Socrates

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) 3 - 3 Marek Hamsik (23') Goran Pandev (41') Alessandro Matri (48') Goran Pandev (68') Marcelo Estigarribia (72') Simone Pepe (80') San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Attendance: 48000‎ Second Half Soldiers Nov 29, 2011 Excuse me while I try to catch my breath and wrap my head around what we all saw take place. That match was complete crap after 45 minutes. Juve were playing like crap. The formation Antonio Conte rolled out there — something like a 3-5-2 or 4-1-4-1 depending on who you ask —to begin things was crap as he looked to fill the void left by Claudio Marchisio’s suspension. The ref was crap. You name it and it was probably crap. But whatever it was — chair throwing in the locker room, screaming like a complete mad man, etc. — that Conte did at the break, it worked. Juventus came out a totally different team in the second half. They came back from two-goal deficits not once, but twice. Conte never let his men give up and they responded perfectly, getting a much-deserved draw at the San Paolo. This is the perfect example of the new Juventus, Conte’s Juventus. If this were a season or two ago, it would have been a 3-1 kind of loss without a doubt. But not Conte’s Juve. This team had its starters on the field for the first 85 minutes of the match. Conte, for as much as it frustrated us at times, didn’t make any changes. He stuck with the same 11 and it worked. Hell, the boys would be returning to Torino with three points instead of just one if one of those numerous chances were converted. LE PAGELLE: Buffon: 6 – Not going to fault him for any of the goals. If I did, I’d probably have my goalkeeping card revoked within a second. Sure, it’ll say that he allowed three goals, but when you look at how the defense was playing at times, you could understand why. He did well when he was called upon. Another sign his getting back to being his normal self. Lichtsteiner: 5.5 – His first sub-par game in a Juve shirt. Zuniga’s pace definitely gave him trouble down the flank. To see Stephan gasping for air in the middle of the second half was surprising considering how he seems to be able to run for days. Barzagli: 6 – Not his best game, but not his worst either. Looked to be the one guy in the back that wasn’t completely rattled by the atmosphere at the San Paolo. Put in a good shift for the most part and tried his best to pick up the slack with his partner in center defense have a complete clunker. Bonucci: 4.5 – Oof. Where to begin. Leo struggled with the pace of Napoli’s attack all night. He never looked confident out there at all. Played a part in all of Napoli’s goals. Just a game to forget for a guy who had been playing well since Conte put him in the starting lineup. Chiellini: 5.5 – Giorgio definitely wasn’t his usual beastly self. He wasn’t as poor as Bonucci, but he wasn’t all that impressive. Did a terrible job of preventing the cross on Napoli’s third goal. Had a glorious chance to score a potential game-winner late in the second half but couldn’t finish it. Pirlo: 5.5 – Definitely a tale of two halves for Andrea. The first was highlighted by giving away a penalty — which was the right call — when he tackled Lavezzi just inside of the box. He improved in the second half, but didn’t completely get back to the kind of game we’ve seen from him just about every time out since his move from Milan. Vidal: 6.5 – A typical Arturo Vidal kind of game. He had an impact on the offensive end with a great assist on Matri’s goal and did his usual dirty work on the defensive end. He definitely had to shoulder the load in the center of the park with Marchisio being suspended and Pirlo having an off night. Estigarribia: 6.5 – The more I see him play, the more I like him. He was involved in the attack and did a quality job getting back in defense and supporting Chiellini. Showing signs that he deserves to be in the lineup a lot more often. Pepe 7 – Pepe never really got into the match like he has been in the past couple of weeks. Conte playing him in more of a central role in the first half didn’t help at all. That being said, he didn’t do a whole hell of a lot in the second half before he scored the equalizer. His game-tying goal — aided by a lucky bounce — was one hell of a run and why he gets such a high rating. He’s now scored in three consecutive games, something none of us probably thought we’d see. Matri: 7 – We talk about how well Marchisio is playing right now, but Matri’s performances have been right up there. His team-leading sixth goal of the season was wonderfully taken, slotting it past an on-rushing De Sanctis just after halftime. He’s the best Italian prima punta the country has at the moment (sorry, Pazzo) and only seems like he’s getting better. Vucinic: 6.5 – How the hell did that Mirko show up after the one we saw in the first half? It was like night and day. I was incredibly surprised that he went from that absent to that involved in the second half. He was vital in Juve’s comeback and almost had a goal himself, forcing a quality save out of De Sanctis. Hopefully he can bring that kind of effort to the party more often than not going forward. Conte: 6.5 – Got it wrong in the first half, got it right in the second half (as I’ll get to below). The thing that impressed me most is how the squad responded immediately after the break. The first half was utter crap and they completely turned it around in the second 45 minutes. If Conte screamed until his face turned blue in the locker room, good for him. The team needed a kick in the backside and they definitely played like the Mister wanted them to afterwards. But hey, still unbeaten and now two points up. Can’t complain about that. Subs: Quagliarella: sv Del Piero: sv – 700th appearance for Il Capitano lasts all of about three minutes. Pazienza: sv Things I think I think #1: Conte totally got the tactics wrong in the first half — Going into the San Paolo with a totally new formation? Yeah, try again, Antonio. Whether it was playing centrally or not just doing a straight swap of Pazienza for Marchisio, Conte’s choice of formation was the wrong one to go with. Pepe drifting into the middle was a complete head scratcher. #2: Conte got things right after halftime — A completely different team. My god, to go from dreadful to awesome was incredible to watch from Juventus, and obviously Conte had a huge amount to do with it. The man continues to show the signs of a great manager. In Conte We Trust. #3: MOAR QUAGS — I hate to sound like a broken record, but can we get Fabio more than five or so minutes of playing time, please? #4: The refereeing made no sense…at all — It’s easy to play armchair ref. Anybody can do it. With that being said, how craptastic was that display from Tagliavento and Co.? The penalty call was right, but it was just downhill from there. #5: It’ll be nice to have Claudio back this weekend. That is all. THE JUVENTUS OFFSIDE SHITLIST: - Krasic: The only thing we saw Meelosh doing against Napoli was running on the sidelines. Oh well. I’ve always been a fan and I really do hope Conte gives him a chance, but how much longer will be okay with sitting on the bench? - Zebina: (lifetime award) - Amauri: (almost lifetime award status) #IBlameAmauri http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) 3 - 3 Marek Hamsik (23') Goran Pandev (41') Alessandro Matri (48') Goran Pandev (68') Marcelo Estigarribia (72') Simone Pepe (80') San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Attendance: 48000‎ Juventus rally for point Nov 29, 2011 Serie A leaders Juventus rescued a point - and their unbeaten record - against Napoli in a thrilling six-goal encounter at Stadio San Paolo. Marek Hamsik had a lively night, scoring the opener for Napoli after earlier missing a retaken penalty, while Goran Pandev scored the first of two goals to put the hosts two up by half-time. Alessandro Matri pulled one back for Juve three minutes into the second half and Pandev's second restored the two-goal lead before Marcelo Estigarribia and Simone Pepe earned Juve a draw with goals in the last 18 minutes. In-form Napoli striker Edinson Cavani failed a fitness test before the match but there was no shortage of attacking action in a match where chances came at regular intervals. Pepe had the first of them in the third minute, but could not find the target from the edge of the box. He missed from further out soon after, with Andrea Pirlo also failing to draw a save with a 10th-minute free-kick. Ezequiel Lavezzi was fouled by Pirlo after 13 minutes to win a penalty for the hosts, with Hamsik converting. The referee ordered a retake for an infringement and this time Hamsik lifted his spot-kick over the crossbar. He took only 10 minutes cancelling out his debt, though, finding room in a crowded area to nod home from close range. Napoli were dominating the pace-setters at this stage, with Pandev and Lavezzi both presented with good chances to make it 2-0. The former took his second opportunity five minutes from the interval, taking advantage of Pirlo's error before wrong-footing Giorgio Chiellini and slotting past Gianluigi Buffon. Juve were on the scoresheet three minutes into the second half, Matri converting following some fine work by Arturo Vidal. Mirko Vucinic and Lavezzi exchanged chances before Napoli's third goal arrived in the 67th minute. Pandev was again the scorer after defender Leonardo Bonucci hesitated under pressure. That left Juve struggling to avoid defeat for the 12th time in the league season, but they found a way. Estigarribia made it 3-2 when he latched on to Matri's headed pass in the 72nd minute and beat Morgan de Sanctis with his right-footed effort. Six minutes later the night's scoring was ended, Juve breaking quickly after Walter Gargano lost the ball in midfield and Pepe winning his one-on-one with De Sanctis. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 11 - 29-11-2011 (8:45 p.m.) 3 - 3 Marek Hamsik (23') Goran Pandev (41') Alessandro Matri (48') Goran Pandev (68') Marcelo Estigarribia (72') Simone Pepe (80') San Paolo Stadium - Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Attendance: 48000 Pepe and Estigarribia drag table-toppers back from 3-1 down to clinch point in San Paolo classic Goran Pandev looked set to hog the headlines after striking twice for the Partenopei in the absence of Edinson Cavani but the visitors snatched a draw with a stunning fightback. Nov 29, 2011 Juventus preserved their unbeaten record in Serie A by coming from two goals down to claim a 3-3 draw with Napoli after a thrilling encounter at the San Paolo on Tuesday evening. After Marek Hamsik had missed a retaken penalty, the Slovak gave the hosts the lead with a header before Goran Pandev made it 2-0 just before the interval. Alessandro Matri pulled one back for Juve at the start of the second period but Pandev seemingly sealed the points for Napoli when he restored his side’s two-goal cushion on 68 minutes. However, the visitors weren’t done and they posted a swift reply through Marcelo Estigarribia before deservedly claiming a share of the spoils when Simone Pepe fired home with 10 minutes to go. Juventus had the better of a lively opening to the game, with Mirko Vucinic dragging a right-footed shot across the face of the Napoli goal after finding himself unmarked in the box. However, it was the hosts who should have taken lead 13 minutes in. The Partenopei thought they had done, too, with Hamsik firing home clinically from the penalty spot after Andrea Pirlo had stupidly dived in on Ezequiel Lavezzi – with predictably disastrous consequences for the veteran Italian midfielder. However, the referee ordered a retake because of encroachment from Gokhan Inler, among others, and Hamsik blazed his second attempt from 12 yards out high over the bar. The Slovakian, though, made amends for his horror miss less than 10 minutes later by finding the bottom left corner with a downward header, after the ball had dropped to him in the six-yard box following a free-kick from Lavezzi from the left hand side. Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon then got down well to save a low drive from outside the box from Pandev, but the Italy captain was powerless to stop the on-loan Inter forward from doubling the home side’s advantage just before the break. There was an element of luck about the goal as Pirlo’s attempted clearance ricocheted into Pandev’s path, but there was nothing fortuitous about the Macedonia’s precise finish into the far corner. At 2-0 down at half-time, Juve were in real danger of losing their unblemished record in the league but they dragged themselves right back into the game just four minutes after the restart, Matri calmly slotting home after being the recipient of a wonderfully disguised through ball from Arturo Vidal. Now reinvigorated, Juventus began to dominate proceedings and Vucinic drew a save from Morgan De Sanctis in the 54th minute with a decent strike after a rampaging run. However, Napoli landed one of their classic sucker punches midway through the second half, Pandev controlling Christian Maggio’s cross from the right wing with his left foot, then teeing it up for himself with his left knee before volleying the ball home via the right post. Juve refused to give up, though, and hauled themselves back to within a goal for a second time four minutes later, when an unmarked Estigarribia prodded past De Sanctis after Vucinic’s cross from the left had found its way to the unmarked Paraguayan. Juve then snatched a point when Pepe found the bottom corner following a mazy run, after the ball had deflected back into his path. The draw means Juve now top the table by two points from AC Milan, while Napoli climb to sixth, but the home side will be distraught that they were unable to convert their winning positions into a victory. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Conte al microfono completamente senza voce.

Grande squadra, grande personalitá. Facciamo festa fratelli bianconeri.

Un pareggio che vale una vittoria!

Fuorigioco di Alex

ALEX IN CAMPO

Quagliarella contro il San Paolo

Cross sbagliato di Vucinic

Sembra Italia - Germania 4-3 dei mondiali 1970 ....

Ma come gioca la Juve ora!

Mazzarri ha paura

STRAORDINARIO PEPE!!!!!!

Chiellini non é un attaccante e si vede.

Serata (?) storta per Bonny ....

Mi sa che Conte non sa chi far entrare.

I napoletani hanno paura ora.

Tiro di Vucnic para De Sanctis

Ha segnato Estigarribia!!!!

Sorensen in campo

Marcatura troppo blanda su Pandev di nuovo in goal.