Serie A Superthread 2011/2012

dor83

grenache wrote: »

Inter back to winning ways tonight, beating Chievo 2-0. Ranieri is lucky to have a job after nine winless games. They left it late though, Samuel scored a header after 87 minutes, Milito sealed it in the last minute. Did anybody watch it? Were Inter any better tonight?

I watched it, Inter were a bit better but Chievo were also quite poor imo, they still had a couple of chances though. Sneijder had his best game of the season imo, but he still needs to improve because he has been poor. I didn't see last weeks game but from what I've heard they were decent for the last 30 mins of that too, so maybe they are actually turning things around. At this stage we have no chance of 3rd because we are too far behind and will drop quite a few more points, I hope Napoli get it because they play good football, have done well in the CL this year and it would be good to see them there again.

I think that this summer could be very important for both teams, Inter need to get a manager who Moratti has faith in and he also has to give a bit of money for new players. For Napoli, if they don't get CL football will they be able to turn down the big offers for their best players? Will the players feel it's time to move on? If they do get CL will they strengthen in the right areas? they need to improve their defence most, Chivu might be a decent signing for them on a free.

Phoenix Park

What is it about Nocerino and deflections..another jammy goal to put Milan 1-0 up v Lecce. Commentator clueless enough to even mention his name in the same sentence as Kaka!. Lecce have barely got out of their half so far, this should be very comfortable for Milan.

Rekop dog

What's that? Juve drawing another game.

Looks like there won't even be a tight finish in the league now.

carlop

Sweet results for Napoli today. Only 2 points off third now and in a great run of form.

Bologna are also doing very well recently, very impressive to come away from the Olimpico with 3 points.

legendary.xix

Good win for Bologna. The own goal they gifted Lazio was a bit comical but at least for them it did not prove costly.

MD1990

Napoli need to improve defensively
they have underachieved in Serie A this year
they should be challenging for the title imo

kryogen

Phoenix Park wrote: »

What is it about Nocerino and deflections..another jammy goal to put Milan 1-0 up v Lecce. Commentator clueless enough to even mention his name in the same sentence as Kaka!. Lecce have barely got out of their half so far, this should be very comfortable for Milan.

Now I wouldn't go comparing Nocerino to Kaka just yet, but he has been a very good signing for Milan, very good player.

grenache

MD1990 wrote: »

Napoli need to improve defensively
they have underachieved in Serie A this year
they should be challenging for the title imo

This.

Tonight was a golden opportunity for them to make the quarters. Yet all their attacking prowess is continually undermined by a total lack of competent defending. It's all well and good scoring 6 , but if you're conceding 3 simultaneously to an average side like Cagliari, then you will pay the price sooner or later upon meeting the better European sides.

It seems to be a different culprit every week with Napoli. This week it was the turn of Hugo Campagnaro (who rather ironically was one of the top three Napoli performers in the first leg). His many misdemeanours tonight included: losing Drogba for the first goal, and needlessly conceding the corner and losing Terry from said corner, leading to second Chelsea goal. And then of course there is the numerous free kicks he conceded, mostly through fouling Drogba. Most of the time its Aronica I find myself losing my temper with, but he, like Cannovaro, was reasonably sound tonight.

Maggio going off injured proved to be a decisive blow. Dossena is clearly not in the same league when it comes to defensive duties. And probably not attacking ones either.

So, if I were Aurelio De Laurentiis, I would be intent on spending this summer sourcing 2-3 quality defenders. Forget about improving attacking options - therein does not lie the problem. With quality at the back, Napoli can genuinely challenge for the Scudetto and in Europe. Without it, you can expect a repeat (or worse) of this season.

The ball is in your court Sig. De Laurentiis.

Corholio

Dossena when he came on tonight was a train wreck, all he did was give away frees and the penalty.

grenache

Corholio wrote: »

Dossena when he came on tonight was a train wreck, all he did was give away frees and the penalty.

Pretty much! And ultimately that penalty was to prove crucial.

Nuri Sahin

Agree with your post entirely grenache and MD1990's comment. It really is simple as that. Underachieved this season they have, but defensively (assuming now key players in midfield and attack remain obviously) they really need to strengthen. Dossena was car crash TV when he replaced Maggio.

Shame they went out, for me personally, they were the most entertaining team in the CL this season.

mike65

Ah the Dosser, when he came on I said to myself he'll either pick up two yellow cards or score the winner. That sort of player. Should he not have been sent off, he was on a yellow and then the handball.

carlop

grenache wrote: »

This.

Tonight was a golden opportunity for them to make the quarters. Yet all their attacking prowess is continually undermined by a total lack of competent defending. It's all well and good scoring 6 , but if you're conceding 3 simultaneously to an average side like Cagliari, then you will pay the price sooner or later upon meeting the better European sides.

It seems to be a different culprit every week with Napoli. This week it was the turn of Hugo Campagnaro (who rather ironically was one of the top three Napoli performers in the first leg). His many misdemeanours tonight included: losing Drogba for the first goal, and needlessly conceding the corner and losing Terry from said corner, leading to second Chelsea goal. And then of course there is the numerous free kicks he conceded, mostly through fouling Drogba. Most of the time its Aronica I find myself losing my temper with, but he, like Cannovaro, was reasonably sound tonight.

Maggio going off injured proved to be a decisive blow. Dossena is clearly not in the same league when it comes to defensive duties. And probably not attacking ones either.

So, if I were Aurelio De Laurentiis, I would be intent on spending this summer sourcing 2-3 quality defenders. Forget about improving attacking options - therein does not lie the problem. With quality at the back, Napoli can genuinely challenge for the Scudetto and in Europe. Without it, you can expect a repeat (or worse) of this season.

The ball is in your court Sig. De Laurentiis.

I've always been a fan of Campagnaro but he was dreadful last night. The annoying thing is that nothing was done to address the defensive problem in January. I know it's harder to find value in the market and you don't have the time to settle a player in, but this isn't a problem that has sprung up overnight.

I guess in a strange way last night was the least important match of the next 7 days (though I'd have laughed at you if you told me that 14 hours ago!). Udinese is a must-win game. It's obviously a very difficult fixture, but given the awful run over Christmas and January, we can't settle for a point.

Siena should have been put to bed in the first leg. We basically played our strongest team and lost to their reserves. The late goal has made us favourites, but we really can't slip up here. The last two/three seasons have been great, but ultimately without silverware it will be in vain, and this year's Coppa represents a great chance at winning something.

Seaneh

Gattuso came on today in the 91st minute, fans went mental.
Great to see the little fella back on the pitch, absolute hero!

Pinturicchio

That's great to see Gattuso come back. Any word on Cassano?

Easy win for Juve tonight. Cerci is an idiot.

Seaneh

Pinturicchio wrote: »

That's great to see Gattuso come back. Any word on Cassano?

Easy win for Juve tonight. Cerci is an idiot.

Looking like June at this stage.
Doctors being very careful with him.

That said, he is apparently doing well and in great shape.

Pinturicchio

Seaneh wrote: »

That said, he is apparently doing well and in great shape.

That'd be a first.

Seaneh

Pinturicchio wrote: »

That'd be a first.

ah no... he was a bit tiny at bari :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTGfFNSys9Q

Nuri Sahin

Napoli continuing their woeful defending from midweek away to Udinese, at the moment it's 2-0 to the home side with 30 mins to go.

Nuri Sahin

Cavani's penalty saved, still 2-0

Nuri Sahin

Cavani scores from a free kick. Keeper should have done better. 2-1

Nuri Sahin

CAVANI!!!

2-2

Some game

FT: 2-2, really entertaining match.

RiseToTheTop

I'm glad Ibrahimovic is doing well. Some people felt he wasn't good enough at Barca (though he had scored in 1 every 2 games) but he is definitely proving the haters wrong now.

Nuri Sahin

Juve - Milan in Coppa Italia is on atm incase anyone didn't already know. Entertaining start, very end to end.

Seaneh

Mesbah is terrible...

Rekop dog

Aqui clearly spending too much time in Van Bommels presence. He developed a very overly aggresive approach at times this season.

Seaneh

Rekop dog wrote: »

Aqui clearly spending too much time in Van Bommels presence. He developed a very overly aggresive approach at times this season.

Just a late tackle, he is clearly not match fit, he's always had a nasty streak too, I can remember him throwing himself around a lot while at Juve last year.

Seaneh

I think Mesbah might be the worst left back to ever play for Milan, I actually think Twaio was better, and that's pretty bad...

We'd be better off putting Emanuelson at left full, pushing Seedorf to #10 and bringing on Gattuso...

Rekop dog

Milan hate good full backs. Maldini would probably still be more competent than Mesbah's been recently.

Ugh Maxi Lopez

Also I despise the Juve anthem, it's like some tacky Eurovision entry that would get nul point in every round.

Seaneh

What's that, we're losing so take off our best player... makes total sense...

Seaneh

Rekop dog wrote: »

Milan hate good full backs. Maldini would probably still be more competent than Mesbah's been recently.

Ugh Maxi Lopez

Also I despise the Juve anthem, it's like some tacky Eurovision entry that would get nil point in every round.

Abate is quite good, in fairness.

Rekop dog

Seaneh wrote: »

Abate is quite good, in fairness.

Yeah he's decent, can be error prone but has improved I suppose. I'd still rate him as one of the weaker players in a fully fit 11.

Heh Mesbah.

Seaneh

Maybe we should be playing him as a striker...

Seaneh

Seaneh wrote: »

Abate is quite good, in fairness.

Rekop dog wrote: »

Yeah he's decent, can be error prone but has improved I suppose. I'd still rate him as one of the weaker players in a fully fit 11.

Heh Mesbah.

Really, I think he one of the better right backs in the League, certainly the bets Italian right back.

Seaneh

Vidal, you diving little pansy...

Nuri Sahin

Lol Mesbah of all people scoring.

Rekop dog

C'mon Pippo. Serious man love!!

Seaneh

Supper Pippo on...

Seaneh

Maxi Lopez, you sexy bastard!

Rekop dog

Boooom! Criticising players on boards clearly works!

Seaneh

I actually quite like Lopez, he's an old school centre forward, leads the line well.

Rekop dog

Great solo run from Urby. Some game

That's Juve's first loss in all comps this season

Seaneh

straight to pens or extra time?

Rekop dog

Extra time I assume.

Mr. Presentable

extra time, with away goals rule

sandt

Have to say this is the 1st all itailian club match i have watched in many years, and i have been thoroughly entertained from start to finish (even though it not finished yet!!)

Is it always this good????

Jelle1880

Hardly, but the level has definitely improved over the last few years.

Seaneh

sandt wrote: »

Have to say this is the 1st all itailian club match i have watched in many years, and i have been thoroughly entertained from start to finish (even though it not finished yet!!)

Is it always this good????

It's the most competitive league in Europe, most games are very entertaining.

Seaneh

boooo

Mr. Presentable

Marco Borriello, the king of the scuff.