Serie A Superthread

Rekop dog · 28-10-2017 6:37pm

Milan are so predictably bad I don't even get annoyed anymore just apathy as there's not even the slightest bit of expectation in these big games under Montella. Will likely go bottom half after the weekend.

Has to go

Mr.Nice Guy · 28-10-2017 6:46pm

I missed the first half but I've been watching the second half. Milan resorting to hit and hope balls into the box. Easy stuff for Juventus.

Headshot · 28-10-2017 6:48pm

Been very disappointed in Kessié this season, he was a different animal at Atlanta

Mr.Nice Guy · 28-10-2017 6:57pm

That second goal off the post was great from Higuain. Lovely play in the build up too. Solid win for Juventus.

justshane · 28-10-2017 11:56pm

Second goal was a real classy finish. Not many strikers around score goals like that.

FCIM · 30-10-2017 4:36pm

It'll be very interesting to see Inter tonight. Spalletti has done spectacular work and they look to have really come on, particularly in the last few matches. Therein lies the interest though, the last three matches have been against tough teams. Milan are struggling but are not as bad on paper as their form suggests and a derby is always different, Napoli obviously are flying and Sampdoria are always difficult. Personally, I thought Inter's best match was their last, at least for sixty minutes, after which they were shattered as they were the same eleven that played at the San Paolo. Inter have struggled against teams they should comfortably beat though and Hellas will park the bus. If they can take care of them handily enough it could be a sign of a real change in the club's fortunes.

Rekop dog · 30-10-2017 5:18pm

Don't really rate the Inter side that highly. I think Spaletti has them punching right now, and not being in Europe is a huge benefit.

Can't see them troubling Juve or Napoli for a title challenge at all. I think if they hold on for a top 4 place it would be considered a good season and something to build on, but with Roma and Lazio there that won't be easy either.

FCIM · 30-10-2017 6:09pm

Rekop dog wrote: »

Don't really rate the Inter side that highly. I think Spaletti has them punching right now, and not being in Europe is a huge benefit.

Can't see them troubling Juve or Napoli for a title challenge at all. I think if they hold on for a top 4 place it would be considered a good season and something to build on, but with Roma and Lazio there that won't be easy either.

I don't think anyone within the club nor its supporters are even dreaming of the scudetto this year. A top four finish would be mission accomplished as far as 2017/18 goes. I'm an Interista, have a lot of friends living in Italy and both I and they would dismiss the media's suggestions of the team being ready for a scudetto challenge this year as being utter rubbish.

I think Lazio will fall away as their depth is limited but that's a problem for Inter too. I think Roma will find it harder going under Di Francesco than under Spalletti. There's no real vice-Icardi, even though I've never been certain of Maurito myself. Great goalscorer but limited play elsewhere around the pitch though that is progressing under Spalletti. The defence is a big problem as, whilst Nagatomo and D'Ambrosio have progressed admirably under the new coach, an injury to, in particular, Skriniar or Miranda would mean "Calamity James" (Ranocchia) had to play. Miranda already looks tired too so it will be important to get someone in January who will allow him not to have to play in every game.

Gagliardini, in recent weeks, looks like he's finally starting to build on his potential and Vecino looks like a great bit of summer transfer business. Candreva, though inconsistent, looks more and more solid and Perisic is probably the best player in the team. I've never particularly liked Handanovic but he does make important saves.

Overall the team is improving and quickly but don't buy any of the media nonsense. I watch and keep up to date with the team almost exclusively through Italian media so I don't know if English language coverage is talking about us as potential title contenders but I can assure you the fans and the club, at least from what is said in public, have much more grounded horizons this year. After so long of being awful and so many years out of the Champions League, fourth will be celebrated as a victory if it's where the team finish up in May.

On a wider basis, I think Napoli will stumble in winter and Juventus will win comfortably again unfortunately.

FCIM · 30-10-2017 9:40pm

Poor first half from Inter. I half expected it. We always struggle against teams we should beat. Candreva was clever to spot Valero in space and that the two markers had gone to Icardi.

Headshot · 30-10-2017 10:06pm

That var is ****ing ridiculous how long it takes

FCIM · 30-10-2017 11:00pm

Headshot wrote: »

That var is ****ing ridiculous how long it takes

They need to speed it up but I think it's a good addition, particularly in Italy. In England, when a bad decision is made the fans challenge it, they might dislike the referee but there's very little, if any, belief the referee is actually corrupt. In Italy, with good reason given past scandals every poor decision is down to outright cheating in the eyes of the supporters wronged, particularly when those decisions in some way favour certain clubs.

D'Ambrosio was horrendous tonight just when he looked as if he was improving. Handanovic gave away a penalty through the carelessness which has never helped my liking of him. A poor Inter performance really, we still have no concept of how to control a game against supposedly poorer opposition. Hellas played well though and if they can produce that pace in other matches, won't go down. What pleases me most is that the players heads would have dropped after the Verona equaliser in recent years whereas under Spalletti they recover immediately. The fitness levels under Spalletti are also greatly improved but we do need to buy in January because the same eleven can't play in every game even without the European competitions. For me, Gagliardini, Candreva and Skriniar put in good shifts. Vecino's performance was fair, so was Nagatomo's.

Minderbinder · 31-10-2017 5:28am

Spalletti is doing a very different job than I expected. It’s been solid but unspectacular which is in contrast to what I remember from his Roma days.

I’m not sure if he’s just luckier at the moment than some of his predecessors. They’re not playing particularly well and have at no stage looked like a team with 9 wins and two draws from 11 games.

Maybe I’m being harsh and he’s just more adaptable than I gave him credit for. The pessimist in me just can’t see Inter maintaining anything like their current form as I feel with this group of players it’s always one defeat away from going completely a**eways.

FCIM · 31-10-2017 9:13am

Minderbinder wrote: »

Spalletti is doing a very different job than I expected. It’s been solid but unspectacular which is in contrast to what I remember from his Roma days.

I’m not sure if he’s just luckier at the moment than some of his predecessors. They’re not playing particularly well and have at no stage looked like a team with 9 wins and two draws from 11 games.

Maybe I’m being harsh and he’s just more adaptable than I gave him credit for. The pessimist in me just can’t see Inter maintaining anything like their current form as I feel with this group of players it’s always one defeat away from going completely a**eways.

I agree with your first two paragraphs bar a couple of points. A big difference between Spalletti and his predecessors is that Spalletti has actually proved himself over his career. You could argue the same for Mancini but it imploded for him towards the end of his City stint and his period at Galatasaray was disastrous. Pioli isn't an Inter level manager, De Boer hadn't a clue about Italian football and it showed. Spalletti has achieved targets virtually everywhere he's been. He's developing a solid team at Inter rather than a spectacular one, I suspect because he knows he hasn't the players to create one.

I would be very surprised to see this form continue though. It's way above the target for this year. Everyone outside of the media knows it can't continue with the squad Inter has and I suspect many in the media are trying to set Inter up for a fall by talking about the scudetto; Inter has never been the most popular club in Italy in terms of the media and football establishment and they love seeing them trip.

In terms of it falling apart following the first defeat. I am hopeful it won't. The steel Inter are showing to come back in games hasn't been seen for many years and they don't let their heads drop under Spalletti. The team of the previous number of seasons would not have come back to win last night. I could be wrong, I hope I'm not, but I think Spalletti has instilled belief in the players and a number of key additions, Skriniar in particular, look tough.

ERG89 · 05-11-2017 3:24pm

It'll never last but Juventus 0-1 Benevento

Rekop dog · 05-11-2017 3:27pm

ERG89 wrote: »

It'll never last but Juventus 0-1 Benevento

Benevento were 66/1 for that haha.

HalloweenJack · 05-11-2017 4:01pm

I'm really enjoying this Fiorentina Roma game. 2-2 at half time.

ERG89 · 05-11-2017 4:57pm

Oh Napoli, why do you always f**k up when the going gets tough?

Even Milan won in Chievo ffs!

ERG89 · 05-11-2017 10:23pm

I should feel happy seeing Milan win but this has been another lifeless performance by the team. I don't see at all what we're trying to do. I think Montella will probably find a style halfway through the season but we have lost so many games with Napoli & Torino in the next 2 matches we could be too far behind by then.

pm1977x · 05-11-2017 10:30pm

Inter failed to dispatch Torino having come from 1-0 down to draw 1-1, at least they didn't lose though.

05-11-2017 10:51pm

pm1977x wrote: »

Inter failed to dispatch Torino having come from 1-0 down to draw 1-1, at least they didn't lose though.

If there's club I hate more than Juventus it is Inter. they are dirtier even than the before mentioned, but throw a lot of mud so it seems they are clean in contrast.

FCIM · 12-11-2017 10:55am

Deleted User wrote: »

If there's club I hate more than Juventus it is Inter. they are dirtier even than the before mentioned, but throw a lot of mud so it seems they are clean in contrast.

Could you give evidence for this comment?

12-11-2017 1:29pm

FCIM wrote: »

Could you give evidence for this comment?

Yes, I could.

FCIM · 12-11-2017 1:46pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes, I could.

...

pjohnson · 12-11-2017 2:25pm

FCIM wrote: »

...

I got some blood out of a stone while we are waiting :pac:

Jim Bob Scratcher · 18-11-2017 5:56pm

Rome derby starting in about 5 mins, should be a good one.

ERG89 · 18-11-2017 6:03pm

Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »

Rome derby starting in about 5 mins, should be a good one.

Milan visit Naples after that which should be....one sided.
I'm hoping it's the end of Montella

jJNoxG3.gif[

Stephen15 · 18-11-2017 6:58pm

ERG89 wrote: »

Milan visit Naples after that which should be....one sided.
I'm hoping it's the end of Montella

An Ancelotti return perhaps?

Jim Bob Scratcher · 18-11-2017 7:13pm

Roma with 2 quickfire goals

ERG89 · 18-11-2017 7:33pm

Stephen15 wrote:

An Ancelotti return perhaps?

I don't know if he will come in but Montella is not the man.
Glad VAR is there, despite the criticisms it's worth it for when the right decisions happen.

ERG89 · 18-11-2017 10:02pm

https://twitter.com/OptaPaolo/status/931987000034562048

Keep it up lads....Jesus. :eek:

justshane · 18-11-2017 10:39pm

Good second half.

ERG89 · 18-11-2017 10:45pm

Might have been one of the worst free kicks possible at the worst time by Biglia it wasn't so surprising.
Nice goal by Romagnoli but an unimpressive showing. I still don't see the style of football Montella wants to play. Still in 7th but the top 6 have all beaten us.

Headshot · 19-11-2017 4:35pm

wow unreal result so far for Samp

ERG89 · 19-11-2017 4:41pm

Napoli host Juve in 2 weeks. Looking key already. I don't hold much confidence in the Neapolitans in the long run tho. Hope I'm wrong

FCIM · 19-11-2017 8:33pm

Headshot wrote: »

wow unreal result so far for Samp

Sampdoria often put it up to Juventus but yes, a great result for them.

We need to make sure we take advantage of Juventus, Lazio and Milan's poor results this weekend but Atalanta are never easy.

Headshot · 19-11-2017 9:32pm

Inter have been awful

MD1990 · 19-11-2017 10:10pm

But they have Icardi.

Best finisher in world football.

pm1977x · 19-11-2017 10:14pm

2-0 to Inter with 25 mins to go.

FCIM · 19-11-2017 10:47pm

Not the best of performances but deserved the win against a tricky opponent.

justshane · 20-11-2017 10:15am

Milans goal was a beaut.

ERG89 · 21-11-2017 10:45pm

https://twitter.com/footballitalia/status/933083156961546241

Milan in more than a bit of uncertainty off the pitch now.....
0_0

NIMAN · 22-11-2017 8:50pm

Another article that would prove that what 95% of fans believe about Italian football is wrong

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05nsmgb

Headshot · 25-11-2017 10:32pm

Spalletti has done such a brilliant job with Inter. It's amazing the turn around compared to last season.

pm1977x · 25-11-2017 10:40pm

Headshot wrote: »

Spalletti has done such a brilliant job with Inter. It's amazing the turn around compared to last season.

Another brace for Icardi!

irishguitarlad · 26-11-2017 3:36pm

Napoli up one nil. Jorginho missed the penalty but scored the rebound.

Rekop dog · 26-11-2017 5:33pm

How is Montella still in a job:mad:. 11 points off 4th(and roma have a game in hand) before December considering the ludicrous money he spent is shockingly poor.

peteeeed · 27-11-2017 11:18am

Rekop dog wrote: »

How is Montella still in a job:mad:. 11 points off 4th(and roma have a game in hand) before December considering the ludicrous money he spent is shockingly poor.

he's not , sacked, gattuso now in charge

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42136435

Rekop dog · 27-11-2017 11:20am

So Montella gone and Gattuso in.

No sure I'm the biggest fan of that appointment. It's like hiring a Roy Keane. Unbelievable professional and Intimidating presence but not that bright.

Actually if I'm not wrong Pirlo dedicated about 5 pages in his book to how dim and hot headed Rino was.

ERG89 · 27-11-2017 11:49am

Rekop dog wrote:

No sure I'm the biggest fan of that appointment. It's like hiring a Roy Keane. Unbelievable professional and Intimidating presence but not that bright.

Brocchi, Pippo & Seedorf were all bad appointments. Pretty sure Rino has been doing bad with the AC Primavera side too.
Milan were going nowhere under Montella but they clearly can't afford to hire anyone right now either with all the questions over the ownership at present.

ERG89 · 30-11-2017 10:15pm

https://twitter.com/footballitalia/status/936182521301266432

Wish him the best tbh.
Napoli host Juve in a huge game tomorrow. Genuinely think Benevento will give Milan a scare on Sunday too.

Serie A Superthread

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