Solano, Carlo Garganese and Nima Tuvali.
00:00:24
Speaker
Hello,
Access to Additional Content
00:00:25
Speaker
everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Italian Football Podcast. We hope that you are doing well since it is the first full episode of the month. Of course, this is our free episode available to everybody. If you would like to become a patron of the Italian Football Podcast and gain access to all of our episodes, you can go to
00:00:49
Speaker
patreon.com slash T-I-F-P again patreon.com slash T-I-F-P by becoming a patron for $2.99 per month that's excluding VAT and tax you get
00:01:09
Speaker
access to our two weekly episodes which includes our regular review episode and then our guest segment where we have somebody from the footballing world to come and join us to chat all things obviously seria
00:01:25
Speaker
and a variety of other topics. But that's not all. You also gain access to our written work, our post-match reaction podcast as well. So again, it's just not the two weekly episodes. You get so much more. Again, patreon.com slash T-I-F-P. And as always, thank you so, so much to all of our wonderful patrons.
00:01:46
Speaker
who make this show possible.
Serie A Match Cancellations
00:01:48
Speaker
Okay, Carlo, Nima, I have been avoiding this episode like the plague, for obvious reasons. But we will not be beginning with Roma, we won't be beginning with Juve, Napoli. We're going to start out with the absolute chaos surrounding the scheduling and canceling of matches in the seria. So let's get to that first now.
00:02:13
Speaker
Okay, Nima, congratulations. You have been selected to be the one to explain and make sense of what is happening in Sadia with all of the cancellations, some teams being able to travel, others not. Make sense of this for everybody.
00:02:33
Speaker
Well, that's that's not that easy. That's easier said than done because basically the the protocol for this year is different from the one they had last year, kind of because of the fact that we have vaccines and they've kind of defined medically and legally what a vaccinated person is. And therefore different different rules apply when it when when someone who has been vaccinated
00:03:00
Speaker
in the legal sense still contracts the virus and in terms of how long they have to be quarantined and so on it's it gets really technical and that's what's really annoyed um the lega and the clubs because they feel that well hang on a minute one health authority in verona allows helas to play despite having 10 players who tested positive whilst the one in bologna doesn't allow
Critique of Protocol Preparedness
00:03:24
Speaker
the one allow Bologna to even turn up to the stadium when they've got eight positive cases. And obviously, these are two different worlds colliding. One is a scientific world based in virology, and they don't give a shit about football. The other is a footballing community who wants their games to be played and wants them to be played
00:03:45
Speaker
and give the teams as equal opportunities to not have a league table that's completely chopped up. The problem with that is that with matters of public health,
00:04:02
Speaker
and virology, you have to let the virologists decide. And this is something that, again, the seria is unprepared. And Beppemarota admitted it as such, saying that, yeah, we're self-critical. We should have been prepared. This fourth wave caught us off guard. I don't understand how we could have caught you off guard, given that you had the entire Christmas period to watch what happened in the Premier League. So you weren't caught off guard. You were caught unprepared.
00:04:30
Speaker
And that's what I think. They should have postponed this game midweek game, all of it, to a later date. And that way,
00:04:42
Speaker
and then pass the new protocols, ask for a meeting with the government, which they already have done. And now they'll have a new way of assessing this because let's remember this is not the same situation as it was a year and a half ago when there were no vaccines. And so there are different protocols in place now and there's different immunization and all that stuff. So it is complicated. It just shows the dysfunction of the seria. And to be honest with you,
00:05:09
Speaker
This new protocol, although it's much more stringent and, you know, we've got to be honest, they passed this unanimously. All clubs voted for it, according to reports, even though Urbano Cajiro, the Torino owner, has gone out and said that he doesn't
Handling Canceled Matches
00:05:24
Speaker
like it. Well, according to reports, his club voted for it and it would have passed anyway regardless because most clubs wanted it because they want to get on with things and they're tired of it, which I also again, I understand the frustration.
00:05:36
Speaker
But what will happen now is most likely the Serie A will first have to award, probably award, enter the win against Bologna and all these other games as well. And then there will be appeals and then the game will be replayed in mid-February, 22nd, 23rd of February. They need to get it cleared with UEFA as well. So yeah, that's pretty much where we are with this.
00:06:04
Speaker
It's a mess, but you think that two years into a pandemic, the city would be more prepared. But let's remember that we're talking about, let's all go back and remember the city as anti-racism campaign to understand the people we're dealing with.
00:06:23
Speaker
they're not well prepared, unfortunately. Just to confirm the games that were called off on this Thursday 6th, which was supposed to be a full calendar as is tradition, Polonia Inter, Atalanta Torino, Selenitana, Venezia, Fiorentina, Udenez, all of those games called off and a lot of the other games affected through
00:06:48
Speaker
teams being absolutely decimated. And we'll come to those because two of the big games, the two big games were very
00:06:57
Speaker
Well, they should have been very affected by it. But as it turned out, the two teams that were decimated ended up getting very, very positive results. So we'll start off with the first of those. And that was the big night game, Juventus v Napoli. One all draw, another bad result for Juve. And starting from discussing this from the Juventus point of view,
00:07:20
Speaker
The first takeaway is that Juventus has not been able to win this game against a Napoli team who were completely depleted. I mean, no Cully Bali, no Anguisa, no Ostiman, no Lozano. Just look at Napoli's bench last night, have a look at the options they had on the bench. I mean, they're all full of kids.
00:07:48
Speaker
Juventus not being able to win this game, which was a must-win game, they absolutely had to win this match because of their struggles with the top four. So they remain five points behind Napoli, Atalanta win their game in hand, they go six points above Juventus, and UVA again are really struggling.
00:08:12
Speaker
Reviewing the actual match as a whole. I don't think Juventus were as bad. I mean, I watched this game in the morning. I didn't watch it live. I had plans and
00:08:26
Speaker
I saw, before I went to bed, I saw, you know, some of the tapes from people who watched the game and generally everyone was destroying Juventus, how bad they were. I didn't think they were bad. I didn't think so, yeah. I didn't think they were bad. I thought you've created chances and they played well. It's just that they don't have a goal scorer. That's, I thought actually they played some good football and I thought Napoli's, to my surprise, played also some,
00:08:51
Speaker
some good football, especially in the second half, they had some really interesting build-ups and they moved the ball really quickly between them, like they did in the beginning of the season when they kept winning. I thought this was a good game. I understand UVA fans as fans are disappointed, but as a neutral watching it, I thought it was a really good game. I thought the quality was good, especially in the second half.
00:09:12
Speaker
Yeah, I mean I wouldn't go my Milan cuz that was a bad game or sorry Milan Roma, which was an awful game Yeah, and officiated awfully as well and we'll get to that but here I thought it was two teams that you know Despite everything they really tried to win But both teams try to go for it and try to win and in the end I think what hurts Juventus It's not is the lack of a natural goal scorer again Alvaro Morata isn't that and moist keen isn't that?
00:09:37
Speaker
And they don't have that in the squad. And that's why there's this talk of bringing in Mauro Icardi on a dry loan until the summer. And that Skamaka is the player. Wlawic and Skamaka obviously are their main targets. They can't afford Wlawic as of now, at least until the summer, because then we'll know if they're in the Champions League or not. So I think that's what caused Ube not to win.
00:10:02
Speaker
I wouldn't go as far as that. I would agree that events weren't as bad as everyone said, but we have to take into account who they were up against. They were up against a completely, completely
00:10:15
Speaker
decimated Napoli team who had Goulan who he hasn't started a game for Napoli. I had no idea when for years. Over a year, around about a year. Because he was the starter under Sarri and was very good. Yeah, he's been terrible since that injury and Juan Jesus as well in attack. I mean, you know, say in defense. Yeah, he is a Meme. Daniel Levi definitely would never sign him.
00:10:44
Speaker
But yeah, so I mean, I would say I don't I didn't think I thought most of the the penalty box pressure came from Juventus in terms of if we compare the two teams what they did, but I didn't think Juventus created really much clear, many clear cut chances if we're really, if they put pressure, if they weren't clear cut chances, they put pressure.
00:11:07
Speaker
I mean, Weston McKinney missed a goal when he, I mean, how, how he did that is... I knew you were gonna, but I mean, no, yeah, but, and also Rabio. Terrible footballer, terrible hairstylist, terrible... Rabio, Rabio as well. I mean, no, they did create chances. I just thought, I was just, again, impressed. This is the thing that I mean, I like Allegri, I like Allegri, but the thing that annoys me, and now it's becoming blatant what he needs to do. And I don't understand why he doesn't do it.
00:11:37
Speaker
You can play Rabyo, look, play Artur Melo in the deep line, play Midfield, play Maker Roll, play Locatelli further up where he's better, and then have your Rabyo or whoever in that third one. And then, I don't understand, okay, Bernadeski has been good for you, but there's no doubt about that. Even if you don't like him, he's been good. You can't say that he's been bad.
00:11:59
Speaker
But if when you bring Bernard Eske, why can't you play Kiesa and Koulousefsky on either wing? I don't understand why he keeps insisting on not playing them on either side of the pitch, because they could really do damage, I think, with their dynamism. Instead, it's one or the other. And I don't think it needs to be like that. And whether you have Alvaro Morata or Dybala as a false sign, just try it, because you're not scoring goals.
00:12:23
Speaker
and you need to score goals, so now's the time to maybe be a little bit creative. The 4-3-3 is clearly the formation of the goal, but then use the best midfielders you have to get the most out of them. This Rabio and McKinney experiment, it's not working out. Weston McKinney is not good enough at this level. He just isn't. It's the face of Serie A, isn't he?
00:12:45
Speaker
Yeah, well, in certain certain places where we're more important than the couch or maybe is. But it's for those of us who don't care about stuff like that, but actually care about the football. We know that Weston McKinney is a decent player. I don't think he's crap. I just think he's he's not even this material. That's the only thing.
00:13:05
Speaker
The thing is that the patterns of play, the passing moves, we still don't see any of that under Allegri. I mean, it was mostly, I'll be honest, it was most, most of it, the danger came through Kiesa. It was give it to Kiesa and then hope. I mean, he was brilliant. He was fantastic. He scored, he had, I don't know how many shots on shot attempts he had, must've been at least five. And it showed, if we're gonna look for one positive, it showed that when he's played higher up the pitch, which is something I've been crying out for all season, because he got injured before,
00:13:35
Speaker
before Allegri finally kind of moved away from this 4-4-2 crap. You know, he's playing high up the pitch in a 4-3-3. This is what he does every single game. He has this kind of number of shots he has. Even when his team is, there is no, like I just said, there is no real, there's nothing cohesive about the way he events his play.
00:13:56
Speaker
But, you know, the same, it was the same old story in terms of, you know, Napoli controlled the possession, 56% of the ball they had. And, you know, Juve had some good bursts, you know, the start of the first half, the start of the second half. But overall, as a whole, the mentality in how Allegri wants to play the game
00:14:15
Speaker
is the same. And that is the problem. You know, Juve can have these little spells where they're on top. But their overall mentality is always sit back and be passive. And I mean, that brings me on to a really important point that I wanted to raise. And that is the complete lack of counter-pressing that we see from Allegri teams.
00:14:39
Speaker
As soon as Juventus lost the ball against Napoli, or as soon as Juve lose the ball in general in any game, they go into a low block with two lines. Before it was two lines of four, now it's a line of four in defence and a five in midfield because in the three-in attack, Marato stays up front, the two wide men come back into wide midfield roles. It basically becomes a four and a five.
00:15:02
Speaker
I've complained about every single show this season about Allegri's lack of pressing, the lack of a high press, the lack of aggressively pushing high up and how outdated this style of football is in terms of taking the game to the opposition and being aggressive, having that intensity. What I've not spoken about at all until now is how
00:15:24
Speaker
with allegory teams, there is no counter-pressing at all. And I hope everybody understands what counter-pressing is, but it's extremely important in modern football. Pep Guardiola famously says that you have to win the ball back in five seconds of losing the ball
00:15:43
Speaker
if you don't make a foul. That's how important it is in terms of the overall mentality of the game. And I picked out some quotes from Dominic Torrentz, who's Pep's kind of long-term assistant, very, very good tactically. And I read out his quotes, and he says, when you lose the ball, the most important thing is to not drop back like Allegri does, but to react, go forward, try to regain the ball again. It's the most important thing in football, for me and for Pep.
00:16:12
Speaker
You lose the ball, regain the ball. Many teams go back or drop like Allegri does. We prefer to regain the ball again, and if you are able to regain the ball, attack quickly. When we lose the ball, it's very important for Pep to press high in five seconds. If you don't win it back within five seconds, then make a foul and go back. Now this is, I don't know the percentages off the top of my head, but a huge percentage of goals are scored through counter-pressing. It's through, you lose the ball,
00:16:42
Speaker
Then the team attacks, the opposition attacks, and you win it back off them very, very quickly, within five seconds, and you catch them off the guard. You catch them out of position because they've committed to the counter.
00:16:58
Speaker
example of this is not actually Guardiola, it's Klopp who actually came up with a term for it called Gegenpressen. And that is basically the same thing as I've just explained. Your players lose the ball and others try to recover it in the quickest possible time to attack. And I've got a quote from Klopp again. Jurgen Klopp says,
00:17:17
Speaker
The best moment to win the ball is immediately after your team just loses it. The opponent is still looking for orientation where to pass the ball. He would have taken his eyes off the game to make his tackle or interception and he will have expended energy. Both make him vulnerable. So that's the thought process behind it. Now what Allegri does, and we saw it in the Napoli game, is as soon as the Juventus lose the ball, immediately the Juventus team, they retreat and they get into, like I said,
00:17:46
Speaker
a block two lines of four or, as with Napoli, a line of four and a line of five. And that means that there is zero counter pressing in this Juventus team. They can't score goals like the way that Pep and the way that Klopp teams win it. And what is a really important way of scoring in modern football is through counter pressing.
00:18:07
Speaker
And that is something, again, that is hugely lacking from the Juventus team. They just don't have this as part of their game at all.
00:18:19
Speaker
No, they don't. That's against his ideology. He's much more old school in the old school Italian way. When you lose the ball, you immediately go back and regroup defensively and you start trying to win the ball back and then create from that. That's the old school of defending. You can argue it both ways. I don't think that you can say that one way is
00:18:49
Speaker
necessarily better than the other but one thing is sure and one thing is certain is that you have to adapt even if you want to have a different perspective in how you play and defend and how you create an attack you still have to update how you
00:19:04
Speaker
to at least mix it up because Thomas Tuchel is a good example he's somebody that does mix it up you know he does the pep and clock way but he also sometimes during even during the same games he knows when to just to back off and you know sit deep be solid
00:19:25
Speaker
And especially against better teams like in the Champions League final, for example, he probably knew he couldn't beat Pep playing exactly at that style. So he mixed it up a little bit. He had periods where he did go with counter-pressing and a high press. But then he had periods where he sat off and he let them play. So I think that this is something that's definitely lacking from Allegri. But it just kind of sums up his overall
00:19:51
Speaker
attitude and mentality. And even his quotes, I mean, I can't read his quotes after games. It's just so outdated, his mentality. He continually says stuff like, we need to be more solid. We need to be nastier. We need to have a better mentality. We've got to improve our defense. We need to shut games down when we're ahead. These are the things that he says every single game. It's never about we need to play better football. We need to create more chances, which they're not creating at all.
00:20:18
Speaker
We need to, you know, we need to, you know, he doesn't say any of these things. And even after the game against Napoli, you know, he was a lion. He says, quote, we have to look at the positives. At least we didn't drop all the points. I mean, this kind of attitude is just it's just no.
00:20:34
Speaker
It is such a... I don't want to say a loser mentality because I don't think Allegri is a loser. He's a winner. But you know what I mean? It's that mentality, that outdated mentality of thinking. And that isn't changing. You can have these little spells in games where you enters play well. But ultimately, this is where he goes back to.
00:20:57
Speaker
But that leaves me on nicely because everybody that's listening, if you go onto our Twitter or Instagram account, we've put out a nice graphic. Our graphic designer, Hassan Karim, who's doing some work with us, he's put out a lovely graphic, showing the differences in stats, between some key stats and key metrics between Allegri
00:21:22
Speaker
so far this season and Piola in the entirety of last season. I'll read them out. So Allegri points per game this season, 1.92, all competitions this is. Piola 2.07, goals per game, 1.48, Allegri 2.1, Piola. XG, 1.67, Allegri 2.1, Piola. Possession, 51% Allegri.
00:21:47
Speaker
Surprise is over 50%, to be honest. 56% Piola. Key pass is 7.10 Piola. Corners, 4.4 per game, 5.8 per game Piola. That's all averages per game.
00:22:03
Speaker
No doubt. Obviously, this leads to people asking, you know, were Juventus actually better off sticking with Pio? No. Rather than bringing Allegri back. That's insane. Rather than bringing Allegri back. Not just sticking with him, but bringing Allegri back instead of him. No. No. Unequivocally, no. Pio Loa was barely a coach. Have we forgotten this tactical setup that Juventus basically looked like tactically at times, like a bunch of hungover Sunday league players? They didn't know what they were doing at times. They were a complete mess.
00:22:32
Speaker
No, absolutely not. Allegri is a real coach. You can disagree and all the things that you said I think are valid criticisms. But to compare him to a guy who was barely a coach, he didn't even have his coaching badges. And then we saw last season what a disaster they were.
00:22:49
Speaker
They were only saved by Cristiano Ronaldo being a goal-scoring machine. That's why some of these stats look so good. The goals per game for sure is an example of that. The points per game for sure is affected by that. So now, I think this is... Look, you've decided that they want to go down this route.
00:23:09
Speaker
We can agree or disagree whether it's right or wrong, the future will tell. But to compare Allegri and Pirlo midway through the season. How long do we wait then? How long do we wait before we accept that this just isn't working? I think we have to wait until the end of the season.
00:23:26
Speaker
We have to wait until the end of the season when we know what is going on here. What are Juventus plans? Are they going to continue like this? Is this what they want to do? Is this the new Juve? The new directors, is this what they want to do? Because everything is new at Juve. We don't really know what everyone wants to do. How does the finances look? Can they even invest?
00:23:51
Speaker
What do they do with the players they can't get rid of? I mean, there's so many questions that need answering you. I think it's just comparing Allegri with Pirlo is silly because Pirlo's not a coach. He's not a coach. Allegri's a coach. It's as simple as that. Some would say he was a coach. Oh, come on.
00:24:12
Speaker
Well, the evidence is there. No, the evidence is not there. You have to just read them out. Just read out the stats. You can't just blame it on Ronaldo. Of course I can. When somebody scores 29, 30 goals, 36 goals in a county. How's it going to Manchester United then? 14 goals in 21 games. That's how it's going. Yeah. And how would Manchester United do? Well, the team is not doing well, but that's, and I don't think you can compare Juve and Man United.
00:24:32
Speaker
I think they're very comparable. I don't think so at all. Because people try to use Ronaldo as an excuse for Juventus collapsing. I don't think it's really got anything to do with it. No, I don't think it's got to do with that either. I think the problems were already there. And I explained this in a couple of episodes ago that the problems that you have had started when Beppe Marotta left and poor decision after poor decision after poor decision has led to this mess where Cristiano Ronaldo was the Snoopy Band-Aid on the gunshot wound.
00:24:58
Speaker
Now you've ripped the Band-Aid off and it's bleeding for everyone to see. Same thing you can say at Manchester United to a certain extent, only they actually have spent on players and they don't have a bad squad, if you ask me. But what they don't have is a proper coach, because the board is scared of someone like Conte who would come in there and start demanding things. And so they bring yes men to not rock the boat.
00:25:23
Speaker
That's what we're seeing at United. It's not the same thing that you have to rebuild. They have to find an identity. They have to build a squad. We can look at all the different reasons and all the different factors as to why Manchin United and why Juventus are such a mess.
00:25:40
Speaker
But at the end of the day, I think we're at a point now where it is at the same time, in addition to that, it's indefensible what Allegri is doing with Juventus. There is just no defense for it at all. He's completely failing at the moment. You cannot defend him anymore. You can look at other reasons why Juventus are in there. And we've done it
00:26:03
Speaker
to death on this podcast this season. We all know the reasons, the management, Aniele's mistakes, Paratici's mistakes, the financial mistakes, the transfer policy and how bad it was, everything. We know all the reasons, but at the same time, Allegri is completely failing with what he's working with, his resources,
00:26:24
Speaker
He is completely failing at the moment. I don't think anyone would have done better with that squad, to be honest. I completely believe that. I don't think when you have Alvaro Morata and Mois King as your number nines, and you wonder why you can't score goals, I mean, what do you want him to do? The problem is that they don't have a goal score, and that's why they want to bring someone in who can score goals. Alvaro Morata just can't score goals. He's good at many other things, but he's not a goal scorer.
00:26:51
Speaker
Okay, well, let's move on to that to finish up on, on, on UVA. So, so Barcelona have been trying to sign Morata. He's now looks like he's going to stay or at least Allegri announced. Yeah, because they're angry. You were pissed off with Barcelona. Yeah. They're very annoying. Well, that's what Barcelona do, isn't it? I mean, they've been doing it for years. I mean, you know, they're fuming. Yeah. I mean, yeah, so, so Allegri says Morata stay in. First of all, is this the right choice? I mean,
00:27:22
Speaker
I think it depends who Juventus bring in instead of him. Because I actually think that Allegri, and I think this is why Barcelona, and I think, sorry, Murata, I actually think if Juventus played with a more modern style, with a high press and everything, with him and Chiesa in a 4-3-3, I think Murata could be useful. You probably still need some more scorers around him, but I think he could be useful. You play him in the kind of
00:27:48
Speaker
System that the allegories playing where you create so few chances again because of that, you know Because of a legary a legary style of management then I think yeah, he is a big problem. So The problem is is that who'd you replace me? I mean a cardi. I'm not a fan of at all I never have been I wasn't a fan with him when ninety nine point nine percent of of football fans Absolutely thought he was the best thing and best thing in football and couch. Oh, I've never rated him. I don't like him I don't think he's a modern footballer at all. That's regardless of the off the field stuff
00:28:18
Speaker
I wouldn't sign it because I think that Juventus' problem is not so much scoring goals, it's creating goals. I mean, their XG is so low. That is also part of it. I think that's part of the occasion. So you bring in Icardi, then, well, if you're not creating chances for Icardi, then... Well, the thing is with Icardi, he scores even when you don't create a chance and that's kind of what Marappa can't score even when you create a chance. Yeah, but you need the whole team to play for that guy. That's the issue.
00:28:46
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, Icardi's just a gunshot. I mean, he's just a temporary solution for on a dry loan if they get him, but they're not going to get him. Yeah. Well, there's Icardi. I'll run through the other options. I mean, Shkemaka, I think has big potential. But again, you may need a ready-made striker, not a developing one. There's Obermian, but I mean, he's on astronomical wages and he's like off his head at the moment.
00:29:11
Speaker
Have you seen a video of him in Dubai, preparing for the Afghan? Well, of course he did. Did you see them partying like that? It was just like a strip club, I think. It was in Dubai. It was in Dubai. So, I mean, I don't see too many options. I mean, Vlaovic, obviously, is a dream, but you know, Juventus don't have two pennies to rub together. So, I mean, they're not going to get him. I mean, who do Juventus sign if they do get rid of Marato, even if they keep Marato and they bring in
00:29:37
Speaker
they want to bring in a Gulf. I don't see too many options basically. I think Abamiyang on the loan because Arsenal are almost desperate to get rid of them because of what's going on there. I think they will not only allow him to leave one alone but also pay part of his wages because they things have really soured that relationship between him and Arteta and I think I don't think it's reparable. So I think Abamiyang would be
00:30:03
Speaker
would be the would be but then again and we know that you are good at you know rehabilitating players so to speak quote-unquote that that that have struggled elsewhere they they've done that in the past because they provide such a you know you were usually at least provide a very not for a while but yeah yeah well just well I would just say on this I think do we agree that if you then just don't sign a striker that top four is
00:30:30
Speaker
It's not going to happen. I think it's a very big risk. I think in fact, I'd go so far as to say that if they don't sign the striker, it's unlikely what they get up for.
00:30:41
Speaker
Because I don't think that Milan, Atalanta and Napoli and Jover and Inter will crash, because that's what's needed. They've got goals in them. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's the thing. That's the thing. Okay. Well, just just quickly from the Napoli point of view, and then I just just wanted us to just discuss about Insinia and move to Soronto. So first of all, what did you make of Napoli's
00:31:00
Speaker
performance. I mean, that's a fantastic result. I thought they played well. I thought they played well. And I thought they were unlucky not to get that penalty at the end, because that is, it's, you know, again, if, if, if, if Alexandra gets a penalty for Dunfries doing that, then that is also a penalty. But, you know, I mean, it should have been a penalty for Merton. So, I mean, it cancels it out.
00:31:20
Speaker
No, it doesn't cancel it out because that's a penalty. You need to give the penalty and you got to be consistent. Today is not the day to talk to me about canceled penalties. We'll get to that later.
00:31:41
Speaker
And this isn't like even just thank you, Carlo. I hate that mindset like, oh, well, that cancels it out. Well, it's like, well, okay. No, no, no. I just made it from the point of view. People are going to try and argue that Napoli should have won the game. No, no, no, no. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying.
00:32:02
Speaker
what you're saying. I'm just more so talking in general, this mindset of, well, that one didn't get called. So I guess it's okay if this one didn't get called. Like, no. How about instead of here, I'll give you a million euros and that guy a million euros. But instead of doing that, I just won't give either of you any. Well, no, no, no.
00:32:20
Speaker
Give me the money. I don't know. Well, just before we get to Roma, John, just before we get to Roma. No, no, we're talking now. Listen, they did this one one year in Romain. Yeah, I mean, come on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Goulan. I mean, I was joking with my friends before the game and we were saying that, you know, about my Neapolitan uncle would probably be better off at left back than Goulan. I thought he said it was good.
00:32:42
Speaker
Yeah, it's probably that. I thought Gulam did well. I thought Napoli played well. I really, I was impressed. They played the football, but then everybody plays the football against Juventus. The good thing about Napoli is that they do keep to a system of play, even when they've got multiple players out. And that's the difference.
00:32:58
Speaker
Once you've got a style and once you've got a system, it's the same with Italy national team with Mancini. They've got an identity and they've got a cohesive and everybody knows the patterns of play. And even with Conte, you see that with Antonio Conte, whether you like style or not, they have their automatisms as they call it. What's the word in Italian? Yeah, there's really no good word. There's no real good word in English. They know how to play. They have their style.
00:33:28
Speaker
Yeah, they know what they're supposed to do. The thing with Napoli that I just find, this is why they're so like a question mark to me is they lost, well, they didn't lose model. Well, no, we're going to say they lost model loss because I can't believe they only sold them for like 2 million euros after paying 36.
00:33:50
Speaker
I mean, well, it's more so 18 in cash, but still. And they have all of these absences, okay, to the Afghan. They have this, I don't know if you guys followed Oseman responding this week on Twitter to some of the Napolitani. It was really weird, some of his replies, but that's a whole other story. For me,
00:34:15
Speaker
Like, they're bringing in—I know nothing about this guy, Tuan Zebi, from Manchester United. They're canceling the loan from Villa. They're bringing him in on loan.
00:34:25
Speaker
There's no way that's the only thing they can do for January. I just refuse to believe. He has attributes to Anzabi. I remember watching him against PSG where he matched Mbappe fantastically, but he's been so... He's barely played. You look at his numbers of how many games he's been playing over the years with injuries, and he hasn't really played much for Aston Villa this season.
00:34:52
Speaker
But I'm willing to give Spaletti his benefit of the doubt here because we've seen him get the best out of players that no one believes in before. And I think anything is better than Juan Jesus, who's a walking disaster area. Hey, he wasn't bad yesterday. I don't know what you're talking about, but, you know, everybody can mark the event. Here we go. Here we go. It wouldn't surprise me if Allegri took this UVA to like the semifinals of the Champions League by playing that dinosaur football that you hate and you'd still be on his ass.
00:35:26
Speaker
Well, I'm getting the top four, I mean, yeah. Yeah. Okay, Insinia, Insinia, let's talk about Insinia before we get on to Roman with that drum. I don't know anything about Toronto FC. It's a lot of money and good for him. Getting the bag. Okay, ask this question. Is it a good move?
00:35:46
Speaker
Or has he thrown his career away? I don't think he's thrown his career away at all. He's 30 years old. He doesn't want to play for another team in Italy. There are no other teams of that level in Europe calling for him. Someone's coming, knocking on his door, saying, we'll pay you 16 million. Oh, there surely is. There are surely teams interested. Yeah, but 11 million net, man. Not for that money.
00:36:06
Speaker
11.5 million plus four and a half easily attainable bonuses. For more money than Napoli wrote for him, and for more money than he's even earning now, definitely. I don't think so. I don't think so. I think that's what kind of brought this on, is that he's not been excited by any of the other projects. And he doesn't want to play. He is from Naples. He's the captain of Napoli. He doesn't want to play for another Italian team. He's done everything he can for this club. He's taken them as far as they can go. You know, that's good at all allude him.
00:36:35
Speaker
just like it did with Hamishik, and that's fine, but I think it's, you know, he's going to a city with, which has one of the few
00:36:45
Speaker
little Italy's, classic little Italy's left. A huge Italian- It has a big little Italy. Huge. We know a few of them ourselves. It's huge. It's one of the few little Italy's, like classic little Italy's outside of Italy left in North America in the world, to be honest. And they have a huge Italian- Italian-Canadian
00:37:07
Speaker
population. Jovinco's been there, he's going to probably go back. There's talk of Criccito going at the end of the season. Belotti as well, my coder. That excites Carlo, I know.
00:37:21
Speaker
No, I mean, it's, I think it's a nice thing that he's doing for himself. And I think it's good. I think people need to understand that they, you know, people in Europe need to understand that they've been laughing at the MLS for so long that they think that this league is
00:37:41
Speaker
is never going to develop, it's never going to improve. Well, I'm sorry, you're wrong, because it is financially and structurally far more sound than the Serie A ever has been and seems to be. It's one of the fastest growing sports, if not the fastest growing sports in North America. The next generation, they like this game. And I think we're going to see much more signings like this.
00:38:05
Speaker
as we go along. We call it what it is. It's a lifestyle and financial choice that he's made. I think there's been reports come out. This is a chance for his children to learn a new culture, a new language. He's going to be 31. If he's honest about that, I don't have an issue. The reason why I'm a little bit
00:38:25
Speaker
more sympathetic towards him than I was for Jovincos. Jovinco was, I think, around about 27 or 28. I mean, he was in the peak, real peak of his career. Now, I think in Signe, I have to say, I think in Signe, his type of player, given his size, I think those plays generally age well. I think he probably could have still been really, really good till he's 34, 35, kind of like Gianfranco Zola. Those kind of plays, they age well generally.
00:38:51
Speaker
But having said that though, Jovinco was in the peak of his career. And he- Insinia isn't. I agree with that. I mean, so Insinia is, he's in his 30s now. So from that point of view, you kind of last big payday, this is last big contract he's going to get. So you kind of understand it when he gets the offer. What I would say though is that Napoli
00:39:11
Speaker
And certainly, Napoli fans can't have a go at Insinia because, and I tell you why, because Insinia literally was waiting for a whole year for Napoli to give him a good contract offer. He waited for the entirety of 2021 and even predating that, trying to get this new contract. And during that time, there was genuine interest from big teams abroad.
00:39:33
Speaker
They were interested. They were interested for a while, so they were interested. But Insinio was like, no, my first priority is to stay with Napoli. I mean, he even used some of the interest of these other clubs to try and pressurize Napoli into giving him a better contract. And what happened was De Laurentiis does what he always does with players over the age of 30. Okay, he's a businessman, doesn't want to give big contracts, big money. That's why they're always... Yeah, they've always had a strict wage structure. That's nothing new. I mean, that should be no surprise to anybody.
00:39:59
Speaker
Yeah, I understand it. But the point is, I think, you know, with someone like Insinio, who, you know, has been such a bandeira, and who, in my opinion, I think will age well, I think he could have made a bit of an exception, at least pay him what he's on. Well, I think, well, we know, we know that we need to spell at these curse strikes again, he chased Totti out of Roma this guy.
00:40:21
Speaker
I don't think that's his fault. It's got nothing to do with that, I'm just joking. It's not Spaletti at all. If anything Spaletti wants, it's in his name. De Laurentiis gave him such a low offer because he was trying to push him out. He had to offer him something called the fans would have killed him. So he offered him, he'd low offered him.
00:40:38
Speaker
No, he low balled him. There's no doubt about that. And I think this is a win-win situation for everybody because... The point I'm making is, Insinio would have signed a new contract and stayed at Napoli properly till the end of his career, until the age of 34, 35, if Napoli had given him an offer the whole year that he made it through. Yeah, but that wasn't going to happen. That wasn't going to happen. And we know that because that's how De Laurentiis did. And this is a win-win situation because Insinio doesn't play for another team in Italy. De Laurentiis said there's no way I can compete with those wages.
00:41:06
Speaker
Everyone's happy. It wouldn't surprise me, though, that once the MLS season is over, they didn't see it. It's loaned. Yeah, for the next two, three. Yeah. Hold on, though. I mean, I don't think you can have this conversation, though, without bringing up the fact that like, okay, if we're just looking from a pure data analytical point of view,
00:41:27
Speaker
If you put the number of goals that he scores, if you just remove the name, Incinie, okay, just put this player scores 15 goal, you know, lead goals in a season. That is a 25, 30, 35, 40 million euros player at minimum 20 to 25. Yeah.
00:41:47
Speaker
Napoli historically without making, I mean, obviously we know what they've done with Iguajin, Osiman after these big sales, okay? But it's not like players like this grow on trees and it's also not as if Napoli are renowned for going out and making huge splashes.
00:42:07
Speaker
So how do you replace this whole output? That's what I want now. Because it's expensive now. It's expensive. Absolutely. But we've got to give Napoli the benefit of the doubt because they have always, always, under De Laurenti's, found unknown players and turned them into superstars.
00:42:28
Speaker
from Lavitzi, Hamshik, and you know not Cavani because he was kind of established, but Hamshik, Lavitzi, Koulibaly, these were not big names. Anguisa, the latest example, Zielinski was not famous. I mean all these players that they get
00:42:46
Speaker
They don't buy, they turn them into stars. And that's because they're very well run. They have a very good scouting system. And I have no, I think they've earned for us to give them the benefit of the doubt in how to replace Lorenzo Insinia. I really, I want to give them that. I think they've earned it.
00:43:04
Speaker
Yeah. Okay, John, all over to you now. No, I'm going to make this quick. Anybody calling for this guy to get sacked, you have no idea. If you think that it's a tactical issue that happened yesterday with
00:43:20
Speaker
Roma, I've got some magic beans to sell you. I have some property on Uranus to sell you. I have a lot of things to sell you if you think... You have a bridge to sell me in Alaska, right? Fuck it, I'll take it. I have a lot of things to sell you. No, like, okay. This is very simple for me, okay? You know, Milan's G team defeated Roma yesterday. You know, it could have been a Serie A cheese side out there yesterday, okay? Mourinho can't fix
00:43:49
Speaker
Uh, Tammy Abraham, whether we think it's a penalty or not, I didn't think it was, but whatever. That's fine. He can't fix him handing the ball. He can't fix, okay? Roger Ibanez doing
00:44:04
Speaker
A backpass worthy of a morbidly obese Sunday league player who is already five drinks in. No manager in the world can fix his players. If they have the footballing IQ of a grapefruit, it doesn't matter. No manager can fix that.
00:44:25
Speaker
Stupid is stupid is stupid is stupid like I and that's even off off you can apply that to every facet of life by the way, you can never fix stupid but For me, it's just like that's simple. It's just that's no, but that's that's fair. I think I think that's fair I think that from what he took over the the squad is awful all of that is true, but having said that the game was poor Roma were poor Oh Roma were shit
00:44:53
Speaker
They were terrible. It was such a bad game. It was a bad game. It was officiated horribly. Kifi is now being suspended. I mean, it was just a shit show part of my series all around. The refereeing and people are going to call him a moaner, especially if you're not watching Roma every match. I can understand how it appears when they lose.
00:45:14
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, it was really bad, but in the Rome, not in the Rome newspaper, but in the Gazzetta gave him a three. Yeah. And he's been suspended. I mean, he was awful. He ruined that game. It's not the first time with Kefi. No, it wasn't. And not the first time with with Roman in general. I mean, again, I said it a few episodes ago, but I am generally of the belief that the mistakes and the things that go in favor of your team
00:45:41
Speaker
For the most part, obviously, case by case basis per club, I think for the most part at the end of the season, they tend to lend themselves to being relatively balanced.
00:45:55
Speaker
So simply by going by that, I can't wait for the dozen penalties that Roma are going to be handed over the next like three months because the refereeing mistakes that have been given against them. I mean, there's unlucky and then there's like, okay, hold on. This is getting a bit much now. I mean, I can point to at least five or six matches where
00:46:16
Speaker
I mean, I'm thinking of the Derby, first time against Milan, Utenese, where they have Pellegrini sent off. He misses the Derby. I mean, there's so much that I can point to. And I think this is the third or it's either the third or the fourth time this season where referee has been suspended after the Roma match. Yes, which is.
00:46:37
Speaker
Yes, it's always Mario too. He takes these things so easily, doesn't he? But here's the thing, they were shit, and like you guys just said, this team needs overhaul. I mean, this team sucked. And that overhaul, starry Vandal Maitland Niles. Oh my gosh.
00:46:57
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Areva Maitland-Niles. This is going... Well, hold on, hold on, because Roma literally just messaged me like five minutes ago when he'll... Okay, his flight is landing as we speak, so...
00:47:14
Speaker
OK, cool. Amazing analysis coming on a dry loan. Oh, yeah. I mean, that's exciting. Carlo, shed some light on this. I don't watch Arsenal. I don't watch... Who is he with? West Brom? At one point? Alone or something? I can't say I was watching a whole lot of West Brom on my weekends. I think the only... Well, not I think.
00:47:38
Speaker
The backup player really and that's yeah, he's a backup player Who because Brian Reynolds is not someone that he will be? No, he'll be going to Andrew like they'll be going on loan They already have it. Well, tell me what's marino site? What position is marino signing for then? I can tell you what I think okay He is signing him to be the backup to Rick cars door probably right flank and
00:48:05
Speaker
maybe the adopted cousin to fill in for Brian Christante when his brain malfunctions and he can throw him in the midfield. However, someone else is coming, which I'm more excited about, Oliveira from Porto. That is a good player.
00:48:29
Speaker
I like him. Okay, I like him. I still have yet to hear anybody explain to me how this is even happening because they're doing it on loan with option to buy. Roma did a better offer for him in the summer and Porto said no. Now he hasn't played a lot this season. Is he a whole game ender's player? He is. Yes, exactly. And it's weird because usually, and I've been working on my Portuguese because of all the obvious Roma connections.
00:48:59
Speaker
I did an interview with record like two weeks ago and they were saying George Mansher and I'm thinking, who the hell is that? We have Patrick Kendrick ask about that. I speak Portuguese fluently. Okay. See, as you can tell, I've been brushing up on my Portuguese. George Mansher, to come back to you and make the Niles.
00:49:23
Speaker
I'll be honest with you, from what I've seen, I didn't watch him too much at West Brom. He was on loan at West Brom, and there he played as a central midfielder. Correct. I don't think it was many games. It was the second half of the season, so you're going on quite a small number of matches. Now, that's the position that Maitland Niles likes to play. He sees himself as naturally a central midfielder, and there was a big, big argument
00:49:53
Speaker
very public between him and Michael Arteta where basically, I don't know, I can't say for sure, but the talk was that basically Maitland Nas refused to play as a right back, as a full back. Yeah, I've seen that and he's mentioned it too about wanting to play in the midfield. He wants to play central midfield. Now, I didn't really watch much of him as central midfielder. I have watched him at right back.
00:50:18
Speaker
Now, I have to say, I quite liked him right back, but we're going back probably two or three years now. And he is very, very quick. He's lightning fast. He can beat his man, putting across. So, I mean, I think
00:50:36
Speaker
in the slowest Serie A probably could do a decent job there. Yeah, back to I mean, it's not as if they're asking him to absolutely that seemed that would suit him for me that probably would suit him but I don't know whether he's going to refuse to play their for Roma I'm assuming not otherwise he wouldn't have signed but but can he play as a central midfielder is that where Mourinho wants to sign because I still think and I know you kind of said it's not a tactical issue what happened yesterday
00:50:59
Speaker
Maybe it isn't, but what I would say is I don't think that you can play a three-man central midfield of Veratou, Pellegrini, and Macattari. Now, Pellegrini and Macattari, and I have my doubts about either of them, are really naturally suited to a three-man central midfield. But then you stick Veratou in there, who is a good dictator. Come on, he sucks this season. He sucks. He sucks.
00:51:20
Speaker
Okay, well, you know, however good or bad he is, I think you said it yourself, didn't you, on your special Roma pod. Roma lacked a kind of a hold in midfield for somebody to do the dirty stuff, to protect the back four, to put in the tackles, you know, that kind of player. Christante probably isn't that kind of a, he's more of a box to box as well. So can Make the Niles do that? No. I don't know. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.
00:51:45
Speaker
No. I was just going to say... Maybe you can. I'm not sure though. Listen, they need, and Mourinho has been screaming out for that kind of midfielder because they don't have it. When they were playing at 3-4, 1-2 before Pellegrini was injured,
00:52:06
Speaker
They were doing ver tu Christante. It did okay. They need somebody. They need the classic, we call it a meriano, a guy who just sits there, breaks a play, tacked it. I think they call it destroyer, right? That's the one, like I see that on Premier League Twitter a lot, destroyer.
00:52:32
Speaker
very weird way to describe a mediano, but whatever. That's what they need. Ironically enough, I keep thinking of somebody with a profile like Steven and Zansi. Like a general. Yeah, just somebody who...
00:52:50
Speaker
You you know he's not going to venture forward he can break up the play recover the strong defensive side of the game necessarily have to be a specialist can be just somebody that that's good defensive tackles can i can do those kind of job i've always love this van bombel.
00:53:06
Speaker
The guy who you know, you could give him 1 million kicks of it. He will never score a goal. Maybe just by chance he'll score a goal. And he would do about 30 fouls a game and not kick it. Exactly. He was the king of that. He was a great shit houser. He was one of my favorite players because...
00:53:23
Speaker
I mean, just from a technical standpoint, non-existent. But tackling, breaking up the play, recovering the ball, and hoofing it to the wide men, to the attackers, to the attacking midfielders. That's what they need. They just need somebody who could sit down in front of the fence and break the crap up. Because that, too, from a tactical standpoint, is a headless chicken. Brian Christante looks like a headless chicken, let alone plays like it.
00:53:49
Speaker
Their midfield sucks. Their midfield absolutely sucks. Too open. It was too open. Oh, yeah, I mean, they were coming through them. And that's why I got a solution to that. I actually have a solution to that. And that is because, you know, both of you know how much I have been defending Gianluca Mancini. The problem is that Gianluca Mancini doesn't know how to defend, especially in a back four. Whereas when we've seen him play in a fourth in a in the in midfield in a deep playing midfield creator role, he's been outstanding.
00:54:18
Speaker
I think they have an in-house solution in that, and that's something I want to see. I really think so because he cannot defend. He is so clumsy. His elbows are a weapon because he doesn't know how to control them. He constantly gives away penalties. He makes simple mistakes. He is not a defender. It's quite clear that he worked in Atalanta in a back three, which was rather offensive, where he was actually really important in the build-up play.
00:54:47
Speaker
But at Roma, it's been a disaster. And I think that, I still think there's a player there. I just don't think that a central defender in a back four is it. I don't think central defender generally is it. Having swatched in play as a regista for Roma, the five to nine times I've seen him and he's been the best player on the pitch, maybe that's where the solution is. It's in-house. Play the guy as your regista. What do you think, John?
00:55:13
Speaker
It's such a small sample size, but at this point I'm willing to try just about anything. Tiaora seems like, as much as it pains me to say it, he seems like a forgotten man, Gonzalo Villar. It's not even worth opening that book. They just have so few options.
00:55:34
Speaker
But if they, not if they manage, I think they will manage to get Olivera from Porto, a loan with option to buy. I mean, to me, again, I'm not watching a whole lot of Porto on my weekends, but in the few matches I have seen of him, I don't really necessarily know if he's that Maria and all that they need. He seems more to have the qualities of the Regista that,
00:56:03
Speaker
You know, just they need somebody defensively who can just sit there and break up the play. They're not so, they're signing Oliveras a favor to who they meant, just be honest. I mean, I don't know if it's a favor or if it's, they just have.
00:56:23
Speaker
They need someone A and B. They have like no cash that they confront for most of these deals. I mean, that's why they're bringing Maitland Niles on loan. There's no option in there. Oliveira is going to be...
00:56:35
Speaker
It's like 2 to 3 million euros upfront with an option to buy for 14 or 15 million. You're not going to find great players, okay, where clubs are just willing to hand you them on loan. You know, Roma are not ink dead, okay? They can't get these guys on loan with option or obligations to buy. Or I guess I could say Juve too, because Fiore D'entina like to do them that nice favor every so often.
00:57:02
Speaker
Rocco Benito Comisso, Si Rocco, the For the Uwe fan. Well, as we were talking about this, that's interesting, you bring up Uncle Rocco because they have announced Piontec, which... Yeah, I mean, it's alone, if I understand with an option.
00:57:21
Speaker
Yeah, that's exciting. I mean, before we move on to Badgio and all this other stuff, okay, like, I just want to go get, like, some of the things that have happened in the market so far that are official. I mean, we've talked about Insinie and some of this other stuff, but like, beyond tech, like, man, I just...
00:57:40
Speaker
That seems so classically Fiorentina, it hurts. He's going to be a backup to Vlovich. People that are worried that this means Vlovich is leaving, I wouldn't be... Well, he's leaving anyway. Yeah. Vlovich is leaving in January. I don't think he's leaving in January. I don't think he wants to leave in January. And the clubs that he would like to join, if it were Juve or Tottenham or whoever, they're not interested in buying him in January.
00:58:07
Speaker
So I think it would take quite a lot. I know there's a lot of Arsenal links, but I think that, yes, they might be closest to signing him in January Arsenal, but I don't think that means that they're particularly close to signing him. I could be closer to the Empire State Building than Carlo is. It doesn't mean I am close to the Empire State Building sitting on my ass here in Sweden. Again, it's about perspective.
00:58:33
Speaker
I think you're actually further away. Yeah, but no, it was an example. You know what I mean? You're more north. Sweetest north. Yeah, well, thanks for that. I was giving an example. But you know what I mean? Like, it's about perspective. I don't think that Arsinor are particularly close to signing him. They might be closer. Although you'd probably go and play and I'd be old Beamer. I love how you took this so literally.
00:58:56
Speaker
I'm not trying to be a prick, but you know, I've seen this Arsenal thing emerge. I mean, I'll do respect to them. Why would he go there? Well, I can answer that because Arsenal, I've watched them quite a bit this season. They are a very exciting young team. What Arteta is doing is he's getting rid of all the deadwood, all the older players, and he's building something new and exciting based on young players who play very progressive football.
00:59:21
Speaker
I mean, I don't know if you saw the game against Manchester City. They were really good Arsenal. I think they they're the team that played the best against City this season. Yeah, no one's played better. I mean, they were they were really, really good. And and it's really interesting because they were so they were so hammered in the summer and I thought that was so questioned. And these players, he's just made it work. And I still don't think we'll get top four, though.
00:59:43
Speaker
And that's why Blauwitsch is not interested in joining a team that doesn't get in the top four. From what I understood, although this is going back a few weeks and Arsenal's stock has risen in the last few weeks, that Blauwitsch's agents are refusing to even talk to us. That was a story that came in the summer when that Sky Sportitalia peddled that, you know, he's not even answering the phone when
01:00:05
Speaker
No, yeah, but this was still the case a few weeks ago from what I understood. Yeah, but from what I've learned, from what I've learned, Vlovich wasn't interested. But I mean, like I said, the stock has risen in Arsenal in the last few weeks. But I still come back to my same point. Vlovich will join a team that's in the Champions League. That's in the Champions League. I don't think Arsenal will get in the Champions League. For as good, and they are improving, I would still put my money on Antonio Conte and Tottenham.
01:00:29
Speaker
Well, that depends on what happens with Romelu Lukaku, because if there is a chance that Antonio Conte can get his hands on Romelu Lukaku, he will move heaven and earth and turn everyone's life into a living hell if that chance evaporates.
01:00:47
Speaker
That's not going to happen this January, though. No, not in January. I'm not talking January. I don't think anything's going to happen in the summer. I think all of that, because it also depends on Horland, does, you know, Will Man City, now they're moving for him, but also Real Madrid is, you know, what happens there. I think we're going to see quite an interesting marriage. Yeah, it's too early. It's way too early. It's too early to talk about. Before we do get on to Badger Friends, we do need to talk about Milan, because we kind of skipped and went to Rome and we kind of
01:01:15
Speaker
Yeah, so I mean Milan beat in Roma. I mean, you have to, as bad as Roma were, and I'm not saying that Milan were exactly outstanding, but still, given how, again, decimated Milan were, I mean, that's still an impressive result. It's an impressive win.
01:01:34
Speaker
uh but the performance was not impressive and they are they are decimated but I was for me I'm gonna take away Sandro Tonali's performance I thought he was probably the only good player on there um yeah he was outstanding I thought he was absolutely outstanding this is this is the tonali we saw in the beginning of the season and it's really impressive this again with young players they they fall back
01:01:55
Speaker
And then the ability to come back when the form wanes is what makes a good player a good player. And that is what Tonali is doing. I'm really impressed. The way that he chased Dr. Zaniolo when Zaniolo went on one of his runs, often done in such arms, really impressed because he matched him for pace and for strength and power. It was really impressive to see. And so that's what I take away.
01:02:21
Speaker
No, I would say with Milan, it's good that they got Rafael Liao back because you could see what a difference that he makes to Milan team straight off the bench, just that explosiveness, that ability just to add that kind of pace and intensity to the team. He really is
01:02:37
Speaker
He's become really irreplaceable for Milan, roughly. He really does give them that something extra. I agree. And they're just a totally different team. And Rebic is back as well. So they're hopefully starting to get some of their injured players back. Obviously, COVID is another issue altogether. But that's going to be vital for them going forward. They've put the pressure on Inter now. I mean, that was an important game. Well, they can go top temporarily. Obviously, they've got games in hand.
01:03:04
Speaker
Temporarily they can go top they win the thing they play before in so don't know at the weekend I think so. Yeah, cuz interplay the last day play on Sunday night. Yeah, so there you go. There you go. Yeah
01:03:14
Speaker
Yeah, so it was nice from the land, but yeah, let's hope that they can keep the title race going. I know you don't want that. No, I don't want that at all. I don't know what you're talking about. We want a Serie A fan. We want a title race. Yeah, for sure. Because Napoli are, I mean, as good of a result that was, you know, they now have nine points behind.
01:03:35
Speaker
if into when they came in hand. So again, in relation to the actual target race, it's actually a bad result, but it's a good result when put into context. Yeah, for sure. Okay, prim face. Oh no, bad joke, sorry. Bad joke. Let's do bad joke first.
01:03:53
Speaker
of the week. I've got two on here. Gianluca Caprari, two guys of Verona. You know what? I've always liked this guy, Caprari. I like watching him play. I mean, he's a wild team assistant and he hasn't fulfilled it anywhere near fulfilled his grand. He seems like he's been around forever, but he can always do bits of magic and two
01:04:09
Speaker
two really lovely goals, especially the second one anyway. I loved him since I saw him in Pascara. I thought he was really with Biragi. I thought he was really, really good. We're talking about Skamaka. We can talk about, I mean, there's a lot of gems that, yeah, I don't know. I like him, but he never had the career that he could have had, I think.
01:04:32
Speaker
He's a right footed Gabi Adini. That's what he reminds me of. A guy who can pull one out of his backside. Inter used him as part payment to get Milano Scrino, which I think no one can criticise Inter for doing that deal. But he's a good player. He's an exciting player. He's an exciting player that we see in the Serie A. That reminds me of players like Alejandro Rossi, if you remember him. Those kinds of players, they do well at the medium to small clubs, but they're not good enough to do it in the big clubs.
01:05:01
Speaker
For sure. My other bad joke of the week is, well, two things, part of the same game. I mean, Lazia against Empoli. I mean, we've been treated to so many unbelievable matches in Serie A this season, which is why we say it over and over again that Serie A is the most exciting league, is the most high-scoring league factually for the last two years. More goals scored in Serie A and another six-goal thriller, 3-3. I mean, you have to be the most entertaining team in the Serie A right now.
01:05:30
Speaker
How many 3-3 games? Four games. It's never a boring game when Lazio was there. It's just Lazio this season. If you want to watch goals, make sure you don't miss Lazio. And it helps that their goalkeepers are just like Adre Pio. I mean, they've literally got holes in their hand.
01:05:51
Speaker
That's what I mean. I didn't make a moral judgment. I just said it's entertaining. Things happen when Lazio plays. Did I cross Cheryl and Reina? I thought they're having a competition who could make the most mistakes. And it seems obvious to everyone else except to the Lazio directors who don't want to buy goalkeepers and defenders because they seem to like this all. I mean, again, we've been talking about it for quite some time.
01:06:18
Speaker
It's, uh, this is an issue and they're not addressing it. And I think it's a shame, but Sergei Milinko-Itsavich, what a player. I mean, we, we keep saying it, but damn, he's so good. He's so big and he's, he's, he doesn't really have any weaknesses. And I don't know, I, I, I, this guy, I wonder if he stays past the summer at Lazio.
01:06:40
Speaker
Yeah, it depends a lot. It depends on Vattito, doesn't he? It's not easy to do business. He's the Daniel Levi of Italian presidents. OK, prim face of the week. You've got you're going to take this name, aren't you? Yeah, I mean, I've got two ones. One one is Kieran Trippier's. Trippier, yeah, Trippier. It's a French name, isn't it?
01:07:07
Speaker
It's a Trippier. It's a French name. Trippier. No, it's Trippier. It's a French name, like Rigivais. Like, it's a French name, isn't it? I think so. I read it somewhere that Trippier is... Yeah, I read it. It's a French name. That's why I pronounce it that way. Anyway, his unveiling, that photo, when he's pointing to the Newcastle badge, only it's not the Newcastle badge he's pointing to. He's pointing to his shoulder. I mean, it's just... His armpit. His armpit, pretty much.
01:07:35
Speaker
which is just a bit cringe, but the one that really got me was This Morning, and this is just so profoundly stupid. And I'm going to read it because it's just so dumb, because it doesn't make any sense. A university in the UK, I think it's the University of Nottingham,
01:07:57
Speaker
Nottingham Trent University. They've published a study in the German... That's a bad one. Yeah. By the way, there's still Nottingham University. There's the good one and there's no disrespect to people who went not to Trent. I think it's still a good university, but it's... Yeah, but it's the bad one. You just said that. So you can't just say it's the bad one and then say you think it's a good one. Come on. You can't do that. That's the most Italian thing I've ever heard in my life. It's like insulting someone and saying, but I don't mean that in a bad way.
01:08:24
Speaker
It's not a bad university. It's just that there's a very posh one in Nottingham. So when you say new university in Nottingham, everybody immediately thinks, oh, you went to a really posh university. It's Nottingham Trent. And this is published in the Human Behaviour and Emerging Technologies. And basically, they had a survey taken by about 2000 people, 1995 people.
01:08:48
Speaker
who recorded those people's engagement with fantasy football and they concluded that it can lead to mental health decline.
01:08:59
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think that the mental health decline is anything to do with that. I think it's maybe got to do with the fact that this study was done during post pandemic after lockdowns and everything that's going on. I think that kind of affects the overall mental health of everybody. I don't think this notion that we're trying to find these
01:09:23
Speaker
You know, the study is pointless. No one, you know, mental health, nobody developed a mental health illness by playing fantasy football. They probably had it. They were probably not happy in life generally and had mental health problems before. And this exacerbated that. That's fine. But this study is just, I feel like when I read stuff like this, I feel like I'm back in the 1980s.
01:09:46
Speaker
And I'm watching outraged moms at PTA meetings screaming about Rambo and Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies and Castlevania and TV game, Nintendo games, and saying that our children are watching this and having a meltdown. And it's like, no, stop it. It's got nothing to do with that. Stop blaming these things when there are other things in your society that suck, that cause mental health.
01:10:12
Speaker
It's not fantasy football that causes mental health issues. It's more like the NFL. I think John can explain more about how that works.
01:10:25
Speaker
I don't know. But you're the NFL guy. You even played. John doesn't like anything in America. Did he play you? Were you a linebacker or something? Yes, in a former life. He didn't like it. He's got the Ben White. Yeah, I don't pay attention to it to be quite honest. But I've never been... I'm probably the last...
01:10:48
Speaker
I'm the last millennial that should be asked about Fanta. I take zero interest in it. But it shocks me how many people like contact me like in messages. Hey, I have my lineup. Do you know if he's playing or that person's playing? Like it just baffles me that
01:11:08
Speaker
I'm not a fan of it, but I'm not a fan of playing fantasy football or gambling on football. And the reason why is it spoils the enjoyment of watching the games. Because when I watch a football game, usually I want to cheer for a team. I have a cheer for my own team, or I cheer for the Italian teams if they're playing in Europe, or I cheer against the teams that I don't like.
01:11:30
Speaker
or you cheer for the underdog team. Now when you gamble or when you play fantasy football, that ruins it all for you because you're obviously gambling on the teams that you think are going to win or you're picking in your fantasy team the players you think are going to do well that week. So it kind of ruins the whole
01:11:46
Speaker
watching the game. So that's why I don't play it because it completely spoils for it. So I mean, I wouldn't go as far as saying it destroys my mental health, but it definitely does take it does it does remove some of the enjoyment of of my love for football. That's what I would I would say. But I mean, I can I know how how huge both these two things are for football fans and
01:12:08
Speaker
they are massive. Yeah, I mean, to me, it's more an issue of to me, it's more an issue like it's it's look, I play it in the sense that I watch the day that the games are I read the newspapers, I choose my lineup, I look at the opponents, I spent about 25 minutes on it. And then I continue with my day. And if I don't win, I don't
01:12:31
Speaker
have a panic attack over it. I don't understand. What is this notion and this survey? How does this affect your mental? I mean, how is this a serious thing? And if that university isn't the good one, they hardly improved on their academic reputation by publishing something that's flimsy and stupid. It's nonsensical. There's no correlation between mental health problems and fantasy football. Jesus.
Football and Mental Health: A Humorous Critique
01:12:57
Speaker
Fantasy football does not cause mental health issues. They're already dead.
01:13:01
Speaker
Just to put it on the record, Neymar does have stock in Fanta Calcio. No, I do not have stock in Fanta Calcio. I don't have Fanta Calcio stock. I'm too much of a boomer to do that. But no, it's just this notion. It just felt like such a typical, let's try to draw conclusions with things that have absolutely nothing to do with one another.
01:13:24
Speaker
I mean you could you could argue that you know watching football causes mental health problems as well because you were upset when your team loses but come on stop that it's not silly it's childish and it's not it's not science it's it's ridiculous.
01:13:39
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Okay, well, that conversation could veer off into so many directions.
Conclusion and Patron Encouragement
01:13:46
Speaker
So in order to avoid that, that's where we will leave today's episode. There are no user questions today just because of the midweek fixtures. We're doing the review episode on a Thursday as opposed to a Monday. So we will chat with everybody again on Monday.
01:14:02
Speaker
Again, thank you for joining us. And if you would like to gain access once more to all of the episodes of the Italian Football Podcast, you can become a patron for $2.99 per month by going to patreon.com slash T-I-F-P. All right, everybody. Have a great weekend and until Monday, bye-bye.