A Winning Program: the Path to 5 Stars

Balo has been scapegoated and I totally agree with Kqql regarding his point with Balo in the quote posted above -

"Yes he needs to improve his attitude and the next manager may not put up with him,
but he was not the reason Italy crashed @ WC.
It was due to Prandelli selections, his rubbish tactics and the lack of creativity from
the midfield, especially in the final third. "

 

Lovestruck fanboys do not think logical Stamos. Football Italia has an article that says Conte will make De Rossi the key to his squad. Buffon will continue to be first choice goalkeeper with Conte at the helm…these are the two guys that publicly blasted Balotelli. The writing is on the wall when it comes to him making the Azzurri in the immediate future.

With a better attitude and consistent superstar performances, Super Mario may make his way back on the national team…but his free ride is over. Delusional man crushes are irrelevant at this point.

 

Balotelli was probably super frustrated with the play and tactics with his team mates and coach... and I don't blame him at all...
- Prandelli selections, his rubbish tactics and the lack of creativity from
the midfield, especially in the final third ...

I didn't hear anyone complain when Balotelli scored against England...mind you the way were playing ,Italia was quite lucky to get through on that game!

Mario could and can do a lot more, the lack of creativity and feed through the middle was pathetic from our team - who was passing the ball to him?? what a joke with the lack of creativity and play on the ball and no wonder we were kicked out in the first round in the world cup!

 

Definition of delusional (fanboy or otherwise): A delusion is a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary.[1] As a pathology, it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, or other effects of perception.

Yep, Balotelli scored on England with no help from anyone else. It was just an optical illusion that a "pathetic midfielder with no creativity" named Antonio Candreva provided a killer ball that even my grandmother could of put in the back of the net.

Instead the "reality" is that Super Mario weaved his way through the whole English side like Maradona did 28 years before as the rest of the Italian squad were taking a merenda. Here was the only bright spot for the national team scoring by himself and providing acts of inspiration as the rest of the squad sulked and received yellow cards. After Italy crashed out, one of these ungrateful players bunkered down on the bus while everyone else bandied together before departing Brazil. Due to his team first attitude, Super Mario went out and convinced this scoundrel to reenter the training facilities and act like part of the team during farewell speeches. After arriving in Italy, Balotelli discovered the cure for cancer and was able to arrange for every Lazio and Roma fan to hold hands and sing Kumbaya. He's almost done wrapping up a permanent peace treaty between Israel and Palestine, along with ending the Ebola virus in Africa. When asked, Conte said that he will only call up Balotelli on the national team since he's better by himself than with 10 other annoying players on the pitch. He will be football's first one man team and probably qualify for the Euro with 3 games to spare. Feel better Garibaldi...

 

feel better, thats not the issue...Kqql said it the way it is -
"Prandelli rubbish tactics and the lack of creativity from
the midfield"

the simple point here is the lack of play and hustle is what did EVERYONE in... making all the players look pathetic but don't use, judge or say Balotelli in order to scapegoat or blame what really happened with our game.

 

Insigne has been absolute shit since December. Mertens is twice the player he is at Napoli, let alone let's not even talk about Insigne's performance at the WC. He spent the entire half hour against Costa Rica on his ass. His legs looked like they were made out of spaghettini. I'm not a fan of Benitez, but I'm surprised, even though Insigne is a supposed hometown favorite, he's given him so many chances ahead of Mertens. Either he turns it around or he won't have a sniff of Conte's Italia.

My prospective Italy team for the Netherlands game.

GK: Buffon, Sirigu, Perin

DEF: Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Sciglio, Darmian, Ranocchia, Donati/Santon

MID: Pirlo, Verratti, De Rossi, Marchisio, Romulo, Jorginho, Giaccherini, Bonaventura

FOR: Destro, Balotelli, El Sharaawy, Cerci, Berardi

OUT: ROSSI (INJURY)

 

Regardless of whether those of you who say that Balotelli is overrated and he doesn't work for the team and blah, blah, blah find another Italian striker that has the same goal to games played ratio as Balotelli in the last year and a half. He scores a goal every other game (43 appearances/ 26 goals). That's a quality striker. Love him or hate him Italy doesn't have many other options. Rossi? Maybe if he could stay healthy for longer than 3 months. Immobile? Seemed to fall flat on his face on the world stage this summer. No impact whatsoever. Destro? His sample size is too small at the top level. This year will solidify if he's the real center forward Italy has been so lacking for some years now.

 

Balo sucks. He had one good match two years ago. Those stats you give are inflated by penalties and tap-ins. Hell, Osvaldo had decent stats for the NT.

Rossi is our best forward by a considerable margin.

 

Insigne got booed off the pitch with Conte in attendance. I did not watch the game but apparently he played like shit. Then his girlfriend blasted the fans or something. He's not national team material in any case at this point in time. There is enough of a sample size now to suggest that Insigne does not have what it takes to play for the Azzurri. The future may still be bright for him, but only time will tell.

A healthy Rossi is Italy's best option I agree. I think Rossi, Berardi, Immobile, Destro, Gabbiadini, and Cerci are the forwards who should feature the most in the near future with friendlies and qualifiers. Put Berardi on the LW and see if he can shine (has played there before). I would also keep an eye on El Shaarawy/Pazzini and see how they do with Balotelli's departure and with both being healthy again.

 

You're right, Destro was definitely very impressive. Why wasn't Roma starting him?

I have concerns about his mentality though, after the talk that he'd refused to be a backup 24th player for the NT. The last thing we need right now is another prima donna who treats major tournaments as vacations.

 

We easily have 5 forwards who should play over Insigne right now on the national team.

Neither Immobile or Insigne have much of a sample size when it comes to international football (I was talking more in terms of club football). Immobile had a breakout season last year for Torino…Insigne was erratic. Neither should really be judged on a WC where they both played less than a full 90 minutes total. I could take or leave Cerci at this point. I rather Conte play Gabbiadini or Berardi on the right.

As for Napoli and Insigne…they dislike him more than they love him.

 

I agree. The reports of him turning down the national team don't bother me as much after the debacle that Prandelli presided over. Who knows the actual circumstances anyway and how morale was during that camp (I doubt that Cassano outworked/performed him or Rossi). I could see Conte starting Rossi and Destro together if he wants Rossi in support instead of centrally with two wingers. My gut feeling is that Conte is higher on Destro than Immobile.

I think Insigne should definitely think about leaving. Even if he played badly, booing him after one game is heavy-handed. Sometimes the pressure of playing for your hometown is too much for both player and fan. It didn't work for Quags either…..

 

@Il Ciuccio So Chooch, what's the deal with you guys and booing Insigne?


Sooo....Nek....Immobile at the World Cup....uhm, ya

 

Yeah Immobile was terrible in his limited time on the pitch. Other than Darmian, Pirlo, and Verratti who wasn't though . Regardless, I'm not a stubborn fanboy, and would have no problem with Immobile being dropped in the future if he doesn't start scoring for the Azzurri. I wouldn't even take issue with Conte choosing Destro over him in September's fixtures either. The shirt is what's most important...

 

I do believe that is what the person you keep insulting as a fan boy is trying to tell you!

I'm certainly glad that you wouldn't take issue with it!

On the fanboy topic, I don't know of anyone who is, in this forum... And I visit more than the national team section

 

Lorenzo needs to grow up.

 

What has Rossi ever done for the national team?

 

insigne was having a great season untill one bad game to which he was abused, now most fans have eradicated that good period from history, if im honest napoli fans have been acting like total retards over the last year, serie A hasnt even started and he's been abused already for a poor game in a game where everyone was equally bad or worse, they all say mertens should start, but when he starts you can guarentee they will say insigne should come on, they have incredibly short memories, if insigne misses a chance its spoken about and remembered for months, if mertens hamsik and callejon miss easy chances its not even noted. insigne has always played well for italy under prandelli and u21's, and he will do so again as soon as he starts enjoying himself and forgetting about the fans


edit: as one or 2 have said insigne needs to grow up/mature, he needs to tell himself its only a game and he makes an easy living from playing his favourate sport and forget about the fans, he just needs to remind himself they're part of the theater

 

Scored goals...his job....are we putting winning a trophy for the azzurri on the shoulders of one player nowadays? Gesu di dio....smh

 

So, am I reading this correct...he's being booed because he's short?