Italian Serie A Megathread

Since I just came out of the closet in being a Napoli supporter (I was ashamed of supporting two clubs) I scrolled around and couldnt find a Serie A thread. So I figured I would start a thread in hopes that it gets stickied.

Starting with Napoli, I'm afraid that what happened to Tottenham will happen to us this season, with the squad being stretched between the Champions League and the scudetto. Not to mention the Napoli squad is not the deepest, it was obvious last year that if one of The Holy Trinity is out then it ruins the team, Pandev was brought in but thats not enough. I do like the signing of Inler, I think he will fit in the squad nicely and anything to get rid of Pazienca makes me happy. Ok enough about Napoli.

Short analysis of top teams..Inter lost one top striker in Eto'o and managed to bring in another top striker in Forlan and Zarate on loan. Milan strengthed there defense with Mexes and Taiwo, as well as adding depth in midfield. Roma was the most interesting to be, completley revamping there squad, bring in young talent such as Kjaer, Bojan and Lamela. Juventus spend heavily bringing in Elia, Vidal, Pirlo and others.

My Top 5
1.Milan
2.Inter
3.Napoli (being realstic)
4.Juve
5.Roma

Player of the Year: Sneijder'
Young Player of the Year: Simon Kjaer
Top Goal Scorer: Edinson Cavani


So please discuss with me, it will be nice to talk about Napoli-Italian football with other Celtic supporters-people who actually know football

 

I used to like Italian Football but its been poor for 4/5 years now. I find watching anything other than the big teams playing each other are really boring. Its a shame too as it was the first exciting football I watched when I was wee, mind sitting watching as George Weah ran from his own box and scored and players like Ronaldo, Del Piero, Nedved, Zidane, Davids, Thuram, Crespo, Vieri, Maldini etc were running riot.

 

Gonna be very exciting this year with Inter and Milan just as strong as last year, add to that the fact that Juve and Roma have heavily strengthened and it could be the most open scudetto in years. Juventus have always been my team in Italy, mainly because I have a huge amount of man love for Del Piero.

 

Noticed a while back no one seemed interested enough to make a Serie A thread well in mate

Juve are my Italian team and although we've been dire the last few years (since the season after being promoted actually) I feel confident we're on the way back. Del Piero still has it in abundance even at nearly 37 and there's a spine of a good team in place for the next 3-4 years (Buffon, Chiellini, Vidal, Quagliarella) if we can find consistency this season I see the one after being the one we challenge properly again

 

* Forlan's gone to Inter thats news to me!

 

Have some great midfielders this year, how is the manager going to manage to pick 4 or 5 from;

Krasic
Marchisio
Pirlo
Vidal
Elia
Pepe

Add to that Vucinic, Del Piero and Quagliarella can all play as inside forwards, exciting times ahead for juve for sure.

 

I feel like there is going to be a huge gulf in talent between the top 6-7 teams and the rest of the league this year.

Italy needs to have a good season in European football because most people believe there league has slipped below the Bundesliga in quality

 

I only watch the Milan derby these days. Italian football just isn't my cup of tea. You wouldn't think it was one of the best leagues in the world with the amount of empty seats on matchday.

 

Well in RocknRolla.

I agree about Napoli. They could struggle with squad depth, but I still fancy them to finish above Juve and us.

Very excited, as well as anxious about this season for the Giallorossi. It's a big turnaround of players and a * of a lot young players in there. Kjaer has experience of the league though and I'm hoping for big things from Pjanic, Bojan and Lamela.

Looking forward to it!

 

Krasic can be some player but tbh he epitomises the need for consistency to be found imo. I didn't list Pirlo in my comment cause I suspect he'll only play this season and next season if he stays in the team. Elia is a winger as is Pepe really like the both of them. Especially Elia I think he could prove to be a shrewd buy

Really think this year is going to be used as a platform for next though and the (good) problem of sorting out a starting midfield will become more solvable as the season progresses me thinks

Edit: Now that we've got Vucinic in as well I really think its time for either Amauri - who done ok at Parma on loan just there - , Iaquinta or Toni to leave (tbh I wouldn't mind if all 3 left though that might leave us susceptible to injuries).



Further Edit: What's your opinion on wee Seb Giovinco? Looked to be a cracking player when he was coming up and he's now going to be 25 in January surely we should give him a proper chance ?

 

Italian football is set for an exciting year I think. A lot of strong squads, shame that Alexis Sanchez has left Udinese and Pastore at Palermo though.

Really want to see Roma in action this year, with the signings they have made. Plus the fact that Luis Enrique is one of my childhood heroes.

I'll buck the trend and say Juve to finish second. I think they have spent wisely this year

 

Hope your right cause then next season we would be finally looking at getting the title back again

Second to who though ?

 

AC Milan, can't see them losing it. Wherever Ibrahimivic goes, he wins.

With Robinho, Cassano, Ibra and Pato I just think they are far too strong. Inter Milan are well weakened without Eto'o, even though they have Diego Forlan I can't see him hitting the ground running there.

As strong as the league will be next year I think that will be enough to see them coming 3rd. Napoli for 4th

 

Fair assumptions mate especially about big Ibra the *

Really hope Milan crash and burn drastically though majority of my family support them only me and my uncle like Juve and you can imagine the roastins we've had the past couple of years

 

Gio looked to have bags of potential a few years ago, just seems his progress has slightly halted, i'd expect him to be given some sort of chance at some stage and its up to him whether he takes it or not. Starting the season though the wingers would surely be 2 of Krasic, Elia and Pepe.

Top 6 this year im going for;

1. AC Milan
2. Inter
3. Juventus
4. Roma
5. Napoli
6. Udinese

Its so unpredictable though as with a good run Lazio, Palermo, Fiorentina and even Genoa could be up there causing the other 6 problems. Cant wait for it to start this friday

 

Agree with that mate He could be used as a striker as well though I'm sure thats where he played for Parma mostly just off Amauri when he was there? Ah well he's still 50% ours so heres hoping he gets a chance :icon_mrgreen:

Same ! this season has the most potential of the last 4 or 5 imo

 

Lazio could be an interesting one. Obviously losing Zarate is a massive blow for them, though they have replaced him with 2 experienced strikers in Cisse and Klose, both, certainly the latter are more than capable of scoring goals. I just think its one of those seasons where so many different teams could take points off each other.

 

I have a lot of respect for Juve, I want to see them restored to their rightful place in football

Massive, massive club who has always been one of the elite. It's been a shame to see what has happened to them in recent years, especially because they aren't the only club that should have been punished as harshly for the Calciopoli scandal.

 

Arsenal are being heavily linked with Hernandes in January. If he leaves them I think they're * to be honest. Zarate and him were the creativity.

 

Where can you watch Serie A these days?