Mods sorry if there is another thread. If there is one, please merge.... Now that Italy has qualified, I think its time to decide who the final 23 will be....Here is the list of the current squad and recent call ups as of 10 October 2009. Who will be on it and who won't? Have at boys! Current squad Squad called up for World Cup qualifier against Republic of Ireland and Cyprus on 10 and 14 October 2009. Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon 28 January 1978 (age 31) Juventus 99 (0) v Russia, 29 October 1997 Federico Marchetti 7 February 1983 (age 26) Cagliari 1 (0) v Northern Ireland, 6 June 2009 Morgan De Sanctis 26 March 1977 (age 32) Napoli 3 (0) v Iceland, 30 March 2005 Defenders Davide Santon 2 January 1991 (age 18) Internazionale 4 (0) v Northern Ireland, 6 June 2009 Gianluca Zambrotta 19 February 1977 (age 32) Milan 91 (2) v Norway, 10 February 1999 Giorgio Chiellini 14 August 1984 (age 25) Juventus 25 (1) v Finland, 17 November 2004 Alessandro Gamberini 27 August 1981 (age 28) Fiorentina 6 (0) v South Africa, 17 October 2007 Fabio Cannavaro 13 September 1973 (age 36) Juventus 129 (2) v Northern Ireland, 22 January 1997 Nicola Legrottaglie 20 October 1976 (age 32) Juventus 15 (1) v Turkey, 20 November 2002 Fabio Grosso 28 November 1977 (age 31) Juventus 47 (4) v Switzerland, 30 April 2003 Salvatore Bocchetti 30 November 1986 (age 22) Genoa 1 (0) v Republic of Ireland, 10 October 2009 Midfielders Daniele De Rossi 24 July 1983 (age 26) Roma 50 (8) v Norway, 4 September 2004 Simone Pepe 30 August 1983 (age 26) Udinese 12 (0) v Bulgaria, 11 October 2008 Mauro Camoranesi 4 October 1976 (age 33) Juventus 50 (5) v Portugal, 12 February 2003 Gennaro Gattuso 9 January 1978 (age 31) Milan 69 (1) v Sweden, 23 February 2000 Claudio Marchisio 19 January 1986 (age 23) Juventus 2 (0) v Switzerland, 12 August 2009 Angelo Palombo 25 September 1981 (age 28) Sampdoria 13 (0) v Croatia, 16 August 2006 Gaetano D'Agostino 3 June 1982 (age 27) Udinese 4 (0) v Northern Ireland, 6 June 2009 Andrea Pirlo 19 May 1979 (age 30) Milan 63 (8) v Azerbaijan, 7 September 2002 Forwards Alberto Gilardino 5 July 1982 (age 27) Fiorentina 37 (13) v Norway, 4 September 2004 Antonio Di Natale 13 October 1977 (age 31) Udinese 28 (9) v Turkey, 20 November 2002 Vincenzo Iaquinta 21 November 1979 (age 29) Juventus 35 (5) v Iceland, 30 March 2005 Giuseppe Rossi 1 February 1987 (age 22) Villarreal 11 (3) v Bulgaria, 11 October 2008 Fabio Quagliarella 31 January 1983 (age 26) Napoli 16 (3) v Scotland, 29 March 2007 Recent call-ups GK Marco Amelia April 2, 1982 (1982-04-02) (age 27) 9 0 Genoa DF Domenico Criscito December 30, 1986 (1986-12-30) (age 22) 2 0 Genoa DF Marco Motta May 14, 1986 (1986-05-14) (age 23) 0 0 Roma DF Andrea Dossena September 11, 1981 (1981-09-11) (age 28) 10 0 Liverpool MF Daniele Galloppa May 15, 1985 (1985-05-15) (age 24) 1 0 Parma MF Marco Marchionni July 22, 1980 (1980-07-22) (age 29) 4 0 Fiorentina MF Alberto Aquilani July 7, 1984 (1984-07-07) (age 25) 11 2 Liverpool MF Matteo Brighi February 14, 1981 (1981-02-14) (age 28) 4 0 Roma MF Riccardo Montolivo January 18, 1985 (1985-01-18) (age 24) 9 0 Fiorentina MF Pasquale Foggia June 3, 1983 (1983-06-03) (age 26) 3 1 Lazio FW Luca Toni May 26, 1977 (1977-05-26) (age 32) 47 16 Bayern Munich FW Giampaolo Pazzini August 2, 1984 (1984-08-02) (age 25) 3 1 Sampdoria Here is the list of the 2006 World Cup Champions just for a contrast look.... Italy Head coach: Marcello Lippi 1 GK Gianluigi Buffon 28 January 1978 (aged 28) 60 Juventus 2 DF Cristian Zaccardo 21 December 1981 (aged 24) 12 Palermo 3 DF Fabio Grosso 28 November 1977 (aged 28) 17 Palermo [50] 4 MF Daniele De Rossi 24 July 1983 (aged 22) 17 Roma 5 DF Fabio Cannavaro (c) 13 September 1973 (aged 32) 93 Juventus 6 DF Andrea Barzagli 8 May 1981 (aged 25) 8 Palermo 7 FW Alessandro Del Piero 9 November 1974 (aged 31) 74 Juventus 8 MF Gennaro Gattuso 9 January 1978 (aged 28) 43 Milan 9 FW Luca Toni 26 May 1977 (aged 29) 18 Fiorentina 10 FW Francesco Totti 27 September 1976 (aged 29) 51 Roma 11 FW Alberto Gilardino 5 July 1982 (aged 23) 15 Milan 12 GK Angelo Peruzzi 16 February 1970 (aged 36) 31 Lazio 13 DF Alessandro Nesta 19 March 1976 (aged 30) 74 Milan 14 GK Marco Amelia 2 April 1982 (aged 24) 1 Livorno 15 FW Vincenzo Iaquinta 29 November 1979 (aged 26) 12 Udinese 16 MF Mauro Camoranesi 4 October 1976 (aged 29) 21 Juventus 17 MF Simone Barone 30 April 1978 (aged 28) 13 Palermo 18 FW Filippo Inzaghi 9 August 1973 (aged 32) 49 Milan 19 DF Gianluca Zambrotta 19 February 1977 (aged 29) 52 Juventus 20 MF Simone Perrotta 17 September 1977 (aged 28) 24 Roma 21 MF Andrea Pirlo 19 May 1979 (aged 27) 24 Milan 22 DF Massimo Oddo 14 June 1976 (aged 29) 20 Lazio 23 DF Marco Materazzi 19 August 1973 (aged 32) 28 Internazionale
I bet this list will be pretty damn close: Buffon, Amelia, Marchetti Cannavaro, Chiellini, Gamberini, Bocchetti Zambrotta, Santon, Grosso, Criscito De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio, D'Agostino, Palombo Camoranesi, Pepe Rossi, Di Natale, Iaquinta, Gilardino, ???? Might take a more 'experienced' (i.e. older) keeper instead of Amelia, meh. I think he takes those 4 CBs if Legro continues to sit on the bench at Juve (hopefully). I can't see him dropping Zambrotta unless someone really steps up (ex. Motta, even Abate). Left side I'm happy with. I can't see him dropping anyone in the midfield for Aquilani/Brighi/Foggia. Those 4 up top are near locks to go, one spot left. I don't think we'll see Quagliarella much anymore, so I'm not sure who would go instead (obviously not Cassano, or Miccoli). It's not horrible, with some fitness and a nice system we could do okay (get out of a decently tough group, while sweating it mind you), set-piece defending needs work though, it's atrocious.
As I posted in the other thread, the formula of whom to take usually goes like this............ GK - 3 D'S -8 M'S- 7/8 F'S -4/5 Someone important will be left out......
It'll essentially be the same squad as what we are seeing now, except I see De Sanctis being dropped in favour of Amelia and Legro being dropped as well, with Chiellini being moved back into the CB role and Criscito being brought in (once healthy). In all honesty, I think it would be an absolute disgrace if guys like Gattuso and Quags were to squeek their way onto this squad without really having earned their place over the past year. Quags in particular is a complete joke.
This is probably very close, since Cassano obviously won't be called this is what I would take with a few changes. Buffon, Amelia, Marchetti Cannavaro, Chiellini, Gamberini, Bocchetti Zambrotta, Santon, Grosso, Criscito, Motta De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio, D'Agostino, Palombo Camoranesi, Pepe Rossi, Di Natale, Iaquinta, Pazzini,
I honestly don't believe Rossi or Pazzini presently deserve a spot.......come May however, things might change...
I would like to see this 23-man squad for South Africa: Gianluigi Bufon, Federico Marchetti, Marco Amelia Giorgio Chiellini, Salvatore Bocchetti, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Gamberini Fabio Grosso, Domenico Criscito, Gianluca Zambrotta, Davide Santon Danielle De Rossi, Angelo Palombo, Claudio Marchisio, Gaetano D’Agostino, Andrea Pirlo Mauro Camoranesi, Simeone Pepe Alberto Gilardino, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Giuseppe Rossi, Antonio Di Natale, Giampaolo Pazzini I would pull Zambrotta for Marco Motta, but only if Motta shows it this season. But, since that is doubtful, and Lippi will likely opt for experience considering he will bring two young FBs in Santon and Criscito, Zambrotta will likely be there. If Pepe continues his good for, I say keep him in there (as envisioned by Lippi, he has developed into a valuable utility player); if not, maybe replace him with someone like Matteo Brighi. As for the forwards, i would obviously like to see Cassano in there in place of one of them; that's a given, but its sad to say I don't see it happening. All in all, though, despite maybe a different thing here or there, I think Lippi has molded a pretty good squad (bar Cassano exclusion).
When I look at Federico Marchetti's resume, I can not believe he is that good. Also because I never watch Cagliari......but after playing in only 35 Serie A games, I can not understand why he is in the national team pool.... 2002–2006 Torino 001 0(0) 2002–2003 → Pro Vercelli (loan) 034 0(0) 2003 → Crotone (loan) 000 0(0) 2004 → Treviso (loan) 000 0(0) 2005 → Pro Vercelli (loan) 013 0(0) 2005–2006 → Biellese (loan) 030 0(0) 2006–2009 AlbinoLeffe 049 0(0) 2008–2009 → Cagliari (loan) 035 0(0) Especially since Marco Ruzittu has been playing this season.... at least that is what goal.com says....is he injured? http://www.goal.com/kr/people/italy/30565/marco-ruzittu
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCpzawcouVs"]YouTube - Federico Marchetti: The Next Number One[/ame]
goal.com has reported Totti's confirmation on his will to return azurri. The ball is on Lippi now. http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/ital...ace-francesco-totti-confirms-italy-temptation
goalkeepers: Buffon, Marchetti, De Sanctis defenders: Grosso, Santon, Motta, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Nesta, Chiellini, Gamberini midfields: Marchisio, Gattuso, Pirlo, Camoranesi, Palombo, De Rossi, Pepe forwards: Gilardino, Iaquinta, Totti, Cassano, Amauri starting 11 Buffon Zambrotta, Nesta, Chiellini, Grosso Marchisio, De Rossi, Palombo Pirlo(Cassano) Totti Amauri
I could have sworn I saw this link say Marco Ruzittu has been playing this season..... http://www.goal.com/kr/people/italy/30565/marco-ruzittu sorry...don't follow Cagliari since Zola left....
Of course if Nesta and Totti come back things change... But, doesn't anything think its kind of wrong to allow them to take a 4 year absence from the team and then, right after qualifiers are done, to say "Oh, I'm back." Seems kind of a slap in the face to someone like Bocchetti who has worked hard to find his way into the squad, same with Pepe or Marchisio.
I'd welcome them both back but I think don't Lippi will.......he has said time and again that they chose to quit the nastional team.....I am sure they could both be useful, however.......
yeah, but this isn't about who deserves to go, it's about who can provide Italy the best chance of winning. If come may, nesta can do that more than legro/bocchetti and/or totti can do that better than pepe (which in both cases if those two are even 75% or better is a resounding yes), then bring them. france did this with zidane last world cup and it almost won them the trophy.
Italy Coach Marcello Lippi Offers Francesco Totti A Source Of Hope After Totti's hint that he would like to return to the national side, Azzurri coach Lippi has stated that fresh faces could be brought into the fold before the World Cup... http://goal.com/en/news/1863/world-...arcello-lippi-offers-francesco-totti-a-source
My team as of now Buffon Castellazzi Amelia Santon Marco Rossi Cannavaro Chiellini Nesta Gamberini Grosso De Rossi D'Agostino Marchisio Galloppa Pirlo Mannini Camoranesi Pazzini Gilardino Miccoli Cassano Iaquinta Totti reserves: Marchetti Bocchetti Palombo Quagliarella
We need a playmaker simple as that...Totti would fit that role,i know he gets injured alot but its better than nothing imo.
Totti, Toni, Iaquinta, Inzaghi, ADP, Gilardino... Totti was used as an attacking midfielder, Iaquinta as more of a winger.