2010-11 Italian Serie A Thread

[magik9113]

2010-2011 Serie A discussion


The first game will kick off Saturday, August 28...schedule will be announced in August.

Last year:
(Champions League)
Inter 82
Roma 80
Milan 70
Sampdoria 67
(Europa League)
Palermo 65
Napoli 59
Juventus 55
(Relegated to B)
Atalanta 35
Siena 31
Livorno 29

(Promoted from B)
Lecce
Cesena
Brescia


Notable Managerial Changes:
Massimilian Allegri to Milan
Rafa Benitez to Inter
Gigi Del Neri to Juve
Sinisa Mihajlovic to Fiorentina
Domenico Di Carlo to Sampdoria

(some hardly)Notable Transfers:
Adriano -- Flamengo to Roma
Edinson Cavani -- Palermo to Napoli
Luca Toni -- Bayern Munich to Genoa
Leonardo Bonucci -- Bari to Juve
Simone Pepe -- Udinese to Juve
Eduardo -- Sporting Braga to Genoa
Fabio Simplicio -- Palermo to Roma
Gaetano D'Agostino -- Udinese to Fiorentina
Massimo Maccarone -- Siena to Palermo
Marco Amelia -- Genoa to Milan
Philippe Coutinho -- Vasco da Gama to Inter

Departures:
Coach Jose Mourinho -- Inter to Real Madrid
Coach Cesare Prandelli -- Fiorentina to Italian National team
Fabio Cannavaro -- Juve to Al Ahli Dubai
Simon Kjær -- Palermo to Wolfsburg

Big Questions:
Why won't Milan buy any good players?

Can Inter repeat with Benitez now in charge?

Can Juve's new management help them finish in the top 4?

Where will Mario Balotelli end up?


only time will tell...

[USA]

Milan is a lot more financially strapped then they are making it out to be. Besides, they are far to loyal to players and Berlusconi thinks that Seedorf, Ronaldinho, Pirlo, Nesta, Gattuso, etc. are still in their prime to consider buying the best players. I don't see them finishing higher then 3rd again.

I see it similar to last season at this point. No one has really made any 'wow' moves.

I see it finishing:
Inter
Roma
Milan
Juve

[Varejao17]

I hope Philippe Coutinho gets some playing time with Inter...

[Foye]

I hope Philippe Coutinho gets some playing time with Inter...

I hope Davide Santon gets some playing time. I really really like that guy. Could be a world class wing back in 2 or 3 years.

[Varejao17]

so, I hope both get a lot of playing time together... Coutinho is like Sneijder with less passing and but with a lot more skills IMO, and he's faster too.. But I don't think he'll get a lot of playing time 'cause he just turned 18...

[magik9113]

I really hope Santon not only plays, but starts.
As for Coutinho, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets loaned out soon. It doesn't seem like there's any space for him this year and it'd be nice for him to get starter minutes elsewhere in the league.

[and1GS]

Santon will certainly play and if Maicon leaves, looks unlikely now, he should start. If Chivu gets injured at all though I would expect Santon to replace him in the starting lineup.

If we get Mascherano that would accomplish two things. 1) It would knock Dejan Suckassovic out of the starting 11 and 2) it would make us an even MORE boring and defensively oriented team. Results wise though, it sounds good.

Coutinho will definitely get loaned out, he's one of our pet projects though. We want him to be waht Quaresma was supposed to be.

[Batu7]

Good OP.

I wonder what Napoli will do this season. I love seeing Lavezzi and Quagliarella play, Hamsik is the cherry on top.

[magik9113]

and now Napoli has Cavani to add to those three. They will be very competitive for a champions league spot...I am also fond of their coach Walter Mazzari, who did great with them when he joined midway through the season last year

[Alex_De_Large]

looks like coutinho will stay, imo if balotelli gets sold, coutinho just will get his spot as sneijder sub and also winger/forward.

[BlackMamba]

I thought Juve wasn't going to play any European cups.

Their weak point is defense and the aging of some players. I hope things get better this season, they need it to happen.

[magik9113]

looks like coutinho will stay, imo if balotelli gets sold, coutinho just will get his spot as sneijder sub and also winger/forward.

Coutinho may stay, but Inter is linked with both Giuseppe Rossi and Kuyt if Balotelli leaves, so i think a loan may be better for him for a year if they sign either of those guys..

Juve isn't automatically in Europa League, they have to play the winner of Shamrock Rovers of Ireland and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv of Isreal to qualify for the tournament (the first leg between those teams was a draw and the 2nd is to be played today). Juve will play winner on July 29 and Aug 5.

In other news....Milan extended the contracts of Massimo Oddo and Zambrotto. Centuries ago this was a great idea.

[Mirjalovic]

Forza Lazio !! I hope with the derpature of Kolarov, Lazio can rebuild from Kolarov money.

[bargs]

and now Napoli has Cavani to add to those three. They will be very competitive for a champions league spot...I am also fond of their coach Walter Mazzari, who did great with them when he joined midway through the season last year

as a napoli fan i'd say napoli with the right moves can compete for the champions league spot this upcoming season..well, the attack is there probably one of the best in serie A lavezzi-cavani-quagliarella and hamsik behind.

the defense is expected grown with the return of fabiano santacroce

the only question mark is the mildfield and i'm expecting something on the transfer market..inler? i don't know..

[magik9113]

Some friendly game results:
Hamburg 0 - 0 Juve
Juve 2 - 1 Lyon (Del Piero pk, Pepe)
Rad Belgrade 1 - 3 Palermo (Abel Hernandez hattrick)
Arsenal 1 - 1 Milan (Pato)
Bordeaux 1 - 1 Roma (Brighi)
Milan 1 - 1 Lyon (Borriello)
Inter 3 - 0 Man City (Obinna, Obinna, Biraghi)

[Varejao17]

Some friendly game results:
Hamburg 0 - 0 Juve
Juve 2 - 1 Lyon (Del Piero pk, Pepe)
Rad Belgrade 1 - 3 Palermo (Abel Hernandez hattrick)
Arsenal 1 - 1 Milan (Pato)
Bordeaux 1 - 1 Roma (Brighi)
Milan 1 - 1 Lyon (Borriello)
Inter 3 - 0 Man City (Obinna, Obinna, Biraghi)

Did you saw the Inter game? How did Coutinho play? Was he nervous? I've heard that he started the game...

[Munchlaxatives]

Giovinco to Parma.

[magik9113]

Some friendly game results:
Hamburg 0 - 0 Juve
Juve 2 - 1 Lyon (Del Piero pk, Pepe)
Rad Belgrade 1 - 3 Palermo (Abel Hernandez hattrick)
Arsenal 1 - 1 Milan (Pato)
Bordeaux 1 - 1 Roma (Brighi)
Milan 1 - 1 Lyon (Borriello)
Inter 3 - 0 Man City (Obinna, Obinna, Biraghi)

Did you saw the Inter game? How did Coutinho play? Was he nervous? I've heard that he started the game...

Unfortunately I missed it, but he did start

Giovinco to Parma doesn't seem to be a done deal yet because Bari is stepping in with an offer. I prefer he goes to Bari (on loan of course).
I recommend any to watch Bari play...They were very fun to watch last year and they have a great coach, Giampiero Ventura, who seems to do best with teams that lack big names and are full of young players. He has basically been begging Giovinco to choose them, unfortunately Parma has made a better offer that he's basically accepted. I think he'll do well there too though

another friendly : Roma tied PSG 1-1

[magik9113]

List of relatively unknown and/or young players I think may have a big year:


Stevan Jovetic (Fiorentina) 20 year old trequarista/second striker is already one of the most exciting players in Serie A. Was vital to Fiorentina's champions league run last year, scoring decisive goals most notably against Liverpool (both games)...He has potential to become something truly special. Edit...he is out until the new year.....


Javier Pastore (Palermo) 21 year old attacking center mid recently enjoyed a trip to the world cup with Diego Maradona's Argentina squad thanks to his impressive season last year at Palermo. His playmaking abilities allowed him to become regular starter in his first season with the team, playing in an attacking role behind Cavani and Miccoli.


Davide Lanzafame (Juventus) 23 year old winger came up in Juve's youth system and had two good seasons on load to Bari in Serie B and Parma last season. He finally has made it back to Juve and will likely be a starter in Del Neri's 4-4-2 formation. He is a tremendous dribbler with an eye for scoring and creating goals.


Andrea Poli (Sampdoria) 20 year old center mid is highly regarded as one of the best upcoming talents in Italy. Became a regular for Samp last year, helping them to finish 4th place. Is linked with a move to Milan this summer, but they are too poor for his 15 million euro price tag.


Jérémy Menez (Roma) 23 year old attacking midfielder hasn't impressed too much since joining Roma, but is enjoing a successful preseason so far and seems to be more comfortable in Ranieri's midfield.


Abel Hernández (Palermo) 20 year old Uruguayan striker with immense potential. Scored 11 goals in 29 appearances in his first Serie A season last year. He will be sharing time up top with Fabrizio Miccoli and newcomer Massimo Maccarone.

Others:
Mauro Zárate (Lazio), Barreto (Bari), Raffaele Palladino (Genoa), Andrea Rannochia (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Juve), Alessandro Matri (Cagliari), Marco Motta (Juve), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna) Philippe Coutinho Inter

[magik9113]

friendlies:
Palermo 2 - 2 Vfl Bochum
Napoli 2 - 1 Wolfsburg