[ITA] Serie A 2013/2014 (53 Viewers)

[Deep C]

Reminiscent of how United used to just ramp it up and win the league after new years. Seemed to happen like clockwork. Play at 50 % first half of the season and then 100 % the second part when the others had given their all.

 

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[JCK]

That's happening for the third year in a row. We started the same way we started last year (4-1-0 with mediocre performances) and better than we did in 2011/12 (3-2-0). Last year too we barely got the wins in the opening 3 months, and we registered two quick defeats in round 11 and 14 (Inter and Milan, with a 0:0 draw with Lazio in between). The Chelsea win made us more relaxed and then we started playing better. In 2011/12 we also played some bad matches with not so good results, but those performances seemed majestic to us, because we compared them to the previous two years.
Yet, in the last 2 months of the season we rocked and that's when we won the last two scudetti. We had a 10-1-0 record from round 26 to round 36 last year. When fatigue hit the others, we rocked. The previous year we had the same 10-1-0 record in the last 11 rounds.

I already mentioned some days ago how it seems that Juve are hardly giving more than 50%, while the others are obviously pushing over their limits. It's basically a long distance race, when the eventual winner smartly spreads the energy. He's always among the leading group, but only he has the strength for the sprint in the last 200 meters.

True, we can't predict if Milan's bad luck from 2012 will hit us. Maybe we will also suffer 7-8 injuries at the same time to our starters. But there are bigger chances that it won't happen, and in the last 3 months of the season we'll physically be at another level to the other competitors.

While I agree with everything you mentioned it is our opponents that make the difference this time around and the fact that they are stronger will add pressure on us. In 2011/12 it was only Milan, Napoli were suffering in playing in the CL and Inter were doing a post Mourinho implosion. Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio and even Udinese back then were never a threat.

In 2012/13 while we had frustrating moments we never had any competition and while I mentioned that we might lose the Scudetto to Napoli, deep down I knew they were never a threat.

However this time around the competition has really really upped their game, the league is very competitive and many are totally ignoring it. Milan are suffering a lot of injuries but they are still Milan and they will always be a tough opponent. Napoli have got rid of their best player and their very competitive coach but they improved their depth a lot (their biggest weakness) and replaced the coach with a winning coach no matter what many think of him. Benitez have honours on his CV. And if you ask me their squad with Higuain is better than with Cavani and I do rate Higuain more. Roma who were always very dangerous going forward are now able to defend and I don't buy this "they have played weak opponents" they destroyed them and isn't it there you win the league? Inter with Mazzari look finally like a team after Mourinho, they are resilient and they have always had talent. Their forwards and attacking midfielders are top notch. That was not the case in the previous years.

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Is Conte's pre-season fitness work an issue?

Is it the reason we have a very bad form (regardless of the results)

 

[Nicholas]

I proposed this question to a few work colleagues who watch Italian football. Out of the other top 6 sides, who would get into Juventus starting 11. Using our current formation we came up with this:

Marchetti

Lichtsteiner-Barzagli-Bonucci-Chiellini-Radu

Vidal-Pogba-Hamsik

Tevez-Higuain

 

[ZoSo]

Marchetti

It's basically our team now but Vidal-Pirlo/Pogba-Hamsik

and one of Balotelli/Higuain/Gomez to partner Tevez

 

[Elvin]

That's what happens when you fuck up one game, Gigi - people pick Marchetti over you

 

[Nzoric]

Marchetti is a better keeper than Buffon, but I would put Handanovic as nr 1 out of the top 6.

 

[Elvin]

dafuq?!

 

[ZoSo]

Marchetti is a better keeper than Buffon, but I would put Handanovic as nr 1 out of the top 6.

 

[Raz]

Marchetti is a better keeper than Buffon, but I would put Handanovic as nr 1 out of the top 6.

What?

 

[Nzoric]

Nowadays? Of course he is.

 

[Raz]

Nowadays? Of course he is.

Let's not overreact. He's not in his best form now, far from it, but still he is better then them.

 

[ZoSo]

please stop you're killing me

 

[piotrr]

Handa almost scored hilarious own goal yesterday

 

[frzl]

I agree but the only problem is that we are not playing to our potential.

well look at the bright side:
we haven´t been playing to our potential (yet!) and still got 13 out of 15 possible points while having had the toughest schedule out of all big teams, only drawing the arguably second hardest game of the season (in serie a).
not too bad

 

[Elvin]

results in Serie A have been great so far.

 

[JuveJay]

We always blitz the end third of the season, which is the most important time.

 

[ZoSo]

well look at the bright side:
we haven´t been playing to our potential (yet!) and still got 13 out of 15 possible points while having had the toughest schedule out of all big teams, only drawing the arguably second hardest game of the season (in serie a).
not too bad

we showed our potential in the opening 15 mins vs Lazio. no other serie a team could keep up with that.

 

[Nzoric]

Let's not overreact. He's not in his best form now, far from it, but still he is better then them.

Not really. Dont let nostalgia get the better of you.

 

[JuveJay]

Form versus talent argument.

 

[Raz]

Not really. Dont let nostalgia get the better of you.

Time will tell. I'm quite sure that for 1-2 years we are covered well with Buffon.