Italian Serie A - 2020-2021

Markolan

Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
842
Location
Italy
Supports
AC Milan
Allegri's Juventus are back.. They'll be top of the league again in 5-6 weeks
 

SportingCP96

emotional range of a teaspoon
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Messages
9,873
Supports
Sporting Clube de Portugal
He's not
he never took a free kick or pen with his weaker left foot.
Hernanes used to do that when he played at Lazio
I have the wrong meaning of the word in my mind! You are right my bad
 

Raredaredevil

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
892
Allegri's Juventus are back.. They'll be top of the league again in 5-6 weeks
They were 4.5 to win the league just a few games ago. I regret not putting a bet on them. I knew they would still go on to win the league.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
Think I asked this a few weeks ago......but are Napoli any good nowadays?

Lost to Spezia a few weeks back and now losing 2-0 to Genoa who've been terrible for most of this season although they've picked up in recent weeks.

Feels like league position is flattering them a bit as they're way off what they were a few years ago and got some randoms in their 11, who on earth is the Petagna they keep on playing upfront?

Got to admire though Goran Pandev still doing his thing for nearly 20 years in Serie A.
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,144
Supports
Real Madrid
Napoli would be running away with the league by now if they had a finisher like Suarez. So yeah, they're very good
 

rojo81

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 14, 2013
Messages
178
Location
Mexico City
Supports
Juventus
Think I asked this a few weeks ago......but are Napoli any good nowadays?

Lost to Spezia a few weeks back and now losing 2-0 to Genoa who've been terrible for most of this season although they've picked up in recent weeks.

Feels like league position is flattering them a bit as they're way off what they were a few years ago and got some randoms in their 11, who on earth is the Petagna they keep on playing upfront?

Got to admire though Goran Pandev still doing his thing for nearly 20 years in Serie A.
Napoli IMO has the third best team in the league, below Juve and inter. They have been underperforming badly.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
Napoli IMO has the third best team in the league, below Juve and inter. They have been underperforming badly.
Juve, Sassuolo, Milan and Roma in next 6 fixtures so tough old run of games. Think Granada will give them very tough match in europa aswell as they're solid-ish defensively and have good counter attacking options.
 

Markolan

Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
842
Location
Italy
Supports
AC Milan
Think I asked this a few weeks ago......but are Napoli any good nowadays?

Lost to Spezia a few weeks back and now losing 2-0 to Genoa who've been terrible for most of this season although they've picked up in recent weeks.

Feels like league position is flattering them a bit as they're way off what they were a few years ago and got some randoms in their 11, who on earth is the Petagna they keep on playing upfront?

Got to admire though Goran Pandev still doing his thing for nearly 20 years in Serie A.
He's only their 3rd choice upfront though, behind Mertens and € 70 mln signing Osimhen.. Tonight they also missed 3 key players (Koulibaly and Fabian Ruiz who tested positive for COVID-19 + Mertens injuried)

On paper they're a good side but Gattuso is a bad manager imho, it was depressing to see him play 5 defenders and 2 Defensive midfielders at home against Atalanta few days ago, like a random Spezia team.
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,144
Supports
Real Madrid
On paper they're a good side but Gattuso is a bad manager imho, it was depressing to see him play 5 defenders and 2 Defensive midfielders at home against Atalanta few days ago, like a random Spezia team.
Gattuso is a good manager, Napoli have had to deal with injuries and covid more than most and they dominated 95% of games they played this season. They just have the exact same problems they've always have: can't finish worth shite and have a tendency to go onto meltdown(at every level, but starting from the president)

They're worse than they were under Sarri, that's obvious, but a lot of their losses would have been wins if only they could finish their dinner. Inter and Spezia were ridiculous losses for example
 

Bepi

Full Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2016
Messages
3,875
Location
Italy
Supports
Juventus
seriously, they seem so jammy but they get results lately
The novelty is Pirlo now admittedly knowing his players better and renouncing his still immature Pirloball for a more pragmatic (and Juveish) adapt-and-counter, which suits the squad perfectly. Then he has the most versatile roster in the league and Ronaldo upfront, which are enough to beat any Italian opponent.

That said, the three most important games are the ones they have to play now in a row: Inter at home for a place in Coppa Italia final, Napoli away to consolidate the top 4 spot while still aiming at the title, Porto away in the first leg of the CL knockout (the trickiest game and the most important for the confidence of his tenure).
 

JuveGER

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
2,681
Location
Germany
Supports
Juventus
Well done! Classic performance. We are ahead and there is nothing here for you to get, Inter boys! Pirlo is learning, we have almost the whole squad at our disposal, and we are picking up form. Promising.
 

Morty_

Full Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
2,813
Supports
Real Madrid
Lukaku and big game performances :lol:
People love to make fun of him, but he was actually quite decent in the first half, good hold-up play and accurate lay-offs.

Lautaro, his striker-partner, was much worse.
 

Peyroteo

Professional Ronaldo PR Guy
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
10,884
Location
Porto, Portugal
Supports
Sporting CP
Juve with 6 clean sheets in their last 7 games. Before that they had 5 clean sheets in 23 games with Pirlo.

Players actually being fit to play is a big advantage but there's been a change in Pirlo's approach too
 

GifLord

Better at GIFs than posts
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
22,898
Location
LALALAND
People love to make fun of him, but he was actually quite decent in the first half, good hold-up play and accurate lay-offs.

Lautaro, his striker-partner, was much worse.
He fecked up their best chance of the game. Sure they've both been wank but when you pay so much for a striker you expect him to perform when it matters?
 

Morty_

Full Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
2,813
Supports
Real Madrid
He fecked up their best chance of the game. Sure they've both been wank but when you pay so much for a striker you expect him to perform when it matters?
Well, to compare, im pretty sure Laturo hit one of his chances out for a throw or something....or at least in that direction.

Is Lukaku good enough for the big matches? Nope, never said he was.
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,144
Supports
Real Madrid
Juve with 6 clean sheets in their last 7 games. Before that they had 5 clean sheets in 23 games with Pirlo.

Players actually being fit to play is a big advantage but there's been a change in Pirlo's approach too
He basically realized this team can't really press with any consistency, and cristiano can win them games anyways even if they spend 90 minutes parked into their own box

Something Allegri knew all along and Sarri also had to accept midway through the season, but tried to keep working on it(and the players sacked him for it)
 

Daysleeper

New Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Messages
4,790
Supports
Barcelona
The novelty is Pirlo now admittedly knowing his players better and renouncing his still immature Pirloball for a more pragmatic (and Juveish) adapt-and-counter, which suits the squad perfectly. Then he has the most versatile roster in the league and Ronaldo upfront, which are enough to beat any Italian opponent.

That said, the three most important games are the ones they have to play now in a row: Inter at home for a place in Coppa Italia final, Napoli away to consolidate the top 4 spot while still aiming at the title, Porto away in the first leg of the CL knockout (the trickiest game and the most important for the confidence of his tenure).
Thanks for the input, good luck in the coming matches!
 

Bepi

Full Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2016
Messages
3,875
Location
Italy
Supports
Juventus
Without the fans, it all seems a gigantic Big Brother right now. Pretty meh to see and undeniably dark.
 

Bepi

Full Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2016
Messages
3,875
Location
Italy
Supports
Juventus
Without the fans, it all seems a gigantic Big Brother right now. Pretty meh to see and undeniably dark.
Hoping to have back fans in September for shows like this

 

JuveGER

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
2,681
Location
Germany
Supports
Juventus
Atalanta 2-0 against Napoli after just 16 minutes. This will be some final (if it stays like this). They will be motivated like never before.
 

mazhar13

Kermit Inc. 2022
Scout
Joined
Sep 10, 2013
Messages
36,533
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Napoli's back line is way too tentative against Atalanta. They're barely putting Zapata, Pessina, and Muriel under any pressure. On the ball, they're doing a decent job of advancing forward but are struggling to create chances.
 

Raredaredevil

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Messages
892
Juve down 0-1 to Napoli after a brainfart by Chiellini to give away a stupid penalty. If AC Milan beats Spezia later, they will open a 10 point gap. Finally a new winner for the Scudetto.
 

Z2United

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
101
Supports
Team Zlatan
Juve down 0-1 to Napoli after a brainfart by Chiellini to give away a stupid penalty. If AC Milan beats Spezia later, they will open a 10 point gap. Finally a new winner for the Scudetto.
Its actually only a potential 7 point game considering Juve will have a game in hand. But still ill take it :)
Would love to c the milan team battle it out for the scudetto.
 

Z2United

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
101
Supports
Team Zlatan
Yeah this is likely the worst performace of the season for milan.

They are so nonchalant this game, v frustrating to watch sigh.