[Smurph]

The season was meant to start on Saturday but it has been delayed.

Read More Here

[Mr. Brightside]

I'm glad Udinese are out of Europe, means they can focus on their push for the league.

[Smurph]

I still don't know who I think will win.

Milan haven't really lost anyone bar Pirlo and have signed a few good players in Mexes and Taiwo. Still after "Mr. X" too. Inter have been weakened considerably and haven't really bought anyone, but they have managed to keep hold of Sneijder. Juventus have strengthened and look really quite good even though their squad will need to gel quickly. Palermo have lost their best player and I don't see them doing great. Napoli have added Inler and have kept hold of Cavani and Hamsik and haven't lost anyone. Roma have done pretty well in getting Llamela and Bojan. Lazio are looking sharp too. Udinese have lost their best two players but still look good and still have Di Natale. Fiorentina have struggled in the transfer market and have only started to sign people and none of them have been inspiring whatsoever.

[craigkillie]

Mr. Brightside, on 25 August 2011 - 23:43, said:

I'm glad Udinese are out of Europe, means they can focus on their push for the league.

They're still in the Europa League.

[Mr. Brightside]

Smurph, on 25 August 2011 - 23:58, said:

I still don't know who I think will win.

Milan haven't really lost anyone bar Pirlo and have signed a few good players in Mexes and Taiwo. Still after "Mr. X" too. Inter have been weakened considerably and haven't really bought anyone, but they have managed to keep hold of Sneijder. Juventus have strengthened and look really quite good even though their squad will need to gel quickly. Palermo have lost their best player and I don't see them doing great. Napoli have added Inler and have kept hold of Cavani and Hamsik and haven't lost anyone. Roma have done pretty well in getting Llamela and Bojan. Lazio are looking sharp too. Udinese have lost their best two players but still look good and still have Di Natale. Fiorentina have struggled in the transfer market and have only started to sign people and none of them have been inspiring whatsoever.

Napoli could do it IMO, Inler, Lavezzi, Cavani and Hamsik are excellent.

Also, Udinese have lost their three best players, see when you look at who they've lost over the past three or four seasons, it's amazing they've done so well! Quagliarella, Simone Pepe, D'agonstino, Zapata, Inler, Sanchez, Lukovic, Floro Flores, Dossena, De Sanctis, Muntari, Iaquinta (all in 07) and Asamoah Gyan. They surely have made a small fortune from all of those players

This post has been edited by Mr. Brightside: 26 August 2011 - 00:13

[Mr. Brightside]

craigkillie, on 26 August 2011 - 00:05, said:

They're still in the Europa League.

I knew that...

I can see them going quite far in that TBH, they looked really sharp against Arsenal.

[Mr. Brightside]

Also Smurph, you don't happen to know why Montolivo isn't the captain this year?

[Smurph]

Mr. Brightside, on 26 August 2011 - 00:09, said:

Napoli could do it IMO, Inler, Lavezzi, Cavani and Hamsik are excellent.

Also, Udinese have lost their three best players, see when you look at who they've lost over the past three or four seasons, it's amazing they've done so well! Quagliarella, Simone Pepe, D'agonstino, Zapata, Inler, Sanchez, Lukovic, Floro Flores, Dossena, De Sanctis, Muntari and Iaquinta (all in 07) and Asamoah Gyan. They surely have made a small fortune from all of those players

I forgot about Lavezzi. They still have Paolo Cannavaro too.

I also forgot Zapata left for Vilarreal. Doesn't Floro Flores still play with Udinese? Three of those players listed now play for Napoli!

I'm still gutted that D'Agostino went to Siena. I feel both Udinese and Fiorentina have made a really bad mistake not putting in an offer for him. Perfect replacement for Montolivo, who's future is still undecided.

Mr. Brightside, on 26 August 2011 - 00:12, said:

Also Smurph, you don't happen to know why Montolivo isn't the captain this year?

Fell out with Mihajlovic because he didn't know whether he was going to stay or go. He never signed a new contract (negotiations have been going since the beginning of last season) and Mihajlovic had enough.

This post has been edited by Smurph: 26 August 2011 - 00:17

[Mr. Brightside]

Smurph, on 26 August 2011 - 00:14, said:

I also forgot Zapata left for Vilarreal. Doesn't Floro Flores still play with Udinese? Three of those players listed now play for Napoli!

Aw yeah he is, he was on loan at Genoa last season with a view to buy after it so I just assumed he'd gone. Udinese seem very much a selling club, they were going to sell Di Nat at least three times in the past, but he knocked them back, the biggest being Juve.

[Shuggie_Murray7]

As a Lazio fan, i like the business we have done preseason. There seems to be a bit more depth to the squad now. Looking forward to seeing Klose.

I was a bit disapointed to see Musler leave, I always liked him, but at lest we have a decent replacement keeper in Marchetti...and we got Cana as part of the Galatasaray deal.

I'm heading over to visit family in October/November, so I'm hoping to take in either the Catania or Parma game......or both.

[Mr. Brightside]

I hate Mihajlovic.

[Smurph]

Mr. Brightside, on 26 August 2011 - 00:19, said:

I hate Mihajlovic.

I'm not too keen on him either. He seems like a dick and he's fallen out with half the team. Also; I know Frey was injured a lot of last season, but for f**k sake, any manager with any common sense would not leave Artur Boruc as number one!

Just noticed Batistuta in your display picture.

[Mr. Brightside]

Smurph, on 26 August 2011 - 00:23, said:

I'm not too keen on him either. He seems like a dick and he's fallen out with half the team. Also; I know Frey was injured a lot of last season, but for f**k sake, any manager with any common sense would not leave Artur Boruc as number one!

Just noticed Batistuta in your display picture.

He was racist to your Paddy too! Aye, total brasser. LOL Arthur Boruc!

Brilliant player, total hero. I remember him dominating Football Italia, every weekend on Channel 4.

[Mr. Brightside]

Next avatar...

Another hero.

[South Lanarkshire Jag]

Mr. Brightside, on 26 August 2011 - 00:37, said:

Next avatar...

Another hero.

Almost, Almost stole your avatar there.

The defining memory i have of Batistuta is of him scoring an overhead kick against Arsenal at Wembley.

Two questions:

1. Did this actually happen?
2. Why were Arsenal playing at Wembley

may just be a 10 year old's dream

[Shuggie_Murray7]

Everytime some mentions Batistuta, I always think of this goal:



By no means his best, and I don't know why it's the one that sticks with me.

Also had the best goal celebrtion in history.

[Mr. Brightside]

[Lisandro]

Mr. Brightside, on 26 August 2011 - 00:37, said:

Next avatar...

Another hero.

Nothing quite tops his 3 minute pun-filled Euro paper review on the Guardian website.

[Kris.]

Anyone give me some info on Parma? Who's their best players, seasonal expectations, ins and outs, etc. Their sort of my team, but I've kind of neglected them (and Italian football in general) for the last few years. The last Parma game I watched was the game that they were relegated in a few years back, against Inter.

Still have good memories of their UEFA Cup winning squad, what a fucking side they had. Not only that, but their strip was an absolute belter as well. Not too keen on their latest efforts.

[A-Mac]

Forza Chievo!

This post has been edited by WanderingWarrior: 26 August 2011 - 11:37

[MotownClic]

WanderingWarrior, on 26 August 2011 - 11:36, said:

Forza Chievo!

People in Verona don't even support Chievo

[lichtie23]

Batistutas best goal I remember was when he was clean threw 1 on 1 with the keeper.....could have ran in and rounded the keeper but he decided to smash it into the top bag from 25 yards.

EPIC

[Supras]

J_Stewart, on 28 July 2011 - 12:53, said:

My favourite quote of this pre-season so far has come from the Napoli Chairman talking about Cavani getting injured for Uruguay -

"If they've broken my Edison, I will kill them"

It's Napoli so he's probably serious.

South Lanarkshire Jag, on 06 August 2011 - 15:32, said:

It's really a money thing if i remember correctly

They played in China 2 years ago as well as America about 10 years ago.

They're tapping into the asian market in a similar way English clubs do with pre-season tournaments

It was massive in China, front page news for the English speaking paper at least.

Really looking forward to the Serie A this year, will be backing Juventus as always.

[A-Mac]

MotownClic, on 26 August 2011 - 15:22, said:

People in Verona don't even support Chievo

Yes they do.

[The Troll]

Kris., on 26 August 2011 - 11:11, said:

Anyone give me some info on Parma? Who's their best players, seasonal expectations, ins and outs, etc. Their sort of my team, but I've kind of neglected them (and Italian football in general) for the last few years. The last Parma game I watched was the game that they were relegated in a few years back, against Inter.

Still have good memories of their UEFA Cup winning squad, what a fucking side they had. Not only that, but their strip was an absolute belter as well. Not too keen on their latest efforts.

Same They have a strong looking squad this year, Cristian Zaccardo, Hernan Crespo, Sebastian Giovinco, Manuele Blasi and Fabiano Santacroce are all names i recognise and all are good Serie A players. Just avoided relegation last season i think?