Serie A Thread - 2014/15 Season

Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

lo zio said:
and last season Ferguson too (for the very first time in his carreer) showed he knows how to set up a specific tactical strategy for every different opponent.
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I think Queiroz might have had a large hand in that.


roma's issues, unlike milan, depend mostly the the players shape.
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Despite adding the likes of Baptista, Menez, Riise I still think their
squad is a bit thin. Are there any good youth prospects coming through?

Another thing a few years ago Roma had a young guy named Rosi I remember him scoring a few goals and looking good what happened to him?

And Ben what do you think of Pepe(Udinese attacker) comes across a very underrated, do you reckon he can step up in class?
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Aquilani is a great prospect for the future, he's already showing signs of great features of a midfielder and will surely improve with more games this season.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Personally I don't see Aquilani as a prospect anymore, I think he's on his way to becoming a world class midfielder(at club level).
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

yep, Alberto is not a prospect anymore. last season he proved he can be mentioned along with europe's best players in his role: snejder, gerrard, diego, iniesta, fabregas..... actually he did even better than many of em in the last 2 seasons.... but he has been pretty unlucky so far, as he lost many months, not only last season, but also the season before, thanks to serious injuries (funnily, both times he got injured playing against man utd)... both times those injuries came right when he was about to find that consistency who could finally boost his confidence and make him a leader (even though i can't really see him becoming a leader, coz de rossi has such a huuge personality).

players like alberto represent today an endangered species. football is becoming too fast, and the raise of the pace forced all the pure "numbers 10" to move somewhere else. most of them are becoming wingers or attackers. diego, ribery, van der vaart, kakà, ronaldinho, totti. they were all forced to change position, in order to find some space, even though they're all world class players....
and those few who didn't change their role caused serious issues to their coaches (benitez had probably terrible headaches in the last few seasons, trying to find a way to line up gerrard without compromising his whole gamplans (and however, even gerrard often moved to the right).
some other players moved backwards (like deco, pizarro, fabregas, ballack, pirlo...)

there are just a few "fantasisti" who didn't change their role at all. iniesta, hamsik (i'm starting to realise he's not a central midfielder, but a pure fantasista), riquelme and alberto (there are probably a few others i don't remember right now).

the problem with this kind of players is that, in order to fit any kind of line up, they have to become the "core" of the team.
their coaches have to "build the team around them". this is quite a risky decision, especially for a top club (and it's probably the reason why rafa didn't do it with gerrard).

putting aquilani instead of perrotta in roma's starting line up, for instance, completely changes roma's football.
i hope spalletti will have the guts to change roma's dna, according to aquilani's specs for 2 reasons.
first, coz alberto is a young world class player, who could form, together with de rossi, the best midfield partnership in the world and roma's spine for the years to come.
and also coz roma's magnificent football could be close to its end.

the sidebacks, the cutting midfielders and totti were the main assets of roma's football. Now cassetti and tonetto (also coz of their injuries) didn't performed at their best level last season (and i can't see them doing in in the future). cicinho might be a good replacement for cassetti.... but riise won't ever be able to do what tonetto used to do 2 seasons ago.
totti too can't give anymore the same contribution; his legs, his ligaments, his ankles, there isn't a single part of his body wich is ok.... moreover he's getting old.
and as for the cutting midfielders, perrotta isn't as reliable as he used to be 2 seasons ago.... too many injuries.... and the same goes for taddei.... not to mention they sold giuly, wich was one of the stupidest moves of this summer (together with riise's signing).
menez and baptista are very good players but they cannot do what taddei, perrotta and giuly do. they're different kind of players.

moreover once u play the same football for about 2, 3 years, it comes the moment to change, in order to keep the players motivated, and also to avoid your opponent to get used to your football, to detect his weak spots, to strategise aganist you.

now roma has a good young spine. mexes and juan in defense, aquilani and de rossi at midfield... and i can see okaka, cerci, rosi and virga having a brightest future. so i think it's time to say goodbye to the great roma we admired in the last 3 seasons and to start building a new team according to the players spalletti can count on right now.
afterall spalletti is pretty lucky. he can count on 2 of the greatests talents in the world (de rossi and aquilani. De rossi is already the greatest in the world in his role..... and by a huge gap) in the most important position (centre midfield).

anyway, by saying this, i'm not saying that roma's cycle is over. unlike milan, roma is still a world beater, and as soon as all those injured starters will recover, they'll be playing their nice football again. the thing is, if they don't start thinking about changing their football, in a few years, they might find thelselves in the same situation milan is right now. and if aquilani won't have a guarranted starter's spot this season, he might seriously start to think to move somewhere else (juve, inter and real madrid would do anything to get him).

talking about roma roster's depth, i don't think it's really thin. sure they haven't 3 teams, like inter, but the squad is pretty much complete. the thing is no club could easily face so many injuries in the same time (perrotta, taddei, juan, mexes, cassetti, totti, pizarro). and what made the situation even worse is the fact that the new signings still need time to settle. that's probably the reason why the squad might look thin.

talking about roma's most promising prospects, Sabac, rosi (u proved u have a very keen eye and a good memory by mentioning him ;), okaka and cerci deserve a mention.
Aleandro Rosi is now on loan to livorno. it was a good move by roma, as this allowed rosi to get that experience u can get just when u have a starter role. Fantastic player. he has the same huge personality and the same unbelievable "tactical sense" de rossi had when he had rosi's age. he's doing great things for livorno, and he's going to be a huge asset for roma in the next 10 years (he's just 20 right now).

Alessio Cerci was by far serie b best player last season (wich is crazy when u think how young is he and how many great players could be found in serie b last season). now he's on loan at atalanta.
In my honest opinion this wasn't a very smart move. alessio playes on menez role. is has the same age of jeremy (21) the same great technique of jeremy, but he's more practical, more tactically educated than menez. jeremy sometimes seem to overdo things, trying to show how good he is. besides he doesn't have the same "position sense" cerci has, and he comes from a different league.
so roma spent 10 millions euros to cover a role wich could have been covered (even with better results, maybe) by a player they already had.
i have the feeling roma went looking for big names this summer, rather than players who could have coming handy (baptista, jeremy, RIISE!!!).

Stefano Okaka is another great prospect. an all-around foward, with a great balance, pace, a very good technique and a fantastic feeling with the goal. he was in loan and modena last season, and now spalletti called him back at roma. despite being so young (he's just 19) he might become that tall benchmark foward roma has been looking for in the past few seasons. together with balotelli, giovinco, rossi, pazzini and maybe acquafresca, he'll probably be fighting for a spot in italy's national team, as soon as he'll be old enough.

Valerio Virga (22 years old) is another very interesting prospect for roma. he's a midfielder who usually plays on the centre-right midfield. he was on loan in palermo a few years ago, and i was quite impressed by him (even though he played just a few matches in coppa italia). very good player..... not as good as cerci, rosi and okaka though.

And Ben what do you think of Pepe(Udinese attacker) comes across a very underrated, do you reckon he can step up in class?
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Pepe is a very nice player indeed. he was a palermo player a few years ago.... but didn't manage to find enoug space (he had to fight with toni in order to get some playtime :-pp).
i like him a lot, no doubt about that.... but i don't think he will ever do "the next step" and become a top class player....
but then again, don't take my opinion too seriously.... as i used to say the same about fernando torres and chiellini, up till one year ago :-pp

I think Queiroz might have had a large hand in that.
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it still surprise me to think what an amazing football manchester has been playing in the last 2 seasons, as i never expected both ferguson and queiroz to be that good. so whoever he was the arteficer of this man utd (sir alex or carlos) it was a huge surprise for me :))
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Trema Mourinho è arrivato Ronaldinhoooooooooooo

Inter and Mourinho sucks like he's president ahahahahah.... i'm so proud to watch this match in San Siro into the milan side :DANCE::DANCE::DANCE:

Baila San Siro Baila

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Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Milanista said:
:DD

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:LOL:
Funny Fact: Inter players claim Kaka's position on the Dinho's long pass was Off Side.

If there is, I dare every referee to even SEE it :D

BTW, great game by the Pato, Dinho and Kaka.
Ambrosini, Gattuso and Seedorf controlled the Midfield, that has always been Internazionale only weak point, and that was the key.
That and Quaresma, never seen a more apathetic player in my life. Never.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

What a weekend! Anyone see Cassano's goal? Beautiful - he definitely deserves the Italy shirt at the moment imo.
YouTube - Atalanta - Sampdoria 4-2 Serie A 6° giornata VIDEO HQ (05/10/08)

Some surprise results and 9 red cards all weekend! I half expected Roma to lose (Big fan of Giampaolo) but I'm shocked by the Atalanta-Sampdoria result. The 2 red cards changed that game and Del Neri did the job with an already very competitive Atalanta.

I also watched Genoa-Napoli - amazing match. Lavezzi's goal was very nice (first goal)
YouTube - Prima sconfitta (Genoa Napoli 3-2)
Some crazy attacking football - Genoa are always growing and Milito seems to have solved their attacking problems completely.

Reggina-Catania - Zenga will become a big manager in the future, he started from nothing and is slowly getting better and better. His Catania were playing very well until the sending off.

Ben - Palermo are growing too. Ballardini is a good coach and I'm still surprised Cagliari sacked him.

I thought Milan were average, nothing special, but so were Cagliari, so a draw was fair.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Some great goals in that Genua match Stef...
Atalanta are doing great apparently.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

I'm not too surprised to be honest. They always lose great prospects but sign effective players, so are consistent Serie A performers. I wouldn't be surprised if they get an Intertoto/UEFA cup spot. Del Neri is good with these kinds of teams - Chievo of 2003 etc.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Despite losing Materazzi mk.IIAtalanta still have Floccari who is a great prospect for the future. Plus they have the likes of Padoin, Doni is still good plus Pinto is a good winger/fullback/attacker/.


Is Cassano still owned by Real?
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Nope, Sampdoria bought his full rights this summer. Great signing, and great for Cassano. He's treated like the star player and has something to prove now.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Milanista said:
I'm not too surprised to be honest. They always lose great prospects but sign effective players, so are consistent Serie A performers. I wouldn't be surprised if they get an Intertoto/UEFA cup spot. Del Neri is good with these kinds of teams - Chievo of 2003 etc.
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yep, but this serie a is much more tough than the 2003 season.
del neri has a good team and they play a good football.... but honestly there are just to many sides stronger than them right now. inter, roma, juve, milan, fiorentina, udinese, genoa, napoli, sampdoria, lazio, palermo...
every season we witness some surprises. some teams overachieve, some others underachieve.... but a lot of teams should underachieve, in order to guarrantee atalanta an intertoto-worthy spot....and even if 2, 3 teams better than them would underachieve and finish the season behind atalanta, they still should be figthing with the likes of torino and catania, wich are basically as good as atalanta.

what a fantastic season so far anyway.
it was a great result for palermo yesterday, but honestly juve looked pretty predictable (and it couldn't be different, with 3 defensive midfielders lined up in the middle of the pitch)....
juve is missing zanetti sooo much, and i still can't help thinking ledesma or xabi would have been much more useful than poulsen.

however palermo looked extremely confident and neatly displaced on the pitch. there's a clear feeling of tactical discipline in palermo right now.. we never overdo things, simple well-organised football. everyone, in every moment of the game, gives u the feeling he's exactly where he's supposed to be, doing exactly what he should be doing.
it's quite fascinating actually (at least it is for me :PP).

i already talked about ballardini last season. I kept watching cagliari playing last season, since ballardini came in charge, and i wrote i was sincerely amazed by his football.
now he came here, and in just 1 week, i saw palermo playing its best football in the last 2 seasons.
it's still too early to say if ballardini really has what it takes to join the likes of prandelli, spalletti, beretta, rossi,marino, gasperini, ancelotti and mazzarri..... but sure he's on the right path.
so far so good :))


He's treated like the star player and has something to prove now.
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well, afterall he is a star player (and it would be treated this way in every team in europe), and i think last season he already proved a lot. i think he just needs to keep going like this.
sampdoria has been quite unlucky so far, plus they had a tremendous schedule till now.... but the again, is there a team wich didn't face a tough schedule so far?! :WOOT::))
 
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Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Hope Palermo play a good season Ben...for a real fan like you this may seem strange, but i support both Palermo and Atalanta...so i hope both do good.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

gerd said:
Hope Palermo play a good season Ben...for a real fan like you this may seem strange, but i support both Palermo and Atalanta...so i hope both do good.
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It doesn't Gerd. actually i'm not a real fan either.:PP
a "real" palermo fan should be pissed off to see catania playing such a nice football, while honestly i'm happy they're doing so well.

speaking of wich, it's derby-time next week! catania-palermo.... in catania... i really can't see us winning this one.
at least let's hope catania fans won't cause any troubles :))
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Wasn't that the game were a police man was killed last season...sad...
i don't agree with you Ben...real fans do not hate other teams even not if they are their fiercest rivals...

My favourite team is FC Brussels, a team that got relegated from the Jupiler League last season. Their big rivals are Anderlecht (also from Brussels - although i'm quite sure Anderlecht will not perceive Brussels as their rivals, Brussels are far too weak to be Anderlecht's rivals). So if Brussels play Anderlecht, it is the one match i want them to win (they never do, more chance that Inter win a Milanese derby and we all now how unlikely that is). But if Anderlecht play in the European Cup, i always support them...i could never hate another club....that's tribalism.
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Palermo was good yesterday, but honestly this is the worst juve i've seen in 12 years (one of anyway..). Things have to change and soon. Too many things going on off-the pitch and too little on it. The players look so distracted and there's simply no unit on the pitch and no line or any sort of cohesion detectable on the pitch.

Old guard is turning against Ranieri, that much is clear. All the interviews imply it, especially DP's interview last night. Where he did not deny it and strongly implied it to be so.

Board with little personality and a coach who can't shake his loser-tag.

Whish I could share more and be a little more elaborate, but busy times lately. :)
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Gerd said:
i don't agree with you Ben...real fans do not hate other teams even not if they are their fiercest rivals...
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i was being sarcastic, Gerd ;))

YoungGun_UK said:
Hows Kerlon doing at Cheivo?
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actually i don't even know if he already got any playtime, mate.
afterall chievo already has bogdani and pelissier, who are very, very good strikers.... it won't be easy for kerlon to find some space :))

Dom said:
Palermo was good yesterday, but honestly this is the worst juve i've seen in 12 years (one of anyway..). Things have to change and soon. Too many things going on off-the pitch and too little on it. The players look so distracted and there's simply no unit on the pitch and no line or any sort of cohesion detectable on the pitch.

Old guard is turning against Ranieri, that much is clear. All the interviews imply it, especially DP's interview last night. Where he did not deny it and strongly implied it to be so.

Board with little personality and a coach who can't shake his loser-tag.
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yeah can't argue with that. juve has some problems on the pitch, and probably also some issues in the dressing room (and this might be more of a problem for juve).

i also agree about the board's incompetence. as a matter of fact the only 2 competent person in juve's board were tardelli and blanc.... tardelli already left more than 1 year ago (maybe he foresaw this situation??), and as for blanc, with Secco in charge of the transfers area and cobolli getting a mike any time he has a chance to..... there's almost no room for him.

i wouldn't pay attention to ranieri's tag however.
most of the times tags are unappropriate. Mourinho has a "winner-tag", but seriously, if he's a world class coach, then i can count about 9/10 world class coaches in italy. Coz, after what i saw in the past few weeks and, most of all, what i heard (from mourinho himself), i can easily name about 6 serie a coaches who are definitely better than him and also a few serie b coaches who are on the same level of "the special one" (as papadopulo, cagni, sonetti, baldini.... no wait a minute, Baldini is better than mourinho actually).

on the other side, ranieri's looser tag is undeserved aswell. he's not a top class coach, but, as a matter of fact, he has a better football knowledge than mourinho, and (unlike mourinho) he knows how to adapt his football to the players he can count on. and this is clearely proven by his job in cagliari, in valencia, in chelsea and in parma aswell.

i mean come on, i know overrated and underrated people are everywhere, but seriously, Mourinho is a master! he made the whole world believe is a world class coach, worthy to be mentioned along with the likes of ancelotti, lippi, scolari, spalletti, hiddink, capello, etcc.. even i ventured to mention him along with benitez, just a few days ago :BLUSH::DOH:(anyway i'd still like to say i always remarked the gap between mourinho and the likes of ancelotti or lippi).

and the same goes for ranieri. he raised abramovich's chelsea foundations. in a much harder situation than mourinho, he was able to bring chelsea to a second place in premiership and a CL semifinal.
and shall we talk about valencia? cuper and benitez usually get all the credit for "the great valencia", but, as a matter of fact, it was ranieri the one who built that team.... and it was ranieri the first coach to bring valencia to win something after 19 years!

tags aren't worthy of any attention. i do believe ranieri might have some problems with the dressing room right now.... but definitely this has anything to do with him being not good enough, being a "looser".

mancini won 2 scudetti in a row, but having a "winner tag" doesn't make him a top class coach. he's a good coach, no doubt about it (i'm actually starting to think he's better than the special one himself), but he was not the best coach in italy in the last 2 years.
the same way, mourinho is the favourite for the title this season..... but this won't change the fact that, here in italy, he's nothing more than a "average one".
"tags" mean nothing.:))
 
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Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

Ben, just read in the Belgian papers that Palermo is after a Belgian player...a certain Moussa Dembele ...any thoughts?????

Could only be a rumour though...
 
Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

The 'big 4' arent untouchable anymore. The new generation of 'middle' teams are very strong this year. Its like having the 7 sisters again, but with the other 13 being tough opposition as well.

About Kerlon - if I'm not mistaken, hes still injured, or recovering. He was injured for a year before joining Chievo.

This season we are having a boom in strikers in Serie A. So much class for almost every team. Milito-Palladino, Lavezzi-Denis, Maccarone-Calaio/Frick, Zarate-Pandev (Theyre crazy!), Toto-Quaglia-Pepe, Amoruso-Bianchi, Brienza (wtf he's suddenly becoming the new Miccoli!).... etc etc. Every team is dangerous up front.
 
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Re: Serie A Thread - 2008/2009 Season

I think it's great that there are no longer "big four"...this makes Serie A one of the most interesting leagues..
 
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