The Serie A 2009/2010 Thread

[austin 3:16]

Since I saw some topics about football leagues from abroad, I try to open a topic about the former "World's Best Football League". Dunno how many of you are really interested in this stuff, if not let this thread bury it self to the Archive. Here's Day One results.

Palermo 2 - 1 Napoli

Livorno 0 - 0 Cagliari

Lazio 1 - 0 Atalanta

Udinese 2 - 2 Parma

Genoa 3 - 2 Roma

Catania 1 - 2 Sampdoria

Juventus 1 - 0 Chievo

Inter 1 - 1 Bari

I watched the Inter and the Juventus games. Mourinho was very confused in game-managing, even changed a player just after 27 minutes because he was out of shape (Muntari), Inter still needs to build his own game. Juventus played just one half quite good, Diego showed some of his tricks and of his vision of game and also gave a perfect assist to the scoring Iaquinta (yes, after all he can score as everybody else, kinda of strange but that's it).

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I sadly missed the opening weekend of games, but a great start for Juve has made me happy. Results are what matter, so a 1-0 win is fine.

Always great to see Inter slipping up as well, so that just makes the start of the season even better. Surprised that Roma slumped to such an early defeat though, but it could result in good things ahead of Juve meeting them next weekend.

Looking forward to the Milan derby on Saturday as well, certainly a game I wont be missing.

[austin 3:16]

Well, I'm not so surprised about Roma, Gasperini is just one of the best coaches nowadays in shaping a team's playing style despite losing great players such as Milito and Thiago Motta. Plus, they've got Palacio, one of my favourite players. I'm a Juventino but I follow Genoa's march as well.

[Dynamite]

Do they still show Italian matches on TV in the UK. I remember a few years back when they used to show some good matches on Bravo but now thats over, is there a place to watch live matches or a highlights program?

[Crybaby Bunting]

I was looking for Torino in that match listings and then realised

[alldaws1]

Do they still show Italian matches on TV in the UK. I remember a few years back when they used to show some good matches on Bravo but now thats over, is there a place to watch live matches or a highlights program?

No one had the rights last season after Five dropped it. ESPN have them this season, they show live games although I haven't seen a recap show or anything yet.

Caught most of the second half of Inter's game after realising it was live on ESPN, shame to be held to just a point. Milito looked good I thought but you can tell there's not much chemistry between him and Eto'o at the moment. There's been a few changes in the team so I'd expect a few games will be needed to gel but with the Milan derby so soon in the season I hope they do so quickly. The talent is there to make up for the loss of Ibra I think. Title race should be interesting this year, I doubt any one team will run away with it.

[METALMAN]

I want Roma and Fiorentina to win.

I have nothing else to say about Italian football.

Nothing.

P.S. I miss Perugia.

[Pesci]

Gonna be living in a house with four other footie obsessed mates at uni so hopefully we'll get Sky/Virgin and have sport on constantly, the only hurdle is the other guy we live with who doesn't like football/is probably gay, who might not appreciate that. Anyway, looking to get into the European leagues more this year and I'll be lobbying for the Italian football whenever it's on. Should be a good laugh since nobody seems to be able to predict the Top Four from what I've read, though most do seem to have Inter, Juve and Fiorentina in some order. Will be good to see if Genoa and Napoli are anywhere near as good as they are on FM also.

[austin 3:16]

Little piece of news.

MILAN MAY MAKE RAFINHA MOVE

Schalke 04 defender Marcio Rafinha could move to AC Milan before the transfer window closes next week.

The Rossoneri may step up their interest in Rafinha if Massimo Oddo leaves the San Siro.

Juventus and Barcelona are also interested in signing the 23-year-old who has made more than 150 appearances for Schalke.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said recently: "At this moment in time our market is closed but we would look to buy a player if Oddo were to leave Milan.

"However, we will not be selling Kakhaber Kaladze."

Source: Football.co.uk

I don't think they will get him, although they really need someone like him.

[DanLowth]

Big bad bump!

Just got ESPN so I watched the Juventus vs. Bari game, having possibly never seen a Serie A game in full. Juventus were pretty fucking awful and deserved their 3-1 loss. I'd never seen Bari before although I knew the name (as I do with most Serie A teams, I paid slight attention to James Richardson when he did Football Italia on 4!) and they remind me of... I dunno. I hesitate to compare them to Burnley but they seemed like a team comprised of players with less overall talent and star power than Juve's team but with far, far more fighting spirit, hence the result. They should really have won by far more considering how many times they were splitting the Juve defence apart. Diego's penalty miss was amazing too.

Lovin' the ESPN coverage of Serie A though. It's not quite as snazzy as the Premiership (I assume they don't do the graphics and they use an Italian feed, like Sky's Spanish feed where the graphics are sometimes in Spanish) but it does the job and is probably superior to Setanta already because of that.

[Baddar]

I generally like ESPN's coverage just because of their HD offering. The picture quality for most of their stuff (UFC, PL, Serie A in particular) is gorgeous.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

The title race is looking like it's back on, because Milan are on complete fire since the return of Beckham. Three games in, three super performances and Milan are closing the gap on Inter (while Juve have just crumbled, so it's looking like a two horse race already).

Fantastic to see Beckham in awesome form. At the rate he's going, there's not a single doubt that he'll be at the World Cup

[HailtotheYo]

Ronaldinho remembering that he has the ability to be the best player in the world doesn't hurt either. That fucker has been torrid lately. He looked like his old self today.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

For anybody who cares (and doesn't subscribe) ESPN is free for the entire weekend (Sky, Virgin, Freeview etc) and you'll be able to watch the Milan derby tomorrow. Thought I'd throw that out there for anybody who didn't know and doesn't already subscribe to the channel. Pretty huge game which AC really need to get a result in and with their recent form, I'm expecting them to win here. Juve/Roma is on tonight as well, which is worth a viewing.

[Dynamite]

In Italian match fixing news: Lazio vs. Bologna tomorrow should be a draw. All the bookies I have seen have got the odds for a draw as 1/2 which is probably the first time I've seen the draw as odds-on to happen. They've also cut down on the additional bets you can have on the match (Bet365 offers 9 bets compared to the 36 they give to other Italian games, PaddyPower offers only 1 compared to the 42 on other games).

[METALMAN]

I still miss Perugia.

actually I miss Hellas Verona more.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

In Italian match fixing news: Lazio vs. Bologna tomorrow should be a draw. All the bookies I have seen have got the odds for a draw as 1/2 which is probably the first time I've seen the draw as odds-on to happen. They've also cut down on the additional bets you can have on the match (Bet365 offers 9 bets compared to the 36 they give to other Italian games, PaddyPower offers only 1 compared to the 42 on other games).

In that case, put everything you have on Lazio to win, because they will.

[Crybaby Bunting]

People are underestimating how badly the situation is with Lazio

I might actually bet on Bologna just so that when Lazio lose and claim that they agreed on a draw, Bolognia can just laugh all the way to the bank.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

The recent case has been focused on Inter and right now there's focus on match fixing, so it'd be pathetic to even consider attempting anything when all eyes are going to be on the match.

[Baddar]

In Italian match fixing news: Lazio vs. Bologna tomorrow should be a draw. All the bookies I have seen have got the odds for a draw as 1/2 which is probably the first time I've seen the draw as odds-on to happen. They've also cut down on the additional bets you can have on the match (Bet365 offers 9 bets compared to the 36 they give to other Italian games, PaddyPower offers only 1 compared to the 42 on other games).

Finished 3-2 Lazio.

There was a game in Serie B a few weeks back that was heavily tipped to be a draw. It went as short as 1/4 with some bookies for that to happen. Ended 2-0.