I've found myself watching more and more Serie A matches over the last couple of years. It's a really entertaining league at the moment. Milan were a really enjoyable side to watch in their league winning campaign last season, with Rafael Leão devastating, Tomori really impressive in defence, Bennacer looking like the next best thing to Frenkie de Jong, and two veteran strikers we know well. Inter are a machine, slightly malfunctioning. Mourinho's Roma: tough and canny, anchored by Mike Smalling, and with Tammy Abraham leading the line with confidence. Schadenfreude at Juve's decline and disgrace. Atalanta doing a Brighton with progressive tactics and incredible recruitment on a small budget - and becoming a credible Champions League side. Speaking of traditionally small clubs, De Zerbi popped up at Sassuolo and had them playing some lovely football, before moving on to Shakhtar and now Brighton.
And Napoli... for arbitrary reasons I can't really define they've always been my favourite Italian club. Probably in part the Maradona factor. Probably the fact that Naples is the outsider among Italy's big cities: poorer, grittier, southern, more derided and more proud. Over the last few years Napoli have often played the most attractive attacking football in the league. Sometimes they have threatened to go all the way, but in the second half of the season been let down by a brittleness that maybe came down to squad depth as much as mentality.
This season looks different. Spalletti has them playing thrilling attacking football that is blowing away very good sides (and Liverpool) this season, and also with an assurance that was lacking in previous seasons. They didn't lose a league match until after the World Cup break (narrowly to Inter) but have since won four on the trot, including a 5-1 thrashing of Juventus and edging out Roma last night, to extend their lead to 13 points. Much credit must go to Napoli's recruitment operation: while they inevitably lose star players to wealthier sides, they have reinvested very well and built not just an excellent XI, but a very strong squad. They lost Koulibaly but replaced him with Kim Min-jae who looks even better. With players such as Zielinski, Anguissa, Lobotka, they have lots of midfield options to provide a combination of intelligence, flair and bite. Kvaratskhelia (picked up for about £10m) is one of the most exciting young attacking players in the world.
And Victor Osimhen is outstanding every time I watch him. Outrageously talented, aggressive, fast, intelligent use of the ball and movement off the ball. We're all terrified of Haaland's potential. I'd be equally dismayed if Osimhen rocked up at one of our domestic rivals.
It really doesn't look like Napoli are going to mess it up this season. The club and the city absolutely deserve it. I hope it won't be a bittersweet moment, as there are many players that the continent's (financial) superclubs will covet. As a United fan, I'd love to see Osimhen and Kim in particular at my club. But it's also a great shame to see a wonderful side broken up just as it reaches its potential. Napoli players must love where they're at right now, must love playing together, and I'd really like to see the key figures stick around another year at least just to see how far they can go.
Serie A - Napoli - Osimhen
posted on 30/1/23
Great article, RR. Shame it looks like I missed the discussion, but I'm sure someone's put a word in for Simeone.
Is Kim that good though? I'd heard he was the Korean Maguire.
posted on 30/1/23
comment by it'sonlyagame - today I feel like George Santos' lie detector (U6426)
posted 17 minutes ago
Great article, RR. Shame it looks like I missed the discussion, but I'm sure someone's put a word in for Simeone.
Is Kim that good though? I'd heard he was the Korean Maguire.
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Lol whut?
I made that joke b4 we sign him butt he is awesone
posted on 30/1/23
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 5 hours, 36 minutes ago
I'd be curious to hear from the forum on the Italian teams everyone has a soft spot for, players from Serie A you'd like to recruit, generally any calcio-related content.
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I've had a soft spot for Livorno ever since the days of Cristiano Lucarelli. They went bust a couple of years ago and are now down in Serie D, but I still check regularly to see how they're getting on.
Other than them, it's always been Napoli for me too, for the same reasons you state in your article. I also spent a few years following a trip to Sicily keeping eye out for Catania. Generally speaking, I'll also honk my horn for any side south of Rome that's causing a ripple.
Ceterum senseo, Mourinho delenda est.
posted on 30/1/23
I really like Lobotka.
He'd be one of my midfield options for the summer however I read today we're looking for a younger midfielder.
How young that is we'll have to wait and see.
posted on 30/1/23
comment by #4zA - Ha da passa a nuttata (U22472)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by it'sonlyagame - today I feel like George Santos' lie detector (U6426)
posted 17 minutes ago
Great article, RR. Shame it looks like I missed the discussion, but I'm sure someone's put a word in for Simeone.
Is Kim that good though? I'd heard he was the Korean Maguire.
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Lol whut?
I made that joke b4 we sign him butt he is awesone
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Sew dats wear I herd it!
posted on 30/1/23
I think Serie A lacks quality these days but at least it’s entertaining.
Napoli look fantastic. Would be great if they could win the CL.
posted on 30/1/23
"I think Serie A lacks quality these days"
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I suppose you mean it isn't quite what it used to be, but the "lacks quality" expression really grinds my gears. It just feels so disparaging of the game itself.
Serie A is still one of the best leagues in world football, which puts it in like the top 1% of football you can witness anywhere on the planet.
posted on 30/1/23
Parma was my team back in the 90s
posted on 30/1/23
comment by Martial Law (U13506)
posted 55 minutes ago
Parma was my team back in the 90s
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And it must have been Ham Tyler's also.
posted on 2/2/23
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 3 days, 1 hour ago
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 minute ago
I'd be curious to hear from the forum on the Italian teams everyone has a soft spot for, players from Serie A you'd like to recruit, generally any calcio-related content.
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My dearly departed mother supported Milan as it was her home team.
I never liked Milan, even when the Dutch trio were tearing it up. I did like Jean Pierre Papin however.
The Serie A team I have always had soft spot for was Lazio. Mancini & Signori were instrumental in that.
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Sorry to hear about your mum, MUDD, whether it was recently or long ago.
The two sides you mention bring out the lefty in me. I wanted to like that early 90s Milan side but couldn't get over the fact that it was owned by Silvio Berlusconi. And as for football in the capital city, it's my understanding that Lazio was the club that had the far-right ultras, whereas Roma had more of a left-wing following, so I was always on the off-red side of the Rome derby.
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Cheers mate.
Hear what you say about the Lazio/Roma thing.