bit of waffle
some pals and i attended an AC Milan-Chievo game earlier this season (Milan won thanks to a Kaka pen) and we all agreed afterward that the occasionally lovely technique of the home team was sullied a little by the sloth-like pace at which both teams were often content to play at.
toward the end of the game the visitors upped the tempo and gave it a bit of a go for the last 20 minutes or so; Milan were under the cosh. (though, yes, did win.)
we realised then it's no wonder English (and some Spanish) teams are often able to turn over Italian teams (in recent years, certainly).
on that same weekend we also saw the Rome derby and Inter win at Palermo on Italian TV. a certain Swedish gent we were discussing up-thread
got both of the Palermo-Inter game's only goals, wonderful individual efforts, one in particular rather sharp, but as others have said, he can be a bit of a hibernating player.
incidentally the camera would flash occasionally to the Special One (in the stands, don't know if this was due to a banning or what) and even when it showed him after their two goals, he had a proper monk on, looked well miserable. the Italian press slag him off a lot apparently, don't warm to the style he has them playing in.
the Rome derby was not too much more notable on the pitch but was more of a laugh for obvious crowd atmosphere reasons. De Rossi was celebrating so much at the end i thought Roman OB should have nicked him for incitement!!
me and a mate attended Barcelona caning Valencia last December and that was glorious: hard to disagree with posters up-thread going on favourably about some of the top Spanish teams etc.
Crackerjack on the best six English teams is also right i think; a lot of my mates are football fans, and a lot of them are League One or Championship fans and when these people can see this about the Prem,
well.
i remember distinctly earlier this year a Millwall mate randomly getting into Fulham-Newcastle (ah!
that neutral stand
), and his txts from the match were a joy to read, he was not a happy camper.
loads of the Prem is fairly wank (i write this as a City fan; albeit mostly lapsed these days as i became
incredibly disillusioned post-Thaksin), as are loads of all the top leagues, let's be honest.
i'm holding out hope that if the five trophies is on for United, the lovely Barcelona can at least provide some meat against!
(that said i would rather them win the league than 'Pool, as the media overkill, especially in my native northwest, would be insufferably, truly insufferable. this is academic of course anyway unless Carrington is blown up or something.)
BTW out of the Italian teams in the CL, Juve have looked the sternest i'd say, playing the English clubs in that last round of games.
p.s.
Quaresma was poor in Italy.
he was poor in Spain.
he was good in Portugal.
hmm.
p.p.s.
do you think O'Hara stepped up yday as he wanted to, or just had to as he was the boldest about it? does anyone know if Spurs have a penalty taking order?
i just thought we know Croatians (hideous ethno-national stereotype ahoy :slanted: but bear with me..) can take pens - as evidenced by the sole Spud conversion - and just think Luka could've done the business for 'em.
ah well, just a thought.
i had had rather a few beers by this stage but i think LM was still eligible to take then?
