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00:00:01
Lautaro ROCKET Fires Roma Into Crisis, Juventus Late Show, Napoli & AC Milan win, Retegui On Fire & Much More (Ep. 463)
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From Lautaro Martinez rocket for Inter Milan sends Roma into a full-fledged crisis, Douglas Luiz misses sitter and lucky not to get sent off when Juventus beat unlucky Lazio, AC Milan down to 10-men again but return to winning ways, Napoli win after penalty kick gift, to Mateo Retegui continues to be prolific for Atalanta, to refereeing horror-show in all games mentioned costing Udinese the most, the injury epidemic continues, plus preview of all Serie A clubs matches in Champions League, Europa League and Conference League as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from Match Day 8 of the 2024/2025 Serie A season.
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Transcript
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. hello everybody and welcome to the italian football podcast the official podcast of football italia i'm carla garganeszi joined as always by nimitav ali on today's show we will react to the weekend sellingat action as a latare martinez rocket wins the big sunday evening game against Roma putting the Romans into crisis. Napoli though stay top of Serie A with another win as they narrowly beat an excellent emply side 1-0. Juventus just about beat 10-man Lazio with a late Mario Gila own goal
00:00:39
Speaker
and 10 men Milan beat Udenezer 1-0 as Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomore were dropped for disciplinary reasons. Matteo Reticu can't stop scoring for Atalanta, while Fiorentina hit Lecce for six. We'll look ahead to the Champions League match day three and we also have our usual bad show, Prem Face and Celia Ass of the Week. It was ah something of a prendemic over the international break.
00:01:05
Speaker
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00:01:28
Speaker
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00:01:52
Speaker
Okay, let's get into today's show. So we'll start off with the Sunday evening game at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Roma against Inter. Inter win 1-0 thanks to ah a rocket of a goal from Lautaro Martinez. So let's start there from the Inter points of view, Nima. And this is a big, big win for Inter. And it's a big, big goal from Lautaro Martinez.
00:02:17
Speaker
Well, excuse me, before um before the the the international break, I said that we we'll start to understand where inter-season goes when when we go right into it after the Roma game, because that's a must-win game, because it's a game that Inter would have probably won last season. um They didn't dominate like they did last season,
00:02:44
Speaker
um but But they created more than enough chances to win, um and they defended well. I think they looked really, really good defensively, although Jan Sommer did give everyone a heart attack early on.
00:03:01
Speaker
um But they did they did create chances, they kind of imposed themselves on on the game, but they still don't they still not feel like they're fully match fit yet. and And now with injuries, again, you know you've got a cherby with a muscle injury, Chalanoglu, hopefully said,
00:03:17
Speaker
you know say well the Nzagi said after the game that hopefully he caught that in time. um But they still managed to win. um and And that's what's that's the most important thing there for Inter. There were some, you know, not just in this game, but the refereeing, I remember saying before that match day seven was horrible. The six first days were great and match day seven, they lost it. Well, match day eight was a complete shit show. It was a complete shit show.
00:03:44
Speaker
You have two Last Man Red cards in Romagnoli and Reinders. You don't have it here with Christante. You've got penalties given in one game that were though we're not given in other games that were not. There were far more penalties. You have punches in stomachs when balls aren't there. The VAR was sleeping. And and it's it's it's annoying because this is exactly everything we were fearing, um that they're going to turn the league into a shit show.
00:04:10
Speaker
um and and Again, Christante, Last Man Challenge on Turam, that has to be a red card if Romanioli and those others are as well. These are all happening in the same rounds. And it seems that whatever Rocky needed to do over the international break, he's not done it well enough. um And they're not applying their own set of standards across the board. And this is what creates problems in the Serie A. But, you know, we'll get to all those other discussions when we get to those games.
00:04:42
Speaker
but i feel i feel inter it was a i wasn't worried when watching this game um if i'm perfectly honest with you i think inter um were have shown incredible maturity in terms of growth and and they're a big team now they they struggle but they win they have injuries but they have depth and they manage to resolve them um these these problems but um It was an important win for Inter, for sure. Not the best of wins, not the most convincing of wins, but it was a win. And above all, finally, they kept a clean sheet. And Stefan De Frei, I have to say, I thought he was one of the best players on the pitch when he came up. Yeah, I thought that was the biggest positive from the game, for Inter, was their defence. I thought they defended very, very well. and Because, i yeah, I didn't think it was a great performance from Inter. They're midfield. I didn't think they played very well in midfield. I know they got injuries. so
00:05:37
Speaker
and they didn't they never really control the game but they were very they were very very strong defensively and and you know that was yeah that that was probably the reason why they they they won this game and as well as obviously Roma will come to Roma in a bit, it was two terrible mistakes that led to the Inter winner. In terms of negatives for Inter,
00:06:03
Speaker
Yeah, I thought up until the goal, Inter really didn't really create much at all. they had a i was little because I was watching closely, they had a 0.3 XG until the goal. And and even the goal itself, was was it was really a piece of world-class brilliance after two mistakes. um But then having said it, they they could probably should have killed off the game after Dunfries had a couple of good chances.
00:06:29
Speaker
um so You know, it was ah it was a tight game. It was a kit it it was ah a very fiercely contested game. I think it probably on the balance of play, it probably a draw probably would have been a more fair result. But I think interdefinitely, yeah, they they took a step forward in terms of solidity, in terms of the defensively. And also now, you know, they've they've got three wins in a row since that Milan also, they've recovered very well from the the the loss in the Derby, and they've they've come they've put a run of three wins together, which sets up the the game against Juventus. The Derby did tell you this weekend really nicely for them. So I think it's is's you know is is is a positive for Inter. um the the other The biggest negative, obviously, is the injuries, which we'll come to in a bit, because we've got a segment on that, and two injuries in the first 25 minutes. But for me, I think if we can move on to Roma now, I think that the biggest talking point is Roma.
00:07:25
Speaker
really more so than Inter in this game. but We saw the limitations of of Roma again, um everything that I've said, why I'm worried for them this season. We saw that in this game because I think overall, I think they did all right in this game. they they I think they deserve to draw. They actually had a higher XG than Inter in this game.
00:07:44
Speaker
But at the same time, they didn't do enough, really, um overall, in both both going both offensively and defensively. i And if we took if we talk about them defensively, I mean, that's just a complete disaster, the goal that they conceded. So it's a horror show. Zalevsky slips, slips over in his own half, which allows him to counter. You just can't make a mistake that Zalevsky makes. And then Chelyk, I mean, what the hell is he doing? He comes across,
00:08:14
Speaker
on the top of the penalty area to intercept the ball and the and he lits and he just <unk> passes it straight to Laltaro. You just cannot make those kinds of defensive mistakes. That's just um that's unforgivable. So that's the defensive side of things. They've they've given ah given away a goal.
00:08:32
Speaker
then We go the other side of the pitch to the to the offensively, and they they really have a scoring problem. Because even in a game like this where you know they they did OK, how many clear chances did they did they did they did they create in this game? How many big saves did some have to make in this game? But but virtually nothing.
00:08:51
Speaker
you know nothing um that' on their you know That's that's on their attack. And you look at this, the bigger picture. Roma have eight goals in eight games this season in Serie A. They have nine goals in 10 games in all competitions. That's included in two Europa League games. They have one goal in their last three matches, four games where they fail to score in. yeah They've spent all that money on attackers. in And they spent almost $70 million on Dov Bic and Sulei.
00:09:19
Speaker
And, you know, they look like they've got, you know, they've got, they have talent in attack, you know, they've got the Bala, they've got Dov Bic, they've got Bal Dansi, who came on and looked quite lively when he come on. They've got Sulay that came on, and you know, they've got attacking, they've got attackers there. But, you know, as I've said, since the start of the season, when people were criticising me for criticising the transfer market,
00:09:41
Speaker
There's no, you know, the the the pieces don't fit together in a work. There's nothing coherent here. I mean, you had De Rossi there and then you unceremoniously got rid of him. And he wasn't happy with what he had. He wanted to get rid of the ballet team, but then they didn't. And now you've got Jorich there. And I don't see how you bring in Ivan Jorich. And after your big, one of your big splashes in the summer was Mathias Soleil. He doesn't fit into his football.
00:10:07
Speaker
At least not from what I thought beforehand, and um kind of we're seeing that kind of play out now as well. He's he's a wide-winger in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, however you want to say it, but he he can't play in the system. It just doesn't work. And so you're going to bench him? it's just it's I don't get it. I just don't get it. And I wonder if what they do now with Sule Because are they going to sack you rich now? OK, well, then who do you bring in? We have a question in the Q and&A episode about Sulay and whether him or but Douglas Louise is the bigger flop this season. So let's let's let's kind of park that. And, you know, for those of you that want to listen and subscribe to us on Patreon to 99 a month. And and and we we that's one of our questions, many questions that we get in what's become actually it's actually become our most popular episode. Yeah, it is. It's our Q&A.
00:11:00
Speaker
We get all these great great questions where we can go into stuff deeper than we do on this episode so we will talk about that but I agree, Sulay's a big problem and he he he only gets brought on with like 10 minutes to go when they're chasing the game as basically as their last is their last sub as well. um So you know again it's the construction of the team and the construction of the attack um is the reason you know why they're struggling to to create and score goals and then when you add in Ivan Urich as well who fer throughout his the numbers show it for throughout his career has struggled to create chances and score goals then again it's it's gonna be difficult you know there's lots of
00:11:38
Speaker
Concerns um um undeniable concerns for the Roma facts and we saw that before we saw that didn't we that they they the the kurva went on a Protest they didn't they didn't enter the stadium until 15 minutes into the game as a protest against the ownership against the free kids Against the the decisions they've been making with the coaches second there Ozzy the you know the the the competency that of the board of the of the club, you know the transfer market and the owners now getting involved with Everton, you know, it's you a concern
00:12:10
Speaker
It's turning into a Roman nightmare for them. um Again, Isaac Mourinho, who was the most popular coach, de husons capel you kind of mitigate that by bringing in De Rossi, the blowback from that. He does well, you permanently appoint him and then you get rid of De Rossi like that. It's just... you know, this, this is, this was going, if they were going to get rid of De Rossi, they should have done it last summer or in the summer but when the season ended, then they wouldn't have been as bad because you'd have a whole summer. You can kind of say, well, he wasn't like it at all. He was just coming in to, you know, see the season through and we want to go elsewhere. And that's fine. That would have, that would have been, that wouldn't, you know, it wouldn't have been popular, but it would have been and understandable and people would have moved on. You permanently appoint De Rossi. I mean, after Totti in the modern age,
00:12:59
Speaker
There is nobody. De Rossi is is is is ah is a king there. He's incredibly popular. He can't do that at a club like Roma. And now it's all kind of exploding in the faces. And then whilst all of this is going on, they've bought another club in the Premier League. like Nah, it's turning into a complete and utter Roman Chitchel. When they're tempting the table now, I mean, just look at the two wins in 10 matches this season in all competitions. Complete chaos. Those wins are against bottom of the table Venezia and against the team Udenese, although they've had a good start to the season, or again, a team that are
00:13:36
Speaker
really a team that kind of you know they're there to survive and fight against relegation and so you know is is it's been it's been a very very difficult starts the season and I think it's right I mean they're calling it a crisis in in ah in in Italy I think it's yeah I think it's right to call it a crisis not just based on the results but just like everything all of it everything I just detailed everything I just listed is is why you call it a crisis um and I wonder how they get themselves out of this because, okay, the best way to calm everyone down this to bio is by winning games. but the And I'm sure they will get back to winning form. They'll sort it out. But it's it's all these other things that will annoy that piazza. And it's a very special piazza. I mean this' not i think theyre they're going to finish top six, top seven. Yeah, me too. Because there isn't really any other teams that can, do you know what I mean? but
00:14:32
Speaker
If we think, I mean, there's there they're just not going to be in the top four. There's just no there's just no chance. and No, not like this. It's depressing, not so much that they're not going to get in the top four. It's depressing that we're in the middle of October and I think everybody realises the season's over in terms of top four. with It's just not going to happen. We can see the problems and the the weaknesses are too clear. And that's I think that's depressing, isn't it? That you've already kind of given up on the season.
00:15:01
Speaker
Yeah. By a little October. And that's that that's unfortunate, that is. man And that will piss off. You know, and that's another thing, because they were really excited about this season. They had De Rossi, they had they had ah they bought some players that excited the fan base. You know, they were at the airport and, you know, that stuff that fans like to do in Italy. But then it all just kind of the wheels came off and the wheels feel like they're coming off of this Friedkin project, um the sporting wise. And I wonder, what are they going to do now?
00:15:30
Speaker
um Are they going to? Well, the fact that they bought Everton gives them ah say a backup option, but it gives them something that they can go to if they want to get out of Roma now. Do you know what I mean? that's but I don't care about that. But my my point is exactly that. That's a problem for Roma. With all due respect to Everton, I don't give a shit about them. I'm talking about Roma and what happens to Roma. And when they've got something else that they care more about that brings in more money,
00:16:00
Speaker
then what the hell is going on? That's what I mean. I mean, in terms of what their ambitions are going forward, maybe they think, well, you know what, we bought Everton. Now we can actually get out of Roma like we've got something else to do. So let's just maybe they put the I don't know. Maybe they put I hope they sell the club at this point. I really do. I think if it's going to be like this, then they might as well just cut their losses and sell Roma to somebody who's who's committed to the Roma project because Roma deserve it and and Rome deserves it. And Serie A deserves it. And that fan base deserves it. And You can't have an ownership that gets these important things wrong time after time. Having said that though, they spent the money this summer like they but they like they they they they did have ambitions. You know wasn't they didn't not you can't say they didn't. But it wasn't coherent. funny It's just that they was they were incompetent. in the Yeah, and it wasn't coherent. There was no coherent strategy. And the new the new sporting director and... and what I mean, it just feels so... Yeah, in the case of De Rossi, which was incompetence as well. by you know
00:16:57
Speaker
the way they handled the way they handled it. That that woman handled it. you know is Well, she, that woman got her marching orders afterwards, didn't she? or see She resigned, what happened? She got a pink slip. But no, it's it's it's not it's not good at all. And and I hope, for all my sake, they sort it out. I'll tell you what else isn't good is the number of injuries in football. We already did a couple of what I did a couple of weeks ago. I did an interview about the the ACL epidemic in football.
00:17:26
Speaker
But if we look at injuries as a whole, it's a huge, huge problem. There's a massive injury crisis at so many Italian clubs right now. Juventus are completely decimated. I mean, they can barely put out a bench right now. I mean, it's horrific, Juventus' injury crisis. Inter now as well, decimated in midfield. They lost two players in the first 25 minutes of this game against Roma with Telenoglu.
00:17:49
Speaker
and a chairbye and they've already got a lot of injuries in midfield already. At Atlanta, their Scudetto chances were were destroyed before the season even began because of because of injury. You know, two ACLs, two Skamaka and s Scalvini, and their defence is completely decimated right now. They've got so many players out in defence. Bologna, completely decimated. They're without half their first team at the moment. Genoa, if they're not enough in crisis already. They're without seven first-team players. It's horrific, their injury crisis.
00:18:19
Speaker
I could go on and on, that's just in Serie A. You know, then, I mean, if you want to go around Europe and see all all the injury problems ah around Europe and other leagues, you know, we've got Euro 2024 that we saw, I mean, Italy were decimated for that for that tournament, so many key players injured, the Netherlands the same, I mean, so many, the football was really bad, the teams looked exhausted, all the big all the big teams I thought were were really poor, except for maybe, except for Spain and maybe Germany weren't too bad.
00:18:47
Speaker
um So, you know, there's that. And then there's what is becoming a really, really big discussion point now around Europe is the increase in games around Europe. I mean, this season, the Champions League increased by four games a season, two more group games, an extra knockout round. There's this ridiculous club World Cup at the end of the season. The World Cup's been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
00:19:16
Speaker
The nation's league is replaced friendly. It's the same number of games, but they're more they obviously they're more competitive games. And we haven't had, as I've said so many times, in this but we haven't had a proper season break since before the Covid pandemic, since the summer of 2019. That's the last time that the players actually had a had a proper break, either in the summer or or a season break before the new season started. um So this has all led to you know a lot of complaints. Rodger, you said earlier this season talking about the threat of strike. And then I saw Marotta was very strong with his words before the game. This was before the game against throwing out the way, before these two injuries. And he said, and I read out his quotes, he said,
00:19:58
Speaker
There have been circuit 100 injuries for players who also have international duty and we need to safeguard their health. It is not an easy situation because we need, we need to sit around the table and recognize that the fixture list has to be cut back. What we need and currently do not have is a single place where all those involved can meet and discuss it together. There are activities for clubs, for UEFA, for FIFA, and that confrontation has only just begun. The number of games must be reduced because the pace of the sport is now so high that it leads to more errors and more injuries, far superior to the average that we've seen in
00:20:34
Speaker
Previous year so I'm gonna make this very simple when asked is very simple too much should footballers go on strike I Think it's it's if it continues like this it'll be an inevitable I mean I've said it many many times when we've discussed this topic that something horrible will happen before something is done and I'm i'm scared that I'm scared that we will we will end up there soon and Well, hasn't something really horrible happened? No, I mean horrible as in death. Someone will die, like permanently injure themselves in a very horrible way, because before something before they do something about it. Unfortunately, that's just how how they work, how how it works. um that some ah They don't do anything to stop something horrible happening, but once it happens, then everyone takes a you know then they have to stop and calm down.
00:21:28
Speaker
but i think it's I think we're headed towards a tragedy um and a tragedy um that will lead to to something being done because you know the the only other option is you know extending the squad sizes to 25, 27, 28, up to 30 in order to be able to handle this because it's too many games. Marotta was asked that as well, by the way.
00:21:58
Speaker
He was asked that and he basically he kind of said what I think which is it's not really workable because you know it's just not workable from logistically just but also from like in terms of you know how do you how do you it's impossible to train 30 players it's impossible it's just it's just not workable on a training ground and some clubs can't afford it either you know it's and also What will happen is because that the stakes are so high and because you know if you're challenging for titles or you're playing big knockout games, you end up playing your best players. You know but you you don't you don't rotate and risk players because you know you want to win. and And so I don't think that would work either. No, I don't think so either. um But that's the only other option.
00:22:47
Speaker
But yeah, I do think that they should do something. I think the players unions should put their foot feet down. And I think they'll probably have support from the clubs here as well to a certain extent because clubs don't enjoy paying players wages, high wages when they can't play them because they're injured.
00:23:05
Speaker
and they need to work this out. The number of games need to be worked, need to be reduced. I, you know, my position, I think we should go back to an 18 team Serie A. I like the new format of the Champions League, but I think there's too many teams in it. I'd like to keep the format, but keep it like it was before with six games. um And yeah, but that's pretty much where I am with it. I think that this club World Cup in the season, the players now, they need to really put their foot down and and just say, we're not playing it. Enough is enough. It's a joke. we're all Listen, we haven't even played this club World Cup and look at the number, at the increase in injuries and the increase in ACL injuries.
00:23:49
Speaker
and we know that but fatigue and exhaustion is is the the biggest factor with with ACL injuries because it weakens the muscles and it puts too much pressure on on like the ACL and that's what happens. um and you know is is We haven't even played the club world cup and we're already the epidem the ACL epidemic and this injury epidemic is already, I mean, it's there to be seen. We've seen the numbers, the numbers speak for themselves. um We haven't even played the club World Cup yet. You know, what's going to happen once you've played that club World Cup and we have another summer with no break. And then we go into the 2026 World Cup and expanded World Cup where there's another summer without break. And then we go into that. Can you imagine that 20, can you imagine the 2026, 2070s when we've had six years in a row and they break?
00:24:38
Speaker
I mean, you think it's bad now with injuries? What's it going to be like then? It's just absurd. If I'm the players, put your foot down and say, we're not playing. And if you are, and if they do end up going, if I'm a player and um and then and my team is going to, I'm just taking injury. i'm doing I'm doing like Ryan Giggs used to do for Man United.
00:24:57
Speaker
and just just pretend you're injured before every international game, like he used to do before every Wales game. He used to just pretend he was injured. Ferguson used to say, him just say you're injured, don't go. I'm not going to that club World Cup. I'm feigning injury and I'm saying, you know what, I don't care about this Mickey Mouse tournament. um I'm going to be fit for the next season. I want a proper rest and I'm um um'm thinking of the World Cup in 2026. I'm not playing. That's what the players should do.
00:25:22
Speaker
rather rather than playing against. I don't think it's the club World Cup as such. I think that's just too reactionary to just look at that and point at that. It's all of it. It's all of it. Yes. But this is one thing as an example. Yeah, I know. I know. But I'm saying if you want to do something properly because you remove the club World Cup, that's three games group stages, potentially eight games all all along. Fine. I get that. That's not a lot. The problem is the nation's league. The problem is more games in the Champions League that never stops. Just keeps going, rolling, rolling every single week.
00:25:51
Speaker
because of increased there. Too many games in the leagues. If you're going to do something, you need to do it across the board. I think the Champions League format is great with the with the way that the draw is, not having group stages like that, but a league stage. Fewer games. I think the Serie A has no business being 20 teams. It should be 18.
00:26:09
Speaker
The Nations League needs to be abolished. It's as simple as that. It's a stupid, stupid waste of a tournament. well to be honestry with the nation's league i dont isn't increasing the games all it is is just making them slightly more competitive because those friendlies were still there there hasn't been an increase in games with a nation's league so i don't think that's Well, the intensity has increased because if you remember it's during friendlies, the top players didn't used to get called up or they could knock go or whatever. This is stupid. Yeah, the intensity, but I think that's the least of the problems. The big problems is the increase in games because everything else has expanded. The World Cup has expanded 32 to 48.
00:26:46
Speaker
the chas e That's once every four years. That's not the issue. The issue is, like I said, it's the there's there's too many games being played at club level. um And of course, with the Nations League now turning the friendlies, what used to be the friendly break into more competitive games that actually means something where you can qualify for tournaments and the World Cup on top of that club, World Cup on top of that. No, they they they need to get rid of the nation. I know one physio, one physio said, and I actually I think he has a point.
00:27:15
Speaker
that actually by increasing to five subs from three subs is actually causing more injuries than with three. And the reason why is because you've got five subs, players are coming on the that the intensity of the games are much, much more intense brought than they were before. Because players are coming on, five more, five players are coming on in the second half of matches and ah you know of a super fit and can run more, can sprint more and are increasing the intensity of the game.
00:27:44
Speaker
and for the ti especially against the tired players, and that is actually leading to to to more more injuries because the games ah are more into even more intense because of the extra subs and that that is that is what actually leading to more injuries than three subs where you had more tired players on on the pitch and the level and the intensity of the game dropped.
00:28:03
Speaker
as the game went that was that's an interesting point that's an interesting point but i would need some data to back that up um i'm not i'm not saying it's not right but i would need some more data to back that up but it's an interesting point and i think it should be looked at my point is simply there are too many games across the club and international level um and the they need to cut it down or extend or make the squads bigger, but that's not sustainable because google clubs can't afford that. Like you see what I'm saying, like at the end of the day, the Serie A, all these other clubs, all these leagues need to address one of these issues. The Premier League will never in a gajillion years accept to going to an 18 team league. It's just not going to happen. It's never going to happen.
00:28:46
Speaker
Um, and I don't think the city, other small clubs, you'll never find a majority in the city out to do that either. You're just never going to do that. And it's never going to happen. So the, the, the, the, the, the question remains. Okay. Well, the champions league, you you can keep the format, but reduce it to the same number of things as it was before. Um, the, the nations league is stupid. No one cares. Literally. No one cares. Get rid of that.
00:29:14
Speaker
um and And as for the qualifiers for the World Cups in Euros, I actually think what Arsen Wenger suggested a couple of years ago is spot on. Have it at the end of the season, like a tournament. Like where you play all the qualifiers all at once and you don't have home. But you don't have home in a way. Instead, you have like, say, for example, you divide all the teams or nations in Europe into as many groups as they have now.
00:29:43
Speaker
but you host a tournament in different countries in the summer where they play once, not home and away, once, over a couple of weeks and they go to the whoever wins the group goes blah blah blah and then you have the playoffs if you finish second you know what i mean like that but i have it like a tournament like that at the end of the season instead of this and no more home and away just one game one-off games like a tournament mini tournament yeah that reduces it it makes it more interesting what are you talking about qualifying here yeah qualifiers turn the qualifiers into to the world cup and euros into like a mini tournament at the end of the season
00:30:19
Speaker
um i don't know I don't know if I agree on the home in a way, but I do i do agree. No, you play it at a neutral venue. im much Yeah, I'm not sure if I agree with that, but I do agree with with playing it with playing it in all in one go, because that then you get rid of the travel. And I think that also impacts on injuries, that that the travel, the exhaustion, especially players coming from travelling long distances. Or you can do it like the Champions League format does it, like the the new one does now, where you have a league, a long league, where they play what the The league stage is what, eight games? Some you have home, some you have away. The top 16 go through. just see one thing like There's ways around that. At the end of the day, whatever they do, they're only going to do it if it's financially going to. They could do that. That would be financially. You would never, ever, ever sell it in a boardroom to anybody. Well, we're going to reduce the number of games for for player safety.
00:31:13
Speaker
But you're going to lose loads of money, wouldn't you? It's not what you're going to say, but it's what they're going to think. How are they going to think that? Because they're going to lose money. They're not going to lose money. They are. You would use a Premier League season. I'm not talking about the Premier League. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the international football. As I said, I literally said like a minigo.
00:31:38
Speaker
you're never ever going to find a majority in the Premier League of the Serie A or the Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga or La Liga to reduce the league so leagues from 2018. It's never going to happen. But what you can do is you can reduce the number of games at international level like the Nations League, get rid of the club World Cup. You can, when it comes to the international break, um when it comes to qualifiers, you can reduce that by creating like a tournament, a mini tournament where you play You don't play home in a way, you either play it like a tournament like that or like like we you have like six venue, six countries that host it and everyone plays each other once or you do it like the Champions League version that we have now where you play once, one team once, you you you you you do the draw like they do the Champions League and you have a league stage where the top, I don't know, 16 go through, places 17 to 32 have a playoff. You reduce the games and you create more hype around it.
00:32:37
Speaker
if you know what I mean, that you can market and sell more than having Sweden travel to Liechtenstein and Liechtenstein travel to Sweden. I mean, it's just hook that does not bring any revenue. I can guarantee you that much. ae So my my point is you can do it by being smarter. There are solutions. but That's just international football you're talking about. that's not Yeah, because then you would reduce that by quite a lot. Yeah, that's just a number of the monies in club football, unfortunately, and and and that they're not going to accept you know and you The leagues won't do it. that there's never going it's never go um I don't even talk about that. the league I personally think it should be 18, but it's never going to happen. So it's pointless to talk about. My point is keep the format of the Champions League, but reduce the teams to what it was. The problem is is there's too many club games. There's not too many international games. There isn't. It hasn't been an increase. in it I look at it the number of number of games in total for the players. And given that it's impossible to to reduce the number of club games,
00:33:34
Speaker
then you have to reduce somewhere else. The Nations League is something new, it didn't exist, it doesn't need to exist. um You can change the number of qualifiers. I don't think that international football should suffer because club football just wants to keep increasing the number of games. ah i I don't think so. I don't think international, because there hasn't been an increase in games in in the international football, yes. But it's the number of games total. I know, but the the reason the number of games in total is more is because there's been so ridiculous increase in club games.
00:34:01
Speaker
In the national football, yes, I do agree that they they can they can ah restructure it and maybe do it in in in like one chunk. Maybe play all the games in a one-month period, and maybe there's a different way of organizing it, like you've suggested. But but I think ultimately, they need to decrease the number of club games. They have to. It's just absurd. Players are playing 70 club games a season. Forget that, international games.
00:34:25
Speaker
If some people play 60 to 70 club games a season, even if you're playing no international games at all, that's too many games. I mean, it's ridiculous. um so but Anyway, with we something needs to be done about it, that's for sure. wherere I'm sure this this topic will come up again. Let's move on to Juventus versus Lazio on Saturday. Juventus win 1-0.
00:34:49
Speaker
The crucial thing, I think we're talking this from Juventus, is that point of view is that they got the win. and That was absolutely vital. Obviously, the match is conditioned by Romagnoli's red card and after 24 minutes as the last man for tripping Calului.
00:35:07
Speaker
Juventus struggled to create again, and and we kind of saw the limitations of of this Juventus team in this in this game again in that, you know, quite sterile and kind of lack of quality in attack, especially in the first half. The second half was a bit better. There was a bit more intensity. They did create a couple of big chances. Blauwitsch hit the bar, and Douglas Loiz missed a sitter with a header. But really, that was it. It was those two chances. And for long periods, Blaxia was so, so comfortable.
00:35:37
Speaker
and really looked like they were going to get the point. And it was only was only a mistake, really, from Gila. I mean, it's a cross into the box, and it's it's ah it's a bad mistake from Gila. That's the only reason Juventus win this game, ah because because of that mistake. of Otherwise, I think that you'd probably see out and draw and draw this game. And I think that the takeaway from Juventus is, yes, they were decimated, and that probably played a role in them.
00:36:04
Speaker
in them kind of struggling to to create that much. But I think that this shows that that they have to they have to go out and sign one, at at least one, maybe even two, if they could somehow financially make it work, attacking players in in in January. Because otherwise, that then I don't think they're going to score enough goals this season to to really maintain a challenge. um they they need I mean, it could be down to the injuries a little bit, but I think that that the attack needs to needs to improve a lot. And we've seen, and I think this is a little bit unfair, we've seen Yildirz get a a lot of criticism in in in Italy after his performance. ah Massimo Marro absolutely hammered him after the game saying he's he's he's a chieso who came out wrong, too predictable. um He's too predictable on the left and, you know, hammering him his numbers this season, he hasn't scored in Serie A this season so far. So I don't know.
00:37:00
Speaker
I think that the Juventus were sterile in this game. No, they were sterile. And it's kind of expected that with a number of players away. But we've also seen them when they had those players that they this is how Tiago Mota does. you know If everybody who was celebrating and dancing on the grave of of um of of Max Alegri because Thiago Motta was going to come and play champagne football. Well, you know, here's your champagne. Hope you like it. It tastes a bit like Alegri's tusk and wine, doesn't it? um But ah it's um it's you know, this is how it's going to look. Juventus aren't going to under him. They're going to be stable. They're going to be like a machine. They're just going to keep going um and and and grind results down and they're not going to entertain anyone. because What do you think of the yield is criticism?
00:37:50
Speaker
I think this is stupid. The thing is this. This is typical of Inter, Juva and Mila. This is why young players cannot. this This is not a good environment for young players to grow in because there's no patience. There is no patience at Juva, Inter and Mila where young players are allowed to not score goals and assists and blah, blah, blah.
00:38:16
Speaker
and and learn to learn on the job. but There is no patience at these clubs. And so the sporting directors know this and so they go after the the seasoned veterans. um I think there is something to criticize him over. I didn't think he was very good in this game. um I think saying he's a Kiazaa who came out wrong is is ridiculous. I think that's way over the top. Yes, he was too predictable.
00:38:43
Speaker
um And I agree, I think he is a number 10, more than anything. um But he's 19, and he is a talented player, and I think we should give him more than so six, seven, eight games before we start hammering him like that. But then again, in Italy, this is the culture. they We know this, that this is how young players, this is how they educate and raise their young players to to do this.
00:39:08
Speaker
ah This is the you know, it's baptism by fire if you're the number ten at you there there's a responsibility attached to that you have to deliver and If you don't you're gonna get criticized and you have to take on that criticism and improve that's how they that's how they this old-school Mentality is how it's always been running in in in all of Italian football and especially in the big three But I do think it's utterly ridiculous. I know I agree with I agree with that in general but I do think at the same time that um it shows that that Juventus are certainly lacking guarantees in attack that Inter have, that Milan have. I'd probably put Juventus maybe on the same kind of level offensively as Napoli, maybe slightly below, because, you know, Corrado is a phenomenon. But, you know, you look at Yildiz, 19 years old,
00:40:01
Speaker
even if he's, you know, he's going to have great games like the one against PSV, he's never going to be, you're not going to get consistency from a 19 year old. And, you know, those numbers, one goal, two assists in 10 games show that we can't, you know, we can't expect him to put out amazing numbers to lead the event to say to us, Kudetto Vlovich, you know, I thought in this game, Vlovich had a couple of decisive moments. I mean, he did the pass for Kalulu for the red card, and he did do the pre-assist for Cabal for the the, for the, for the cross that led to the goal.
00:40:30
Speaker
So, you know, that's good. But overall, in terms of his overall performance, especially in closed games like this, we saw the limitations of Laubich again. And then, you know, there's no backup for him really at all. And and then on the right, OK, both both Conseil and and Gonzalez are out. But but we we're seeing that the Juventus, yeah, offensively, they are they are certainly lacking compared to the other teams at the top of Serie A, I think. And I think that's That's that's that was quite clear again in in this game for sure. So I think I mean I I I saw I saw the Kenya say this last week That you venture should should try and sign zigzag on loan in January and I agree with him I think they should I think they should try and get him on loan I think it's ah I think it's a doable deal because he's having a he's having a horror show at a man United He's not he's not getting in the team. I mean Hoyland's gonna be the starter and and he's not doing well. He doesn't seem fitted
00:41:27
Speaker
to 10-hug system, well, if he has a system that is, and um and you know he might be available on loan, on a cheap loan, till the end of the season, and and and there you have it. You have your backup, you have your alternative to Blauwitsch. You can't play every game. He's playing virtually every game now, Blauwitsch, because there is no one else that can play, and that's going to affect him even more over the long run. I will try and sign Zixi in January. No, they do need a striker. There's no doubt about that.
00:41:53
Speaker
they There was, what's the Calimuendo we were talking about last week. Yeah. So what they do they definitely need a striker. that That's the one area that Giuntoli didn't have money to buy. But no, they do win. But, you know, and and and the another clean sheet because of course Lazio didn't have anything after. But we can't not talk about Douglas Luis.
00:42:19
Speaker
and the scandal of how he's not sent off for punching Patrick. It's just this is absurd. This is utterly absurd. And I've seen Rocky's comments. Is he serious? Is he genuinely serious when he says stupid shit like this with the the intensity of the arm? We don't like to see this and It depends on the intensity of the gesture, which is more of a stab than a hit. We don't like to see this, of course. I understand the VAR's difficulty to rule on this. Er... what?
00:43:02
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's it's a red it's a red card. I mean, it wasn't a punch, it was with the back of his arm, but it's a strike. It's it's a red card. I mean, it's so so it's the reddest of cards, how they try to. And the fact that he goes out and says stupid shit like this. He said stupid shit also about about this the penalties stepping on the toe penalty as well last week, which was an absolute joke. Like, it was ridiculous as well. And we saw we saw some more soft penalties, I thought the Napoli penalty.
00:43:27
Speaker
but um it was i mean it's It's just absurd. and but but yeah but I don't understand. like You have the VAR for exactly this. This is literally the main reason the VAR was there, to catch red car defenses for offsides, you know stuff like that. This is absurd.
00:43:45
Speaker
and it's ah ah ah It's a red card, but you know this is the second one. you There was one against Gattie as well, which was ridiculous a few weeks ago, where he was clear his red card, which they didn't give as well. yeah um And you just think, like how can you see that on the card and not give it? i mean What are you doing? so These are easy ones. i mean those That's the thing. theres it Those penalty ones, one stepping on the penalties, you know when there's a touch. That's different. But there wasn't enough of a touch. there were i mean but but I mean I think they're ridiculous as well but but that but it's interpret this's that's an interpretation. Exactly there's room for interpretation but when you have these stabbing movements of an arm which is violent with violent conduct isn't it essentially you're not allowed to do that. doesn't anyone this market He's Ducky Douglas Louise because I mean he gets sent off there and here we are talking about yeah about what disastrous
00:44:31
Speaker
disaster start again. I don't want to talk about him too much because we've got a question in the Q&A, but he's missed a sitter in this game as well. And if you then just draw this game, then regardless of the red card, he's going to get the black. He's going to be the one blamed. If you then just don't win this game because you've got to put that header away. That's a, that's a sitter. That is, that's virtually, you know, you just have to get it on target. It's not even a hard header as well. He, to be fair, his overall performance was a little bit better in this game. It was nothing special, but it was, it was better. He was, you know, he was,
00:45:00
Speaker
keeping hold of the ball. He was using it. Okay. It's not what you expect from a 50 million player, but it was a step forward. Um, but yeah, he's, he's, he, he's lucky because that could have, he gets a red card here. That could completely finish him off. you know Yeah, that could really end his career. Yeah. But, but yeah, yeah, that that's the issue. It was a red card. I'm not going to argue with that. Um, and, but you know, the positives are again, like you said, it's another clean sheet if because he did one goal.
00:45:29
Speaker
in eight games, that which was a penalty. And again, it didn't concede a single chance in this game. I mean, having said that though, you know, you play for over an hour with against 10 men, it's quite easy. So I don't want to give them too much credit for that. But I thought that I thought getting Kalulu were were were really, really good again, very, very dominant. And Kalulu, of course, was decisive this game because he was the one that got the red card. I thought Cabal, who has had a long period out,
00:45:58
Speaker
came back and I thought he was very good. He put the cross in for the goal. I thought Fagioli was lively. He kind of increased the tempo, which was needed. Juventus too slow sometimes under Motta. That's something they fall into that a little bit too much. um And he kind of got them out of it a little bit in the second half. So that does that that he was good apart. But in terms of offensive performance, yeah, it was it was disappointing from Uve.
00:46:21
Speaker
and And yeah, next game is Inter. so It's vital that they got that but got that because you know if they hadn't, and then they play Inter away, they would have been already three points behind Inter, they would have been five behind Napoli, and then you drop points against Inter, or even even so, going into that game, there's a lot of pressure on you. So that that just just does remove a little bit of pressure going into that Inter game.
00:46:50
Speaker
um Lazio point of view, I mean, there's not really much to talk about because the game was conditioned, but I do want to give them some praise though. I do want to say that I thought that they were very well organized. They defended very well. We saw a new side to Lazio, which we haven't seen this season because they've been really good offensively. but been bit, not gung-ho, but they've been going out trying to score more than they can see this season. They showed in this game and other sides of them that they could actually be disciplined, play with a deep, play deep with deep ah defense and and really look pretty damn solid, to not really concede much, even the circumstances. ah I actually, if I'm a Latse fan, I actually come out of this feeling quite happy in a weird way that, you know, we've seen that we've got what it takes to have a good season here.
00:47:36
Speaker
No, I think I was really very impressed by them defensively as well. That's what I've got on my notes as well. I was really impressed by Lazio's defensive, um defensive display. They were very organized. They moved like a unit and that's something that under Barone we've not really seen. It's been very much open. It's been very much vibes, good vibes in defense because they've they've they obviously pushed forward and and and prioritized their attack, which is good.
00:48:05
Speaker
um Again, Tavares, what a signing he's been. If he continues like this, then the big clubs in in Italy are looking at him. There's no doubt about that. agree you know yeah If you're Inter, if you're Juve, Milan, whatever, you're looking at that and going, he could he could do a job for us.
00:48:33
Speaker
great. He was napoly as well was even good defensively and and that' that's been his weakness. I remember him at Arsenal making some some terrible defensive mistakes but he he he's yeah he's he's he's a beast down that side. i mean he he's He's a force of nature once he takes off doesn't he? He just bombs forward and he just you know He's like ah like Jonah Lomu, this rugby player, like bombarding, pushing his way through everyone. but He's unstoppable, isn't he? Once once he takes off, he's he's so powerful, and he's quick, and he's got a good cross on him. Maricets was really good. So underrated, Maricets. He's been one of the most underrated players.
00:49:12
Speaker
you He very rarely plays badly. He very rarely gets taken on by his man. Mr. Dependability. Yeah. That's what he is. He's very, very under. I mean, he doesn't offer anything going forward, which in modern football was a bit of an issue. But yeah, he was good. And I thought Gila and Patrick were great as well until that mistake from Gila. It's just unfortunate, really, because it ruined the perfect, perfect defensive performance from that scene. I was really impressed by that scene. I'm even more so. I'm even more so.
00:49:38
Speaker
certain now about that they can have a good season now. Yeah, I think they're going to have a good season as well. I think they're going to have a good season. They're a team as well. They play as a team. Yes, that's exactly it. There's an identity and a collective unit there that you can see in both phases and they work for one another, which is the most important thing really in football is do you have that cohesiveness?
00:50:04
Speaker
on tactically on and and psychologically on and off the pitch and I thought Lazzie were unlucky to lose this game. um the The Last Man Red Card Challenge... i Look, is it a red card? Does he actually touch him? ah Does he not touch him? Well, if he touches him, it's a straight record, there's no discussion. But, you know, given what we've seen in other games, I'm wondering, well, they're all identical, but some are red, some are not.
00:50:33
Speaker
it's It's weird. It was a weird weekend again by the referees and the lack of consistency. The thing is, when you're moving at that pace towards goal and you touch the man, it it has to be a red card because you've just taken him down. I mean, yeah, it will come to Milan. I thought that was a bit unlucky, but it probably is ah is a red because you're making contact with him and you're you're taking the player down. so If you saw it in lecture Fiorentina as well, I mean, it's it's like, you saw that, but then in Roma, Christanto and Tarama, it's been weird. Based on the laws, they are red cards. ah Do I like
00:51:07
Speaker
The law, it does ruin games. Could there be so another, I mean, you know, my opinion on penalties, I think is an outdated concept. Is there a debate to be had about last man fouls? Should they be red cards? Is there a new, is there something that we could put in? Could we maybe offer the option on the last man red card? You get the option, you can either have the red card,
00:51:29
Speaker
or you can see the penalty which one do yeah you know maybe that could be something and you give that option that it's up to the captain to make that decision you love me you love them you really want to turn into football into like an Italian game show don't you?
00:51:45
Speaker
Do you know what I mean? You're never more Italian than when you want to change the penalty rules. like i'm I'm absolutely adamant about that. I mean, this one, listen, I think, I understand it, but is is it does ruin games, doesn't it? i mean No, it does. I remember watching the Italy against Belgian game. yeah I could barely watch it after that red card. I just thought this is just, it's horrible to watch it. But then football's not entertainment. It's just entertainment. is' is you know You need rules. What are the right rules? Look, i don't have a problem like i don't I don't have a problem with this red card, but then if you're going to give this red card in three games, you have to give it in the fourth and fifth. And that's my problem. This weekend was again in a situation where
00:52:27
Speaker
Same situations did not end in the same results. Unfortunately, that's that's football isn't it with the referees? Yeah, but always not get consistency yeah but but inconsistency is one thing but then you can't have cu Rocky coming out and and basically going against everything else that he said I mean he he contradicts himself all the time and when I'm what I'm thinking is if he does that in the media how he talks God knows how it sounds internally and to to the referees and that's why i've been I've not been his biggest fan as a referee designator and i um now I'm thinking, get rid of him. you know we Bring Colina back or something. it's you what i mean like Bring someone who knows how to communicate. but know haveath I didn't like his comments so i didn't like his comments on the ah last week before the games on the the touches on the feet.
00:53:14
Speaker
that you know, touches on the toe penalties. I thought that was confusing. and But he is confusing. He doesn't know what he, like, he did if he's, again, if he's... i i can order And I also thought it was nonsense. And that brings us on nicely to Emply Napoli, because they win this game with a penalty, which for me, you know, again... It's a collision. They run into each other. Yeah. And the ball is there. For me, it's again... How is that a penalty? How is that an infringement? That's not even a free kick in the middle of the bat. I mean, it's, again, it's, it's, it's...
00:53:41
Speaker
open to interpretation. Let's say that my interpretation is also disregarding what the law is, is that I think it's ridiculous that we get penalties for these for these kinds of incidents. That's not even a free kick in the middle of the park. It's it's a collision. We're challenging for the ball. How where's the infringement?
00:54:02
Speaker
That's what I don't understand. For me, I'm not like you when it comes to the penalty. I think an infringement in the penalty area should be a penalty. Full stop. But this isn't even that. They run into, they clatter into one another when challenging for the ball. That's not even a free kick in the middle of the park. So how the hell is that a penalty?
00:54:21
Speaker
it's it's i just i just it It is the thing that pisses me off most about football that that you've got a game like this that's nil-nil until that point, Emply had been the better team. In fact, they dominate completely dominated first card. They were so good. And then you know they lose this game or they go behind in this game and this finished them they after that and Emply were a but much better team.
00:54:43
Speaker
you know, that a game is decided on an incident like this, where again, you know, you have a an 80% chance of scoring for an incident, which is like you said yourself, it's not a probably not even a foul in the middle in the center circle. I mean, it's just it's just not fair. It's just, this this is not football. Football, if you're going to win the game, if Napoli are going to win this game, let them win this game properly, fairly and squarely with a moment of creation that they deserve to score the goal.
00:55:10
Speaker
don't win it by by something like this from it from a penalty. it's just this is It's just not fair. It's not fair at all. and and and you know it's is's It decided the game. It it decided the game. Napoli won the game because of it. and it's a huge It's a huge, huge win for them now because they they maintain their lead at the top.
00:55:28
Speaker
And, you know, they're three points ahead of Juventus. They're two points ahead of Inter. Inter play Juventus this weekend. you and Napoli plays it. Let's share their play. It's very, very possible. In fact, I would say probable at this stage, that Inter, Juventus are draw. And so then Napoli are opening up a little bit of a gap, you know. And it's is these are the kind of incidents that can, you know, not decide titles, but they can play a big, big role in in in in you know in in winning titles. And I just don't think it's fair that they win a game like this.
00:55:58
Speaker
no um it's it's it's um
00:56:02
Speaker
it's it's It's not fair at all, um but it's it's to me, it's just I just felt it was so frustrating again. The referees this weekend were atrocious. It was a it was worse than matchday seven. It's like I was hoping and praying last week or two weeks ago that this was just a one-off, and they would get back to what they were doing the first six matchdays, which was overall really high quality. And instead, they've gone off the rails completely.
00:56:29
Speaker
and and making stupid decisions, and they got Rocky coming out saying stupid crazy things that make no sense, confusing everyone even more. Now, they got to get rid of Rocky. it's It's obvious that if you've been at a job for that long and you're not improving, but in fact, your communication is causing confusion and just rock pissing everyone off, is you need you need to go. You're not fit to have that job. And we saw that in in the in the, I mean, the the funny thing is we're not even talking ah we haven't even gone to the Udinese and Milan game, which was probably the most insane referee game all weekend.
00:57:04
Speaker
That game was insanely refereed by Kefi. Kefi, though, let's be honest, I'm not his biggest fan. I don't think he's good enough at all. I think he's ruined so many Serie A games. But it's just it's just it's it's just exhausting. ge Kefi. That's his name. Kefi. Daniel is Kefi. Listen, we'll come to Milan. But little let's let's let's just, like, Napoli, ah they they weren't good in this game. In fact, they were very, very bad in the first half.
00:57:28
Speaker
um offensively there was nothing like even really they were very very poor offensively were criticized in the event is that Napoli were even worse, much worse. they they caru Lukaku's performance level his form has really really nosedived in the last few games before the international great and then again after he didn't even go on international duty. he was He came back to work with Conte. I don't know, maybe Conte has given him a pre-season, a mini pre-season during this international break and he's come into this game exhausted because of that. I would say that there's a very good chance of that because he didn't really have a proper pre-season. I think Conte has probably tried to get him into to shape and maybe he's tired, but he was terrible in this game so bad and he
00:58:10
Speaker
he got subbed up on the hour. In fact, he was Simeone who came on for him, who actually you know was was decisive in in in winning that penalty. He had the shot that was blocked and then it came back and then then there was the foul. And Lukaku, yeah, bukharu yeah just just watch this space on Lukaku because he's know he's gone from a great start this is to yeah the Lukaku of the last two years. and a last This is how it looks when Konta's teams are gridlocked.
00:58:39
Speaker
when it's not working, when things are a little bit... you know His teams are like marching bands, aren't they? like they they you need every Every instrument has to be perfectly tuned and it's the collection of all the sounds together that make it really good. When you've got one instrument not a little bit out of tune, it looks it all sounds a bit off. That's how I felt about Napoli, this game. They were a little bit off. It wasn't exactly, okay, they were missing Lobotka. He is very important.
00:59:05
Speaker
Gilmore wasn't exactly good. um so no it's it's and ah For the Lukaku thing, I have to tell you, I wonder if Konta hasn't got him on some sort of weird Konta training regime. Do you know what I mean? Where he's like grinding him down to build him up. Because he didn't he didn't go to we didn't play with Belgium, did he?
00:59:30
Speaker
and That's what I mean. He was he had two weeks training yeah with Napoli. I think because he missed prison. I have no inside knowledge. That's just my my guess. ah yeah That's my qualified guess. I haven't said that though. He was he was very bad but in the in the two or three games before though before the international break. And maybe that's why Conte wanted him to stay to work in. And and we do know that Lukaku, even at Inter, when he was good, you know when he was at the peak of his powers,
00:59:58
Speaker
He's a slow starter. He he needs about four or five games to get into the swing of things. And when he is, then then he hits peak form. So I want to wait a little bit before we say anything. But I do. I can't stop laughing at the idea of every everyone leaving Cantina. Not Cantina, sir. What's it called? um Castel Voltourno for international breaks. I don't know. Contest standing there alone with Ocaco for two weeks, riding his ass like book just like You can just see that, can't you? like From 7 a.m. to 5 a.m. every day for two weeks. like it's You can just see him just completely like on him. you You need to run more, you need to do this. and It's a typical content, but you know lets let's hope he doesn't injure him, for not fully sake.
01:00:47
Speaker
um But yeah, I do think he looks a bit, he looks like a little bit like he's in, like when he's in preseason. Do you know what I mean? When he's a little bit like slower, um when he's not really, but, but yeah, we'll have to wait and see. I mean, before the problem, and no one's been able to train Lukaku really well, have they, in his career, except for Konta. So I think we should, we should give Konta a benefit of the doubt here. Because Lukaku under Konta was just one of the most insane matches of like,
01:01:13
Speaker
player coach matches in football history. I really can't think of a player who can, who really explodes at every level under a coach like those like Lukaku and under Konta. They really are born to work together. Whether or not Lukaku's, you know, where is he in his career now? Can Konta revive him one more time? I think we have to wait and see. But I do think they've both deserved for us to give them a little bit benefit of the doubt here.
01:01:42
Speaker
Yeah, I do wonder, we're also, you know, because there's a lot of players on international duty coming back, you know, some of them play in two games in the space of a week. That affected Nepalese performance in this match as well, because, you know, we've said that I've said it so many times that Napoli play once a week are brilliant, but so or Kante teams play once a week are brilliant. As soon as they play two times a week, there's the performance level definitely drops. And we saw we saw a definite drop in and in performance level in this game. Having said that, though, the Napoli defence was didn't drop in performance. They they they were great. They kept Napoli in the game when they were being dominate completely dominated in the first half. Bonjour was once again brilliant. He's been ah an incredible sign and he moing like he was indomitable in this game. He was superb. He's going to turn like we said it in our Serie A preview, I said in our Serie A preview and Sandro Bonjour is going to be one of the best defenders in the world come May.
01:02:40
Speaker
because that's what Kant is going to turn him into a monster. But even better for Italy is that he can do so playing in a back four. Well, yeah, I mean, it's not really relevant for Italy now because they play back three. Yeah, but because we can play in a back four now. Yeah. But we know he can play in a back three. Yeah. But he he he can do it in a playing in a black back four. And and it's a kind of a back four that transitions to a back three, isn't it? you got Somebody, and somebody, I don't know if this question was asked of of Conte or if it was just a comment from one of the pundits, but I definitely saw it somewhere. Somebody was comparing him to to Giorgio Chialini.
01:03:18
Speaker
and And yeah, I mean, ah there are some qualities there, certainly defending his box, I think Bonjourno is very, you know he's he's kind of not an old school defender, but he has the the traditional qualities of the defender, which is defend your box, defend the balls into the box, the crosses, put your body on the line, tackles, be brave,
01:03:40
Speaker
And he has all that, which Killini had. And I thought he was great. And I thought Di Lorenzo was very good. He was important for the winner. yeah And he's he's, yeah, he's sees he as expected. Conte is ah getting him a little bit back to the to the to the old Di Lorenzo.
01:03:56
Speaker
And Italy now in defense have another BBC. boorno bastoni calaf furri And it's um yeah it's it's interesting. It's interesting for sure. But we got to give a shout out to Empoli as well who continue to impress me. um And Sebastiano Esposito with the mustache and the hair. He he he looked like 1980s players. Do you know what I mean? He looked like he belonged in ah in a reel from 1985 looking like that with the sun. and and the smile and all that. no he blames the little Yeah, exactly, exactly. I thought Emply were outstanding in the first half. I thought they were great to watch, they play really good football and I have to say they are performing so much better than than both of us expected at the start of the season. You have to say well done to De Versa, he's really done well and you know you then start looking through the through the team who we were like looking at the team before the season thinking well where are the players, where are the
01:04:54
Speaker
players on paper to, and there's, you know, all through the team, you're looking at players that, you know, young players who who look like they have good futures ahead of them. And I thought Andrew in who um gave away the penalty, unfortunately, but as we said, we don't think it was a penalty. He was brilliant in this game. He he was so, so good. He was, he was the best player, ah best player on the pitch for me. Um, in, in midfield, he was dominating midfield. He was striding forward with the ball.
01:05:21
Speaker
he was really, really great. I mean, he looks like a real bargain signing, but I mean, Fatsini, together with Fatsini, I mean, they look like they've got, that's a really, really good partnership. Fatsini, I mean, you've spoken about before we've both spoken, he's definitely one to watch in the coming years, apparently. Viti as well was good. Yeah, Viti, yeah, very elegant, like left footed, center back, very, yeah, very, very good. Esposito was dangerous. I thought Petcella was that excellent as well, and left wing back, he was up and down, up and down, showed good pace. And, you know, former Atalanta player,
01:05:52
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, lots of young Italians, lots of young Italian players. It's good to see. It is. I'm going to be cheering, I'm going to be cheering emply on this evening. Yeah, I was going to say, we like emply. We do like emply. We like what they're doing. We complain here about youngsters not getting a chance, Italians not getting a chance.
01:06:11
Speaker
Well, they do, at Empoli. And it's not just this season, it's been for a couple of seasons now, under several managers. It's not just Avesa, it's not just our Andrea Adzoli. Well, Luchano Spoletti was at the game, um obviously he has a history there, but Luchano Spoletti was at the game, rumoured to be watching Fazini and Esposito. So, yeah.
01:06:32
Speaker
Yeah, there was a one volley from Esposito that was... That was stunning. It was like Marco Van Basten. Yeah, exactly what I thought as well, watching that. It got blocked in it by Bonjourno. Yeah, because Bonjourno. Yeah, it was really good to see him play, and very unlucky. They didn't deserve to lose this game. They did not. They did not deserve to lose. Milan with De Nese, so we're talking about refereeing. Where do you start with a refereeing in this game? And we're trying to sum it all up. I can't sum it all up. It's just so many...
01:07:02
Speaker
Well, before we get to that, let's talk about Milan. Playing with 10 men isn't easy. um And they did it for most of the game. But they still managed to win. And that's what that's really important for them. um And because that'll give them some calm. And they're in the top four, they're only five points behind Napoli. So they're thereabouts and they've kind of given themselves a continuity.
01:07:31
Speaker
Okay, they lost to Fiorentina in a crazy game, but one thing I do want to talk about, though, is the disciplinary issue at Milan. Like, what is it now? Three games in the Serie A in a row, where they've got a red card? Yeah, that's a good point. um yeah And you have that whole cooling break gate, as we had, against Lazio. Tomori and Abraham dropped.
01:07:58
Speaker
because of the Pulisic incident where the penalty, where he was going to take the penalty and they took it from him. Can I stop you there on Tamoori-Nagram? I want to talk about this because I i didn't i wasn't hard enough on them last week um ah bit or the week before and and I should have been. Fonseca is 100% right for dropping Tamoori-Nagram. I thought their behaviour in taking that penalty off of Pulisic was disgraceful.
01:08:23
Speaker
And i maybe we recorded that pod early in the morning. I hadn't looked back at it. I hadn't seen exactly but their role. and And maybe that's why I went easy on them. that is That is so disrespectful, that is. To take that ball, the way that they took it off him, they kind of ripped it, like, you're not having this, both of them. Who the hell do they think they are taking it off Puddas? Puddas is the penalty taker. He's already- The team has decided that. The first penalty already has been taken off him by Teo Hernandez, which was wrong as well. right But the way that he was bullying behavior, the way that they bullied him and they just took it off him, like, we're better than you, we decided you're not taking this, but like, who are you? Like, that was just- Just it was just shameful behavior. That was it really was and and um'm you know, I'm glad that they got that They got dropped. No, I think since I could did the right thing there and and I think he he hes he's he's had to handle Issues disciplinary issues hasn't he that and he's made big calls and bench big players but he's right here because I'm you know, he's but I think but the thing is I i think when it comes to discipline you need to have a
01:09:27
Speaker
Luciano Spalletti during the whole Icardi Wanda gate always spoke about credibility. I need to have credibility when I talk to the group as a coach. I think Fonseca does have that credibility. I think he's been forced to make a lot of decisions and deal with a lot of nonsense.
01:09:47
Speaker
And I think he's so far handled it really well. Yeah. Well, I think that, listen, I have to, in some way, I have to praise Pudasic for the, for the way that he handled it. Yeah. Because I'm saying, talk about being a team player. If that was, if that was me and I'm the penalty take, and actually that's how this has happened to me when I played and I've had with teammates that have been pricks like that as well and have thought that, you know, I'm going to take the penalty. You know, I remember one guy tried to take my number 10 shirt off me. I'm the number 10. and he tried to take it off because he thought that he was the big man and i said listen there is no chance you've got to stand up to these players i mean i don't know like if that if that was me on the pitch i'm the penalty taker and and drama in luton town or bedford tigers tomorrow tomorrow and abraham come along and try and take the penalty off me I'm not having it. I'm kicking off in the middle of the pitch, and I'm causing a big spectacle, which would actually have made things worse. So I have to say well done to Pulisic for that. The problem has been created by Pootle, by Tamori and Abraham.
01:10:44
Speaker
They've created the problem there, and it's so unfair on producers. I have to say, well done to him. I have to say to you, the way that he's handled it, like throughout all of that, he just walked away, didn't kick up a first, didn't mope. He scored after, didn't he? Yeah, exactly. no this To me, this guy is a real team player. yeah like you You can tell, this is a guy who you want to have an addressing room, Pulisic. He's someone who, you can when you do like that, when you show yourself off to be the bigger person like that, and you then score like in a Fiorentina game,
01:11:13
Speaker
You know, it's just he he win. You win credibility, so to speak, ah with with your teammates. and And I really want to I look when he signed, I said he's going to be the first US men's national team player to become a star at a big classic historic European club. I think he's becoming more and that he's becoming a bit of a club like not legend because Milan, you don't want to throw that around, but he's becoming a very, very, very likeable person.
01:11:42
Speaker
around me. coming of He's becoming the main man. He's becoming the most, he's certainly the most consistent player. There's no doubt about that. And he's becoming the player to rely on. And again, in this game, he got the assist.
01:11:53
Speaker
And also his behaviour off the pitch. And also his behaviour off the pitch. He's proving himself behaviourally to be worthy of Milan, as well as being a very useful player on the pitch. In those ways, he's got what some other players are lacking. I saw Billy Costa-Curtis.
01:12:14
Speaker
absolutely rip it. I know if you saw his quotes on, on the layout, roughly the L this week, he tore into him, absolutely tore into him. I've never seen Costa Costa criticise Leo like that. Yeah. He said he's not even in the top 100 or top 150 for, for, for being a team player and a leader and for have a goals and assists. Like he said, like when it comes to like a pace, like his, his, his speed, he's not top 10 when it comes to, you know, those kinds of things, he's top 10, but when it comes to you know, lead being a leader when it comes to to, you know, he absolutely tore into him. I'm not sure what prompted that scene as, you know, Liao didn't even start this game, but it was... Yeah, it was strange. But I think Kuda Sich sums up kind of like, this is what we need. And I think that a step forward from Lanin's this game was that they played with 10 men for two thirds of the game.
01:13:02
Speaker
And I mean, I think the red card was unlucky. I don't think we can put that really down to in discipline, but no, no, but but the fact of the matter remains. I think that the three games in a row. Yeah, for sure. but I mean, I think it's unlucky with it. I thought they were a bit unlucky here. But the fact that they played with from the positive point of view, the fact that they played for with 10 men for two thirds of the game and they were that organized as a team, they played as a team in terms of organization and they conceded barely anything really clear cut with 10 men.
01:13:28
Speaker
um mean udees I think they only had a 0.41 XG in this game and mean there was a goal at the end that they they got a little of we'll come to that or they got a little bit of luck, let's say, and that that that they know that the you know they they get given offside for that. but so you know I thought they they they played as a team and we need to see more of that because that's where Milan are short. They're not a team.
01:13:50
Speaker
No, and i well ah how does I wouldn't say they're not a team, you know what I mean? They're lacking... They're becoming a team. They're not there yet. They're lacking the team qualities, let's say, certainly, that Inter Juventus and Napoli have. yeah Yeah, no, they are. But they're on their way. They're moving in the right direction. And I think it's important to say that because I think, and one of the people who has become the most important player in that transition is Christian Pulisic. And we we have to acknowledge that he's been really, really good. He's been very useful. And he's proving himself to be a bit of a leader in this Milan side.
01:14:19
Speaker
and And, you know, they they need, you know, every team needs a leader. And after Giroud and Zlatan, you know, you need people who step up in the right manner. And I think Pulisic has done that pretty much since. The referee calls before we move on. Can you, can you, let's go through all of them first. Reiner's red card, then the Pavlovic, Hamble, penalty call, and then the ah goal at the end that got disallowed from Udenezi. How do you see, how do you see them? Well, an offside is an offside. I mean, there's not much to,
01:14:47
Speaker
ah I don't really, you know, it's it's unlucky, but if it's offside, it's offside, and there's not much you can do. But the Pavlovitch handball is disgraceful. That's a disgraceful call. And I don't understand what they're thinking. Again, with the consistency, it's just...
01:15:12
Speaker
Kiffee should not be near at another Serie A game. And this this is not the first time with him. He consistently does this. He consistently derails games by inexplicable decisions. And I just, it's it's like it's exhausting. I feel so bad for Odinerese. I thought they did really well. I thought they they they they've really surprised me this season. Together with Empoli, they have to be considered the like the biggest surprise so far, right? I mean, given what we expected them to to be in their Mercato and, you know, new coach. But it's, um yeah, they should have created more, of course, 10 man with one man more. But still, it's Milan at the San Siro. There is a gulf, a giant gulf in quality between Uranus and Milan. But I thought I thought what I like about Uranus this season is I like how mature they are. I like how they approach games. They don't
01:16:09
Speaker
they've they've They've got the maturity about how they handle situations on the pitch this season, which they didn't have last season, and they believe in what they do. But to get back to the referee thing, I don't even know what to say anymore. it's just This weekend was way worse than the than the previous one, match day seven, and Kiffee was the worst offender, in my opinion. I don't know what.
01:16:38
Speaker
No, I think it was... Listen, whenever the referee becomes the main attraction of a game, there's always a bit of a problem, isn't there? and Well, yeah, but um I think it depends on the situation. It depends on the situations, but in this kind of... been This game, it was really all it was all about the referee, wasn't it? This game, let's be honest. and and and You know, it' it's a shame. I hate talking about referees. I don't want to talk about them at all. um It pisses me off. And people, especially fans, are going, oh, the old team did this. And then this team, I mean, it's another. This weekend was, again, it was the second match. thing you where you It was consistently shits you across the board. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. and And it's like the general level was was was not good enough. Very low. not good enough I mean, it's such a shame because the first six games, six match days were really good. It was encouraging. Yeah.
01:17:31
Speaker
From Udinese's point of view, I think they they'll be a little bit disappointed that they couldn't make the most of having been an hour with a man up. and then They really didn't create really create much at all. And so that's disappointing after their good starts of the season. and I wanted to ask you, what do you think of a goal? Do you think that's a goalkeeping mistake? Because I think Okoyo was good. No, i don't i don't I don't think so. I think he hits it early, hits it first time. When you hit it that early,
01:17:57
Speaker
across the keeper, it's thep the goalkeeper can't can't get into position, can't can' move his feet, ah he isn't set. If he takes a touch and then scores like that, then yeah, maybe, but I don't think so. I don't think so. But I mean, ill i'll let me watch it again. and like I don't know. you said but i thought I thought it was good. I thought it was. I thought it made a brilliant save from Pulisic in second. Yeah, he did. was out of that I think he was he had a great game, but overall, but I'm not um um I don't know what to make of that for the goal.
01:18:27
Speaker
Is it a mistake? Isn't it a mistake? I don't know. I don't know. I'm not sure. I mean, I didn't think it was, but I'll need to, you know, let me look at it again. But I do just work. Finally, I just do want to.
01:18:39
Speaker
point out Isak Toure at the bat food and there's a new silent six foot, nine inches. That's, that's, that's in modern language, mad modern, uh, that's two should be playing basketball yeah two meters, six centimeters. That is a basket. That is a basketball player. That's that's even massive. there's it' say He is absolutely huge, absolutely huge. So he's definitely one to watch over. We went on one run in the first half. We got it down the left hand side, just, just,
01:19:08
Speaker
Bombard, the Nuno Tavares died, passed everybody. and but he's a yeah yeah Keep an eye on him this season because he certainly wants to watch. Atalanta quickly, they they went to at Venezia, all about that man Mateo Reti again. What a class finish, chips the goalkeeper for the second goal.
01:19:26
Speaker
I love that finish because what what again, one of my criticism of modern football is you just don't see chipped goals anymore. Mainly because the the balls are so plastic that they don't go, they don't come up and down. You know, like the old kind of leather footballs, you know, they they would go get come up and then they would dip down with with plastic balls. they They just kind of float.
01:19:46
Speaker
And it's very difficult if you try and chip the keeper to to get it to like a falling leaf, to get it to to to fall down. he did He managed to do it with his finish for the second goal. It was beautiful. It was pure class, pure class finish. His assist for the first goal, his chip for the second, his hold up play, his link up play. he this is this is this is ah This new Mateo Retegi is just wow.
01:20:13
Speaker
What Jampiero Gasperini has done with him over the space of a few months is truly remarkable. At this point, so far, if you look at these eight games that he's played, how he's performed in them, he starts for Inter, he starts for Milan, he starts for Juve, he starts for Napoli. There's no doubt about that.
01:20:33
Speaker
He's the complete number nine striker and there is no discussion whether or not he should start for Italy. He is Italy's starter, full starter. Oh yeah, even if Scamaka hasn't had his ACL. Doesn't matter, doesn't matter. This Retegi, we've not seen that. We've never seen this. No, and he's funny and and he presses, he's fired, yeah he's got a great work rate, he's not a lazy ass like what Scamaka is. hes He's, you know, he's lazy. I mean, he's he's he's got eight and eight this season for Atalanta. Double figures if this season already, if you include his he's top score in Serie A. But like you said, it's it's yeah, I mean, it's everything else. The goal scoring we knew he had, he's a killer. And, you know, by that's why I had him as a capo canoneira, because by virtue of being a killer in the box, Atalanta creating as much as they do, he takes penalties. He's going to score a lot.
01:21:24
Speaker
but what I didn't expect or didn't have not seen in his career ever until this point and anyone who says anything ah contrary to this is lying because no one saw this, he didn't show this, was the top class number nine level of overall play without possession. I am so happy because you know I just hope you can keep it up and this isn't just some kind of miracle three-month spell but I mean it you know, he' is he's been great. And, and I, my only concern, I just hope he doesn't get overplayed by Atlanta, because they don't have another number nine. And that was, that's my one of my criticisms of them at the transfer market, they didn't buy a backup center midfielder for Edison, and they didn't buy a backup number nine for for for reticky and those two players risk being overplayed because of there's no alternative for them. That's my only concern. I don't want him to
01:22:16
Speaker
to get burned out and exhausted. And when it comes to the end of the season or next season, you know, like the World Cup, when it's important matches for Italy and for Atalanta, that he's not in shape, he's tired. And that's my only concern. So I won ah hope that Gasparini can find a way to rotate, whether that means playing Lukman as a number nine sometimes, or maybe somehow trying to adapt Sanjolo into a number nine role or, you know, something like that, or goes out and buys a number nine in January, which is what I would like him to do.
01:22:44
Speaker
It's such a good age too, Rettig. He's only 25. This is a good age. I mean, if he can keep this up, then he will be the starter for Italy as a number nine for the next five years. yeah No doubt about it. And that's so important. If he's playing lucky is on this form and that he is this season, definitely. To be honest with you, I'm wondering, where does he go next? I can't see him staying in Atalanta because he's going to if it's one it's he was always going to be sold if become if he becomes a Capo Cananier.
01:23:14
Speaker
which I think he definitely will be. The question is, if he continues to play like this, like this level of high, and if he does so in the Champions League as well, where does he go next? Because there's not that many number nines in the world and hoop poo play who who play this good as number as far as number nines go. So we're talking like the top teams in like in Europe who are looking for a striker.
01:23:41
Speaker
No, I agree. I agree. If he continues like this, on that's how i impressive. Based on his level this season, and we're only talking about, you know, two maps. You could easily see him and ask them, can't you? They need a number nine. yeah Yeah, we just interviewed Lauren from from the old Arsenal player today that will come out probably Tuesday. He would be unbelievable. He said they need to buy number nine. The former Invincibles, hear the legend. yeah No, look, he he he would he would he would walk into every single Serie A team playing like this this season. and it's Again, we're not talking about the goals. I'm talking about the overall, everything. The link behold-up, the-up, the movement without position, with position, putting others into play, making others better, assists.
01:24:26
Speaker
He's really, really taking the steps. And Gasperini, again, you got to give it to them. The man knows how to he he he knows how to improve players. That's for damn sure, especially attacking players. And Rettegi has been unbelievable under Gasperini so far. Yeah, he certainly has. No doubt't no doubt about that. um let's Let's move on to... Well, let's just quickly go through the rest of the Serie A fixtures before we finish off with Champions League and Badger, Prem Face.
01:24:54
Speaker
said he asked of the week. So Colmo drew 1-1 with Parma. Genoa 2, Bologna 2, a late fight back for Giulardino. Two Pinamonti goals give, well probably say Giulardino the sacked I think and Bologna draw yet again. They are the draw specialists. They will be kicking themselves after dominating the first half. Callery 3, Torino 2.
01:25:17
Speaker
But what a crazy game that was. I mean, the Lineti scored a beautiful goal. And it was it was a couple of hits of woodwork as well. Now, this was this was a very, very fascinating game. And Caliari win at home.
01:25:32
Speaker
And for the first time this season, they've got, you know, and Daveedini Koshla, who is just the character um on the sidelines. Now, this this was a very entertaining game. it's It was probably my favorite of the weekend, if I'm perfectly honest with you. Of course it was. Of course it was. The game between the two smallest teams. Torino, yeah, to Torino, the concerns are there. The fans are very unhappy as well. A bit like the Roma fans. They are they are furious. I'm a general fan. Furious with it with the club and the business they've done in the transfer market.
01:26:02
Speaker
um Lecce Neil, Fiorentina 6, it's the biggest other game. I mean, great for Fiorentina. They're starting to to get going. now Although they did get a couple of injuries, didn't they? We have to wait and see how serious they are to Keene and Goodmanson. So that that that could be a concern. but But yeah, Gotti, Gotti for Lecce. Can you survive this? surviving yeah i um um I think they need to do something because Lecce are thinking without a trace.
01:26:30
Speaker
um you know it it's It's one thing you know we knew was going to be difficult, and they have played Atalanta, Inter, they've played Milan and Fiorentina, so they've not had an easy run of games.
01:26:47
Speaker
But the way that Fiorentina dismantled them, dismembered them, ripped them limb by limb by limb, and the way that Lechas stopped playing, and this was at home at Villa del Mare, that is very concerning. um Yes, I know the red card and we've already spoken about it, you know, the Last Man challenge.
01:27:08
Speaker
But I wonder if kpani that's sorry if if Gotti does that. Apparently, the word is that they've decided to continue, and at least for another game. But yeah, he's definitely in the hot seat, as they say in Italy. um there's There's quite a few, according to the Italian media, those that risk the job their job are Giudardino, obviously Gotti, Lecce,
01:27:30
Speaker
Nesta at Monza, but we were recording this before Monza play on Monday, so we'll see what happens there. And Dean Francesco, of course, at Valencia, goes without saying, but they're even saying Durich at Roma is ah is at risk as well. You know what, I'm not surprised by that, because... I think it's a bit ridiculous after that number of games, but, but you know, the the chaos off the pitch is, is yeah.
01:27:52
Speaker
Yeah, and the Friedkins are, on they look clueless, and and they they seem to they seem to be the kind of owner who sacks the manager when things to save themselves. It me, the one iota. And he would do it, and he would be like,
01:28:08
Speaker
then they would But the problem is, if you bring De Rossi back, you cannot ever sack him again. like He will stay for as long as you want. That's how they seem to operate, unfortunately. But we have to talk about Cattaldi's three goals. He scored twice, Colpani twice. Colpani's second goal was stunning.
01:28:27
Speaker
Um, and Cataldi scored a beauty as well. They what they were, they were, for me, they were the goal. Just after we got a question on the Q and A, um, about why the hell did Lazio get rid of him? He does that. He goes and goes scores a brace. Yeah. Monday, uh, Monday evening game is Helos Verona against Monza. Big, big game for Nesta's future. Right. Uh, Champions League features this week. I quickly run down them. So match day three.
01:28:51
Speaker
Milan against Club Bruges, Juventus took Aston Villa Bologna on Tuesday, Atalanta Celtic and Young Boys Inter on Wednesday, and then Europa League, we've got Roma done in Mikea, Twente Lazio, and then the Conference League St. Gallon against Fiorentina. The big one really is Milan Club Bruges. Milan have to win that. they have There's no discussion. It's a must-win game from Milan.
01:29:16
Speaker
They have to win. If they don't win that, then they there is the very real risk that like they fail to qualify. They've got zero points after the first two matches. They have to win that. No excuses at all. and whereas And they're at home, so yeah. yeah Whereas Juventus, I mean, Juventus, Atalanta, Inter, they've started pretty well, and then Bologna.
01:29:34
Speaker
Yeah, but Inter have to beat young boys. They have to beat them. Yeah, but but yeah, they're not. It's not the last chance. For Juve, Juve can afford a draw against Stuttgart. It's not the end of the world if that happens. Atalanta, Celtic, I think Atalanta will win that as well. yeah I believe at Atalanta this season in Europe. Oh yeah, for sure. Celtic are not not the the strongest the strongest team in in Europe. They got hammering, didn't they, in the last game against Dortmund. Yeah, and Europa League, Roma,
01:30:02
Speaker
must, must win the game as well. We've only got one point from the first two matches and we've put one point in the last three games, one goal in the last three games, the Djuric, they have to get a win here otherwise, like we said, the pressure really will be on him. It really will be on him. Yeah.
01:30:20
Speaker
Let's finish off with Badjo Premface and Sedia Ass of the week. So Badjo of the week, I've got one away from the the world of Calchar and that is Panathinaikos deciding to pay the remainder of George Boldoc's contract to his wife to pay for, well, to help pay for his one-year-old son after his his his tragic death during the during the the international break.
01:30:45
Speaker
so So I think that's a lovely, lovely gesture. I think that's a beautiful gesture as well. Yeah. think I think that would be beautiful. It was such a tragic, it was it was really tragic to see. It was awful, yeah. Awful. Rest in peace. and And yeah, like I said, I think Cataldi and Kalpani's finishes, and Lautaro's finish, of course, as well, that that qualifies in the badjo character, in the badjo.
01:31:10
Speaker
Section. Yeah, a retigue as well, just for the throwback chipped finish, which we never see anymore. Stunning. Prem face of the week. Gosh, we've got a lot. We've got loads of prenfaces this week. The English media response to Thomas Tuchel's appointment was, it was unbelievable. Take your pick. I mean, I did a little, I did a little. Listen, Dean Ashton.
01:31:31
Speaker
is is I wonder if if he was like, he just hit, yeah, to like this is a direct quote. Yeah, Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea, but Frank Lampard got them out of the group stage. I like Danny Mills. I like Danny Mills saying that Thomas Tuchel doesn't come across as ah an English manager because he wears a hoodie and a cap, not a suit, like by a self-gate. What?
01:31:57
Speaker
but That makes, okay. Not a suit. Do you know where he gets his suit? Do you know where Gareth Cowself gets to get his suits from? Marks and Spencer's. Get out of it. M&S. No, he doesn't. Yes, he did. They were Marks and Spencer suits.
01:32:12
Speaker
Okay. um i think i think I think we can sort Thomas to her lap. um God. Yeah. But yeah, yeah. Some of the response was, was, was hilarious. You know, the fact that he's German and, and then all this stuff. I mean, it was pure. Oh, it was brilliant. It was brilliant. Yeah. But yeah, what's his name? Dina Ashton's comments were just, they sent me into another level. Like I just, I couldn't, I couldn't stop laughing. It was hilarious. There was some other fantastic ones. I mean, Mark Goldbridge, whose real name is.
01:32:44
Speaker
Brent Dicheseran. Brent Dicheseran's actually supports North Forest. He went mad at Marco Van Basten. Marco Van Basten was criticising Ten Hayg for signing Ugarte and saying that he's basically saying he's not good enough for Man United.
01:33:03
Speaker
And Mark Goldbridge tweeted, Van Basten overrated Miss Hitavoli in 88 and lived off it forever. Just a Dutch totally- You had three Ballon d'Ors, did he? How many did he have?
01:33:15
Speaker
case What? Three Ballon d'Ors. Yeah. Only for me, the greatest, is the greatest or not necessarily the greatest, the most complete number nine strike yeah for me.
01:33:30
Speaker
the most complete like he really didn't have he had everything yeah he had no weaknesses he was technically unbelievable he was good in the air he could really do he had a fantastic brilliant physically brilliant mentally brilliant two footed brilliant in the air scored both footed scored with both feet could hold up the ball you know could create for others could you could go long balls at him you could go short to him you could i mean he's just he was the perfect number nine And the way that he, his body for me, the way that he controlled his body and transformed his body from like in in difficult situations in goals, scoring chances for me, the 1988 Euro semi-final against West Germany, when he scores that winner against Jurgen Kohler, who was probably the best together with, with Baresian and them one of, if not the best, one of the best man markers in football, he would not give you eight inch. no The way that he turns that
01:34:23
Speaker
All of that in one movement, the ball, the pass, the slide shot. That is just iconic. Yeah, no, it was brilliant. Ironically, it was Kolo who basically ended his career by always hacking him from behind. John Barnes on TalkSport criticising England for the way that they tried to play all their superstars in the same team. He goes, how Spain don't cram stars into their team like England?
01:34:53
Speaker
Len Normand, who is playing in Saudi Arabia, and Ruiz, Fabian Ruiz, no one has even heard of him. Oh my God. And I don't want to criticize John Bond too much. I love George Bond. And he's a, and he's a childhood hero of mine. So I can't, but yeah, that is bad. That's really bad. that's a Is it Len Normand that plays in Saudi Arabia, by the way? It's, it's Laporte. i was and yeah And then finally,
01:35:21
Speaker
This is hilarious. Forget about the politics, but just the growth. there was a person ripping down Greek flags at a Greek restaurant because he thought they were Israel flags. So he went and told them they were Greek flags. That can't be real. I've seen the video, it's absolutely gone. Yeah, I've seen the video, but that has to be sort of like... Oh, staged. Yeah, it's got to be staged. It was hilarious anyway. This isn't like... nowadays everybody knows how... come on. If you don't... it's not like... everyone...
01:35:55
Speaker
It's like some countries, you just know their flag because you've either been there like, you know, it's a big holiday resort. It's got lots of history. Everyone knows the Greek flag. Like, you know what I mean? It's just that, of course, you know how the Greek flag looks. that's i I think that's stage. I'm sorry. It was so funny. they And yeah, ah sir Syria, Syria asks of the week. I don't want to get political, but I'm just going to say Italy fans, if you know, you know, that's all I'm going to say on that.
01:36:23
Speaker
Any other seriasses? I mean, the referees. Yeah, I think the referees and Rocky, like his his comments make everything worse. And I think the fact that he can't, he seems unable, and completely and unable to run that organization. And he seems that he's causing more confusion with his comments, that he says one thing early on before the seasons and then he changes it. changes it And then he.
01:36:49
Speaker
Once he's asked to comment on it, he just causes more confusion. I think Rocky needs to leave. They need to find someone else who who knows how to control an organization, who knows how to communicate internally and externally without creating confusion and pissing everyone off even more. Yeah. Rocky needs to be knocked out. Let's leave it at that.
01:37:08
Speaker
We will be back this week on well tomorrow tuesday Tuesday for an an interview with Lauren, the former Arsenal vegetable all right back, who who we we spoke to earlier today and we we asked him about some Seria related stuff.
01:37:26
Speaker
which which I think you'll find interesting and also related stuff as well. And then whenland Wednesday for patrons, it's the Q and&A pod. yeah um And on Thursday, it's the midweek review show. Those two are the late the midweek review show, yeah which will mainly be Champions League. Yeah. On Thursday, which those two last ones, the Q and&A and the midweek review show are for patrons only. So patreon dot.com slash TIFB. Yeah. Thank you everyone for listening. See you next time. Ciao ciao.