I will try to start one of these threads every week. All news about matches that do not have there own thread can go here.

So a new season is finally starting and what a season it looks to be. Inter, Juve, Genoa, Napoli, Palermo and Lazio have dramatically improved while Milan and Roma look to have fallen behind. I really hope to see a real fight for top spot instead of Inter easily winning it again.

Week 1 Games

Saturday August 22 2009

18:00
Bologna VS Fiorentina

20:45
Siena VS Milan

Sunday August 23 2009

18:00
Internazionale VS Bari

20:45
Catania VS Sampdoria
Genoa VS Roma
Juventus VS Chievo
Lazio VS Atalanta
Livorno VS Cagliari
Palermo VS Napoli
Udinese VS Parma

My Picks

Bologna VS Fiorentina -DRAW
Siena VS Milan - DRAW
Internazionale VS Bari
Catania VS Sampdoria - DRAW
Genoa VS Roma
Juventus VS Chievo
Lazio VS Atalanta
Livorno VS Cagliari
Palermo VS Napoli
Udinese VS Parma - DRAW

Bologna VS Fiorentina
Siena VS Milan
Internazionale VS Bari
Catania VS Sampdoria
Genoa VS Roma
Juventus VS Chievo
Lazio VS Atalanta
Livorno VS Cagliari
Palermo VS Napoli
Udinese VS Parma

Milan might be a little weaker this year but Siena have lost a lot of key players and will need a great effort to stay up, I don't think they will beat Milan but early season you never know.

Palermo look like a good outside bet for the top four, I think they might edge Napoli but they have been hit and miss in the past. Otherwise I see a lot of home wins. You could say that Genoa are around the same level as Roma now, but just lack a Totti, De Rossi or Mexes individual, as a team they have some quality and depth.

Milan are stronger than last year, Siena will be destroyed.

No Kaka, No Maldini, No significant signings, shit pre-season.

Sorry Tobinho, I just dont see it. I really hope they prove me wrong.

Yes, the mighty Kaká and Carlo's infallible tactic "give Kaká the ball and let him do something". That was really good wasn't it? Milan were so great last season and the season before, now without Kaká we will surely perish!!!!!!!!

This season Maldini-Favalli is replaced by Nesta-Thiago Silva and Kaká-Ronaldinho-Pato is replaced with Ronaldinho-Pato-Huntelaar. A more solid defence and a more balanced attack with a proper CF. Also, the old guard has been motivated and Leo has tweaked the tactics. I think the team is stronger, last season Milan were shit.

Strength on paper isn't the same as performance though, although I do think Alex is being a bit extreme. However last year at the start you predicted a strong Milan again as you often do in the past but it hasn't happened yet. Nesta being back is the big plus but what Leonardo brings in is the main focus, he looks a lot more serious than Ancelotti, but that can go one of two ways.

I just dont see good things coming from the red side of Milan this season. Its just my prediction. There is not more point of talking, now is up for the team to prove me right or wrong.

Well last season I was saying the same as you and it was right, up until Milan went on a massive winning run and Juve had a huge collapse at the end, both finishing way off Inter of course. This year we need as many teams up around Inter and making them sweat, it's no good with half a challenge from Juve.

I argee 100%. I want to see good things from Milan. I always have and I always will respect them. I want them to pack the pressure in Inter. But I think there owners took them in the wrong direction this summer.

You're right, but how much did you really see of what's gone on? Even just what the players are saying has been much improved. Previously the players were arrogant and relied excessively on Kaká, even Maldini who summed it up when speaking about the loss to Depor in the CL all those years ago and going out with a 4-1 lead from the first leg, he said "No matter how many we conceded we always thought that we would score". Carlo had the same attitude, always play Kaká and Seedorf because they are champions and have intelligence and quality. If Leo installs a meritocracy that is a big step forward even if he had worse players. Leo publicly blasts players for their attitude, today he has again had a go at Ronaldinho only a week after Berlusconi claimed he was "number 1 in the world". Carlo only ever sang his favourite players' praises.

Attitude means a lot in football and it is really changed at Milan, aside from what Leo has brought, Ronaldinho is looking to get back in the Brazil squad for the WC, Nesta and Gattuso are back after a long injury and hungry to play again and there are actually a few young players looking to prove themselves.

Adding that we would be very unlucky to have as bad injuries as we did last year, Milan are in better shape than last year, even if that's not saying much.

Berlusconi has lost it. Some recent gems:

"Ronaldinho is number 1 in the World."

"Thiago Silva and Nesta are the strongest centre-back pairing in the World."

"Will I sell Milan? Not until I am 100 years old. I'm investing in a company that wants to raise life expectancy to 120"

Not to worry, Milan will win Serie A this year.



Okay, I'll stop now.

Milan will clearly lose 3-0 tomorrow now.

If you look at Milan and Juve's injury lists last year it is clear that there was no chance of getting anywhere Inter, especially for our squad depth last year! Juve had 75 seperate injuries over the season

Siena is one of those small difficult grounds, they are good at home, although always seem to lose to Juve

75? Ouch. Milan had fewer but more serious. 3 players had knee ligament surgery, one had ankle surgery and Nesta had an extremely serious back problem and Dida, Bonera and Kaladze each managed to miss 90% of the season with a string of ridiculous injuries. Di Gennaro has already had surgery this season so it's not a promising start!

Inter had a short while with no fit centre-backs but their key players generally stayed injury-free.

Yes, Milan struggled there many times under Carlo. Frick was a name I came to fear but he's gone now! Maccarone is nearly as bad though... Siena are either extremely solid or they collapse, an early goal would be enough imo. It's also a much easier trip as the first game with all the players needing to back-up months of talk than a couple of days after a European match.

Currently 1-1 between Bologna and Fiorentina, Osvaldo and Mutu with the goals, about 5 minutes left.

FT: Bologna 1-1 Fiorentina

The other game tonight is Siena-Milan.

Milan win 2-1 in an entertaining affair.

looks like Tobinho can be optimistic afterall defense still needs some work tho

FT Inter Milan 1 - 1 Bari
49' Catania 1 - 1 Sampdoria
49' Genoa 1 - 0 AS Roma
49' Juventus 1 - 0 Chievo
49' Lazio 1 - 0 Atalanta
49' Livorno 0 - 0 Cagliari
49' Palermo 1 - 0 Napoli
49' Udinese 1 - 1 Parma