Probable Starting 11: Buffon Barzagli -- Bonucci -- Romagnoli!! Florenzi -- Parolo -- De Rossi -- Bonaventura -- Criscito/ De Sciglio Eder -- Pelle Negatives Unfortunate that Verratti will not take part. Pelle instead of Bellotti. Hopefully, the Torino man will get the nod in the second half. Positives Romagnoli gets his chance to make his mark. Criscito is solid on the left, both offensively and defensively. Happy to see him back in the fold. Bonaventura has found a home as an effective inside CM. Quality player. A poor man's Iniesta.
WTF is that lineup? No Candreva? That is essentially 5 defenders and 2 defensive midfielders. Eder and Pelle will have no support. Bonaventura doesn't inspire big game confidence in me. Why the hell would we leave weapons like Candreva and Verratti on the bench? We can't just sit back in this game and hope to run our asses off. I hope this lineup is wrong.
Verratti is dealing with an injury. Candreva didn't play at the Euro's against Spain and Florenzi performed well. He is a two-way player and a tireless runner. If that is your biggest issue, you're overlooking some of the real problems. For example, Pelle has got to go. De Rossi is running on one leg these days. And Parolo is nothing more than a marathon runner.
According to Ventura, Verratti is playing against Macedonia. Fit enough to play, so the injury line is bullshit. I thought Ventura was a fanboy but actions speak louder than words. Florenzi has been playing well (not as well as Candreva) but he gives us speed and better defensive cover than Candreva. Looks like a side built for playing on the counter
This overly tactical catenaccio BS really annoys me. It's not like we are playing in Madrid. We are at home. We need 3 points if we want to win this group. This lineup is tailor made hoping to absorb pressure and somehow squeak in a goal. It is annoying. Play with some balls.
I kinda wish this game was in Spain. We could drop points in Spain and still be ok but we need the points at home. Having the home game later would have given Ventura a bit more time to figure things out. Lose this game and it becomes extremely tough to win the group. Oh well.
Without talent in the midfield it will be very hard to maintain possession. We will be pressed and give it up quickly. Verratti and Candreva could really have helped in that area so that we wouldn't be destroyed in the middle. Now we will have to outrun them and outwork them. It's certainly possible, but it makes things a lot more difficult.
Balotelli scored the winner with a few minutes to go and then got 2 yellow cards. Yep still a fcukwit. Stay away.
Keep in mind that Spain has a new manager as well, and is trying to improve their team. Its true Ventura will have been given more time but so would the Spain manager. Spain has better talent on paper, and a year from now we never know what will happen. Maybe some key players will be injured then, so I am not sure if that would have been a good idea. If we lose this game and beat Spain in Spain that wouldn't be too bad either. Anyway I hope we can win this game, and maybe draw them in Spain at the very least. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a double over them honestly. Verratti might be brought on later in the game, I am not sure.
Italy: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Romagnoli; Florenzi, Parolo, De Rossi, Montolivo, De Sciglio; Eder, Pellè Italy bench: Donnarumma, Perin, Darmian, Ogbonna, Astori, Candreva, Verratti, Bernardeschi, Bonaventura, Immobile, Gabbiadini, Belotti
More boring garbage. Hopefully this is just a formality because of the tried and tested mentality and that after this, we see the injection of youth. I can't bare to watch Monto, Parolo, Eder and Pelle anymore.
Wow a stadium filled with Italian fans. Lots of blue. I don't think I've ever witnessed this before in Italy. Great job juventus fans
LOL at Montolivo. I will say this...he can distribute the ball well...and they need that if they don't have Verratti in there. So, there is hope of at least hitting some long balls.
Who here is pondering how ridiculous this line up is whilst wearing no socks? Ventura is a colossal vagina.