U.S. Lecce

Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast.

Also, Juventus get the win as well at Lecce 2-0, which they needed to get a result here.

They needed to get a victory after this really bad run of form they're going.

Kind of mini crisis, or can we call it a crisis? So the result was important.

January is a far, far way away.

I think the point you're making and what I'm making is there doesn't seem to be that clarity with Spalletti because up until now, up until the last maybe few weeks or so, certainly last season, there was a Spalletti identity and Juventus were ridiculously unlucky not to get, they should, they deserve to be in the top four.

last season there's no doubt about that all the underlying stats and the stats showed that they should have been in the top four they're just some ridiculous bad luck some bad refereeing decisions some bad missed chances some terrible goalkeeping just just let them down they were but from Spalletti's point of view I don't think Spalletti could have done anything more from his side last season and I think even into the start of this season we still saw Spalletti identity maybe the results didn't come because of you know uh various reasons including this ridiculous injury list that Juventus have got but I feel like now the last uh you know the last games he's gone to this back three and I you know they got the win in this game and they probably deserved the win but it was Lecce it was it wasn't a you know and Juventus haven't had at the toughest start to the season either.

If you look at the fixture list, they've played a few decent teams at home, but they haven't played any tougher big teams away from home so far.

They've been better, I think, in Europe, Juventus, than they have necessarily in Serie A.

Although the win against Lecce at the weekend would have bought Spalletti a little bit of breathing room.

He's also struggling with systems.

And it's interesting because obviously they brought Nick Voltomada in the summer.

I went with both teams' score.

Yes, in Lecce, Juventus.

and they kept a convincing clean sheet.

So they've had a rough run of injuries of late.

I think it's just the lack of quality in the final third areas.

And I could see them actually digging in here, trying to frustrate Juventus a bit.

And if the same type of event that comes out here as it did against Lecce, then the 1-0, 2-0 away win could very much be in play.

I like under 2.25 goals at minus 1, 48.

He looks sharp.

The goals he scored in Serie A, the goal against Lecce and, of course, the goal on the weekend against Udinese, pretty similar, but difficult goals that speak to a player that is fit, that is fit.

Marginally offside in the other game.

Atalanta.

Now he's got two.

He scored against Lecce.

He scores in this match.

I have said from day one, this Milan team needs Pulisic at the center because I watched them against Juventus.

So you you you mentioned.

Yeah, you mentioned.

Juventus also won their match against Lecce.

To me, really just kind of doing the bare minimum.

Allegri teams usually do that, but lately you never know what to expect from an Allegri side.

But let's say they're facing Lecce, for example.

I think a midfield three can be enough to dominate the ball and control the tempo.

So you can afford to have the likes of Marlon and Castro in the box.

That's five wins and three draws for the Rossoneri.

On the other hand, as I said, Udinese, well, actually in 17th, I said they're one before the last, but they do share the same points as the one before the last four points.

Lecce 0 Juventus 2, Sunday, 6 p.m. You like that I'm giving you the time? I love it.

I love it.

So Taylor's someone who's just constantly on the ball, involved.

And so it even adds more to that appearance of like, man, what's this guy doing all game? But speaking of Idone, I do want to give a little bit of a, I want to say like a slap on the wrist to Lecce.

I thought he looked, I mean, in a game that wasn't all that dangerous, the goals we did concede, I think he was pretty heavily involved, particularly the second goal that he conceded.

He had some decent moments, did okay, but there were some moments that I felt like...

He also has a new center back partner.

And what I learned is shoot that low, by the way, I learned that from a native, whatever, just Croatia from a creation that the proper way of pronouncing that because a little accent on top is shoot that low.

But I just wanted to say, like, if there was another candidate for me, it would have been Lecce.

But that's here or there at this point.

A couple more goals came this weekend.

Weston McKinney, his first of the season in Juventus' win over Lecce, as well as out Freeman scoring on Saturday.

mauricio pochettino said freeman could be one of the best right backs in the world at his peak and man he seems to be developing quite well

oh without a doubt and and i i saw the game and he was he was everywhere you know at one point he was on the left side of the field um you know yeah i mean freeman is just you know i i think he he doesn't know his own limits at this point You know, he's still learning.