What's the injury status and outlook for De Rossi, Motta, Chiellini, and Abate? Maggio is suspended so if Abate can't play, who plays RB? Switch Balzaretti to RB and play either Chiellini or Ogbonna at LB? Think that might be our only option.
Germany has such quality in midfield, they will boss it for good portions of the match. Ozil is probably the best passing midfielder in Europe in my opinion given pirlo and Xavi are aging some. we must have abate fit, as he will be going against lahm, and it goes without saying that if de Rossi isn't close to 100% then forget about it. We will have some good chances, envy German opponent so far has had some, but we have to take at least one or two, cause we ain't shutting out the Germans. I think nocerino and marchisio will be key. They have showed this season and in this tournament that they can be very good players with the right support around them. They will never control a midfield and dominate, but they have quality. Montolivo scares the heck out of me. Usually after one good match, he will be mediocre for the next half dozen...
^Good thing Nocerino has been used sparingly thus far and Motta got a day off yesterday. They'll both be needed on Thursday especially if DDR is still not 100%. Also, Marchisio has played all every one of the 400 minutes of Italy's campaign thus far so he may likely tire early on and need relief from Motta and/or Nocerino. Also, as much as I feared Montolivo's starting place in the XI versus England, he played a good game IMHO (penalty-aside). Although I would not start him against Germany, he and Diamanti both provided reasoning to the coach that they can be counted on when called upon. By the way, as much as Diamanti played well, I really thought Giovinco for Cassano would've been the better move. We were having trouble breaking down England's defense and scoring and Diamanti-for-Cassano morphed us to a one-striker system which may have hurt our chances of grabbing a goal. Giovinco has a better nose for the goal than Diamanti and his trickiness is more inclined to create something special, I thought anyways.
Balotelli and Cassano normally alternate on tracking back and even when they don't they have the ability to hold the ball with two defenders on them and pass it off to an Italian player. 90% of the time our attackers receive the ball with their backs to goal and a defender on them, I really don't see that being the ideal situation for Di Natale.
your nuts if you putting di natale in against germany. he's too small to play against those big German defenders. jerome boateng will have his way with di natale. he has the speed to match him and the size to over power him.. did you not see the job he did on rolando who's much faster and bigger than di natale. i would stick to pretty much the same line up. every game Italy plays people wanna make 3 or 4 changes. stick with same damn line up that got us here. this not the time to experimenting. germany's defense has problems with big players upfront. if you watch that portugal, germany game. portugal could have won that game on set plays alone, if they didn't hit the bar twice.. italy's best chance is on set plays. having cassono and di natale in there is just playing right into germany's strength . if any changes i would start diamanti and balo. GERMANY HAS PROBLEM AGAINST BIG STRIKERS. THEY MAN HANDLE THE SMALLER PLAYERS. WHO GOT THE GOAL FOR GREECE AGAINST GERMANY ? 6'4 Georgios Samaras. you'd be a damn fool to put de natale in there before the 80 minute mark. Italy may also need the same players to take PK's. except montolivio. i have no fate in that scrub when the pressure is on. GERMANY HAS PROBLEM AGAINST BIG STRIKERS! KEEP THE SAME DAMN LINE UP. THIS IS THE TEAM THAT GOT US HERE, THIS IS THE TEAM THAT SHOULD HAVE THEY OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH WHAT THEY STARTED. IM STARTING TO SEE CHEMISTRY! CHANGES ONLY IF THERE'S AN INJURY .THANK YOU
people that really understand this game know good forwards do more than just score goals. people don't notice the good cassano and balo do in the build up. their passes have been soild. we don't have a messi, ribery, ronaldo that can break a team done by himself. what italy does have is players thats strong on the ball. Italy's passes broke england done. they were tired by the 70th minute from running around trying to get the ball. people don't even see that. even the english sport reports said italy's passing suck the life out of England and the players looked tired. yet you have these people on here talking about making 3 or 4 changes. people don't understand how hard it is to play striker and track back. i play as a striker and i'll tell this. its a energy killer when you have to trackback, then push upfront constantly. its a quick way to get cramps in the late stages of a game. it also kills the power in your shot later in the game. this is why you don't see a lot of strikers doing it beyond the half mark. when you look at players like di natale. he's a pure finisher. thats what makes him a sub. look what happened when we started him against ireland ? no movement up front. why ? because our strength is passing the ball around. once again he's a pure finisher so its a contrast of style. thats why every time the ball came to him and he could not finish, he just lost it . . he's strength is finishing, it's not building up a play, thats why cassano and balo are starting. they hold the ball up and pass it back to pirlo if there's no room up front. then we start setting up for another attack. if di natale is not scoring he's basically useless in there. what else can you honestly say he does a good job at ? he's a pure finisher and thats where it stops. thats why he's a sub. one dimensional players will always be a sub on a solid team. it takes more than just a finisher to be a starting forward on a good team.
Balotelli is solid. We should not be debating his place in the team. He is a certainty to start vs. Germany and we'll need him to have a big game.
Here's something I just posted in the Euro 2012 forum. Thought you guys might enjoy reading as well. 'I also want to ask some questions about this German team. It is being hailed as the new European superpower, the team to replace Spain in that role, and some journalists had already crowned them as kings long before the tournament. To my mind, first they have to win. I've been following them since 2006. Klinsman started the project, bringing in new players and making much of his innovative fitness regimes. They had the World Cup at home, played well, but lost the seminfinal to Italy 2-0 in Dortmund. In some ways this seems a game they have never been able to get over; you feel the German teams of old would not, could not, possibly have lost a semifinal at home. But this team does lose big matches, and evidently they do not hate losing quite enough. The Loew era started. More exciting new players, more exclamations about fitness, and now talk of studying the latest Spanish and Dutch passing and pressing techniques. More ecstatic plaudits from the press. But still no titles: they lost the final to Spain in Euro 2008, and the semifinal to Spain (again) in the 2010 World Cup. They did not manage a goal in either game. For six years this German team has been in the process of becoming the new dominant force in soccer. Six years is a long time, yet we keep hearing that it's inevitable, a certainty, that they will win everything. What, exactly, are these players all about? To my mind they seem, with all due respect, a somewhat hedonistic bunch, enjoying their football, playing mostly good matches, but lacking that necessary win at all costs mentality. There are too many players on this German team who do not have a real position and are not vital players for their clubs (Podolski, Muller, Boateng, Mertesacker). They do not have enough winners. How many World Cup winners, Euro winners, Champions League winners, national league winners, are on this team? The Bayern team it is based on did not win either the Champions League or the Bundesliga this season, and many of these players seem to have experience mostly with "beautiful defeats." Evidently they lack something. I don't know if Italy will be a fit enough to give Germany a good game on Thursday, but I do think you'll see something different from the Italians--a team with real balls. Buffon is a legend and has won everything. Ditto Pirlo, who had the presence to not only control the entire England game but psychologically destroy Hart after his clowning during the penalties. That's a player who hates losing and the kind you need in your team. De Rossi is Roma's best and most important player, an icon who will be captain for years. Chiellini and Marchisio are part of Juventus's bedrock. Balotelli, for all his occasionally crazy antics, is a big game player who never flinches from taking a key penalty or scoring big goals. The rest of the Azzurri XI--Abate, Barzagli, Montolivo, Cassano--are not world beaters, but they are players of substance and grit. They will be up for this semifinal. I say the jury is out on Loew's Germany. If they don't win this tournament, their long evolution to the new superpower will start to feel like an illusion.'
It will be interesting to see how Prandelli approaches this game tactically. We know that he's already told the press that we will attack Germany, and I believe him. I would imagine that we see a similar approach as we did against Spain, another team with a potent MF. I must admit that I was very critical of Prandelli when I saw we were lining up with the 4-3-1-2 against England. I always thought we were best with the 3-5-2. However, Prandelli got it right against England as we totally controlled the match. It wasn't his fault that we could not put in one of our 35 shots! Amazing! However, I believe he'll revert to the 3-5-2. My guess is: -----------------------------------------BUFFON---------------------------------------------- ---------------------BARZAGLI---------DDR-----------CHIELLINI----------------------- ABATE---------NOCERINO/MONT--PIRLO-------MARCHISIO-----------BALZARETTI ------------------------BALOTELLI-----------------------CASSANO------------------------ That would help us clog the MF, and hold possession ourselves. I'm confident we can play with Germany; and I even believe we can beat them. History is obviously in our favor. Forza Azzurri!
Great post. The only point I'll disagree with you on is Barzagli. He has been the best defender in the Serie A since returning to Juventus. He is incredibly solid and an absolute first choice and central back. I hope he starts getting the credit he deserves.
Balotelli outshone Rooney, claims Mancini Rooney was a peripheral figure as Roy Hodgson's side struggled to contain Italy in Sunday's quarter-final in Kiev, and Cesare Prandelli's outfit eventually prevailed on penalties after a 0-0 draw. And Mancini has hit back at those who have questioned Balotelli's part in the victory after missing a number of gilt-edged chances, saying that his City marksman outperformed Rooney. "I think perhaps many are underestimating what [Balotelli] did," Mancini told the Corriere dello Sport. "He was always at the heart of the game, had five or six chances, and was a bit unlucky. "But we want to compare him with Rooney, who we only noticed when it came to penalties. 'Super Mario' did much better, and he's a great striker we must support all the way." The Premier League-winning manager went on to praise the play of Prandelli's side, who controlled much of the last-eight fixture on their way to a semi-final meeting with Germany. "The Azzurri dominated almost the entire match, by far and away, as if they came down from another planet," he proclaimed. "In the second half and in extra time, they crushed England," he added. "They took my breath away as I waited for the killer goal. That it did not come was only down to tiny details. Beyond Balotelli I saw a great Italy. "Prandelli also made changes very well while Hodgson thought only to defend himself and had no effect. When [Antonio] Nocerino and [Alessandro] Diamanti came on, they gave a great boost." Italy will now compete with Germany for a place in Sunday's finals.
Highly unlikely but I'd like to see this formation. The outside defenders would stay home and Cassano and Giovinco would provide the width. -----------Buffon--------------------------Bonucci--------------------Barzagli---------------------Chiellini---------------------------- Nocerino--------Pirlo-----------------DeRossi----------------------Montolivo-----------------------Giovinco------------Balotelli-----------------------Cassano For those who arent a fan of Montolivo, maybe you go with this: -----------Buffon--------------------------Bonucci--------------------Barzagli---------------------Chiellini---------------------------- Nocerino--------Pirlo-----------------DeRossi----------------------Cassano------------ -----------Diamanti------------Balotelli-----------------------Giovinco I think Marchisio is replacable but thats just me. I think this formation is both responsible defensively combined with a ton of creativity and talent from midfield to attack. Although there are 3 defenders, the outside defenders do not have to push up. That will keep Lahm more at bay since Bonucci wouldn't be pressing up the flanks and would have Nocerino to contend with as well. Our 3 best defenders should be on the pitch if they are healthy at the expense of either Balzaretti or Abate. Balzaretti and Abate are good but not great and we need our best defenders back and not running the flanks. DeRossi and Nocerino have physicality to support the defense and certainly enough quality to support Pirlo if the Germans try to take Pirlo out of the game. Giovinco and Cassano must float back and support the midfield and flood it really with 6 midfielders. Balotelli can focus on one thing, being a target man and conserving his energy for one thing, FINISHING.
For some reason, this tournament seems to be moving faster than normal. Im still trying to absorb the england victory, yet here we are 3 days away from facing Germany. : ) Im happy with the performance of Italy and maybe with a few minor tweaks we should be able to dismantle Germany. Yup, i know it wont be easy but nothing seems impossible anymore. Hoping to see a 3-5-2 including a well rested squad.
The reason Italy controlled the game so much was because Montolivo showed up this time and both Balzaretti and Abate did a really nice job moving up and supporting the midfield in numbers. Our spacing was excellent. Yes, it helped that England sat back, but I felt at times we slowed the game down more than we should have. We allowed England's defense to organize and build a human wall of blocked shots. But, in the end, our midfield was dominant. Let's be realistic though. Germany's midfield doesn't have stiffs like Milner, Parker and Young in it. They will attack us, and that is our opportunity. We can't let Badstuber and Hummels just get back there and organize. We have to be a little more direct vs. Germany in my opinion, especially after winning balls.
Maybe we can play in the final, they all say Spain-Germany final just like they said Real Madrid - Barcelona but was the opposite Portugal has 2 days rest extra vs Spain, and its Iberian Rivals Italy has great H2H record against Germany anything can happen.
Italy vs Germany may be a classic, much like it was in 2006. I expect the "experts" to all pick Germany to win easily. But, this is going to be a close game. Again, Balotelli could be decisive and the x-factor. Well rested or not... Italy got a huge momentum swing and a big shot of confidence after dominating England. And the pressure is on Germany to win this game because they are favorites. Italy is in a good spot. Should be a great game.
i think both nocerino and marchisio should play along side pirlo and montolivo. Keep Balotelli and cassano and the same back 4
Whatever the formation, we just have to make sure we don't get outnumbered in the midfield. If they start to be able to isolate 4v3 and 5v4, we are really going to be chasing a lot. Should be interesting, a lot it seems will depend on who is fit.
Marchisio has been playing out of position. When he's on the left side hes a fucken nightmare for the opposition.
With all due respect to that analasys given about Germany, it's a little off... Only Lahm, piggy, poldi and Klose were part of the 2006 squad that play now.. And none of us rate poldi that highly to begin with, he scores goals and had his best tournament in 2006. But his very one dimensional and can be very static. He wouldn't make the starting 11 now and will be soon permanently replaced by younger more talented players (gotze, reus, schurrle) Klose is retiring soon, he's on his way out.. Our youth really started to develop as a starting 11 in 2010, even then some of those players have already been replaced by better players now. We also didn't have the depth to compete for the entire run... We lost muller in the semis and we had Absoluetly no answers to replace him.. The reason there is much talk about this German team is that our depth has really increased. When we can put muller, Gomez, and Podolski out of the game and lose nothing and infant become even more dangerous that tells you something. When we have someone like kroos just sitting there because khadira and piggy are playing.. When we lost boetang and bender replaced him in the denmark game AND scored.. I really wouldn't start our presumed "dominance" from 2006. I would actually start it in 2012.. Never did we have so much talent on the field and on the bench in many decades.. But the losing phsycology that's in their heads may effect them, but that's why these tournaments are here.
I think all the Germans think this is going to be their toughest game yet... Despite what "experts" think.. There is nothing easy about this game, intact its going to be the hardest game they have played.. Based around the history and team matchup, etc..
The one thing I believe we do have going for us is that eventually the goals are going to have to come. If you look at the number of chances we've created in the four games, the fact that we've only scored four times is abysmal. You would think that with players with the quality of Balotelli and Cassano, eventually they have to start coming through and scoring.
to be realistic guys, as much as i hate to say this...but chances of italy winning the whole thing is kinda slim.....3 tough games in 1 week for a team that was already struggling fitness wise in group stages is a tough task. Germany can be beaten but the final few days later is gonna take its toll on them.