I'm sorry, but I can't help but rant and rave about this player. He's absolutely the best player in Italy right now. He pulled a move on a Modena player that was amazing, and he did a similar trick during the Sampdoria game. Add to that the absolute crackers he's scored versus Sampdoria, Chievo and Deportivo... I can't beleive how good he is! If Trappatoni doesn't take him to Portugal he should just hang himself.
Don't worry, he is guaranteed a spot on the Euro 2004 squad. He is the most creative player that Italy have in midfield. He has just as much skill as Zidane, it's a shame the rest of the world haven't caught on yet. The CL Final and Euro 2004 will be Pirlo's chance to become a true world star.
To interject briefly, with the campaign that Fiore is having, I wouldn't put Pirlo far beyond all Italy midfielders just yet. Fiore might be Lazio's leading scorer this year. He's certainly close.
Ahh no, but nice try. Really nice try. Maybe you are biased and that clouds your faulty judgement? Few players in the history of soccer have as much skill as Zidane, and only a handfull have more. But Pirlo is good though. In fact, he is my favorite player on the Italian squad.
Zidane is very good with his feet, and has excellent timing on his shots; with a pinch of trickery I might add. Everything Zidane does is with instinct and his expert knowledge of the game, that and the fact that he makes everything look so easy is the main reason why he is so spectacular. However his fame and overpopularity makes it impossible to compare him to anyone involved in the contemporary game, and so that makes his superiority slightly unfair. Its obvious that players like Ronaldinho and Totti etc. have few, but stronger elements to their game, and so I would say that claiming Pirlo is incomparable to Zidane is somewhat unjust. The fact is Pirlo has been literally "molded" for Milan which makes his technique 10 times more potent and therefore he shines when he performs. An expert in long balls (on par or even better than Beckham) posession holder, vision, composure, short passing, freeckicks, long shots, effective dribling, excellent defencive qualities etc etc. Now Zizou may be superior in most elements, but the man has his weaknesses, and I'd say Pirlo (although he plays in a different position) could possibly be better than Zidane in selected areas of basic skill. This may all sound obvious but I'll repeat what I said earlier; Pirlo is 25, when Zidane was that age he had not sprouted yet which I mean to say he was nowhere near the player that he is today; Pirlo on the other hand is growing so rapidly in his game and not just simple maturity but there are levels of excellence that he has achieved at such a young age which has lead him to leading the attack for what I think is still the best club in Europe (he is the general of Milans attack, everything starts with Pirlo). Finally, although Zidane has perfected dimensions to his game, I dont think it would be completely outrageous to say that Pirlo has more dimensions than Zidane.
Fiore does lead Lazio with 9 goals on the season.. not including any matches played this week... Pirlo is a great player no doubt, but he is not as skilled with Zidane.. he is not as good a passer, dribbler and does not have the footballing I.Q. of ZiZou... again, very good, but come on... one thing I like about Pirlo is his ability to control a game by moving up and down the pitch and lending help where needed and making runs into space with or without the ball, he is certainly one of the most active players in Europe...
Normally I'd agree about the Zidane and Pirlo comparison, but I have one pet peeve about Zidane's fans. Pirlo is not as good a passer as Zidane? Ridiculous. Zidane is one of the best players of our generation, he has almost everything but one thing he has never had is great long range passing ability, not like Beckham or Pirlo anyway. Zidane's skills lie in his excellent close control, he rarely loses the ball, and the simplicity with which he plays. He does not, has not ever, and will never pass the way Pirlo does, which in my opinion is the best in the world. I remember last season when Pirlo was still played in an attacking midfield role, he would consistenly play beautiful balls to the strikers from any distance and with either foot, it was amazing to me. Zinedine is awesome, but on this one Andrea's got him beat.
Not to mention that he's been given a lot of chances to perfect his penalty taking skills this season.
tap the brake just a bit!!! where was PIRLO in the fifa footballer's of the world again?? i mean, i know he wasn't on the list, but be serious.. he's a great player who is just coming into his own.. your comparing him to one of the best of all time..... easy...
You obviously havn't understood my analysis properly. I know Zidane is better, but that doesn't make it impossible to compare them. Look at it this way; what Real has not accomplished and how uninspiring they have been this year in contrast with Milan, expect to see Pirlo as a major contender for best CM role at the end of the season, while Zidane will be up against the likes of Kaka, Lampard, Gleb, Giuly etc. Its obvious Zidane is not a clear favourite anymore. Also, like I said before, Pirlo is the general of Milan's attack, a 25 year old strategizing everything all the time. So I ask you who is more influential to their team? This being one of the most relevant things to consider as Pirlo has performed exceptionally in the majority of games he's played which is practically every game, while Zidane has played plenty but not at the level which is expected of him. Maybe I, and others are over hyping him which could be true, the Depor defeat only reinforces that possibility. However I consider Pirlo to be the hottest prospect in Italian soccer not to mention the most impressive centre midfielder in the A league. And that means something no matter what stance you take.
Well...hello everyone, I'm new on the board and I have been reading many of the subject. I fell on this one and I just coulnd't pass. I've been a Milan fan since 1988...I have watched many players come and go and I analyse them all. (I spend my days going on the official website and actually watch games again and again) What I saw on this thread actually baffled me. For some to compare Pirlo and Zidane is a joke. Pirlo is a good player indeed, has nice long passes, good technique, good vision, he lacks a little in marking but that is not the point. The point is that Pirlo used to play as a 10 (attacking midfield), and to compare Zidane with him is a joke to me. Zidane is right now, and has been for 3 years at least, the most consistent player and greatest player to stpe foot on a soccer field...(I'm talking about 3-4 years till now) everyone wants to see him play and it is a reality. He is the best player in the world right now. And there is no way you can compare these 2 players. And about Pirlo going to Euro 04, he might go, but the way Italy are playing right now, they don't need him, because Perrota and Zanetti are better at defensive midfield than him. But that is up to the Trap to choose.
Pirlo is no Zidane, Instead, what Real madrid wants Beckham to be. Basically, Beckham is playing the same position and style at Real Madid as Pirlo. So far, Pirlo has been more steady.... I actually posted the same thing before,
Let'snot Knock Demetrio Albertini please. Andrea Pirlo is an amazing player. He has a bright future ahead and Real Madrid if they are interested in beinga better team rather than jus Galaticos with nothing won. Andrea Pirlo could be greta but it's time he does something for the national team.
Its out of his hands. He could be Italy's "Michael Ballack" and Trap would still refuse to turn his head.
Andrea Pirlo is a surity to start for Italy at thius year's championship. I do believe he will shine and could be art of something great for Italy who seem to have solved their midfield problems at long last. PIRLO GATTUSO PERROTTA TOTTI
I'm afraid thats incorrect, the Italian mid is as follows: =========Del Piero================Totti======= ============Fiore===Zanetti==Perotta============ As long as there's no injuries, Gattu and Andrea will indefinitley start on the bench.
Fiore on the right, I would think. I would love for Trap to drop Del Piero and play Totti with Vieri, and Fiore, Pirlo, Gattuso and Perotta in midfield. Or even put in Del Piero and take out Perotta. This is the strongest Italian midfield in a while. To pack it with plodders and rely on catenaccio would be a mistake, seeing as how the current choice at RB is either Panucci or Oddo. It might be time to try to win 2-1 rather than 1-0.
I'd love Italy to try an all out attacking formation where the backline would consist of 3 defenders and not 4: ===========Nesta===Cannavaro===Materazzi====== then a formidable midfield of talented attacking players: =======Fiore=====Pirlo====Perotta====Zambrotta=== and finally the trquartista (sp?) : =======Totti==================Cassano===== =================Vieri=================== These kind of formations usually go nowhere for Italy but I'd at least like to see it tried. But I guess its to late for that
I love this formation. Is there enough speed between Nesta, Cannavaro and Materazzi to have the same coverage as in a 4-4-2?
BUFFON Cannavaro(F) on the right side Nesta in the middle (Nesta is very very quick and reads game wonderfully) Ferrari on the left side Pirlo and Gattuso jus in front of defence giving them adequate cover. Fiore on the right attacking. Zambrotta on the left attacking and capable of giving defensvie cover too. Totti playing in an advanced midfield role. Del Piero playing as a withdrawn forward jus in front of Totti. Vieri playing a true centre forward (hopefully just banging in goals) Perrotta is a good player but Gattuso is the kind of player who can make this formation truly sparkle.
World Cup 2006, Pirlo you've answered! I should wrote a retraction a long time ago.... UCL (2), Scudetto, World Club Cup, European Supercup and World Cup, just missing the European Championship.....2008 to complete a trophy sweep?