Serie A Superthread 2011/2012

Le King

Inter have been horrible to watch this year, but I'd give Rafa until the end of the season, which I think he'll get, to improve the situation. But he certainly is under huge pressure now.

Seaneh

flahavaj wrote: »

I'm only teasing ya Seaneh. I've seen more Serie A this season than I normally do what with it being all over Setanta Ireland. They've been poor to watch alright but to fire him this soon would be ridiculous.

I hope he isn't sacked (because I think he's terrible) but he was never the right man for the Job. I still don't know how he got the job.

everdead.ie

Chievo v inter on espn at the mo if anyone wants to take a look

dizzywizlw

everdead.ie wrote: »

Chievo v inter on espn at the mo if anyone wants to take a look

2-1 to Inter..just.

Only Rafa could take one of the best teams in Europe and KO them.

Can't feel sorry for Inter though, or Rafa. I detest them both.

The mighty Juve 'resurgence' continues:rolleyes:

Pinturicchio

What do you mean by 'resurgence'?

Pinturicchio

There are rumours that Spelletti has landed in Milan.

dizzywizlw

Pinturicchio wrote: »

What do you mean by 'resurgence'?

Just that every time we string a few wins together it's a resurrection of a title challenge.

The pundits are overlooking the fact that we currently have, in our team, at most 3 World Class players in Chiellini, Krasic and arguably Aqua, of course Alex can still do the odd bit of magic as well.

Basically, Juve are nowhere near good enough to be there or thereabouts in may, our best fullback is an 18 year old primavera player and our strike-force is midtable at best.

Pinturicchio

I think Juve can do it this season. I'd see them as second favourites at the moment. Chiellini, Melo, Aquilani, Marchisio and Krasic (and hopefully Buffon) are capable of dragging the rest of them accross the line in what is a poor Serie A.

Milan are favourites though.

Pinturicchio

Josip Iličić says he grew up as a Juve fan and would like to play for us some day.

DerekDGoldfish

going over to Italy next weekend to catch Lazio V Inter, Milan v Bresscia and Samp v Bari.

Any tips for any of the cities? should we purchase the train tickets online or are they roughly the same price at the stations?

From the little info I have been able to get online it appears milan tickets can be got on te day of the game from the stadium or from SanPaolo bank does anyone know if Lazio and Samp tickets can be purchased at the stadium?

Pinturicchio

DerekDGoldfish wrote: »

going over to Italy next weekend to catch Lazio V Inter, Milan v Bresscia and Samp v Bari.

Any tips for any of the cities? should we purchase the train tickets online or are they roughly the same price at the stations?

From the little info I have been able to get online it appears milan tickets can be got on te day of the game from the stadium or from SanPaolo bank does anyone know if Lazio and Samp tickets can be purchased at the stadium?

There's a good English-language Sampdoria forum here - http://www.ucsampdoria.co.uk/forum.php

They should have some advice.

Seaneh

try the Milanmania forums for travel advice. There are kiosks all over the city where you can buy tickets.

Paparazzo

Bring your passport when you're buying tickets.

Irishrossoblu

DerekDGoldfish wrote: »

going over to Italy next weekend to catch Lazio V Inter, Milan v Bresscia and Samp v Bari.

Any tips for any of the cities? should we purchase the train tickets online or are they roughly the same price at the stations?

From the little info I have been able to get online it appears milan tickets can be got on te day of the game from the stadium or from SanPaolo bank does anyone know if Lazio and Samp tickets can be purchased at the stadium?

A word of warning. Check the CASMS declarations for those matches. I recently got stung at the Bologna v Lecce match when CASMS blocked anybody who was not resident in Emilia Romagna buying tickets for the match. I only got in cos I knew some of the Ultras. But lots of non italian football tourists were left out side the game. If there are no blocks on the games, you should be able to buy with your passport as previously mentioned, in the bank or ticket box. Enjoy!

Le King

Talks break down over collective bargaining agreement

Serie A players will go on strike for one weekend following a breakdown in negotiations between the Lega Calcio and the players' union.

The two parties were trying to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement but the players' union walked out on talks on Tuesday.

A strike was also announced in September but was postponed to allow more talks, with a deadline of November 30 given to reach a resolution to the dispute.

A players' strike is now highly likely for the round 16 fixtures next month.

"The strike has been called for December 11 and 12," Leonardo Grosso, vice-president of the players' union, Associazione Calciatore Italiana, said after the meeting.

Common ground

"We are really disappointed because we were open to negotiate and to find common ground, but no agreement has been reached."

The union refuses to accept a proposal that clubs can force unwanted players to train away from the first team or be forced to accept a transfer.

Italian Football Association president Giancarlo Abete joined the talks but failed to find a breakthrough.

Abete will now accompany the sides to a hearing at the Italian Olympic Committee on Wednesday, when they will again attempt to head off strike action.

Interesting.

Pinturicchio

This again? Yawn.

everdead.ie

The media seem unimpressed by Benitez despite a 5-2 win last weekend in fact they are calling for his head. Appearently a hat trick of deflected goals do not paper over the cracks and they all seem to really believe that defeat this week to Lazio will end his spell in charge of Inter

dizzywizlw

Any gossip going around about Cassano to Juve?

They need some firepower in the window because they may be turning last years losses into draws but the wins are heading the same way.

Seaneh

juves director came out and said they won't sign him...

Pinturicchio

Yeah, it looks highly unlikely.

Emerson is being hired to help us get Santos' Neymar (apparently). Neymar is trying to get a Portuguese passport so hopefully he won't be non-EU.

Dzeko has been a long term target but it looks like we'll be out-bid by City and/or Bayern.

Amauri and Iaquinta are shít so we really need someone. Gilardino, Diego Forlan and Maxi Lopez have been mentioned too. Forlan would be good in the short term but we should be looking for someone younger. Maxi is no better than Amauri and probably worse than Iaquinta. I'm not a fan of Gila but if he was cheap he'd be an ok signing.

Le King

Iličić is really outshining Pastore at the moment isn't he?

Paparazzo

Pinturicchio wrote: »

Yeah, it looks highly unlikely.

Emerson is being hired to help us get Santos' Neymar (apparently). Neymar is trying to get a Portuguese passport so hopefully he won't be non-EU.

Dzeko has been a long term target but it looks like we'll be out-bid by City and/or Bayern.

Amauri and Iaquinta are shít so we really need someone. Gilardino, Diego Forlan and Maxi Lopez have been mentioned too. Forlan would be good in the short term but we should be looking for someone younger. Maxi is no better than Amauri and probably worse than Iaquinta. I'm not a fan of Gila but if he was cheap he'd be an ok signing.

Dzeko is the only decent one there. Neymar sounds like real trouble, forlan in too old, maxi and gila are donkeys.

Pinturicchio

Le King wrote: »

Iličić is really outshining Pastore at the moment isn't he?

Definitely. Apparently he supported Juve as a kid.

Pinturicchio

Paparazzo wrote: »

Dzeko is the only decent one there. Neymar sounds like real trouble, forlan in too old, maxi and gila are donkeys.

He has a goal every other game for Santos at the age of 18. He has already scored for the senior Brazil team too.

Johner

Rafa gone? 3-1 down to Lazio and its over now.

Just Contribute

Johner wrote: »

Rafa gone? 3-1 down to Lazio and its over now.

He definitely won't be there come the end of the season. How far behind are they now?

Pinturicchio

Starting Natalino over Santon was a weird one.

Pinturicchio

Just Contribute wrote: »

How far behind are they now?

In 5th place. 7 points off Milan, who have a game in hand.

finnezzia

Raffa messed up again. Roma could go third today (well, should really). Could be a really good 24 hours for me P.S. Any takers for Adriano? seems our bench isn't big enough for him...

Pinturicchio

finnezzia wrote: »

P.S. Any takers for Adriano? seems our bench isn't big enough for him...

He'll be heading back to Brazil I'd say.

finnezzia

According to Brazillian Ronaldo anyway. Pity really because if he got a run in t team I still think he could do something. Loan to Samp for the rest of the season maybe? They're down a striker and there's reasonably good relations between the teams (Guberti loan/sale).

finnezzia

Conditions at Chievo are terrible. It looks like someone's marched an army through the centre of the pitch and it's cutting up something serious. Adriano Starts! He's done OK in the first half but is still obviously overweight and off the pace. Plus he's been show up as criminally one-footed once or twice.

ironingbored

La Roma rovina tutto
Chievo, rimonta doppia

Roma two up and end up drawing 2-2.

How Inter thought Benitez would somehow continue its recent success is beyond me. They couldn't have made a worse choice. Benitez won the 2005 CL with someone else's team and somehow rode that wave for 5 years winning nothing. I think he'll be gone by xmas.

finnezzia

it was a depressing last 20 for a Roma fan. Once Julio threw in that first goal you just knew the second was coming: and with the conditions the way they were, impact players like Menez were basically rendered useless. You don't want to make too many excuses, but that pitch was something else. There was a rugby match last week on it I hear. I'll bet the club aren't in a hurry to get it relaid either as footballing teams can't play on it.

Seaneh

Milan giving Brescia a spanking.

Playing very well.

Seaneh

Zlatan and Robson might be two of the biggest egos in world football, but lord they can play a bit.

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0cFhA6PVSM

Pauleta

Seaneh wrote: »

Zlatan and Robson might be two of the biggest egos in world football, but lord they can play a bit.

Damn right. If i want to see somebody run a lot in a confined space of time i would watch Haile Gebrselassie, if i wanted to watch somebody make great tackles i would watch Troy Polamalu, if i want to watch quality football that i couldnt dream of doing i would watch the likes of Zlats and Robinho.

Pinturicchio

I like Ibra far more than I'm supposed to.

Pinturicchio

finnezzia wrote: »

I'll bet the club aren't in a hurry to get it relaid either as footballing teams can't play on it.

They probably don't have much of a say in it.

Seaneh

Pinturicchio wrote: »

I like Ibra far more than I'm supposed to.

I felt that way when he was playing with Juve and Inter.

Pinturicchio

Seaneh wrote: »

I felt that way when he was playing with Juve and Inter.

I couldn't stand him when he was at Juve. :pac:

Seaneh

Pinturicchio wrote: »

I couldn't stand him when he was at Juve. :pac:

I've been a fan since he was at Ajax.

The Floyd p

My dad thinks he's crap because of 1 season at Barcelona. I thought he was decent that season and now he's back to tearing it up in Seire A, he still won't be convinced. I think Ibra is very gifted

Seaneh

your auld lad obviously didn't watch a lot of Barca games last year so.

How a striker can have had a bad season and still have over 20 goals and half as many assists while missing a lot of games through injury is beyond me...

Vokes

Really enjoying watching Milan play at the moment. Allegri's switch (was it Berlusconi-approved? ) to 4-3-1-2 the past 2 months really seems to be paying dividends. Does anyone think that Ronaldinho would be capable of playing in that trequartista position or does Allegri also require the person in that role to contribute to the defensive phase? (seems like Boateng was doing a good job there yesterday) - I guess otherwise there is no future for Ronaldinho in this system.

I think a pacey young LB signing and a #10 (Ganso maybe?) in the summer are what the squad & system needs next I think / and with an eye on the future.

Pauleta

Juve just had a ball cross the line and wasnt given :pac:


oh they scored now. 2-1 Juve. Catania giving them a good game.

Seaneh

Fabio Quagliarella was fantastic tonight.
I could see Juve doing serious damage with a front 3 of Qua, Krasic and a proper target man. I really think letting trezegol go was stupid, 7 goals in 11 league games in spain seems to back that up.

Amauri and Iaq are just muck.

Pinturicchio

Seaneh wrote: »

I really think letting trezegol go was stupid, 7 goals in 11 league games in spain seems to back that up.

Amauri and Iaq are just muck.

Agree 100%.

I was a bit dubious when we signed Quagliarella but if he keeps this form up I'd be delighted. I wish his hattrick counted last night. It was clearly over the line. His third goal was a lovely finish though.

9 times out of 10, Pepe's volley would've ended up in Mount Etna. :P

Freddy Sorensen was shaky, which is to be expected from an 18 year old centre half playing right back. He's still better than Motta. With Krasic on the right, we're better off having a defensive fullback on that side.

Aquilani had by far his worst game in a Juve jersey. Hopefully it was just a blip. A hangover from the Poznan debacle perhaps.

Buffon should be back in January, so Storari could be leaving. I hope he doesn't but would completely understand if he did.

I'm starting to believe that the scudetto is a possibility this season. I'll be more convinced if we get a good striker (not Maxi Lopez) and maybe a left-back in Jan.

That was the first time Catania had lost at home for 12 months by the way.

Mr. Presentable

Bit of an odd game last night. Catania could, maybe should, have been a couple up in the first 15 minutes.

Quagliarella was absent for the first half almost entirely - I wasn't sure he was playing for 30 minutes. Iaquinta, for all his short-comings at least puts in the effort (which Amauri never seems to) and makes space for others.

I think Sorensen did OK considering age and experience. It's sad Juve have to resort to Primavera players to shore up defence, but I wish they'd use one in place of Grosso. The guy is as casual as Charlie Harper.

Krasic needs to stop falling down every time he's near another player - it's just bad form.

Pepe seems to be working hard on his set pieces. His free taking was pretty good again.

Three good points for Juventus, though. And I also hope Lopez is not in the scheme.

Pinturicchio

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

I think Sorensen did OK considering age and experience. It's sad Juve have to resort to Primavera players to shore up defence, but I wish they'd use one in place of Grosso. The guy is as casual as Charlie Harper.

Krasic needs to stop falling down every time he's near another player - it's just bad form.

Pepe seems to be working hard on his set pieces. His free taking was pretty good again.

I don't think it's sad. He's hugely promising, so play him. Other countries have no problem putting 18-19 year olds into the first team. It's only in Italy that you're considered a "youngster" until you're about 26.

In fairness, De Ceglie is first choice LB. He's injured. Traore may or may not have played instead of Grosso but he is back in France at the moment because his father died recently. Grosso has been alright recently. The formation suits him more this season. There isn't nearly as much emphasis on the full backs to get forward.

I agree that Krasic does dive at times but in the second half yesterday, the Catania left back fouled him almost every time he got the ball.

Pepe said Del Piero has been teaching him in training.