Of course Portugal dominated the Exta Time, as soon as Rossi was wrongfully sent off you knew that Italia now had to play for the tie or fortunate goal. I am very dissapointed with the ref, Manuel Fernandez had a yellow card--he tackled Pelle wrong and was called for a foul; he then went on to yell and jump/spin around at the call...so that's not a yellow but Rossi's tantrum at the foul(there was no foul) was a yellow? I don't think so, very disgruntling for me that he can't call it the same both ways--but--he is French, so go figure.
yep, and in my mind he's best in the center, not on the left. I think Chiellini and Aquilani will be drafted into the senior side come September.
I was a little worried when we went down a man, and when Portugal started to push in extra time, but our boys came through at the end. Another great PK shootout for Italia. I'm so happy. Now we have something else to look forward to next summer, the Olympics.
Hey now be fair--Palladino played just as well as he did today against Serbia; difference was he got chances to score and just couldn't do it. So he played the same game, a slight bit more flair--but--the same Palladino...would have been interesting to see what he could do given the easy chances to score he got against Serbia again.
yeah, but the england game he was pretty poor. look i think the kid has talent, just being honest that today he looked so good and just a week ago (versus maybe a team that didn't have as good a midfield even) he was invisible. not knocking him, just saying that with youth sometimes that is why it is so frustrating. look like worldbeaters one day, average the next.
from datasport ITALIA UNDER 21 Viviano 7 - Sempre sicuro nello sventare tutte le opportunita` portoghesi. Cresciuto alla distanza nel corso dell`Europeo, mostra di avere carattere anche nel corso della serie dei rigori, quando para il rigore di Manuel Fernandes. Chiellini 6.5 - L`encombiabile capitano resiste in campo nonostante una vistosa fasciatura alla testa, ed e` tra i piu` pericolosi giocatori azzurri in attacco. Criscito 6 - Cerca di spingere sulla sinistra fino alla fine, molto generoso. Andreolli 6 - Conferma le sue doti di ottimo centrale difensivo dotato di grande personalita`. Motta 6.5 - Ottimo il suo contributo sulla fascia destra, sfiora anche il gol. Aquilani 6 - Molta voglia, ma soffre la maggiore fisicita` dei portoghesi soprattutto nella prima parte della gara. Rosina 5.5 - Si vede poco, appare stanco e molto spesso estraneo alla manovra azzurra. Montolivo 6 - Gioca a corrente alternata, non basta per incidere. Nocerino 6.5 - E` molto spesso il difensore aggiunto che da` man forte ai compagni del reparto arretrato. Pelle` 6.5 - Porta il giusto dinamismo all`attacco azzurro. Realizza con un cucchiaio il suo calcio di rigore, dimostrando grande temperamento. Palladino 5.5 - Non si vede praticamente mai dal suo ingresso in campo, ma e` bravo a trasformare il penalty. Pazzini 5 - Ha solo un`occasione importante e la sottrae a Rossi in chiusura di fine primo tempo, sciupando malamente. Si merita una vacanza per ricaricare le batterie dopo una stagione impegnativa. Rossi G. 5 - Troppo ingenuo nel rimediare due ammonizioni evitabilissime. Gioca a sprazzi, ma manca proprio nel momento decisivo per una sciocca espulsione.
Chiellini was MOM imo. Going into the tournament all the hype was on Andreoli to be the next great Italian defender. But he really put in a crapper. Chiellini otoh was magnificent in every match. I haven't seen him play much in the center but he looked great there. I think that will be his best position. He should definitely be called up to the full squad in August.
I really liked how well Viviano progressed throughout the tournament, a mid to high Serie B side would be smart to snatch him up.
Chiellini looks a lot like a young Materazzi, but he has much worse feet. Andreolli needs to get the fuck out of inter as soon as possible and start playing sunday after sunday, he's young and talented, but still too rough.
Yep--he was considered Italia's best U21 stiker after that tourney; I think he has a bright future. What a dissapointment Pazzini has been, he imo cost himself a shot at the Azzurri in the near future. I think Pelle has a lot of the same qualities that Luca Toni has--and that's a great thing. Why hasn't a lower to mid Serie A team picked him up? Even after that U20 tourney? Boy has great potential under the right tutelage. Pazzini couldn't win a ball the whole tournament, that was just ridiculously so unreal to watch....wake up Gianpaolo!
i and some others (uaglio i remember and some other posters too) have been saying this all along. i think even though he is athletic, it is a waste to play him on the left. he should be there only as a fill-in due to injury if need be. to me, his home is in the center.
Congrats italy! You have a great future! We proved we are the two msot talented teams in this tournement by far. The scoreline didnt reflect the game at all. I have sucumbed to the belief that i willnever see a portugal side beating italy or france in my lifetime. The ref was bad for both sides, he missed alot of clear corners of made the wrong calls on some fouls. Congratulations again!
Agree. I still think criscito or canini (or even coda) would have done better as central defenders. They all have what andreolli clearly misses, experience.
Chiellini vs. Materazzi Athletically, it's no contest. Chiellini is a much better athlete. Now, skill-wise, its not that far apart. Chiellini is not skilled enough for leftback. As Jpick pointed out, I've been saying this forever. However, he has plenty of skill to play a CB position. Andreolli I know people are down on him, but he wasn't all bad today. Anytime you hold a team scoreless when you have 10 men, your D has done a pretty good job. He's got the class..but as many have said, he needs the experience. He needs GAMETIME. He better get the fck out of Inter pronto. Midfield I thought Nocerino and Aquilani showed they were studs in this tournament. Montolivo really was not good at all. He better not become another Baronio. He needs to get more consistent. Rosina was awesome at certain points of this tourney but off today. He should be fine. Strikers Pazzini just didn't have it this tourney. As much as people bash Gila, he had 6 goals in this same tourney back in 2004 and we won it. Fiorentina really rolled the dice with him, and I still think he's going to be great. He just had an off tourney. I think Pelle' won't amount to much, and Palladino will never be great unless he gets stronger and hits the weightroom. He's too much a featherweight for a game that is physical. Rossi will continue to excel, so we should be fine there.
Not for anything but I think you're being a little too rough on the guy. Was he disappointing in this tournament? Yes when you consider how talented he is and what he's capable of. But to say that these 4 games have cost him a shot at the senior squad in the near future is quite exaggerated. It's Pazzini's weekly performances with Fiorentina during the upcoming season that are gonna grab Donadoni's interest, not just these 4 matches. I really just hate how some of the tifosi praise a player one minute, and then not even two weeks later they're practically spitting on the same guy because he didn't live up their expectations. That's always been a problem with Italian fans and it seems as though it still remains a problem. Another perfect example is how people were crapping all over Chiellini prior to this tournament, now everyone is praising him as a future star for the Azzurri. Quite humorous indeed.
I said Gianpaolo Pazzini dissapointed greatly in this tournament and as a result he will likely have his work cut out trying to impress Donadoni for a call-up. I said he cost himself a shot at the Azzurri in the "near future" --and I stand by that. You clearly need to comprehend the word "near future" before going on these little tirades of yours. It just means that Pazzini is going to have to impress Donadoni with Fiorentina more than he would if he had had a good tournament--understand? I do think that Pazzini had his work cut out with little to no service and double, and sometimes triple teams coming his way. You can go back and check--I've been on Pazzini's side from day one and continue to be on his side. However that doesn't mean that I can't point out that he performed poorly for his standards and that poor performance will have a consequence(delayed Azzurri call up). That said I do agree with you regarding the fact that many fans are on one players knob one second and the next spitting on him. I've always liked Chiellini, and do feel that many people have wrongfully looked upon his game many a time.
[youtube]hv2BawSw9A0[/youtube] Here is a video of Pellè's crazy chip shot for his PK. Absolutely amazing! This takes a lot of balls to attempt and a lot of skill to pull off.