[divinocodino1018]

I've decided to post this thread because all i read is "Italy will play a boring game because they play catenaccio." I just don't feel like reading that anymore so i decided to post a thread title as stated. Italy no longer play that boring defensive game, for example, their game vs Holland. Marcello Lippi has a different mindset and I have no doubt that Italy will emerge as winner of the group.

[uclacarlos]

Do you think it's a catenaccio modernizato, evolved? Or is the emphasis on defense almost completely gone?

I've notice that even b4 Japorea, Serie A was no longer utterly dominated by catenaccio and games are much more wide open than in the past.

[divinocodino1018]

Originally Posted by uclacarlos

Do you think it's a catenaccio modernizato, evolved? Or is the emphasis on defense almost completely gone?

I've notice that even b4 Japorea, Serie A was no longer utterly dominated by catenaccio and games are much more wide open than in the past.

I think what you see in Serie A and and La Nazionale is a tactical game from all phases. Italy no longer play for the 1-0 sitback lead like they once did. In Italian soccer now, you see more of an attack oriented style rather than catenaccio. Don't get me wrong...defense is still the strong point of Italian soccer but sitback defense is no longer the game plan followed in league and national play.

[italia2006]

italy dont play a boring style of defensive soccer anymore, enough is enough, ghana,czech, and especally you u.s. fans id be pretty scared considering what we did to holland beating them 3-1, and dont give me ******** that hollland didnt play ruud,robben,seedorf....well we didnt play our best player totti, cassano and bufffon. any of you who still think this need to come out of your cave and stop watching your ************ mls.

[uclacarlos]

^

Geez. This started out as a nice thread where we could discuss playing style in a rational, non-trolling way.

And then you have to come in and get all bellicose and belligerent when... nobody's being that way.

Thanks!!

[italia2006]

Originally Posted by uclacarlos

^

Geez. This started out as a nice thread where we could discuss playing style in a rational, non-trolling way.

And then you have to come in and get all bellicose and belligerent when... nobody's being that way.

Thanks!!

look at dcunited comes in here and starts a thread called "will cannavaro eat his words" thats trolling 101, and you can just tell by his team he like korea

[uclacarlos]

Originally Posted by italia2006

look at dcunited comes in here and starts a thread called "will cannavaro eat his words" thats trolling 101, and you can just tell by his team he like korea

Last I checked, "Italy does not play catenaccio anymore" does not = "Will cannavaro eat his words".

So maybe it's not necessary to destroy every thread b/c one thread is going down the tubes.

[ForzaGiallorossi]

I think the Italian NT still focuses on defense, but puts more emphasis on their offense more then they ever have been. The Italian defense is still very strong, but even the defenders are offense-oriented. Zambrotta is probably faster than some strikers and he has amazing ball skill for a defender.

I like Italy's chances this world cup. They have the speed to keep up with other players, especially a player like beasley, who is pretty fast down the line. Their midfield is great, with an aggressive ball-winner like Gattuso, incredible passes and ball skills from totti and Pirlo, and a player like camonaresi, who although hasn't impressed me as of late, is still a dangerous player. Then we have our offense, with amazing strikers like cassano and gilardino, and the most on-form striker in europe, Toni. With some vets like Del piero, and some new comers like De rossi, and maybe even chiellini and pazzini, we've got a good bench. And then we have Buffon in net, who hopefully has fully recovered from his injury and dominates like he usually does.

I'd say that we have strayed away from catenaccio, and are playing a more attacking, smothering kind of play, with dangerous through balls and set pieces.

[deejay]

From what I can see of Italy they're an excellent team, they maintain a strong defense and take advantage of any opportunity they can get. Their weakness is when they fall behind a goal. They snap mentally and start focusing on the ref's calls instead of getting back into the game.

[ForzaGiallorossi]

Originally Posted by deejay

From what I can see of Italy they're an excellent team, they maintain a strong defense and take advantage of any opportunity they can get. Their weakness is when they fall behind a goal. They snap mentally and start focusing on the ref's calls instead of getting back into the game.

It sometimes seems like that is the case, but the past two games the Italian National team have played they have come back from a goal down. Holland was beating Italy 1 -0 (even though it should've been 1-1 at that point after having a valid goal disallowed) and then Italy came back to win that game 3 -1. Then against the Ivory Coast, the Ivory Coast scored first but Italy came back and scored a goal, then had a second one disallowed, which judging from replays I'd say it was a legitimate goal which crossed the line but it was not ruled a goal. So, I think that the notion is a bit discredited by these past two games, and with a coach like Lippi and a strike force like Toni, Gilardino, and Cassano, and players like Totti and Pirlo, if Italy went down a goal they have more than the capability to come back and win. With Trappatoni, the team was focused on defence and if the other team scored, it was hard to come back because of the lack of emphasis on offense. This is a new team with a more attack minded coach and I think Italy will do well in this tournament.