Saw the second half on BT sport. Agreed thought udinese looked very good on the counter. They hurried Milan in midfield and have them no time. Looking through the team the majority of the side are in their early 20's as well. Good to see Granada get a win as well.
Good article about Di Natale: http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features...elf-why-retirement-doesnt-make-sense-just-yet But writer is wrong, the own-goal by Calaio was subsequently ruled as Di Natale's goal by Lega Serie A, so Totò is already at 185 goals. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classifica_dei_marcatori_della_Serie_A
Nobody knows. Maybe if we play well in the remaining of the tournement and he enjoys again playing. Also maybe if he wants to climb higher in the table of best scorers ever in serie A that I linked above. The 7th place is quite near. I think he can still give much. If he realizes that his age doesn't allow him anymore to be the lonely striker for 90'. He might be a "deluxe" sub striker, to come from bench at 70' when opponents are tired. Or even change and play as playmaker in advanced midfielder position. With some good runners in team around him and his excellent feet, he could easily give a lot of assists and goals from FK. After all Totti too moved to such position when he got "too old to be a striker".
This evening very difficult match: Roma - Udinese. Roma is second in table, wants to keep at distance Napoli (third) and hasn't lost all hope for a crisis of Juventus that would allow to fill the gap in points from first. In the first match this season we had a quite good performance, but were punished when in the end, to defend 0-0, we stayed too deep and finally lost 0-1. Roma missing for ban or injuries several players. I see the match is live in UK on BT-Sport2, but probably many here on the forum will prefer to watch Luton Town on BT-Sport1 :naughty:
What times KO Sherlock? Got the L*ton game on at the second but it's going to make me vomit if they lick L*ton's rim anymore
I hope at least in a good performance and an enjoyable match. After all, Udinese is now practically safe in mid-table with not much fear of relegation and no hope of EL qualification, so I hope at least we'll have some satisfaction from the matches against the "big ones". Also, Roma usually plays quite a brilliant football, so it might be a good match to watch.
Oh dear. Roma 4-3-3. We are 3-5-1-1 with Pinzi Allan and Badu (ALL defensive midfielders uncapable of creativity). I don't see it as a good omen. Too defensive!
They've had a couple of great chances but Roma's keeper has been more than equal to them. Interesting listen to the commentator talking about udinese fans high expectations now following three top 5 finishes. Exactly what Sherlock has been saying how udinese have been punching above their weight lately.
Heavy score so far. We had our chances and a 2-1 would be more true. I hope Guidolin will do some changes now. No sense in defending a 0-2, I'd rather lose 2-4 but at least making them tremble a little.
FT 3-2. Yet I'm not unsatisfied. Playing away against a title contender I didn't expect points, but we played decently and their GK was MOTM, and that says some. Muriel disappointing. Di Natale not showing his age. Herteaux great game. Scuffet not particularly responsible on the 3 goals and had some good saves. Amazing how cool he is, at 17.
Could and should have been a more convincing and assured win against Sassuolo quite low in table. But a win is a win. The 40 points meaning sure safety are very near. At least this year we are enjoying some more records from Di Natale. Today he became the player with more games for Udinese in history. With his 186th goal he's now just 2 goals from the 8th place (Signori and Del Piero, 188 goals) in the table of best serie A scorers of all times. The 8th place could be grabbed this season. Maybe even the 7th (Kurt Hamrin, 190 goals). Also, with this 10th goal in season, he has now scored 10+ goals in serie A for 8 consecutive seasons.
Slightly perplexed. Certainly a good player with lots of experience and good quality. It was a deal with no transfer fee as he's a free agent, but he had quite a high wage at Galatasaray: http://www.galatasaray.org/en/futbol/futbol_as/haber/1450.php More than 2M€ per year is maybe more than Di Natale earns. I hope Riera lowered substantially his wage expectations. I'm not sure his destination will be Udinese. Usually with foreign players we go for the very young ones. Maybe Granada? I'd like to say "maybe Watford?", but even if Riera accepted a lower wage than he's used to, he seems quite above current WFC wage budget. But maybe I'm wrong and he would like an English challenge.
Yes, I was going to correct. I see, Liverpool. We'll see where he ends then. Maybe he wants to return in Spain, maybe he wants to try Italy, maybe he misses the English food and weather. Granada still seems to me his most likely destination.
I also think he will arrives Granada next summer to be Bryan Angulo's substitute when he is not available. 31 years, he had played a lot far from his country… Sounds like time to go back without that pressure.
A good point away. A performance very good in defence, with no mistakes, but not particularly brilliant. We seemed really too defensive. Scuffet is really amazing. He has very good reflexes and sense of position (the latter is the great thing that makes you do apparently "easy" saves, because you were in the right place). Tonight he showed his reflexes but in the last matches I appreciated much his sense of position. He should improve in some aspects, particularly on high balls, but that's something that you learn with experience, while good reflexes are something that you have or have not. Also a very serious lad and very calm and assured on the field. To think he's just 17YO is crazy!
A couple of great saves along with an excellent clearance off the line by Domizzi made sure you got a point tonight. Was a bit weird how averse to having a shot you were though even at the end when the 5 minutes had been played and you had it on the edge of the box and you could have just had a go with the last kick of the game.
