Series A Stuff...

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Anyone watch the Italian football on Eurosport?

They had Inter/Sampdoria first at like 2pm. The game was just crazy. Inter didn't play too well at all and they were 2-0 down. Looks like there undefeated streak is coming to an end...or not. Into injury time with literally four minutes left, somehow Inter score three goals. The bastards, I wanted them to lose for some reason. Martins scored one, Vieri followed with one straight after and then the sub Recoba managed to score with about thirty seconds or so left. The game wasn't amazing at all but the ending was brilliant. Without a doubt one of the best comebacks I've seen. Sampdoria just went to sleep it seemed and Inter went crazy on the ball. Even the commentators were going crazy.

Then they had Milan/Palermo at 7pm. Another decent game and Milan somehow got held 0-0. Palermo are twats, they had so many chances in the late stages to score. Like Milan attacked big time and lost the ball. A minute left and Palermo have the four on two chance and yet somehow they piss it up. A draw is fine because it mean's Juve are now four points clear. We won against Livorno 4-2. Good to see us scoring quite a few goals today although I'm surprised we let in two goals. Overall a damn good day seeings though we have been sent four points clear. Not a huge margin but it's a great boost after our poor result on Thursday.

Anyone see the games? And well although there's a long way to go, who do you think will take the title? Doubt anyone here cares but you can still voice your opinion on it :thumbsup:

Edit - Title should say 'Serie A', dumbass topic title

Edited January 10, 2005 by JohnnyPerfect

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

The best comeback I've ever seen in Arsenal 5-3 Middlesboro, probably biased because I'm an Arsenal fan and was there, but it was amazing, they feel great afterwards but assuming defeat is not pleasant.

They need to bring Italian Football back to Channel4, infact there needs to be far more football on TV, even Premiership+ misses out on some classics.

[G-O-D]

I think Juventus will win the scudetto. From all accounts, they have quality players all over the pitch.

Inter may be undefeated, but don't they have like an insane amount of draws? They may have Adriano, but they certainly do need to shore up their defence.

[MDK]

They need to bring Italian Football back to Channel4, infact there needs to be far more football on TV, even Premiership+ misses out on some classics.

←

Yeah, I used to watch that all the time when I was younger. Altho nowadays I have little intrest in Italian football.

[King Ellis]

They need to bring Italian Football back to Channel4, infact there needs to be far more football on TV, even Premiership+ misses out on some classics.

←

I wouldn't be suprised if ITV snapped it up caus I believe they have a new head of sport who has been instructed to bolster their small array of sporting action. Used to be great back in the day, Transworld Sport, Italian Football and NBA on a Saturday morning. Awesome.

[Guest Red Devil]

The best comeback i've seen had to be the 99 Champions League Final with United scoring twice to win the trophy but like Mudda i might be biased. Inter aren't really strong enough at the back to win the Title this year so i think it'll be either AC or Juve winning it. I haven't watched any Serie A since the last time it was on Channel 4, Good times.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

The bullshit that comes from the Inter manager Mancini is pathetic. He's trying to say that Inter can catch up and win the title this year. Well actually he was more trying to say they WILL, not that they can, but they will. That's pure crap. Sure it's possible but it's so doubtful to happen. They're a great team on there good days but they're not a touch on Juve or Milan(AC) anymore. I still say Adriano is a touch overrated. He's a class player but there's so many people saying he's like one of the best in the world. He's still got a long way to go and over the last two games he's been poor. Vieri has helped them big time this season and yet he was treated like shit last season at the club. They'll be lucky to even finish third if you ask me.

Mudda reminded me of that Arsenal game(if it's the one I'm thinking of). That was pure insane. Middlesboro were on top and then Arsenal equalised I think it was. They're showing the replay and the next minute you know, you've got Martin Tyler or something screaming bloody murder as Reyes scores literally thirty seconds after the other goal had just gone it. That was one crazy match that's for sure. United have done some good comebacks too. The CL final one and I think that was the same year that we were 2-0 up and they came back to win 3-2 or something.

[FLiam]

Yeh, I saw the ending to that Inter game, it was amazing stuff.

I still don't like Serie A that much although it did feature one of the games of the season the other month, Lazio 3-3 Lecce. That was a sensational game.

I don't really know the table, and I don't care. The only leagues I follow regularly are the Premiership and La Liga, that is where you see the best games, it is just a shame that so many fans are scum over there.

[Guest MystikalityIX]

The only leagues I follow regularly are the Premiership and La Liga, that is where you see the best games, it is just a shame that so many fans are scum over there.

←

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeh, I saw the ending to that Inter game, it was amazing stuff.

I still don't like Serie A that much although it did feature one of the games of the season the other month, Lazio 3-3 Lecce. That was a sensational game.

I don't really know the table, and I don't care. The only leagues I follow regularly are the Premiership and La Liga, that is where you see the best games, it is just a shame that so many fans are scum over there.

←

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

My top 3 leagues are:

1. English

2. Italian

3. Spanish

I don't catch alot of Italian anymore, except for the odd game/highlights on Eurosport and which ever other channels give it some air time, but I still believe its a quality league to be in. It has alot of big teams, which is a big plus because that means more big games, I think the Spanish leagues are highly overrated, and even if it is bias, the premiership is quality to me. Yeah, sure I wouldn't be interested in watching a West Brom Vs Southampton game too much, but theres plenty of other big games to worry about.

In order for the Italian leagues to get more publicity someone will have to pick up the rights to the games or highlights at least, most people seemed to watch it back then.

[FLiam]

The reason I don't like Italy it because it is slower to what I am used to, because over here it is fact and non-stop. Spain I like because of the skills and the brilliant goals you see.

Italy is a fucking hard league to play in, it is just not my style of football to watch.

Also, about that Spain thing, I heard somewhere that if it continues they could be kicked out of the next World Cup. (Not that they would get very far anway.)

[Malenko]

I fully agree with JohnnyPerfect's analysis on Inter in every aspect of his post.

Now i'm gonna reply to him on the reason why don't enjoy the italian league so much. This is just an opinion and a matter of taste. Everyone has the right to watch what they like and i'm aware my opinion on football is totally different to most people in this board.

So, out with the crap, here it goes.. The italian league has in my opinion the best defensive players in the world (of course there are some greats outside of that league but i mean on an average basis), and that may influence its teams to explore that (arguable since the italian game is like that since Valerio Pozzo), and doing so they have to leave a lot of good attacking players out of their squads. Most (not all) italian teams play in 5-3-2 with a sweeper and a defensive midfielder (sometimes 2), and while you say Italian League has just as many goals as the Spanish and English Leagues, you know that's not right, usually the outcome of a day in the italian league is 6 games with 0,1,2 goals, and 3 games with more (some have a lot), in England a 3-2 (or around it) score is not a very difficult one to achieve. In italy most teams put the bus in front of the goal, like you say (something like that.. i don't know ) and that's what i don't like about it. I've said it once and i'll say it again.. i like a lot of italian players, a lot of foreign players on the italian league, but i can't stand most of their coaches.

I understand English people prefer their league to the others cause it's played faster. No doubt about that.. it is. I just don't care much about the speed of the game as long as it's played well. I learned to like the english league though. I started liking it when Gullit was managing Chelsea (i'm not talking about the results, just the way of playing). Nowadays i enjoy watching Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal, and i find the others to be watchable.

One of the things i never got into in the english league was the definition of the centre midfielder (it has changed a bit since the 90's but even so). It seems to divide the game into 3 lines (D-M-F) who just privilege direct football instead of technical plays (maybe that is exactly what gets you into it but i don't like it much).

In my OPINION the league that best balances speed with skill is the Spanish one so maybe that would be the better league in my book (besides having great players).

The leagues i like the most besides the Spanish one, are the ones you don't like, like the Brazilian League (it happens to have just as many goals as the english league or more, but is played slower, and defenders are crappy... i know that ) and Argentinian, even the portuguese. But i do watch about 1 to 3 games/week of the italian and english too. Plus highlights of the rest on Eurosport. I just love football.

P.S. It seems to me that a lot of people seem to give more credit to the reputation of a player instead of watching how he plays to figure out his true ability, but that's another story.

Edited January 13, 2005 by Malenko

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Your opinion, I cant take that one away from you at all.

No doubt that the three big leagues are so different in there own ways. Thing is I honestly feel the Italian league is slowly changing a little with more teams just getting that bit better on the attack, which means more goals coming in. I mean nearly every week now you see Milan(AC) scoring five or six goals. This season has been so different to others if you ask me because we're getting more exicting games and it seems way more goals too. I mean a year or so back I wouldn't expect to tune in to Lazio/Lecce game and see a damn 3-3 thriller. Something has slightly changed about the Italian league in my opinion and new players are bringing something new to the league. No doubt the Italians are mainly about defending but it's slightly changed as of late I think. I love the defending part of the league though, it makes it so much harder for teams which is why it's so good when a player actually scores because you know it takes alot to get through a strong defence. I think it was a few weeks back that they discussed this on Eurosport at halftime of the Juve/Milan game and they were saying how the Italian league has scored as many goals as any other league so far this season. They MAY have been wrong or I might have not heard it properly. Either way there's been a slight change in the way teams play now in the league.

I really have loved this season so far though so it could be me being biased or something. I know that if I see an advertisement for Lazio/Parma that I can actually tune in and know it'll be a good game because the attacking seems to have changed and made it even more interesting than what it was. Although in a Lazio game I automaticaly find it great because I think Di Canio is fucking awesome for his age. He's just another player like Gattuso, someone who's not scared of going in for a challenge because he's slightly crazy and someone who can get the crowd going so well. That's another thing, is it just me or are the Italian crowds the best? Putting some of the trouble they cause to one side for this one. I hate the fucking things they throw onto the pitch at times(Although I like the smoke thingys, whatever they're called). It just seems the Italian crowds are so much louder than what the English ones are at times. If you get someone like Gatusso on the pitch and he starts telling the crowd to go wild, they go insane and start cheering the place out. I'm not sure about the Spanish crowds because I honestly don't watch that much of there football. I'll watch the big games like Madrid/Barcelona but that's about it.

[Malenko]

"No doubt the Italians are mainly about defending but it's slightly changed as of late I think. I love the defending part of the league though, it makes it so much harder for teams which is why it's so good when a player actually scores because you know it takes alot to get through a strong defence." - Quoting JohnnyPerfect

True. I agree with you on this one too, but you have to be able to separate what's good from what's just violent. There are defenders hard to go past them, but there are also the ones who aren't that good and tackle their opponents legs without being booked, just cause their defenders are supposed to be tough. Remember Ronaldo was never the same since his two injuries when playing for Inter, while he was great in Barcelona. Of course you can say that italian defenders are better and that's why he didn't do there as much as he did in Spain, but nevertheless he's back on Spain now and doesn't do much either. He still can score but he's definitely worse then back when he was playing for barcelona. Another example is Van Basten retiring at 29 for consecutive knee injuries.

Still, i agree, it's easier to find out who's really good and who's just so-so, but i still think having so much people to defend kinda narrows down the chances of seeing a beautiful offensive play.

About the crowds, I allways thougt the english crowds were great in the way they allways seem to be unisonous and loud and allways cheering for their side no matter what. Portugal is the perfect example of what a crowd shouldn't be. First of all, because excluding porto, benfica and sporting there's almost no crowd at all . Second, because they will boo their own team if they miss a single pass (unless the team is winning). It seems like the supporters here only cheer for their team when they're winning. And it SEEMS to me, that doesn't happen in England.

I'm not trying to compare the crowds. I know there's no comparison possible. I'm just saying english crowds seem pretty good to me.

Edited January 13, 2005 by Malenko

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeah English crowds are good and I still love 'em but I just find the Italian crowds to be more loud and interesting.

In your earlier post you mentioned the Argentina league's and the Brazilian ones. While I don't watch much I must say they're so different to most other leagues. I've seen a few games where it's just non stop attacking. Not the best defending but the attacking is crazy and they score some amazing goals. So much fast paced action in these leagues too just I don't see enough games to really care for the league's.

Like we've been saying too, the Italian defending is great most of the time. I think that's what makes Milan one of the best teams in the world. When they want to they can run circles around any Italian team's defence, yes even Juve's( ). I think that shows how good they really are if you look at it. They're so good on the counter attack and while alot of Italian teams aren't too fast, Milan have some crazy speed when they're on the ball. When you have a team that can dominate a game against a world class defence like Thurham, Cannavaro, Zambrotta and so on then you know that makes them special. That's why to this day I say Milan have the best attacking force across the world. It's obviously on opinion here though. If it was me on a field though I wouldn't want to be playing against Shev, Crespo, Kaka, Seedorf, Inzaghi(Although he's injured) and so on.

About the defenders, you're right there. I hate some of the clumsy idiots you get in the Italian league. Still to this day I think Zebina is one of them yet Capello is still giving him games galore when he could just bring in a new defender for a small amount of cash.

[Malenko]

We get the Brazilian League here since Brazil was an old colony, and its language is still Portuguese. Plus, a lot of brazilians live here.

Argentinian football is a little like brazilian football, only Argentinian players are more determined, aggressive, and actually want to win matches instead of just being hired to the local circus . I love them both anyway. :thumbsup: