Serie A discussion

mentalvortex

[font=Source Sans Pro]The new serie a season is starting on Saturday.[/font]

[font=Source Sans Pro]Just like Germany, there have been a lot of managerial changes at the top clubs (except Milan and Atalanta).[/font]

[font=Source Sans Pro]Inter - Inzaghi[/font]
[font=Source Sans Pro]Juventus - Allegri[/font]
[font=Source Sans Pro]Roma - Mourinho[/font]
[font=Source Sans Pro]Lazio - Sarri[/font]
[font=Source Sans Pro]Napoli - Spalletti[/font]

[font=Source Sans Pro]Juventus definitely start as the heavy favorites with Allegri's return at the helm and Inter imploding due to financial issues.[/font]

[font=Source Sans Pro]Atalanta will be their biggest challengers in my opinion. They have kept most of their important players and have reinvested smartly (as they always seem to do lately)
[/font]

[font=Source Sans Pro]Notable fixtures on the opening weekend -[/font]

[font=Source Sans Pro]Roma vs Fiorentina[/font]

Klaus

I think Atalanta will be the biggest challengers too.

Part of me really hopes that Locatelli and Chiesa's improvement won't be enough to push Juve over the line, because Atalanta winning the scudetto would be as big a feat as Leicester winning Premier League, and the team is so much more likable to boot. Football desperately needs these success stories. Everything is so bloody boring nowadays when it's just about owner investment.

Clrnc

Juventus will win this season at a canter. Milan would have a good chance if they didn't have such a bang average coach.

mentalvortex

I would not be surprised to see Pioli let go as soon as Milan have a downturn in form/results.

QuincyAbeyie

I don’t think it'd be as big as Leicester winning. Check the odds of Atalanta winning the league vs what it was for Leicester. They were tipped to go down.

Klaus

The odds are only lower because Atalanta have been going strong for so long though, which in itself shows a more impressive consistency than Leicester, who have never qualified for back to back Champions Leagues. Looking at where they come from and the means at their disposal I think it would be as impressive. Atalanta had the third-smallest wage bill in the league just two years ago (although I think they rank somewhere around 11-13 now thanks to the CL cash), sell their best players every season and replace them with complete nobodies, and they're still competing for the title deep into the business end.

mentalvortex

Not a good day for anything Arsenal related.

Juve fans are absolutely livid after Szeczesny cost them a win tonight.

Two huge blunders are they drew 2-2 against Udinese.

Meatwad

at 31 he should be at the peak of his powers, not playing like shit.

Shady

He just never grew up. Mentality is the most important attribute at the top level.

Bryant

Looks like everyone's favorite striker is staying lol. He didn't do much vs. Roma today. Meanwhile, Abraham had a good debut.

Klaus

What's your gut feeling Bryant - over or under 15 goals this season for Vlahovic?

I do think he's very talented with a ton of useful attributes, but the way his name blew up this summer just reeks of representatives who are manipulating social media channels to improve his commercial profile. It's like if Dominic Calvert-Lewin had suddenly been rumoured to City with a £90 million price tag attached. It makes you pause and ask yourself what's really going on.

mentalvortex

I think it has a lot to do with dearth of world class strikers/goal scorers.

This has given rise to insane valuations for anyone with a half decent scoring record.

Bryant

Klaus wrote:
What's your gut feeling Bryant - over or under 15 goals this season for Vlahovic?

I do think he's very talented with a ton of useful attributes, but the way his name blew up this summer just reeks of representatives who are manipulating social media channels to improve his commercial profile. It's like if Dominic Calvert-Lewin had suddenly been rumoured to City with a £90 million price tag attached. It makes you pause and ask yourself what's really going on.

Yeah, makes one wonder if this similar to Belotti when Torino put that 100m euro price tag on him after he scored 26 goals and hasn't scored anywhere close to that since. But yeah, I think he'll score over 15; Fiorentina doesn't have anyone who can score goals for them.

What's tricky about Vlahovic is that he's going to only have a year left on his contract next season. I can't see anyone paying 70m euros without a contract renewal.

One forward to watch out for is Raspadori from Sassuolo. Maybe we'll see crazy prices on him 😆

Qwiss

I see Tammy Abraham had a great debut for Roma. We really missed a trick there.

Clrnc

If we signed him for 40m the fan base will go crazy.

But to be fair that will be a much better deal than 30m for Ramsdale. Ahe he instantly improves our first team too

FEBravo

Chesny with 2 howlers yesterday and Juve drew 2-2 after being up 2-0. I look to the small things to bring me football joy these days…

mentalvortex

I would not be surprised if this match is the end of Chesney at Juventus.

Allegri was visibly frustrated with his defense and goalie judging by his post-match comments.

"At 2-1, that ball needs to go into the stands or out of the stadium"

Coombs

Well, Allegri signed him. Should take the blame for his mistakes.

mentalvortex

Ramsey is injured again. Glad that the rumors to bring him back went nowhere.

Bryant

Simone Inzaghi is about to get reunited with Joaquin Correa, who's close to joining Inter in the Italian special loan + obligation to buy. Dzeko and Correa are replacing Lukaku.

Correa can look very special and unplayable when he's on, but I guess that's why he's going for 30m euros rather than much more.