So, this will be THE game. For me, as for many italian fans here, this is not a game. This is a war. About CC, this match is too important: we have to win, no matter how. I expect Havenaar to make Barzagli and Chiellini suffer.
For all I care he can put Gonda up front just wanna see some good play from them without any pressure. Play your hearts out and if it wont be enough, it wont be... just dont give me any passive shit and poor performance all around
the attacking 4, Okazaki as target man is useless, he's easy to contain in that formation. he's much more effective playing as RMF then making runs into the box, hard to track that way. Play Honda up front. and a Inui-Kagawa-Kiyotake behind. Okazaki for Kiyotake. Konno out, Inoha or Kurihara starts alongside Yoshida. major problem is CM, Endo and Hasebe. actually, I think Hasebe could still stay on as DMF if the OMF does a good job. sorry to call Endo out, he's been great on his best, but it seems like years ago now.
Exactly. Can't explain how much important is this match for me especially after the Brazil debacle. In these 4 days a lot of people will speak about JNT on italian TV programs and a load of shit will be delivered. What I wanna see is: - Nagatomo vs his former mate and now 'enemy' Giaccherini in a clash of speed and stamina; - Yoshida + his mate (I really want the more physical H.Sakai but it will be Konno for sure) vs Balotelli to stop the first way for Italy to score; - Endo, who will play in any case, trying to save his reputation performing like the Japanese Pirlo especially on fk; - Havenaar vs Italy defence cuz imho he's the only one between the 23 who can make something happen in fw position (sad but true); - Kagawa perform as he's able to cuz he will have more space, motivation and 'sense of revenge' than against Brazil. This is the first time these teams clash into an official match and I'm waiting for this since ages. I hope it will be UNFORGETTABLE in any sense.
No doubt Maeda will start, I mean he got 2 shots off against Brazil. Sure they were weak and hit directly at the keeper, but he is clearly the greatest player to ever wear the Japan uniform. On a serious note, is SES still injured? His speed would cause Japan lots of problems.
Another thing: the recover of Endo and the mismatch Kagawa vs. Abate will be the key-points of this game. Plus, if Yoshida takes Balotelli down, it'd be great.
Hope you don't mean that literally. Because we know what Balotelli can do from the PK spot and Pirlo can do with FKs. Anyway I have no favorites in this one so I'll just sit back and watch.
Pretty bad compatriots. At least support Japan cuz if they lose it's finished while with a draw or a victory it will depends on other matches. Nagatomo did pretty well against him in the Milan derby if I remember correctly. However I think it will be the same lineup that won against Mexico. Maybe they will change against Brazil. Abate is frankly the worst SB of Italy (NT not the country LOL), Kagawa can't lose against him if he wanna save his honor... Let Maya take Balotelli down in a safe spot and then let Mario kick him for revenge and being expelled
Honda up-front? I'd prefer to not see that again honestly. He has nothing of the quality required to play that position, he's just good at holding the ball - not in general, there - but that's not really what we need. Given the strikers' condition though it wouldn't surprise me to see such a "last effort". Inui-Kagawa-Kiyotake against Italy seems incredibly weak, we'd get constantly exposed, so I'm not really a supporter of that, didn't work well enough against Bulgaria, let alone against Italy. Konno out, I'm not sure why you'd do something that crazy. I don't know if you had a chance to rewatch the match but Yoshida was certainly worse than him, I don't know how anyone can close an eye about what he did on the third goal. If I were the coach I would've probably locked him for a half an hour 1 to 1 talk. This trash about Hiroki Sakai as CB really has picked up here on BS hasn't it? Maybe you have something to teach to a couple of coaches then! Sigh Yes he's been so good lately...
I've said it because, instead, Okazaki or Kiyotake would probably find some troubles with De Sciglio: he's young, but I've seen him playing yesterday and he was good. Too good for being 20 years old.
I supported my country until 2006. It was nice seeing joy in everyone after the victory of WC2006, but it was also a "wake-up call": most of them was there just because Italy won. Nobody was on the street when Italy got kicked by Paraguay, New Zealand or Slovakia. I didn't wanna be part of a crowd like that. Plus, I've been following Japan's growth since 1998 and I've always been supportive to this country. So, it wasn't hard becoming a supporter: I've followed Japan since AFC Cup 2007. These six years were a lot better than the 17 ones as Italy's fan. Because I care, I see every match, but I'm always by JNT's side. To summarize it: it's better following something you love than wasting your time with something which is imposed to you, just because you're born there. I followed the same logic with my club: I'm from Rome, but I love Sampdoria. I can't help it.
Getting Balotelli out of rythm and focus is important. Yoshida need to be up his ass. Then Japan has already won a big battle.
Dax remembered it well. Yoshida was the worst defender by far.... too much space...too soft...too slow... nothing new.
I'm actually supporting Italy. When I started high school I got a bit more involved with Japanese culture (getting beyond mangas, in other words), and after a while I started to follow the J.League and found it a lot more balanced and entertainning to watch than Serie A. So of course after a while you get familiar with the environment, know the players, and you grow attached to the JNT as well. But being Italy my home country, they will always be more meaningful to me.
H.Sakai or whoever is more physical and stronger than Konno is fine. I'm sure you see Balotelli goal against Mexico and you can understand what I meant. For me is just a mind factor. Italian supporters are racist, maschilist, fascist, ignorants and violent. In 2006 I made the mistake to watch the final Italy vs France in a public place: I will never do it again. I really can't stand how hateful my country football supporters are and they drive me to not support (not hate) my football NT so much. About Japan, whose supporters is far better than that shit, italians simply think that japanese football sucks "because it does" whichever argument you use, even the facts, it's what they think. And if you support Japan you are some sort of idiot, while if you support (for example) Brazil, Germany, Argentina etc you are a normal sympathizer. Add to this that I like Japan since ages and support it in any competition especially in football since France 98 when Kawaguchi smile in the first match against Argentina blinded me (and probably this is the main reason cuz I support Japan today).
Infact, in these days, my friend keeps joking of me: «Yeah, yeah, you will won, for sure». We'll see what's gonna happen, but a nice and hard surprise could be real good to taste.
I want to believe that japan can bounce back... but this situation reminds me 2006 WC too much. I was talking to some japanese friends, and they told me the media is all about "Sergio" now... they are now bashing the Italian hard about forgeting the J-leaguers.
well I'm Italian-American and I root for them pretty equally. But I root for them both more than USA which is strange I guess.