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Free Weekly Episode - Osimhen, Lautaro & Chiesa ON FIRE As Napoli, Inter & Juventus Shine, Cannonball Candreva, Lecce Stun Lazio, R.I.P Carlo Mazzone & Much More (Ep. 352)
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From Victor Osimhen and Lautaro Martinez show for Napoli and Inter respectively, Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Chiesa and Andrea Cambiaso on FIRE for Juventus, Andrea Belotti and Antonio Candreva play out a brilliant duel at the Stadio Olimpico when unlucky Roma drew Salernitana, Charles De Ketelaere has a dream debut for Atalanta, to Lecce stun Lazio at the death as well as Luciano Spalletti officially appointed the new Italy manager and much, much more as Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from a jam-packed week and weekend in Italian football.
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Transcript
Serie A Season Kickoff
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast.
00:00:06
Speaker
Hello, everybody, and welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese, here, as always, with Nima Tavalli. So, Serie A is back. The 2023-24 Serie A season finally got underway at the weekend, and it was a fantastic weekend. Some brilliant individual performances from all the big guns, Victor Osseman, Lautaro Martinez, Federico Chies, all trying to outdo one another.
00:00:35
Speaker
And in particular, the ageless Antonio Candreves scored two wonder goals. We have some great comeback
Notable Performances & Surprises
00:00:42
Speaker
stories. Andrea Bellotti, he doesn't score for 15 months. What does he do? He scores not once, but twice. Well, actually three times, one of them got disallowed.
00:00:51
Speaker
We had some great debut performances. Charles de Kettler scored his first ever Serie A goal, and we had Andrea Cambiasso and Marco Arnaltovic were fantastic on their debuts. We had Max Allegri playing a bit of Deserbipo. What is going on there? We also had a massive shock as Lecce Stan Lazio, and Luciano Spoletti confirmed as the new Italy coach.
00:01:18
Speaker
interclose to the signing of Benjamin Pavard. It's all still going on in the transfer market. We also have Badjo and Prem Face of the Week. We will commemorate the the legendary Carlo Mazzoni who sadly died at the age of 86. So lots to talk about today. For all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode which we do every Monday
00:01:42
Speaker
reviewing the weekend Serie A action, all the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian football podcast and receive all our content that we do throughout the week, including a weekly Q&A episode every Tuesday where we answer all the questions sent in from our Patreons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction and much, much more, then go to patreon.com slash T-I-F-P and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month plus VAT.
00:02:10
Speaker
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Napoli's Strong Start with Osseman
00:03:31
Speaker
Right, so let's start off with the champions, the first game of the new Serie A season. Frosinone won Napoli 3. Napoli had a bit of a scare. They went behind very early on, but they roared back to win 3-1. And it was, of course, the main man, Victor Osseman, who did all the damage, didn't he, Nima? He was fantastic again.
00:03:56
Speaker
He is fantastic. It's just that simple. He's such a complete striker. He's a classic number nine. And in an age where there aren't very many number nines, classic number nines, it's
00:04:12
Speaker
I think it just his greatness becomes even more evident because of how, you know, like we always talk about, you know, you can count the world class number nines and world football on one hand almost, or probably definitely on two hands, but most you could argue it for that only on one hand today. And it's been like this for a couple of years. And that's why when you have a player like Osseman who continues to develop and deliver
00:04:35
Speaker
and to lead his side. I mean, it's not just that he's unbelievable in the air. It's not just the ability to hold up the ball. It's not just the movement patterns. It's not the IQ, the football IQ he has. The criticism to him has been the killer instinct, hasn't it? That sometimes he squanders a little bit too much and he needs to improve efficiency. Well, I mean, just look at that first goal. That was
00:04:59
Speaker
just that is a killer that's a killer's finish that that it just the power the the the the the class and and and vision and to know when to strike when to attack the ball the perfect timing and then just buries it in the top in the in the back of the net like top and behind the goal keeper you have the roof of the net you just look the goalkeeper looked like a
00:05:24
Speaker
He looked like he was scoring on a child. He couldn't do anything. The timing of it as well, the timing for me, that's the thing. That's the thing about these elite strikers.
00:05:42
Speaker
the best number nines. That was a Batistuta like goal that was. Remember the goal of Batistuta scores against Arsenal, Wembley? It wasn't from as tight an angle but you know like those rifle in it with such power into the roof of net that it's so powerful and such a good connection that the goalkeeper doesn't even see it. It's part
00:06:01
Speaker
Well, exactly. And for me, it's also in order to do that, otherwise you hit the ball outside the stadium. But in order to do that, it's the timing, reading the ball, knowing when it's going to come, knowing where it's going to come, knowing exactly the fraction of a second when it's played and having the positional awareness and awareness to position your body in such a way to attack it. I mean, he was unbelievable. He was truly, truly unbelievable. But I mean, for me, I think that acrobatic assist was probably what I enjoyed the most.
00:06:31
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, this loud, this loud respiratory call. I mean, that was, that was insane. I mean, how, how do you even do that? I mean, it's like, that's, that's Ibrahimovic, like only him, Ibrahimovic, like these top class, you know what I mean? Like that just shows the class of a player. That, that was crazy.
00:06:51
Speaker
Well, he is elastic, isn't he? Like, legs, like the way that he bends and moves his body, it kind of defies physics, doesn't he? He's quite rubbery. And I think that's where he got the comparisons earlier in his career, although he's nothing like him in reality to like Faustino Espria, you know, just the way that he he's very nimble and the way that he moves. And I mean, that was a mate.
00:07:14
Speaker
I love that Elasticky, that's such a good word. Elasticky, yeah. Elasticky, yeah. It's like his joints are made of rubber, like they are. That's exactly it. There's this spring, there's this spring in his step, which is like, you know what I mean? It's like when you pull a rubber band and let it go, it just flies away. It's so, so...
00:07:34
Speaker
Yeah, it's like he gets rid of the bones disappear from his legs when he needs to do certain things. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. It's like a superpower he's got, that now my bones are now very, you know, you can bend them. You know what I mean? And he's got this kind of spring too. Have you noticed it? Like there's, I don't know where he gets his power leap.
00:07:52
Speaker
his leaps unreal and we saw it last season one of the golfers scores where he where he almost matched Ronaldo's but he looked but he doesn't know that yeah oh he did he's got the new he's got the world record but the thing that drives me that just mind boggle that's mind boggling for me is just he he does it without taking any like it just looks like he's standing still and then all of a sudden just
00:08:13
Speaker
just flies up. And he drove Napoli. He drove Napoli in this game. They were struggling in the first half and they obviously started really badly. They went behind and then he drove them forward. And obviously we've cut at Scalia who was out. He was missing the game with a minor injury. This is the difference. This is the difference, especially in away games where most of the time you're not, I mean, they were dominant, but you're not always going to be as dominant away from home as you are at home.
00:08:41
Speaker
you know to have these different makers and he is the difference maker. But that's what we saw last season as well. He is Napoli's most important player. When Napoli are missing Kvara, at least today right now it is like that. When they miss Kvara they manage, when they miss other players they manage, but when they miss Osim and they don't, they just don't. He drags them over the finish line in games and he is that important.
00:09:05
Speaker
Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see what difference, I mean he would excel with any manager, I think he's that good and he's that complete, but with a new manager, with Rudy Garcia, because I mean immediately we saw the differences straight away from Rudy Garcia versus Luciano Spoletti.
00:09:24
Speaker
much more dominance of the ball, much more of a, not a slow build up, but controlled build up. Whereas with Garcia, we saw straight away, it was much more direct. I mean, you only have to look at the possession stats. I think it was in the low fifties that Napoli had possession for much of this game. And if this was Spaletti's
Napoli's Tactical Adjustments with Garcia
00:09:45
Speaker
Napoli, it would have been
00:09:48
Speaker
65%, 75%, 70% possession in this game. So we noticed that straight away. Definitely not as fluid. I mean, okay, it's the first game, maybe that's to be expected a little bit. Definitely not as fluid as it is with Spelletti. I think a part of that was also the pitch. Pitch was terrible. A lot of these pitches were awful this weekend, I have to say. I mean,
00:10:26
Speaker
Yeah, but I mean, apart from that, I mean, I thought Politani was excellent. Di Lorenzo was great. He got two assists. The negatives was, was, Yen Kahusta had a horrible debut. Horrible, horrible, horrible, awful. I mean, he gave away the penalty, but his passing was bad. His control was bad. He got a yellow card for a really reckless
00:10:28
Speaker
I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's... I guess that's...
00:10:50
Speaker
clumsy late tackle and he got subbed off at half-time and we saw the difference straight away when Anguissa came on for him that Napoli were much much better. Look, as I said, Jens Kauste is going to need time to adapt, to grow into this role and I think Napoli, given who they've got in midfield, can give him that time. I think it was very brave of Rudy Garcy. I think that's one of the reasons that Aurelio picked
00:11:15
Speaker
Rudy Garcia is the fact that he does give young players a chance. He's good at getting them over time to get them into a system. So I think it was it was a bit brave by Rudy Garcia to play Kaius there, but I think that I'm not surprised that it went like it did because he didn't really have that much time to train with Napoli. I think you're gonna this is this is this is their they need to give him some time. They need to see him as this kind of you know
00:11:44
Speaker
rotation player this season. He needs to get into the swing of things. He needs to have proper training sessions. He needs to get into the... to understand how Rudy Garcia wants them to play. And in turn, that applies to the whole team because, you know, it's a new coach as well. It's one thing if you come into a team where the manager has already been there two, three seasons, then it's much more easier to get into the swing of things. But when you also have a manager who's trying to impose new changes to a team that's already a champion, you've got quite a lot of unknowns there.
00:12:13
Speaker
that take time to smooth over. But there's no doubt that it was a disaster start. It was not a good debut. It was a horrible debut. And I just want to say, for me, if it wasn't for Victor Rosimund's show, D'Ilorinta would have been the man of the match. Because again, the leadership that this guy shows
00:12:35
Speaker
is just, this is what you want from your captain. He leads by example. I mean, if Oceman is the flair, Di Lorenzo is the heart and soul of Napoli.
00:12:48
Speaker
You know, he's he really, really leads by example, defensively, offensively. I mean, you know, offensively in this game, I mean, they look at look at the look at the two assists. I mean, the one where he went on the run down the right. I mean, yeah, fantastic. But on Frost and Early's side, let's let's be honest. We both had them to go down. I think second, you had them second from I had them last. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, looking at this, there's there's
00:13:14
Speaker
They got it down. They're going down. It's like they need a miracle. They need a miracle and El Sabio de Francesco doesn't do miracles. Taking Roma to the semi-finals and beating Barcelona.
00:13:30
Speaker
That did happen once, and then that was a crazy game. But no, look, I think that he's going to be the first coach to get sacked in the Serie A. That's what he said last week. Again, again. And I think that this is the last time we see him in the Serie A. Unless by some
Inter's Early Season Highlights
00:13:50
Speaker
miracle, I think he's going to go into the people in Zaghi calibre. That he's a decent Serie A V coach, but not good enough for the Serie A.
00:13:59
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. Well, let's move on to Inter then because what Victor Osseman did, Lautaro matched with two goals of his own as Inter beat Monza 2-0. I was very, very impressed by Inter in this win. I thought they were fantastic. They were totally dominant. They created lots of chances. They conceded virtually nothing.
00:14:23
Speaker
lots of great performance, individual performances, which we'll go through. Is that your take on the game as well? I was incredibly impressed. This is exactly the reply, the response I wanted Inter to give and Inzaghi to give. I wanted a continuation mentally and tactically of last season, but of course an updated version. I saw all of those things.
00:14:48
Speaker
I saw an inter, and above all, an inter where there is no more question as to who the leader and the focal point of this team is. It's Lautaro Martinez, then it's Nicola Barrella, then it's Alessandro Bastoni. That's the hierarchy. Everyone is behind it. And they played for one another, for him, and he played for the team.
00:15:10
Speaker
He's the captain now, he's the new captain and he wants to be the leader, he wants to be the focal point and Inter want him to be that as well, not just the club but also the players, we saw that. They were so so good and I think he was world-class against Monza. He needs to
00:15:28
Speaker
You know, last year he finished second in the Casa Capo Canañera, if I remember correctly, after Victor Oseman, didn't he? And there was talk, there was this thing where
00:15:41
Speaker
you know, who's going to, which I tweeted out, who's going to stop Victor Oseman becoming the Capo Canoneira. And I still think that he's going to become that. But I think Laotaro Martinez is going to give him a run for his money this season. And in order, and what I mean by that is Laotaro, for Inter to win the Scudetto, I think Laotaro needs to score minimum 25 goals in the Serie A alone.
00:16:06
Speaker
what i saw against uh... montes a player who i still stay stand by the statement that i don't think he's a number nine a classic number nine or or someone like that but in a two-man attack in this system with that is so direct i think he can be the twenty five thirty gold in the league kind of sees a seasoned player i loved how interplayed i loved that simone had the balance right i love that they
00:16:36
Speaker
played when they needed to counter-attacking football. They weren't stretched, but they also weren't that narrow. The balance was perfect. Sure, there were instances where they looked a little bit rusty defensively, and Inzaghi was crystal clear after the game that I need another defender.
00:16:53
Speaker
And he looks like he's going to get it, but we'll get to that. But the midfield for me was what I loved the most. The way that the Interchange positions, the way that Inter in this system
00:17:08
Speaker
interchange positions and how direct they are and the Inzaghi triangles, as I call them, because he loves the one touch triangle, which is not it's not as horizontal. It's much more vertical, his football and the way that they play themselves. The first goal is a perfect example of that. And also the third goal as well. Again, triangles. And what was really impressive with the third goal was that it was mainly by the debutants, Carlos Agosto and Anand Rautovic.
00:17:37
Speaker
who were involved. That was really impressive. Sorry, the second goal, yeah. I was thinking to myself, didn't I win 3-0? I've got doubts in myself there. No, Miss Burke is the second goal, sorry. And above all, if we're talking about debutants, Marcus Turan,
00:17:57
Speaker
This is why I keep saying he is Edin Jeko's replacement, because that's what he's supposed to do. That's what Edin Jeko did when he was young. He used to drop in deep, he used to build up, he used to win the ball, he used to run with the ball, he could dribble. But of course, Edinto the last two years, he's not able to do that because his body won't allow him to do that. But Marcos Taram's body allows him to do that. He can dribble, he's technical, he can run. I love the fact that he can hold the ball up
00:18:23
Speaker
high up the pitch and win with his back against the goal, with his back against the opponent. I thought he was fantastic. I was really, really impressed. I thought he was really good at winning the ball, winning the ball back. I thought that is where he was very impressed and he worked really, really hard. I love the distribution too. I love the distribution when he played out wide, when he wins the ball and plays out wide. That's his job, I think, and that's what he needs to do.
00:18:51
Speaker
um yeah and i gotta say if we're talking about debuts mark on out of it i mean i've been very critical sensational sensation like what look if he's going he looks you know who he looked like you know he was like watching his latin yeah it was like watching his latin that that's how it was the
00:19:12
Speaker
It was like the arrogance of the way that he dropped sort of like 30, 40 yards from goal back to goal. Just nonchalantly just stood there like a big six foot four beast that he is. And technically like hell. The ball just stuck to him, players bounced off him and he brought others into play. And not just that.
00:19:32
Speaker
And not just that, the fact that he seems to be in a, like, because he said himself that I was very immature in a hothead when I was at Interlast and I've matured. If he can go on with this mentality that this is him winning the lottery, he's back at Inter, he can actually do great things. And if he's focused on delivering and if he's this mature,
00:19:52
Speaker
then Inter have done a fantastic signing. There's no doubt about that. Because look, you saw... He has an X factor. There's no doubt about it. He has an X factor. I mean, we saw that with the assist for his goal. He did a brilliant back heel as well before that Augusto chance. But he's just, he has that supreme confidence and he can make stuff happen out of nothing as well.
00:20:17
Speaker
I mean, you know, let's not get carried away with anything that we say on this not today with any of the teams. It's one game. Oh, it's just one game. But but into into there was all I thought all the debuts I thought I don't think any of it into play. I think so. I think I saw my young someone pushed one out. But apart from that, I thought he was fine. The only one, the only one look.
00:20:36
Speaker
It was his first competitive game for Inter, and I think you need to be a bit lucky. And God bless Hakan Chalanoglu for that block, because if he makes a mistake and that goes in, you know how it gets, it gets into your head. But Chalanoglu saving him with that block will create confidence and belief and team, team unity that, you know, we work for each other. When I make a mistake, you cover for me. I apologize. Do you know what I mean? Like that kind of thing. I think that was it was so important for him to keep a clean sheet and it was so important.
00:21:05
Speaker
the one where he pushed it out into the danger zone. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that can happen. I mean, that can happen sometimes when the ball comes across the box. Yeah, I know. But at the same time, there has been question marks around this. And I do think that was a poor intervention. Apart from that, he was faultless. I thought he was he was absolutely faultless apart from that. I thought all the interplays that the only one I would be critical of was probably B-Sec when he come on. He got done by
00:21:30
Speaker
who was it he got done but I think Caprari who took him up too easily you know he's the only one apart from that I thought every other interplay was great I thought DiMarco again fantastic every time DiMarco plays he's a threat with either his creation or with his shots and he had three shots
00:21:45
Speaker
went close three times. Dumfries was fantastic on the right, got a brilliant assist. And the midfield, like you said, they were all really good and dominant. The defence was comfortable. I thought even Quadrado, I thought was very lively when he came on.
00:22:03
Speaker
Al-Gusto as well. For it says he didn't really get enough time. You know, I thought I thought into what I thought individually, collectively, no doubts about it consistency from terms of from the first minutes to last into with the team of the weekend. No doubt about it. They were fantastic. Monza.
00:22:21
Speaker
Monter, I think they've taken a step back from last season. And I guess that is to be expected when you lose Sensei, you lose El Gusto. Who else have they lost from last season? So, you know, they have been weakened from last season. I think they'll be fine. They'll stay up, but I don't think they won't reach the same levels. I think they'll probably drop a few places from last season. Yeah.
00:22:45
Speaker
Well, I'm going to like I said, I mean, I always wait for the Mercato to end before I give a final one to 20 prediction and all that stuff. But I I have I have months around 1314 place spot 1314 somewhere. Yeah, I'd probably go 12 something like that as well. Yeah, I mean, I think I think they have I think they have they've dipped a bit, but they were playing a good team.
00:23:04
Speaker
Right, Pavard, we're only touching him very, very quickly because we want to discuss him properly on the next show. So Benjamin Pavard, what is the situation there? He's close to joining in, so right? Well, if you ask right now, everyone is, you know, there's this term in Italian football journalism where they say it's raining confirmation. And then that's what's happening now. It's raining down. Everyone is from England to Germany. What's the Italian term for that?
00:23:34
Speaker
when it's raining. And that's when they say that. And that's what's happening now. Everyone from Lothar Mateus to our good friend Sky Carver to everyone else.
00:23:55
Speaker
No, but everyone is saying that. It's true, everyone's on the same page. But to be fair, Pavard is not... The face being pretty much agreed. Yeah, and Pavard isn't exactly hiding it, is he? I mean, the man is... He follows all these... I think what's holding it up, all that's left is buy and have to sell, have to find the replacement, basically. That's where we're at, basically.
00:24:16
Speaker
I mean, that's where it's going. And look, those who listened to this part in January will know that Benjamin Pavard was my number one target to replace Milan Scrina. I think just Benjamin Pavard in this Sinzagi system, you've got Bastoni on the left and this guy on the right.
00:24:34
Speaker
That improves Inter a lot. I think he's more adapted to playing in Zaghi's football than Schlinjar ever was. So to me, that is an insane signing. And what a way to end the transfer market, which has been started okay, but then the Lukaku nonsense and Skamaka and all that nonsense. I think it could be a blessing. The Samadzic deal falling through, I think, could be a blessing because Inter didn't need Samadzic. They did need Pavard. No, they didn't. They absolutely need Pavard.
Juventus' Tactical Evolution
00:25:04
Speaker
which is what a lot... And if they got some advantage, they wouldn't have got Pavard. They wouldn't have had the money. No, they wouldn't. Which is why most Interfans were furious. All Interfans were furious going, why are we arguing over the sixth midfielder when we don't have a starting right center back?
00:25:20
Speaker
Because with this signing, if it goes through, Matteo Darmian, he can play at the left center back and he plays the left wing back. You free up so much space in the squad that it allows you. And that's what Inzaghi wants. It's obvious from this game.
00:25:35
Speaker
and the signings, that he wants to have tactical flexibility. He wants to be able to play in many different ways. He wants to have all the tools in his kit box to be able to address again. Because Quadrado, Augusto, Dumfries, DiMarco all offer different things. The midfield, same thing there, they all offer different ways. They allow Inter to be unpredictable. And that's something that it's clear that when Zaghi's matured,
00:25:59
Speaker
so much to the point now where he has lines on how he wants to play, but he wants to be able to offer that unpredictability when the game calls for it. And depth, and it gives into depth as well. We'll chat about this more in more depth, but I, you know, just to reiterate what I said, I do like how introshaken up now, they get Pavard even more so. Let's move on to Juventus, who won
00:26:25
Speaker
Well, 3-0 at Udenezi, and I'm just going to come out and say it, this was the best Juventus of the Allegri second era, and there's no doubt about that for me. And I would say the big takeaways from this for Juventus is we saw a Juve that was much fitter, much more intense. The best Juventus in terms of mentality and application under Allegri in his second reign, they look
00:26:54
Speaker
like I said, much more bitter, much more intense, more aggressive, more determined. It was an angry uve. It was a uve that we just haven't seen. We haven't seen this in the last two years. Forget about, yes, the pride. Forget about all the criticisms about the patterns of play and the ideas and the movements and the past and forget about all that. I'm talking about simply about the mentality and the application. And this was a uve that went out there and wanted it.
00:27:20
Speaker
And yes, we did see a more progressive mentality as well. We saw a ruthless Uwe. We saw a ruthless Uwe. I mean, this is a little bit like upside down world, because if we actually look at Juventus, I think
00:27:38
Speaker
The three goals they made were all unforced errors, but Juventus were killers. The ruthless Juve that used to make one mistake against Juve will rip you apart, score on it, and hurt you. That's the vibe I got from Juve. That's the main takeaway for me.
00:27:58
Speaker
way from Juventus, the progressive mentality, all of that is true. But if we're perfectly honest, Juventus didn't really create that much. They didn't they didn't create that much on their own. What they were were ruthless when it comes to mistakes. You were. Yeah, they were they were ruthless.
00:28:16
Speaker
but but if you're gonna play like this man you can't do anything you can't you have to you have to have the players you know the progressive mentality is important in being ruthless because Juventus played with a much higher line they were getting players up the pitch they were getting players up the pitch i mean cambiaso
00:28:31
Speaker
you know, have a look at his heat map of where he was in the game. I mean, he was playing so much of the game basically as a left winger and then also he was moving infield in a kind of Pep Guardiola, Roberto de Zebri kind of way, you know, which is unheard of for Allegri, you know, midfielders pushing into the box. Have a look at Miretti's and Miretti wasn't particularly great, but have a look at him in his heat map in the first half, you know, he was pushing into the box.
00:28:56
Speaker
virtually playing as a centre forward. Virtually like Barella plays, played for Italy under Mancini in the Euros, you know, basically becoming a second centre forward. You know, these are the kind of things that have been unheard of in the first two years. And when you do that, you get players in the positions to take advantage of errors or, you know, you have more players in the box than the chances and probability of you scoring are obviously naturally a higher, whether you create it or whether it comes from a mistake.
00:29:23
Speaker
So, you know, I think that was very, very, very important. And, you know, we are seeing already, I've spoken to people, we even saw it from the quotes after the game from both Kiesa and through Vlawic, the influence already of Federico Mannionelli.
00:29:40
Speaker
who was brought in this summer by Juventus as a as a tactical coach. He's come in specifically to work. He's working in the team with Allegri just on the tactics and both both Kiesa and Blauwitsch talked about it.
00:29:58
Speaker
Kiesa said, you know, we are not just static, we move around a lot, and that is what the coach is asking from us. With the arrival of Manianelli, we are trying out these new tactics. Wlawicz said, with Manianelli, we're trying out new tactics. We're showing that we can play well together. So, you know,
00:30:17
Speaker
Sorry, just to carry on with Kiese, he says, we mustn't just clam up in the back. We need to push and press. We showed that today. This is what modern football is about, attacking them high up. So, you know, this is something that that Mannionelli clearly has had an influence on. He's a he's a disciple of the Zervi. I mean, he's a sassuola legend. Those two are very, very good friends. And you can see
00:30:41
Speaker
You know, again, same with Inter, same with Napoli, let's not get carried away on one game against, admittedly, a very poor Edenasi team. But you can see what they're trying to do. You can see the identity and what the difference is. There was a clear difference in terms of mentality and in terms of fitness. And so those were the two biggest takeaways in terms of the team, for me, in this game.
00:31:10
Speaker
Yes, I agree with everything there, but for me, I think there is still, like, I'm still, it was a good start. I love, it was Juva returning a little bit back to Juva's identity in terms of the mentality-wise, in terms of the mentality and who they are. They were angry, their pride was hurt, the ruthlessness, the Juva being killers,
00:31:32
Speaker
Um, but for me, like, like you said, for everything you mentioned about Kambia, so for me, it was the man of the match. But after that, one thing I really, really liked was Vlovich. He won so quite a few challenges playing with his back against a defender, which is something that I've been talking about that I think he needs to learn how to do that in order to be a world-class number nine. Well, he certainly is off to a good start.
00:31:58
Speaker
He looked really good. The positional movements and changes between him and Kiezavlov and Kambiasov and Midfield were outstanding. They looked like they had an understanding as well, and I think that's only going to improve. But for me, the main takeaways are
00:32:16
Speaker
Kambiaso and Vlawic, and of course Kiesa looked fit, looked like the world-class player that he has, the talent he has warrants him to be branded as. And again, this is why I keep saying it, in a two-man attack, him and Vlawic, they can cause anyone problems. They really can't.
00:32:39
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the two players, for me, two players absolutely stood out among the crowd in this game. Kambiaso, we've got Segment coming on in a minute, so we won't talk about him now. Kambiaso manning the match for me, magnificent. And Kiesa, I thought Kiesa was brilliant in the first half. You know, he scored a goal within two minutes.
00:32:57
Speaker
He was ruthless, like you said. Brilliant pre-assist. The back-heel to Cambiaso, when Cambiaso crossed for the Rabio goal. He was going past his man, he was going on the outside and the inside. He was showing confidence. That is another really important takeaway. We saw the confidence of Keiser because last season,
00:33:17
Speaker
You know, he was still playing within himself because he was worried about the injury. Do you remember that game in Europe? Who was it that you remember? He just like hobbled around for like the last five minutes of a European game. I'm not sure if it was against Freiberg. I can't remember where it was like he was so scared that he was going to get injured that he didn't even want to try and run anymore. Like he took a knock, which was nothing to do with his former injury. And he was like, you know, I don't want to run.
00:33:40
Speaker
And Juventus had used all their subs. You could see he had his confidence. He was trying things. I remember he tried this ridiculously audacious outside of the boot pass that he tried to put to the other side of the pitch. And he got it wrong. He messed up the connection. But for me, that was a good sign because it showed that this is somebody that is trying stuff that he wasn't trying anymore. So that is hugely important for Juventus and for
00:34:08
Speaker
for Italy. I think that Blauwitsch, yes, I thought it was much improved. Blauwitsch, he obviously got the confidence boost with the penalty goal. I still feel that's his overall play. I thought it was better. I still want to see more. I still saw some occasions where he was making the wrong runs, that kind of game understanding.
00:34:30
Speaker
There was definitely one in the first half where he made a terrible run, where he would have been through. I can't remember who it was. So I'm not going to get carried away on one game, but it was good. It was a good sight, some good signs there. Apart from that, I mean, I thought Rabio carried on where he finished off from last season, another goal. I thought it was interesting to see Moretti start, seeing as Juventus have been considering loaning him out for the season.
00:34:55
Speaker
So I thought that was interesting that he started. Obviously that was partly because Fagioli's not fit enough to start and Fagioli came on at half time for him to get some minutes in him. I thought, like I said, he was pretty good. He showed some grinte, he won some duels. I'm still, you know my opinion, you share the same opinion about him being the number six long term, but in this game he was good.
00:35:17
Speaker
Kenan Yildiz came on as a sub for his debut, shows again the Juventus youth system. Weijer played the first half, I thought he was okay, wasn't involved that much because all the play was down the left of Cambiaso. Juventus need to be a little bit careful there, don't overdo it with Cambiaso, don't put everything down the left otherwise they're going to get predictable and they're going to get shut down down that side and I think Juventus' right hand side
00:35:43
Speaker
Mckenny came on at half time. Juventus cannot go this season with Mckenny as the back-up right wing back. They need to bring in someone there because that's going to be a big problem position. And he was predictably not very... I mean, Juventus' second half were... That's the only... That's the only negative. I started laughing uncontrollably at home and I was thinking, you're sitting there in your couch.
00:36:06
Speaker
in your lair, in your Gobi lair, going absolutely ballistic. Western McKinney, we played as a right wing binger. This is what Allegri done, you know, somebody puts together a list of the list of players Allegri has played as a wing back through the second events as well. Some of the names you will see on that list, honestly, it's the stuff of
00:36:30
Speaker
like Christopher Lee horror movies like you could put it in one of those you could put it in one of those movies it's like yeah I think that if I can say one negative I would say
00:36:45
Speaker
Events the second half was like allegory the last two years. Obviously, events were three and a half time. They took their foot off the gas. They were managing the heat. The heat was bad. But, you know, again, I'm just going to go back to the mentality that I was praising just a few minutes ago.
00:37:03
Speaker
elite teams do not just stop playing and just clam up and just defend with 10 men behind the ball for 45 minutes because they're 3-0. That again comes down to the mentality that needs to be drummed in to Juventus, that we're a big team, we play, we control the ball, we'll dominate possession. If we don't want to
00:37:21
Speaker
really go at it 100 miles an hour. That's fine, but keep the ball. Don't just put 10 men behind the ball and invite pressure, which is basically what Juventus did for the entirety of the second half. It's not a big deal because the game was won, but if I'm talking about negatives, this is something that they definitely just need to cut it out of their mind completely. The other thing was Kostich not being brought on. Uling Jr. came on. For me, that's a sign that Kostich is on the market, I think.
00:37:49
Speaker
I think. Allegry denied it after the game. Allegry denied it after the game. But, you know, what's he going to say? He's not going to come and say, oh, yeah, of course, it's just for sale. You know, so. So I think that that's a sign and also Soulay not coming on and Mckenny coming on instead as the right wing. I think that's a sign that Soulay. Well, we know because he's on the market, but that's a sign to Soulay that, you know what? You know, find the new club, basically. Yeah. Just before we talk about Cambiaso, though, Nima,
00:38:18
Speaker
I have to say, without taking anything away from Juventus, they didn't look good in this game in the first half. They look like I think they're going to then they're going to struggle a bit this season as well without doing a bit of work between now and the end of the weather. I absolutely think they will struggle, but I think they will manage to stay up simply because the three teams below them, there's at least three teams below them that aren't good enough. I think this is going to be a tough season for Coach Sottil.
00:38:47
Speaker
Um, I think he's going to, you know, he was, he was really one of the, one of the standout tacticians of last season in terms of impact. And of course they started really well and they fell back and then they continue, you know, they ended the season really well. Players took strides under him. Uh, Samadzic especially we're going to talk about too. Um, but I think he needs, he's going to have to work for his money this year because they do lack a de la fail a lot. They miss him so much. They need de la fail back badly. And when is he back?
00:39:16
Speaker
he's surely he's got to be back soon. He's been out for ages. I mean, they need him back. And also, I mean, they need some etch to stay. And if he doesn't stay, then they need a bloody good replacement. Because did you, did you see the difference of again, conditioned a little bit by Juventus taking the foot off the gas, but
00:39:32
Speaker
I thought Simon Sitch was brilliant in the second half. I thought he was absolutely brilliant. Some of the stuff he did, he was magical. We saw why Inter and the other big clubs were after him. I thought he was the best player on the pitch in the second half. You saw the difference between having Simon Sitch on the pitch to just what he brings in terms of creativity and invention.
00:39:56
Speaker
you know, it's touch and go, whether he will stay or not between now and the end of the window. I still feel like someone's going to come in for him personally. He's not too good. So if they lose him as well, I mean, yeah, they it's going to be tough for them this season.
00:40:12
Speaker
No, it's going to be a difficult season for them, but I think they'll still stay up. But yeah, look, Samarzic, they need to start him. I know Sotil was very funny in a pregame press conference. He said about how the mercato in the situation about Samarzic has been a pain in the proverbial testicles. He used a diplomatic word. And it is. It's been a complete circus.
00:40:36
Speaker
for no reason either. But I don't think that he, I have a feeling that a certain Juventus is going to swoop in for him. You know how skeptical I've been of this Juventus have to end the summer transfer window on a 140 million euro narrative. I think that's been absolute nonsense.
00:40:54
Speaker
uh all along and I buy it for one second um but they have too many players and they have to get rid of them yes of course but this notion that they have to do 140 million rates from transfer net profit I don't buy that one second and I don't see Kiazaa and
00:41:10
Speaker
and Blauwitsch leaving now. So I wouldn't be surprised if Signor Giuntoli went in for this guy on deadline day and Sarmazic at Juver. I mean, you know, you've got the Serbian connection already there with Kostich and Blauwitsch. I think that would be that would make them that would elevate their chances to because I think they're already going to be contenders. But then then it's going to be it's going to be really tight for the Skudetto, more tighter than it already is.
00:41:40
Speaker
that's where i'm with this yeah we'll say well we know you've entered so ideally we'd like to sign a sentry we'd feel that so i wouldn't rule it out um i i mean i still feel they need to sign the regista at number six otherwise they they're not solving the problem they have but yeah let's see um let's talk about andrea cambiaso though um he was as i said man of the match in this three nil win against
00:42:01
Speaker
Oudenez, and he was he was absolutely brilliant. He was brilliant. People that listened to the show for a while know that I've been a big fan of him for a long time, for over a year. I've lived for like a long time since we saw him in Genoa pretty much, I mean.
00:42:16
Speaker
Yeah, and for the Italy under 21s, when he was playing on the right, I love how unorthodox this player is. He's such a modern guy, isn't he? Like, he's such a modern type of player in how he, like, the role he occupies. He's not a traditional wingback or anything like that. He's just
00:42:34
Speaker
I just think he's so modern in how he's got such a high footballing IQ as well. He knows how to interpret many different roles, the fact that he can play inverted as well. I really, really rate him.
00:42:47
Speaker
Absolutely. For me, he's one of the most unorthodox footballers I've seen in the world. We're not talking about ability here. He's such a unique player. I remember watching him play and write that for the other 21s.
00:43:06
Speaker
the way that he was cutting inside across the pitch. He was picking up the ball at right back and he was running diagonally with the ball into the center of midfield with it. And then it was so unrefreshing and unlike anything you see. And the opposition were like, you know, they didn't know what to do. The plays didn't know where to move. It was just it was it was amazing. And obviously he's playing on the left for Juventus. He's playing as a left wing back, he's playing in a 3-5-2 rather than in a four man defense.
00:43:31
Speaker
But he is you know he says himself gel concealer is the player that he models his game on he was his idol he studies concealer he actually shows says he said yeah he actually said and this talks about his intelligence he says that he has virtually photographic memory.
00:43:48
Speaker
So he memorizes the movements of Cancello and then copies them. And actually Cancello sent him a Manchester City shirt and recently signed to him as a present. And you should have seen that they did a video event that they put out on social media showing his reaction. And he was made up by it. I mean, he really does love the players. I mean, if he's even half the player that Cancello was, I mean, that would be fantastic. But
00:44:14
Speaker
But, you know, in this game, he was... I don't like to draw comparisons to players in the past or present. But there's something about... He's got characteristics, this unorthodox characteristics, everything that you're describing, this ability that the fact that he's such an intelligent football player in terms of the photographic memory and all of that, that he can read situations, he can read
00:44:42
Speaker
He can read games and he knows he can read when to do what and how and what. To me, more than Canselo, he reminds me of Zambrotta. That aspect of his game reminds me of Zambrotta.
00:44:55
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, no, I agree. I don't see Cancello in him that much. I mean, Cancello, I think, is a much better, you know, close ball dribbler. Like, Cancello is fantastic at dribbling past players in tight spaces. And, and Cambiaso, you know, we'll see. Let's see. But, I mean, Cambiaso is tactically a fascinating player. I mean, he plays as a left wing back. We're taking him from Juventus. He's a left wing back.
00:45:21
Speaker
but he comes in field, he's been playing and this is something that Mannionelli has been working on. This is clearly the print of Mannionelli. So he starts off as a left wing back but then comes into the center of midfield. He plays as an inverted left wing back. That then vacates the space on the left wing for Federico Chiesa to move into. We saw that in pre-season, we also saw it during this
00:45:44
Speaker
during this game against Udenezer as well, which is really, really good. I mean, this is modern football. This is how modern football works. You couldn't do that with someone like Billy Kostich, for example, because he's a total one-dimensional linear player that just goes straight up and down the line. Now, this poses problems and it causes problems for opposition teams because it pulls
00:46:07
Speaker
defenders and players out of position and it opens up spaces and it creates overloads and you know so that's number one um but he also you know he's shown that he's very very flexible he played when he was pushing up really high as i said earlier as a left winger um pressing up high but he's also very comfortable playing in a back four you know he can play in a back four he played in a back four for last season for bologna
00:46:33
Speaker
He can play on the left, he can play on the right. He can play in the midfield. He started his career as a central trequartista. So he's virtually attacking midfielder. So he's an attacking player. The attacking actually comes more easier to him than the defending.
00:46:48
Speaker
Um, but you know, so he's, he's, yeah, he's a very, very interesting player, uh, very modern player. And I think he's the kind of player that, you know, we talk about it a lot about how Pep Guardiola, Arteta, Deserbe, Klopp, they love these kind of inverted players. Like to give you examples, you know, Klopp playing, uh, Trent Alexander-Arnold is a right back. And then when Liverpool in position, Alexander-Arnold then moves into a central midfield role.
00:47:16
Speaker
and he goes from basically, he goes into a three-man defense, he goes into basically a three, two, four, one, or three, two, two, three, kind of, you know. And, you know, Sinchenko, Arsenal playing as a left-back, he moves into centre midfield, but Arsenal have the ball. Pep doing the same with John Stones going from a centre back into a centre. You know,
00:47:38
Speaker
This is modern football. Players that can morph from one role into another, it's huge. It's absolutely huge. And that they can do it throughout in one game. They can manage to do several roles in one game and it makes it more fluid because teams are so well prepared defensively nowadays that you need to have that kind of fluidity about your game. And also the players have to be able to execute those tactics.
00:48:04
Speaker
Absolutely and Cambiaso seems to be, you know, he's good on both sides. He can go right, he can go left. I mean, you know, look at the game against Udenezer. The assist for Rabio's goal. Beautiful, curled shot. I mean, he created two other chances in the game. He had two shots in the first half.
00:48:22
Speaker
and nearly scored 97% pass success rate, 100% cross success rate. I mean, he was, it was the ideal debut for, I mean, he's been at Juventus for a year, but this was his actual debut for Juventus. And he's had a quite an interest in move up the pyramid because, you know, he came four years ago, he was playing instead of your D.
00:48:44
Speaker
I think it was Alessandria he played for, and then he moved up to... Yeah, we'd said he achieved with Alessandria, but he was actually in Serie D with Savona. Yeah, sorry, right. And then he went to Empoli, and Dionisi was there. Yeah, he's played in the space of three years. Yeah, in the space of three years, he played in all of the top four divisions of Serie A.
00:49:05
Speaker
And Dionysus was there. I think he only made like eight, seven, eight matches played for them seven, eight times for Empoli when they were promoted to Serie A. So yeah, interesting play. It's a very interesting play to watch. Modern plan. I just have to say one other thing. Again, just shows the left backs that Italy have coming through, something that
00:49:26
Speaker
is great it's great to see we have such a depth that left that i mean luckily with cambiaso he can also play on the right and that brings me to the samzambrotta thing you know what i mean like you he gives you because because given that italy have di marco parisi or dodgy well cambiaso can just slide into the right
00:49:46
Speaker
Hopefully, hopefully, yeah, hopefully that will happen. And yeah, and Zambrato is a great chef because Zambrato also started as a forward when he was young. He was a forward, then he moved into a wide midfielder. When he joined Juventus, he was a wide midfielder. And then it was Lippi that had the idea to bring him back as a wingback, as a fullback.
Roma vs Salernitana: Drama and Criticism
00:50:06
Speaker
Yeah. And then he played as a wingback, fullback, right, left, everywhere. Yeah.
00:50:10
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Right, let's move on then. Let's move on to Roma. This was a very entertaining game. A few things to say on this. Let's talk from the Roma point of view first. Andrea Bellotti, Il Gala, 15 months without a goal, what happens? He scores two in one game.
00:50:29
Speaker
Yes, he does. And God bless him. He's got three and one was disallowed. And that was the first one. And I was thinking, oh, God, this is, you know, the gallows curse will never let up. But he didn't let it stop him. Instead, he just buried his head down and does what he always does when he's fit. And that is work hard. Because that's one thing about what Gallo Bellotti, which I think is so admirable is his mental strength and his work rate.
00:50:59
Speaker
He just doesn't stop working hard. He doesn't give up. He's got this kind of never-say attitude about him, which is admirable. I think it shows mental strength, and I really like seeing that. This is a player I really like. I've always liked him.
00:51:19
Speaker
And it's nice to see him delivering. And he scored quite a few different goals as well. The goals he scored, all three of them, albeit one was disallowed, showcased the kind of striker he is.
00:51:34
Speaker
and that he can score goals in many, many different ways. Maybe this is the year. If we're talking about, there's quite a few redemptions, redemption seasons for people, the Vlawic, Kieza, the Kettler who we're going to get to. Well, Bellotti too, because he had an absolutely torrid season last year. It was awful.
00:52:02
Speaker
Um, he didn't score a single goal all year. Um, in Syria, in Syria, in Syria, of course. Yeah. Yeah. But it was just not just that. And he was struggling with fitness because he'd just come back from an injury. And I mean, he was horrible for him and for him to come back and to do what I was kind of expecting him to do. I mean, I've been, I've been thinking ever since, you know, if you want, if you wanted to, I've always thought that if they wanted to replace Jeko Bellotti would be the guy because he's, you know, he's, he's got, you know, the poor man's Jeko even.
00:52:32
Speaker
I've been thinking that for a couple of years, but then last season, he just did not have the physique to back that up. Well, this time around, he sure did. He really did. We'll see. It's a good story. I'm happy for him. I think he's one of the good guys. He's an honest guy.
00:52:51
Speaker
what I would say about Roma. Now I've seen Roma getting a lot of criticism for this game. I'm going to go against the grain here and I'm not going to come out and say I thought they were fantastic, they weren't, but I thought they were very unlucky. I mean if you look at the hard stats in this game,
00:53:08
Speaker
I mean, Roma had an XG of 2.01 in this game. Selenium Turner had an XG of 0.36. Selenium Turner basically created nothing in this game. They scored two wonder goals from Kondreva, which we'll come to. We'll come and talk about Kondreva in a minute. They created a lot of chances. I thought the first half they were in total control. I mean, Selenium Turner basically didn't even get out of their half until Kondreva scored that wonder goal out of nothing to equalize.
00:53:34
Speaker
And we have to remember that Roma were decimated with bands. They had four players suspended or four staff suspended. They had Di Bala suspended, Pellegrini suspended, Mourinho suspended, his assistant, Fotti, is it suspended? The third in charge couldn't take charge because he didn't have the right coaching certificate. So they had to basically wheel out Bruno Conti for the first time in 18 years.
00:54:01
Speaker
I mean if there's anything in more Italian football and anything that is more quintessentially Roma, it is that.
00:54:11
Speaker
But Bruno Conti, when I saw Bruno Conti, I started giggling when I saw that. I was like, of course. It just reminded me of the fact it was Bruno Conti as well. They reminded me when we interviewed Slend a couple of years ago and he said that he wasn't allowed to coach his team when he was appointed manager of coach of head coach of Roma.
00:54:32
Speaker
and he wasn't allowed to because back then only Italian coaches were allowed to coach the team on the pitch. He had Bruno Conti as a player and how he had to
00:54:43
Speaker
communicate with Bruno Conti, he was the captain. Bruno Conti's like, Bruno Conti, they wheel out for everything. In 30 years' time, they'll be like sort of like Alfredo Di Stefano at Real Madrid, for blessing, for christian peace, before he died. They used to just wheel him out. Whenever they needed to be, yes, I'm happy. Coming with his walking stick, like the Stefano there for the cameras. To make everyone happy and feel good.
00:55:10
Speaker
I have to say, I do have one really important point here. Mourinho complained before the game about the Italian system of carrying over yellows to the new season and how he disagrees with it. I agree with him 100%. This is just the umpteenth example of everything that we complain about, about how backward and outdated Italian
00:55:32
Speaker
football and society I guess to an extent Italian football is with everything and you know we obviously we go big on the marketing and and the PR of the league but why on earth in 2020 DJ salad doesn't do it for you on instagram not do it for you carla whatever do you mean
00:55:51
Speaker
I don't even know who he is. That's no exaggeration, by the way. You really don't. But yeah, no, why in 2023 are we are we carrying over yellow cards in the Premier League? The Premier League? What? I don't know how long ago the Premier League stopped long ended this and ended this thing. I mean, it's ridiculous. I mean, I get red cards. I get red cards is fine. Red cards is fine. Yeah.
00:56:19
Speaker
Yellow cards like a cumulative suspensions yellow card from one season to another it's like yeah, why? Like this as well I've read something that that's why Eunice Musa is also suspended from yes, I was gonna say this and he was suspended in Spain
00:56:38
Speaker
They're actually bringing that suspension over. It's just like, oh my god. I love it. No, but like Sven said, Italy is Italy. It will never change. Like we just got accepted. You know, like you said in our interview, Italy is Italy.
00:57:15
Speaker
It's 2023. You say God, oh my God, and you get sent off and suspended. No, if you say other more foul things. I know, but you know what I mean. It's just like... But yeah, blasphemy. Getting suspended for blasphemy is so hilariously Italian in 2023. It's very, very, very funny.
00:57:22
Speaker
It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is. It is what it is.
00:57:36
Speaker
But it is what it is. They're not going to change and there are good aspects about that and then there are bad aspects about that. I just think you can be fluid. You can keep the good of the old and then you can get rid of the bad with the old.
00:57:50
Speaker
bring new influences and create something new, but it is what it is. Yeah. I would want to say do one positive for Romeo. I thought our is going to be a good sign. Told you. He's going to be a good sign. He's a lovely, lovely player. If he's got beautiful feet. Yeah. Beautiful feet. Beautiful, fantastic close ball control technique, tight spaces. Like he's my kind of player. You know, my kind of midfielder, don't you? I go on about it all the time. Players that are good in
00:58:16
Speaker
good short game that can play the triangles, that keep the ball, you know, you're confident as soon as they get the ball they're not going to lose it. Yeah, you can see straight away, you can see he's just naturally, technically, he's just a lovely little player. He's a lovely little player, he's doing a free transfer, it's unbelievable and I think together with Renato Sanchez they can actually do something.
00:58:39
Speaker
I'm looking forward to see some of the triangles between him and Di Bala and Pellegrini as well, if they can somehow get it working together. These are the kind of players that if they can get it working, it's the kind of players that you won't get the ball off them. They'll keep the ball.
00:58:57
Speaker
You know, so I think he's going to be a good sign in. I agree. I think so. But we have to talk about Antonio Candreva. I mean, wow. I mean, absolutely wow. The player of the weekend, and it's not even close. There were other players who scored fantastic. I mean, we already talked about how fantastic Osseman was and how world class both him and Lautaro were. But the player of the weekend is Antonio Candreva. That second goal was insane.
00:59:25
Speaker
like just the entire movement. The way he takes the ball down with his right foot and then blasts his own foot.
00:59:38
Speaker
world class. The thing with Candreva is exactly that. There's this almost phenomenon that is very Italian, although there are examples of it elsewhere as well. I think Matt Leticia is a typical example from way back then. The provincial
00:59:57
Speaker
Genius, you know what I mean? You could never do it at a big club, but at a smaller side, he's absolutely top class. And I'm calling it Lazio, a small side, eh? Well, they're not. They're not one of the big three. I mean, let's be honest, neither are Napoli and neither are Roma. I mean, traditionally, historically, Roma, Lazio, Napoli are just under the Inter Milan Juve.
01:00:18
Speaker
the biggest clubs. And that's just how it is. It's not a dig on Lazio. But it's just that when you came to Inter, even at Lazio, I remember Lazio fans and Lazio journalistic, biggest critiques against him was everything he was criticized for at Inter, just less amplified.
01:00:38
Speaker
because Lazio didn't dominate possession as much or expected to dominate possession as much as Inter were when he was there. He's shown it once more again that he's a fantastic player. The talent is unbelievable. Some of the screamers that he scores
01:01:02
Speaker
Look, this is the level he should be at. He should never have gone team. I know he was at U of A as well, though he was really young then. But you know what I mean? The team's just under the- I think he was unlucky with Juventus and with Inter. He joined those clubs when they were in periods of transition and periods when they weren't at their best and they were reconstructing both of them. So I think he was a little bit unfortunate as well.
01:01:30
Speaker
I think that's fair, that's fair. But I do strongly believe, I feel he's one of the most underrated players of the generation. I mean, some of the criticism I see from some fans of Canjareva, almost like he's a banter player, including from Juventus and Interfans. And I just think...
01:01:47
Speaker
You know, you just don't I'm sorry You just don't understand football because he look at his numbers hundreds got over a hundred goals in his career for club and country I mean you don't score Midfielders wide midfielders do not score over a hundred goals unless you are a top player and that's that's Magnificent goal total for for for a wide no it is there's no doubt about that but I mean this is the problem with kandriva has been the consistency or the The distance between when he's at his absolute highest and the lowest level
01:02:17
Speaker
Antonio Candreva Inter, when he was poor, was genuinely an eyesore to watch. But when he was fantastic, when he hit his those high notes, he was world-class.
Lecce's Upset Over Lazio
01:02:29
Speaker
The problem is the distance. There is no patience at Milan Inter in Juve for players to be this inconsistent or for players to have that high and such those lows. There just isn't that patience. And especially when you don't hit those highs as often,
01:02:45
Speaker
as Candreva didn't do at both Juva and Inta, he wasn't that often that good, then it becomes that you're going to be criticized and you're going to be dragged for it. But I agree with you that he deserves more respect, absolutely.
01:03:02
Speaker
yeah brilliant fantastic 36 years old um okay so talking about kendriva's former club latcio they suffer the shock of the weekend losing two one two leche um and yeah this was i thought this was a potential banana skin before the game um it has to be said that
01:03:22
Speaker
that's who went 1-0 up through Immoble and missed, well I counted at least three huge chances to make it 2-0, maybe four. We have to praise Falcone for that save, surely. The Immoble save. Yeah, I mean wow, yes he was lucky but that was a monster of a save for me.
01:03:49
Speaker
Like, that's one of the candidates for saves of the season, in my opinion. I thought it was truly, truly one fantastic save. Yes, he should have buried it. He had all the gold. All of that is true. But we should give Falcone his props, too, because he was wow. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Let's say he didn't really create anything in this game until the end. When the substitutes came on. Yeah.
01:04:17
Speaker
Yeah, two goals in the last, was it five minutes, eight minutes of the game? And they turn it around and they win 2-1. Federico Di Francesco, who, if I'm not mistaken, is the son of Ossebi of Di Francesco. Ponte's Ankhvis has been getting a lot of praise, though, in pre-season.
01:04:41
Speaker
Well, it's a funny story with him, because he was good, and he was sold for big money to Russia from Iefkonor Shaping, but he's never been hyped in Sweden the same way that someone like Jens Käustär or Jesper Karlsson, or who's on his way to Bologna, by the way, etc. Or, you know, Dejan Koulousevski, he was never hyped on par with them.
01:05:09
Speaker
But this is a good player. He's an interesting player and his technique is actually really good. I mean, if you look at the goal, that's a good damn goal that he scores. Yeah, technically a very good volley. Technically, that's not easy to do. He does have the most awkward
01:05:25
Speaker
celebration. The golf swing, I die. Well, I don't like the golf swing, but I love the little acrobatics before it though. Yeah, fair enough. But the golf swing. We don't see that. I mean, he'll be told to stop doing that. Football club, they tell you to stop doing that because players get injured doing it. Yeah, the golf swing just makes me want to, ugh.
01:05:46
Speaker
Well, yeah, yeah, golf swing. Yeah, I don't know about that, but I love the acrobatics. But we have to say, though, from Latvia's point of view and Sari said it himself, he went ballistic. OK, that is atrocious. Defended on both. But not for not for not closing down Alquist, first of all, which is really bad, unacceptable. You can't have that much time to to volley it. Let the ball drop and volley it like Alquist did. But the second goal
01:06:14
Speaker
you won't see worse defending all seasons than the second of the De Francesco winner. Mr. Patrick involved again, was he? Well, he was playing, so to be fair, Robin Yodie was right there in the thick of it as well. He was, he was. Look, I think
01:06:35
Speaker
I agree with Sarri, but I also blame him a little bit. I think his substitutions were strange. I think taking off Kamala to bring on Vasino was a very unnecessarily defensive substitution. I like that he brought on his Saxon, although his Saxon is going to need time. I don't know. I feel like Lazio are not there.
01:07:05
Speaker
they don't look, they still look like they were in pre-season, if I put it to you like that. And that's not a good sign for Lazio to be in. But look, it's
01:07:20
Speaker
It is what it is. I think this, as we said, and as I said last season, leche away is a difficult game. And leche are a tricky side, and especially at home. And you saw their crowd. Now, I mean, it was a packed via del Mare again. And they really make the difference. It's not an easy ground to come and play at. And I think more teams than Lazio will struggle there.
Atalanta and Fiorentina's Winning Form
01:07:52
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I think that Che will, I think they'll stay up this season. Oh, I think so as well. I hope so. I hope so. I mean, they'll be there or thereabouts, but I think they've got enough. They've got enough there. It was nice to see Da Verza as well. And, you know, of course, with the whole Carlo Mazzone passing away and those links, it was a nice story. It's a nice story.
01:08:13
Speaker
Yeah, it certainly is. Right, we're going over, let's quickly go through the other game. So Sassuolo Atalanta first, Atalanta win 2-0, two late goals. There's only one story here, and that is Charles de Kettler, his first goal in Serie A after a disastrous
01:08:28
Speaker
spell at Milan comes on loan with an option to buy two Atalanta this summer scores with a header he went close before with a big chance he should have buried it that he hit the bar we think again like Bellotti we think and here we go again with with De Kettler and then he scores a header nice header actually very good header it was that he scores and
01:08:50
Speaker
Yeah, this was, I think Atlanta probably in the end deserved to win this game. Zortilla's got a crack in second goal in injury time. Sasuolo had no Berardi, Laurente, two fantastic shots that they went closer rather than that. Yeah, didn't offer too much Sasuolo. But I think it was still overshadowed by the serious injury to El Bilaltore.
01:09:13
Speaker
who is going to be out for what it seems like is going to be out most of the season. That is a disaster. That is so unlucky. That's a disaster for them. It really is, isn't it? That's going to condition their season. It really is going to condition it. Absolutely. Absolutely. They win this game, but you're wary for the effects that's going to have on there.
01:09:33
Speaker
their attack, which Gomaka played, he had his debut, decent debut, and Atalanta are off. And so if Fiorentina, they thrashed the newly promoted Genoa 4-1 away, Artur getting big cloud hits for his performance. He was outstanding. Fiorentina sent to midfield without Amrabbat.
01:09:53
Speaker
Bonaventura, Mandragora, and Arthur really, really dominated. Bonaventura is a cis, and Mandragora is absolutely genius. I'm sorry, if Messi had done that, or De Bruyne, we'd be seeing it non-stop online. A kind of disguise, reverse, chip-through ball, almost a no-look, almost. If it was called Bonaventino, everyone would be raving over it.
01:10:18
Speaker
what a messy or something. Yeah. No, he was that that was that was beautiful. There's no doubt about that. There's no it was beautiful. Nico Gonzalez in the air as well. He is the one of the most underrated players in the area. We're underrated full stop, but he is a beast in the air. He leaps, talking about Osseman leaping. Nico Gonzalez, he can jump, I tell you.
01:10:43
Speaker
No, you can't. I really enjoyed Fiorentina, this game. And I thought they were cohesive. And they were, they didn't look, sometimes last season when they created so much, I just felt there was a little bit too frantic. I didn't think they were frantic this time around. I think they looked in control and in compose. Control, for more control performance. Yeah. And, and killers. Up front, they have killers. And
01:11:09
Speaker
Look, Rolando Mandragora is one of my favorite players, so I'm not going to wax too much about him. But the more he plays and scores, the happier I am. But now their midfield was lovely. And Artur Melo, what a debut. I mean, if Vincenzo Italiano can get him to play like this weekend, you have one of the best midfielders in the Serie A right there. I wonder if Juve won't bring him back afterwards. I mean, if he's going to play like that.
01:11:36
Speaker
You know how much I rate the guy. I really do. I really rate him. It depends on the manager because I think we both agree that if he can't work under Italiano, then it has to come to a point where we say, Arthur, it's your fault because there isn't a more ideal coach for him than Italiano, somebody that wants his centre midfielder to break the lines and take risks. And Arthur, that is his game. He's great in over the first five yards at breaking the press and not losing the ball and just moving it on. So
01:12:04
Speaker
Yeah, that was good. Unzallah debut, he got an assist. But the one thing that really made me smile in this game was that Italiano gave Keode a start right back and he was and he was really good. And it's really I was really, really because in our preview for the new season, one of the things I said is I want to see some of the Euro under 19 winners and the under 20 World Cup finalists. I want to see these players be given more of a chance this season.
01:12:29
Speaker
That was one of the things I said. And so it was really, you know, he's the guy that scored the winner in the Euro 19 final. He was fantastic in that final. He actually played as a right winger, but he's kind of generally been playing more as a right back. And so that was really good. And I hope that he can, yeah, he can play a lot this season for Fiorentina and he's got a good coach to help him develop as well.
Verona's Narrow Victory
01:12:50
Speaker
So that was, I'm really happy. I'm really, really happy to see that.
01:12:54
Speaker
Okay, the other game was Empoli, Neil Verona one, not a great game. It's between the two teams that we both think are going to go down as well. Bonnetzoli scored a late winner after a terrible mistake by the goalkeeper, Caprillo dropped the corner straight onto his lap and Bonnetzoli stuck it away, recording this on the afternoon of Monday. So on Monday evening, we have Torino Caliari and then Bologna versus Milan. So those are the games to finish match day one.
01:13:24
Speaker
Right. Just before we do that, I just have to say, Empolihelas, Caprillo, I mean, Vicario is so missed at Empoli. If we're talking about players being missed at their clubs, I can't think of anyone more missed than Guglielmo Vicario, honestly. Caprillo is quite highly rated though, isn't he?
01:13:48
Speaker
yeah but uh i mean he's basically on the 21s you know he's basically on the 21 national team he's owned by Napoli i mean i know he's quite highly rated but yeah that was a terrible but it's not just that it was the entire state it was not just that the the all throughout the game and same with Montipoe it was a battle of two really poor goalkeeper yeah Montipoe i've never been a fan of it's just
01:14:08
Speaker
But yes, Empoli were unlucky. Razvan Marin hit the crossbar and free kick and this was such an important win for Helas to win away against Empoli. To Baldansi put a pass on a plate to Giazi. Yeah, I just wondered that. Yeah, no, no, but this is such an important win for Verona and the relegation battle. Empoli's attack is, we said it though, didn't we? We said apart from Baldansi, they don't have nothing to attack. I don't have any.
01:14:41
Speaker
We'll be really quick on this. We can go into more depth on this before the Italy's first game against Macedonia was only in just over a couple of weeks, so we'll talk about this more then.
Luciano Spalletti as Italy's New Coach
01:14:50
Speaker
Spoletti has been now confirmed as the new Italy coach. There's been no word from Napoli or De Laurenti since then, so we don't know if there's going to be a legal battle.
01:14:59
Speaker
on this, but he signed a contract with Italy until the 2026 World Cup. He has been officially confirmed by Italy. This is great news for Italy, isn't it, Nima?
01:15:11
Speaker
It's for every reason we reiterated last Thursday. We were on the Thursday pod and also on Monday, last Monday. And again, this is the ideal coach for Italy to replace Roberto Mancini. The work that Roberto Mancini leaves, the football, the structures in place, I think there is no one better suited to take that to the next level and to the next step and continue on that.
01:15:37
Speaker
than Luciano Spalletti. I really can't think of anyone better suited. Also, where he is in his career, age-wise, the football he plays, he just ticks every box, and also the character he is.
01:15:54
Speaker
And I think now all of Italy will also will fall in love with Spaletone like I have and many of us have. He is a character. He's very, very charming. He's a bit of an oddball, but people like that. And I think one thing that he was very good at at all these clubs is to build a group and unite players behind him.
01:16:18
Speaker
And I think with Italy, he's at the right place at the right time to do so. And I actually think now Italy can win the Euros, honestly. I really think Italy can retain the European trophy title. It would be mad if they did, but I think they can.
01:16:35
Speaker
Yeah, well, let's make sure we qualify. Let's make sure we qualify first. Jesus Christ. Yes, that's true. You're absolutely right. We Italy have to first qualify for the Euros. Yeah, let's walk before we can run. But yeah, I hope so. And I think he's the ideal coach. We'll talk about more about it in a couple of weeks. I'm very interested to see who his first squad is. I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled. Yeah, me too. Right. Let's do Bad Gio and Prim Face of the Week.
01:17:03
Speaker
Okay, Badgio, I'll get the two minor ones out the way first. Antonio Candreva, of course, for those two incredible goals. Also, I'm going to give a shout out to Cesare Casade, who scored a 90-second-minute winner for Leicester against Cardiff on his debut. He's got Enzo Maresca as his coach there, and Maresca has been described as another of the growing Bancavela peps out there.
01:17:31
Speaker
So I think he could be good for the development of Casade. There's only one. It's got to be Candreva, no? I mean, as much as Osimene and Lautaro were fantastic in Candreva. Well, Candreva, yes. But I also want to give a shout out to Carlo Mazzoni as well, who died at the age of 86. We saw Minute Silence across all the games. We saw some
01:17:56
Speaker
some lovely words from a number of figures from his career, Pep Guardiola, who actually wore a Carlo Mazzoni shirt, which was emblazoned with that legendary moment from the Atalanta versus Brescia game, which is what Mazzoni is most famous for in his career, when Atalanta were beating Brescia 3-1 in the Derby,
01:18:22
Speaker
between these two teams that hate each other. And Mazzoni had been getting abuse from the Atalanta Ultras for the entire game. And then Brescia scored two late goals to equals, including a last minute in injury time, last minute, last kick of the game, free kick from Roberto Baggio. And Mazzoni then just lost the plot. He ran from the dugout.
01:18:45
Speaker
all the way over to the Curva where where all the the Ultras at Atlanta Ultras were and he just went ballistic. It was like it was hilarious because he was almost about seven it was probably like about 67 68 years old and he looked older like he always looked a lot older than he was and he run over there like waving his fist you know like old man shouts at cloud kind of like you know that kind of impression and he just went ballistic and started cursing the all the fans it was just
01:19:14
Speaker
It's iconic. It's iconic. It is very iconic. And yeah, no, I mean, look for for Ascoli, who he's a club legend of Ascoli as a player and a coach. And then, of course, you know, he brought Lecha to Serie A. He was a he is from Rome. Absolutely. Absolutely. And he brought them to Serie A in eighty seven, eighty eight. He
01:19:42
Speaker
he was, if I remember correctly, he was also, you know, he was a Romanista through and through and he managed to coach Roma with a young Francesco Totti as well. So no, he was a classic, he's a classic character and coach of Italian football that has parted this earth.
01:20:06
Speaker
And the Bologna as well, he was coach Bologna when they got to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1999 and they got absolutely cheated, one of the biggest anti-Italian discrimination that we've ever seen. Yeah, with Kenneth Anderson, when we interviewed him, he spoke about it, didn't he? Kenneth Anderson, who mentions that he's... One of the biggest fights we've seen, free for all, was between the two teams after that game.
01:20:31
Speaker
Yeah, and Kenneth Anderson, as he told us, he didn't know about this because he was so angry, he went into the dressing room. And after 10, 15 minutes, when no one came in, he wondered what's going on, where is everybody? And he goes out and sees the fight. It's a great story. Make sure to check that out. It's on our Patreon. Make sure to check that out. Absolutely.
01:20:52
Speaker
Right, let's talk about, we should also say that he also made Pierlo into Odigista. He was him that turned into Odigista.
Serie A History & Tributes
01:21:01
Speaker
That pressure team had Pierlo, Baccio and Guardiola. One of the most beautiful goals ever scored in the Serie A is a Pierlo now vintage classic trademark pass.
01:21:13
Speaker
to Roberto Bajo, 40, 50, 60 meters down to Roberto Bajo, who equals that pass by, you know how football players, magical football players, when they take the ball down, the ball dies on their feet like a pancake. Do you know what I mean? That's how the ball, the ball just lands on his foot softly.
01:21:32
Speaker
and he goes past the goalkeeper and scores it. It's one of the most beautiful goals I've ever seen. I have always said that's the best first touch in football history. The best first touch in football history because he managed to, with his first touch, take it round the goalkeeper, his first touch, like was with a 50-yard ball lifted over him.
01:21:55
Speaker
from the skies and he watched it come down, which is already a ridiculously hard skill as a footballer to do when you see it come down on you from the sky and then he took it round the goalkeeper with his first touch and then side footed it into the open net with his second touch with his left foot. I mean, insane. Right, let's finish off with prim face of the week. Yeah. We have... I've got two. Yeah, I've got those and mine as well. Get this. Especially the first one.
01:22:26
Speaker
The first one. Yeah, so Gary Neville commentating on Tottenham against Manchester United. We should give a shout out to Vicario as well, actually, on the bad shows. He had a great performance against many of them. Really good. After a difficult debut.
01:22:40
Speaker
Prem face of the week, yeah, Gary Neville. So he remarked during the game that Destiny Odoji is uncomfortable receiving the ball. Those were his words. He was saying how basically the Tottenham players should be careful with passing the ball to Odoji in kind of built up areas because he's not comfortable receiving it. Then he went on to basically be one of the best players on the pitch. He totally took out completely
01:23:08
Speaker
Completely silenced Anthony. To be fair, it's not really that hard. He was great going the other way as well. He was, he's, he's had a great start to his, he's had a very good start to his, to his Premier League career at Dodgy. So that's really good to see. So yeah, your friend Gary Neville. And the second one, he's just,
01:23:33
Speaker
I wonder, does he not realise that human beings can hear him when he talks? Nowadays, most of the things you say are recorded forever, like they're immortalised. He's a meme. I wonder if he's actually an actor playing a character at some points.
01:24:00
Speaker
with this guy and it's starting to feel like that. I mean, just that whole thing of mini retirement. Who refers to Mark Goldbridge? Maybe he's like Mark Goldbridge. Gary Neville's not his real name and he's actually got an Italian name. He's an Italian guy.
01:24:15
Speaker
No, but the mini retirement thing, I still can't get over that. Discovering live on a podcast what the weekend is, discovering live on a podcast what a holiday is, a mini retirement. It's like something that Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais wrote, like a sketch. No, never mind. I'll leave it at that.
International Football News & Criticism
01:24:44
Speaker
Well, as we're talking, I've just been told that Mason Green with his leave in Manchester United by mutual consent. That's literally just come to me. Many night they're going to make an announcement at three o'clock today. Well, we've got a question on that in our Q&A pod.
01:25:02
Speaker
OK, well, we'll talk about that then. Right. And the other one I want to say is England. I'm not actually sure who is responsible for this, if it's the England English F.A. or if it's the English government or if it's like the council that's responsible for for Wembley or
01:25:19
Speaker
You know, I probably should have done more research. But all I know is that it was announced that the statues before the final, before the women's World Cup final, it was announced that the England women's team would have statues built for them to commemorate their their World Cup. And
01:25:40
Speaker
it's yeah it's just the classic old celebrating before you even won and what happened in the final they lost to Spain. Why does England, this is just again another classic act of the prem face like celebrating and cheering
01:25:58
Speaker
you know, that your victory before you've actually won anything and boasting that you're the best before you've won anything. It's just a hallmark of the premise. We saw it before the Euro 2020 final when they were talking about Gareth Southgate getting a knighthood and, you know, we see it, you know, like you said to your friends on TalkSport that time, how before every single tournament England are the favourites and England are going to win. That's not true.
01:26:24
Speaker
Yeah, that's not true. Bloody rubbish. You got so rattled. I still can't believe that actually happened. That is genuinely one of the most bizarre moments in my life when I saw Martin Samuel. I triggered him to the point where he wrote a bloody op-ed or a column about it a week and a half later in the Times. Bizarre, absolutely bizarre. So anyway, this was the latest of building statues for the England women's team when
01:26:54
Speaker
You know, again, I don't know the process of how this came about. Well, I do understand it's a little bit unfair. No, I just don't. It's just something you don't announce. You don't make an announcement of this before the final. No, that's fair. And I think that's fair enough. You don't count your chickens before. And then in that case, it's the media's fault. You know, but listen, whichever you want. Here's the thing. Here's the thing is the thing.
01:27:15
Speaker
They won the Euros and they reached the World Cup Final. So I can understand that they wanted to turn that into a statue. I just think because that's a historic feat. I mean, there's no doubt about that. Winning tournaments at home and then following that up with reaching the World Cup Final, that's the greatest thing you can do at an international level. So I understand that they want to praise them. I'm just with you on the timing of the announcement.
01:27:39
Speaker
You know what I mean? Like maybe wait after the final, we do the whole statue celebratory thing. That's just my two cents. That's the only thing.
01:27:50
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Right, let's leave it at that. Right, we've gone really long today. I guess it's the first weekend of the season and it's the transfer window still open as well, so it's very busy. Right, okay, we'll be back on Tuesday for the Q&A and on Thursday we will have something. We're working on, it's gonna be transfer related. We're trying to get a guest on to do one last kind of transfer window.
01:28:17
Speaker
round up looking at what all the big clubs are going to do because there's a lot of business that's still going to be done with Juventus, with Inter, with Napoli, with all through the board. The teams are all going to be doing a lot of business. So there is a lot to talk about and it would be fantastic if we can, but it is also very, very difficult.
01:28:34
Speaker
because the journalists are so busy now into the last week of the window that it's not easy getting them. So we'll try our best. If we can't, we will do our own show where we will talk about all the transfers that happen. Pavard might be done by Thursday. Juventus probably would have sold some players by then. There will be more players coming and there will be stuff to talk about. And we'll also be able to preview the weekend and also talk about Milan.
01:29:00
Speaker
Milan versus Bologna and the two games that are being played this evening. So that will be loads more, it will still be a great show. Okay, see you on Tuesday everyone. Until then, ciao ciao.