Tottenham Hotspur pulled off an inspirational win this weekend, coming from two goals down to send Southampton home scratching their heads. The win keeps them in fifth, which is quite an achievement when one considers the club’s goal difference. But don’t let the table fool you; Spurs are in turmoil and not just with regards to management.

The team has struggled to create an attacking identity and have been lacking offensive leadership for a couple of years, ever since the departure of Rafael van der Vaart.  While Van der Vaart may not be the first former player who comes to mind when thinking of the causes behind Tottenham’s regression, the Dutchman is the one man who, up to this point, Daniel Levy has never sufficiently replaced.

Now, of course Tottenham desperately miss Gareth Bale. Any club, even the biggest of clubs, would find life difficult after the departure of €100 million player.  But Tottenham’s best form in the Daniel Levy era was not last season, when Bale was single-handedly winning games.  The Welshman pulled his team out of more than one fire, but Van der Vaart was the one who orchestrated fires for the opponents. Spurs were not at their best when Bale was a central playmaker but, instead, when he was the left flank of an incisive and exciting attack led by a certain Dutch maestro.

During the club’s best recent run, the 2010-11 season, Van der Vaart was the man who conducted the attack and would lead from the point. Like the current Spurs squad, many of Tottenham’s attacking players were very young, with Lennon and Bale on the flanks joined by a 25-year old Luka Modric in the midfield along with more youthful players such as Sandro or Tom Huddlestone. That squad was packed full of talent, but like all talented young teams, they needed a leader, and not just a vocal leader urging a tackle. They needed a leader of the attack, a real general.  And that leader was Van der Vaart.  When moving forward, which that Spurs team did with a vicious energy, it was Van der Vaart who gave them drive and direction, leading the club in goals and assists. He may have attracted criticism for his defensive failings, but no one could deny the overwhelming attacking influence his play had on his teammates.

Let me also make clear what I mean by “leadership.” Van der Vaart was certainly not a captain-style personality, at least not in the traditional sense.  When we think of team captains in major European soccer, we most often think of players like Roy Keane or Gennaro Gattuso — blood and thunder drill sergeants shouting commands to their troops and demanding full devotion to the cause. This certainly was not Van der Vaart. But a soccer pitch is a big place, and the game a complex one. There is always more than one leader on the field, and this impassioned Dutchman knew how to make others around him succeed when on the attack, a trait absolutely necessary for a leader in nearly any team sport.

Since Van der Vaart’s return to the Bundesliga, Tottenham has struggled to produce a comprehensive attack. When news came of his departure, many a Spurs supporter did not take to the “well he didn’t track back enough” view used to soften the blow. Van der Vaart was a fulcrum, and one the club would find a very hard time replacing.

During this weekend’s terrific comeback victory over Southampton, White Hart Lane may have seen the arrival of the next Rafael van der Vaart, as Christian Eriksen put in perhaps his best match in the Spurs’ Lilywhites. He was responsible for two goals to bring his team back into a game that looked lost, and with a deft setup for the winner, was the kind of performance Spurs fans have been waiting for, and one — for people familiar with Eriksen’s talent —have been expecting.

In order for Tottenham to recapture the potential they showed in the 2010-11 season, Tim Sherwood, or whoever becomes the next manager, will need Eriksen to be the kind of offensive leader Spurs once had in Rafael van der Vaart.

The club has amassed a stable of great young talent, but they will need an offensive leader, and that’s what they have been missing these last two seasons.

For more Tottenham news, analysis and opinion, visit the Tottenham Hotspur team page.

After 10 days of disappointment, United’s woeful week was topped off by a Champions League exit. Crystal Palace came to Old Trafford and managed to get away with a win. Yes, fair enough… Mickey Mouse Carling Cup. They managed a goal to nothing victory against a struggling Villa but just four days later they crashed out of two competitions in the space of a week and the Premier League is slowly drifting away from them.

Here are just ten of the reasons why United won’t win the Premier League.

1. Noisy neighbours – City look to have the League wrapped up and it looks against the odds for any other team to snatch it, the last time these two sides met, Man City took all three points and a plus five goal difference, which shows how far they really are off top spot.

2. Fit as a fiddle? – Injuries look to be taking toll on the Manchester club with Ashley Young looks to join a dreadful list of injured players which contain Nemanja Vidic, Michael Owen, Anderson, Tom Cleverley, Fabio, Rafael, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov.

3. One step forward, two steps back – United spent over fifty million pounds in the summer which some might see as massive steps forward, but they lost key figures in the forms of Van Der Sar, Gary Neville and the unforgettable Paul Scholes.

4. Blunt Rooney – With Wayne Rooney once again not looking so sharp, dropping back into a midfield role. Javier Hernandez out and  a man who has 4 goals in his 18 league appearances for United, where are the goals going to come from?

5. Playmaker? – A summer of speculation had football fans wondering when Wesley Sneijder was going to be arriving in Manchester but nothing concrete ever happened, United were on the lookout for a man to be slipping balls in for the attackers. United are seriously missing out on with other teams providing strong playmakers, City have Silva, Chelsea have Mata, Spurs have Van Der Vaart and Arsenal have Arteta.

6. Europa League – Harry Redknapp labelled it a “distraction” and Fergie has called it a penalty, but whatever it is branded it will mean United playing on a Thursday and then again on a Monday/Sunday.

7. Captain vanish – With Nemanja Vidic out for the rest of the season, United will be struggling, the heart of the defence, the captain and quite bluntly United’s best player will be missed. Man Utd don’t seem to be scoring freely as they have scored just one in each of their last 7 games and Robin Van Persie scoring more goals in his last 8 games than United have in that time period.

8. Giggs lost it? – Has 38 year old veteran Ryan Giggs finally hit the time where he feels it necessary for him to hang up his boots, after a couple of disappointing performances his future was put in doubt by a number of pundits.

9. Start from the back – Van Der Sar leaves and Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea is drafted in, but he looks to be a shadow of what the Dutchman was. After a number of mistakes made, De Gea looked to have regained a regular spot in goal but with him and Lindegaard both making a number of mistakes Fergie looks to have some trouble in between the sticks.

10. Holding midfielder? – Not only do United not have a creative man on the field they don’t have one to sit in front of the back four and break play up like Arsenal do with Song, Chelsea do with Ramires/Essien, Liverpool do with Lucas and City do with De Jong.

We’re almost a third of the year through the 2011-12 Premier League season, and already several summer signings have stood out as comparatively bargain buys. Which clubs have done their best homework to find the bargains who are producing the goods? Read below to find out.

1. Demba Ba – Newcastle United – Free

The man who arrived from relegated West Ham on a free. In 10 league appearances, the Senegalese striker has already managed 8 goals and currently is the fifth highest scorer in the league and in doing so has helped Newcastle climb the table into third place. Ba was West Ham’s top scorer in the league last season despite only arriving in January, and looks certain to keep up his goal scoring habit. He seems to have formed a decent partnership with Leon Best. Demba Out of the two strikers, Ba has received most of the praise having already bagged two hat tricks this season.

2. Michel Vorm – Swansea City – £1.5m

Arriving from Dutch side Utrecht, eyebrows were raised when Michel Vorm was chosen as Dorus de Vries’ replacement. How wrong people turned out to be. The Dutch keeper has made save after save to help keep Swansea in games and hasfew turned out to be the difference in a few games for the Swansea. This man has taken the Premier League by storm and has produced world class saves game after game. The Swans have kept the most amount of clean sheets this season and some of that credit has to go down to Vorm. He’s done a wonderful job in between the sticks.

3. Joey Barton – Queens Park Rangers – Free

Barton arrived from Newcastle after QPR announced their new owner. Barton is known for his flaring temper but we’ve started to see a new Barton emerge, one who sits in the centre of midfield, constantly looking to play balls forward as well as foreseeing the opportunity to make a tackle when needed. Joey was handed the armband for his debut and has since acted like a real leader.

4. Scott Parker – Tottenham Hotspur – £5m

After Tottenham finished fifth last season, they made no intention of keeping quiet what they were aiming to accomplish for this season: Champions League football. And by doing so, they introduced FWA player of the year Scott Parker to the Lane. The workhorse began quickly muscling his way past opponents and sliding in to retain possession. Parker quickly seized upon a first team place and looks to be a regular in Harry Redknapp’s side. Another bright spark to have emerged from West Ham’s disappointing Premier League season, Parker looks to be able to play the right ball and make the perfect timed tackle Spurs have been missing for years.

5. Yohan Cabaye – Newcastle United – £4.3m

Yohan Cabaye orchestrated everything positive for Lille as they re-clinched Ligue 1 last season. The Frenchman was bought to do that exact same job for the Toon Army. He looks to be a real threat from dead ball situations and has a real eye for goal as well as being able to pick out a pass. Cabaye loves to get on the ball and looks calm and confident when in possession. He’s also a good tackler. Lots of question marks were raised when Cabaye replaced Kevin Nolan, but those question marks have quickly been answered with deft touches, quality free kicks and perfect passes.

6. Sebastian Larsson – Sunderland – Free

The former Arsenal man, who helped relegated Birmingham to a Carling Cup trophy, joined Sunderland on a free transfer. He was quick to settle in, and scored on his debut with an amazing acrobatic effort at Anfield. Larsson was handed the number seven shirt and was labeled the best free kick taker in the Premier League by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger after he scored two free kicks in just under a month. Known as being a dead ball specialist, Larsson has contributed massively to Sunderland’s season so far and looks to be a key figure for the Black Cats.

7. Danny Graham – Swansea City – £3.5m

After finishing in the Championship team of the year and being voted Watford’s player of the season, Danny Graham swapped England for Wales when he joined Swansea. He took some time to get the ball rolling but now looks a regular for club. With 4 goals in his last 5 games, you wouldn’t bet against him achieving great feats at Swansea. He is playing as a lone striker at the moment with Sinclair and Dyer cutting in from out wide. Graham has a cool head in front of goal and is one of those strikers that always ends up in the right place at the right time.

8. Gervinho – Arsenal – £10.7m

Gervinho was signed very early on in the summer arriving from Lille having helped them to a Ligue 1 title, so with Nasri out of the door, Gervinho stepped right up to the mark and has been constantly producing goals and assists for the Gunners. He has so far scored two and set up four. He loves to cut inside on his favoured right hand side but can take his man to the by-line and whip in a ball across the deck for Van Persie and others to attack. The former Lille winger has really taken the Premier League by storm and if he keeps on like this his price tag will look like a steal, especially in today’s markets.

9. Chris Eagles – Bolton Wanderers – £3m

Tyrone Mears and Chris Eagles were bought together for a joint fee of around £3 million by Owen Coyle. Mears unfortunately broke his leg, but Eagles stuck around, played hard and has been one of the very few bright sparks for Bolton following their bad start to the season. Eagles has notched up three goals and four assists in his short time at Bolton and looks to be a bright future for the former Man United player.

10. Jose Enrique – Liverpool – £6m

Big spenders Liverpool needed a left back in the summer. The club spent big in the transfer window but didn’t need to when it came to Jose Enrique. The full back quickly slotted in and has become a regular starter in that position. He is extremely fit and is constantly racing up and down the left flank, trying to supply the strikers with crosses and the wingers with support. He was  named man of the match for his first start and hasn’t let the Liverpool side down to date. He is fast, agile, has a good first touch and looks a real steal at £6 million.

The worst kept secret at Juventus, well at least up until this week, was that this season would be the last for the Bianconeri’s legendary captain Alessandro del Piero. The 36 year old will say goodbye to a team he has served for nearly two decades and hopefully the clubs is planning a bit more pomp and circumstance then we have seen so far.

Earlier today, club president Andrea Agnelli announced at a shareholders meeting that 2012 would, in fact, be the final season for one of the greatest players in the club’s storied history. And after first trying to imagine a Juventus without del Piero and thinking of all he has accomplished for the Old Lady, I couldn’t help but question the way in which this news came about.

Now I am not one who often thinks clubs owe special treatment to their best players. Obnoxiously large paychecks are usually enough thanks in my eyes. But I can not help but feeling del Piero’s is somehow different. Besides breaking numerous records and hoisting just about every trophy imaginable, del Piero stuck by the club and its fans through some of its darkest hours. I guess I just would have felt better with an announcement a bit less impersonal. For one thing, this gives the impression that Agnelli is making this decision without del Piero, and what good can that do?

Frankly, I am disappointed with Agnelli. The captain deserves to be the one to make this announcement on his terms. And if he doesn’t agree with this decision, he has earned the right to say so and the right to earn another 12-month contract with his play this season. This type of news should have come from the lips of a tearing and nostalgic del Piero, in front of the media and the fans who have loved him all these years, not from a club president behind a podium.

So my advice to Agnelli is to correct this before the captain leaves. He deserves a grandest of ceremony and the most spectacular of testimonials. He deserves a microphone to say what he likes and for his name to be sung up to rafters one last time.

I am starting to become a bit concerned at how poor my predictions have been so far this season, and this weekend’s Rome Derby is no exception. But I am, however. prepared to give myself something of a mulligan for my most recent failure.

At the end of the preview I wrote last week, I managed to sneak in a little caveat concerning my feeling that Roma would win. Lazio striker Miroslav Klose was ,at the time of writing, an injury doubt for the Derby della Capitale and I felt Lazio’s attack would be lacking without him. But when I saw Klose take to the field, I had a feeling my prognostication would be destined for failure.

Truth be told, I was feeling pretty good about things during the first quarter-hour. Roma began the game playing dangerous and confident possession football, leading to a lovely goal in the 5th minute by Pablo Osvaldo. Slowly but surely, however, the tide began to turn and Lazio worked their way back into the game, a combination of the Biancoceleste raising their level of play and Roma becoming somewhat cautious of relinquishing their lead. Roma took the lead into the halftime break, but it wasn’t long before the wheels fell off.

Six minutes into the second half, Lazio midfielder Christian Brocchi was taken down by Roma defender Simon Kjaer in the penalty box. The contact was soft but Brocchi, of course, made a meal out of it. (No bitterness or anything here…) Kjaer was shown a red card and Hernanes converted the penalty. Considering how well Lazio had been playing up to the point of the penalty, I had little hope of Roma sneaking a winner or holding on for a draw, which I was sure would limit the amount of egg on my face.

Then into the fray stepped the aforementioned Miroslav Klose. For most of the second half, the german looked like a player who probably shouldn’t have passed his late fitness test, or at least like he should have been substituted late on. He was slow, clearly out of gas and lacking concentration by the time the game entered injury time. Then with no more than thirty seconds remaining in the match he got one more chance, controlling a chip with a perfect first touch and expertly passing the ball into the goal. The crowd at the Stadio Olimpico went wild, and we had ourselves a most memorable Rome Derby.

I suppose I can give myself some credit for placing so much importance on the involvement of Klose in this match. While he certainly was not the best player on the pitch, Lazio and Serie A fans alike now know what they can expect from him. Klose will never dazzle and delight with skill, but give him a half-decent chance to score, even when he appears to be lacking fitness and concentration, and he will take it. Even on a bad day, Klose was the difference maker in the Rome Derby.

For Juventus supporters, it is hard not to be inspired by Antonio Conte. The passion and intensity shown by the Old Lady’s new commander is infectious, for the players on the pitch as well as the fans in the seats. He has done well in his first five games, but I fear there just might be icebergs ahead and the captain needs to be ready to chart a new course if needs be. And the biggest iceberg just might be wearing number 21.

Andrea Pirlo has been sensational for the Bianconeri and he is already the purring engine of Juve’s mostly positive performances. He has added to the team just about everything one player can possibly add. Pirlo has been, without doubt, Conte’s best and most important player. It is hard to imagine the Turin giants at the top of table had they not acquired him. And that is why the manager must now begin to formulate a team that can win consistently without his best player in the side.

Now, I know it is only five games into the Serie A season, and Juventus do not have any european matches to concern themselves with during this campaign. But even with that in mind, let me sound this warning for Conte and Juventus. Andrea Pirlo can not, and should not, be expected to play every league match this season, and I doubt that such a scenario is even possible. Conte must assume that in order to get the best out of this fantastic but aging genius he must be rested or face the very real possibility of injury and missing significant time.

Conte needs a Plan B, so to speak, and he needs to develop and test it soon. Juventus must learn to win and control matches with someone else besides Pirlo in command. I can not help but think of Manchester United and the later years of Paul Scholes’ career as a suitable comparison. Scholes remained instrumental to United and Sir Alex Ferguson, even during seasons when he wasn’t starting 30 plus league matches. And that was because the manager was able to use him effectively without being dependent upon him for success. This is exactly what Conte needs to get out of Pirlo.

But right now, it is hard to imagine the Bianconeri’s recent success, not to mention mounting a serious scudetto challenge, without their new regista playing every game. But that just may be what is required.

I do believe Conte has the players in his squad to accomplish this. Between Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and Michele Pazienza the talent is their to choose from. But Conte must not wait for an emergency situation to prepare for I believe is inevitable if Pirlo continues to play every minute of every match.

Sunday marks this season’s first addition of the Derby della Capitale, as Rome’s two fierce rivals face each other at the Stadio Olimpico. In a season where Serie A looks to be wide open, winning a tense clash like this could put the wind in a team’s sails and propel them towards the top of the table, so despite the fact this game appears early in the schedule it could have long term implications for both squads.

Roma and Lazio each have 8 points after 5 league matches and both teams appear, in this early part of the season at least, to be improved when compared to last year’s squad. Both made plenty of changes in the offseason, and games like this can often tell much about how far a team has really come.

For Roma’s new coach Luis Enrique, he must face this first real challenge of his managerial career without the services Roma’s Emperor, as Francesco Totti has failed a fitness test and will not take part on Sunday. But Enrique has turned his team into much more than just a one-man attack. His goal was to bring a Barcelona-style passing fluidity to the capital, and so far he looks to be successful in his attempts. Roma slipped out of the gates, dropping their first league match at home to Cagliari. But since then, they have improved, with wins away to Parma and home to Atalanta.

But if you look just past the results, you see a Roma team that is playing some very attractive football. They are moving the ball around beautifully and have gotten some positive contributions from their new signings, especially midfielder Miralem Pjanic and forward Pablo Osvaldo. Add to that Daniele De Rossi, Roma’s immovable force in the center of the pitch, and the Giallorossi will be difficult to beat.

Lazio have scored one more goal than their rivals, but have conceded two more in their first five league matches. The Biancocelesti are coming off a terrific road win at Fiorentina which should give them some much needed momentum. Lazio’s attack has been deadly so far this season, with midfielder Hernanes and forwards Djibril Cisse and Miroslav Klose providing the threat. But Klose, the club’s leading scorer, looks as though he may miss this game with a knee injury, which could be a huge blow to Lazio.

The footballing world is full of great derby’s, but none bigger than the Derby della Capitale. It combines all of the sporting, historical and political tensions that make a great rivalry. Italy will once again stop what it is doing and turn its collective attention to the grand city for what promises to be a fantastic match.

Ok, it’s prediction time! This derby is always difficult to predict, and this addition is no exception. Both teams are playing well, but I like the direction Roma is heading a bit more. Lazio are the home team, but if they in fact must play without Klose they may lack just enough in their attack to tip the balance in Roma’s favor. Let me say 2-1 to Roma in a thriller.

Let me hear your predictions. Roma or Lazio?

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The international break gives us a chance to take a look back at this early part of the Serie A season and see what we can take from it. Five game in to 2011-2012 and only one thing is certain, and that is nothing is certain. While it may be a bit early to pass judgement, what we can say is that this season’s scudetto is there for the taking. We are used to having the same few team competing at the top of the table, but that group could be much bigger this year. Here is a look at the the standout stories from the first five matches.

No discussion on the start to this season can begin without first speaking about Milan’s two clubs. AC Milan sit in 15th with five points and a minus three goal differential, while Inter are 17th with 4 points and a minus 4 goal difference. Both clubs have their issues. Milan is dealing with a terrible rash of injuries, while Inter have had just about everything possible go wrong for them, including giving up 11 goal, most in the league. Is the balance of power on the peninsula finally shifting away from Milan? Or can these two clubs right the ship and work their way back up the table? It may be only five games in, but if these two giants do not start improving their results, that climb can quickly become a daunting task.

Bianconeri shirts seems to be the trendy fashion for this early season, as both Juventus and Udinese sit on top of the table. Juve has played well under new coach Antonio Conte, and the atmosphere at their new stadium looks to be a real boost for the club’s on-field performances. And they have done it with very little contribution from expensive new signings Mirko Vucinic and Eljero Elia. If those two can begin to contribute, and if Fabio Quagliarella can return to fitness, Juve will be a deep and dangerous squad.

Udinese appear to be defying their critics, many of whom were expecting them to take a step back this year, myself included. After a heroic loss in the Champions League qualifiers, Udinese responded with some terrific results, including a 1-1 draw with AC Milan at the San Siro. They lost some key players this summer, and their depth will be questioned as the season progresses, but it is hard not to be impressed with how well they have played so far.

Up to now, Napoli have handled the dreaded “european hangover” with ease, scoring emphatic wins home to AC Milan and away to Inter in the league games directly following their first two group-stage matches. They will undoubtedly be stretched as the autumn progresses, but the worst is behind them. In their final four Champions League matches, they play home to Juventus and away to Cagliari, Atalanta and Novara, all winnable games for a team flying high. If they can get through the group-stage still near the top of Serie A, they will be a force to contend with.

Rome’s two clubs are knocking on the door of the top four, and both teams seem to be settling in their new players. Lazio can score goals, that’s for certain. But can they defend well enough to maintain a serious title challenge? Roma’s new coach Luis Enrique appears to be getting his ideas through to his players, but it is hard not to feel like he is always just one bad spat with Francesco Totti away from total disaster.

New boys Novara have certainly attracted some attention in Serie A so far this season. Their 3-1 win at home to Inter has already become a legendary moment in the club’s history, as well as in the history of the league. They have scored a stunning 10 goals this season, making them the scoring leaders of Serie A. But at the same time, they have conceded 10, second most in the league. Regardless of whether or not Novara have what it takes to stay in the top flight, they certainly seem ready to entertain.

We also can not review these first five games without mentioning Atalanta. Handed a six point deduction at the start of the the season, many felt they were prime relegation candidates. But after five games they look nothing of the sort. With a 3-1-1 record, Atalanta would be in sixth were it not for the deduction. They have put in some terrific performances and look to be a step above their relegation competition.

We can only hope this wide-open season in Serie A will continue. At this point, it looks as though we can have 8 to 10 clubs seriously competing for european places next year, and that can only make for a fascinating and exciting year in Italy.

Just a week ago, it all seemed to finally be moving in the right direction.  After a painful start to the season, including some terrible losses and a coaching change, Inter looked to be turning the corner.  Claudio Ranieri arrived to take command and seemed to be bringing back the old Inter, winning his first two games.  This past weekend was going to be the signal to the rest of Serie A that Nerazzurri were back, as they faced Napoli at the San Siro.

Then referee Gianluca Rocchi stepped into the fray and it all seemed to collapse for Inter.  But it is now up to the new manager to turn Saturday’s disaster into the moment that launches the club up the table.

Criticizing referees is not my favorite thing to write about, but Rocchi made a complete mess of this game, and there is no better way to put it.  In the 41st minute he awarded a penalty and a second yellow card for a foul by Joel Obi that should never have been called a penalty, since it was clearly outside the box, nor a yellow card.  Not to mention Obi’s first yellow card was probably even more questionable.  The decision sent Inter’s players and coaches into a deserved rage from which they were never able to recover and refocus on the match.  As a result, Ranieri was sent off for losing his temper at the half, the players played like the game was lost already and Napoli blew them away.

It seems Rocchi has a recent knack for sending off Inter players.  In the last 16 games he has officiated involving the Nerazzurri he has shown them a red card seven times.  Now I admit I have not researched that statistic much further, but on the surface it seems like an extraordinary number.  Whether it actually is suspicious or not is beside the point, it is just the kind of thing Ranieri can use to instill the bunker mentality of “us against the world”, and that is exactly what they need right now.

As an observer, you can not simply throw away this result when analyzing where Inter are in their progress.  Yes, they were down a man for more than half the game, but to crumble in the way they did shows an alarming lack of character.  But if I were in Ranieri’s shoes, none of that matters now.  All that matter is that his club were robbed and now it is time to come together and fight against all the enemies before them, perceived and real.

Losing by three goals at the San Siro is nothing short of a failure.  But even with that result they are just seven points behind the league leaders and it is still only the beginning of October.  If Claudio Ranieri is smart, and I suspect he is, he will use this game as the moment when Inter rallies around the flag and begin to play with the pride and strength that has made them a success in the not-so-distant past.

At the Stadio San Paolo earlier this week, in front of a thunderous support, Napoli made their grand entrance onto the European stage, as they defeated Villareal 2-0 in their first home match in the Champions League. Perhaps it is almost time for the football world to stand up and take notice of Napoli.

The Azzurri took the lead in the 14th minute on a goal from Marek Hamsik. Ezequiel Lavezzi played a perfect cross to Hamsik who finished expertly. Three minutes later, Edinson Cavani scored a penalty to give the home side a two goal cushion. From that point on, Napoli protected the lead while playing their now familiar and often deadly counter-attacking game.

It is hard not to shower praise on Napoli for this win, and their performance so far in this season. While it is true Villareal had the lion’s share of possession, and had their chances to get something out of this match, Napoli are the new boys in this club and certainly deserve credit for a job well done.

Walter Mazzarri’s men had stuttered a bit in Serie A leading up to this match, dropping points to Chievo and Fiorentina. But the win against Villareal was perhaps the biggest for the club in nearly a generation. It gives them a three point cushion in the group, and with the level of competition they face that cushion can prove immensely important. Not since the glorious Maradona era has the San Paolo seen such a classy and capable team.

Before the season, I expressed a concern over the dreaded “European Hangover” for Napoli this season. The team has a post-european match-day schedule that is nothing short of brutal, and this weekend is no exception. Last time they played in Europe they faced reigning Serie A champions AC Milan and past the test with flying colors, scoring a 3-1 win. This week, however, they travel to the San Siro to face Inter Milan. It is Napoli’s chance to get one up on their doubters

You don’t need an Italian football expert to tell you Gian Piero Gasperini was off to a bad start at Inter. Even though he has lead the Nerazzurri in fewer than a half-dozen competitive matches, his team looked nothing short of horrendous in that time. It can be argued he did, in fact, deserve the pink slip handed to him this morning. But that is not the only sacking Inter fans should be calling for. It is time for the focus to shift towards club president Massimo Moratti and the mistakes he has made as well.

Gasperini’s Inter team has been bad, to say the least. Losing the Serie A opener to Palermo is nothing to fire a coach over, but shipping four goals in the process was certainly cause for concern. But since than, Gasperini and his players have only made matters worse. They suffered a humiliating home loss in the Champions League to Trabzonspor, looked sluggish in a scoreless draw at the San Siro to Roma, and then last night Gasperini’s ship finally sank.

Inter were made to look nothing short of silly in a 3-1 loss to recently promoted Novara. The Nerazzurri may have had the bulk of possession, but they simply never seemed interested or capable of doing anything with it. And when Novara did get the ball, the gaps in Inter’s defensive setup where so large you simply couldn’t believe it was Inter Milan you were watching play? To make matters worse, when Novara ventured forward, the crowd at the Silvio Piola, a 16,000-strong cauldron, rose to a fever pitch and in response, the Inter players appeared to ball up in the fetal position on the pitch! It was an amazing night for the Serie A newcomers, and a total disaster for Gasperini and his men.

And all the while, the cameras forced us to look at the face of Massimo Moratti, sitting there glum and looking appropriately disgusted. But part of that disgust must be pointed directly towards himself. Once again, he has made a terrible coaching decision that almost everyone but Moratti saw coming months ago.

When you hire a coach like Gasperini, you hire a system as well. No one in the footballing world, I guess with the exception of Moratti, thought his new coach would come in and adopt a conservative defensive approach, or try and remake the Mourinho team. This is a man who earned his name with a certain tactic and made it very clear he would try and bring it to Inter. And while Gasperini deserves blame for not seeing the obvious, that Inter’s players were simply not physically suited for it, Moratti deserves even more blame for hanging his hat, once again, on a coach who wasn’t suited for this storied club.

So here we are, watching the same film as last year. Moratti makes an ill-advised coaching hire and now has to comb the continent looking for someone who wants to take over an aging squad, whose confidence is low, and sign a contract with a president who should be resigning himself!

But if their is any credit to give Moratti, at least he woke up from his slumber to see the obvious earlier in the season than he did last year. After only two games in Serie A and one in the Champions League, Inter has a real chance at turning their season around. But that would require Moratti to make a good hire, which in the last couple of seasons has not exactly been his forte.

In the coming days we will begin to hear the names of candidates for Inter’s managerial vacancy. Already the obvious ones are being floated, including the likes of Claudio Ranieri and Carlo Ancelotti. Who do you think should get the job?

It was a typical Barcelona match. The Spanish champions passed the ball around the pitch with ease, albeit after conceding a very untypical-Barca goal in the first minute. They scored two goals off some brilliant movement and looked certain to take three points comfortably. That is until Thiago Silva expertly finished a shot off a corner and stunned the crowd at the Camp Nou into silence. Milan may not have deserved the point, but they earned it nonetheless with a determined defense that kept them in the game right up to the final whistle.

The Bad: Well, Maybe That’s Bad in a Good Way!

Maybe I mean a little good and bad, now that I think of it. On the good side, Napoli introduced themselves to the world last night with a 1-1 draw at the City of Manchester Stadium. In the first half, the Italian side withstood an assault by City and survived to remain scoreless at the break. Napoli is certainly not known for the Italian defense-first stereotype we hear so much about in English-language media, but still they played organized and committed in front of their own goal. Then in the 69th minute, Napoli broke out on the counter-attack and took the lead, as Edison Cavani slotted the ball into the net past a closing Joe Hart. The goal put the Napoli fans into rapture and announced to the football world the return of this proud and historic club.

On the bad side, Napoli truly had a chance to win this game and they would have deserved all three points if they were able to hold the lead. But Aleksandar Kolarov’s freekick goal in the 74th minute sealed a draw. It was a well taken set-piece, but veteran goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis was rooted to the ground and should have done better. It was an opportunity lost for Napoli, but in a group as tough as their’s they should be thrilled with the road point.

The Ugly: One word…Gasperini

Quite honsetly, it doesn’t much matter how it happened. Even if Inter created more chances or Trabzonspor just got lucky. No matter what the tactical mistakes or missed opportunities, the only thing that matters is Inter lost at the San Siro to a club they had no business losing to. For coach Gian Piero Gasperini, already under fire for a couple of sluggish performances leading up to last night’s match, it is the nightmare scenario. After two matches, the coach is holding on to his job by the thinnest of threads.

Inter vs Roma (Saturday at the San Siro)
Even if this were the only big matchup in Serie A this weekend, it would be enough to get the football world salivating. Despite the fact that this will be only the second league game played by either of these clubs, it could have an enormous impact on the future of both teams. The chips are down for Gian Piero Gasperini and Luis Enrique.

Both new managers have come to their respective cities with high hopes of revolutionizing their new clubs. And both have hit obstacles in the road. Enrique made the mistake of taking on the King of Rome, Francesco Totti, and he is paying the price. Supporters were always going to land on the side of their beloved talisman and no matter what he or Totti do now to patch things up, Enrique is a marked man. He must prove is worth to fans and his players. The club spent piles of cash this summer and he needs to produce results soon or we will be hearing the whispers sooner rather than later. A win, or even a draw, at the San Siro will take the pressure off for a week or so.

For Gasperini, it is hard to believe he has already been given the dreaded “vote of confidence” from his boss, normally a precursor to a pink slip. But if he fails to beat Roma at home, I would not be surprised if this is his last game in charge of the Nerrazzuri. Since taking over, he has tried to install a 3-4-3 formation which simply hasn’t worked. Inter lost the Supercoppa to Milan, gave up four goals in the opening league match at Palermo, and then suffered a frankly embarrassing defeat in the first Champions League group match to Turkish club Trabzonspor. I didn’t think it was possible for a new Inter coach to have a worse start than Rafa Benitez, but Gasperini looks headed in that direction.

Prediction: (Inter win 3-2) Putting aside all the negative results and tactical criticisms, Inter has a squad of players who are experienced trophy winners. It is time for them to show some pride a win a match. This will probably be an open and exciting game, but I expect one of Inter’s superstars to grab a late winner.

Napoli vs. AC Milan (Sunday at the Stadio San Paolo)
Okay, this match may not have the element of fun, off-the-field drama the previous match has. Instead, this is just a fantastic early season game between two teams who each could compete for the scudetto. Both team are feeling good after well-earned and important draws in their first group stage game of the Champions League.

For Milan, they opened Serie A last weekend with a 2-2 draw at home to Lazio. The reigning Italians champions were perhaps stunned a bit by Lazio’s new strike-force of Djibril Cisse and Miroslav Klose, but they battled back to earn a point. Admittedly, dropping points in the San Siro to Lazio is not a good result, but all that was forgotten about when Thiago Silva headed home a late equalizer to steal a point from Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Napoli is on a high. They won their opening league fixture with a comfortable 3-1 road win at Cesena, and then followed that up with a gutsy and classy 1-1 draw at the City of Manchester Stadium. Walter Mazzarri’s men are playing with confidence, and they will look to attack early in front of a home stadium that can be a difficult place for opponents.

Both teams are without key players. Napoli will most likely be without Ezequiel Lavezzi, a vital piston in the team’s high-powered attacking engine. Milan will certainly be missing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho, and Massimo Ambrosini, while others are also doubtful, including Kevin Prince Boateng and Gennaro Gattuso.

Prediction: (Milan win 2-1) Yes, Milan is without key players in midfield and in the forward line, but their immense squad depth allows them to still field the likes of Pato, Cassano, Aquilani and Seedorf in place of those who may not be fit to play.

Napoli have looked very good in their past two matches, but to face the current scudetto holders in the club’s first ever post-Champions League match might just be a bridge too far. Milan is not Manchester City. They know what to expect out of Napoli and will know how to take advantage of the dreaded European Hangover. Look for the Rossoneri to weather an early storm and then hit Napoli on the counter to win a close match.

Juventus opened their new stadium late last week with a lavish and spectacular ceremony. But for real fireworks didn’t come until the Bianconeri took to the pitch for their first home match against a Parma team who defeated the Turin giants twice last season. But this is Antonio Conte’s team now, and they are a much different side from the one who sputtered at the end of last season.

We expected Conte’s to play a more attacking style, and that is precisely what he did. He doesn’t seem to like when people call his system a 4-2-4, but that is exactly what Parma faced. Outside midfielders Simone Pepe and Emmanuele Giaccherini were almost always high up the pitch, pressuring Parma’s backline and cutting in to provide space for the fullbacks to also get in to the attack, like new-signing Stephan Lichsteiner who opened the scoring after stampeding his way into the penalty area. All the while Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo anchored the center.

Pirlo was nothing short of brilliant, and he looked right at home in Conte’s system. He moved the ball around the field with the kind of passing brilliance we have come to expect, while defending well enough to keep Parma at bay. The conductor was back in front of his orchestra, and his musicians were the beneficiaries of sublime command, including his midfield partner Marchesio who in the 83rd minute fired a gorgeous goal off one of Pirlo’s perfect passes.

If there is anything negative to say about this weekend, I guess it is mentioning the play of another Italian legend, goalkeeper Gigi Buffon. His form over the end of last season, as well as the admittedly less important preseason, has given Juve supporters justifiable reason for some concern. Buffon has looked uncomfortable in that time frame, and he did little in Sunday’s match to quell those concerns. But this is Buffon we are talking about here, and we can expect such a professional to work this out sooner rather than later. But even if he is perhaps never able to fully regain his pre-injury form, Juve has a more than capable backup in Marco Storari waiting to step in.

Perhaps another cause for some interest, if not concern, was the late sending off of leftback Paolo De Ceglie. After having played a terrific game, De Ceglie was sent off for a tackle on Sebastien Giovinco in the 90th minute, resulting in a penalty. The foul or the resulting goal are not really much cause for concern, but who Conte plays in that position during De Ceglie’s absence will answer some questions the club invited when they loaned out Reto Ziegler last week. Juve suffered last season when De Ceglie missed time due to injury and next week’s game will perhaps answer the question of who exactly is his backup in Conte’s mind.

There is a long season ahead, and this is only the first test, but Conte, his players and Juve’s top brass passed it with flying colors. It has been a difficult slog through the mud since the Old Lady’s banishment to Serie B, but if the last week is any indicator, dry land may just lie before them.

Losing the opening match of the season on the road Sunday to a very capable Palermo team in a stadium that can often be a difficult place to play is hardly cause for concern. The scudetto is nowhere near lost, but worries of Gasperini’s 3-4-3 lineup existed long before Inter ever kicked a ball in anger, and the way in which they lost only makes matters much, much worse.

Inter’s three man defense, comprised of Javier Zanetti, Walter Samuel and Lucio, looked exhausted for much of the match and were torn to ribbons for large portions of the game by a Palermo attack led by captain Fabrizio Miccoli. The team looked disorganized with large gaps throughout the pitch. Needlessly to say, it was unusual to watch a team wearing the Nerazzurri look so confused and vulnerable on the defensive side of the ball. As I watched the goals hit the back of the net, I could already feel the inevitable finger-pointing starting up. After one game, Gasperini would be on the hot seat.

To make matters worse, Gasperini made a substitution barely a half an hour into the first half, taking off debutant Mauro Zarate in favor of dutch superstar Wesley Sneijder immediately following the first goal of the game which put Inter up 1-0. The coach may have had perfectly good reasons for the change, but such a move, especially when looked at through the advantage of hindsight, appears as though mistakes had been made by Gasperini in the match preparations. It only serves as fuel for the fire.

But having said all of that, it is truly ridiculous for fans to blame Gasperini. This is what he is all about and he has made no mistake about it. Reports from the peninsula suggest Inter president Massimo Moratti is piling pressure on the coach and suggesting he change formation. But the pressure should be solely on Moratti’s shoulders. He was the man who hired a coach that made his name using a 3-4-3 setup. Did he think Gasperini would suddenly become a tactical copy of Jose Mourinho?

It is time for Moratti to stop this nonsense and stand by his decision to hire Gasperini in the first place. A coach needs time and space to work and if Moratti believed in him enough to hire him he needs to be the man who provides that space. Right now, Moratti is failing miserably at that job.

Truth be told, I do not think a three man defense will work at Inter in the long run. And if I had a little extra cash, placing a wager on Gasperini being the first manager sacked in Serie A this year wouldn’t be such a bad bet. His 3-4-3 is, in my opinion, the wrong tactic for a club that has always found success when defensively sound, and the defenders they have in the squad are not the type suited for the kind of pace needed to make it work. But I have been wrong before, and I certainly wouldn’t pass judgement after one game. And neither should Moratti.

A few weeks ago, I just could not see just what the plan was from the Giallorossi’s new chiefs, american owner Thomas DiBenedetto and new director of football Walter Sabatini. The pair came to power, hired an unproven coach and sold off some of their top players, including Jeremy Menez and Mirko Vucinic. It seemed an impossible task to assemble a team that could make a real scudetto challenge in less than a month’s time. But with the help of a flurry of deadline day purchases, that may just be what Roma has done.

Before the turbulence of the transfer window’s final day, the Giallorossi had already spent fairly heavily. A pair of talented young Argentinians joined the club, with the signings of striker Pablo Osvaldo from Espanyol and midfielder Erik Lamela from River Plate. In the previous season, Osvaldo scored 13 goals in 24 games for Spanish side Espanyol, so Roma will be looking to him to help supporters forget about the loss of Vucinic.

Perhaps I was already getting slightly nervous about my predictions before deadline day, but after the closing bell rang on August 31 I was wishing I could go back in time and reexamine my decisions. Roma made an enormous splash on the final day of the mercato. They spent around 10 millions euros on the talented young Bosnian attacking midfielder Miralem Pjanic from Lyon who could prove a dangerous player in Serie A. They also secured loan deals for Argentine midfielder Fernando Gago from Real Madrid, Danish defender Simon Kjaer from Wolfsburg and Italian startlet Fabio Borini from Parma. Suddenly, in a matter of a few hours, Roma has a deep and talented club who could easily push for a place in Europe.

The wildcard in all this, and the main reason I didn’t select Roma to finish in the top five, is their new coach Luis Enrique. Enrique is a former successful Spain international, but he has very little coaching experience, and no experience managing at a top flight club whatsoever. He comes to the capitol after leading the Barcelona B squad since 2008. Now, coaching in the Barcelona system is certainly nothing to laugh at, but the problem for someone thinking about a team’s potential is that we know very little about what kind of system or character Enrique will look to build in his team.

These questions swirling in my head about the quality of Roma’s new coach have not been answered, but with the squad Enrique now has to work with it is hard to believe that even someone with such little experience couldn’t make it into a winning team. And even though we lack the information needed to truly predict what kind of leader or tactician he may be, it is clear from his years at Barca, and Roma’s work in the transfer window, that the man has an intelligent football mind and he has a plan.

Hopefully, we will begin to get answers to some of these questions this Sunday, as Roma open their 2011-2012 campaign at the Stadio Olimpico against a Cagliari team clearly in turmoil. Cagliari finished 14th in the Serie A table last season and strangely sacked coach Roberto Donandoni in mid-August. This weekends match looks like a great opportunity for Enrique and Roma to get maximum points and start their journey with the wind at their back.

So what do you think? Do you think Roma can challenge for Europe? Or even for the scudetto?

It is nearly impossible to judge how well a team will do when there are so many variables to try and predict.  New coach Antonio Conte is a club legend who has won many a trophy for Juventus.  Conte seems like a good fit in Turin, but Juve have been down that road before and not always with successful results.  This time last year when Luigi Delneri was set to make his debut at the helm, we had decades of coaching history to predict what he might do.  We don’t have nearly as much information to go by with Conte.

And then there are the new signings, practically half a squad’s worth of debutantes.  The list is long and includes the likes of Mirko Vucinic from Roma, Arturo Vidal from Bayer Leverkusen, Stephan Lichtsteiner from Lazio, Andre Pirlo from AC Milan and Eljero Elia from Hamburg.  And I have not even made it half way through the list of new players, never mind trying to name all those who left the club!

The Bianconeri had many holes to plug and many places where improvement was needed.  At first glance, it seems they have done that.  They have two very capable goalkeepers, depth and quality in defense and in the midfield, and wealth of attacking talent to choose from.  But we all know a team-sheet does not tell the whole story.  Can Conte bring all of these pieces of the jigsaw together?  Sunday’s game against a Parma squad who defeated Juve twice last season, including a 4-1 thumping in January, will offer us our first glimpse into the mystery that is the new Juventus.

With all the expectations, all the money spent, the excitement of a beautiful new stadium, the burden on Conte’s shoulders must be enormous.  Over the last few seasons, many a coach has already been through a very similar journey to which Conte is about to embark, with little or no success.  On Sunday, Conte and his “new” Juve players cast off the bowlines and plunge headfirst into the tempest.

The football gods are finally smiling on the calcio faithful.  We have made our way through a player strike and a whirlwind transfer window to finally get to the start of actual football matches.  Serie A begins Friday, and normalcy will at last return…well, as much as we can ever consider Serie A to be “normalcy”!!

So let’s have a little preview of some of the most intriguing matches on the fixture list for the upcoming opening weekend.  My interest for these matches lies primarily in what I consider the “new teams”.  Not the teams promoted from Serie B for this season’s campaign, though there are some interesting story-lines with those teams as well.  No, by “new teams” I am referring to those top clubs who have made the most changes to their squads during this past summer’s transfer window.  And in Serie A, we have quite a few clubs who fit that description.

The first game on this weekend’s delicious menu is Friday’s season opener at the San Siro, as A.C. Milan takes on Lazio.  Milan made only a few changes this summer, but they were likely the favorites for the scudetto even if they didn’t do any business at all.  However, despite Milan’s deep trophy-winning squad, the Rossoneri made some smart additions which can make them even better.

It is hard to tell whether or not he is the elusive Mister X for this year, but Alberto Aquilani has been brought in on a season-long loan form Liverpool.  He should provide a presence and some depth into a midfield which recently lost Mathieu Flamini for most of the season due to injury and Andrea Pirlo to Juventus on a free transfer.  The club also added left-back Taye Taiwo and defender Philippe Mexes, among others.  As the home team, and a championship team which will mostly be back together to defend their title, Milan will be expected to hit the ground running.

But it is the visiting side who will attract the most curious onlookers, myself included.  Lazio may not have made the wholesale changes like Juventus or Roma have, but they certainly have turned some heads with the acquisitions of strikers Djibril Cisse and Miroslav Klose.  The two both bring a wealth of experience, and many goals as well.  Can they form the kind of deadly partnership Lazio will need to push them towards the top of the table?

The fact is predicting that Milan will repeat their scudetto win is not much of a stretch and it certainly doesn’t take much bravery on our part to do so. The truth is it is much, much harder to come up with any good ideas as to why Milan won’t win the scudetto than it is to list off all the reasons they will. Among those reasons are Milan has strengthened their already fantastic and deep squad, they have a strong and smart coach, and none of the teams closest to them in last year’s table have improved enough to make me think they can overtake the reigning champions.

So far this summer, Milan has bolstered their defense with the signings of Taye Taiwo from Marseille and Philippe Mexes from Roma. The Rossoneri have also added midfielder Alberto Aquilani on a season-long loan from Liverpool. All of them are good players, should help the team improve, and were brought in on decent business deals.

However, if we were to truly dig for reasons why Milan might fail in the defense of their title, we can look to the midfield for some possible concerns. Mathieu Flamini has been lost to injury for possibly the better part of the season. He was an important player for the Rossoneri last season, and coach Massimiliano Allegri might struggle to properly replace his production.

Also, the only significant player to leave the club this summer was Andrea Pirlo who moved to Juventus as a free agent. When the deal was made, many assumed Milan would not miss their legendary midfielder as he played only a small part for the club last season due to injury. But with Flamini hurt they may soon wish they still had Pirlo to call on, especially if they fail to sign the elusive Mister X.

But in the end, there are far too many more positives than there are negatives when analyzing the potential for success in this season’s AC Milan team. The clubs who finish just below them in the table last season will make it interesting for most of the coming campaign, and the Rossoneri will have to work for their 19th title. But in the end, they should win with some degree of comfort. Which leaves the question, how will they do in the Champions League? More on that in the coming weeks…

Last season, Milan was the center of the Italian soccer world, as the two city rivals battled at the top of the table. This season, things will not change much as Internazionale and AC Milan will lead the race for the scudetto. And just like last season, Inter will likely fall just short of the trophy.

Two seasons ago, Inter was the undisputed king of europe, winning the Champions League and a domestic double. But those achievements come with a cost, and Inter spent an awful lot of money to make those victories happen. It should come as no surprise that the club would need to take a bit of a spending break, and that seems like what they have done this summer. Inter has an aging squad, and they have done little to freshen it so far, so expecting these same players to greatly improve on last seasons results may be asking too much.

But this is still a star-studded squad filled with accomplished and talented players all over the pitch. Wesley Sneijder, Thiago Motta and Esteban Cambiasso makeup one of the world’s best midfields, while Diego Milito and Giampaolo Pazzini provide plenty of goals. The defense of Lucio, Walter Samuel, Maicon and Cristian Chivu are accomplished and solid, but they are not getting any younger. All four are on the wrong side of thirty, so quality in depth is going to be important if Inter is to compete in Europe and on the peninsula.

New boy Ricky Alvarez joins Inter from Velez Sarsfield on a transfer worth around 12 millions euros, so far the marquee signing of the summer. The 23 year old midfielder was linked to some of Europe’s best clubs before agreeing to move to Milan. He is certainly a talented player, but I am not sure he will make a huge impact this season. It wouldn’t surprise me if Alvarez will require a season or two to adjust and improve.

However, it is very possible we will see more changes to Inter, with the sale of striker Samuel Eto’o to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. The Cameroonian’s goalscoring talents will be missed by the Nerazzurri, but Anzhi made them, and the Eto’o, an offer much too lucrative to pass up. Reports suggest Inter will receive somewhere in the area of 20 million euros for the sale, and we can only assume at least a portion of those funds will be spent on replacing him.

Uncertainty also surrounds the aforementioned Wesley Sneijder. Earlier in the summer, the Dutch maestro appeared on his way to Manchester United but a deal failed to materialize. While it seems unlikely at this point that he will move away from Milan before the end of the transfer window, a deadline-day deal would not be at all shocking. Holding on to Sneijder is key to Inter’s success.

But the true wildcard for this season is new coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Inter’s leader joins the club after four seasons with Genoa, where he gained a reputation for exciting attacking play. But he did so by often employing a 3-4-3 system. It remains to be seen if Gasperini will try a similar approach with Inter. And if he does try that system, it will be interesting to see how well the players adjust, especially aging defenders not used to playing with only three backs.

Should Gasperini’s ideas work, Inter will be a joy to watch. But if they fail, I can easily see Inter struggling to even qualify for Europe next year. That is just a variable much too uncertain for me to pick them any higher than second in this year’s table. But simply on talent alone, they should be able to make a decent title challenge.

Juventus has gone through their fair share of coaches over the last few years, and this summer club legend Antonio Conte took the helm. Often, new coaches can lead to an adjustment period that tries the patience of fans and officials. But Conte knows the club well, and his tactics are not too far off of last year’s. He will ask for more attack out of his players than Luigi Delneri did, but that will be a welcome change to most of his returning starters.

However, the fact is there will not be many returning starters needing to adjust. Juventus looks to field five new first-eleven player when they take the field this weekend, perhaps more depending on Conte’s selections and possible further transfer business. And all of the new players represent an upgrade from last year’s team.

The biggest leap forward in talent for Juventus can be found in defense. Stephan Lichsteiner and Reto Ziegler were signed to fill the full-back positions, regarded by many as Juve’s most glaring weakness during the 2010-11 campaign. Both Swiss defenders have positive Serie A experience and their ability to play their respective positions well will allow the center of Juve’s defense, the talented pairing of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, to do what they do best.

Montenegrin striker Mirko Vucinic was signed from Roma. He will join a deep striking force that already includes Fabio Quagliarella, Alessandro Matri and Alessandro del Piero, giving Conte plenty of goalscoring options. Last year, a season-ending injury to Quagliarella left the Turin club with little attacking punch, but this year they appear to have the depth to withstand that sort of setback.

But the biggest throw of the dice the Old Lady made this summer was in the acquisition of midfielders Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo. Vidal, 24, is full of talent and grit, but he has never played on peninsula so it remains to be seen what he can offer. Pirlo is nearing the end of a wonderful career and is coming off a season marred by injury. Both players could either make a huge impact on a successful season, or go the same way many of Juve’s recent signing have gone.

The last piece of the puzzle appears to be a left-winger. As of this writing, the club has been linked with nearly every left-sided attacking player in Europe. The latest to be linked with Juventus is Chelsea’s Florent Malouda. If that signing goes through, or the club acquires a player of similar ability, Juve will have, what appears on paper at least, to be quite a dangerous lineup.

Juventus has the players and resources to compete for the scudetto this year. And with the opening of a beautiful new stadium, supporters have good reason to be excited. They have improved greatly in many areas, and have brought in better players than they had last season. But have they acquired the talent to compete with the star-studded Milan teams? My guess is no. The Old Lady will finish this season with a team to be proud of and a place in the Champions League, but not with any silverware.

The draw is set for the upcoming Champions League group stages, so let’s take a look at the groups in which the Italian clubs will be playing.

GROUP A:

Bayern Munich (Germany)
Villarreal (Spain)
Manchester City (England)
Napoli (Italy)

GROUP B:

Inter Milan (Italy)
CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Lille (France)
Trabzonspor (Turkey)

GROUP H:

Barcelona (Spain)
AC Milan (Italy)
Bate (Belarus)
Plzen (Czech Republic)

It was always going to be difficult for Napoli in their first ever trip to the Champions League, but they certainly didn’t get any favors with this draw. They are capable of winning or losing every single game in this group and will have to scratch and claw for each point they earn. This draw does not bode well for their Serie A campaign either.

Inter has a slightly better draw, as their group includes Lille, CSKA Moscow and Turkey’s Trabzonspor who only managed to qualify for the competition when champions Fenerbahce were removed as a result of an ongoing match-fixing scandal. Inter appear the best team in the group, and should qualify, but the French and Russian clubs will at least make it interesting.

Milan have the misfortune of drawing Barcelona, but they may have the easiest draw nonetheless, as it is hard to see them losing to Bate or Plzen.

Picking Napoli to finish fourth, a spot behind last year’s finish, is certainly not a popular prediction. Most fans of Serie A fell madly in love with their attractive attacking style last season, and would be happy to see them win their first major trophy in over two decades. But despite the excitement surrounding this terrifically talented team, I still see them dropping a place in the table this year and thus missing the Champions League next season.

The best parallel I can employ to explain this prediction can be found in last season’s campaign from Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs played attractive attacking football two seasons ago, earning admirers throughout the footballing world and a spot in the Champions League, much like Napoli did last year. Before entering Europe’s top competition for the first time, Tottenham spent wisely to strengthen their squad. But despite those admirable measures, the north London club just wasn’t used to the rigors and pressures of playing in so many big games. As a result, they performed reasonably well in both competitions, and should be proud of the season they put it. But it wasn’t enough to win a trophy, or get them back into the Champions League. This is exactly what I see as the greatest danger to Napoli this year.

As I mentioned before, Napoli gained many new fans throughout the world last year by playing exciting attacking football. The club’s stable of young, creative and marauding players, like Edinson Cavani, Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi were a joy to watch. At the beginning of the summer, it would have come as no surprise to anyone, including supporters, if Napoli were unable to hold on to them all. But that is exactly what they have done so far.

And what’s more, they have strengthened the squad in key spots, and nowhere more significantly than in the center of midfield with the acquisition of Swiss international Gokhan Inler from Udinese. Inler will provide the tackling and defensive expertise in the center of the field that should help free their attackers to be even more dangerous.

Last season, Tottenham had two glaring downfalls; finishing and experience. Scoring goals will not be a problem this year for Napoli. But instead, Napoli could very well struggle in defense, which has been something of an achilles heel up to now. They deployed a three-back system last season, and may have taken some teams off guard with their style of play. But that will not be the case this season. It is possible that such a system can be more efficiently exploited by other teams in Serie A and I question how well it will hold up against teams in Europe.

Tottenham’s other big issue last season, a lack of european experience, will be something Napoli will also have to struggle with in the coming campaign. The club has never reached the lofty level of the Champions League and for many teams new to the competition it can be a rather draining experience.

Napoli has become everyone’s second-favorite team in Italy, and deservedly so. With the talent they have they can easily qualify again for the Champions League, or even win the title. Finishing in the top three in Serie A last season was a fantastic achievement for the club, but doing that again, while also competing against Europe’s best teams, is something much more difficult. For that reason, I can see someone else sneaking into third place and Napoli dropping to fourth.

This season’s Serie A campaign looks to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. With the top clubs from the last few seasons getting older, and upstarts gaining more experience, the gap seems to be closing and fans of Italian soccer have much to look forward to.

For this reason, predicting the team who will place fifth in the table during this upcoming season was perhaps the most difficult selection to make. Outside of the star-studded, high-priced squads playing for Milan’s two rivals, there are at least a half-dozen or more teams that can all finish anywhere within the top half of the table. But after analyzing all the new signings, coaching changes and differing squads, our choice might seem a bit obvious We predict last’s year’s fifth place team, Lazio, will finish in the same spot this year.

The Biancocelesti have had a terrific transfer window so far this summer, making some quality signings to improve their squad. The most significant splash has been the signing of an entirely new big-name strike-force. The club acquired Germany international Miroslav Klose on a free transfer, and purchased flashy French striker Djibril Cisse from Panathinaikos. While it is true these two players may both be a few years off of their prime, they are undoubtedly proven goal-scorers. Assuming they stay healthy, both Klose and Cisse have the experience and finishing ability to greatly improve the club’s scoring.

But perhaps the best move this summer was actually a move not made at all, holding on to Brazilian playmaker Hernanes. In his debut season in Europe, the attacking midfielder was one of Serie A’s most exciting talents and many expected one of the continent’s big spending clubs to swoop in with bags full of cash for him. But Hernanes will remain in the capitol, and now he has two experienced international strikers to feed, a prospect that should have supporters drooling with excitement.

Last season Lazio were solid in the back, but fullback Stephan Lichsteiner and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera have been sold. The team hopes them have signed able replacements in Abdoualay Konko and Federico Marchetti, but only time will tell. If those two fail to improve the squad, Lazio may struggle to repeat their fifth place performance.

After a terrific start to the season, Lazio dropped away from any race for the scudetto. But they seemed to have improved their squad enough this year to be a bit more consistent and keep up with the competition. But despite some good business and quality acquisitions, it is hard to see Lazio climbing any further than fifth. The teams above them just have too much talent and too much money.

Since their banishment to the second division as a result of the Calciopoli scandal, Juventus has struggled to consistently field the elite-type squad their supporters had become so used to seeing in the famous black and white. Juve finished a disappointing seventh last season, and they have spent big money once again to try and claw their way back to the top of Serie A and into the Champions League where the fell they belong. But after failing the last two seasons to make in impact on the peninsula, is that climb becoming steeper and steeper?

Some Juventus fans had a chuckle last week when one of their transfer targets, Hamburg’s Dutch midfielder Eljero Elia, claimed the Old Lady simply wasn’t big enough for him to move. When asked about a possible transfer to Turin, the player responded, “There’s no need to talk if a club of the same level as HSV is interested. Juventus are still one of the best Italian teams around, but they’re not better than Hamburg in my opinion.”

We can debate whether Juventus and Hamburg are currently on the “same level”, but there is no debating that ten years ago Juve were clearly a much bigger club, one of the biggest in the world. Fans may laugh at the Dutchman’s claim, but after two seasons without Champions League football, is Elia’s conclusion really that far off? That lump in the throat Juventus supporters are feeling stems from the unspoken worry that many other players may just feel the same way.

Marotta has once again opened the bank this summer and spent big, bringing in players aplenty. They have clearly improved, especially at key positions where they struggled last season. But one has to question whether those players are good enough to see Juve to the top of the table, or big enough to move the spotlight back onto the Bianconeri. While Juve’s rivals can brag about the list of high-profile players in their teams, the Old Lady of Italian football can make no such boasts. They simply do not have players the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Edinson Cavani, and they have failed to attract them over the last few years.

It has been made clear by recent press reports, and by those at the club, that the Bianconeri now have a left -winger at the top of their wishlist, and many such targets have already come and gone this summer. Juve couldn’t close the deal for the aforementioned Elia, and also failed in their bid to land Brazilian Michel Bastos from Lyon. Now they appear once again to be looking further down their list to lesser known players like Bayer Leverkusen’s Tranquillo Barnetta and Bologna’s Gaston Ramirez, and this isn’t the first time Marotta has been forced to cross some names off his list.

Earlier this summer Juventus let the world know they wanted a star striker and were willing to spend big money to get him. They made it clear they were after a player who could not only score goals but more importantly could also attract fans to their new stadium and the attention of the football world. But they failed. The club targeted big money signings like Giuseppe Rossi and Sergio Aguero, but were forced to settle for Mirko Vucinic.

Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. Vucinic is a good player and Marotta got good value for the money spent. He certainly will help Juventus this season. But I fear the manner in which he was acquired, along with the clubs ongoing search for a left-sided attacking winger, are symptoms of a greater obstacle Juve now faces. For one reason or another, they have not been able to attract elite talent to a club that once boasted those type of players in every position. Juventus need to do it the hard way now, building from the ground up. Are supporters willing to be patient for a bit longer?

Photo by ToniCM_38

So far this summer, Juventus has spent money all over the pitch, already adding ten players to their books as of this writing. But despite spending somewhere in the range of 70 million euros on new transfer fees and making permanent loan deals from last season, the biggest buzz the Turin giants created this offseason comes from a free signing.

Before this transfer window even opened officially, Juventus snapped up Italian legend Andrea Pirlo, signing the midfielder to a three year contract. The deal created quite a stir on the peninsula, and not necessarily a positive one. Most pundits wondered why a team who sputtered at the end of last season would turn to a 32-year old player who struggled for fitness last year to help turn their fortunes around. But Pirlo’s performance in Italy’s victory over Spain yesterday may have those pundits questioning themselves and Juve supporters salivating.

No one denies what Pirlo is capable of doing, based on his storied history for both club and country. But there is no reason not to question the durability of a veteran who has been playing in Serie A for well over a decade and was only able to take the field for a dozen league matches last season. But if Pirlo can return to form, he can be the most important acquisition of the summer for the Bianconeri.

During Wednesday’s victory over Spain, Pirlo put in an impressive performance for the Azzurri that brought to mind his glory days. When he shows that kind of form, Pirlo is the very definition of a deep-lying playmaker, anchoring the midfield and spraying the ball into dangerous positions. If he can play like that for Juventus, he can be the most important signing in the club’s quest to return to European competition. But that is a big if.

The on-field value of Pirlo this season rests squarely in the hands of new coach Antonio Conte, and perhaps he can look to Sir Alex Ferguson for some inspiration with this conundrum. Over the last couple of seasons, Ferguson managed to get the most out of aging players like Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs by deploying and resting them in a manner that kept his veterans fresh and effective for the games he needed them to play. Conte must do the same with Pirlo.

Juve has indeed added some quality this summer, and I expect them to be a much improved team. They needed to plug holes in many areas on the pitch and have done that to varying degrees of success. But what they also lacked last season was a player with the experience of winning to lead the team during the high pressure moments of Serie A season. Gigi Buffon has that experience, but there is only so much influence a goalkeeper can have on a team. They needed a central leader on the field, and now they have one in Pirlo.

There is a very good reason why despite spending millions on players this summer the most attention Juventus grabbed has been from securing Pirlo’s signature. He is a great player with amazing vision and tactical awareness, and an accomplished veteran leader. This week he showed why he deserves so much attention. There will be weeks this season when he struggles for fitness, and there will be weeks when he dominates games and leads Juve to victory. It may no be entirely in Conte’s power to keep him healthy, but it is perhaps his most important task this season to do everything he can to keep Pirlo as effective as possible when he needs him the most.

Today it seems negotiations have hit a snag. Hamburg announced boldly on their website that they have in fact received a bid from Juve for the skilled and speedy Dutch winger and that they have also rejected said offer. Hamburg officials say they have “no need” to sell Elia.

The question now remains, is that a firm answer to the Bianconeri’s bid? Or just a negotiating tool designed to up the price? While I am a firm believer that enough money can persuade nearly any club to sell nearly any player, the absolute manner in which Hamburg has voiced their rejection does seem to indicate the club truly does not intend to sell. Perhaps it is time for Juve to move on to other targets.

Bastos not moving to Juve
But it appears the Old Lady may also find a dead end should they resume their pursuit of Lyon’s Michel Bastos. Earlier in the summer, Bastos was practically begging for Juve to make an offer for him, but yesterday on his Twitter account he pronounced his undying love for Lyon. How quickly things can change. I can’t help but wonder if Bastos would be so lovingly attached to Lyon should Juve start flashing the euros.

Is Samuel Eto’o on the verge of moving to Russia?
Apparently though, enough money can also persuade nearly any player to play for nearly any club, as evidenced by the story today that Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o is set to join Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for no better reason than the promise of a ludicrously high salary.

Anzhi Makhachkala is known for two things, it is owned by the insanely rich Russian billionaire Suleyman Kerimov and captained by 38 year old Roberto Carlos. Despite the funding advantage, Anzhi finished 11th in Russian Premier League table last season, so the team will not be participating in Europe this year. Earlier in the saga, Eto’o said he would not make the switch because the team lacked European football, but it seems the club has found a way to make that issue somehow less important…

Gilardino out and Aquilani in at Fiorentina?
While Fiorentina officials have denied rumors that Paris Saint-Germain have made a bid for midfielder Alberto Gilardino, they have never denied a willingness to sell the Italy international for the right price. This summer, Gilardino has been linked with not only PSG, but also Genoa, Marseille, and Villareal, so the chances of deal happening appear pretty high.

Should a transfer occur, it seems the obvious place for Fiorentina to look for a replacement in the the center of their midfield would be Liverpool. Alberto Aquilani is desperate for a move back to the peninsula, and Liverpool have more midfielders than some other clubs have players.

Yes, it may have been “just a friendly,” but anytime you can claim a victory over the reigning world and European champions, it is something worthy of getting excited over. Italy’s 2-1 win at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari over Spain may not count in terms of any competition, but for new coach Cesare Prandelli this win brings a smile to his face and hope to fans of the Azzurri.

The Italians played the first half with some considerable style, something Prandelli has been working towards since taking over. Only minutes into the first half, fullback Domenico Criscito hammered a shot off the post which could have given Italy the lead. The move began when Riccardo Montolivo sprung Antonio Cassano into the attack and then the Italians completed a serious of quick, Barcelona-style one touch passes before Criscito released a thundering shot. It was a sign of things to come for Italy.

A few short minutes later, Italy deservingly hit the back of the net with a goal by Riccardo Montolivo. It was an impressive chip over the charging Iker Casillas.

Cassano and strike-partner Giuseppe Rossi impressed through the remainder of the first half, but Casillas was up to task. The Spanish goalkeeper managed to keep the ball out of his net and buy Spain time to get back into the game, which they did off an equalizing penalty kick in the 37th minute by Xavi Alonso.

The penalty was a result of a foul by Giorgio Chiellini on Fernando Llorente, who replaced the injured Fernando Torres after less than a quarter of an hour passed. Perhaps the foul was a bit soft, but it was poor defending by the Juventus center-back nonetheless.

The most impressive aspect of Italy’s game in the first half was how they showed no fear of the reigning world champions. Especially in the first thirty minutes, the Azzuri took the game to Spain, playing attractive attacking football, showing calm and confident possession and exciting creativity. The midfield pressed the Spaniards effectively, resulting in chance after chance.

Like most friendlies, the pace of the game in the second half slowed considerably and Italy’s play suffered as a result. Spain looked like the more dangerous team, but Italy’s defense held. In the 58th minute, Prandelli changed his attacking tandem, substituting Cassano and Rossi for Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini, and the fluid threat of the first half abated slightly.

However, somewhat against the run of play, and with a touch of luck, Italy scored the winning goal. Liverpool’s Alberto Aquilani scored the go-ahead goal with a shot that was deflected into the net.

All-in-all Prandelli must be pleased with what he saw tonight. The team defended well, which should be expected from any Italian national side. But it was in the attack where Italy looked so fresh and attractive. The first half midfield of Andrea Pirlo, Daniele Di Rossi, Thiago Motta and Montolivo looked in control against a Spanish midfield that prides itself on unnerving opponents, while providing the opportunity for Rossi and Cassano to run Spain’s defense ragged.

In a game played between Spain and Italy, one would hardly expect the Azzurri to be the more attractive attacking team. But perhaps this is no longer the Italy of old. Perhaps this is now Prandelli’s Italy.

Internazionale have spent much of this week in Beijing, China preparing to defend their Italian Supercoppa tomorrow against city rivals AC Milan. But all the talk surrounding the club has been focused on potential transfers including some very big names.

The Sneijder Saga Continues…

Obviously any conversation about this summer’s calcio mercato at Inter must begin with Wesley Sneijder. Earlier this week, reports suggested a bid was made and excepted but those stories now appear to have been premature. While everyone involved is denying talk of any ongoing negotiations, speculation still refuses to die down.

Inter officials insist no bid has been made, but at the same time are making it clear that they can be persuaded to sell the Dutch international for the right price. On the other side of the coin, Sir Alex Ferguson is downplaying speculation whenever he can. But that hasn’t stopped coaches and players praising Sneijder and encouraging the deal every chance they get.

So what it my take on this? It seems United want Sneijder, and to some degree Sneijder wants United, and Inter are willing to deal. But perhaps United are not willing to splash 30-plus million pounds just yet. They have already spent quite a sum of cash on David De Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones. It could be the Glazers have told Sir Alex he needs to sell before he can buy such an expensive player.

What Comes After Sneijder?

It is safe to assume that should Sneijder be sold, a few other chips could fall into place. The natural place to look for where Inter will spend any funds raised but such a large sale is back to the city of Manchester, only the blue side this time.

We all know Carlos Tevez wants out of Manchester, and he said over and over he wants a move closer to his children who live in Argentina. The last time I checked Milan was not in South America, but that hasn’t stopped the speculation that Tevez will move to the Nerazzuri should he get the chance. Perhaps the sale of Sneijder will offer such an opportunity.

Will Eto’o Leave Inter?

At the same time, a potential Sneijder departure may not be the only way Carlos Tevez can arrive at Inter. Reports say that striker Samuel Eto’o has fallen out with new coach Gian Piero Gasperini and has asked for a move away from Inter, specifically to England.

Rumors also suggested earlier this week that Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini wants to acquire Eto’o, perhaps in exchange for Tevez. But honestly that seems a poor deal for City. Eto’o at 30 years old is certainly not of equal value to the 27 year old Tevez. But sometimes clubs need to move unhappy players quickly and that can often mean player values go out the window.

Clubs Interested in Maicon

But Eto’o is not the only Inter star Mancini is after. Reports are also indicating that City may be in for Inter’s Brazilian right-back Maicon, and that Tevez could be used in an exchange for that deal instead. But Mancini has denied that possibility, for whatever that’s worth.

Also, Manchester City is not the only club who could be in for Maicon. Real Madrid has long been linked with the defender. But Maicon is 30 years old and it remains to be seen if the Spanish giants are willing to spend a bucket-load of money on a player of that age.

The Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United saga continues to evolve, as the move seems to be picking up steam. But the rumors are somewhat conflicting to say the least.

Reports from England in the last 24 hours suggest Inter have accepted a bid from United, clearing the way for the player to discuss personal terms. But at the same time Inter have named the Dutch international in their squad for Saturday’s Italian Super Cup being played in Beijing and new coach Gian Piero Gasperini has stated that he intends to play Sneijder in the match.

While I appreciate that Sneijder is still an Inter player, if the club truly has accepted a bid for him it is both irresponsible and ill-advised to play him in a competitive match. All signs point to this being a very expensive deal, and if I were United I would insist he not play. But let’s be honest the game is not until Saturday, and a few days can be an eternity during the transfer season. So does this mean the reports of the bid being accepted are not true? Or does it just mean Gasperini and Inter are playing a game of chicken with Sir Alex?

Here is more transfer news from Serie A:

Javier Pastore Moves to France

Paris St. Germain is this year’s club with ridiculous amounts of cash to throw around to buy Europe’s best players, and their prize catch this summer seems to be Palermo’s Javier Pastore. It appears the French Ligue 1 club have sealed the deal with a 42 million euro transfer, beating Chelsea in the process.

Pastore was one of Europe’s most sought after young players, and some of the biggest clubs on the continent joined Chelsea in pursuit of his signature. But Pastore chose PSG instead.

The Parisian club now has loads of Qatari cash to spend, and they certainly have not been shy about spending it. Pastore joins a laundry list of recent buys including Jeremy Menez from Roma and Mohamed Sissoko from Juventus.

AC Milan Expected to Bid for Alberto Aquilani

I don’t think anyone involved, be it the player, club supporters, or management, want Alberto Aquilani to stay in Liverpool. It is clear Aquilani’s playing style best fits the game on the peninsula and not England. Add to that the fact that Liverpool has too many central midfielders and a deal with an Italian club seems to make the most sense.

The problem is Liverpool invested a lot of cash into Aquilani and they now stand to lose a huge chunk of it. Two summers ago, Liverpool reportedly paid nearly 20 million pounds to buy the Italian international from Roma and now the club can not seem to find a buyer willing to pay even half that sum. Early this summer, they could not reach agreement with Juventus, where the midfielder played last season and where he wanted to remain. Now the Turin club has filled the gap left by Aquilani’s departure, leaving Liverpool in a worse selling position. Sooner or later, the player will be back in Italy. It’s just a matter of where and when.

Photo by Jacopo J. Modesti

Juventus announced today the signing of Montenegro international Mirko Vucinic, ending the clubs long search for an impact striker. The former Roma star will cost the Turin club 15 million euro, a significantly smaller fee than the club had been willing to pay for their previous targets. For Juve supporters, this hopefully signals that other transfers will arrive to strengthen a team that failed to achieve much last season.

Vucinic joins fellow strikers Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella in the attack, a fairly impressive list, if not one containing the kind of star name Juve fans have been used to. Add to that a bench that contains Alessandro Del Piero, Vincenzo Iaquinta, and Luca Toni and new coach Antonio Conte has a wealth of striking options to choose from.

The Bianconeri certainly moved their way down their striker wish-list to settle on Vucinic. They had previously made much larger bids for Sergio Aguero and Giuseppe Rossi, but failed to close those deals. But in my opinion, this is a terrific bit of business by the Old Lady. Vucinic is a solid and improving player and the price paid for him, as well as the reported payment structure, represents a good value for Juventus.

While the Vucinic signing may not be the sexy signing some Juventi were hoping for, it does seem to indicate the club now has a budget to address other concerns the team clearly has, most notably on the left side of midfield.

In early preseason friendlies, Juve’s first choice right side of Milos Krasic and Stephan Lichtsteiner have looked impressive, but the left side has been somewhat makeshift. Fullbacks Reto Ziegler and Paolo De Ceglie look like solid choices, but the club is without true impact left-sided attacking winger. In past seasons, Conte has shown a devotion to attacking wing-play so it only stands to reason the club could benefit by signing someone for that position.

Earlier in the summer it appeared Brazilian Michel Bastos would be signed to play on the left, but that deal has yet to materialize. In the coming weeks, we can expect the rumor mill in Turin to focus on the teams left wing.

Vucinic joins an increasingly long list of players to join Juventus this summer. The club has already brought in Arturo Vidal, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Andrea Pirlo and Reto Ziegler.

Photo by tpower1978

Roma have grabbed the transfer spotlight as they have closed a deal to bring in Barcelona’s Bojan Krkic.  The transfer fee is reported to be 12 million euros, but it is a somewhat convoluted deal that includes a 13 million euro buy-back clause after the 2012-13 season that Roma can negate by paying an additional 28 million.

It is a creative solution that essentially protects Barcelona’s investment in Bojan.  For all intents and purposes, Barcelona is loaning Roma the player for two seasons, hopefully allowing him the playing time he likely wouldn’t get in Spain.  Even though Bojan has not been a first-team regular for the European champions since arriving in 2007, the nature of the transaction speaks to how highly the 20 year old Catalonia native is rated at the Camp Nou.

At the same time, it is a low-risk high-reward deal for Roma.  Bojan is one of Europe’s most talented young players, and new coach Luis Enrique knows that more than anyone, having coached him with the Barcelona B squad.  Should Bojan flourish in the capitol it would cost Roma only a million euros for his time.  And we all know that in two years that 28 million price tag will be negotiable.

Meanwhile, here’s more transfer news involving Roma:

Roma told to up the offer for Stekelenburg

Roma are continuing their pursuit of Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.  It appears Ajax have rejected Roma’s initial 5 million euro bid for the Dutch international and it remains to be seen if Roma will increase their offer.  Stekelenburg is a talented and accomplished keeper, but how much is Roma willing to pay?

Gabriel Heinze Signs One-Year Deal

The Giallorossi also appear to be on the verge of signing free agent defender Gabriel Heinze to a one year deal.  The 33 year old Argentinian played in France last season for Marseille, scoring 4 goals in 38 appearances.

Can Roma Hold on to Their Stars?

Roma has certainly been busy trying to bring in new players, but the real intrigue during this transfer window revolves around the club’s current roster.  John Arne Riise has already left for Fulham, while goalkeeper Alexander Doni signed with Liverpool earlier this summer.  And they may not be the last to exit.

Reports out of France today suggest PSG are about to launch a bid for Jeremy Menez, while many clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, have been linked with striker Mirko Vucinic.

But Roma supporters are nervously biting their nails over the future of midfielder Daniele De Rossi.  The 27 year old has one year left on his contract, and he has been linked to clubs with plenty of cash to spend.

The door is certainly revolving at Juventus. Yesterday began with the club announcing the arrival of Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal in Turin for a medical. Vidal is set to join the Bianconeri from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of 10.5 million euros.

And as Vidal enters, Felipe Melo exits. Earlier this week, Melo was telling the press he was about to sign a lucrative deal with an unnamed European club. Juventus revealed today that club is Galatasaray. The Old Lady has loaned the Brazilian international for a fee of 1.5 million euros with a option to buy the player for 13 million after the 2011-2012 season.

Melo joined the Turin giants in the summer of 2009 for a deal worth around 25 million euros, making this a significant loss for the Bianconeri. Even though Melo has played well at times for Juve, he has never lived up to the expectation and now both player and club are turning the page.

It appears the dismantling of the best Udinese side in recent memory continues, as star Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez appears to be finally off to Barcelona.  Despite the fact that Udinese earned a Champions League spot this season, it is hard to blame the club for this sale.  When the Catalonian siren starts singing, it is hard for players to resist.

The key for Udinese supporters is to see what the club does with the funds they have acquired from the sale of Sanchez, as well as from the sales of Gokhan Inhler and Cristian Zapata.  Reports suggest the three players have earned Udinese somewhere in the range of 50 million euros and they have plenty of time to reinvest those funds into a team that can compete in Europe.

Two Arriving, Two Departing at Juventus?

Earlier this week, we discussed the many rumors surrounding Juventus, as the club continues an ambitious plan to get back to the top of Serie A.  While nothing official has been announced by the club, a few players appear closer to a move.

Reports today suggest the Old Lady and Bayer Leverkusen have agreed to a transfer fee for midfielder Arturo Vidal.  The Chilean international’s arrival at the club seems to also mean the departure of Felipe Melo, who is telling whoever will listen that he has agreed to a lucrative offer from another European club.

Meanwhile, it looks more and more likely Giuseppe Rossi will complete his move to Turin this week.  The New Jersey native has been left out of the Villareal team for their coming friendlies, fueling speculation an announcement is on its way.

Finally, yesterday the Bianconeri terminated the contract of Portugese midfielder Tiago Mendes.  The former Chelsea player, who never made much of a mark at Juventus, has wasted little time in the open market and has already signed a contract with Atletico Madrid.

Is Tevez an Inter Target Again?

I, for one, am about at the end of my patience with the Carlos Tevez transfer saga.  But considering it once again seems Italy might be the most likely destination, I guess I will tolerate it for a little while longer.

Yesterday the potential transfer of Tevez to Brazilian club Corinthians fell apart and now speculation turns back to Inter Milan.  The players has said all along that he wants to play closer to his children, who live in Argentina.  While Milan certainly does not fit that description, Manchester City supporters and officials have to be growing as tired of this as I have, and must praying for the Nerazzurri make a bid.

Rossi to sign this week?

Juventus have made it clear that among their summer signings they plan to spend big on a marquee striker.  However, without the promise if Champions League football next season that task can prove difficult.  The club have been linked to just about every available striker in Europe, including Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez.  But it appears they are closing in on Villareal’s Giuseppe Rossi, another player linked to the Bianconeri for the past few weeks.

Reports suggest the deal could be completed this week, which would give Juve an impressive roster of forwards including Rossi, Fabio Quagliarella, Alessandro Matri, and Alessandro Del Piero, among a host of others.

Chile’s Vidal set for Juve switch?

It is barely hours after Chile’s exit from the Copa America and reports are already surfacing that midfielder Arturo Vidal is being courted by Juventus.  Bayer Leverkusen appear open to the possibility of selling the 24 year old, but Juve will have competition from clubs playing the Champions League in the coming season.  Chelsea and Arsenal are being linked, as are Napoli.

Amauri and Melo to Make Room for New Signings?

As Juventus players and coaches began their journey across the Atlantic for their tour of the USA, news came from the club that a few players were left behind, leading pundits to ask why.  Felipe Melo and Amauri did not make the trip, igniting speculation that the two were on their way out of Turin.

For Amauri to be sold would certainly not be a surprise to anyone, as he has been out of favor for some time now.  The club already has plenty of attacking players, and should Rossi sign, Amauri would be at best fifth in the pecking order, probably lower.  And if he should leave, fans would likely rejoice rather than complain, so it only makes sense for the Brazilian to be moved.

Melo’s departure would be a bit less obvious.  Melo played relatively well last year, at least well enough to be retained by the club.  But reports suggest Juventus is ready to sell the Brazilian, especially if they sign Vidal.  New coach Antonio Conte may not see a place for Melo in his team, but unlike Amauri, the club won’t feel the need simply to offload him.

Both players are drawing interest from clubs in Brazil.  Amauri could likely be had on the cheap, but Melo will demand a decent transfer fee.  It remains to be seen if the Old Lady can get a good price.

And Now It’s Time for the Silly Season…

For reasons passing understanding, Juventus is being linked with a move for Manchester United’s winger Antonio Valencia.  Now don’t get me wrong, signing the 25 year old Ecuadorian would be a great move for the Bianconeri.  But would they really spend the kind of money required to get him?  And would Sir Alex really want to sell him?  The answer to both questions is likely no.

Just about every league in Europe has their own privileged clubs, the biggest and most popular teams loaded with money to spend and trophies shining in their cabinets. Italy is no exception. Most Serie A seasons begin with pundits trying to decide which of the big clubs will win the championship and which clubs will achieve the cash-rich prize of European qualification, while the smaller clubs become almost an afterthought.

For fans of those smaller clubs, you support your team and pray for the season when everything comes together, when the right blend of talent and results push your squad to the top. No one expects to win the league, but to make it to the Champions League would mean an influx of cash that could lead to your beloved club finally competing near the top.

This is not an unusual story. It happens quite a bit, and this past season it happened for two clubs in Serie A, Napoli and Udinese, who both qualified for Champions League. While a couple of Serie A’s traditional powerhouses struggled for form, Udinese and Napoli filled the gap with great attacking play from squads filled with terrific young talent. Both clubs appear on the verge of great things, but these two teams seem to be moving in completely opposite directions during this transfer window, perhaps the most critical summer in their recent histories.

Napoli and Udinese both spent the last few years building for exactly this result. They invested in young talent and that investment paid off. What they do with that payoff makes all the difference for the future. Napoli seems to be intent on building on their success, while Udinese appears intent on only profiting by it.

In the last few days this dichotomy has been made abundantly clear. This week, Napoli has completed the signing Uruguayan defender Miguel Angel Britos from Bologna after yesterday announcing the transfer of midfielder Gokhan Inler from, you guessed it, Udinese. Napoli not only seem intent on holding onto their top talent, they appear ready to invest in a squad that can compete at the highest level. Now they may ultimately be unsuccessful in holding on to players like Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi who may attract huge sums of money, but it is clear Napoli will not use their talent just to profit. Optimism reigns in Naples, as this week the club announced they have even offered Manchester United one million euros just to come and play a friendly at the San Paolo stadium as a way of announcing their arrival on the biggest stage. Napoli has ambition and they are ready to fulfill it.

Udinese, however, is a different story altogether. Perhaps it is naive for me to think that every club would make the investment in time and money for the purpose of competing at the highest level and returning to their fans the thrill of a European campaign, and not only for the purpose of selling their young talent at top prices. But that seems to be the case here. They have sold the aforementioned Inler, and this week announced the sale of defender Christian Zapata to Villareal. Additionally, it seems only a matter of time before star winger Alexis Sanchez exits, as well as others. What will be left the exciting Udinese squad that made it into Serie A’s top four is unknown, but we can be certain it will not look the same?

Last season’s Tottenham Hotspur team comes to mind. Yes, Spurs in the end failed to finish in the top four and have no silverware to show for the 2010-11 season. But not a single Spurs supporter would ever consider it a failure. Their team reached the Champions League quarterfinals and they witnessed some of the biggest and most glorious European nights in club history. A few weeks ago, Udinese and Napoli seemed poised to accomplish those same heights. Now, it seems only Napoli has the desire and ambition to move forward. Let us hope Udinese prove me wrong.

As we spoke about earlier this week, Udinese’s Alexis Sanchez is one of the most sought after transfer targets by Europe’s top clubs, being linked with high-priced moves to the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona. But now we find the Chilean wonderkid has a new suitor, Napoli. According to Udinese’s owner Giampaolo Pozzo, Napoli have tabled an offer for Sanchez.

Now I will admit the chances of City or Barca being outbid by Napoli are small, but I can’t help being impressed by Napoli for throwing their hat in the ring. And besides, imagine how exciting Napoli would be with an attack featuring Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamsik and Alexis Sanchez!

Sneijder to Manchester United…maybe not?

The gossip columns are buzzing today with the story that Wesley Sneijder will be sold to Manchester United, but this rumor seems to be more about connecting unrelated dots than any actual information.

First, we have the news yesterday of Inter’s acquisition of Argentinian midfielder Ricky Alvarez, leading the media to conclude that Alvarez must have been signed as Sneijder’s replacement. But all indications point to Alvarez being signed as depth, and certainly not to fill Sneijder’s shoes which he is likely not capable of doing anyway. Few are.

Now today one member of United’s coaching staff, Dutchman Rene Meulensteen, has whipped the media into a frenzy for remarking on how terrific Sneijder would be for the Red Devils. Let me just say this, a coach stating the obvious does not mean United is about to splash a pile of cash.

Certainly making a move for a player with as much talent as Wesley Sneijder would be a good idea for Manchester United, and such a deal may very well happen in the future. But nothing we have learned over the last few days leads me to believe such as deal is imminent.

Will Roma need a new goalkeeper?

The agent for Roma’s keeper Alexander Doni claims the Brazilian will soon sign with Liverpool, perhaps as early as today. It was predictable that not long after those reports surfaced rumors of Roma’s search for new a keeper would begin, and that is exactly what has happened. Sky Sports is reporting today that Roma is interested in Ajax and Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Argentinian club Velez Sarsfield have announced the sale of Ricky Alvarez to Inter Milan, for a fee of around 11 million euros. The 23 year old attacking midfielder was a sought after player in the current transfer window and had reportedly attracted the attention of some big clubs, including Arsenal and Roma.

Inter’s new coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, promises to bring a new attacking style to the Nerazzurri and has been quoted recently as praising Alvarez as the type of reinforcement he was looking for. It was inevitable that Gasperini would sign some attacking players, and the Argentinian appears to have the talent to impress in Serie A.

Alvarez will join a strong Argentinian contingent already playing at Inter Milan, including Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso and Deigo Milito.

Edson Cavani of Napoli, Alexis Sanchez of Udinese, and Javier Pastore of Palermo are Serie A’s hottest commodities this summer, and Europe’s elite are circling for a chance to grab them. The problem for Serie A fans is that none of them play for any of Italy’s biggest clubs, and therefore these exciting young stars will most likely be lured away from Italy by the promise of big money.

Coincidentally, all three players are currently playing in the Copa America. And as history tells us, success at the international level can often inflate the value balloon even more. It also means any potential transfer will likely have to wait until the tournament’s conclusion, after which we can expect the rumor mill to hit a fever pitch. Already the potential fees associated with each of these players is in the tens of millions of euros. But should any of them truly impress at the Copa America, who knows how much they will demand.

Having said all this, it would be a great shame for Serie A fans if all three stars move off the peninsula. Pastore has lead Palermo to respectable finishes each of the last two seasons and has made them a difficult team to beat, while Sanchez and Cavani saw their respective teams qualify for the Champions League while finishing ahead of some of Italy’s traditional powerhouses. This coming season has the potential to be quite fascinating, with more teams competing at the top of the table than we are used to seeing. Should these three all move away, their clubs, and Serie A in general, will suffer for it.

As we enter July, the summer transfer market is sure to ratchet up to a fever pitch. Over the next few weeks we will focus on the top targets who may potentially make a move to or with Serie A. Today we focus on one of Italy brightest young stars, Giuseppe Rossi.

Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, Rossi began his professional career when Manchester United purchased his contract from Parma as a 17 year old. As a teenager, he was perhaps the most exciting prospect in the United States player pool, so people were a bit surprised when he didn’t blossom right away for United.

But blossom he certainly has. After joining Villareal in 2007, his game has improved every year and Rossi is now a bonafide superstar in the making. This season he scored 32 goals in 56 appearances for the Spanish side and is worth the millions many thought he would be worth when he was just that kid from Jersey who American soccer fans were begging to play for their national team.

Now it seems inevitable his career will continue an upward trajectory with a bigger club, with teams from all over Europe being linked with the striker. Rossi’s name has been mentioned as a potential target for nearly every club with money to spend, including the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Tottenham. A couple of weeks it looked like Barca was going to be the place, but that deal has apparently collapsed, leaving Rossi with many other options to choose from should Villareal get the price they are looking for.

Rossi has always professed his love for the Azzurri and has been quite open about wanting to play regularly for Italy. To achieve that goal, it would seem to me that a move to one of Serie A’s biggest clubs would make the most sense. But that possibility seems less likely each passing day.

Juventus had been the club most linked to Rossi, and they even made it known publicly how much they coveted him. But the Old Lady seems to have her sights set on Sergio Aguero and have said they would not sign more than one high-priced player. Also, Juventus can not offer Rossi Champions League football, something a player moving for big money usually looks for. He would easily become one of Juve’s top attackers but that door is rapidly closing. Should Juve fail in their attempt to sign Aguero, they may turn their attention back to Rossi.

Juventus is certainly not the only team on the peninsula who would love the services of this brilliant young Italian goalscorer, but right now they seem to be the only team showing any real interest. Fans of the Azzurri would love nothing better than to see Rossi take his game to the next level in Serie A. There is still a chance that might happen, if not a smaller chance than we once may have thought. While Rossi may not be the transfer target most likely to wind up in Serie A, he certainly is one whose international dreams may benefit most by making such a move.

Two new coaches, employed with some considerable risk by two of the biggest clubs on the peninsula, are set to exert an attacking influence on Serie A, as Antonio Conte takes over at Juventus and Inter Milan will hand the reigns to Gian Piero Gasperini. Both coaches are known for attacking football, and both will undoubtably bring that style to these two hugely influential teams.

Gasperini is nothing short of a fascinating and courageous hire by the Nerazzurri. He lead Genoa from Serie B to the verge of the Champions League, and he did it by employing an attacking style that featured an ever-increasingly rare three-man back-line. Using mostly a 3-4-3, Genoa finished fifth in Serie A in 2008-09. Now Gasperini will most likely bring a similar system to the very club credited with inventing Catenaccio. It is a radical change for Inter, who have achieved great success in recent years. There is no doubt Gasperini will be under the microscope and, like Rafael Benitez before him, must produce positive results early in the season. But if he should succeed, Inter Milan will look very little like the Inter Milan we have been used to.

In Turin, Italy’s slumping giant will take a similar risk on attacking football as Juventus appoint club-legend Antonio Conte as manager. In 2010-11 Conte piloted Siena to promotion using a very different tactical approach from Gasperini, but often just as attack-minded. Conte’s 4-4-2 more often appeared like a 4-2-4, with wide midfielders playing very high up the pitch. It won’t be as drastic a tactical change for the Old Lady as we can expect from Inter, but Conte will demand a much more cavaliering attacking attitude than his predecessor. The pressure is on Conte to lead Juventus back to the top, and the fact that he plans to achieve that goal by pushing forward should prove exciting to watch.

Management at both clubs must recognize the magnitude of the changes they are making to their team’s on-field approach. And financial support in the form of new players to fit these systems is required if success is to be achieved. But the greatest challenge to both managers, probably more so for Gasperini, will be incorporating the existing roster into the new attacking mindset. Either way, fans should be ready for quite an entertaining season from these two colossal clubs.

The annual carousel of potential transfer targets is spinning once again in Turin as Juventus look to try and build a title contending team. As is the summer tradition, star players from all across Europe are being linked with the Bianconeri. But while the flashy names are splashed across the headlines, club General Manager Giuseppe Marotta and Juventus are quietly going about the business of fixing what really needed to be fixed.

Today, we get word for Turin that Lazio’s right-back Stephan Lichsteiner is undergoing a medical and should officially become a Juve player in the near future. The 27 year old Swiss international becomes the first transfer of the season that Juventus has paid a fee for and joins fellow summer signings Andrea Pirlo, Michele Pazienza and Reto Ziegler who were all signed on free-transfers.

So for what appears to be a total expenditure of somewhere around 10-12 million euros, Juve has signed a left-back, a right-back and two very capable central midfielders to replace the potential loss of Alberto Aquilani. Considering how little he has spent so far this summer, and the quality of players he has signed, it is hard to argue that Marotta has not done brilliantly up to now.

Is is true Juventus is by no means setting the world on fire with this deal, as Lichsteiner is not exactly the sexy signing the media clammer for. But he is exactly what the Old Lady needs and supporters of the club should take notice of what Marotta has accomplished so early in the transfer window.

Anyone who watched more than ten minutes of a Juventus game this past season will be able to identify the team’s biggest weakness was in defense, specifically the full-backs. Giorgio Chielinni and Leonardo Bonucci made a solid pairing in the center of the backline, but too often they were forced wide or into bad positions by fumbling full-backs. Juve needed to strengthen both wide defensive positions, and with Ziegler and Lichsteiner that is exactly what they have done.

Juve supporters may be understandably salivating over the prospect of signing a world-class striker the likes Giuseppe Rossi or Sergio Aquero, and who wouldn’t be? But first thing’s first. If Juventus wants to play Champions League football again and compete for a Scudetto, they need a much better defense than the one that took the field in 2010-11. And that is exactly what Marotta has acquired.

Photo by Testuggine+1

Whenever a club appoints a successful former player as manager, many in the media wonder why clubs the world over turn towards what appears to be nothing more than sentimentality in the selection process for perhaps its most important employee. And, quite honestly, I understand this criticism.

The club in question is usually failing to meet expectations and instead of finding an accomplished manager, they turn to a man now considered a “club legend”, a man who once hoisted a trophy towards adoring fans and employers. Supporters of the appointment will undoubtedly repeat a chorus of age-old cliches like “he knows the club”, “he knows how to win in this city”, or “he will bring back the old winning attitude to the current players”.

This story is playing itself out again, this time in Turin as Juventus turn to Antonio Conte to take the helm of the Old Lady. But this is an appointment that may just prove the cliches correct.

Before last season Juventus turned to a very experienced manager in Luigi Delneri, a man with decades of coaching experience, but who failed to return the club to the top of Serie A. He and the club certainly made their fair share of tactical and personnel mistakes, but his biggest failure was not instilling in his players the “old winning attitude”, the swagger needed to succeed at a giant club.

Too often Delneri’s teams did not take the game to their opponents, especially smaller clubs who, despite Juve’s current record and squad, would sit back and defend as if they were playing the Juventus of old. Too many times, Delneri’s team would drop points to inferior teams. That attitude, the confidence to attack lesser opponents, is what the team needs. That is what the club hopes their new manager can do.

Conte does not exactly have a long resume of top-level managerial accomplishments, and is far less experience than the man he takes over for. He has only been a manager for five seasons and has had success only with lower level clubs. Also, Conte seems to have a similar tactical approach to Delneri. On the surface, it appears a backwards move for the Old Lady. But the club and its supporters hope Conte can be the man to prove those old cliches correct.

If Juventus is to retake what it feels is its rightful place atop Italy’s top-flight, there is more to be done than simply buying better players. Antonio Conte needs to sign more players who are of a Scudetto-winning quality, but he also needs to get them to play like Scudetto winners before they actually ever win it. That is what Delneri failed to do, but it is what is required should the Old Lady of Italy return to glory.