9/10: Serbia-Montenegro vs Italy [R]

[SueB]

Very tricky match coming so soon after the great performance vs Wales. Worried about a possible letdown against a team that is still playing for their very survival in the competition.

Reminder of the current group standings

Italy 13 (at S-M today, Oct 11 vs Azerbaijan)
Wales 12 (vs Finland today, Oct 11 vs S-M)
Finland 9 (at Wales today)
Serbia-Montenegro 8 (vs Italy today, Oct 11 at Wales)
Azerbaijan 4 (out of it)

Wales can clinch at least second place with a home victory over Finland today. The Finns still have a slight hope of qualifying, only if they win tonight.
The former Yugoslavians need a win as well.

Italy's starting lineup will be the same as on Saturday, with the exception of Tacchinardi replacing Zanetti in the midfield.

While I'd love to follow this one on-line, I think I'll wait and watch it on TV this evening.

[Mark424]

ESPN Soccernet has an article about the coming match:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=67021&cc=5739

Kind of cool graphics at the page bottom ...

[Parmigiano]

Inzaghi (22nd) 1-0 Italy, after Serbia controlled first 20 minutes.

[Mark424]

Sasa Ilic scores in the 81st minute.

SM 1 - Italy 1

[canzano55]

That goal scored in the second half really got under my skin! Someone told me today that Italy hasn't won in Yugoslavia since 1926...:(

[Parmigiano]

Same old bunkerball Italy. When they don't have their a$$es up against the fire, like with Wales, and only need to scrape by, they throw everyone but the Pope behind the ball and try to defend a 1-0 lead. It never works and never will, yet they keep on playnig that way.

What a fugged up mentality.

[Ian McCracken]

Oh, for the love of God, they screwed it up again. This means they'll most likely finish second (if Wales wins) and have to play in a home-and-home playoff right? They just can't handle success.

[kotzunder]

the formation was the same of the past match.... there were pratically 3 strikers with del piero again....they tried to make their play but were probably too tired ( s&m didnt play 4 days ago) while s&m were giving everything they had

[NGV]

Wales only managed a draw against Finland, so Italy only need to beat Azer. at home to take first place. The late equalizer would have been a major blow if the Finns hadn't gotten a late equalizer of their own. So, they got some luck there - but 1-1 in Serbia is a pretty respectable result.

A few impressions from the match, all based on just one viewing so take with a grain of salt:

- Italy looked uncharacteristically shaky on defense, especially defensive midfield - seemed disorganized, conceded lots of space to attackers in their own half, were very slow to close down unmarked players around the top of the box, and a lot of giveaways. Individual defense was pretty strong, as usual. Serbia could have scored a few more with some luck and better finishing.

- Good performance from Buffon, including one play that particularly impressed me where he parried away a short range shot, was knocked backwards, and recovered fast enough to push the ball away from an attacker rushing in to clean up the rebound.

- Camoranesi was dangerous on the right, but didn't seem to play much defense, which made him a bit dangerous to his own team as well.

- Nice goal from Inzaghi, scored by running onto a free kick while an SM defender was hanging on his arm, would have been a clear penalty if he had missed IMHO. I was a little surprised that he made the effort to stay on his feet.

- Most disturbing thing about the game probably was the inability of Italy to put together anything resembling a counterattack during the long Serb siege that led up to their goal. I think fatigue probably played a role here, they did look pretty tired by the 70th minute or so.

- Vieri went down in the second half after an awkward landing - it looked like he turned his ankle pretty badly, so I was relieved when he came back on the field (although he didn't do much after that).

- In contrast with the defense, I thought the Azzurri looked very in sync overall on offense. That's a good sign, considering Totti's absence.

[Zebra]

Hard to believe it was the same team I watched play such attractive soccer as 4 days ago. Some say they were tired and in reality we played a team who did not come off a 4 day break. That said I was very dissapointed, barring Buffon who was again our saviour most players were dissapointing. On play we deserved to loose.

Luckily all we have to do now is beat that team Azer (however it is spelled) and we are through... Quite frankly if we can't we don't deserve to qualify.

Stomach boiling stuff....

[SueB]

Keep in mind they were playing a desperate team who needed to win and even after the draw, is now out of the competition. That said, it was irritating as hell watching Italy just boot the ball out of defense time and again. Then again, when they tried to neatly pass it out, they risked fluffing it (happened more than once) and giving it right back to the Serbs near their own box. Good thing they were missing Stankovic. MOTM was definitely Buffon. Nesta, a close second for cleaning up a lot of messes just in time.

Personally, I blame my husband. He's thinking of going back to visit his hometown and perhaps see the Azerbaijan game in Reggio. When it was announced that Finland had equalized (Italy was still ahead), I said excitedly "If these results hold, Italy qualifies tonight!" His response - "I hope not! Who knows which players I'll get to see in October!" Less than a minute later, it was tied. Argh.

[phillips10]

all-in-all a draw in Serbia is not a bad result...and Italy stands in fine shape thanks to Finland....

It seems fatigue was a big problem in the second half. I wish Trap had perhaps started a few different (more fresh) players from the Wales match...Oddo for Panucci at RB would have been an easy move to make...

[bestianera]

I was finally convinced we don't have a chance at Euro 2004: Trapattoni is too much of a handicap to start from. Bah!

[kotzunder]

Trapattoni has experience and all but he looks too much scared...in the last match he "used" again the holy water...

[NGV]

Originally posted by bestianera
I was finally convinced we don't have a chance at Euro 2004: Trapattoni is too much of a handicap to start from. Bah!

Seems like a bit of an overreaction - Italy is very likely to win their group despite a poor start, and a road draw against SM is not that big a deal.

Besides, qualifying form doesn't necessarily tell you that much about performance in the eventual tournament - France and Italy both were pretty shaky in Euro2k qualifiers, and they ended up in first and second place (not to mention Brazil in 2002).

[SueB]

I think bestianera is not referring to the results, but to the fact that it seems to be physiologically impossible for any Italian coach to escape the defense-first-and-forever mentality for long. Just when it seemed things might be different - ie the Italy that beat Wales 4-0, the Milan of the beginning of last season ... you get a result like this one, or 0-0 in the CL final. Certainly, Italy can (and will) win this not-so-difficult group and qualify for the tournament, even with these tactics. But will it be able to WIN the whole tournament, BEATING the likes of France? Not this way.

[kotzunder]

Italy would need someone like Chievo's Del Neri , or much better Capello! i'd love to see what italy could do with men like him

[bestianera]

it's not the defensive-minded tactics - well,at least not the main issue. Trapattoni is a senile senior citizen who believes reality will adjust to his cerebral circuits rather than the contrary. We are doomed. BAH!!!!!!

It's obvious the Azzurri didn't have the legs to play 70 minutes outnumbered in midfield. It's obvious the injured and poorly performing Vieri had to be substituted,not SuperPippo. It's obvious Fiore couldn't do much in that situation.

[SueB]

Okay, then - sorry for putting words in your mouth. ;)