Italy's upcoming friendlies: Saudi Arabia, France, and Netherlands

I like the Squad. The question marks I have are in the selections of Mandragora (too young), Sirigu (why), D'Ambrosio (would have preferred Barreca)

 

glad to see Balotelli, Mandragora, Berardi, Cristante, Baselli, and Caldara there, young studs, love that Marchisio is back too.
he's a wily vet turned Vice Pirlo. I'm a big fan of Verdi. closest thing we have to TQ right now

 

This is a very good list of 30 by Mancini. The only changes I might make are...

Cutrone for Zaza (Zaza sucks. I've been saying that from the moment Sassuolo arrived in Serie A.)

Barella for Marchisio (Marchisio barely plays anymore. Give the young guy a chance in these friendlies).

Calabria for Palmieri (I know that Calabria is a RB, but with D'Ambrosio, Criscito and De Sciglio all able to play LB, I would give the youngster some caps. Besides Palmieri isn't even an Oriundi).

That's about it. Another possible switch would be to get Benassi in the squad over Mandragora (or keep both and have 31 players)...but I'm okay regardless.

Let the new era begin!!

 

Verratti is injured and Chiellini retired from the national team.

But a starting midfield of Jorginho, Cristante, and Pellegrini, with Verratti benched is not impossible in the near future when all are healthy (especially if Verratti's indifferent form continues).

 

Not a bad selection at all. I swear a lot of Italians complain about the team being crap but they're scared to try something new. I actually saw a few people on social media asking where is the old guys smh it's like we need to start getting ready for the Euro's now, those guys are done man. I've been waiting for a change for years and I'm just waiting to see what the starting 11 looks like.

 

Darmian looks good when he plays for the azzurri but I can understand why he wasn't called. He can't get a game at club level so the question you have to ask yourself is what kind of fitness is he in. El Shaarawy deserved a call but it's not like he would have gotten any kind of real minutes anyways. Oh and for the people I see on social media asking for seba just stop it, just stop it! I'm from toronto, I've watch every TFC game this season and he has like what ? 2 goals ? He hasn't done nothing even close to worth a call up, not even close! Another thing is he's too small for this level. I know people will bring up insigne but insigne is much quicker than seba, and more skilled on the ball. If seba was ever going to get a shot it was last season. This season he hasn't done anything!

 

Weak squad. Can’t see a result against France or the Dutch but hopefully they can score one against the Saudis.

 

Sweet, finally a squad that's not 100 years old.

 

You think you guys have a better team on paper then France?

 

Dude stop,

No who said that? your pretty boring...go away already

 

He said Italy coached properly was better then France. Just wanted clarification.

 

Only place I see Italy being better is at CB. Only other Italian I can see making Frances’s 11 is Veratti. France always have talented teams but you never know what you are going to get.

 

Florenzi is class. Jorghino is a good player who would find a spot in the French team. I think right now France is better on paper, but we will see in a few years. I think Federico Bernardeschi is going to be a break out star next season.

 

I agree. I don't see anything special about it either. A couple of things though.

We took you to penalties with a pretty poor squad two years ago and were missing our entire starting midfield. In tournament terms that's still fresh. It's the last one played, obviously the world cup is coming up and we won't be there. But it's fair to say we have achieved a lot in our footballing history and a lot more than others have, and ever will.

Which brings me to my second and most important point. As great as football is, it is not life. When you have a good life and are happy and content with it, you don't need a football team to do well to be happy. When you're constantly taking pop shots at others, on the internet of all places. It unfortunately shows us that you're not happy within yourself, and your life. You're seeking joy in trying to bring others down to make yourself feel better. But it's not working. You thrive off misery.

I sincerely wish you well my friend.

 

I don't. I hope buddy isn't around tomorrow breathing. hopefully he's dead

 

In all honesty, right now, he already is.