Calcio Saga 21/22

Krunic in for Maldini (which makes sense but doesn't solve any core issue) and Castelijo in for Saladmaker, which is a hail mary that solves nothing.

Very unfortunate for Maldini to play in a game where our defense collectively decides to become butter and our LB plays for the other team.

I have no hope unless Ibra comes in, then I will have some unreasonable remenante of it.

.....

Hail Mary Castelijo worked for the first time ever.

Unreal Scudetto mentality to come back from 2-0 down

There was no evidence that it was happening, and the team didn't actually improve the play to the extent of forcing it to happen, but we somehow managed to get the comeback.

First, Leao had to do everything in the left side in the absence of Theo, and finally got a decent ball for Giroud to head.

Second, Castelijo, who you can never fault for effort, made himself a nuisance all half and managed to cause a penalty with one of his annoying runs.

Then, with Ibra in, he delivered a really good low cross that would have found its way to Ibra if the Verona player didn't score it against himself.

Verona didn't attack all second half, and that played to our ramshackle defense's strengths. Still, a league-winning side doesn't concede to bloody Veron twice in 25 minutes without taking one meaningful attack.

Performance-wise, Giroud was still awful despite his goal. Notice the difference in hold-up play and overall connectivity when Ibra came in. Giroud doesn't have the same level of skill, control, and ability to bring players in.

We should have scored a fourth though if Ibra wasn't desperate to score himself.

Giroud has been a one-trick pony for a while now. The only thing he's good for is heading the ball. He has nothing else going for him.

Szczesny makes a great save to a header early on, later causes a penalty, then saves the penalty

Rollercoaster of a game from him

Roma sharp at the start and at the end, with us controlling the majority of the half a bit more.

We really miss Dybala, Chiesa is a fatigued out there not doing much, needs a rest. Kulusevski and Arthur would be useful

reading that the ref denied Roma the advantage of an actual goal scored and instead gave them a penalty which they then missed

Yeah he whistled on the penalty, then moments after the whistle, in the same play Roma scored.

Should have been a goal, but the ref had already whistled.

Then Szczesny saved Veretout's penalty.

Roma fucking robbed, should've been a penalty for that challenge on Abraham, even then advantage should've been to Roma.

This league's refereeing is a disgrace

Napoli is really clutch this season, winning the games they should be drawings, with Osmihan in fire form.

They will not be able to cope without him though, the most important player in that team.

A draw and 6 wins in the last 7 matches, including three 1-0s in a row.

Max is figuring it out. Still lots of issues but results are starting to come and we recovered defensive solidity. Bernardeschi is the positive surprise of the season so far, Kean the negative one.

Arthur is back, Dybala will hopefully be back for the next match. We have Zenit and Inter away coming now, two key matches.

never in doubt

Orsato really should read the IFAB rule change on handballs. I'm sure he'd then know how badly he fucked up today.

I generally don't like using ref decisions as alibis and I won't today. We had a clear chance to at least get a point out of this today and we squandered it. That didn't have to happen yet when we needed that point the most, we didn't take it. I can't over look that, no matter how bad that decision against us was.

I want to know - did Mou complain like a bitch he always does? Any of those handcuffs gestures yet? They were so classic

Surprisingly he didn't complain much, he complained much more vs Lazio

So Derby d' Italia time

Inter v Juventus: five great matches from the Derby d’Italia https://t.co/HbRSo0ZxJD

— The Guardian (@guardian) October 22, 2021

Leao has stepped up big time this season. Love to see it.

Unreal choke mentality

Bologna is ruining us with 10 man

This ain't a Scudetto team

Bakayoko comes in and we completely lose the midfieldand any offensive thrust.

It was only a matter of time that they equalize after Ibra's own goal.

Terrible subs from Pioli at 45 minutes.

How the fuck are we getting dominated by 10 men

Soriano red card

Bologna down to 9 men

Watch them score 2 more now

Bologna with another straight red card.

Still not going to score though.

Kaladin wrote:How the fuck are we getting dominated by 10 men

Pioli's subs.

Bakayoko extremely slow in everything he does, it's like he nullifies the extra man advantage.

Bologna can go down to 6 men and we still wouldn't score