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Lookman & Gasperini Masterclass, Rafa Leao vs Fonseca, #JuricOut, Juventus & Inter Milan Win & Much More (Ep. 468)
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From Gian Piero Gasperini tactical masterclass and Ademola Lookman show for Atalanta, Antonio Conte outclassed tactically as Napoli come crashing down to earth, Inter Milan win again without impressing just like captain and match winner Lautaro Martinez, to Khephren Thuram and Nicolo Savona shine for Juventus in comfortable win over Udinese, AC Milan lucky in win over Monza, Rafael Leao vs Paulo Fonseca war heats up, Roma in complete crisis and preview of all midweek Champions League matches involving the Italian teams including Inter vs Arsenal and Real Madrid vs Milan, as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week, plus much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from Match Day 11 of the 2024/2025 Serie A season.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of the Italian football podcast. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nimita Valli. On today's show we will react to the Serie A weekend matches.
Atalanta's Tactical Masterclass
00:00:17
Speaker
The big story of the weekend was Atalanta's incredible 3-0 win at Serie A leaders Napoli.
00:00:24
Speaker
after what can only be described as a tactical masterclass by Jampiero Gasparini and a stunning individual performance as well from Ademola Lukman. That sets up a ah fascinating match this weekend between Inter and Napoli after Inter survived ah an almighty late scare as they beat Venezia 1-0, Juventus ended their bad run of form and kept a clean sheet with a 2-0 winner Udeneza. Milan also responded responded to their their defeat against Napoli by beating Monza
00:01:00
Speaker
ah in ah in a controversial game, but the Rafa Liao and Paolo Fonseca war worsens as Liao is benched for a third straight game. There are reports that Liao now wants to leave Milan in January unless Fonseca is sacked.
Milan's Internal Struggles
00:01:18
Speaker
Ivan Urich is at risk of the sack himself, as Roma lose at Verona, while Fiorentina's incredible form goes on as they win yet again. We'll also preview the midweek Champions League matches with some some huge games, including Inter against Arsenal and Real Madrid against Milan, and we'll have our usual Bad Show, Prem Face and Sadia Ass of the Week.
Subscription and Additional Content Info
00:01:44
Speaker
For all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend study action, all the biggest talking points in its Italian football. will If you want to support the Italian football podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week, including a weekly Q and&A episode every Tuesday, where we answer all of the questions from our patrons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction, and much, much more.
00:02:06
Speaker
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00:02:47
Speaker
Okay, let's get into today's show.
Atalanta vs Napoli: Tactical Deep Dive
00:02:50
Speaker
So we'll start off with a big game of the weekend, the Sunday lunchtime kickoff but between Napoli and Atalanta at the Maradona. And it was something of a tactical masterclass from Jampiero Gasparini. Atalanta dominate and win 3-0 and I want to start off this show Nima by just singing the praises of Gasparini What's a genius this guy is this guy? It's about time now that this guy not just in Italy, but but globally Universally gets the the credit that he deserves because I don't know any manager in the world who would come into this game and playing the league leaders, Napoli, who on incredible form going onto to this match into this match, already opened up a lead at the top of the table, had only conceded ah two goals in their last eight games and the they would go there and Gasparini would drop
00:03:51
Speaker
the Serie A's top scorer, Matteo Retiki, to play a false nine system. I don't know any manager who would come up or would have the bravery so to do that. And not only do that, but then execute it so brilliantly.
00:04:07
Speaker
tactically outclassed Antonio Conte in this game, took him completely by surprise and Atalanta go on and they completely dominate this match and they and they win three nil. So it's is's about time that we gave Gasparini the credit that he deserves. Well, I think we've already have done that, at least on this podcast, haven't we? I mean, what he did winning a European trophy with Atalanta is truly unbelievable. A small provincial side.
00:04:37
Speaker
uh, in the north of Italy, um, winning, you know, beating, uh, by a Liverpool's and the unbeaten German double champions that season, uh, was, was truly his, his, his greatest managerial accomplishment. But what we saw against Napoli was a mature, uh, Gasperini tactically in the sense that he didn't usually in the past, he would have.
00:05:05
Speaker
probably pushed on a little bit too high. you would have played into He lacked what you know what Italians say is cynicism when from'm playing gi big games, but here he was perfect. He knew that by playing a false nine and packing the midfield,
00:05:22
Speaker
And centrally, he would have he could create he could easily bypass Napoli's press because of his teams, because of the players that he plays are always so mobile. They're so dynamic. They don't stand still. And basically nullifying Napoli, ah knowing their weaknesses, playing around them, playing past them, um positional changes, and also, above all, defensively, understanding that he needed to defend deeper than he usually does.
00:05:50
Speaker
which allowed someone like Isaki Yan to completely shine. um Because for me, after Lukman, he was the man of the match. Completely nullified Lukaku. Completely erased him. um Physically as well, I would say. Not many players can physically handle that. was but That's the thing though. like if you if you defend the That's the thing with Yan, if you defend deep,
00:06:19
Speaker
and you are able to kind of pack the area, he and is actually very good at pushing above and and annoying his striker. It's when he has to, when when you attack him, when he's got space behind him or around him rather, ah he struggles. um But this was this was perfect a perfect example of what Konta usually does well, and that is you know playing to your strengths and to your weaker to your opposition's weaknesses.
00:06:50
Speaker
Gasparini did it, executed it perfectly. Everything about this game was had the whole marks of a team that, well, I mean, usually
Upcoming Matches and Tactical Insights
00:07:01
Speaker
when you play like this, you're a Scudetto contender in big matches.
00:07:06
Speaker
um
00:07:08
Speaker
we I don't think we can say that about Atalanta. yeah Well, I want to come on to that after. I want to, I want ask but i do want to say that they, they, they showed and a tactical and maturity of tactical intelligence, executing everything, working as a unit. Um, there's so many that I think we're outstanding in this game. Well, just saying on the tactical stuff, before we move on to the individuals, I mean, on this false nine, um, I think it was genius because what, what the Napoli defenders under concept being so good at is kind of one-on-one defending.
00:07:40
Speaker
man-marking, defending their area really, really well, and being great defending, just just the the the old-fashioned style defending. That's what I think Bongiorno is at his best doing. He's a brilliant old-fashioned defender, like defending his box.
00:07:58
Speaker
um Rachmani has kind of got back to his Scudetto season levels this season, defending that, being that kind of defender um as well. that For the centre-backs especially, that's what they're good at. But what Gasparini did in this game is, by by not playing Rettigy,
00:08:15
Speaker
is he basically removed those strengths away from the Napoli centre backs because he gave them no reference points. He had a false nine, Charles de Kettler on paper, who was coming deep, he was roaming around, he was moving that those defenders, those centre backs around as well. And then Lukman was then was then ah was able to roam as well and and make use of the space. And and of course, Lukman scored two goals. The first goal was an absolutely fantastic finish. And then also Pasalic as well was getting into areas if he had finished better, he would have scored um as well. Gasparini, the idea was was executed fantastically, and and really the likes of Ponjour, who actually was probably one of the the players few Napoli players that actually did okay on the day, they they weren't they were just kind of lost, they they they had no one to mark, and as a result, you know ah Napoli had no no answer um no answers for them, and I just think that Gasparini,
00:09:15
Speaker
like what he has done this year in 2024 is he has outcoached this season, jabby this year, sorry, Jaby Alonso in the final against Bialevicuzen, they won three nil, Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, three nil, Ruben Ammarim, not just in the knockout stages of the of the Europa League on the way to their victory, but also in the group stages going dating back to the the to the first half of last season, and now Antonio Conte. So he has tactically out coached four of the top, probably four of the top 10 coaches in world football. I think we put all of those four coaches in the top 10 of football, including Javi Alonso and rumarin Ruben Amorim, two of the
00:10:01
Speaker
coaches who are considered like the best of the then of the new generation. yeah you know And he's out coached them, like just outclass them. I mean, Xabi Alonso even said that after the game. He says, I was out coached by Gasparini. So, I mean, the fact the crazy thing is is that you've got Ruben Amorim, who's just taken over as Manchester United manager. Now, you've got Xabi Alonso, who I think everybody knows will get we'll go to work to one of the Europe super clubs at the end of this season.
00:10:29
Speaker
you've got your clock is being you know one of the nintendo concert being you know the probably top top three top five. Managers consistently for the in the world for the last ten years he's outcoached all of that all of these coaches get big jobs get linked to big jobs overtime gasper really never does.
00:10:46
Speaker
And we know part of the reason why that is, but, you know, it's now I think it's it's about time that that that everybody in the world acknowledges that this is a world class, world class coach, because he's wiped the floor with these world class managers this year. For sure. Absolutely. now he is I mean, right now he's coming into his own. um he's um he's at He's at the club where he should be and And he's he's in the environment he should be and it's working and and he's performing these miracles. i I mean, given his age and where he is and and the character he is and how, you know, what kind of a person he is, I think I'm happy that he's an Atalanta and I hope he stays there. And I hope honestly that he is rewarded with the Italy job after Spalletti because I think Spalletti will leave after the World Cup.
00:11:40
Speaker
I just think he'll be too old then, that's the problem. He's 66 now, Gasparini. So by the time of the World Cup, he'll be 68. I mean, the 17th, by the time of the tournament, he'll be 70. I just think he's probably missed his chance. The World Cup is in two years.
00:11:58
Speaker
yeah But after the World Cup, he'll be 68. And by the time the tournament, the Euros come along, in which he's coaching at, if he took the job, gury he'd be 70 at the time of the tournament he's coaching at. I think he's probably missed this chance. to be honest But that's OK. I don't think so. I think when 70, I mean, it's it's the breaking point. But if he wants it, I think he should get it. I think he deserves it.
00:12:20
Speaker
um ah But because what he does is is truly hes he's ah he's a truly he's done so much for Italian football and he's done so much to with this tiny little club from the north that it's truly remarkable to see. and and and And I think it would be it would be and it would be a nice way to pay tribute to him. um I think he he was really, really outstanding. And again, like just look at all the players that he develops and improves. um
00:12:52
Speaker
you know luman more than it was a flop from the Premier League when he came. Unbelievable. What's a player? What yeah can we talk about? looking What's a player? and I mean, what's a performance again? I mean, that first goal was a world-class finish. That wasn't an easy finish. when you When the ball drops on you, especially on your weaker left foot, that's a really hard skill. The technique that he showed so with his weaker foot to score that. And then the second goal Okay, it's bad goalkeeping from Barrett, but it's a great long shot. I mean, Di Lorenzo, he destroyed him in this game. He destroyed Di Lorenzo after we were talking about Di Lorenzo being back to his level. No, what we said was that he had returned to form, but he's not the same Di Lorenzo as he was two years ago, and I maintain that.
00:13:40
Speaker
Well, you know, Lukman right now is the the twenty in he has the most ah gold contributions ineriano yes sixteen goal now. assists now after the game against Napoli. Yeah, this calendar year in all competitions in the Serie A or among Serie A players, yeah he's outstanding. Now, he was outstanding. And I mean, the way that he's unlocked and improved, Lukman, Heian,
00:14:09
Speaker
um retegi ah that The Kettler. I mean, it's just all of them. Edderson, like all of these guys, like the way that they all improved. Oh my god, Edderson was a monster in his game. Completely. I mean, they all did. He knows how to get the best, like improve players and play them in the right system to their advantage. I mean, that's why, you know, a lot of people were talking about you know, is it should you even buy players from Atalanta because he's so good at getting them to look better, ah so good in a specific system, because he knows how to do them. That, to me, is is is what one of the hallmarks of a great coach. Remember how awesome Cristante was at Atalanta? I mean, it's like, Cristante is a very meaty player, but under Atalanta, he looked fantastic. Like, again like this this is what Gasperini does, time and time and time and time again. But
00:15:06
Speaker
I think that when it comes to um ah re Retegi, this is now this is no longer just a flash in the pan. like The way that he plays, the hold-up, the link-up, the movement, the finishing, the aerial prowess, this this this is this this isn't just form. It's been three months now, two, three months.
00:15:32
Speaker
he is this this is a salto de qualita he's taking a step in quality um because it's just even when he's benched in a big game which you'd expect the player to maybe sulk or anything but he comes on does the most natural thing in the world does what he ought what he's done all season 11 goals now in 11 games that was a lethal finish as well by the way that was that was barely a half chance and he barely a sniff and just bang first time. Didn't even think about it found in the bottom corner. You know, he's come in. He's only just come on. He's cold. He's so lethal. He is a killer. He is he such a killer. He is. And you know, those, those comparisons to Gabriel Batistuta, which, which look, he's not Batistuta. He's never going to be Batistuta. Batistuta is one of the greatest
00:16:21
Speaker
number nines of all time but there he does have that batter's stooter in him of the the lethal first time finish where he doesn't even think about it he just bang he hits it he hits it hard and he gets it on target and he finds the corners and the bottom corners and i mean he has
Napoli's Setback and Analysis
00:16:39
Speaker
such a great shot on him such a great connection and he hits the ball so early which any goalkeeper will tell you, if if ah if a striker hits the ball early, it means that the goalkeeper can't get can't get set, they can't get their feet set, and it means it makes it very, very difficult. Because when a goalkeeper has his feet set, he's ready to make the dive, when he when he hasn't got his feet set, he loses you know half a second, and then that's often lethal for the goalie. And that that's kind of, again, what kind of happened on this goal. You just, the ball come in, bang, you hit it without even thinking.
00:17:12
Speaker
and Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. performance Great for Italy as well. No, that's the thing though. Like that's what I was going to say. We're talking about someone who could perhaps, like now he is the undoubted starter for Italy as the number nine. Like he, he, they have to uh yeah they have to start they have to they have to um like like they have to build around him now because there's no one else who who is going to to like i don't see anyone there's only scamaka if he can return from his mcl he's the only one like
00:17:56
Speaker
potentially that can be challenging. There isn't anybody else, because we know that we're we don't have any options, but it doesn't matter. I mean, he's that good. Yeah, but the thing with Skamake is, I mean, we saw last year, the difference between Rettagi and Skamake and mentality, the difference between, I mean, the talent, I think,
00:18:11
Speaker
Skamaka is an unbelievable talent. I think he's technically much more gifted player than Retegi, but Retegi has got the right attitude. He's got the right mentality to succeed. And Skamaka is still a little bit, you know, was, if you remember, he was in fantastic form, but he he still, we we just didn't see the movement. We didn't see, he didn't do what he needed to do. And Gasparini was very vocal about that. Now with Retegi,
00:18:36
Speaker
I mean, again, benched in this game comes on, decides it, kills it, puts it beyond doubt, and and he does so being doing exactly what he needed to do in interpreting the game in the right way. That's ah that that's what I'm talking about, right mentality, you know having your head space in the right place and and and and all that. But no, it's it's um they're doing they doing fantastically well. And and and i and again, i I think Atalanta in the Champions League is going to be such an interesting watch because they've been a bit unlucky. The games they've drawn, they should have won. um So I don't think anyone wants to play Atalanta. Well, talking about Champions League, let's talk about the Scudetto because Gasparini was asked at at the ah the end of the match about the Scudetto hopes. And he played it down, which I think is the is the is the right thing to do.
00:19:31
Speaker
but You know, we've got to remember that, you know, they've hit a good run of form now. Five Serie A wins in a row and they've suddenly from a position of which they didn't look very good. is I mean, we forget they start the season really badly. They're now only three points behind Napoli at the at the at the top of the table. And Napoli play into this weekend um at San Siro, where, you know, you'd probably put your money on Napoli, at least dropping points there. So, I mean, they're right. They're right in there in the in terms of points. I mean,
00:20:02
Speaker
Personally, I go back to to what I said at the start. I still feel like they lack depth at centre midfield and centre forward. they I mean, that they showed in this game that they could win without a retigee playing, as I said, which is a great sign. But I think over the long term, you still need... you know This is a very particular game where you're playing against a top team and they you carry out a tactical plan.
00:20:30
Speaker
ah you know you need they I think they still need a ah proper alternative, number nine, to Rettigy this season. Otherwise, you know there is the risk of Rettigy kind of burning out, tiring out. ah But also at Centre Midfield, the lack of alternative. When we saw Edison in this game, it was an absolute monster. you know You can't play Edison twice a week for the entire season, which is basically what they're doing. He's gonna he's going to get tired. And and then then if he gets an injury or something,
00:20:57
Speaker
I still feel like they lack depth there. I actually think everywhere else, they've actually got pretty good depth. I mean, they're attacking midfield positions, they've got lots of options. I mean, someone's itches coming on quite nicely now as well. ah Wing back, they've got pretty good options. The defense, the defense is has always been throughout this Gasparini, it's always Gasparini year has always been a kind of ah on paper individually, a bit of a weak point. um So I mean, that's an issue. But, you know, I still think they're probably a little bit short, but I love the fact that they're right in there with the race and I really hope that they can they can launch a challenge because there's nothing that would delight me more than to actually go on and win the Scudetto. It would be a beautiful fairytale. beautiful Oh, I think you absolutely. But can they really can they really change the Scudetto over the long run of the season? I think it I think the answer to that lay in what how Inter and Napoli play and Julve who are the main principal challenges.
00:21:58
Speaker
because they are the ones who will, can they go on a run? Can they, you know, can they run away with it? Because I think Atalanta is going to drop points here and there. Yes, they have depth, but they also, they they also they're also in the Champions League. um They're going to be in the Super Cup. They're in the Copa Italia.
00:22:21
Speaker
Like they there's it's a lot of games and a lot of tournaments and a lot of traveling for them. So I think you know i think from my my my default setting would be no, I don't think they can. But if there is an opening and the others were also in other competitions, just as many competitions, if not more, then um then there is absolutely an opening if the stars align for Atalanta to kind of sneak in behind.
00:22:46
Speaker
um I think one thing, though, that that definitely I think that they're proven now is that when it comes to playing against big teams, they can, they can, you know, they can take sculpts and they've, I mean, they've had some bad results. I mean, intra thrashed them twice this year, even good old Allegri out cut out cut out out coached Gasparini in that final. and and b I thought I'd say it before you say it. I was going to say it. He's cop coached everyone except for Simone who spanked him and good old Max. But you know what I mean? like the big Look how many big scalps they've had this year. Liverpool, you know, these big... Liverpool, Leverkusen, you know, Napoli,
00:23:29
Speaker
I mean that they they they you know they they they're against the big teams and I think they've got that experience and as well now. They can handle the big occasions. like if it actually went into if it went into Say they are there in April, May and there's a big Scudetto I think they're going to choke. that They're not going to choke. No, they can handle the occasions. They've got that experience. I mean, winning the Europa League and winning these big European matches helped. But even like even in the Champions League, when they played against Arsenal this season, they played like the the experienced bosses in that game. Okay. It was a draw.
00:24:00
Speaker
And they didn't create loads in that game. They probably just about deserved to win, but they dominated. deserve to they dominated the they They dominated the possession and the territory. And Arsenal were playing, you know, our tetanyahu ball, as one of our patrons calls it now. You know, it was it was there with the bosses. So that they they are, you know, I think they can handle it. And I think that could, that can serve them well if they are still there or thereabouts going into the, you know, the business end of the of the season.
00:24:28
Speaker
No, I agree. none of the the I'm not worried about the psychology of it. I'm just thinking, can they can they maintain until the end? um And I'm not sure they can when they're competing on four fronts. No, they probably need, like you said, they probably need the others to, to they probably need like that the the the winning Scudetto points, Tali, to be a little bit lower, maybe. yeah Around 80 to 85 points, that's what I think then they can mount a challenge and win. But if it's anywhere above 84, I think it'll be difficult for them. Yeah. Well, let's talk about Napoli then, because this came as a... I mean, it shouldn't be a massive shot, but it did come in as a shot, the manner of the defeat, because Napoli had been so good and since that defeat of Verona in the first game of the season. They they they had eight clean sheets in 10 games.
00:25:18
Speaker
two conceded and they'd gone on this they'd gone on this great run and obviously beaten Milan earlier in the week. And then this game, they were, let's be honest, they they were dominated. It was a deserved defeat. And I think that it all started with that Gasparini tactical change, that that that it really did catch Conte by surprise. It it prepared this coat match meticulously in a certain way, expecting RetoV to start.
00:25:47
Speaker
And he was taken by complete surprise. It came out of nowhere. No one no one predicted. Everybody expected Retibi to start. And I think it shocked them. shocked them. this shot yeah But i'm not up I'm not at all happy with, and I'm sure Conte was fuming in the half time. Napoli's lack of intensity, Napoli's lack of tempo, Napoli's complete lack of of of fire under their bellies. The way that they play conta this content happily when they're at their best is when they when he's got them all fired up. They were cocky. They were a little bit
00:26:25
Speaker
arrogant in their approach, especially in the first half, simple, unforced errors, um a bit blase and a bit, you know, lackadaisical about how they approach this. um Not as he didn't play like a cohesive unit like they did against Milan and other other other games. I think this was a little bit of um they were a little bit too arrogant and and and full of themselves after having beaten Milan and being praised and and and all of that. But I think it got to them a little little bit to their head. And it's Naples. This is what happens. I mean, this is this is what Spalletti had to deal with when he was there, like to keep being able to maintain and keep the expectations in check, because there's few cities in the world that can swerve off into the atmosphere.
00:27:10
Speaker
Um, when, when things are going well and and equally when things aren't going well, they can, you know, things it's, it's, it's, it's a city of, of two extremes. Always. Everything is either heaven or hell. Um, it's a cultural thing. And content knows this being from the south of Italy he has to mean he has to be able to balance these expectations out. And, and, and, and I think he prepared well, tactically, the problem was that when Atalanta played the way they did and they pulled that kind of.
00:27:40
Speaker
surprised towards him, Napoli got nervous um and when they got nervous they started second-guessing and questioning themselves and I think Konta then didn't really have a reply to this, although I think in the second half Napoli were much, much better. They ran more, they fought more, they they like they moved more like a team. And um and and you know regardless, Atalanta was just better on the day. But I don't expect Napoli to behave this way going forward. I think this was a come crashing down to earth kind of a game for for this Napoli side that they realize, and Conte will love this, that
00:28:21
Speaker
You know, nothing comes for free. You have to work hard until you cross that finish line. And until you cross that finish line, nothing else matters. So, you know, this is the kind of loss that he will use towards when communicating with the team to fire them up again. ah Now he has a weak.
00:28:42
Speaker
to do that against terrible people. um so So, you know, it's it's um it's it's going to be quite the clash at the San Siro. But I'm surprised by Napoli, I am surprised by Napoli how Napoli behaved in this game, especially in the first half. Yeah, I just think that they were they were outplayed in all all three departments. Defensively, you know this wasn't the de Napoli defence that has kept eight clean sheets in the last ten games. This was a this was a a Napoli defence that
00:29:16
Speaker
never looked comfortable defending in this game and we we you know the olivieras defending for the first goal you know basic defending heads instead of heading the ball out to the side from across he heads it straight into the center into the into the middle onto the edge of the area then the ball comes back in and you know it's not defended particularly well it comes to falls to to look when then he finishes it great and you know so that's on oliviera Then the the second goal, Meretz, that's just awful goalkeeping. You've got to make those saves. It's a good shot, it's a powerful shot, but it's ah it's a save that any
00:29:55
Speaker
you know, top flight goalkeepers should be saving comfortably. And, and then, you know, Di Lorenzo was, was, was terrorized by Lookman from the whole game. He, he, Di Lorenzo showed that even though he's been, you know, playing well this season in terms of the, like playing in in a unit, that's what Consey does.
00:30:16
Speaker
one-on-one, he struggles. He's never been a strong, strong point. For me, he's never smelt danger. He's never got tight enough to his to to to wingers when they've run at him, when they've tried to put crosses in. That's been an issue that I've had with him his whole career. He never gets tight enough. He's always too standoffish on wingers and on players.
00:30:38
Speaker
but you know, more so now that he's getting older, he's 31 now, you know, when top wingers run at him, they they beat him, they go past him. We saw that obviously at the Euros when, you know, the likes of Nico Williams and others were we're we're going past him so easily, but not even having to do skills, just running past him and that's the issue with Di Lorenzo, like if he is isolated or if players just get to run at him one on one, play even if there isn't a double up on him, he gets beaten, and he gets taken on and Lukman was going inside, he was going outside and and you know that's the problem and that is, you know, while we say Rettige is a great positive for Italy, this is something that still concerns me about Di Lorenzo,
00:31:22
Speaker
and you know, thinking for the Italy national team as well. I mean, in a bat three, maybe that won't be so much of a problem. In a bat three, he might not get isolated. And that play is running at him one on one as much. But even still, yeah, it does concern me. And and that that was, that was something else. And then as I said before, yeah, the two centre backs, the two centre backs, you know, weren't able to use their strengths in this game.
00:31:45
Speaker
So the defense wasn't good. No, Buongiorno struggled individually, which I thought was a bit strange. And he has done it like two games in a row. I guess Milani was lucky that the the cold correct calls went in their favor, but he made two mistakes and he was bailed out. this that Here he he he got burnt. And I'm starting to think that maybe Konta needs to be, even though you know we know that Konta likes to, you know, he's playing with the back four,
00:32:12
Speaker
I'm thinking he should really, really start considering being able to adapt to change, to interchange. in games. um I think in this game he should have played a 3-5-2, straight up 3-5-2, just for this game um against Bergas Perini, but he didn't. And I think, I hope he learns that from an apoli perspective, that you know so you have to be able to adapt to certain games. He can't just, this is the system, this is the formation. You have to be a little bit more fluid and you have to be a little bit more adaptable in one-off games. um Maybe in-game, when he could see that it wasn't working. and they i mean I thought that midfield as well, you know they they did and they did't and they got dominated. Edison is an amazing midfielder, he's incredible. but you know he was And Guise has been great this season.
00:33:04
Speaker
but He was awful here. It's as bad as I've ever seen Anguisa play. And Gilmore was was overran as well. I mean, Lebokka was definitely missed in this kind of game because, you know, Anguisa's great. I mean, McTominay, it was pretty decent. It's going to hit the post. But, you know, McTominay, Anguisa, they're not the kind of players that are going to dominate the ball, dominate and control the midfield ball possession and dictate the play.
00:33:32
Speaker
And so that is where Lebokka is crucial, especially against the big teams, because otherwise you risk, against the better teams, you risk really being completely dominated in midfield if you don't have Lebokka there. ah Gilmore is that kind of player, but he's not obviously not way off the level of ah of a Lebokka here. And he also he also shares the kind of physical ah deficiencies that Lebokka does. You know, he's quite short.
00:34:00
Speaker
he's not you know, going to cover the ground and and run and it's not the fastest, you know, so so, you know, when you when you when you don't have that as well, um ah you know, so I think that that could be a potential weakness. That's why Lebokka is really, really important for Napoli this season. You can't just you need to be able to control games in midfield as well. You can't just keep keep playing, you know, the kind of football that and, you know, even against Milan, I thought, you know, Milan would dominate in midfield in that game.
00:34:31
Speaker
And, you know, Napoli were fine. They deserved the win. But ah eventually, you know, you you can't do that every single game, especially when you're playing. twice a week because you get tired and we know that and that that that's been a conte problem throughout his career. that when he when When his teams play once a week, they're absolutely fantastic. But when they play twice a week, and they can't match, they can't have that level of intensity and and the the the the way that the conte sets up the team and drills them and prepares them when we've only got
00:35:03
Speaker
a few days to prepare rather than a week to prepare. And again, we saw that in this game. So if you've got midfields that can control the ball and dominate, it takes the edge off that tiredness when you can control the game. Napoli were never able to do that in this game because they didn't have Lebokka and they weren't able to do it. So I think overall, they were dominating all departments. And in attack as well, I mean, what chances did they create in this game? I mean, nothing. They didn't create anything. Nothing big.
00:35:31
Speaker
No, they nullified them, um you know, except for that shot from McTominay in the first half. It was really nothing there. And and yeah, okay, Brahmani, good cross, poor finish, poor header. No, it's they didn't really- They didn't play, nothing at all, really. Yeah, no. And then it's like Kvara was invisible, Lukaku was nullified.
Inter and Juventus: Match Highlights
00:35:49
Speaker
No, it was it was a it was a complete- Lukaku's a little bit of a concern with Lukaku. I mean, he was really, really good against Milan, but that came after quite you know probably about a month of really poor lethargic performances. And then he was great against Milan. Let's not take anything where he looked like, you know, you know, he looked really good. And but in this game, he was he was he was really, really bad. So, yeah, just that's just a little bit a little bit of a concern there on the car. like But luckily, they won't play many times more than once a week. No, that's that's what speaks in their favor. You know, and that's why, you know, they're still top of the league. And that's what's so important for content.
00:36:29
Speaker
You know, his teams are good at bouncing back from defeat. They don't collapse. um And I fear for Inter. Well, it sets up the Inter game this Saturday. Is it Saturday, the Inter game? I think so. Was it Sunday? Anyway, this weekend, the big Inter versus Napoli game at the top of Serie A. No, it's a Sunday night game. First against second. Only one point now what i separates that the team. So Inter can go top if they if they win.
00:36:58
Speaker
if they win the game. um But Inter just about escaped what would have been a ah catastrophic draw in the in injury time. Venezia equalised the goal was disallowed for for a handball. The last kick of the game, actually, yeah for for for a handball, um which was was the right call. But Inter, they almost threw this one away. They missed so many chances in this game. It's actually crazy like how how bad they were with their finishing. It's not the finishing, it's the approach. You can't be this arrogant and continue to get away with it.
00:37:37
Speaker
And they've done it so many times this season, and they've got burnt against Genoa, burnt Monza. This needs to stop. um this This thing they do where they just they're so convinced of how awesome they are that they feel that everyone else should also know how awesome they are, and so they should just give letting the win. You can't do that. and and And we've seen them drop points as a result of it. I mean, against Juva, for example, they had the game for the taking, and they didn't get the game over the finish line.
00:38:06
Speaker
um And and and you know we saw it against Genoa. It's annoying. i mean it's's It's great that they won despite not playing well, and that's something we have to acknowledge. Since the Derby defeat, they have seven wins and one draw. um but that that's That's outstanding, results-wise. But if I look at Inter this season, I can only think of two games where Inter have actually played well. One is against Atalanta, where they dismantled Atalanta, and the other one is against Manchester City.
00:38:37
Speaker
against qualified opposition. Other than that, it's been very dry, dreary, devoid of energy, lack of energy, lack of tempo. um they look they look They look cooked physically, they look mentally tired.
00:38:54
Speaker
You can't just, you know, right now I would put it down in my notes in in this, like the first, the first goal that was the the goal that was disallowed for that toe offside of the Marco. That was the first time that Inter built the way that we're used to seeing them build from the back. That came like in the 59th minute or something. You can't, you can't do that. You just cannot do that. You can't keep doing this. You know, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Sooner or later you're going to get burnt.
00:39:23
Speaker
Um, and of course, you know, luck goes both ways, you know, a toe offside for the, for the, fur for the goal that was disallowed, the penalty that wasn't because of an offside before a handball, you know, correct calls, but so that's a bit unlucky. But they were lucky that the ball bounced on, uh, what's his name's arm for the equalizer. And that's why I tweeted out Venezia gonna equalize in the, in, in, at the end.
00:39:52
Speaker
it was It was the most so obvious outcome in the world, um and the past you know how passive they were as well, because it's one thing to defend a lead, but you do it in a and an aggressive way. But Inter weren't aggressive in this game. They didn't impose themselves in this game the way that we're used to seeing them do. doing they They weren't assertive. They were lackadaisical, they were a bit reactive, and Sommer had to make a couple of great saves.
00:40:21
Speaker
Well, actually, the first one, the first one that Oristanio missed was, I mean, it's an open goal, basically. I mean, it's unbelievable how he missed that, how he missed that chance. He had the whole goal to put it in and shot it too centrally. You know, otherwise, yeah, they could have gone down before half time. And then all of a sudden, you know, who knows what could have happened. I'll tell you what I mean about the arrogance. I think that was best exemplified by Marcus Taram in this game. You know,
00:40:50
Speaker
not doing what he did early on in the season when he understood, made the right decisions without getting too greedy and too selfish. He was so, so selfish and and and and when he was when he did play the right pass, it was the the quality was lacking.
00:41:08
Speaker
That's the kind of arrogance that I feel that is a little bit, you know, all over. the That just signifies shows where Inter are mentally right now. They continue to win, again, seven wins since Derby defeat, one draw. that's Those are fantastic results, right? But they haven't played well this season. And now they've got Arsenal and Napoli. And thank God Cela Nogli is back. He is so important for Inter. You just saw when he came on, he provides calm.
00:41:36
Speaker
but he's not 90 minute fit and he's going to have to come off, ah ah you know, he can't play 90 minutes against Arsenal or Napoli, or they risk injuring him again. So they've got two crunch games coming up. They're not really in very good form in terms of how they play, results-wise they are, but they have been riding their luck in games a little bit. um And it's it's um it's it's not good, you know, Inter need to be more resolute, they need to finish the finish these games off, they need to be more assertive.
00:42:05
Speaker
and i think to some extent, that that's kind of why you could sense the the irritation from Inzaghi, Mikitarian, Defray, Lautaro. And that that calms me from an inta perspective because they're aware of it and they want to do something about it. um And that's good because if they had come out there and been, oh, oh great, we won, you know, we can't always play well, that's football, that usual nonsense, that would have annoyed me and worried me.
00:42:33
Speaker
But they weren't. They were annoyed that they didn't kill off games, that they don't they seem to become passive as the game was on and be false into be be led into some sort of false sense of security.
00:42:44
Speaker
which again is exemplified by what I've said since day one of the season on this pod, that Inca have this ridiculous thing they do this season where they seem to just be fall into the rhythm of the opposition.
00:42:59
Speaker
they allow the opposition to to they they They get lulled into their game plan and how they want to play as opposed to imposing themselves. That's what I mean about the assertiveness. Inter lacked that this season. Last season, Inter went out there. It didn't matter who it was. They played their game. They won the game. It was finished. Even tight games. You weren't worried. There was a very clear way that Inter took on games. They didn't do that this season for various reasons. But as ah As long as the results go their way, you can't really complain. But for me, I'm looking a little bit, well, you can't always count on winning 1-0. You know, you need to kill off games, especially in big games, like against Uwe. That was a perfect example. That was a big warning sign.
00:43:44
Speaker
Um, but yeah, I mean, well, you know, it's, um, and it's, it's, uh, it's, it's a worry, but, but, but, but, I mean, you know, at some point, you know, and ah on the flip side, you play poorly and you win. That's a sign of strength.
00:44:01
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Let's move on to Juventus who get a crucial win themselves. They they react to their to their very bad run of form and their very bad run of of conceding goals. Important win, 2-0. Solid performance, clean sheet. First half performance I thought was was was pretty good from Juventus. Second half, not not particularly great, but but you know they they they saw the they saw the the game out. I think that the the ah big lessons I draw from this performance in terms of positives, Kefran Taran was outstanding in this game. he was ah This was a very powerful, dominating performance where he
00:44:46
Speaker
he wasn't He didn't get the first goal, because he shot it, it hit the post, then came off Okoye's back and went in. But i mean I mean, it's as good as let's give him the goal. The nutsmeg he did in the build-up was just, I mean, everything about him. Now, this was this was a game where Kefran Taram showed why he will be so useful for Uwe.
00:45:06
Speaker
um I thought he was very, very good um and he's coming into form and you even need him to come into form. Well, Motter said that at full time, he said it was a very complete performance and I think that's a good way of describing it. I mean, if you look at this, was he won the ball he won the ball and then he made that driving run. um and And, you know, he even said, you know, that Pogba is kind of his idol and you saw a little bit of, I mean, Pogba obviously technically is is a far superior player and Taram is probably better defensively and more disciplined but you know you can see that that that powerful stature you know
00:45:41
Speaker
he's going to be yeah He's going to be very, very good. I think he's going to be very good for you events and year too in the long run. He's still young, but once he once he develops and everything, I think he's he you know he shows you know what what how he is. Yildiz started, um which was the right decision from Motta, and you know he was he was involved in some so important plays. I mean, he did the pass at Turan for the first goal. He hit the post.
00:46:09
Speaker
in the build up to Savona scoring the rebound. um He went on one really, really good run in the second half when Vlovich had the shot, the chance to make it three nil. So I thought the yield is was Probably like his overall performance wasn't amazing, but he he was decisive, like he had decisive moments. And that's what we need to see more from Yieldy's consistently. you know Because his numbers taken away the inter-game, his numbers this season are actually pretty poor for for for a left-winger, for an outside forward. We need more goals. We need more assists. We need need more decisive goal contributions or decisive actions leading to goals in game. And we we had that from Yieldy's.
00:46:49
Speaker
so So that was good. But what I liked about Juventus, I think the most in this game, is that we saw, like we did at the start of the season, we saw a midfield that was completely controlled in the game, kind of like 60 to 70% possession for for most of the game. And by doing that,
00:47:09
Speaker
Juventus then limit the pressure on the defence and the defence isn't open, the defence isn't as vulnerable as it has been during this really bad run of of conceding goals and at the start of the season Juventus were controlled in the midfield, they were completely dominated in the midfield and while that led to you know, some sterile football and it led to occasionally led to Juventus looking like they're never going to even going to create a chance in the game, let alone score a goal. It at least meant that they were dominating the game and the opposition couldn't couldn't lay a glove on them because that they they couldn't get the ball off them and they couldn't get into areas. And what we had in this game, certainly in the first half and probably up until kind of like the last 20 minutes,
00:47:55
Speaker
is we had the Juventus that were completely in control of the ball all the time and they were just, Udinese just couldn't break through that midfield because that midfield was were controlling the game so much. And there's no, co it's no coincidence for me that this occurred at a time when Weston Mckenny, who has been useful in terms of contributions for goals and and and even assists this season,
00:48:19
Speaker
Western McKinney doesn't start in this game and as a result, Juventus completely control the game. the The short game is really good, the passing is really good and You know, this is why I don't want Western McKinney to start for Juventus, because when Western McKinney plays, you automatically lose control or lose more control of the of the midfield. And as soon as McKinney came on in the second half of the second half, the final quarter, all of a sudden, Juventus lose control of the midfield, Udinese start taking over, they start pushing for a goal,
00:48:51
Speaker
Luca hit the bar and although Udenezi weren't exactly, they didn't exactly look like they were gonna come back and and get a point out of this game, they were looking threatening. And I think that Juventus juventus need to focus on their strengths. Now their strengths are, they've got a lot of really, really quality central midfielders that can dominate the game, can control the game, play those midfielders. Mckenny, if you want to use Mckenny, use him as a second half substitute, if you know if it's the game is sterile and you need a goal,
00:49:21
Speaker
bring him on when that the tactical nature of the game changes and it's more open and and and and you know he can come on and and offer a goal threat from midfield. but they They don't need him.
00:49:33
Speaker
mckinney is uve fortezi That's how they should use them, in the sense that if you want to control games in midfield, you don't play Fratezi, you don't play Weston McKinney. It's when you want to score late on, when you want a dynamic run, when you want someone to offer a goal threat from deep, then you bring them on.
00:49:54
Speaker
um I think that like it's like I think your read of the game is pretty much the same as mine. I just want to say that this was a return to the to exactly like you said, the UVA that we saw in the beginning of the season. Controlled, composed, yeah pragmatic, calm, day at the office kind of win. And can I just add that? The Juventus didn't risk anything. Yeah, and can I just add on that McKinney point that you make, which I agree on completely, is that, you know, Juventus don't, Mozart doesn't need him.
00:50:18
Speaker
in order to bring that goal threat and to bring that physicality which he which he was kind of using him which is why he kind of started introducing him because you know they've got they've got uh taram to bring the physicality and we've shown that i mean he's he's such a how powerhouse physical physically taram they don't need him to bring that physicality in field because they've got taram and they don't need him to bring that goal threat because coop miners that's what he's there for i mean he's bit frustrating that the Koop miners still hasn't scored this season and he should have scored at the end. He had a big chance and that was probably the one frustration because that would have removed that kind of millstone off his neck and and and and and you know that he you know it would have cut me relaxed him and and got him ah got him on the score sheet and and and got him going but he still hasn't got that. I'm sure it will come. He just needs to stay fit, get a run of games, get his rhythm going fully and then Koop miners will be will be the midfielder that brings the goals.
00:51:14
Speaker
and They don't need Mckenny. You play Mckenny and you see what we've kind of seen from Juventus in recent games in which the midfield is more open, it doesn't control the game so much, it's just a little bit more chaotic and you give the ball away. i mean the the The way that Juventus gave the ball away in the game against Parma was horrendous. so you know that is why um yeah that's that That's my point. But yeah, like you said, defence was pretty comfortable in this game.
00:51:43
Speaker
No Danilo, which obviously, you know, is so was probably played a part in that. He did come on, though, for the last 10 minutes, which which coincided again when Vences was starting to struggle. But, so yeah, I don't i don't want Danilo to play at all. um Even at the 10 minutes, if it's right back at cinema, other one I think that Gatinkalulu have to be the players that play as much as possible in the centre. If you have to arrest one of Gatinkalulu,
00:52:10
Speaker
play Cabal there, or like I said last week, retrain and set up midfielder and play there until January, in which case, you don't have to, you have to buy a sense of that, which Jim Silly again confirmed before the match, they have to sign another sense of that. But yeah, defence was kind of a word of praise for Savona, who came back and played a really good game. Second goal of the season as well. I mean, look,
00:52:37
Speaker
I'd rather play him at right back than have to somehow play Danilo, put it that way. He's actually a good crosser of the ball. He's crossing, he's actually very, very good. I don't know, this I don't like making comparisons, but he's got this kind of, I don't know, he reminds me a little bit like of of of a young Billorenzo. There are certain aspects of his game that reminds me of Billorenzo when he was young at Empoli.
00:52:54
Speaker
I like Savona, I really do. I think he's i think he's ah he's a good player to have um and i mean i liked to i've like I've enjoyed watching his development for you over the season.
00:53:06
Speaker
home sir it's it's it's an It's a nice acquaintance and and you know it's you know let's see what he can do and where he can go. I mean he's far from the finished product, he's still a little bit naive. and in in in in in um in an decisive moments kind of thing. But it's it's a great you know it's a nice acquaintance to to made and it's nice to see where he can where where his career goes from here, where his trajectory goes from here. and what he can develop into yeah cause one other one final point when you yeah absolutely well so
00:53:36
Speaker
one other final point i want to make about you answer before we move on siman is on conse sal now it' too early for me to say this definitively but ah did find it Also, this this could be a reason why Juventus looked much more secure defensively, is that Conseil started as a s sub in this game. Juventus played the Yielders on the left, Koopminers in the middle, and and then Weijer on the right of the and I am, it did occur to me that Consé Sal, who's been fantastic, I think because I'm a big fan of him, you do lose something in defensive structure when, when Consé Sal plays. And I wonder whether, you know, I said this at the start of the season, the start of the season, Consé Sal wasn't wasn't starting. And Juventus looked really, really good.
00:54:26
Speaker
ah defensively of course. Then once Conseil started playing, he was playing really fantastically individually, it was probably only good at kind of like attacker for a while, Juventus started conceding goals and being more open. I do wonder whether that is course was also you know partly because Conseil isn't as good um in ah in the defensive phase and does you know doesn't provide the same kind of defensive coverage that say Gonzalez does or, or, or, or even and in the defensive phase as the other. Yeah. with Which is why, but he's still very young and I think Mota will probably try. No, no, no. I'm not saying that he can't. I'm saying that right now, but i'm say like it's no coincidence that he doesn't start. And I think that also maybe plays a bit of a role in Juventus being, being more, being better in, in, you know, in the defensive phase.
00:55:18
Speaker
and out of possession. and you know I think I've said you know i sit at the start of the season, I wonder whether Motta will, once Gonzalez is back and he has everyone back, I wonder whether Conte Sal becomes used more as a as a kind of an impact sub, as a last 30-minute player where he's going to be devastating.
00:55:35
Speaker
and he's going to run at plays and the game's going to be more open and the tactical structure of the game in the last 30 minutes, when when teams and players can't press, they can't run as much, the intensity drops, you don't need players to be like that and to constantly self and come on there. and I yeah that that's just um might be wrong, that's just that's just me kind of second guessing the way that Motta's thinking. So I think that could be potentially how we see constantly self.
00:56:05
Speaker
and this season. Certainly certain types of games where Juventus need to be a little bit more careful with how many men they're using, kind of as offensive players they're using. No, agreed.
00:56:17
Speaker
we Let's move on to Milan, though. This was a very controversial game. I mean, the positives of Milan is they win this game 1-0 against Monza, which is absolutely vital also for Paolo Fonseca after losing so badly to Napoli. Their first away win, or real away win of the season, because the inter-game kind of doesn't count really as an away win.
00:56:40
Speaker
um But I thought that I have to be honest, ah I think Milan are lucky to to win this game. I thought the first half, I thought they were really poor. I thought second half, they were pretty good. that There was more of a kind of solidity that we need to see from Milan going forward. But the first half,
00:56:57
Speaker
I mean, that they are so lucky. They're so lucky to not be losing ah at half time. I mean, not only did Monza create, you know, I think at least two or three big chances. I mean, Maldini's missed virtually an unmissable chance, but the disallowed goal as well. And I guess we have to start there, you know, because Nesta is absolutely furious about this. Galiani was furious about this as well. is it Was the right decision made to disallow the goal?
00:57:29
Speaker
The problem is not, I mean, again, it comes down to the consistency part, because it if you're going to give that, you have to do that in a si in in all games and all situations, and the problem is that it isn't. We don't see that happening in all games. um but So I can't say that the call is wrong,
00:57:53
Speaker
But I can't, my issue is then, well, if this is the level, then you have to keep it consistent in all games. Is there enough contact, though, for that to be a foul? Look, I will never criticize players for being furobo. OK, I think it's part of the game.
00:58:17
Speaker
and Teo is Furbo. He's not French, he's Italian. like he He is a Furbo. He knows exactly what he's doing and he folds in such a way that it's the referees pick up on it and they know that they have to like you know he he does it really well. I think Del Piero for me was the master at this.
00:58:39
Speaker
he could he he He knew how to fall when and how and in the right situation so that the referee did not have a have a distinct choice but to give the file to him. But whether an officer is in contact I mean, it's again, to me, it does feel a little bit cheap, but I can't say it's the wrong call because it there is, you know, the it was difficult on the replay to really see. That's what I mean. But I don't think the replays were very good but na the to in the close up of how much because I mean, for sure, there's very little contact. There's no doubt about that, which is what this is not happy about. The only thing I would say in favor of of of Teo and Milan on this is that it's the kind of touch where
00:59:23
Speaker
when you get clipped on the heels or on the feet like that from behind as you're running across it only takes the slightest slightest touch to clip that the back of the heel or the Achilles tendon and and you will go over so so it's kind of in this situation if there was a touch that clipped him in such a way that would cause that it doesn't matter if there's a big touch or a little touch it's enough of a touch to take the player down because That's what happens. The question is though, did he, did, was he clipped in that way? You know the kind of click I mean, you know, where you, where the play is running across and you clip just the, the kind of the, the back of the, or to the side of the, of the, of the heel.
01:00:08
Speaker
and it clips them and then their their foot hits the other their own other foot and then they they go over. It was unclear from the replays whether that actually happened. So that's why I'm finding it difficult to say. But what I would agree with Nestor on is there's barely any contact. And he's obviously very, very unhappy with the state of modern football. And you know that was shown by his quotes after the game where he said, they are ruining football. ah We need to go back to the old style of officiating. What kind of foul is that?
01:00:38
Speaker
um Then he says how they read they ah they they sent an apology to Monza after the the the the goal that was talked off for them against Atalanta and then he said that football used to be simpler, it used to be a contact sport, now every time he touches is penalised, the toenail is offside, you have to go into a challenge with your hands clap behind your back or it might be a penalty, I believe that the referee must adapt to the sport, not the other way around. The rules must be adapted to football, not the the the the the opposite. and So I agree with the general point that Nestor's making on that, but it is a difficult one because the replay wasn't
01:01:16
Speaker
Or what we can say for sure. This is what I mean about Teo being Furbo. Like he knows how to go down and in in a manner to go down. And I think there is an art to going down. I've always maintained that. I think Inzaghi and Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi and Del Piero were masters of this. What we can say though, Nimmer, is this.
01:01:35
Speaker
Milan, whether it's the right decision or the wrong decision, Milan are very, very lucky. No, of course. to To get this decision. And Monza are incredibly unlucky to have two. They played good in the first half. But to have this happen twice to them now. I was having to get a to Atlanta where they actually got an apology. So it wasn't actually an acknowledged mistake. you know So they're very unlucky. And I agree. I thought they were really good. And that's why I say Milan are extremely lucky not to be losing at halftime because Monza were the better team.
01:02:04
Speaker
in the in the in the first time I've created, you know, two or three big, big chances. And Mike Mignon's save, though, was insane. Like, wow.
01:02:16
Speaker
God. From Pereira's header. It's just what a save. Like he makes these crazy, crazy saves. Like it's it's like he has his weaknesses, which we've discussed about the corners and and and that he makes sometimes makes makes mistakes and like with the bouncy balls and whatever he reads it wrong. But his ref reflectx reflex saves are out of this world. They're insane. Like it's just What a save that was. yeah Coming after we were so heavily critical well everybody was so heavily critical of him for his his performance against Napoli and letting in that goal. That's what I mean. like Look, we know that he every everyone has a weakness, even if you're a fantastic goalkeeper, you have weaknesses. I mean, they used to famously say that Bifon was weak at penalties and whatnot, and and and and his feet weren't good enough and blah, blah, blah. But look, until the end of the career, that he was great at penalties.
01:03:09
Speaker
Oh, yeah yeah, I know. But you know, you know, what I like myself. But he but Mignon has weaknesses, but his reflex saves are just it's it's it it defies science, how he manages to react that quickly and to it's not like the ball hits him. He saves it and there's no time for him to save it. But he does it. And it's so, so impressive. And he does it time and time again.
01:03:37
Speaker
um it's It's really, really, so it was it's one of those crazy Mignon saves, like big big Mike saves. It's just crazy, crazy, crazy save. Well, that's a positive to see Mignon bounce back. I think it's the positive of Reinders who returned, was sorely missed against Napoli.
01:03:56
Speaker
and he scores again and he's, yeah. Pulisic, again, involved in the build-up. I thought Pulisic was pretty disappointed in this game. He was still involved in the build-up for the goal. Yeah, but he was disappointed in this game. You know, we've been riding, we've been, you know, talking. He's returning from a flu. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah. He actually had the flu mid-week and he had the brain. Three goals in his last two games. He set up a Liao chance as well, Reinders, so I think that Yeah. Ryan does is really, is really, really becoming a, you know, one of the leaders of of this team now. So, so, I mean, that's the positive, but, but the negatives are, yeah, not, not, not doing enough. It's still not good enough for Milan. Putting in these kinds of performances doesn't, doesn't convince me that Milan are going to go on some kind of run that can make them, you know, a challenger.
01:04:50
Speaker
at the top. they They need to play better than this. They can't have first half performances like this. and The second half was better though. They were more solid. Monza didn't really look like doing anything in the in the second half. So that's something to take from it. But we need to see more. We need to see more from Milan. ah There's no doubt about that. But the the biggest, the big talking point though is, um and we have to talk about this, is is Rafael Liao versus Fonseca because this is this is a well this is a crisis now this isn't just the Khazar this is this is much much bigger than this and for both player and and coach and and their futures because this is the third game in a row that Rafael Liao is is benched in Serie A, Udenezer, Napoli and Monzon of course
01:05:35
Speaker
the the game that he did start in the the Champions League against Club Brugi was taken off on the hour mark with a score at 1-1 in a must-win game, a game which if Milan don't win, they're probably going to be out of the Champions League.
Roma's Struggles and Potential Solutions
01:05:48
Speaker
He comes on, comes off, Ocofor comes on with his first moment of the game. He he makes the the goal, the second goal for Milan to go ahead.
01:05:56
Speaker
and there's a i mean the The newspapers are now saying, Nima, that there are big problems between the the two. they basically not on, they're not even talking to each other right now. um And that, once Liao is obviously very sad, we've seen that, but there are reports from from quite a number of sources, ah decent sources that Liao is actually prepared to leave in January, actually wants to leave in January if Fonseca is it' still Milan's coach by them. It's basically him or Fonseca. Milan have to make the decision now. It's basically a Ronaldo at Insta versus Cooper. It's, you know, you either choose the coach or you choose me. I'm not sure that's true. I have to be honest, I saw these reports and I questioned the veracity of them. I don't
01:06:49
Speaker
I don't think it's like that. I think it's obvious that he's unhappy because he's not playing. And I think Fonseca has been very honest, very clear, very calm and said there is no personal problems, but I can't be begging players to give their all for the shirt and the team, which is very a scathing critique. And Rafael Liao has to learn, unless he wants to end up in Saudi Arabia or the MLS, now he needs to learn to put the team's best ahead of him. If we look at how he when he shined at Milan under Pioli, it's because Pioli built the team around him. It was give Rafael Liao tactical freedom, give him freedoms. Saki at the time criticized the Liao for not working as part of the team. But Pioli mitigated it by allowing Liao creative freedom, by allowing everyone to defend behind him, giving him
01:07:49
Speaker
complete keystain to Milan's defense. Here you resolve it. That's how Pioli handled it. Well, no other coach is going to do that. We're not talking about like, it's you only build around Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. And with all due respect to Rafael Liao, he's no Messi and he's no Ronaldo. So regardless of where he goes, regardless of where, what happens if Fonseca stays or not,
01:08:16
Speaker
The next coach isn't going to to allow him that either, and he shouldn't. I think Fonseca is doing the right thing. I think Fonseca is taking ahead a problem head on, which should have been handled years ago. um And now he becomes kind of the sacrificial lamb. I think Fonseca is doing the right thing. I think Fonseca should not play Rafael Liao,
01:08:41
Speaker
as long as Rafael Liao doesn't play for Milan and plays for himself. The thing is though, the problem is Nimr is I just don't think that Liao has it in him to to be able to to do that. I don't think he has the, the he doesn't have the the desire for starters, but even if he did have the willingness to do that, I don't i don't think he has the the qualities to so be able to defend, to be able to have the tactical smarts off the ball, the position, the knowing how to to sacrifice for the team. I just don't think he has those those qualities. I don't think tactically he has the brains for it and i't I just don't think he sees the game that way. um you know He has the pace and there's no reason why he couldn't press, but there's a way of pressing, there's a way of cutting off the the passing lanes. there's the
01:09:30
Speaker
There's the way of of of when the ball is in a certain place, you have to move there and you have to move into this position. I just don't think i just don't think he has it in him. um And that's the reason why I don't i don't see if Fonseca is adamant that either Liao is is able to be part of the team unit, to be able to offer that defensive ah stability of the ball out of possession, to work harder, to press,
01:10:00
Speaker
that he's not gonna, unless he does that, he's not gonna be in the team. Well, I don't see him ever coming back into the team. I don't. so I don't think he can do it. And I don't think he wants to do it.
01:10:11
Speaker
Well, if he doesn't want to do it, then Fonseca can't play him. I mean, I think Fonseca is doing the right thing here. i You can't, you know... Well, then he needs to sell it because he can't do it. Even if he wants to do it, I don't think he's capable of doing it. I don't think i think he is capable of doing it. I think it's um it's more of an attitude issue. i think I think it's more about that. I don't think there's anything wrong with him that he can't do it. I think his i mentality towards football is wrong or is is is the is is is the issue here. And I think Milan have let this problem grow for a long time without addressing it. And and now Fonseca has been forced to address it. And I think he's handling it the best way possible. you know He's basically saying it's the team. you have I'm here to build a team. And I don't know anyone who can criticize that. like i mean like Seriously, how can you criticize
01:11:00
Speaker
someone for wanting a team and not one in individual. I agree, it's that it's the only way to really win in modern football as well. Yeah, it really is. I mean the excel the the exception to that, many of you use the examples of Ronaldo and and Messi were actually the last few years of their career. I know they got older, it wasn't working for Messi and Ronaldo teams either. So we can actually remove them. The only the only example we're actually working in modern football and even that comes to struggles is that Real Madrid with with Vinicius Jr because he's he's that kind of player he doesn't he doesn't contribute to the team like last season and now they've got now they've got two of them they've got Mbappe and and Vinicius Jr but they're having exactly the same kind of problems at Madrid this season they're I mean Barcelona are already racing
01:11:46
Speaker
racing away with the with the with the league title. so And, you know, if you've watched Madrid this season, they are struggling tactically for the same reasons the that we've kind of been criticizing Milan as well. Obviously, they can make up for it because they've got more world class players around the team and they can kind of make up for that a little bit. But still, they are struggling, um ah you know, putting within their own context of challenging Barcelona. So, you know, it's a it is a very I think it's time for Milan to to part ways with Leo.
01:12:17
Speaker
or both of them at the end of the season um i think the good way see and i mean yeah yeah no i don't see them selling unless saudi come with like but and i thinkly mor funsecca end of a season no no i'm thinking both of them i think that the the way to handle this is to perhaps maybe get rid of both of them do a Do a Marotta. Get rid of... The strange thing is though, no matter. I think that Liao will play well against Real Madrid because Madrid are that kind of team that they don't want hundred they don't press. they don't have They're not that kind of modern team and that it's important that all your players are are structurally you know off the ball and they'll get the spaces. I think Liao will play well against Madrid. I think he'll start i think we'll start against
01:13:04
Speaker
And I think he'll play well, but I don't think it will solve the problem. that the The problem will remain. oh The problem will remain. And and that that's because Milan have let this problem remain and they've not handled it. And now Fonseca is having to deal with it. But I think he's doing the right thing. I think if you want to build a coherent, cohesive, credible project that's winning, you need to have a team. You can't have players playing for themselves.
01:13:28
Speaker
and and you just' The only comeback I have on that, and i was i was I made some notes on this at half time after watching Milan's really poor, what I thought was a really poor first half performance, um but then the kind of quite solid second half kind of watered down waters down this point I'm about to make. And that is that, well,
01:13:48
Speaker
even without Liao, when Liao doesn't play, have Milan shown themselves without Liao to actually be a team, to be enough of a team to warrant not having Liao in the team and not have those moments of brilliance? Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I know. I mean, it's still early. So we can say that he's still trying to build that without Liao. You know, so I don't want to write that off now because I understand that you can't build a team in three games or the number of games he hasn't played this season. But I so far I have not seen enough of Milan without Liao two to warrant Milan not playing him. you know For example, in that first half, I didn't see a Milan at all. I didn't see ah a Milan that was a team at all. I saw i saw a really poor Milan that created nothing, that still conceded two or three big chances, and just look just didn't look like a team. um Second half was better though. you know Do you know what I mean? so
01:14:46
Speaker
So Fonseca's going to need to warrant, the team's going to need to play in a way that warrants the exclusion of Liao. Otherwise, you might as well have him in the team. You might as well not still not be a be a team, but have Liao be able to provide those moments of genius and those moments of of of of of magic. you know he's still i think and still He's still in the top two in Serie A for dribbles and and and creating chances and stuff like that. So he's still obviously a very, very you know capable player.
01:15:17
Speaker
um That's my issue. that smart but you know It's a difficult one, I think. Yeah, no, I think you're right. I think it's it's a tricky tricky one where a lot of hard choices have to be made unless Liao gives up this, you know, starts acting and which doesn't seem very likely because he seems like he views football in a completely different way to how Fonseca and modern football is. And I think that's sad as well, isn't it? It's it's sad that it's sad that we're written in a situation where
01:15:49
Speaker
what We can't play one of the best or the most talented individuals in the world because what because he he doesn't fit the the team system. is it's It's one of the sad things about modern football, isn't it, that there these kind of players are being pushed out because they can't play. Do you know what I mean? It's pretty sad, I think.
01:16:09
Speaker
It is very, it's an indictment of what we've talked about um that football is becoming so systematic. It's killing the geniuses. It's killing the the creative players. It's killing the technical players. And it's, it is sad. It is very, very sad. And it's an indictment on modern football that has become essentially just runners. Technique is secondary because they're, they want to risk minimize. You want to outrun your players or your opponent. You want to out systemize your, your,
01:16:38
Speaker
you know There's no room for the tracortistas anymore. There's no fantasies in football anymore. you know And and that that's that's killing the game, in my opinion. Yeah, I agree. I agree completely. um Let's talk about Roma now, because as we're recording this on Monday, there's going to be a big meeting on Monday to decide again if Ivan Yurich will be sacked as as manager of Roma. I think it's pretty clear by now that that even if he survives this time, he he's not going to last much longer. and Roma lose 3-2 at ats Verona. Probably a little bit unlucky to lose this game. Probably deserved a draw, I would say. But but still, the the point remains that they conceded three goals to Verona. It was you know another performance that just isn't good enough. And the defending especially, just shocking in this game. I mean, look at the defending on
01:17:29
Speaker
Zalevski for the first goal, I mean just what is that, just gives it straight to the to to the Verona striker and the marking on the second goal and Manjani's goal even if it maybe is a foul it's still terrible and then Ndika's defending who's a player that I really really like on the third goal I mean even Urich the one thing you would associate with him is is good defending and we're not we're we're not even getting that from him so I mean, what a mess. We're repeating ourselves over what a mess Roma are. I really don't know what else to say um because it's so sad. I was watching this game and Roma... There's no there's no structure, there's no identity, there's nothing. and it's It's such a mismatch, Roma and Yurich. This Roma score on Yurich is such a mismatch.
01:18:23
Speaker
it's It's just, they're not, nothing, that there's no, that they're not, they shouldn't be, they should, Yuri should not be a Roma. And you see these mistakes, Zalevsky with that, with that pass to, for the goal, opening goal, it was just, oh my God, you know, what are they doing?
01:18:42
Speaker
and And it's stuff like this. the The players are just, they don't know what they're doing. There's no structure. There's no order. There's nothing. It's just, it's, I don't understand what the, how they ended up here. How do you spend that much money and end up here? Yeah.
01:18:57
Speaker
No, i you know I called it, I said it before the start of the season, I got a lot of stick for it. but i was I was never more certain about this because you just have to look at the players, have a look at the construction of the team and you can't create and construct a ah workable a workable formation and system with these players. They just they just don't fit together and that's why I've gone easy on Yurich.
01:19:18
Speaker
I like you, Rich. I think he's a good coach. I've never considered him good enough for a big club. you know I know you rate him higher than me, but I can't i can't be too hard on him for what's going on at Roma because I just think which look with whichever coach replaces you, Rich, he's going to get sacked at some point. If it's not today or tomorrow, it's going to happen. He's not going to last. It's clear he's he's is's only a matter of time. Whoever comes in for him, I mean i would not I would not go anywhere near this Roma job right now with with ah with a bunch of unless there's some promises are made that you know we're going to buy these players in January um to to to to to solve some of the issues in the construction of the team. I mean, they need to go out in January and sign at least one, maybe two wingers for me. They need they need some wide players in this team. They have to.
01:20:08
Speaker
they need to They need to go to a winger system, bring some wide players, um and or stick with all stick with a 3-5-2 and buy some white some top wing backs, one or the other. They need to either buy some top wing backs or some top wingers, and but they need to put some put some pace into this team. This team is so slow. It is so damn slow. The only player that brings any kind of pace and drive in this team is Conet, who I actually think has been good.
01:20:35
Speaker
He's actually been a good sign-in. He's the one per one sign-in that I can praise Kezolfi for. I like Kone, I think he's going to be useful for Roma. But there's there's no pace, there's no whip in this team, which is the one thing that kind of identified at the start of the season. What can a manager do with this? I don't care if it's Yuric, De Rossi, it's not going to be De Rossi who comes back. That's been pretty much confirmed. I'm seeing the names that have been linked to to the coaching. There's some big names there. You know, there's Roberto Mancini, there's Maurizio Sarri, there's Allegri.
01:21:03
Speaker
It's Franklin, but that would be funny. Frank Lampard has, according to Gazetta, has been a suggested to the Friedkins by the people close to Everton, because we know that the Friedkins now are the owners of Everton.
01:21:17
Speaker
and obviously Lampard was that Everton, he was a disaster at Everton. That would be the only way to make this situation gargantuanly worse with beat would be appointing Frank Lampard as Roma's coach. Like that's literally what can we do if you were to go to like AI and ask what can Roma do to make this situation ah Worse, it is a point Gary Neville or a point Frank Lampard, but it's just it's stupid It is an idiotic thing and of course Everton suggests that they they have they have a very good reason to want to do that But no Roberto Mancini or Maurizio Sarri is the way they have to go but That's the way they have to go
01:21:58
Speaker
um From what I've understood, Mancini has said that he's willing to discuss it. He hasn't said he wants it, he said he's willing to discuss it. um I think he wants to wait. I think Mancini's looking at Milan, I think he's looking at the Premier League, and I think he wants to wait. yeah But Sarri would take it in a heartbeat, I think. Alegri? I don't think so. I think Alegri wants to season off, unless something huge comes. I think Alegri's got his eyes on the Italy job, to be honest.
01:22:27
Speaker
I think he's, he's, he's staying there to put pressure on Spalletti. Um, and, but I don't, I don't see Allegri going to Roma. No, it would be and not, not, not, not in the middle of the season. I just don't see that. I think he's taking the season off and I think he's just gonna, he's gonna, he's gonna just take the season off and watch. Um, but I think Sarri would be, would be the smartest decision, uh, because Sarri has been in these situations before.
01:22:56
Speaker
He knows but he know he's a system coach, and he's a structural structured coach. Roma needs structure. Roma need They need clear lines. And Sarri, we know, is is also turned pragmatic these last few years, where he's able to mitigate for players' weaknesses by adapting to them. He has an identity, but he's also very pragmatic within that, which is, I think, the hallmark of a very good coach in this era. So I will go for Sarri.
01:23:25
Speaker
if he's available. Mancini would be fantastic, but Mancini comes also with his baggage. Mancini, if Roma players are sulking, you know you throw Roberto Mancini in there. The one thing that the one thing that I think Mancini would be good at Roma is, and this is I actually think this is his best quality, he's he's a fantastic identifier of of talent. And when you have a transfer market and you need to build build a team, he's very, very good at ah building, at squad building. I actually think that in his ah older days, if he's to retire as a coach, I think he would actually make a really, really good
01:24:02
Speaker
kind of like director, likeer like even a sporting director. I mean, he wouldn't take that job. But do you know what I mean? ah ah ah Within the within the the workings of a club, directing and building. Do you know what I mean? Part of the construction. I think he'd be really, really good at that. And that's something that he would go into Rome and straight away he would say, look, this this justice this team is constructed terribly. We need these players, these players. Do you know what I mean? I mean, he's very, very good identifier of talent.
01:24:29
Speaker
Even at Italy, when you when you can't buy players, he still kind of bought retiki, didn't he? I mean, you know, is um i so I mean, Mancini could be good maybe, but I don't know if you'd take it because of a laia the the Lazio passed. I'm not sure if he would do it. um But yeah, and the only positive for this game for Roma is Sulei scored his first goal, a really nice goal as well, a nice flick. So that that hopefully he can he can build on that.
01:24:56
Speaker
now after what's been a pretty miserable start to his his Roma career. um The other games from the weekend, Bologna, their good form continues, they they're starting to pick up now, they beat Lecce 1-0, Orsolini scored the winner, and Lewis Ferguson returned in the second half from his his ACL, so that's that's good news for Bologna.
01:25:23
Speaker
and Fiorentina win yet again. They beat Torino 1-0. That man, Moise Ken, scores. He's now been involved in nine goals for Fiorentina.
01:25:35
Speaker
this season. He's already got eight goals. pretty Pretty impressive. I think it's a record for him in a single season with a Serie A team. And we we're only at the start of November. He's already overtaken his best ever season at Juventus for goal contributions. So I think that's that's the sign of you know what a really, really good sign and he's been. And I'll say it once again, I think Juventus made a big mistake getting rid of him, Moisakin, it would have been very, very useful for them this season as a as ah an alternative to Dusan Blauovic. But yeah, it's going great for Fiorentina. David De Gea is also statistically the best goalkeeper
Fiorentina's Rising Form
01:26:12
Speaker
in the league. So that's another sign-in. When we were going through the other day-nim, or about all the kind of a great sign-ins that Daniel Leplade has made this this summer, we we didn't we didn't mention David De Gea. There's another one.
01:26:24
Speaker
Yeah, it's but it's it's all working out. It's all coming together. And Fiorentina are looking really, really solid, which is something that you know you know you're not used to saying um with Fiorentina and about Paladino. But the fact of the matter remains that they've only conceded three two goals not yes two three goals sorry in the last five games.
01:26:54
Speaker
um They've kept a clean sheet in three games. They've won all of their five games. They conceded once against Milan. They considered once against Roma. They won both of those games. They battered Roma. They won, they beat Milan. They destroyed Lechik and didn't concede anything. Won a difficult away game against Torino, didn't concede. And won against Genoa. So they've got, you know, they're in good form. They're in really, really good form. And if you look at the fixture list,
01:27:20
Speaker
before the international break or even well even after the international break they got Apel, Apuel in the conference league they got Verona at home, Como away, Parfos in the conference league before Inter and then they got Empoli in the Coppa Italia and so no this this run could continue for quite a while with Fiorentina and they're they're looking solid they're looking like you know it just goes to show that when you know when you have a coach that knows what he's doing, you can actually do something good and isn't just a possession wanker, as Vincenzo Italiano is, but look, it's... I love how you use the word wanker now, like after I start calling those tactical wankers. No, well, Italiano is a possession wanker.
01:28:07
Speaker
But I do have a problem with Coyote and Parisi not playing. I don't like it. I don't like that they're not playing. I can't criticize him for it because Gossens and Dodo have been very, very good. But I don't like it. I really don't like it.
01:28:24
Speaker
I think they're both better players right now, to be honest. It pains me to say that someone... Yeah, me too. not too and Yeah, that's that's um that's some coyote and that's some Parisi. Well, I also think that Parisi made but made a bad career decision moving to Fiorentina. He should want should have moved there because they was because at the time when he moved, Beragi was already there. like clear but leader of the team and the clear left back. So that was it was a bad move. His agent, badly advised by his agent, bad bad career move. that's That's really what messed him up. Not so much Paladino or the management. No, I'm not blaming Paladino. Dodo and Godson are doing great. um So you can't complain. But I hope that Coyote and Parisi leave.
01:29:08
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, for sure. And the other three games on Monday recording this before that, Empoli Kormo, Parma, Genoa and Lazio Caliouin. If Lazio win, they will also move on to 22 points. And look at, look how tight it is at the top of the table now. Napoli first with 25 points. Inter second with 24. Then we've got Atalanta and Fiorentina.
01:29:30
Speaker
with 22 points. And like I said, Lazio will also move on to 22 points. And then Juventus, who are currently fifth, but would move down to sixth if Lazio win, who have 21 points.
Serie A Title Race and Champions League Preview
01:29:44
Speaker
So the top six basically separated by four points. And then you've got Milan in seventh with 17 points for the game in hand. And if Milan win, they go on to 20 points. So you could have the top seven separated by five points. And it's really, really tight in the race, not just for the Scudetto, but the top four. And yeah, maybe the race for these positions, certainly the top four is going to be maybe tighter than than we thought at the beginning of the season, and more teams involved than we thought at the end of the season. It's making for a really, really great Serie A at the moment. It's really good to see. It really is. and and And it's even the title race as well, because i mean if you look at it, four points between first and fifth. And if Lazio win, it's four points
01:30:33
Speaker
four points between first and sixth because if Lazio win they're all 22. Same as Fiorentina and Atalanta. So but it's it's it's interesting. It's definitely an interesting and it's I'm happy about this because we need a title race. We need we need we need we need it to be matter all the way into the like to the death. You know last two years we've had teams run away with it from minute one, day one pretty much.
01:30:56
Speaker
So it's good. Yeah, it definitely is good. Champions League, let's run down the fixtures for midweek. So we have Bologna against Monaco, Lille against Juventus, Real Madrid against Milan on Tuesday. And then on Wednesday, we have Inter against Arsenal.
01:31:12
Speaker
Stuttgart against Atalanta so some huge huge games just a rundown but only half the win against Monaco that's that's absolute must win if they don't win that game I think we can pretty much almost certainly write them off any chance they have of qualifying for the next round it's going to be difficult very very difficult anyway to be honest with you but um they have to win this game and I think they might have a chance they're playing they're playing much better now and they're starting to pick up and Monaco lost at the weekend as well. So I think they might actually have a chance of of getting a win there, possibly. They have to win that. Nothing will go for it. Juventus against Lille. That's that's a difficult going to be a very, very difficult game. They beat Real Madrid, of course, Lille, and they're doing really, really well. um Yeah, tough, tough game, tough game for Juventus. It would be a good test for them to see kind of where they're at after they're really poor performance in the last match a again against against Stuttgart. But Real Madrid Milan is obviously the the big
01:32:06
Speaker
the big game for the neutrals, isn't it? This this this week, I mean, I mean, the two of the greatest clubs in in the history of European football, and such a classic European Cup Champions League games, so many great games between these two teams in the past. This is going to be a fascinating match. This is I think it's the game where Rafael Liao might have something to say. Yeah, I think you're very right about that because of, like you said, how Real Madrid play and also how they how open they are and Liao likes open games and space. um So now I'm with you on that. I think you're right. Liao could be very good, that but equally so, you know, Vinny and Mbappe and these guys, they, you know, at home. I think there's going to be fireworks, lots of goals. I think Real Madrid will win, but I but i but i think it's it's going to be a very exciting game.
01:33:02
Speaker
I'm really looking forward to the Wednesday game. Inter Arsenal and Stuttgart Atlanta are the ones I'm finding really fascinating. I know you've already i know you've already got um some drafts written in Twitter, quoting some Arsenal accounts that made certain comments last year. I know already. Am I right?
01:33:22
Speaker
I prefer not to speak. Oh, my God. What is the right? Can you just explain? What is this big beef between infant and this started? it I can't remember which inter account it was. I think it was Jose Mourinho. His name is something he it was a joke that they started um about us. I can't remember what it was. um And but it was some joke. He made a tweet and then Arsenal fans got all riled up about it and responded and started talking about when Arsenal beat Inter 5-1, then someone else, we've gone through this before, it was like a year and a half ago when they started, we went through this on the part, and then this became a Twitter beef between Arsenal and Inter fans, and so now this has become a thing. like it And of course with with you know Declan Rice, and they're thinking that Declan Rice is is is a world-class midfielder when he evidently isn't,
01:34:20
Speaker
um and and and comparing it to Barilla, which has triggered Inter fans. So this is like, i I am, I am, and of course, you know, so so this is funny. This is really funny. I'm really looking forward to Inter Arsenal. I think, I think I Inter win this game. um Arsenal have been really bad in the last games. I'm disappointed in Arsenal. They're decimated with injuries as well.
Inter vs Arsenal: Tactical Expectations
01:34:46
Speaker
They're getting them back, but they they're not yeah they're they're not in a good shape. I'm disappointed with Arsenal. I think Arteeta needs to take a lot of the blame for this. This was the season they were supposed to win the league. They've been building towards that. I don't think they will now. And it's it's not good. It's not looking good at all. They i mean the the the result that they look bad. They look really, really bad. and
01:35:07
Speaker
I'm starting to notice that the patience with Arteeta is running out as it should be. There's seven points off Liverpool after 10 games. Yeah, they're lucky that Sitzi lost at the weekend. Otherwise, they would have been yeah eight point in big, big trouble. yeah they they they They're not playing well, they're not creating chances. is is He's gone full.
01:35:26
Speaker
fall terrible now. I mean I remember the game against Atalanta where they had like an xg of like 0.2 or something in that game and they uh yeah I mean he's he's they're they're they look very predictable very sterile but then not also defensively you know that that's what you associate with Artetto is having an incredible defense and they've been the best defense in in England you know the last two years and they they're looking not looking good defensively either is um full terrible. Mikael Artetanyahu, as he's been coined, and the king of the king of the terrorists. I mean he yeah i think Inter can win this, I do. I think Inter can win this too. I would have preferred the Insta to have rested and rotated a few more players against Venezia. That's the only thing that I hope they're not. I wish he would have rested and rotated Turam, and and but the rest, I don't think he really had a choice. I think Lautaro, the only way to
01:36:24
Speaker
with Lautaro, given that we know he's a patchy goal scorer, you need to like force him into form by playing him. And and again, against Empoli and Venezia, he was invisible, pretty poor. That's my concern, Nima. My concern is that he's looking at the the game against Napoli as as the game he plays his full team, and he's looking at the disaster games, the game where he's going to rotate players.
01:36:46
Speaker
logically I don't think so. No, Chalanogu is going to start, Acherbi is going to start their back from injury. He said so himself. Yeah, that that's that's but that's because he wants to put bring them back into fitness. Yeah. But, you know, will Lautaro and Taran both start? I think one of them will will won't start and that's already going to weaken them. You know, do you know what I mean, Francesi, I think fred I can see Francesi maybe starting as well. No, Barrella is definitely going to start. Maybe he plays Francesi instead of Meccatarian. I don't know. You know, I just think that he's looking at the Napoli game as as the game that Well, he has a priority and as should. Yeah, but as a result, the team's going to be i think a little bit right. Yeah, but I've got to be honest with you, leaving aside this this social media bullshit between Inter internet and Arsenal fans, ah to be honest, I'll take a draw. I don't really care. For me, it's more important to go two points clear of Napoli, top of the Serie A when you go into the international break. That's much, much more important. In this point at this stage of the season, that's more important. um I think Arsenal look at this game as well.
01:37:42
Speaker
don't lose. I think Inter will do something similar, um basically control kind of game. I don't think it's going to be that exciting. Inter are focused on Napoli on the weekend. and And if I'm not mistaken, Arsenal have got Chelsea on the weekend as well afterwards. so they Both teams are a little bit distracted by the league and I think they'll just probably just play off this game. yeah And for those of you that do, we are doing a preview on the the Inter vs Arsenal game with former Arsenal striker Alan Smith. We're doing that on Tuesday. Tomorrow, yeah.
01:38:20
Speaker
Yeah. And we're going to push that out on Tuesday. Same day, same day, as soon as possible. As soon as it's done, as soon as we get it, yeah we're pushing it out. So we are, we we will preview a little bit of the game with him and ask him some questions and and yeah.
01:38:34
Speaker
So there will be a little bit more on that. So check that out. That'll be on on all the podcast apps and on on YouTube as well. And the final game is Stuttgart against Atalanta, as we said, which is going to be very fascinating because Stuttgart absolutely battered Juventus, even though they only won 1-0. And they're obviously really they dominated a really, really good team in that. So yeah, it'll be quite an interesting one. Also from Juventus' point of view, to kind of see the difference between Atalanta playing Stuttgart and Juventus playing Stuttgart, just the comparisons between the two. So I think that that's going to be another really good game between two teams so two teams that like to attack and two top managers as well.
01:39:09
Speaker
OK, but it's funny you mentioned that because look like this Arsenal because um'm I am like I got lots of friends who are Arsenal fans and and there's been quite a bit of banter and it's going to like, you know, I think people might be disappointed by the football actually, because this is something that fans have been looking forward to. But I think we might be disappointed, to be honest. Yeah. Yeah. What do they call it in Zaghi? Unfairly, is it Osama bin Zaghi? So it's Osama bin Zaghi against Mikael Artet and Yahoo, the battle of the terrorists.
01:39:39
Speaker
Right, let's finish off with Baggio, Premface and Sedia Ass of the Week. Baggio for me, there's only one. is' It's Gianpierdo Gasparini for what he did against and Napoli and Antonio Conte. Genius, absolute genius move. One of his his great tactical master classes of his of his career for me. I was blown away by that.
01:40:00
Speaker
amazing Yeah, absolutely. um I think it's difficult to go against that. But also this past week, Alvaro Morata's back heel mid jump air flick against Napoli was one of the eye's art.
01:40:15
Speaker
art. It was art. It was the stuff that Badjo used to do when he played. It was unbelievable. Well he needs to start scoring like Badjo did as well right now. He's not scoring enough for Milan but that was a great moment. Prem face of the week. Right these are both both on the same thing and and one when I come up with like the prem face stereotype and it's like everybody's, the so every prem face is almost the same. It's examples like I'm about to give you for the is the reason why. I mean, this is this is amazing. So it's Tim Sherwood and Paul Merson who are basically the same person here. um So Tim Sherwood is reacting to the appointment of Ruben Ammarim as the new Manchester United manager. right And he's saying how much he loves him, how much he thinks he's great. And this is what he this is his quote, Tim Sherwood.
01:41:03
Speaker
I watched Amorim's team against Arsenal last season. They were great and they were really unlucky to lose on penalties. Anybody recognise the problem here? and what yeah i would say they didn they They played Porto, yeah not Sparta. Porto, yeah, who were managed by Sergio Conseil, not by Ruma and Amorim. So this is the classic prem face of, you know, you're mixing up your teams, you're mixing up your your your people and your teams and and you just kind of classify and everybody is the same. But then Paul Merson comes and says, I'll take your mix up of teams, I'll take that chip, I'll double dip it, because I don't know the player in question as well. And it says, why didn't Man United sound guccares? Which is just fantastic pronunciation of Viktor Yurkeresh's name.
01:41:50
Speaker
but why didn't magina assign guchare when he was at coventry now he's at benfika he'll come there and all in open arms but he's the same player at benfika as he was his co as at coventary yeah place for sporting The hilarious thing about the Paul Merson thing is he actually he said Benfica three times.
Transfer Rumors and Social Media Critique
01:42:08
Speaker
in the in that in that clip he's on sky sports and he's commenting on again amorim and he's commenting on why doesn't anyone correct him like seriously when they don't the the the presenter that the person that's this this is interviewing him actually says at the end and that's a great point ah so was as well as but the fact is that like Sometimes you know Freudian slips and all that, you can occasionally... You can misspeak, everyone can misspeak. You could say the wrong thing. You might might say Gucarez, but you know where he was at when he was at Benfica, you might have said that by you know because you were talking about Benfica before and you got it by myself, but then the second or third time, you wouldn't say Benfica the second and third time. Do you know what I mean? This is because he actually thinks that Gucarez plays for... place with that vca
01:42:55
Speaker
ah is is but victork yukere is is yeah He's having a fantastic season at Sporting and he's had two fantastic seasons at Sporting and ummaine when Amorim was there he was he was really He really grew under him and there's even talk now of Amorim wanting to sign him in January for Manchester United, which I think is a huge mistake because I think Victor Yocharash, if he's calm and cool, he can go somewhere where somewhere better instead of the dumpster fire that is Manchester United.
01:43:30
Speaker
I don't want him to piss away his gun. I mean, how many strikers have Manchester United not killed? I mean, if we talk about Vincenzo Italiano, I say that he can kill strikers, but Manchester United are career enders when it comes to strikers. Not just strikers. but Pretty much it defenders, midfielders, goalkeepers, fans. It's career ender United. I mean, it's just, it's it's yeah it's it's a mess. They've made more redundancies than ah than I don't know who. though they were the last year I mean, they're killing everyone.
01:44:01
Speaker
As for when it comes to though a mix of seria ass and prim face, I'm starting to think we should have something called the Casanata of the week. because Antonio Cassana was out in fine form, swinging incoherently, word salads, as he always does, the way that only he can do. I'm just going to read you the quote. I'm crazy for midfielders like Gavi and Frankie de Jong. That's why I say Fratesi should play and not Nicolo Barrella, for the national team as well as Inter, because the pitch does the talking. But when you have to take out Mikitarian and another phenomenal player like Pyotr Zielinski,
01:44:37
Speaker
but in ah but then you have to take out Mikitarian and another phenomenal player, Piotr Zielinski. But in Simoni, in Zaghi's way of thinking, it's always the same midfield. Chalanoglu, Barella, Mikitarian. And he doesn't allow Fratese to compete with Barella, even though he's been doing better since last season.
01:44:54
Speaker
He makes him the 12th man. I think that's a lack of respect for him. The pitch does the talking and it says Fratizzi should play more than Barrella. But Barrella always does play and Fratizzi is never taken into consideration in the biggest matches.
01:45:13
Speaker
Just be quiet. like No, no, no. Barrella should always play. um it's it's I don't even know what this guy is talking about. Where I said Sonia Cassano, what do you expect? It's it's another Cassanata. It's a vintage Cassanata and he is... Cassano is the seria ass combined with a prim face. Wrong, proud to be wrong, but also oblivious to the fact that he's wrong and doesn't live in this century. Loud and proud as well. Loud and proud, stupid, doesn't live in this century century completely.
01:45:50
Speaker
Tone deaf not I mean, he's just oh my god. Yeah. No frat is he's not a better footballer then then then Barilla No, stop stop talking like no Yeah, yeah, that's a fine Cerrias of the week. And the other one is the Cerrias Twitter account, it wouldn't be a Cerrias of the week without having one of those. So when Artem Dovbic equalized the second equalizer for Roma against Verona, they they posted a posted an image of him celebrate what apparently celebrating his his his equalizer. I mean, everybody you have to see it to believe how bad it is. It looks like it's a grainy screenshot from someone's phone. Yeah, they've done a grainy, blurry screenshot from whoever is the admin from their phone. And it's kind of Dobby holding the ball in his hand, sideways to the camera.
01:46:47
Speaker
ah with his eyes closed and he looked depressed. You're never going to get any engagement from that because he's it's like it's i don't like I get that you you for rights reasons he can't show the goal but at least show something of him. like yeah and a hairca They have got the rights to show the goals.
01:47:05
Speaker
No, I don't know, like, I don't know, maybe they've got some contract where because they showed goals, they showed goals and they showed they can show what they want. They've got the rights. They can show, you know, I mean, like the day after. No, no, they have actually got it then. They do that. They do show the goals as well. They have the rights to show the goals. But yeah, I mean, it's just I mean, it breaks all the rules of when you're posting an image, you know, you should be, you know,
01:47:33
Speaker
should well should be in the centre of the picture for starters. He's like near the left of the picture. The pain of your existence. shouldn't you shouldn't have They shouldn't be blurry. Images that are blurry and aren't centralized. This is literally Carlo's biggest like psychotic hatred. Well, you shouldn't have your eyes closed. um you should be The image should reflect the, the, the, the, the, the action. So Doddbic has just equalized. So you should, it should reflect that he's equalized, that he's happy or that he's emotional about it. It's an image of him sideways to the camera with his eyes closed, looking depressed. That's blurry. I mean, I could go on and on and on. yeah And it's just, this is supposed to be again, this is supposed to promote the league. It just looks like
01:48:19
Speaker
amateur hour. If an amateur did that, I would I would I would scold them. yeah no It's funny. for what it's very if If someone did that work experience, I would I would say you're in the way you're definite you're in the wrong profession. Don't do something else. That's what I would say to them. Yeah, you know, and then this is that this is the seria admin. I mean, it's it's it's hilarious. and And it's it's um it's just that it's it's but for me, it's the fact that it's literally someone took a screenshot of their phone and posted it.
01:48:48
Speaker
I thought it was fun. but That's how it looks like. It's not bespoke. It's not it's nothing. It's so bad. and it feels like And you know what the funny thing is? It feels like the person who took the screenshot is watching it on like a pirate in a stream. like yeah greeny be good That's how grainy the image is. And that's why I was laughing. And they've done what I do as well. You know, like when I take a photo onto my laptop with my phone. With the laptop, yeah. it's An actual photo of the laptop. It's brilliant. Carlo screenshots. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
01:49:20
Speaker
ah right yeah let's leave it at that i was gonna go off at ah he' very not one for but their wankers so yeah let's not let's not yeah let's not talk about them in their provotion promotional event they believe it which yeah never mind yeah let's leave it My favourite part of that was doing a promo in English but the guy doing the promo spoke Italian.
01:49:43
Speaker
Who is the audience, bro? yeah hilar They hold a promotional event in London. they they they Anyway, let's leave it. They're completely incompetent and useless. yeah okay right right Plenty of stuff for you this week. so we will have Tuesday we will have the interview with Adam Smith um on and Preview and Inter versus Arsenal. Wednesday we'll have the Q and&A. Thursday we will have review of the midweek Champions League matches. So you've got another jam packed.
01:50:10
Speaker
week for you guys thank you everybody for listening we will see you again next time ciao ciao