Who Will Stop Juve? (1 Viewer)

Glen

Junior Member
Aug 26, 2002
157
#22
I honetly think we're the biggest pre-favourite there has been since Milan in the early 90's.
We won easily last year despite a thin squad and many injuries, and for the first time in many years we've been able to confirm a scudetto winning team and strenghten it considerably. Look everywhere else and all our rivals have problems. Be they institutional, organisational, financial, squadwise, tifosi relation wise... they all suffer from something.

I've said elsewhere that I think Inter could end up 5th this season, but Crespo's transfer might change that- if they buy the players they actually NEED with the money and trust the options they have instead of just going for 'names'. Crespo/Vieri are superb names, but as a duo they haven't played a single good game together. The same kinda goes for the defensive pairing Canna-Cordoba which has the same problem. Superb players individually, but not a good pair. When Materazzi get's thrown into the mix it suddenly becomes a functional unit, but at the same time the individual quality goes down- making the defence less than scary (in my view- obviously Materazzi is scary in himself :)). IN the end- despite he fact that I think Crespo leaving might prove a blessing in disguise... with too many changes Inter will have to re-invent themselves and they could be off the race before they get it together.

Milan... their pre-season says it all really. Like Gabrielle Marcotti said in his weekly column at Sports Illustrated- their midfielders are too alike. Their passing is pedestrian. There's little verticalisation. The central defenders behind Nesta -Maldini all require consistent matches to play well (and can Maldini keep up with such amazing form again?). Milan has the squad to trouble us the most of course, but I really think they have major problems. The CL title (not a single impressive game since the 1-O win against Madrid) just clouded all their problems, and now it may well be too late to correct them.

Roma... biggest threat in my view. Squadwise they're not stronger than the milanese of course, but they're not in CL and their first 11 is superb. They need to avoid as many disciplinary problems as last year, but they're extremely hungry, and they have a FANTASTIC central core (I still think the Chivu transfer will come through) in Samuel/Chivu, Emerson, Totti. At the same time- noone should forget how BRILLIANT talents Cassano, De Rossi and D'Agostino actually are. Questionmarks because they aren't proven of course. Much rests on Montella though. Unless they succeed in getting the 'heavy' striker Capello wants- they will have to hope Montella finds the form of yesteryear. But I think he will. Still- we have superb depth compared to them.

Lazio: Great team and first 11 of course. In many ways a more consistent unit than Roma I think, but with CL they will be dragged thin, as they're very thin on quality in attack and central defence. Stam has to hold it all together and Miha won't be able to play both CL and serieA consistently. Not at the level he played last year at least. Then- behind them... Couto and Negro..
Lopez, Corradi and Simone Inzaghi. They're good, but it's not much, and with one injury... or one out of form player... I don't see them lasting. They'll play some entertaining football though.

Yes... scudetto is ours. I can't see it any other way, although CL will be first priority. The thing is that this season we can afford to rest players (unless for a silly number of injuries) and still play ultra competent lineups in serieA. I mean- last year at Madrid we played Tudor-Conte in central midfield because Davids and Tacchi were suspended. This year we can play Appiah-Maresca... We suffered creatively when DP was injured last year- now there's Miccoli. Di Vaio was awful most of the year. He seems to ahve gelled in now. Trez was away for half the season. This year he isn't (although he is still not Trezeguet yet). Nedved remains a unique player with no immediate replacement, but we have several options in terms of mixing it up. This is now, in my opinion, our only 'issue'. If we can mix it up in his absence. We should be able to with the players we have.

28 Ladies and Gentlemen :)

NB: To everyone who hasn't yet- go and read AMOROSO's pre-season run down at Xtratime. I think it's a great intro, and to those who don't really feel in tune with all the other teams it's a great read. It's here: http://www.xtratime.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=115099
 

Robert

Junior Member
Jun 9, 2003
59
#23
Don't think that somebody will stop us.Inter - after selling Crespo is nothing.Moratti can take Luciano,Kily,VDMeide,Helveg,Lamouchi,Fadiga and Karagounis, and stick them in his a$$. Milan - will not be any more so lucky likethey where last season.Not only Juve, but also Lazio is going to destroy them.Lazio is going to be second.:cool:
 

dpforever

Prediction Game Champ 2003 & 2005
Jan 12, 2002
3,794
#24
++ [ originally posted by Zizou ] ++
When the league really starts, all the pre-season talk will go down the drain ;) Milan will be scoring goals again and winning games. Inter will be fighting till the last match, and Juve winning the league :D
I have a gut feeling the Serie A scenario will change this time .. I'm expecting Inter to drop the challenge early on and Roma to enter later .. and it doesn't have anything to do with the Crespo thing :D
 

the phoenix

Junior Member
Aug 8, 2002
92
#25
Just to offer my thoughts, Juve already has one hand on the the championship already and here is my simple reason why. We are a much better, deeper, and more BALANCED team this year. There is no one way to stop us because our squad allows us different variations for different situations. We also play as a TEAM, not like Real or Milan that is a great collection of superstars. Now if only Lippi would start putting Tudor in the starting line-up I'd be very happy.
 

paulo

Senior Member
Aug 14, 2002
640
#27
Great posts Tarmtropp, Glen and especially dpforever!:)

While we have strengthened our already impressive team with the arrivals of Legrottaglie, Maresca, Appiah and Miccoli and are set to rule in all competitions again based on our current form,

Inter have sold Crespo, have not improved their defence problems and continue to dream of Lo Scudetto

Milan struggle really badly in pre-season, have still major on-field problems and Rivaldo still sucks

Roma have sold Cafu, struggle really badly in just about every departement and look set to have another failed season

Lazio keep struggling financially

Parma have sold Mutu and Lamouchi

:D
 

Zizou

Senior Member
Apr 21, 2003
3,965
#28
And with the base of our team all relatively young (the only ones over 30 from the starting 11 are Thuram and Montero (and Davids if he plays)) so we can have this team for years just like Milan had in the early 90s.
 

*aca*

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2002
869
#29
++ [ originally posted by Glen ] ++

28 Ladies and Gentlemen :)
hehehhehe.....spoiled huh? :D

Yet again, "1+1=2" kind of post:D

But 1+1 is not always equal 2, not always and especially not in football ;)
 
OP
Hydde

Hydde

Minimiliano Tristelli
Mar 6, 2003
38,987
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #30
    Well, at least i see juve winning the coppa italia ;)


    Hehehe just kidding,


    the good pint of our mercatro, is that know we have good qualiti reserves,,and the injuries will be not so catastrophics like last year.
     

    Trezeguet_FC

    Senior Member
    Mar 26, 2003
    1,888
    #31
    ++ [ originally posted by paulo ] ++
    Great posts Tarmtropp, Glen and especially dpforever!:)

    While we have strengthened our already impressive team with the arrivals of Legrottaglie, Maresca, Appiah and Miccoli and are set to rule in all competitions again based on our current form,

    Inter have sold Crespo, have not improved their defence problems and continue to dream of Lo Scudetto

    Milan struggle really badly in pre-season, have still major on-field problems and Rivaldo still sucks

    Roma have sold Cafu, struggle really badly in just about every departement and look set to have another failed season

    Lazio keep struggling financially

    Parma have sold Mutu and Lamouchi

    :D
    a little biased dont you think. like im a juve fan and all but you gotta give more credit to those clubs. like if an ac milan supporter was talking about juve right now he would say:

    Juve: trezeguet sucks and the only time they play good is when nedved is playing. and buffon makes the defense look good.

    honestly that is what i have heard. BUT OF COURSE JUVE CAN KICK ALL THOSE CLUBS ASES :fero::fero:
     

    paulo

    Senior Member
    Aug 14, 2002
    640
    #32
    It was meant as a joke;)

    Btw about juve...trezeguet doesn't suck and the nedved thing is (hopefully) about to change...:stuckup:;)
     

    Glen

    Junior Member
    Aug 26, 2002
    157
    #33
    ++ [ originally posted by *aca* ] ++


    hehehhehe.....spoiled huh? :D

    Yet again, "1+1=2" kind of post:D

    But 1+1 is not always equal 2, not always and especially not in football ;)
    :D

    Aca: In this case you could say it's yap yap + blah blah = 28 ;).

    My problem quite simply is that I don't have the intelligence to make 1+1 make anything but 2. It may be because I ditched math after high school and have never been introduced to quantum physics, but just the same- I have to go with what seems logical.

    Anyway- what's the status on Stankovic? Wasn't the deed supposed to be done by now? I still don't get what's going on with your team. Nakata? Solari? It makes no sense whatsoever. Dainelli, Cribari or Natali... Yes. A cheap 4th striker... sure. An expensive midfielder????? I can't make out the equation.
     

    *aca*

    Senior Member
    Jul 15, 2002
    869
    #34
    You have to ask yourself if Mancio & Baraldi did take a course in quantum physics;):D

    Deki's contact, according to Baraldi, will be compelted by friday.

    Solari is out of the question, reasons being transfer fee and his wage which is approx 3 million EUR...

    Nakata refused to join point blank. (I have to admit i dont find this decision bad).

    And apparently they are trying to sign 4th striker, Modena's Kamara...

    The only thing that i can think of is that Mancio believes that he can win the game from outside scorers, ie midfielders. Otherwise, running after so many simply makes no sense.

    I still cant figure out what they intend doing for defence:confused: I mean, staying injury free and performing on the last year level is fine, but risky...unless they have a new Nesta for the youth team.....
     

    Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)