I'm not as pessimistic as you but there are some valid points here. The hope is that Balotelli and Cassano take some pressure off the MF that was obviously poor in the last WC. I thought our biggest issue was lack of creativity; and again, the hope is that Cassano and Balotelli help in that respect.
The thing is that the group in 2006 even had their own fair share of prior international failures as well, yet we were willing to overlook those failures mainly because we all knew full well that it was a group of great quality. I look at this group, and I see one of great quality this time as well. I'm not gonna come in here and label Cassano or Rossi as being the next "Baggio", but I will say that we have more talent at our disposal in attack than most people here seem willing to recognize. I for one choose to be optimistic, and see where Prandelli is able to take this group over the next 2 years. I also have a feeling that a lot of guys who were previously flying under the radar, will suddenly make a case for themselves with the NT, much like Grosso did during Lippi's first stint. Lastly, no one here is saying that we'll automatically be shoe-in favorites to win Euro 2012. Obviously there is a lot of work to be done in order to get this NT program back to where it once was. At the same time, I think it's absolutely ridiculous to suggest that the talent isn't at all there to be built upon. In the end, it'll depend a lot more on the character of the players and coaching staff involved more than anything else.
I respectfully disagree. An injury-free Torres is world class giving Spain at least two strikers that are head and shoulders above what we have.
I think you identified a problem we have and the answer is no. I don't see Quagliarella being able to play well as a lone striker or as a center forward as Vieri could do very well in his day. Quagliarella seems more of a second striker to me.
Jesus H. Christ, some people around here have the tendency to read way too heavily into things... Once again, how many times did we see guys like Del Piero and Totti completely crash and burn at major tournaments, prior to WC 2006? If we are going to evaluate the capabilities of certain players based on 1 or 2 poor tournaments, then we might as well start looking towards players in Serie B instead, as practically all our stars would have to be overlooked. people here tend to read WAY too heavily into things. No one here is suggesting that the group available to Prandelli will somehow miraculously steal the show at Euro 2012. All people are saying is that they're exicted to see what new direction he is looking to take the NT, and the fact that he will actually focus more on calling up players of quality based on actual MERIT, as opposed to personal relationships. Why people here seem to feel that it's somehow their responsibility to bring everyone else back down to earth (in their minds at least) is beyond me. For years people have been pissing and moaning about how they want to see Cassano and Balo in this squad, and now their cries have finally been answered. So why shouldn't they have the right to be excited about that? Especially after having to sit through 2 years of absolute gargbage that culminated in the abomination that we saw a couple of months ago in South Africa.
The two shouldn't even be compared, as they're completely different kinds of players. Quags thrives more from long distances, or just outside of the penalty area where he can make the most of his lethal long-range shooting ability. He is not, nor has he ever been a pure CF, or a target man much in the same fashion that Vieri was. If we're gonna talk about target men that are at the top of the pecking order at the moment, then we gotta talk about Gila, Borriello, and Pazzini.
...and none can give you what Vieri could in his day, which is why I like the idea of using Balotelli as a center forward rather than on the wing.
And for me, the creativity needs to come from midfield. If Cassano plays somewhat deep (not as a Pirlo though), then he will help the midfield. If he sticks up front, then someone has to get him the ball. And someone has to get the ball to Balotelli. And someone has to get the ball to Amauri. So putting those three up front is not going to solve the problems.
With Prandelli at the helm, Gilardino is Italy's first choice centravanti for the foreseeable future. Get used to it.
So I am not jumping on the Cassano/Balotelli bandwagon. Guilty as charged. Those two would not have made a difference this past summer. I think those who moaned for them two to be included are clueless, starting with the Italian media. If Prandelli is trying to please them, he will not last long at all. I can see calling Cassano. He did well, has some experience and this is a chance for him. Balotelli makes no sense at all. First, what has he done during the preseason? Will this be his first match? Will he play like he did for the U21? That should make things interesting. He can prove me wrong and score a hat trick tomorrow. Or he could be a total flop. Like I said before, we start off against Estonia and Faroe Islands in the qualifiers. That should give us some wiggle room. But if we don't come out with 6 points right off the bat, then we may not see 2012. As for calling up players based on merit, did you look at this roster? We certainly have a low bar when it comes to merit.
Considering that Prandelli is the only who has been able to make him look successful, may not be such a bad thing.
There will never be another Vieri, another Baggio, or another Maldini. I think our biggest problem is that too many people are seeking the "next" so and so, instead of seeing the potential in the guys we currently have. Personally, I don't mind using Balotelli as a CF IF NEED BE, as I think the kid can really wreak havoc on defenders as a second striker or out wide with the proper amount of space alotted to him. Of course I must admit that an attacking trio of Rossi-Balo-Cassano does sound quite appealing
+1 I honestly don't see how anyone who actually watched Italy's 2010 WC could say that the problem was with the forwards. The entire thing was a clusterfarg. If Italy plays Cassano in the hole and he actually drops back and helps the midfield then that will be a huge help. Even though the Azzurri fans seem to have been lobbying for it, you guys really don't want the forwards trying to steal the ball from De Rossi, Montolivo and the fullbacks. Guys get hurt that way.
When was the last time we came out with 6 points right off the bat? We didn't in WC 06 qualifying, nor did we in Euro 08 qualifying. I may be wrong, but I don't think we did in WC 10 qualifying either. The Azzurri are notorious for being slow starters, both in qualifying and in the actual tournaments themselves, so I don't see why its suddenly a do-or-die situation if we don't grab 6 pts in our first 2 matches.
but dont you think thatwith a healthy Pirlo in there to be the creator in the midfield and link Cassano, Balo and Amauri it would do the trick? Look at what a difference Pirlo made int he 2nd half of the WCs final game, we scored 2 times and could have scored more in the 15 minutes he was in there. Imagine him linking up with those 3 up front.
Italy conceded as many as they got with Pirlo in there as Italy threw everything forward. I don't think the last desperate half of a pitiful WC should be the yardstick. Pirlo is awesome when used properly, no doubt about it, and you may have beaten New Zealand with him in there. You still would not have contended, though.
Obviously Cassano should have been there but Italy's reason for being the suck was not the players that were called but, rather, a megalomaniac coach who read (and believed) too many of his own press clippings.
And when was it the last time we started off qualifying against the likes of Estonia and Faroe Islands? If we don't grab 6 points against the weakest sides in our group, we have no business continuing in the qualifications.
And that is the thing Prandelli has going in his favor. Maybe he can get this no-name bunch to gel as a group and the guys I am not so impressed about can do some magic. I know everyone love to rag on Lippi but the problem was not him but the mentality among Italian clubs. Inter and Milan have gone too foreign. Not surprising with Inter but Milan use to be a feeder to la nazionale. Juve has done better in a sense of having Italians but with the way we have played lately, means little. The smaller clubs whine that they can't compete and are just satisfied staying in Serie A. So our players are not developing. You don't become world class at the national level. It happens at the club level and the national scene is where you show it off. So until our clubs make serious challenges for European glory, don't expect to have an impressive roster for gli Azzurri.
He's not terrible when he is provided service. The hope is that with Pirlo, Cassano and Balotelli, the service increases.