Calcio Thoughts: Edition 12

Calcio Thoughts is back for it’s 12th edition! Lots of questions backed up from late January, so I’m really sorry that they are only being answered now. Calcio Thoughts should be a regular weekly post again, so if you ask a question for the next edition I promise it won’t be answered in 2013. As always, if you’d like a calcio question answered in next week’s edition, or just have a comment or thought, feel free to post it in the comments of this post, in the comments of the upcoming Weekend that Was post, email it to calciothoughts@gmail.com, or ask me on Twitter (@ItalyOffside). Here’s Calcio Thoughts 12:

First, Kabir had a question about what would be the best Italian U-23 XI as well as the best Young Player XI in Italy including all nationalities. So here it is:

Italian U-23 XI: (I included players that were 23 as well)
4-2-3-1: Perin; Santon, Ranocchia, Camporese, Crescenzi; Poli, Marrone; Fabbrini, El-Shaarawy, Balotelli; Macheda

All Nationalities Young Player Serie A XI (I made this Under-25)
4-2-3-1: Sirigu; Isla, Ranocchia, Bonucci, Armero; Marchisio, Poli; Pastore, Menez, Ilicic; Pato

Who do you think will make the Italy squad for the upcoming friendly based on league performances so far? I’d like to see Milan’s Abate get a call because he’s done pretty well this year. Which 4-5 strikers would you choose (prima and seconda punta)?
-Cheryl

Well this question is since obsolete, but yes I’d also like to see Abate get a chance with the national team, even though he has two strong rivals in his position in Cassani and Maggio that are both having outstanding seasons.
My 5 Italy strikers, when healthy, for the national team would be: Cassano, Pazzini, Borriello, Balotelli, Rossi

As both an objective observer and a Milan fan, what do you think of their defense this season and do you have any preferred targets for the June transfer market? (personally, i’d like to see Astori in the red and black, and possibly a left back if vila isn’t progressing well.)
P.S. of the players whose contracts run out this summer, who would you resign, who would you let go, and who are you unsure of? (obviously i’m a fellow Milanista, but these questions have been on my mind and bouncing around the milan offside, so i wanted your somewhat “broader” opinion.)
-Evan

When healthy, Nesta and Thiago Silva are arguably the best center back pairing in Serie A. However, the problem is “when healthy”. Nesta just can’t stay healthy for a full season anymore, and Milan really need to try and find a quality center back that can become his heir. (Too bad Ranocchia went to Inter). Astori could be a good sub next season and is definitely an improvement over Bonera, however I don’t think he can become that world class defender Milan needs. If you want to stick to Italians, I think the best young defender in Serie A is Michele Camporese of Fiorentina, he could be a potential superstar. Also, Milan needs a quality fullback. Abate has shown he has potential to be really good, but Antonini has shown his weaknesses this season and a really good left-back is needed.
Now on to the expiring contracts: Jankulovski will definitely be discarded so we won’t even count him, I would definitely keep Ambrosini because of his loyal service to the club and experience he gives in midfield. I would love to have Milan keep Inzaghi around another year as well, to make up for this terrible injury season. Pirlo and Seedorf are where the questions come in. I think it’s time to let Seedorf go. He was an amazing servant to Milan, but he’s just too old and slow now and can’t contribute consistently. Pirlo is a tricky one. He’s a unique player and when in form one of the best players in Europe, but this injury-ravaged season is worrying, and he isn’t getting any younger. I won’t make a judgment on him until he returns from injury.

what do you think about Ignazio Abate this season?
who are the top Italian side-backs at the moment?
why are Juventus just signing mediocre Italian players?
-Stone Cold

Abate has really impressed me this season, he’s really improving the defensive side of his game and is showing he has what it takes to be a top-level fullback.
The best Italian fullbacks at the moment in my opinion are Federico Balzaretti, Mattia Cassani, and Christian Maggio, all workhorses that never stop running but also have great technique and are great at getting forward.
The Juventus situation is 1) because they have no money and 2) because there really is nobody else available, and they needed to fill some gaps to finish the season strongly.

which position does Urby Emanuelson play?
who has done well in transfer market inter or milan?
-whoooo

Emanuelson, by his own admission and Allegri’s admission, is a midfielder.
Inter and Milan both did equally well on the transfer market, they both added players that could really make the difference and filled the gaps in their squad.

My question is…was Inzaghi’s goal against Real M. offside,what do you think?
-Adash

It was a 50/50 call, could have gone either way.

Almost every club in serie A, EPL and La Liga are struggling with some financial problems right now. Besides, there’s a UEFA Financial Fair Play preview period this season so I can understand why Juve only went for Toni and Barzagli. But where did Milan, Inter and Genoa get all the money?
-Signora1897

Financial fair play still hasn’t kicked in, and there was no preview period this year. Clubs spent freely (like Chelsea with Torres and David Luiz). Milan’s transfer market didn’t cost them anything really, almost all of their signings were free, and the ones that weren’t were low cost. Inter always had money, Moratti is extremely rich. Genoa made a lot of money in selling players and reinvesting that money to buy new players.

This question may seem a little out of the blue because it’s directed to calcio off the pitch. Italian football is unique in that it’s practically the only league where the fans have a lot of power, barring the Ultras Sur of Real Madrid, who pretty much copied the Italians of course. I recently saw a documentary that focuses on two of the biggest groups of fans: Lazio’s Irrudicibili, and Juventus’ Drughi. What do you make of these ultras, are you for or against their methods? As an outsider looking in, it amazed me how much power they yield over the clubs. In one scene, the Irrudicibili leader met with then Lazio captain- Alessandro Nesta to quell their feud. How does one even join a group like that?
-Joe

Yeah the Ultras are just something that will always be a part of calcio. Although some groups are disbanding, for the most part the Ultras are still in full force. I like that the Ultras really provide a great atmosphere at games, but I hate when they bring violence into the mix. Sometimes their power like you mentioned is a little ridiculous as well. I would never want Italian stadiums to become quiet and boring, but sometimes the Ultras do get too extreme.

Have you heard of Piero Lenti, have you seen any of his videos on Youtube and mainly, although he’s way too young, doesn’t he seem to possess some scary talent for a kid his age?
-Jorid

Yeah I’ve seen his youtube videos, the kid is amazing. I recommend everyone go on youtube after reading this and watch all the Piero Lent videos, for a kid his age to have that skill is just jaw-dropping. I remember reading this past summer that he signed for Fiorentina, so La Viola may have a potential gem on their hands (even though he’s just 10 and it may take a while before we see him appear in Serie A). Also, let’s remember that a lot times these youth prodigies grow up and never become anything more than Serie C2 players. So we’ll have to see how he develops.

How do you think was the refereeing between Juventus-Inter game?
-Comrade

I don’t really like to talk about referees, but I will say that I’ve never been a big Valeri fan.

Calcio Thoughts 13

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