Did Eriksen think he was joining Inter Miami or what? Horrible substitution.
Italian Serie A - 2019-20
- Thread starter roonster09
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Didn’t the ref add 3 minutes?
Lukaku 
Juve-Inter in 2 weeks has become a must-win game for Inter now
Even so, Inzaghi deserves massive credit for what he's done with this team. Luck has always been a massive part of the game as well, can say the same about Liverpool, albeit to a lesser extent.
With Lazio pretty much having booked a spot in the CL next season, hopefully Inzaghi can get a decent-ish transfer budget so he can continue improving the team and add some much needed squad depth.
feck Inter and feck Lukaku
Decent game that was.
Lukaku...............goals, goals, goals.......except when it absolutely matters.
They can increase the stoppage time now in Italy? Showed +4 at first but due to the 2 min delay it became +5. Pretty cool.
Some thoughts from the match - Inter are a good side but they really lack an attacker that can take a player on. It reminds me of United a bit - too reliant on the full backs to do anything. Young was the best player for Inter - purely because he occasionally tried to beat a man.
Alexis still looks done, his footballing brain is good but his turn of pace has completely deserted him, he tries to turn a man but the ball barely goes an inch away from him. It's a shame really.
Lukaku has a lot of good attributes, especially for a counter attacking side. However he's still a bit too limited for me - a striker like Aguero, Rooney, Shearer etc would shift that chance he had at the end on to his right foot to create space. Lukaku choreographs everything on his left - which is a great left foot - but it's one dimensional. Lautaro on the other hand I think has the attributes to be similar to a Firminho, Suarez etc. If we're looking at a new striker I'd be looking at him. Works hard to boot.
Lazio look a good side - not too dissimilar in their play as Inter actually. The Lanky serb sms however you spell his name was their best player - first time I think I've actually watched him live and he stood out. Controls the ball very well.
Some thoughts from the match - Inter are a good side but they really lack an attacker that can take a player on. It reminds me of United a bit - too reliant on the full backs to do anything. Young was the best player for Inter - purely because he occasionally tried to beat a man.
Alexis still looks done, his footballing brain is good but his turn of pace has completely deserted him, he tries to turn a man but the ball barely goes an inch away from him. It's a shame really.
Lukaku has a lot of good attributes, especially for a counter attacking side. However he's still a bit too limited for me - a striker like Aguero, Rooney, Shearer etc would shift that chance he had at the end on to his right foot to create space. Lukaku choreographs everything on his left - which is a great left foot - but it's one dimensional. Lautaro on the other hand I think has the attributes to be similar to a Firminho, Suarez etc. If we're looking at a new striker I'd be looking at him. Works hard to boot.
Lazio look a good side - not too dissimilar in their play as Inter actually. The Lanky serb sms however you spell his name was their best player - first time I think I've actually watched him live and he stood out. Controls the ball very well.
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Scenes right now! I mean if you look at it Lazio have been the best big game team this season, they beat inter, they beat Juve and also in the super copa. Looks like a 3 horse race for the title atm.
Any Lazio fans in here who can let us know the reactions and thoughts going on in the Lazio forum?
I know a lot of the fans are racist twats but this still must be a fairytale season for them right now.
Any Lazio fans in here who can let us know the reactions and thoughts going on in the Lazio forum?
I know a lot of the fans are racist twats but this still must be a fairytale season for them right now.
Cracking title race in Italy this year
Literally think anyone can win it. Exciting to see how it plays out
Literally think anyone can win it. Exciting to see how it plays out
Good game. Lazio continues to impress. Fantastic season for them so far.
All that celebrating one week ago. Turned out premature like I expected.
Milinkovic-Savic is a massive difference maker in Italy for the same reason Zlatan still is: he absolutely dominates physically and especially in the air, and combines that with exceptional technical quality and vision
Agree, I think he'd be perfect for us and the premier league.
Not sure about that, i don't think he'd be that dominant in england and if you take that away he loses a lot
14 penalties in 24 games. Need to keep that up.
Hope Lazio win it.
Also an evolutionary tactical wrinkle of italian football: subs have become one of the biggest difference making weapons in the league. You can divide most games in two: the first hour is one game, then the last 30 minutes are another completely different one
He wouldn't be as dominant but I think he has the attributes to make it in the Premier league and would be a massive addition for us if Pogba goes in the summer which is more than likely
He would be my choice too. That physicality would keep us competing in tight games and he has the technique and passing to play football in a positive side.
I think he would be the perfect pogba replacement and we would be a better team for it!
Would you describe his technical quality as excellent ?
I think his more direct comparison is Mctominay - and they're quite similar in stature and style though Savic from this game looks technically better on the ball. Pogba is more a play maker like Bruno, KDB, Graelish etc, whereas Savic looked more like a box to box destroyer. Note I'm basing this off on one game though.
Seems SMS isn't rated that much since he had underwhelming world cup. He was fantastic for Lazio in 17/18, 14 goals in europe and Serie A which had me at first thinking he was actually a second striker so he's got more to his game than just being a destroyer and winner of duels.
Was below par last season but generally Lazio were until the last part of the season.
Was below par last season but generally Lazio were until the last part of the season.
I am a Lazio fan and we are starting believing it can be the good year. Igli Tare (ou responsible for transfers) has done miracles in the past years and with limited budget he has built a team at the level of Inter and very close to juve. Actually our midfield is even better than the juve one. If nothing bad happens with the referees, I think we can compete with juve untile the end, also because they are very focused kn CL and we do not have European cups. Finally, let me add that SMS is a real top player: tall over 1.90 and big, dominant in the air, fantastic technique, runs a lot, helps the defense, scorse goals, excellent shooting from distance, good stamina, and decent speed. Really the definition of the perfect modern box to box midfielder
I think you would need to leave the 4-2-3-1 to play to Sergej's strengths, because he doesn't play like a conventional midfielder. He acts with a lot of freedom from the midfield in Lazio because they have an extra CB covering for him when he ventures forward. His type is normally the most advanced player of a 3 man midfield.
I think the same goes for Pogba, who had the "Sergej role" in Juventus.
I'd combine both of them with a holding midfielder in the Carrick mould.
Pogba - [Carrick] - Sergej
Now that looks like a midfield trio that could even carry an underwhelming front 3.
I agree with you, that would be a perfect midfield. If you are able to recover Matic to his old Chelsea form, he could do the job, and you would have also a physical dominant midfield. I would also buy Zaniolo from Roma (20 yrs old, tall 1.90, fast, powerful, unfortunatelly now recovering from an injury and not available for Euro 2020) and play witg a 4312, with Zaniolo (or Bruno Fernandes) behind Martial and Rashford
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It's kinda hard to rate or describe Sergej because his combination of size and skill is just not something Serie A can cope with. It's the same story as with Pogba and it's why Zlatan was the most dominant player the league has seen since Gullit and Van Basten
At this point he can do pretty much whatever Lazio need him to do and be great
In England, physically it's a different level. How much would he lose if he went from seemingly winning 100% of his duels to say 60% is the big question there...i mean, in italy everytime he has the ball he gets an extra second simply because defenders bounce off his frame so they can't really press or challenge him. And he wins every aerial duel, too
At this point he can do pretty much whatever Lazio need him to do and be great
In England, physically it's a different level. How much would he lose if he went from seemingly winning 100% of his duels to say 60% is the big question there...i mean, in italy everytime he has the ball he gets an extra second simply because defenders bounce off his frame so they can't really press or challenge him. And he wins every aerial duel, too
19 games unbeaten? What a great run. Imagine if Lazio had sacked Simone Inzaghi last season due to poor results.
Never mind, Lazio is a 'low standard' foot ball club in our prespective.
Never mind, Lazio is a 'low standard' foot ball club in our prespective.
I think it's not just about the size, but also about the technique as well. The two direct comparisons I can think of size wise are two of our midfielders - Mctominay and Matic. Both of them use their frames well to get away from players, and Mctominay especially players bounce off of. It's uncommon to have such lanky players in attacking roles, because in general anatomically being shorter let's you twist and turn easier, but in midfield if you can run with the ball and pick a pass you can dominate in the PL.
Pogba's a more curious one, I didn't watch him too much for Juve, but for us he never really looks like a physical box to box. He reminds me more of someone like Zidane, who uses skills rather than pace, and also bits of someone like Scholes looking to make the final pass. Maybe it is because the PL is more physical but he never really dominates midfield for us, but you can count on him for a moment of magic to unlock a defence. I sometimes feel like theres a bit of a stereotype in the media towards black midfielders being physical, with Pogba his strengths are playing the ball rather than his physicality. Pundits in the UK criticise him for not being Kante when really he's closer to David Silva than he is Kante.
SMS has been inconsistent but the potential is there for a great player. I also believe on some level he didn't want to stay at Lazio last season, hence the drop in performances. He's also starting to work harder on the defensive end - plus he has scored winning goals for Lazio vs. both Inter and Juventus.
Someone mentioned McTominay but SMS is light years ahead in terms of talent. Don't get me wrong, McTominay looks a good defensive midfielder but his technical level is not even close to Sergej - he is better defensively though.
I'm hoping we (Inter) buy SMS as we've been on his track for a while. He was unplayable today.
Someone mentioned McTominay but SMS is light years ahead in terms of talent. Don't get me wrong, McTominay looks a good defensive midfielder but his technical level is not even close to Sergej - he is better defensively though.
I'm hoping we (Inter) buy SMS as we've been on his track for a while. He was unplayable today.
People rave about SMS, but I also like Luis Alberto, Immobile, Acerbi and Strakosha in that team. Igli Tare (DOF) has built a great team with very little money.
Bit weird to see lazio mounting a title challenge with Lucas and Luis Alberto as mainstays.
Happy for them though. Alberto never got a chance with us and Lucas deserves everything he can get. Top lad.
Happy for them though. Alberto never got a chance with us and Lucas deserves everything he can get. Top lad.
Luis Alberto is probably the best Spanish player in the world right now. Or at least the best midfielder/forward
Lucas replaced Lucas Biglia. Always confusing those two, they look a bit like each other aswell.
When he was at Liverpool he looked like he was already 30. Think he's still only 32 now.
If he hadn't lost his athleticism to injuries, he'd still be be here I reckon. Always rated him. Don't think he could have met Klopp's physical demands in midfield as it is though. Serie A is probably better suited to him now.Lucas replaced Lucas Biglia. Always confusing those two, they look a bit like each other aswell.
When he was at Liverpool he looked like he was already 30. Think he's still only 32 now.
I've been banging the Alberto drum a long time now. I would've loved to have him here as our 10 as not only can he create as well as anyone in the world, but his general play is very good, too. Sadly, that ship has sailed now.
I really like Strakosha as well. His distribution is brilliant, and is a key component in Inzaghi getting his team to play the way they do. If he had more command of his box when the opposition are attacking I'd want him, but he's a bit too passive in that regard.
As @giorno said above, Alberto has been incredible for Lazio for a few years now, and Lucas has been brilliant since joining, too. Savic gets all the hype but those two make Lazio's midfield, imo.
Agree with that.
If anything, the success of United (and other PL) "rejects" in serie A should make PL clubs more cautious about buying someone from Serie A who dominates physically.
Meh I want your precis on Felipe Caciedo. Good enough yet for Man. City to buy him back for their fallow years ahead....
Meh I want your precis on Felipe Caciedo. Good enough yet for Man. City to buy him back for their fallow years ahead....
10 out of 10 forward. He has all the elegance of a beautiful woman on the catwalk. City need to think long term now, and he's definitely someone who will stick with them in league two because, you know, he loves the club. That's what counts.