Italian Serie A - 2020-2021
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Would like to hear the ref's decision behind their sometimes bizarre calls. They obviously know the rules a hundred times better than most of us, but how is Sassuolo denied that pen for example? Because the ref thought he wasn't held long enough? Because he wouldn't have been able to get to the ball anyway? To me - when a defender grabs a hold of a shirt in the box so astonishingly clear that you can see the shirt being stretched, what 20-30 centimetres, that's a pen all day.
Yeah, there have been some weird decisions in both matches that favoured both Juve and Inter, particularly in the Juve-Napoli match. Still, both Juve and Inter took their chances and largely stopped their opponents from being too much of a threat.
Juve had a stonewall penalty(?) not given earlier. Inter too
The juve one was interesting because the foul technically happened outside the pitch, but the ball was in play...not sure what the rules say wrt that
The juve one was interesting because the foul technically happened outside the pitch, but the ball was in play...not sure what the rules say wrt that
Both matches have a 2-1 scoreline now. The finish to both matches will get interesting now.
Brilliant hold up play, sprint and what should have been assist from Lukaku. Alexis Sanchez absolutely bottled it.
Two fantastic games.
Come on Sassuolo
Inter and juventus hold on and win
Inter now 11 points clear at the top with 27 to go. Meaning they need 16 points to win the title. It's done
Juventus will make top 4 and milan too i expect
Inter now 11 points clear at the top with 27 to go. Meaning they need 16 points to win the title. It's done
Juventus will make top 4 and milan too i expect
Inter are close to ending Juventus' Seria A dominance, now.
They have won 10 consecutive matches (2nd longest streak in their history) and have an 11 point gap and a goal difference advantage with 9 matches remaining.
What a job Conte has done.
They have won 10 consecutive matches (2nd longest streak in their history) and have an 11 point gap and a goal difference advantage with 9 matches remaining.
What a job Conte has done.
Both Juventus and Inter net 3 crucial points against their respective difficult opponents. Both matches were fun to follow if not watch with lots of scrutiny.
In the end, Sassuolo paid for having full backs who were defensively poor, and Inter were perfectly set up to pick them off on the counter. Sassuolo also took too long to have an additional midfielder who'd push up and offer more options in the final third; both Maxime Lopez and Pedro Obiang spent too much time alongside each other, and neither full back really pushed up to offer more options. In the end, Sassuolo spent much of the match with a back 6 that was disconnected from the front 4.
In the Juve-Napoli Match, Juventus were excellent at creating chances when they could mostly due to their solid wing play from both Chiesa and Cuadrado. Dybala also looked lively when he came on, and it's interesting to see how impactful he was. He's certainly given the Juve hierarchy more to consider when it comes to keeping him or moving him on.
In the end, Sassuolo paid for having full backs who were defensively poor, and Inter were perfectly set up to pick them off on the counter. Sassuolo also took too long to have an additional midfielder who'd push up and offer more options in the final third; both Maxime Lopez and Pedro Obiang spent too much time alongside each other, and neither full back really pushed up to offer more options. In the end, Sassuolo spent much of the match with a back 6 that was disconnected from the front 4.
In the Juve-Napoli Match, Juventus were excellent at creating chances when they could mostly due to their solid wing play from both Chiesa and Cuadrado. Dybala also looked lively when he came on, and it's interesting to see how impactful he was. He's certainly given the Juve hierarchy more to consider when it comes to keeping him or moving him on.
Conte’s a monster in the domestic league. Took Inter from 4th to losing the the title by 1 point in his first season, and appears to have won it at a canter in his second season.
I didn't expect him to turn Chelsea around in 2016 and was really surprised he got them 93 wins when they were floundering near the regulation spots midway through the previous season and the entire squad appeared to need a refresh.
He's done it again, here. I didn't realize they lost it by 1 point last year. That's an achievement in itself.
Yeah because it's true only in the technical sense, juventus won the league with 3 games to spare iirc
2 shots on target and 29% possession in that 2-1 win for Inter. Not pretty but effective. Their group stage exit from the champions league proved to be a blessing in disguise.
That's it! We already knew we weren't strong enough to compete both for the league and CL because we don't have as many good bench players as a CL top team should.
Anyway, our main goal has always been the italian league because we haven't won it for a decade and we want it really bad.
It's not done yet, but I'd say we deserve it.
Conte, despite his Juve past, is doing an excellent job at Inter.
Yeh. Good manager knows to prioritized based on his team strength. Instead of just stupidly going hard into every competitions with a small squad.
But they have the same squad size as Juventus
Darmian takes the lead for Inter. Four United old boys on course for a league title with Inter. 
Darmian, 1-0.
Did he get over his ricketts?
Matteo Darmian scoring the winner which fires Inter Milan closer to the title
4 wins away from the title now
Brilliant work by conte.
Would Conte have won the league at United with the same Squad Mourinho had?
I think at worst he would have come much closer to the champions and produced a more respectable challenge.
I think at worst he would have come much closer to the champions and produced a more respectable challenge.
What the hell were Napoli thinking paying 70mil for Osimhen ?
Can’t make this shit upDarmian takes the lead for Inter. Four United old boys on course for a league title with Inter.
Size doesn't matter. it's how you use it.But they have the same squad size as Juventus
Conte appears to be losing his hair. Again
To be fair to Osimhen, he was hit by COVID, so I'm not too surprised to see him struggle in his first season at Napoli. With that said, he has had good moments and can play even better than this.
If anyone wants to get involved in a scouting mission, Fiorentina are playing Atalanta very soon. This is a good match to keep an eye on both Milenkovic and Vlahovic as well some of the other notable promising players (Lucas Martinez, Cristian Romero, Joakim Mæhle off the bench).
I've watched Milenkovic in the past few weeks and, oh my God, he's been awful...
In his last 4 games:
- vs Portugal: Terrible in both goal conceded as he lost the two aerial duels against 5'10" (178 cm.) player Diogo Jota and was sent off in the final minutes
- vs Milan/Genoa/Atalanta: kept an opponent onside three Serie A games in a row (Ibrahimovic/Scamacca for Destro goal/Zapata today)
Vlahovic look very good though.. 14 goals scored in the last 19 games played for a mediocre team. I'd be surprised if he doesnt leave next summer..
In his last 4 games:
- vs Portugal: Terrible in both goal conceded as he lost the two aerial duels against 5'10" (178 cm.) player Diogo Jota and was sent off in the final minutes
- vs Milan/Genoa/Atalanta: kept an opponent onside three Serie A games in a row (Ibrahimovic/Scamacca for Destro goal/Zapata today)
Vlahovic look very good though.. 14 goals scored in the last 19 games played for a mediocre team. I'd be surprised if he doesnt leave next summer..
Vlahovic heard very good things about his finishing beginning of last season but didn't seem to show it on the pitch but clearly its showing now, could he a big big player in Europe for the future
4th place race gets very exciting. If Lazio wins against Torino... there are 5 teams in 5 point with 8 matches still to play. 3 in... 2 out!
next week Atalanta-Juve and Napoli-Inter scheduled.
which teams do you think are going to make it?
next week Atalanta-Juve and Napoli-Inter scheduled.
which teams do you think are going to make it?
Looking at the table and the remaining fixtures
AC Milan 63 points: Genoa, Sassuolo, Lazio, Benevento, Juventus, Torino, Cagliari, Atalanta
Juventus 62 points: Atalanta, Parma, Fiorentina, Udinese, AC Milan, Sassuolo, Inter, Bologna
Atalanta 61 points : Juventus, Roma, Bologna, Sassuolo, Parma, Benevento, Genoa, AC Milan
Napoli 59 points: Inter, Lazio, Torino, Cagliari, Spezia, Udinese, Fiorentina, Verona
To me:
Inter
Juventus
Atalanta
Milan
It's gonna a be a tight race between us, Atalanta and Napoli. I'm gonna, paradoxically, root for Atalanta the next games; if they qualify to the CL before the last matchday then I'm confident we'll be in the next UEFA Champions League group stage too otherwise that Atalanta - Milan will be a bloodbath
AC Milan 63 points: Genoa, Sassuolo, Lazio, Benevento, Juventus, Torino, Cagliari, Atalanta
Juventus 62 points: Atalanta, Parma, Fiorentina, Udinese, AC Milan, Sassuolo, Inter, Bologna
Atalanta 61 points : Juventus, Roma, Bologna, Sassuolo, Parma, Benevento, Genoa, AC Milan
Napoli 59 points: Inter, Lazio, Torino, Cagliari, Spezia, Udinese, Fiorentina, Verona
To me:
Inter
Juventus
Atalanta
Milan
It's gonna a be a tight race between us, Atalanta and Napoli. I'm gonna, paradoxically, root for Atalanta the next games; if they qualify to the CL before the last matchday then I'm confident we'll be in the next UEFA Champions League group stage too otherwise that Atalanta - Milan will be a bloodbath
Next move is crucial really as reminds me of Piatek scoring loads at Sampdoria 2-3 years ago and all fizzled out pretty quickly there.
The difference is that Piatek suddenly came out of nowhere whilst Vlahovic has been showing his potential for the past couple of years. I'm confident in Vlahovic not going the way of Piatek and establishing himself as a good upper-table forward at the worst.
Sure seems like Napoli have the easiest run in?
In any case, super interesting finish, I don't feel Juve are safe at all.
On paper, Napoli may have the easiest run in, but I think they all have equally difficult fixtures. Spezia have been a surprise package this season and are really good at scoring goals, so I wouldn't be surprised if Napoli drop points to them. Udinese tend to be tough to score against, and de Paul provides them an x-factor that I don't think Napoli are capable of shutting down. Verona are always capable of getting results against bigger sides, and Fiorentina tend to be annoying against bigger sides as well (as Atalanta experienced yesterday).
Honestly, I think they'll all be dropping points at various points given their form and performances, and I wouldn't be surprised if the top 4 battle goes all the way to the last day of the season.