Yes. Even more. He only has a gas tank that gives him, at most, 75 Minutes. EDIT: I am also guilty of getting excited after a couple of good performances but that outside of the boot pass by Spina to Rasmus Hojlund was superb.
Why was Camarda on the bench? This is stupid. Roma again played mercenaries ahead of their young talent and lost. (Baldanzi and Pisilli almost got the draw and played well but why aren't they starting?) Same with Fazzini...everytime he's in, he does great things so why doesn't he start? I'm starting to think our managers are developing a reverse bias against our players. It's madness.
I think they are being careful with Camarda after his concussion close call. Fazzini and Cavagilia will win their spots but Mandragora and Fagioli were there first so it makes sense to go with them first but I already see Fazzini as a bug improvement on Fagioli. He will find his way into the 11. There are also conference league and coppa italia games which is why Fiorentina bought a big bench they really want a trophy since the drought goes back to 2001. I think they will all play a good amount of games. Baldanzi and Pissili are in a tough spot with Gasps 3421 they are competing with Soule and Dybala and if Pissili gets the CM spot he is competing with Cristante and really needs to provide an all round game. I hope Gasprerini can turn him into a true B2B midfielder. I bet that is what he see's him as. Baldanzi is talented but he lacks an end product and if you're a shifty player like he is and you don't provide goals and assist you will be left behind. I think he will develop but I see him on a Zacagni type trajectory where he maybe needed to be pulling the strings at a Verona before he got a spot at a Lazio or Roma.
Yeah he was great defensively he seems to have develop into a much better defender now at Napoli. He is big and physical. I think a big reason we struggle on set pieces is that we have been defending with Di Marco Di Lorenzo who are small and Bastoni who isn't as good in the air as he could be and then the midfielders Barella Politano Tonali are all short as well. Buongiorno and Calafiori are both very good in the air and strong. I wouldn't hate a back 4 of Cambiaso Buongirono Calafiori Spinazolla but you have the issue of 4 left footed players so instead maybe a back 3 of Scalvini Buongiorno Calafiori with Spinazolla as a LWB is the way to go and then you can throw Calafiori to LWB and bring in Bastoni at LCB and Di Marco can be your third option. Where Cambiaso can play RWB/RM for Politano Orsolini depending on how you see the shape.
Palladino quit Fiorentina. He wasn’t fired. Pioli is not a bad coach. The problem at Fiorentina is Prade who doesn’t know how to build a team.
Donnarumma with a big big save in the Manchester derby also looks alright with his feet. Pep seems to be finally embracing playing to Harland's strengths and with Donnarumma Ruben Dias Rodri and Haaland that's a spine that can win the CL if Pep dosent tinker too much. Gigio is special he takes goals away he dosen't just make the saves he's supposed to. https://streamff.com/v/ab6b92c2#google_vignette
The problem at Fiorentina is they are like Roma and Lazio and only want to compete and possibly make it into Europe. They can't afford to win a scudetto and haven't been in contention for it in the last 26 years. I applaud Rocco B. Commisso's efforts in buying the team and building the new training complex but he will never win a scudetto.
Apparently Stulic is their starter so ya Camarda once again will be getting 15-20 mins a game. It's so sad, he showed more in those 20 mins than Stulic showed all game. At least Camarda should get picked for the U20 World Cup starting soon, I'm looking forward to that.
Spinna is right footed. I don't want to see Calafiori as a CB in a back 4, he is way too attack minded, good teams will definitely exploit that. If we go to a back 3, he can play as LCB, but in a back 4 he must play as a LB. Also this left footed right footed where they play stuff doesn't matter as much as people think. Scalvini played great as a LCB today. Bastoni and Calafiori have both played RCB for us. Shit Brazil won a world cup with a 3 man defense that were all right footed, lol.
Yep, no Isak yet, once Isak joins we prolly won't see much of him. Chiesa only plays CF for them. His best play was a close header once he was subbed in that barely went wide. It's good for Italy that he plays CF for Liverpool.
Oh that's right I forget that Spinazolla mostly cuts in off the left. Yeah I agree it's not a big deal to me play the best defenders that you have.
Ricci looked great off the bench for Milan today I have no doubt that he will play his way into a midfield 3 with Modric and Rabiot he just has too much quality on the ball and he works hard defensively with an aggression. I still see by the playoffs a midfield trio of Ricci Tonali Barella whether it's a 352 or a 433. He is just a cut above Locatelli and Rovella. The interesting thing is with Modric as a regista Ricci was deployed in more of a B2B role and he did well. Gabbia was also very solid in a back 3. wont be surprised if Allegri turns him into a monster. Along with Buongiorno he could be an option to play in the centre of a back 3 if he can continue like this. Bologna played a bunch of italians which was nice to see even Bernadeschi showed he still has quality off the bench.
I couldn't help but notice in an interview Jonathan David had when asked who at Juve impresses him, his reply was Locatelli for how he sets the tempo for a team. Yet most here don't rate him.
Locatelli has a higher ceiling but lower floor than Ricci and Rovella imo. He is a proven winner, has all the tenacity off the ball which you know Gattuso loves, but that was costly in that stupid own goal. Also he just seemed a bit nervous both games, he was one of my favorite players but after seeing Rovella and especially Ricci play the regista role for Azzurri, they are definitely more in charge. It kind a reminded me of Jorginho vs Locatelli, you could clearly see Jorginho was the general and Locatelli was just off when he had his chances. Ricci was playing the box to box role for Torino. It's funny, Barella, Tonali, and Ricci have all played regista and mezzala roles for club and country.
He is a quality player his passing stats are among the best in europe I think Spalletti not taking him when we lacked depth for Euro 2024 made many think he was below par. In hindsight taking Fagioli instead now looks absurd let alone a broken down Jorginho and Cristante. I think Ricci is a tidier player with better close control dribbling. Locatelli for me is a good deep playmaker and a strong passer but I think he was really at his best with Mancini where he was played more box to box and was asked to shoot on goal more. We've never really seen that Locatelli since Euro 2020.
The fixation on footedness goes a bit extreme in today's game, I do agree. It's more a preference thing. You ideally would like the balance of L-R on a backline, but it's also very system dependent. Mancini loved the fact Spinna was right footed to work off Insigne on our Euro run. Plus, he had speed for days and could take the man to the end-line or stop up and swing a ball in. It was by no means detrimental having a right footed player flying down the left flank in that example. My big takeaway is that it isn't worth sacrificing talent over and playing a far less superior player in a position because of the L/R dynamic.
Maybe this generation still has some cattiveria in them afterall. After the match some Israeli players said that the Italy players were shit-talking them.
The comment about CB's. I guess in a perfect world you have 1 stopper/ physical player like say Claudio Gentile and pair him with an elegant CB like Gaetano Scirea. So maybe Buongiorno/ Scalvini partnership could be an option but even in a flat 4 I don't see Bastoni getting dropped.
Yeah exactly which is why I think the solution is to play Scalvini/Leoni/Comuzzo even Gatti as a RCB/RB hybrid if we lineup with a 433/442. It's basically a lopsided 352 it can become predictable because it's obvious you will overload on the left but if the RM/RW can work hard you have a second outlet down the right. Bastoni is your libero Buongiorno is your Sweeper Scalvini is your ball playing CB and Calafiori is basically free to attack as a wing back and can get back in shape to form a back 4 or back 5 if Politano defends deep on the wing or Cambiaso if we want more coverage. This is basically what we dod in 2020 and 2006 the thing that made 2006 so strong is teams didnt know which fullback was pushing up as both Zaambrotta dn Grosso could attack and defend really well. We don't have someone on the right to match Calafiori ut it can still work. ----------------------------------------CF-Retegui --------------------------LF-Kean--------------------------------RM--Politano/Cambiaso ----------------B2B-Tonali----------------------AM--Barella- -----------------------------------Regista-Ricci LB---Calafiori-------LCB-Bastoni-------------RCB--Scalvini ------------------------------------SW--Buongiorno ------------------------------------------Gigio subs LF-Raspadori CF--Esposito B2B--Locatelli AM---Fratessi Regista--Rovella LB--Di Marco/Cambiaso RM---Orsolini/Cambiaso CB---Gatti/Gabbia/Leoni/Comuzzo RCB--Di Lorenzo
I would pump the brakes on Leoni given he doesn’t even make the game day squad and is left in the press box. I know you are only mentioning him because he was called to the last round. He should have signed that contract with Liverpool and sent on loan back to Parma. I hope Liverpool handle him right because if he has to sit until VVD retires his growth will be stunted. EDIT: maybe one to keep a eye on at CB is Luca Marianucci.
Yeah Marianucci is interesting and yes i only mention Leoni as someone on the outside Coppola Comuzzo Leoni and some others are all big maybes as far as 2026 and even then it would likely be as backups or if there were serious injuries. If we did try to play Scalvini Buongiorno Bastoni Calafiori together the CB options on the bench get a little lighter but the younger lads need to play before they jump ahead of Gatti Gabbia Mancini realistically.
Of note. This past weekend when Nicolò Savona was brought in for an injured teammate, he played CB, not his usual Right back role. While its good for his development and versatility, I really hope Forest doesn’t make it a thing.