Del Piero: a hero or a choker? (2 Viewers)

Zlatan

Senior Member
Jun 9, 2003
23,049
#1
Continuing Ian's plan of posting topics for passionate discussions, this thread is about Del Piero, and I expect it to get a fair bit of attention with all the Dp lovers and the DP bashers out there, especially Zizou.

We all know the brilliance of Juve's golden boy of before (pre 1998), but he has never quite managed to get back to his old self. We keep waiting for the odd brilliance of our captain to come, but it very rarely does, and if it does, it's almost never against the big teams. Lets face it: Del Piero is a choker. Altho he's our captain and he's expected to lead the way by example for the other players, he's never able to perform on the big stage. As the captain, he's supposed to be our go-to guy, the one that's supposed to make something happen when all hope is lost and morale is low. In that department too, he has failed miserably. I believe we have all seen this years CL games and I mus say that DP has failed to live up to his high standards set at the start of the season. Whoever says otherwise must be blind or biased. He was nowhere to be found in games against Barcelona and Real Madrid, and not to mention the Final against Milan. He missed the penalty against Deportivo La coruna that would have seen us go to the next round of CL. He seems to be lost in all the excitement, the pressure to win and the he runs away from the ball. When he does get it, you can bet your money, house, wife and kids he's going to lose it. Why? Because he's a choker! He folds under the pressure trying too hard to do whats expected of him but again failing miserably. How can you expect the team to take the heat if the captain, the leader cant? And this is not only a problem in the Juve shirt. We all remember the EC 2000 Final when Del Piero missed 3 clear cut chances to decide the game. This is what leadership should be all about: Skills, but also winning mentality, and coolness.

Take the captain's armband from him and give it to someone who deserves it, someone who will take the responsibility on his shoulders when it's neccessary: give it to Nedved, Thuram or even Buffon. We all know they deserve it more.
 

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Signor

Senior Member
Jul 13, 2002
3,018
#2
Zlatan : you are a dead man, you are terminated :fero:

Btw this new trends of Threads is quite annoying and it's not good at all, as it's also a waste of space, i can't see the difference between them and those of the hangout. People are just creating them to start a useless arguement or to please someone. Everyday a couple of threads are created one to insult a player and the other to praise him. this is a sort of a joke or a game. please quit doing this. it's really annoying. :groan:
 

Ivy

Senior Member
Jul 16, 2003
1,604
#4
hi GOAT

yes i think he is a choker unfortunately. A player with alot of skill....can do amazing things...... but when it comes to the high imortance matches....he chokes.

U want to take away his armband? I would say no. Because the captain in my mind will be Italian... so, probably no Thuram, no Nedved.........an Italian player who is mor influencial than DP? I can't think of any. Buffon? No way. So for now i would not favor any other player as the captian.

@Aragon: u think we're being a wee bit to anxious here? like forcing something maybe? I still think that debates will come naturally as the matchs heat up.
 

Zizou

Senior Member
Apr 21, 2003
3,965
#5
I'll just say that I agree with GOAT without entering into discussions that will make DP worshippers hate me even more :D

Goat expressed facts which cannot be denied ;)
 

gray

Senior Member
Moderator
Apr 22, 2003
30,260
#6
I know many people will hate everyone who says this, but yes I must agree, he does choke on the big stage and it's heart-breaking. He just doesn't seem to have the confidence to step up his game and show what he really can do, and promised to do before his injury...

Sure, he showed some great performances e.g. against Madrid, but there are so many times when i get frustrated with his lack of movement and apparent lack of passion to win. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of his and I like having him at the team, but I just wish he'd be more consistent and inspirational at times.

I don't think we should take the captain's armband from him, because he does have a certain degree of presence and intimidation, but if I had to choose the next in line, it'd definitely be Nedved. Who cares if he's not Italian? Many teams have captains who aren't from their own country, and the man just burns with passion and commitment, even though he's older than DP. He hussles for every ball, even when we're up 3-1 and he's a yellow card away from a suspension :wallbang:

I know this'll probably cause debate, but I'm sure everyone agrees to a certain extent that DP can be frustrating to watch, because we all know how much potential he has. I'm in no way saying that DP sux and he's got no skill, but yes he does choke alot of the time when the chips are down and the stakes are high
 

Stu

Senior Member
Jul 14, 2002
17,557
#7
DP definitely has a reputation of choking in big games, but you still can't take away from him what he has accomplished. Alex has scored 102 Serie A goals, 24 NT goals and is our all-time leading scorer in Europe. Surely these achievements mean something?

Also, look at his contributions over the last two seasons. In the 01/02 season Del Piero came alive in the final push for the Scudetto, and I daresay that if it wasn't for his goals and assists we would not have won the league. This past season, his goals have also been crucial, vital, whatever you want to call them.

Just look at his recent displays against Empoli and Wales. Ale may be a choker, but he's still class.
 
OP

Zlatan

Senior Member
Jun 9, 2003
23,049
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #8
    ++ [ originally posted by Aragorn ] ++
    Zlatan : you are a dead man, you are terminated :fero:

    Btw this new trends of Threads is quite annoying and it's not good at all, as it's also a waste of space, i can't see the difference between them and those of the hangout. People are just creating them to start a useless arguement or to please someone. Everyday a couple of threads are created one to insult a player and the other to praise him. this is a sort of a joke or a game. please quit doing this. it's really annoying. :groan:
    Actually I didnt create this to start a useless argument, and its not a joke nor a game. It's a fair subject, and I dont see anything wrong with it.
     

    gray

    Senior Member
    Moderator
    Apr 22, 2003
    30,260
    #9
    ++ [ originally posted by -Fantasista- ] ++
    Just look at his recent displays against Empoli and Wales. Ale may be a choker, but he's still class.
    Nobody was denying that, but it's undeniable that u get frustrated watching him literally walk around when a defender's got the ball right in front him... :fero:
     
    OP

    Zlatan

    Senior Member
    Jun 9, 2003
    23,049
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #10
    ++ [ originally posted by -Fantasista- ] ++

    Just look at his recent displays against Empoli and Wales. Ale may be a choker, but he's still class.
    He is class, I completely agree, but I cant not notice his lack of presence in big games.
     

    Signor

    Senior Member
    Jul 13, 2002
    3,018
    #11
    TO ALL OF YOU WHO CONSIDER DEL PIERO A CHOKER, WAKE UP IF IT WASN"T FOR HIM YOU WOULDN"T HAVE SEEN THE SCUDETTO IN THE LAST 2 SEASONS, NOR REACHED THE CL FINAL IN WHICH YOU BLAME HIM FOR THE FAILURE, HOW THE HELL CAN ONLY ONE CREATIVE PLAYER IN A WHOLE SQUAD OF DEFENDERS BE ABLE TO CREATE AND SCORE ON HIS OWN. THEN YOU BLAME HIM FOR THAT, GET A LIFE, IN THE CL FINAL THE WHOLE TEAM AND LIPPI SUCKED, SO DON'T EXPECT SUPERMAN TO SHOW UP AND LIFT THE TROPHY FOR YOU. IT WAS ALL WRONG. IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN A PUNCH OF A WHINING LOSERS JUST LIKE INTER, PEOPLE YOU JUST CAN'T APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP. NOW YOU WANT HIM TO PASS THE CAPTAIN ARMBAND TO SOMEONE ELSE, WHO DO YOU SUGGEST TREZEGUET MAY BE. JUVENTUS WITHOUT DELPIERO WON'T BE THE SAME BELIEVE ME. ONE DAY YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. I AGREE THAT SOMETIMES HE IS A BIT UNLUCKY, BUT TELL EM WHO IS LUCKY ALL THE TIME. HE IS A JUVENTUS LEGEND.
     

    Zizou

    Senior Member
    Apr 21, 2003
    3,965
    #12
    Come on, why is it that when someone dares to say something against DP, he is accused of not having a life and other things? Why cannot they have an opinion? It's not like GOAT did not back his argument with any facts, on the contrary.

    DP is just a player like the 24 other players in the squad; he is not immune just cos of his name.
     

    Martin

    Senior Member
    Dec 31, 2000
    56,913
    #13
    Yes, he does choke but are going too far.

    ++ [ originally posted by G_O_A_T ] ++
    against Barcelona and Real Madrid
    I dare say he did have some kind of impact on our return game vs Real, a goal and an assist for starters.

    ++ [ originally posted by G_O_A_T ] ++
    We all remember the EC 2000 Final when Del Piero missed 3 clear cut chances to decide the game.
    It's 3 now? I thought it was two.. :groan:

    ++ [ originally posted by G_O_A_T ] ++
    Take the captain's armband from him and give it to someone who deserves it, someone who will take the responsibility on his shoulders when it's neccessary: give it to Nedved, Thuram or even Buffon. We all know they deserve it more.
    Why do they deserve it more all of a sudden? Because they've had two great seasons as compared to Alex' 10 long years? If you wanna talk consistency, Ale has consistently won his place in the starting eleven for a decade, save a period of a couple of months when Carlo decided someone else merited it more.
     

    Signor

    Senior Member
    Jul 13, 2002
    3,018
    #14
    ++ [ originally posted by Zizou ] ++
    Come on, why is it that when someone dares to say something against DP, he is accused of not having a life and other things? Why cannot they have an opinion? It's not like GOAT did not back his argument with any facts, on the contrary.

    DP is just a player like the 24 other players in the squad; he is not immune just cos of his name.
    Yeah -ve facts what about the +ve ones, I am not against critisizing Del piero, I do critisize him but what you are doing is HARSH and unfair.
     

    Zizou

    Senior Member
    Apr 21, 2003
    3,965
    #15
    Well then we can say that it's harsh and unfair criticising any of the juve players since they brought 2 consecutive leagues and a CL final in these past 2 years.

    Ah btw I'm against removing the armband from DP ;)
     

    Signor

    Senior Member
    Jul 13, 2002
    3,018
    #16
    ++ [ originally posted by Zizou ] ++
    Well then we can say that it's harsh and unfair criticising any of the juve players since they brought 2 consecutive leagues and a CL final in these past 2 years.

    Ah btw I'm against removing the armband from DP ;)
    No you can critisize a player for his bad performance in a match, but don't criticise a player's career based on some -ve fact ignoring all the +ve facts. that's what you are doing now, aren't you ???????????
     
    OP

    Zlatan

    Senior Member
    Jun 9, 2003
    23,049
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #18
    ++ [ originally posted by Alex ] ++

    I dare say he did have some kind of impact on our return game vs Real, a goal and an assist for starters.
    OK, I'l grant him that, but thats just one game of five. In the rest he was practically invisible.

    ++ [ originally posted by Alex ] ++
    It's 3 now? I thought it was two.. :groan:
    IIRC, it was two in the end of the match and one (altho not as good as the 2 before) in ET.

    ++ [ originally posted by Alex ] ++


    Why do they deserve it more all of a sudden? Because they've had two great seasons as compared to Alex' 10 long years? If you wanna talk consistency, Ale has consistently won his place in the starting eleven for a decade, save a period of a couple of months when Carlo decided someone else merited it more.

    I quite disagree about Dep Piero being consistant. He's been good for the past 10 years, but he's been unconsistant every season since 1998. He's not able to play several good matches in a row, like Nedved or even Vieri are.

    And he was unfairly picked in front of other players for nearly 2 years before he got some of his previous form back (we all remember the season he scored 11 penalty goals in Serie A)
     

    Signor

    Senior Member
    Jul 13, 2002
    3,018
    #19
    ++ [ originally posted by Zizou ] ++
    Am not. Never criticized his career cos prior to 1998 he was quite good ;)
    I know you people are joking around and just having some fun, When you talk about someone's career you better take his whole career into consideration not only a part or a period of it, i hope you get what i mean.

    Zlatan - man you don't have solid and valid backgrounds to build your argument on, you barely can state -ve facts which i think is all you know about Del piero, when you try to criticise someone career compare it's +ve to it's -ve and the judge him.
     
    OP

    Zlatan

    Senior Member
    Jun 9, 2003
    23,049
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #20
    Why think about the past? True, he was great before the injury, but we have no gain from that now. I'm talking about the present, and the fact is that he's a choker.
     

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