Lemina scored a nice goal earlier today. Juventus' scouting is top class

11 days later

Dzeko did his best Bendtner impression vs Inter two days ago, ruined a good dozen chances and blocked Salah's potential winner from going in. After being dropped just recently you'd think that's the end of Dzeko's career under Spalletti. Roma certainly looked a lot more fluid when they were playing Perotti, El Shaarawy and Salah.

Bit of a shame about Dzeko as he was a great well rounded striker at Wolfsburg but there was a sharp change in attitude when he moved to City, got too bigheaded and changed his playing style to a Kane/Sturridge/Defoe type of asshole CF.

Was thinking the same thing actually when watching this. What happened to that guy who played for Wolfsburg?!

I think City are guilty of mollycoddling their players, probably a consequence of their being a noveau riche outfit who don't inspire some sort of respect in their signings. Dzeko's form dropped extremely since his move but he used to be a lot more than the shitty poacher he became in the last couple seasons, was around the same time he complained in public about his playing time and that he has loads of offers elsewhere.

Completely different act from the humble softspoken bloke at Wolfsburg, but when Yaya Touré is leading by example you expect a couple guys to follow suit.

I reckon Dzecko just got found out at a higher level. I thought he was going to be brilliant in the PL.

Insane game in Napoli, created about a hundred chances and still let Genoa create twenty chances of their own. There was one insane tackle by Koulibaly to deny Pavoletti, watched it literally five times and I still don't understand how he got there in time. Definitely wishlist material and we should nab KRC Genk's scouts, they unearthed him, Courtois, De Bruyne and Benteke just in the last few years.

Oh and another day another brace by Higuain. He's not just scoring at a ridiculous rate but is actually creating loads of chances as well. Bit kneejerk but you wonder what could've been had we gotten him instead of Özil, convinced he'd have dragged us to the title.

Nice to see Kheidera playing well again. Always liked him and its a relief his career wasn't ruined by injuries.

14 days later

Another goal from El Shaarawy today. I wonder how many points he has been worth for Roma since January. They're too far behind to threaten Juventus now, but I think they might pip Napoli to second place.

His goal for Italy the other day was superb.

In that same game, Szczesny made a howler. What a signing Spalletti is though.

Klaus wrote:

Another goal from El Shaarawy today. I wonder how many points he has been worth for Roma since January. They're too far behind to threaten Juventus now, but I think they might pip Napoli to second place.

6 goals so far.

Roma wins as a direct result of an El Shaarawy goal. So the winning goal? 1.

El Shaarawy scoring a goal in a win... 5 times. So every goal he's scored has been a game Roma have won.

8 days later

Milan right now with Mihajlovic's impending sack:

😆 

😆

Savz wrote:
Klaus wrote:

Another goal from El Shaarawy today. I wonder how many points he has been worth for Roma since January. They're too far behind to threaten Juventus now, but I think they might pip Napoli to second place.

6 goals so far.

Roma wins as a direct result of an El Shaarawy goal. So the winning goal? 1.

El Shaarawy scoring a goal in a win...  5 times. So every goal he's scored has been a game Roma have won.

Cheers, but it was a rhetorical question.

The effect a player has on a team can rarely be measured in end product alone. El Shaarawy has lifted the entire Roma team since he arrived. It's very impressive to watch.

Yeah, but is he actually any good? Or was he given the armband because he's a Maldini?

No clue. Too soon to say if he's good or bad. Has yet to play a first team match. I personally haven't seen him, just a nice fairy tale.

It says in the article that he was given the armband because his grandpa had died a few days earlier.

From what I've read he's highly rated. His younger brother, Daniel Maldini, is also supposed to be a talent.

6 days later

😆 You'd think there would have been less suspicious ways to concede if that was the case.

'I didn't fix the game! I'm really that shite!'

Totti comes on to score with his first touch to level the game and then gets the winner a few minutes later. Probably going to his last goals for Roma.

Amazing player.

That was so nice to see. Some narratives just write themselves.

He's the last link to football from the late 90s/early 00s. Will be sad to see him go.

Sky Sport Italy report Ranieri is trying to get Totti for a one year contract next summer. Sounds like bullshit but then I thought the same when they got Cambiasso

5 days later

5th straight Scudetto for Juve

Such stiff competition in the Serie A...

flobaba wrote:

5th straight Scudetto for Juve

Such stiff competition in the Serie A...

Actually, in all the years you could levy that accusation, this isn't one of them. Juventus had the worst possible start to the season but I think they've picked up 75 out of a possible 78 points since the end of October.

You're only proving my point. Gutter league.

flobaba wrote:

You're only proving my point. Gutter league.

No, I'm disproving your point by saying that last season's Champions' league finalists are really quite good.

Obviously it's not the best league in the world - for a variety of factors - but it's not a gutter league. Particularly since the Premier league are at risk of losing a CL place to Serie A.

Mirth wrote:

Particularly since the Premier league are at risk of losing a CL place to Serie A.

This season has actually proved that Serie A is not that good and competitive. Every team crumbled when they face Juventus and the gap is as big as it can get in Europe bar PSG in a shitter league. It's so uncompetitive it's a joke.

That's not to take anything away from the fact that Juventus is superior with an excellent manager though. Just look at this, combination of shit teams vs a good team.

PL is also not at risk of losing a spot to them anymore for at least the next 4 years after Serie A's terrible performances in Europe this season.

Juventus came within a minute of throwing Bayern out of the competition and reached the CL final last season. I'm pretty sure they'd be champions in the EPL by now as well.

Not sure we're in any position to talk about gutter when the closest rival to the league leaders in England are perennial bottlers Spurs.

Indeed, never mind teams crumbling to Juventus - Leicester have barely had serious opposition to the title since January!

Aye, Serie A has been a lot more competitive this season than Premier League, that's for sure. And that's despite the fact that Juve's form has been out of this world. Napoli trailed them for a long while even though they had absolutely no business being at the top.

The goal that won Juve the title btw

Utter gutter league indeed

Klose just scored a class goal against Inter. Chipped the keeper from like 9 yards. Legend.

Roma's last four games before and after Totti comes on.

The man is a walking legend.

12 days later

Higuain scores his 34th and 35th of the season today.

Equals a record that has stood in the serie A for 66 years or something like that. Not too shabby for someone without the talent and support of the likes of Suarez, Ronaldo or Messi

Or perhaps it's just a G______ league nowadays.

^^ Fill in the blank Jonesy

Just got his hattrick with an overhead kick.

Sets a new record with 36 goals.

We better buy this cat now.

36 goals in Serie A means he's probably almost as good as Defoe or Troy Deeney. Maybe we should take a punt