i agree, really annoys when people say italy always play defensive when it simply isnt true, italy were very attacking in euro 96 too, i disagree with you about zoffs team though, they played awfull football, only in the final did they play good football, although i blame inzaghi mostly because it didnt help that he was offside nealry every single time we mounted a counter attack which resulted in us hardly ever having the ball, yesterday patrick kluivert said that this italy suprised him because they play defensively in serie a and all the games are 0-0! i crapped my pants, i couldnt believe i heard that absolute nonsense come out of the mouth of someone who gets paid to discuss football, totally ridiculous. as mention by you we need to play smart as much as anything and not waste energy, we must take or chances and try to win this game before half time, uefa have made this so that 1 team is totally disadvanteged, rally poor and like i said before the culprit for this schedule should be sacked
I couldn't sleep well last night and now I'm so nervous I have a massive headache 2:45 can't come soon enough
My only worry is that I like being the underdogs and the Italian press is going nuts now hyping the team. And too many people write Spain off because they didn't wow early in the tournament, but that's what they've been doing lately, and they won the World Cup that way (losing to Switzerland in group stage). Or calling them boring. It's almost like what Italy used to be, they'd be counted out and then win.
Italy XI vs Spain: Buffon, Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Rossi, Montolivo, Cassano, Balotelli
I'm confident, but I don't see us scoring 3 today. If we win, it will be 1-0 or 2-1. That Spanish side is too damn disciplined to allow that. There is a reason they have such a long shutout streak.
Got my work to let me off early. Heading in to the North End to meet up with my ladies. I'll post some pics.
Why no balzaretti? Also think 3-5-2 worked perfectly against Spain offering width and reamining compact in the middle
I know. Prandelli is putting less emphasis on the wings and relying more on our narrow midfield. I would have went with what worked in the first game with Abate replacing Maggio, and Montolivo in for Motta. Keep Chiellini on LB where there he provides more muscle in defence
Spain have played so negatively this tournament I hope they get sucker punched tonight. Everyone raves about them and I am sick to death of hearing this is the future of football. If everyone played like this football would be dead
Spain (4-6-0): Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Busquets; Iniesta, Fabregas, Silva Subs: Valdes, Reina, Albiol, Javi Martinez, Juanfran, Cazorla, Jesus Navas, Pedro, Torres, Negredo, Mata, Llorente Italy (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Montolivo; Cassano, Balotelli Subs: Sirigu, De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Balzaretti, Thiago Motta, Giaccherini, Giovinco, Nocerino, Di Natale, Borini, Diamanti
Need to knock out spain in the 1st half, hopefully we can score 2-3 and cruise in the 2nd half. GOOD LUCK - FORZA AZZURRI !!!!
Good luck, guys! I'm going to stick with the same prediction that I made a week ago; a prediction that most "experts" would have laughed at. Anyway, here's hoping that today's final will but just as thrilling as Thursday's match.
Anyone know what those blue stripes or tapes are on Buffon's neck? I saw Balotelli had 3 of them when he took off his shirt the other day.....