*(Here is quite a dilemma for Prandelli. Pick three full backs and play Chiellini at left back when needed or drop one of 6 strikers!) As for goalkeepers I would peek Sirigu because of his solid season in Ligue1. De Sanctis is quite a shaky keeper - a quality which he demonstrates every other weekend. 3rd spot should be taken by a young gk like Viviano. Central defence picks itself with Juve trio with one of Astori, Bocchetti or Ogbonha. I would prefer the first two (just because of their experience, as there is no noticeable gap in quality or characteristics). Abate has been playing consistently for Milan and deserves a place over Cassani who's form was poor. If Balzaretti is not available Santon could cover quite adequately. He has settled quite nicely in England and was good for 6,7 consecutive games for Newcastle. In midfield one of Aquilani or Montolivo might be redundant and can be used to insert a hardworking striker like Borini who can stretch the play and provide good runs for the likes of Cassano and Pirlo. Prandelli's default 4-3-1-2 is quiet predictable and one dimensional which we have witnessed in both qualifying and friendly matches. ---------------------------------------------- ----------Buffon-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------- Abate -------- Barzagli --------------Chiellini---------- Criscito------------ ---------------------------------------------------------De Rossi---------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ Nocerino --- -----------------------Pirlo ------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------Montolivo------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Balotelli--------------------------Cassano---------------------------- Cassano is too static these days and Balotelli is lazy and provides little lateral movement. In midfield Monto drops deep almost instinctively and the only one who will provide runs from deep is Nocerino or whoever there is in that shuttling role. This set up lacks width and 'easy' to defend against. For a template look at current Milan side lacking width and imagination in a final third. Therefore to work adequately this formation needs a Boateng to connect the midfield with the forwards or skillful, mobile forwards upfront who can make constant runs into channels. Maybe Giovinco can step up instead of Cassano or we will not go far with this set up. Against lesser teams or in a desperate situation Italy can field a trio up front: --------------------------------------------------------Cassano--------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Balotelli--------------------------Osvaldo/Giovinco------------------------- If Prandelli insists using this formation at all times he can drop one of Osvaldo and Borini and pick an additional midfielder. However if I was Prandelli I would try out a plan B during our next two friendly games. A 4-3-3 which would give us both width and speed (or some other version of the outdated 4312). ------------------------------------------------------Buffon------------------------------------------------ ------------------------ Abate ---------- Barzagli -------Chiellini--------- Criscito------------- -------------------------------Marchisio----------De Rossi------------ Pirlo----------------------- -----------------------------------Borini---------- Balotelli -------Giovinco ------------------------ Here Giovinco and Borini can occupy the opponents full-backs and relieve the midfield when defending. Marchisio would be more suitable to control the midfield and keep possession instead of Nocerino as there is no permanent need to provide runs from deep. In a few words my concern is this. Without good runners Pirlo and Cassano are not at their best hence Prandelli can field a more functional and dynamic line up. Pick the balance right and Italy can go far in this tournament
My team: Buffon, Marchetti, Benassi Maggio, Cassani, Chiellini, Astori, Ogbonna, Silvestre, Balzaretti De Rossi, Pirlo, Motta, Nocerino, Diamanti, Lodi Balotelli, Cassano, Miccoli, Quagliarella, Insigne, Pazzini/Matri Anyone who wants Di Natale in the starting 11 clearly never watched Italy and especially Udinese in the past 5 years.
Matteo, you lost me at never watched Di Natale in the last 5 years..... Ummmm 100 goals during his last 3 Serie A seasons. You must be a JOKER with that rubbish statement. And yes, lets call Insigne the Serie B 20 year old unproven talent... Again, you must be some kind of JOKER. Pair Cassano and Di Natale up top and Italia will be fine, thanks.
Oh and Matteo, do not give any nonsense regarding Di Natale performance in 2010 WC since Lippi fielded a horrible and over the hill support squad overall. Di Natale is a first class striker, pair him with Cassano and let us see the results.....
Guidolin is a genious. He figured out what Lippi and Donadoni could not. If you play Toto as a striker... he scores. Brilliant science
I won't be gutted if some of my favorite players won't get selected as I think we won't win anyway. But this could be a good team building experience for a future tournament. However it would be nice to see Diamanti come in. The guy is pure energy. Lodi is a crafty player, but I don't think he'll be picked
a) Calm down b) In addition to never have watched Udinese, you've clearly never watched Pescara either c) Protti, Luiso, Tovalieri and Hubner scored for fun in provincial teams too...I don't recall any of them wearing the azzurro. Being a reliable Serie A scorer doesn't automatically make you NT starting material d) Tua sorella e) Giominchio and Borini are unproven too My point with Di Natale is that, in addition to being a choker with the balls of a newborn girl, he's effective only when he has an entire team revolving around him (Floro Flores, very good player, is often benched in favor of Pinzi*...even Sanchez played as a full-out winger most of the time). He likes to play upfront alone and touches every ball that goes forward (whenever he's ignored by his team-mates he starts crying on the pitch). This is simply impossible with Cassano and Pirlo in the team, both of whom are better players than Di Natale and must be undisputed starters. Di Natale could be brought as a backup but I prefer Miccoli, more lethal and more creative and in excellent shape lately. * Another player who could be a useful backup for the NT...definitely more than, say, Marchisio.
my 23: GK: Buffon, Sirigu, Viviano Def: Maggio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci, Criscito, Abate, Ogbonna Mid: marchisio, pirlo, de rossi, nocerino, motta, diamanti, montolivo/pepe Att: Balotelli, Cassano, Di Natale, Giovinco, Borini, quagliarella
I think the criticism of Di Natale for the National team is fair. The guy has not performed at this level, and he has had chances. That said, with Rossi unfit, I don't have a major problem with his inclusion. When you start looking at the strikers as the "secondary options," e.g., Matri, Pazzini, B0rini, one can certainly make the case that Di Natale is the best option.
If Di Natale's is played correctly he can score. It's the managers job to field a balanced team and to play to their strengths. Whenever people criticize Di Natale's play for italy they usually cite a missed PK and games were he started as a WINGER. I wouldnt mind Miccoli as well. Di Natale is more dangerous in the 18, but Miccoli gives you more pace. Can play deeper, and has one hell of a shot.
This is true. If the entire team's offense revolves around him he becomes dangerous. I just don't think he's good enough to receive this kind of treatment at NT level. There are better options that require less tactical tweaking and, more importantly, can all play at the same time. Exactly, he's very limited (ineffective wide - unlike Miccoli and Cassano - and can't create) and he also doesn't have enough personality to step it up in big games (even at club level...he was abysmal in the Champions League). People on this forum are massively overrating Di Natale based on the goals he scores in the unique Udinese system. I'm also convinced some people really don't want Balotelli in the team and are deluding themselves into thinking that Di Natale is a better choice than Mario. Miccoli, when fit, is a better player than Di Natale. With Rossi tragically out, he should be the first option off the bench. Bringing Di Natale as another option off the bench could make sense, but I'd prefer a talented youngster like Insigne (who I rate higher than Borini). With Prandelli in charge we're not gonna win the cup anyway, better start planning for 2014.
I think you guys are focusing too much on his goal tally, instead of looking at his habit of choking under pressure. Mattteo brings up a good point, that is the entire team is built around him at Udinese, and thus his goal tally is inflated and not very a good representation of how he will perform outside of that system. Watch the Arsenal Udinese second leg game again and tell me you want the guy who was asking to be subbed out after hitting the post (yeah, he is that mentally fragile) to lead the line.
He did hit another hattrick against Chievo. It's amazing that he is not even in most people's radar. How can you discount a player of such class? Just saying..
Rumored preliminary team: PORTIERI: Gigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (PSG), Emiliano Viviano (Palermo); DIFENSORI: Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Palermo), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Fiorentina)/Ignazio Abate (Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit San Pietroburgo), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Angelo Ogbonna (Torino), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter); CENTROCAMPISTI: Alberto Aquilani (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Antonio Nocerino (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Thiago Motta (PSG); ATTACCANTI: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Fabio Borini (Roma), Antonio Cassano (Milan), Mattia Destro (Siena), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Sebastian Giovinco (Parma), Giampaolo Pazzini (Inter), Alessandro Matri (Juventus)/Pablo Osvaldo (Roma). No comment. PS: Prandelli has also forced the FIGC to hire his son as technical assistant. Absolutely unacceptable.
Can someone please explain to me why in the world there is no mention of Davide Santon in any of these lists? He is such an immense talent!
Official list: Portieri - Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Palermo). Difensori - Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus), Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit San Pietroburgo), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter). Centrocampisti - Cigarini (Atalanta), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus),Schelotto (Atalanta), Verratti (Pescara). Attaccanti - Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma).
It is a mistake imo to leave out Osvaldo. I am also gutted for Aquilani. He doesn't deserve this shit
Lack of games/poor form cost Aquilani a place. Same goes for Cassani and Pazzini. I'm surprised he did not take more strikers in his initial list.
Yeah, Milan ********ed him over with the clause and the Montolivo deal. I mean he is to good to be treated like this piece of meat. Hopefully Roma bring him home this summer and we will get to see the old Alberto again.
Anyone else a bit shocked Matri isn't in? Also surprised he didn't put more strikers on the list. Maybe hes gonna try a new formation?