E chi non salta è bianconero: Serie A 2011-2012

The enthusiasm for Europe's fourth best league here is fairly low as I seem to be starting this year's thread (apologies, and please delete, if this has already been done. Also apologies for the title).

At 7.45 tonight AC Milan face Lazio. I for one will be watching.

awesome, was hoping somebody would make this thread.

Milan-Lazio is a great kickoff imo.

good work jim.

lazio should be interesting. it's funny how lotito finally decided to spend some money and signed klose and cissé, an amazing striker duo if you're playing pes05 i guess.

I get most of my foreign footy through ESPN UK so I will be Bundesliging it tonight. But Juve are on at 11.30 Sunday morning so will watch that. Actually if there is a chance that Aqua starts tonight I may try to find a stream.

Bah! It appears Espn is showing rugby instead for some godforsaken reason. There is a repeat of Milan game on tmrw morning however so if I can't find a decent stream I can watch that.

Yay! Serie A is the hipster's choice imo.

I enjoyed this piece on Juve's new stadium. Only 41,000 though.

Think that's a good thing tho. Well probably not financially, but the Della Alpi was depressing when it was like a quarter full.

yeah new stadium looks pretty great. isn't selling out a stadium always financially wise though? only way to get the ticket prices up, which they probably need.

Smaller stadia, groundsharing, etc always used to be the received wisdom here - it's only with the premiership boom, the new stadiums in the 90s, and especially what Arsenal have managed with the Emirates that has changed opinion.

I've been assuming that Italian footy has got to make a comeback at some point. Maybe I'm wrong.

the fact that it's in real danger of falling behind france in the coefficient is pretty sobering.

the juve stadium looks cool and i'm sure makes sense financially but all these lovely new stadia always seem a bit soulless to me. give me an old shitehole anyday (eugh horrible sentence).

for me serie a is the nostalgic choice. watching gazetta on a saturday morning before going out to play in the park, then the game on the sunday after sunday lunch = amazing childhood memories.

Yeah it's my second love after 80s Division One, but that's not coming back any time soon so

James Richardson leafing through Corriere della Sera, Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport in front of an untouched, ludicrously ornate, ice cream sundae.

aye, i always used to look at james richardson and think, that's what i want to do when i grow up.

tonight's line-ups.

Milan: Abbiati, Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Gattuso, Ambrosini, Aquilani; Boateng; Ibrahimovic, Cassano

Lazio: Bizzarri; Konko, Biava, Dias, Zauri; Ledesma, Brocchi; Cissè, Hernanes, Mauri; Klose

Blimey, Ambrosini still going strong. Only 34?

Djbril #99? Oh, I've missed you

Zlatan sort your hair out!

That Ball from Zlatan!

exciting game this. aquilani is playing great stuff.

lol gattuso

amazing first touch by klose if not for the handball.

cisse!

So happy for that dude.

I remember Klose, for Bayern last season, missing a chance about as easy as Zlatan's there.

i remember that.

great game this. kinda miss seedorf, playing both van bommel and ambrosini a bit too brutish imo.

thought klose had just given up on club football but he's been great today.

serie a boring as ever i see

I wonder which produces the worst injuries: stooping to head a cross at the perfect height for a volley like KPB just did, or raising a leg to eye level when a header would be easier.

Robinho looks good in those thick frames imo.

Zlatan is such a playmaker

nesta saved van bommel there

Quick recap anyone? I'm not watching.

second half mainly milan. lazio just hanging in. 2-2.

cassano should have gone to the ball there

some stones from the ref there

first half was terrific stuff

cassano getting booked after the game has finished. classic fantantonio.

ha missed that, what did he do?

zlatan seriously needs to lose some weight, looks terribly slow most of the time.

ac had a corner right on the end of stoppage time and the ref blw the final whistle before they could take it. cue expletives from cassano.

ref blew as the corner was being taken and immediately afterwards turned and gave a card to cassano, can only guess he shouted something somewhat unkind to him.

or what he said.

it's my second love after 80s Division One, but that's not coming back any time soon

Don't say that!

That is a very nice touch of Juve asking Notts County over. And their new ground looks much more atmospheric.

serie a on a sunday morning doesn't seem quite right. Still any chance to watch Del Piero.

pirlo doesn't look right in a Juve shirt

pirlo with the great assist. 1-0

lovely by pirlo there

not offside under new rules surely?

yeah onside imo.

del piero is still the best player in juventus, that's not very promising. pandemic, are you watching on espn? this guy's pronunciation of 'pirlo' is driving me mad

God yeah! It's giving me David Pleat World Cup commentary flashbacks!

That was a great half. Antics leading up to & after Ibrahimovic penalty included.

You wouldn't bet against him scoring three or four, now.

Damn, I should've hurried back after halftime, 2-2. This is quite the match.

juve champions if all results stand.

and that's a harsh pen!

Penalty to Inter, thought it was a stonewalled but a bit harsh on the replay

did david pleat just call moratti 'mister moriarty'?

That's how to take a penalty

nicely done by milito regardless xp

Some run by Zanetti! All the way from one corner of the pitch to the one diagonally opposite.

david pleat's on top form tonight, just described zanetti as 'one of my italian league heroes'.

not bad for a 56 year old

can't believe zlatan won't win a league title this year

Golaço!

Congrats Juve, you've been the best

Goalie did nothing wrong, yet was yards away from reaching that.

'all the power. he'll get all the glory'

that goal... wow!

Yeah he's struck it well and all, but did he mean it? etc.

Interesting that Stramaccioni has already won a title this season - the NextGen tournament, w/ Inter Primavera.

Does Pleat pronounce it "Serie Ay" too? Or maybe "Italian First Division"?

re Maicon's goal, nice use of the phrase 'Josimaring one in' in the Guardian MBM

didn't maicon score an almost identical one just a couple months ago though?

i mean this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0P9qpItKpw

that really is the exact same!

Decent strike, still think he was trying a short square pass though.

that;'s the kind of goal you scored in pro evo 5.

he must have a foot like a traction engine.

In December 2004, Rossi replaced Andrea Mandorlini at the helm of Atalanta B.C., last-placed in Serie A. Despite all his efforts and numerous praises, Rossi was not able to let his team escape from relegation. He is right footed.

did david pleat just call moratti 'mister moriarty'?

― Chris, Sunday, May 6, 2012 8:28 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

YES!

david pleat's on top form tonight, just described zanetti as 'one of my italian league heroes'.

― Chris, Sunday, May 6, 2012 8:32 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

My favourite was "zanetti:never been a victim of his versatility".

Despite ESPN telling me that Vucinic was played onside for Juve's first goal he still looks miles off to me.

Didn't realize that the next best defence to Juve's in Serie A this season is 13 goals worse.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/05/11/armchair-analyst-taking-notice-bradley-%E2%80%93-finally

good piece on M. Bradley's rise in Italy at Chievo(and before)

who wants to give me the lowdown on Kwadwo Asamoah?

Enrique out btw.

In many ways, Asamoah is the complete modern midfielder. He is versatile, with the ability to play in the middle of the park or on the left side of midfield. More of an energetic, box-to-box midfielder that Fabregas, Asamoah is quick, has a work-rate of the highest level, seemingly everlasting stamina, bull-like strength and moves tirelessly from end to end. But vital for Wenger, he also possesses excellent technical skills. He dribbles and surges past opponents, passes the ball well, has good awareness, and possesses a sweet left foot. He is a hot prospect tipped to shine on the world's football stage.

damn you

I've seen him 7-8 times probably and that description's good enough. Was impressed with his skill on the ball even after breathless 30 yard sprints (Udinese being such a deep-lying ounterattacking side). Though I did read that when given a 'proper playmaker' role for Ghana at the ACN he didn't really shine.

good enough. I'll take him

You know who'd be good for United if they want a Serie A midfielder is Cristian Ledesma, at Lazio.

too old

milan certainly not wasting any time. gattuso, inzaghi, nesta and van bommel all on the way out. a couple of seasons too late perhaps but still, milan without rino seems weird :(

rip super pippo you were our god

not my god

he was mine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S-QO0mLsm4

lovely celebration. esp the hug with seedorf.

aah man. tearing up.

Aw man, my favourite player of all time. What a way to sign off. Tearing up x2.

love it. a great day for football all around.

juve go unbeaten, they deserve some praise.

delpiero also scored for his last game right? such a classy guy, really liked him. loved the letter he wrote when trezeguet left, saying how he'd loved playing with him and everything

goodbye sweet prince.