I'm with you on this one, Duck. Gilardino has little chance when Vieri is in the kind of form he showed against Chelsea today. By the way I don't understand the talk of Gilardino as being over-rated--is there anything else he could do to justify the high opinion people have of him? He's excelled on pretty much every stage he's played on-- Serie A, the U-21s, the Olympics, the UEFA Cup (in his few appearances) and also in his caps for the Azzurri. I'd say the idea that he just might be an extraordinary striker is perfectly reasonable.
Vieri looked awesome today....the only way Vieri scores more goals than Gila this year is if Gila suffers a season ending injury.
way to go predicting a season by one game. anyway, gilardino had one goal in eight games in the uefa cup last season. thats hardly excelling when youre a striker.
If Gila had joined Juve, he would be raving on how Gila would be the greatest striker ever to come from Italy.
Neither would I. I'd be hoping he might become that, but I've seen too many players who excelled at smaller clubs fail on the big stage at Juve to insist that it would definitely happen.
I'll remind you of this thread after the season's done, Duck. I'm pretty sure that by then Vieri will not have lived up to your expectations, and that Gilardino will have exceeded them. Also, the idea that Juve fans didn't want or need Gila or Cassano is a funny one. It comes from repeating things that Moggi has said to the press. "We already have 5 world-class strikers," "the squad is already optimal in all aspects," "I pledge my loyalty to Lucifer for eternity . . ." Keep repeating for best effect.
However, Pippo Inzaghi is the counterexample. I personally think Gila will only benefit from the move to Milan, and he will solidify his place as our NT striker. We'll see, though. You have to give the guy some time before commenting.
LOL, you obviously don't check out the Juve board that much. Just like any fan group, there is always questioning about everything from which players are needed to Capello's tactics, etc etc.
Actually Sue, I *do check out the Juve fan boards--in fact I suggested there that Juve's strike force (8 goals in 9 CL games) could use a pair of fresh legs. For my efforts I was given a neg rep and a hollering to by Bergamister and Duck_Manson. No Juve fan came forward to agree with me; everyone flatly stated that the club has a more than adequate offense. Show me the bodies, and we'll talk again.
Vieri is a has been. Has passed his prime. He was painful to watch at Euro 2004 and I hopefully Lippi leaves him off the Azzuri. Time for new blood. In his prime he was great. His prime is in the past.
I believe you'll find Juve fans are not unlike other fan groups in that they will tend to put up a unified front against "outsiders" even while having vigorous debates amongst themselves.
And Duck is such an agreeable fellow, to boot. I'm just relieved the rumors of Trezeguet to Chelsea came to naught. You can keep him.
Posts of Juventus fans disagreeing with each other or questioning team management? Never mind, I can find both: Big Mistake Selling Maresca Moggi: We must sell to buy Disgusting Juve ... Frustrated Fan JUVENTUS, is it just me that hates the direction Capello is taking club? And of course countless threads on whether Del Piero is good or sucks ....
Artful dodging . . . Juve fans do criticize their team (duh), but the fact is that on the issue in question, Juve's offense, there's been an annoying tendency for Juve fans to obstinately and adamantly maintain that the trio of ADP (done), Trez (injury-prone), and Ibra (0 goals in last year's CL) are more than adequate and that a new striker like Gila or Cassano would be a "luxury." And this is no isolated issue . . . Juve fans are among the least intellectually honest of any group of fans that I know. And Duck has a lousy personality.
First, I will be the first to say I really wanted Gilardino. So you cannot say that all Juventus fans adamantly maintained that we did not want him. I am not so high on Cassano, though. I think he has a lousy character that can be attributed in part to his good buddy, Totti. Further, I believe what we have is as good or better. For instance, I don't see Cassano as any more promising than Mutu at this point. Second, I also acknowledged that our attack needed a little boost. However, the addition of Mutu this season might just be that. Further, when Trez is healthy, there are few better goalscorers around. Therefore, our attacking situation is not so bad as you make it sound. And finally, please spare me the accusations of a Roma fan calling fans of other teams "intellectually dishonest." FFS, Totti is a damn cancer, and you guys still hold him up as if he were a god, just because he is the symbol, or bandera, of your club. IMHO, he is exactly what is wrong with Roma, and he has proven to be a cancer not just for club, but also for country. You guys should try being a bit more "intellectually honest" about your own situation before you criticize us.
You're the first I've heard to say it. As for Roma fans and Totti . . . complex issue. In one sense he's acted admirably in a topsy-turvy world--staying loyal to his home- town club, giving the shirt prestige with so many brilliant performances; winning the scudetto). In another sense he's disgraced himself and the club times out of number with his excessive antics. There's a contradiction there that everyone sees. He's never going to be anybody's plaster saint, but Roma fans see his flaws clearly and admit them, at least. At the same time we don't deny his loyalty and brilliant qualities; and he is our symbol. Roman born, and a Roman till the end. What can I say?
I'm not just talking about Totti's off field antics. Granted, he has tremendous skill; however, IMHO, he has fallen short when it has mattered. Two things I would like to comment on in particular. First, I think he has been one of the central, major problems with the NT, due to his discipline, or lack thereof, in the two preceding international tournaments. Moreover, he also failed to produce on the pitch in the tournaments in question. Second, I feel that he has also fallen short with Roma. Two years removed, when Roma had an actual shot at the scudetto, in the key encounters with Milan, he was nowhere to be seen. Those were the game where he was supposed to shine. It seems like Roma fans feel like they are being fair when they criticize Totti for his character; however, they are dismissing the fact that the guy has not performed in key moments for club & country when it has mattered in the last four years.
That said I really do admire Totti from a normal standpoint. In a time of money and corruption he could easily gone to Madrid, Milan or any other big club for that matter yet he has stayed with AS Roma, his hometown team. Even if he does have his problems no one can deny the loyalty he has. It must be burgundy blood running through those veins. SPQR.
Do you know that Totti is recieving over ten million Euros a year, as stipend from his "little hometown" team? He's not exactly starving playing for Roma; he is one of the highest payed footballers in the world.
Even with his 10M wouldn't you want to win some trophies like the CL? I wonder if we will see that point in his career where he says I want to win trophies and not settle for money. Should be interesting. But with Roma keeping Chivu, hopefully they'll be on the right track. Roma is my favorite Italian team and I want them to get back to winning ways. Plus I like the resurgence of young talent from Roma as we finally see the youngsters starting to progress. We see this with Aquiliani and De Rossi in particular. Maybe not next year but in 2 years time they should be right up there with Milan if no one leaves. Mexes, Chivu, Mancine, De Rossi, Aquliani, Totti, Cassano, Montella is a pretty good team base.