Italy-Wales 9/6 (r)

[phillips10]

figured I'd start the game thread early...

since the big news is Totti will miss with an injury...while Wales is without Bellamy...

its a must-win for Trap, Miccoli will get the shot in the center...

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/aug26h.html

So with Vieri up front (unless he gets hurt), the midfield behind him will be:

Del Piero -- Miccoli -- Camoranesi/Fiore

[SueB]

Nice "midfield". :) The loss of Totti really hurts.

BTW (not to rub it in for those of you still going without ...) but RAI International will be showing this game live.

[kotzunder]

Does Rai international shows the Sky tv commercial for Serie A ?
i hope u can see it ....too cool :D

[phillips10]

Originally posted by SueB
Nice "midfield". :) The loss of Totti really hurts.



well, you know that's just the top (the 3) of the 4-2-3-1...

with 2 defensive midfielder types behind them...Italy only has about 147 of those...

to me, the onus falls on Del Piero to create the goals with Vieri in these next 2 matches...a lot of people (like me) still hold grudges for his euro 2000 disaster...

[Parmigiano]

Originally posted by phillips10
a lot of people (like me) still hold grudges for his euro 2000 disaster...

i hold a grudge against that little twirp dating back to his duals with baggio at juve and with italy.

del piero is quickly running out of chances to prove himself for Italy. apart from his U21 play, he has largely been mediocre for Italy. he not only has to do it NOW, he will have to do it in portugal as well -- big time.

but first, Wales....

[kotzunder]

totti might come back for the NT matches

[Totti06]

I for one can't wait for saturday to get here already! Italy is going to take care of wales once and for all!!!

[Dante]

Here's the callups for the match...

Goalkeepers: Abbiati (Milan), Buffon (Juventus) e Toldo
(Inter)

Defenders: Birindelli (Juventus), Cannavaro (Inter),
Ferrari (Parma), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Nesta
(Milan), Oddo (Lazio), Panucci (Roma), Zambrotta
(Juventus)

Midfielders: Ambrosini (Milan), Camoranesi
(Juventus), Fiore (Lazio), Gattuso (Milan), Perrotta
(Chievo), Tacchinardi (Juventus), Zanetti (Inter)

Forwards: Corradi (Lazio), Del Piero (Juventus),
Delvecchio (Roma), Inzaghi (Milan), Vieri (Inter)

[SueB]

No Miccoli then. Guess he didn't impress Trap in his half of action today. So, who starts where? Will Fiore play in the Totti spot? Or Del Piero? Or will he put something out there besides a 4-3-2-1?

[kotzunder]

miccoli was operated for appendicitis and will be out for 15 days

seems like vieri has some problem too and maybe even inzaghi

[Spartak]

I'm surprised Pirlo still didn't get called up with the injury to Totti. He would be the perfect replacement for Totti in a spot beside Del Piero, imo.

Vieri
Pirlo-Del Piero
Fiore-Tacchianardi-Gattuso
Zambrotta-Cannavaro-Nesta-Panucci
Buffon

[kotzunder]

i think that he should have called Cassano too
today he played very well like during the preseason

[Scotty]

Will RAI International show this game?

What time does it kick off?

[kotzunder]

19.45 GMT

[SueB]

Originally posted by kotzunder
miccoli was operated for appendicitis and will be out for 15 days

seems like vieri has some problem too and maybe even inzaghi

Wow. That must've come up all of a sudden, since he played in the first half yesterday. Is that why he was taken out of the game?

I'm simply shocked about Vieri. :rolleyes: Well, thank goodness for Corradi.

[Totti06]

Just wondering if someone could please find out what happened with Vieri? looked everywhere but couldn't find one article about injury.

[SueB]

All I can see is this article on teletext (I'm copying and pasting because the links change constantly there):

"Dopo le partite è diventato difficile
anche solo camminare. E' un massacro,
gli arbitri dovrebbero tutelare mag-
giormente i migliori giocatori. Non si
può andare avanti così". Dal ritiro
della nazionale a Coverciano, Christian
Vieri lancia il suo forte attacco con-
tro il gioco duro. La punta dell'Inter
non si sta allenando proprio a causa di
un infortunio rimediato nella prima
giornata di campionato.

Sulla sua presenza nel match contro la
Serbia Montenegro,Vieri è possibilista:
"Sto migliorando e farò di tutto per
essere in campo sabato".

Basically, he's whining that he got roughed up in the game against Modena and that refs should protect the better players. But he adds that he will do everything to be ready for Saturday but that Wednesday is more likely.

[phillips10]

Trap has to stick with his 4-2-3-1 at this point..and he would be crazy not to use Fiore on his recent form. If pain in the arse Vieri can't play, Corradi can fill that role...

Vieri
Del Piero -- Fiore -- Camoranesi
Tacchinardi-Perotta
Zambrotta-Cannavaro-Nesta-Panucci
Buffon

[SueB]

I like your lineup, but Perrotta is out, so probably Gattuso will start in his place. However, there is talk that either Inzaghi will start or that Del Piero will be assigned the Totti role with Delvecchio slotting in to his spot on the left.

[Strummerman]

I think Italy needs to score fast and take over game. I would go with Fiore in midfield and even Del Piero. Play Delvecchio and Vieri together that would create havoc. Boy I hope we dont miss Totti