Italy vs. Wales: who should play up front?

[thespinydogfish]

I don't know about the rest of you out there, but I sure hope Vieri doesn't. I blame that ugly Australian for the last WC's painful loss to Korea.

Any thoughts?

[SueB]

If he's healthy (50/50 these days), I expect Vieri play. He'll be in front of Totti with Del Piero and <up-for-grabs> wide. Delvecchio and then Fiore played the position opposite Del Piero in the two Finland matches. Di Vaio might even have a shot at it this time around. Corradi played in place of Vieri the last Finland match and did well even though he didn't score.

[phillips10]

has to be Vieri if he's healthy and at this point of the year he should be....Corradi a good backup central striker for Trap.

To me, what's more important that who is up top is the three right behind the striker in Trap's 4-2-3-1 setup.

If he plays the best 3 creative Italian midfielders as he's done lately that would be best:

Del Piero -- Totti -- Fiore

No more Inzaghi or Delvecchio please...

[Parmigiano]

Oh let's be like the bored Italians on their summer holidays and just dream a little! Here's my team:

------------Buffon----------
-----Legro--Nesta--Cannavaro
----------Tacchinardi-------
Zambro------Totti-------Gattuso
---------Zola-----Del Piero------
--------------Vieri-----------


Tell me that team would have lost to South Korea! If only the Italians would have some coglioni and play their talent.

[Doctor Stamen]

I'd say Delvechhio and the legend, the God, the pinnicle of skill in the beautiful game.........the one and only...........Andrea Silenzi :D.

[Super Swans]

Doesn't matter Italy wont score

But We will have


Hartson

Giggs Bellamy

Cannavaro & Nesta be affraid be very affraid

Note can Vieri stay fit for long enough to play in this game

[Parmigiano]

Originally posted by Doctor Stamen
I'd say Delvechhio and the legend, the God, the pinnicle of skill in the beautiful game.........the one and only...........Andrea Silenzi :D.

The only primate ever to score in Serie A:D

[Doctor Stamen]

You mean he scored a goal......ever ???. He has had 1 cap for Italy if I remember correctly. BBC pundit Alan Hansen put it best when Silenzi was at Nottingham Forest: "If he has played for Italy, the other 22 players must all be injured."

How the hell could someone who'd make Kevin Davies look great play for a team of Italy's standing ?.

[thespinydogfish]

Originally posted by Parmigiano
Oh let's be like the bored Italians on their summer holidays and just dream a little! Here's my team:

------------Buffon----------
-----Legro--Nesta--Cannavaro
----------Tacchinardi-------
Zambro------Totti-------Gattuso
---------Zola-----Del Piero------
--------------Vieri-----------


Tell me that team would have lost to South Korea! If only the Italians would have some coglioni and play their talent.

Remember the game, my friend: Italy was the better side all around with the lineup they had. What cost them [in my opinion] was self-satisfied, we-are-the-italians-the-best-defenders-in-the-world lackadaisical defending of a tight lead - and also Vieri's inability to finish despite 613,501 shots on goal. I will always hate him now and pray for rabid wombat's to invade his pyjama shorts and rip his tender flesh.

[thespinydogfish]

Originally posted by Super Swans
Doesn't matter Italy wont score

But We will have


Hartson

Giggs Bellamy

Cannavaro & Nesta be affraid be very affraid

Note can Vieri stay fit for long enough to play in this game

Maybe you can tell me this, Swans: does Giggs pluck his eyebrows?

[Parmigiano]

Originally posted by thespinydogfish
Remember the game, my friend: Italy was the better side all around with the lineup they had. What cost them [in my opinion] was self-satisfied, we-are-the-italians-the-best-defenders-in-the-world lackadaisical defending of a tight lead

Not sh!t. That's why I said if only Italy had the coglioni to play all its talent -- which is exactly what they didn't do against SK. I am referring, not too obliquely, to Trapattoni's bone-headed substitution of Del Piero in the 61st minute with that pillar of attacknig soccer grace, GATTUSO. That, in effect, signaled the end of Italy's effort to attack and the beginning of their pathetic effort to defend a 1-0 goal lead against the home team in a WC.

A stupid, and fatal, mistake. But so Italian...

Yes, Vieri should have scored anyway, and yes the ref did suck. But most of the blame goes to Trap.

[SueB]

Does anybody remember the defense Italy lined up against Korea? Anybody?

[Spartak]

Originally posted by SueB
Does anybody remember the defense Italy lined up against Korea? Anybody?
I think it was Zambrotta, Panucci, Iuliano, Maldini, Coco. But I'm not sure. It certainlt didn't help that Nesta was injured and Cannavaro was suspended.
Originally posted by Parmigiano
I am referring, not too obliquely, to Trapattoni's bone-headed substitution of Del Piero in the 61st minute with that pillar of attacknig soccer grace, GATTUSO. That, in effect, signaled the end of Italy's effort to attack and the beginning of their pathetic effort to defend a 1-0 goal lead against the home team in a WC.
Actually that isn't correct. Gattuso was subbed in for C. Zanetti or Di Biago I think. He was then subbed immediatley out after Wales scored.

[SueB]

He's talking about in the Korea game when Gattuso came on for Del Piero.

Yeah, that was the defense. Well, Zambrotta was really in midfield.

Coco. Iuliano. Panucci. Hardly among the greats of Italy's tradition of stalwart defense. And remember, Maldini was not the rejuvenated Maldini who got paired with Nesta this past season. He was coming off an injury-plagued season, was not in great shape and was playing what was then not his normal position.

The point is, Trap was very very afraid of playing the home team with that defense. He could've chosen to throw caution to the wind and attempt outgun Korea, but of course he went the Italian way and tried to live on one goal. But to do that with that defense, he felt he could NOT keep Totti, Del Piero and Vieri all on the field for 90 minutes. Hence, Gattuso.

[phillips10]

Originally posted by Super Swans
Doesn't matter Italy wont score

But We will have


Hartson

Giggs Bellamy

Cannavaro & Nesta be affraid be very affraid

Note can Vieri stay fit for long enough to play in this game

Your joking right? You do know that Nesta is the best defender in the world and with Cannavaro maybe the top central pairing.

I'd be more worried about your no-name defense stopping the likes of Vieri, Del Piero, Totti, etc...

[Parmigiano]

Originally posted by SueB
The point is, Trap was very very afraid of playing the home team with that defense. He could've chosen to throw caution to the wind and attempt outgun Korea, but of course he went the Italian way and tried to live on one goal. But to do that with that defense, he felt he could NOT keep Totti, Del Piero and Vieri all on the field for 90 minutes. Hence, Gattuso.

Hence, defeat. :)

But seriously, I don't think keeping those three on the pitch amounts to either throwing caution to the wind or trying to outgun SK. With them Italy could have continued to play a smart, possession type game that ventured forward at times and kept Korea out of their final third, which is what happens when Bunker Ball takes over.

In any case, I don't remember the nuances of the match. It was too early in the morning, I believe I was still on a USA hangover, and was so disgusted with Trap's tactics that I left before the crazy stuff happened at the end.

[Treetaliano]

Forza Galles!

tutto qui...

[Parmigiano]

Originally posted by Treetaliano
Forza Galles!

tutto qui...

Ma forza del cazz0!

[Doctor Stamen]

http://www.solocalcio.com/gallery/azzurri/photo/SILENZI.jpg

I still think this man has enough class to lead Italy's fron line. Christian Vieri is an injury-prone carthorse compared to this fine player :D.

[thespinydogfish]

Answer me this all-burning question, old sport. How in the hell do you paste pictures on these posts? I can't figger it out.