Di Natale is this season's capocannoniere, having scored almost 30 goals with Udine. Think what you will about the guy, but it would be pretty damned idiotic to leave the guy at home considering how well he's played at the club level over the last few years. To say that he "earned" his keep would be an understatement to say the least. Secondly, I'm not the biggest Gila fan myself, but it would be pretty hard to argue against his selection as well. He's scored 34 goals in domestic competition in just 68 appearances, averaging out to 1 goal every 2 matches, which is definitely nothign to frown upon. On top of that, he has a load of big game experience already at all levels, so it would be pretty unjust to overlook him as well. Lastly, how can you honestly even suggest that Toni is still somehow NT worthy considering his current form? Granted, he had his moments since arriving with Roma in January, but unfortunately those moments were few and far in between. He's much slower (and weaker) than the striker we remember who dominated Serie A with Palermo and Fiorentina a few years ago. In the end though, the strikers you have are irrelevant unless you can properly distribute the ball to them. Without a true #10 on this squad, it will be very difficult for this midfield to effectively link up with our attack. Pirlo right now would be our best option to fill the void if he were to be placed into a more advanced role, but God knows if he can adapt well enough to get the job done.
Straight from the horses mouth: http://www.football-italia.net/jun04q.html I don't see the point in taking players because of their "versatility", when even the players themselves admit that they have difficult adapting to certain roles. Versatility means very little when you're equally as bad at every position you're placed in.
Well then let's add the so called mighty Spaniards needing a very late goal to save face against South Korea. It's only a friendly
I can see the cause of concern a lot of fans here have after yesterday's game. Italy did look rusty/out of shape. But, I am more than willing to accept the fact they WERE at low fitness due to 2 weeks of hard training. If the legs weren't there, they aren't going to play as well as usual. And, let's not take credit away from mexico as they really exploited that. Kudos to them. But, in the same breath, it's good to remind yourself that yesterday was, in fact, a training session. Does the loss yesterday reflect group standings? Nope. So, let's take it for what it's worth and move on. All of this Lippi hate that is going on has really gone overboard...
ahhh lots of negativity in this thread. Lippi is playing possum, I will wait til the tournament starts to wish him death.
Never. Why should we accept that there are players on this team who should be nowhere near the field? And the fact that there are better players sitting at home? Why aren't they here again? Lippi never explained that. And if you think that our talent pool is so low, in my eyes, you don't watch Serie A.
Exactly. It is true that Italy didn't produce as many top class players in the past decade compared to 90's, but it doesn't automatically imply that current pool is full of garbage. These excuses are absolutely pathetic as Serie A has enough quality to produce a decent, competitive team at any point. In my view Lippi just didn't do a good job of assembling a TEAM and now we are a week away from World Cup without coherent formation or idea of how to play with players scattered all over the field in unnatural positions and looking like a bunch of amateurs.
What gameplan would that be watch the Italians shoot themselves in the foot. Our players are openly admitting they can't handle the positions Lippi is putting them in. Iaquinta is an average player at his best, Lippi has made him even worse. And the whole talent pool is crap is an absolute garbage argument from the Lippi faithful . All the injuries and fatigue is creeping in to the aging vets and now Lippi will be forced to play the young players, but instead of doing this 1 year ago at the Confed Cupits happening 1 week before the World Cup. Lippi dropped the ball, this team should be in better shape at this point.
Cassano excelled in Euro 2004. Yes i know it was 6 years ago now, but he hasn't played that much since, which is partly his fault. Playing pool is not as good as the previous generation, that is true. But there's still alot of talent out there. There's no reason to stick with old players like Gattuso, Camoranesi, Cannavaro and Zambrotta. They are all clearly past it and have been for a couple of years. There are better options in those positions.
I like how all the Lippi lovers are changing their tune. First, it was that this team was perfect. We didn't need any youth or flair, we had experience. Then it was that we needed time, Lippi would sort it out and have us running like clockwork. Now, after the mexico game, it's that our talent pool isn't worth anything or any other manager would've picked the same players...excuses excuses
The talent pool isn't as good as last generations and in my opinion that is natural. That's why people look back and can pinpoint certain eras of glory that outshine others. Of course Italia won't be able to field all-time greats every world cup, it just doesn't work that way. If it did, we'd win every world cup or atleast more often than we have. People can't expect to have in form Maldinis, Vieris, Nestas, Pirlos, etc and sheer class at every position. We were lucky enough to put together a great squad in 2006 and we won. This time around, and to be clear I am still not writing us off in this WC, we got stuck with talent like Iaquinta, Di Natale, and Gilardino, no disrespect to these guys, and the classy players we do have are old mostly and forced to carry the team on their back. In 06, the whole team contributed and allowed guys like Pirlo and Cannavaro to do their thing and perform more freely with more slack. This is just a natural cycle. Don't get me wrong, I expect nothing less than brilliance on a regular basis, but I also accept that I won't get it everytime. That's what makes winning it all so much sweeter when it happens. On a side note, someone before stated that Cassano has been a flop for La Nazionale. I don't think you can say that just yet. He hasn't been given a legitimate shot in forever. Wait until Prandelli plays him finally to judge him. And finally, I agree that Lippi in some cases hasn't chosen the best team. Cassani over Zambrotta is a no brainer--Cassani was great this season and Zambro is past done. Cossu and Candreva were both good this time too and deserved their spots over Camo and Gattuso who both have had their success with the national team. Time to pass the torch but unfortunately Lippi hasn't done so properly and lets hope it hasn't thrown off the whole cycle of NT talent and development for years to come.
I really do not believe the talent pool is not as good. I think maybe on defense this generation is a little lacking but at least Chiellini is world class. How many players from this Mexico team would crack a serie A starting lineup? I'd say 3 max. Sampdoria plays 10 italians and they were 4th this year. AC Milan regurlaly plays 6 italians and they were 3rd etc. Inter had tougher games against all the top serie A teams than they had in CL with the exception of Barcelona. You get the point. The problem here is Lippi. He is playing it safe relying on tactics not talent. This requires players that listen to him and follow the line. This is why he won't cap Cassano, Miccoli or Balotelli and he caps Pepe. I guess we will see but with Pirlo possibly out it is going to be uphill.
If you missed the Italy - Mexico game, then here it is... Mexico could have easily won 4-1 with better finishing.... Anyway, not sure how long the game will be on youtube, so I am only going to post links back to youtube.. 1st Half Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 2nd Half Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 .
I know World Cup 2010 is not something most Azzurri fans are looking too thrilled about to witness. Average performances during friendlies and qualifications are the highlight of this year's campaign march toward South Africa. BUT, I believe that the construction of World Cup 2006 Champ Squad wasn't a Lippi fluke. I believe that in South Africa our modus operandi would be similar which is SYNERGY. SURELY Prandelli will have to overhaul the squad. I'm sure that we will have a new GK. Marchetti is the leading candidate but I wouldn't be surprise if Sirigu have a good year and beat him to it. Both of them are not STAR quality like Buffon, but they are WORLD CLASS materials. Our back line will look somewhat like RB: De Silvestri/Motta CBs: Cheillini & Rannochia LB: Santon. Italy will show the WORLD once again that they haven't stop producing WORLD CLASS DEFENDERS. Our MIDFIELD will be entertaining once again. Marchisio, De Rossi, & Montolivo will still be in the squad, but their places won't be very secure as the up-and-coming crops of youngsters such as Andrea Poli ready to follow the footsteps of Pirlo (1989) and Ezequiel Schelotto (1989), who according to many is a quicker, bigger, and smarter Mauro Camoranesi with better Crosses and fancier footwork, Ignazio Abate, Daniele Dessena, Luca Cigarini, Antonio Candreva, Fernando Forestieri, Luca Marrone, Sebastian Giovinco, and my dark-horse Federico Carraro. And FORWARDS...WOW!! What a talent to choose from. Matri, Balotelli, Kiko, Paloschi, Pazzini, Acquafresca, Okaka, Rossi, & Zigoni. Assemble AZZURRIS "CAESAR" PRANDELLI and let them EMBARK the International frontier from DAY 1. FORZA AZZURRI & CALCIO...IN FAILURE and IN SUCCESS
Is Rossi still on the team? I had heard he was cut from the team the other day, then come to find that he was on the bench vs Mexico.
I think you aren't paying attention. Perhaps you shouldn't just limit your viewing to Serie A. If you seriously think that our best, this time around, stack up to some of the other elite nations' best, then you are deluded.
When they reconstruct the team ater the WC dont expect anything for at least 4 years. Italy might not even qualify for Euro 2012. People tend to forget that these past few U-21 teams have been disappointments.
I love it how the anti-Lippi faction believe somehow that those who do not share their views somehow would rather see Lippi at the helm than Italy do well. It's absurd. All of us here want Italy to do well. My opinion is that we don't have the players this time around. After the World Cup, many of you will get your wish, as Lippi will be gone. And then we'll see how Prandelli (who has won so much more than Lippi has ) will do with the NT. I don't suspect that he will make us elite again right away because we just don't have talent; and I wont be as harsh as a number of you here to burn him like you have with Lippi.
Like I said people forget. The 2008 Under team was lucky to even qualify for the Olympics and this Under team now wont even qualify for the U-21 championship. Forget about 2012. We may qualify but it will take 4 years to assemble something of team that can compete for a WC.
I don't think anyone that has criticized Lippi is guilty of doing that. You are really reaching on that one. The fact of the matter is there is a faction on BigSoccer that has been going forward on blind faith and continues to overlook facts. It started with Cannavaro and the posters that claimed his awful Real Madrid form was due to the defense style in Spain. They claimed once paired with Chiellini and back in Italy the real Cannavaro would emerge. That clearly did not happen. Then I heard that our disappointing performances in the qualifying would chance in a real tournament. The Confederations Cup came, and all the problems visible in qualifying games were staring at us and visible in a competitive tournament. We were then told that the Confederation Cup didn't count because no one cares about it. Just today I read a poster who claims that Pirlo's subpar Milan form doesn't matter, because he magically turns it on when playing for the NT. Which to me defies logic, because Pirlo's club form in 2006 not what it is today. And I see a direct link between the Pirlo and Gattuso of AC Milan, and the Pirlo & Gattuso that won the World Cup. It seems to me that there is faction that is willing to overlook every last incident that shows things are not perfect and make excuses for it. So the way I see it your statement is just plain backwards. Those that are criticizing Lippi would love for him to do well, however we are not blind to the fact that things are not all peachy at the moment. I sincerly hope that Lippi makes me eat my words and wins the World Cup. However I would be a liar if I said I believed he was doing a good job. He completely failed to integrate new players and rejuvenate the team, opting to go for one last hurrah with players that are either finished, injured, or haven't played all year. He failed to solidify the weak defense we saw in the CC. And worse of all, he failed to fix the freaking midfield which has been broken since the Euros, opting to go forward with a midfield that doesn't connect well with the attack and is easily overrun.