With two qualifiers upon us next week Conte said he'd come out with the roster this Saturday, but it's always a good time to try and guess who Conte is considering. Probable Team: GK: Buffon, Sirigu, Perin/ Viviano DEF: Bonucci, Chiellini, Ranocchia, Rugani, Ogbonna MID: Florenzi, Marchisio, Verratti, Giaccherini, Soriano, Candreva, Poli, De Sciglio, Darmian, *Abate (if only 5 forwards are taken) FOR: Zaza, Immobile, Gabbiadini, Pelle AND (ONE OR TWO OF: Okaka, Osvaldo, Balotelli, & Destro)
I would be surprised if Osvaldo isn't there. If Conte took him a month ago, it would be strange to leave him home now that he's in much better form.
Azzurri convocati per ItaAze- Malta Attaccanti: Destro, Giovinco, Immobile, Osvaldo, Pellé, Zaza. Centrocampisti: Aquilani, Bonaventura, Candreva, Darmian, De Sciglio, Florenzi, Marchisio, Parolo, Pasqual, Poli, Thiago Motta, Verratti Difensori: Bonucci, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Ranocchia, Rugani Portieri: Buffon, Perin, Sirigu
Congrats to Rugani and Bonaventura. Well deserved. I don't get the Giovinco and Aquilani call-ups. Total head scratchers. Gabbiadini would be 10 times better than Giovinco. I can somewhat see the Thiago Motta callup because at least he is starting and playing decently at PSG. Aquilani just sucks though and Giovinco is 3rd string. I know Conte is following Romagnoli very closely. He only has 2 games under his belt this year, so I'm sure Conte is waiting to see him play a little more before calling him up. I can live with the Pelle callup, but with 2 minnows coming up, I'd rather have gone with younger players to get them the international experience they deserve. Although, in Italy Pelle would be considered a baby at 29. We still have Totti and Luca Toni playing in our league LOL
Another dream came true, I missed so much this color on me!TNX to my family, staff + team from Feyenoord & Saints ❤️ pic.twitter.com/OhgD1MYmaA— Graziano Pellè (@GPelle19) October 4, 2014 Montolivo, Chiellini with him on the U21. The last one is Nocerino?
I can live with Aquilani making the squad. I just don't understand how Gabbiadini gets overlooked for Giovinco. Even Quags should of made the team over that midget. Every Italian coach seems to make these inexplicable omissions/additions. At least with Conte only one of them is particularly bad. I like the rest of his choices for the most part. Gabbs scored again. 3 goals in 3 games now. Something wrong with this site. Pop ups keep preventing me from accessing threads etc. Administrators should look into it. Took me 8 tries to finally get here.
Giovinco won't have a second of playtime. He's there to teach. I'm not worried about him. Frankly, I'm more concerned that Zaza might be getting swollen-headed after apparently becoming a fixture on the NT. He's been complete shit for Sassuolo ever since those matches.
seriously why do in form players like quagliarella, gabbiandini, berardi get overlooked and bums like osvaldo and giovinco make it?
Gabbiadini should've made the list. That omission really has me shaking my head. Also, I really would have like to see Gabbiadini's teammate, Roberto Soriano, get the nod over Aquilani. Very promising player for Mihajlovic's side.
Ankle issue for Verratti By Football Italia staff Italy have held a first training session in view of Euro 2016 qualifiers this month and have early fitness doubts over Marco Verratti. The Azzurri squad last night convened last night at the Italian Football Federation’s headquarters at Coverciano, whilst those from Paris Saint-Germain reported in this morning, following their Ligue 1 duty on Sunday night. Antonio Conte took the players for a first training session this morning and continued work on his 3-5-2 formation, with various players used in each role. After that session, the FIGC posted an update on Marco Verratti, who was substituted during PSG’s game against Monaco with a suspected ankle injury. “I hope it is just a knock,” the midfielder is quoted as saying. I’m going to Coverciano, I hope that the ankle has not twisted or anything else. We will evaluate it togheter. The FIGC report that chief medic Enrico Castellacci will assess the injury later today
Giovinco is occupying the spot that ideally Insigne or El Shaarawy will take. Him and Gabbiadini are not fighting for the same spot. With Pelle, Immobile, Destro, Osvaldo and Zaza it would be overkill to bring in Gabbiadini and also pretty one-dimensional. Furthermore Gio wont get any minutes though I think this kind of opposition is his bread and butter.
Well if Giovinco isn't going to play (and I agree with you on that point 100%) than why not bring Gabbiadini? And if meritocracy is truly Conte's position than Gabbs deserves to go over everyone but Pelle and (maybe) Immobile. Conte seemingly likes to play 2 forwards who are similar anyway, while employing defensive wingers (from the 2 games we have as evidence for the national team). I doubt Malta and Azerbaijan worry him in terms of possible tactical alterations. Berardi also shows that without him Sassuolo are nothing. If I was Conte, I would have a long talk with Berardi about his behavior and promote him to the national team pronto. Berardi and Gabbiadini will very likely be Italy's best forwards by the time Euro 2016 roll around (both could play together in Conte's 3 5 2 and have more talent than all the other forwards called up)…lets get them some caps already. Even Alessandro Matri deserves to be on the national team over Giovinco…let that fact sink in for a moment.
I'm still interested to see if Conte can perfect this 3-5-2. The Dutch did ok but they had a freakish Robben making all the difference. It seems the issue is whether our wingbacks can ever really contribute to the offense or else it becomes pretty tough for the strikers on their own.
btw, whats up with the viviano call up ?? is he even playing these days ?? how come Mannone doesnt get a call up? he is rated the best keeper in BPL lately http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/403880/Arsenal-Chelsea-Liverpool-Man-Utd-keepers
Italy lose Thiago Motta, Osvaldo By Football Italia staff Italy have been handed a further double injury blow with the withdrawal from Antonio Conte’s squad of Thiago Motta and Dani Osvaldo. The Azzurri lost Giacomo Bonaventura at the start of preparations for Euro 2016 qualifiers with Azerbaijan and Malta and have doubts over Marco Verratti’s availability too, whilst Daniele Rugani had to drop down to the Under-21s to cover Alessio Romagnoli’s injury there. Now Conte has lost two further players in the shape of Motta and Osvaldo, with the Paris Saint-Germain man suffering with tendinitis and the Inter forward suffering a second degree strain to his left adductor. Both men are confirmed by the Italian Football Federation as to return to their clubs this afternoon, with Osvaldo facing as long as a month on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Italy have also confirmed the squad numbers for tomorrow’s match with Azerbaijan. Goalkeepers: 1 Buffon; 12 Sirigu; 16 Perin Defenders: 19 Bonucci; 3 Chiellini; 4 Ogbonna; 13 Ranocchia Midfielders: 14 Aquilani; 6 Candreva; 20 Darmian; 2 De Sciglio; 15 Florenzi 8 Marchisio; 18 Parolo; 23 Pasqual; 21 Pirlo; 5 Poli; 9 Verratti Forwards: 22 Destro; 10 Giovinco; 11 Immobile; 17 Pellè; 7 Zaza
I don't care about Motta or Osvaldo, but it sucks that we won't get to see Rugani for the NT. I hope Romagnoli isn't seriously injured - this is the first I've heard of it.