Match 41: Slovakia - Italy :: PBP [R]

Ill-Communication going on right there.

 

superman.. Slovak says "ahah.. don't sub me out..i'm coming back in" lol

 

dude are you crazy? no way Balotelli could help this team, he is most certainly not the answer...Rossi and Cassano would have been better options

 

I don't think anyone will miss this Italian team.

 

wooooooooo almost 2 - 0

 

Mostly I am distracted by the awesome, matching pinstripe suits Weiss and his assistants are wearing.

Great shot at the end of the half there.

 

You call Balotelli a cancer and then you mention Cassano who's an even bigger basketcase?

 

Honestly, not much. They have a few good players coming through. An 89 Okaka who is on loan at Fulham but owned by Roma, and a few other guys on loan and playing at Serie B clubs and a few on loan to lower end Serie A sides but the Serie A has taken a dip in talent the last few years so we'll see what happens when this Golden Generation is done.

 

I've rarely seen an Italy this shambolic. I can't even say it's tactics or lack of motivation--the players just aren't good enough. Buffon and Pirlo would have made a difference this tournament, though I also think Lippi made a big mistake leaving the most creative players at home (Totti, Cassano, Balotelli, etc.)

And--De Rossi of all people!

 

Miccoli? Rossi? Creative players who can take defenders on - they might have helped.

Pellesier? Pure goal scorer?

Totti? Perrotta? Playmakers?

I don't know. These guys might have been useful?

 

They might need Camoranessi too, he looks very active in previous game
Italy looks so slow, this is what happen when there;s way too many oldies.. easily beaten by speed. Slov not only better at attacking but also in defending. The Italian goalie didnt look conviencing either

 

Truth.

For the guy asking me if I'm crazy, I wouldn't say any of it if I didn't watch Serie A regularly. Balotelli is an excellent player in an awkward club situation. Cassano is not as talented and I'll stand behind that after watching both of them regularly. Once Mario gets in a good situation he will light the world on fire. The officials running the Italian FA are just clueless, bias, and most of all stubborn. They simply don't want change and are scared that the generation coming up isn't the answer to their yearning for power.

 

lol repped.

 

It will be just like Italy to get a fluke goal late, then advance to the finals with little trouble.

Well, save world-wide outbreaks of narcolepsy that occur when they defend one goal leads in the elimination rounds.

 

Italy may want to start playing like they care...

I'm seeing a team getting out hustled and out played right now...

 

LOL.

Pellissier could NEVER help this team. The last thing that Italy needs is a guy up front with no speed who poaches and is over 30 years old. This is NOT an old man's game.

 

the funny thing that both of them ( italy champion and france Runner ups ) will get out finishing at the bottom of thier groups , which is just crazy

 

38 was czechoslovakia italy. whoops, my bad. was hungary.

 

Italy's roster disagrees.

I don't know, that dude scores a lot of goals. So does Di Vaio.

 

Italy has 45 minutes to prolong its defense of the 2006 World Cup title. If it goes out, then at least go out fighting until the end! It IRKS me when a soccer team has talent and experience and yet doesn't spill its guts out in the field. Better to die like men than to fade like cowards.

 

What? Their roster would AGREE with me, the majority of their key players are older than the average. They have a few young guys but outside of Criscito (who is playing for Zambrotta today ONLY), they have no one under 25 who starts or regularly plays. They aren't doing well because frankly they were 1. too afraid to make changes in the guard by bringing younger fiery guys. 2. They didn't want to bring a guy like Rossi or others outside of Serie A because they are stubborn and believe their domestic league is the end all be all of leagues.

 

Korea! (I wonder what Giuseppe Rossi is thinking right now.)

 

As a neutral I would expect Italy to go cleptomaniac and steal this match. I would also hope to not see Slovkia go bunker crazy.

 

Lol! That is the first time I've seen Perrotta's name in such close proximity to the word 'playmaker'. He is an intelligent runner though and can defend somewhat adequately. He might have helped though, as his expertly timed runs certainly opened up space for Totti and Pirlo to operate in the last WC. He often found and exploited open channels to cause some concern in the opposing backline. In this WC, however, not one time have I seen any Italian player make an intelligent run into space that pulls his marker away. I mean, when opposing teams see Pepe run, they just smile and laugh.