Official Juventus FC Thread

snitch55 · Post #141 » by **snitch55** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:10 pm

Serie A Preview: Juventus - Udinese

Juventus Looking For Points

The Bianconeri welcome Udinese to the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday and they will be looking to get into full swing and take maximum points against a Friulani side who will be full of confidence.

Serie A has enjoyed a break from the week to week tussles following the recent World Cup Qualifiers but Claudio Ranieri will ensure his side get back down to business as they attempt to pick up their first win of the season. The coach was furious after the week one draw with Fiorentina. Pavel Nedved’s goal in the first half seemed to have done the trick until Alberto Gilardino popped up to steal a point for his team.

Ranieri described his players as a bunch of children following that game but Juventus have always been formidable at home and they will be looking to rule the roost. Expectations are high at Vinovo and there is an air of belief that the Tricolore will be ironed on the club's jerseys next season but Juve need to start kicking themselves into action and there will be no better place to start than with a home game against Pasquale Marino’s men.

This fixture ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Turin-based side last term but plenty has changed since then. Giorgio Chiellini has matured, Nicola Legrottaglie is a different player and Olof Mellberg was captured to help ease the pressure at the back. Momo Sissoko, David Trezeguet and Cristiano Zanetti have all returned from injury but Alessandro Del Piero, Mauro Camoranesi, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Legrottaglie may be rested following their international exploits with La Nazionale.

It will be a tricky fixture for Ranieri’s team but he will be glad to get it out of the way now than have it hang around until the mid season when the race for the Scudetto and Champions League football begin to take their toll. A win is needed if they are to lay down the foundations for a successful campaign but Udinese will be no pushovers.

Udinese Look To Di Natale

The Stadio Friuli-based club need to give themselves a pat on the back for keeping the Italian international this summer. Like many sides, they could have sold Di Natale to the big guns and make money hand over fist, instead they offered him a new deal until 2012 and that gamble has paid off for both club and player.

The Number 10 fired his side to the perfect start in the opening game of the season against Palermo in round one. The Napolitan-born hit-man grabbed a superb double and set one up as his side strolled to a good win over the Sicilians, as well as prove the point that they will be challenging for the Champions League places this term.

Di Natale was outstanding during that game and he earned himself a starting role for Marcello Lippi’s Italy side for the World Cup qualifier against Cyprus. He rescued the Azzurri in Larnaca and he will be hoping to do the same when he returns to action for Udinese on Sunday.

The burning question around the Peninsula is why Roberto Donadoni didn’t play him during the European Championships.

However, it’s not all about Di Natale as Fabio Quagliarella will be out to make his point against the Old Lady. A debut is also in store for Maurizio Domizzi and he will be eager to prove himself to his new manager Pasquale Marino who showed faith in the stopper by bringing him to the Friuli.

The Champions League is on everybody’s lips in Udine and the club will be pushing hard to reach their objective. The side will be confident in their ability to go to Turin and cause another upset following last season’s victory there and they will be relying on the littlest Toto' Di Natale.

Team News

Juventus: David Trezeguet, Cristiano Zanetti and Giorgio Chiellini have all returned from injury. Chiellini is ready for the game on Sunday but he may be rested with the Champions League in mind. Up front, Ranieri has all his strikers available though Iaquinta and Del Piero are likely to be benched with Amauri and Trezeguet to start. Jorge Andrade remains the long term casualty.

Udinese: Christian Zapata and Dias Felipe are unavailable for Marino but the usual suspects will be fighting for a place. The in-form Di Natale is likely to get the nod to play alongside Quagliarella.

Probable Starting XI's

Juventus: Buffon, Grygera, Molinaro, Legrottaglie, Mellberg, Sissoko, Nanetti, Nedved, Camoranesi, Trezeguet, Amauri.

Udinese: Handanovic, Motta, Coda, Domizzi, Pasquale, Inler, D'Agostino, Isla, Pepe, Quagliarella, Di Natale.

Prediction

With both teams in good form, this game will be no easy feat for either.

The Old Lady has made the Olimpico her fortress but she will remember the game from last season when it ended 1-0 to the Friulani. Confidence is high in both camps but a share of the points seems on the cards.

Juventus 2-2 Udinese

Post #142 » by **tkb** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:43 am

Read that we might be adding Cassano next summer. Didn't read all that much into it, but that would be one nice addition if he can play on the wing like he does for the national team at times.

Post #143 » by **magik9113** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:34 pm

we had a lot of opportunities today. good win

Post #144 » by **tkb** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:52 am

Yeah. Good, offensive football. Hit the bars twice too (Amauri and Poulsen).

snitch55 · Post #145 » by **snitch55** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:55 am

Strong performance from Juve - missed a lot of chances for another goal or two.
Don't know why Giovinco wasn't in the group . Ah , De Ceglie was much , much better than Molinaro ,i hope Ranieri gives the youngster a chance .

Post #146 » by **tkb** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:36 am

Sissoko was pretty darn good on the midfield imo. He's going to be a strong force there for us a long time. Very impressed by what I saw from him.

Post #147 » by **BlackMamba** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:17 pm

i watched the 1st half and liked it a lot. the defense looked nice with chiellini and mellberg and i really liked how sissoko and poulsen work together.

what i don't think i like too much is hearing the commentators say that giovinco could go in a loan to sampdoria and juve could get cassano...

Post #148 » by **tkb** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:45 pm

Healthy and motivated Cassano is as good as any player in the world imo, so I wouldn't mind adding him at all as long as he can play on the wing like he did for Italy. Loaning off Giovinco could be a good move to get him some playing time (doesn't seem like he's getting much time on Juve for a little while though I'd prefer him playing).

Post #149 » by **BlackMamba** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:01 am

the problem is to motivate cassano without letting him to get crazy. i think only capello can manage and understand him.

tomorrow vs. zenit is a key game for both teams chances of going into the next round. can't wait!!!

snitch55 · Post #150 » by **snitch55** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:01 am

The problem is Cassano will ruin the team's chemistry , he's a Ron Artest type or even worse .
The other thing is that Giovinco will start playing , he'll establish him as a starter , but not so fast .

snitch55 · Post #151 » by **snitch55** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:25 pm

DEEEEEL PIEEEEROOOOOO

What a freecick ! It was the differense tonight , cause Zenit played very well and without Mauro who got injured during the game , we lost our creativity .

Post #152 » by **magik9113** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:43 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R56PkyGMkWU
del pieros sick goal.

we have to camoranesi won't be out for a long time.

Post #153 » by **tkb** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:07 am

Del Piero! Nice CL start.

Post #154 » by **tkb** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:37 pm

Amauri signing is starting to pay off. Game winning goal in 2 straight Serie A games now after his goal against Cagliari.

snitch55 · Post #155 » by **snitch55** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:41 pm

Buffon is out for 10 days . We play Catania on wednesday i think .

Post #156 » by **magik9113** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:34 pm

yea he got hurt last game so will be out vs Catania (wednesday) and Sampdoria (saturday).

i was pretty upset that Giovinco didn't see any playing time even with all the injuries...

Post #157 » by **BlackMamba** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:27 pm

add to that trezeguet's knee injury.

it seems juve made a good decision by signing amauri.

Post #158 » by **magik9113** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:25 pm

frustrating game. they fell asleep for 10 minutes in the 2nd half cause they were up and they let in a goal. then the misses...omg :banghead:

at least giovinco played well....
could have and should have been an easy 3 points.

Post #159 » by **BlackMamba** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:34 pm

yeah, juve could have 12 pts by now!

they seem to be very much in control of the games and that makes them take one notch down and play with some sort of passive aggression.

and then they want to come back and time is over or they get tied...

Post #160 » by **magik9113** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:49 pm

Juve tied another winnable game. Ranieri makes one change despite the fact that they were dull, especially in midfield. It was obvious a change was needed, but he only put in Iaquinta for Del Piero, which did nothing to improve how they were playing, and he waited til about the 80th minute.
:banghead:

we are lucky to be only 3 points behind the leaders(Lazio)