February 2012
13 posts
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Alessandro Matri: Old Lady's New Leading Man
From the moment David Trezeguet departed for Alicante, fans and journalists alike bemoaned the lack of a true goal scorer in the Juventus attack. Juve did eventually make a move in the market and the man they actually acquired was, initially at least, viewed as thoroughly underwhelming. ‘Juventus Shock’ was the Gazzetta dello Sport headline that greeted the arrival of...
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Inter Issues So Much More Than Schoolboy Errors
Now famous across Italy, young Inter fan Filippo recently held up a placard at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, begging his heroes to play well so he wasn’t made fun of at school. Sadly for the kid, whose sad fate has not only been broadcast to the nation but is now the ridicule of Milan fans, light-heartedly displaying a banner of their own urging the Rossoneri to “continue to win, so we can make...
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Juventus Youth Sector Latest: Victorious At...
After an impressive showing in the Group Stage – as detailed in last weeks column – Juventus continued their Viareggio adventure in the knockout stages. With a game every other day this prestigious competition is not only a test of quality but also a great barometer of the depth of the squads on show. This post, part of a detailed weekly series on the Bianconeri Youth Sector, brings all the...
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Napoli-Chelsea Preview: First Goal Wins?
When Argentina were drawn against host nation Italy in the 1990 World Cup Semi Final at Naples Stadio San Paolo, Diego Maradona attempted to exploit the resentment felt among Neapolitans by asking them to support Argentina instead of the home nation. Provoking outrage and shocking locals, the pleas of their captain failed, a prominent banner in the stands proclaiming “Maradona, Naples...
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Remarkable Robur: Assessing Giuseppe Sannino's...
At first glance, newly promoted Siena seemingly offer very little in the way of talking points, sitting in sixteenth place in Serie A and just five points outside the relegation places. They also have none of the big name players seeing out their playing days lower down the table that some of the sides around them possess - such as Cesena’s Adrian Mutu - nor a coach with a compelling...
Juventus Youth Sector Weekly: Viareggio Special ~... →
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Juventus: In Search Of Imagination
Almost a year ago, after another disappointing result for Juventus, club legend Beppe Furino told Roman newspaper Leggo that “the Scudetto is won in the provinces”. The Bianconeri would do well to heed the words of their former captain, a man who knows more than most about winning the league title given that the Sicilian is one of only three players to be an eight time Serie A...
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More Serie A Surprises: Aerial Superiority
Unlike other leagues, Serie A is not commonly associated with great headers of the ball, even among its defenders. While England and English football bring to mind classic number nines and lumbering central defenders, Italy is more readily thought of for bringing culture to the game and beyond the artistry of play-makers such as Gianni Rivera and Giancarlo Antognoni, even the peninsula’s...
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Purple Patch: Fiorentina's Surprising Defence
When looking at Fiorentina from afar, good news is seemingly hard to find. For a club with a history as storied as theirs, Viola heroes such as Giancarlo Antognoni, Gabriel Batistuta and Manuel Rui Costa have never felt so far away. The club appear to be the living embodiment of Murphy’s Law; the owners are disillusioned with the city council over their bid to build a new stadium, their...
Juventus Youth Sector Latest ~ Click To Read →
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David Pizarro: Manchester City's New Magician
Throughout January, Manchester City have been linked with a stream of midfielders as Roberto Mancini searched for an evolution to the centre of his team, so often criticised for being filled with destructive players.
The coach has made a conscious effort to move away from always playing three defensive players, as the marginalisation of Nigel de Jong proves but it has always seemed as though a...
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Serie A On The Score: Settimanale Substitute
Adam joined regular hosts James Sharman and Kristian Jack on transfer deadline day to look back on recent events in Serie A. Among the issues discussed were Napoli’s poor league form, odd winter transfer campaigns from both Milan clubs including the much-delayed move for Catania striker Maxi Lopez. Of course Juventus were a hot topic with the tactics of Antonio Conte, the impact of the new...