For Italy, as far as their Euro 2021 squad, who do you think should be in their squad? (4-3-3) GK- Donnarumma LB- Biraghi CB- Chiellini CB- Bonucci RB- Florenzi CDM- Jorginho LCM- Tonali RCM- Barella LW- Insigne CF- Immobile RW- Zaniolo
I have doubts about whether Chiellini continues. Most likely Romagnoli will be his replacement by then or at least by the time of the World Cup. The team looks good. Italy can afford to keep Veratti, Meret, and Chiesa on the bench with players like that, so the team is very strong and competitive, but the problem areas for Italy remain the wing-backs. I think a lot of teams will like they're chances if they have to play against Florenzi and co.
Or to update my Final 23 then it would look like this: (4-2-3-1) GK- Donnarumma LB- Emerson Palmieri CB- Alessio Romagnoli CB- Leonardo Bonucci (captain) RB- Giovanni Di Lorenzo CDM- Jorginho CDM- Marco Veratti LAM- Lorenzo Insigne CAM- Stefano Sensi RAM- Moise Kean CF- Ciro Immobile Bench GK- Alex Meret, Pierluigi Gollini LB- Mattia De Sciglio, Cristiano Biraghi CB- Giorgio Chiellini, Francesco Acerbi RB- D'Ambrosio, Piccini CDM- Sandro Tonali AM- Nicolo Zaniolo CF- Andrea Belotti, Stephen El Shaarawy
Federico Bernardeschi in for El Shaarawy Lorenzo Pellegrini in for Tonali Nicolo Barella in for Piccini Federico Chiesa in for Kean Manuel Lazzari in for D'Ambrosio Salvatore Sirigu in for Meret/Gollini FWIW 10 defenders is too much to carry. De Sciglio and Di Lorenzo can play either flank as needed. Bastoni is one I can see climbing in the next campaign and pushing hard for a spot. Kean would need to hit serious form to displace either of Immobile or Belotti for me. If he is playing well I would take him as a wildcard. Pellegrini and Barella are must haves IMO - both Sensi and Tonali are tough omissions. Castrovili and Cristante would be two who can play their way in as well. Bernardeschi and Chiesa are favourites of mine and I think play very well for Italy in a 4-3-3. Orsolini is another guy who can play his way in, even Berardi is he can settle down.
I don't think any Italians are posting in this thread A lot can change until next summer, but Chiellini should be out of the picture by then and Italy will probably have a hard time finding suitable players in the wing-back positions. At the moment Italy doesn't have options who can support the attack well enough to keep Italy on the front foot against quality opposition and at the same time provide the balance defensively in wide areas. And I'm not sure if a switch to three at the back and allowing for wingers proper will be enough to make it work. Italy may have to accept a more defensive posture against the likes of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, or England. So far the team has performed above expectations with the 4-3-3 and it may just suit them all the same to continue in that fashion.
I think like falvo says, new players will emerge and things can change. It's still early to say what Italy will do next summer. The way Atalanta, Inter, and Roma play could influence Mancini to adopt three at the back, but Mancini seems very committed to a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 system. Did you guys move forums?
Hell is less hellish than this place. I think this place is like the 10th ring or something. Dante never got this far! He was in purgatory by this point.
France has insane talent for sure but they have issues at the back. Their core CBs and GK are in horrendous form - Varane, Umtiti and Lloris have been suffering a ridiculously long post WC98 hangover. In fact, a large chunk of their core XI have struggled since the win (Pogba, Matuidi, Hernandez, Griezmann and Giroud). Talent for that squad is undoubted. The Belgians squad is aging and not so well. KDB, Lukaku and Courtois aside, every member of the squad has regressed (age, injuries, etc.). The incoming generation isn't of the same ilk. The big concern for Dutch is up front. The only consistent goalscorer they have is Depay (he is recovering from an ACL tear). The Germand and English are interesting cases because similar to Italy, they are in a generational switch as well. Euro2020 (2021 now) will be a wide open contest IMO. Spain and Portugal will be in the mix for sure.
one positive since the restart of Serie A is the amount of ITALIAN goal scorers ive seen. Its definetely trending upwards. among them a few that stand out to me. Kevin Lasagna 6 goals in 6 games Andrea Belotti scored in his last 6 Caputo is scoring and playing well Berardi has been playing well
I remember it wasn't all that long ago Italians were going off on Belotti saying how shit he was especially back in 2017 in the playoff against Sweden
yes there were some. the uneducated ones. The guy was injured leading up to the qualifying playoff vs Sweden and was a doubt to even play. Belotti is our best striker IMO. He does it all for Torino with shit all around him. He works hard and doesnt stop running, hes a bull, hes good in the air, good with both feet.
4-3-3 seems to be working well. My current prediction as it stands. Obviously lots of calcio to be played between now and next summer. Insigne - Belotti - (Orsolini / Chiesa) Verratti - Jorginho - Barella Pellegrini - Acerbi - Bonucci - Di Lorenzo Donnarumma
Watched that game and he was absolutely a beast. Yes he got a great goal and yes he had a great assist, but his work rate and defending from the front was something to behold. A proper 5 star performance. If the tournament was starting next week, I think Immobile/Belotti choice as a starter with Lasagna as an impact sub, would be nice striking options. Would be hard pressed to find better striking options for any of the other Euro teams.
Or in a 4-3-3 GK- Donnarumma LB- De Sciglio CB- Romagnoli CB- Bonucci (captain) RB- Di Lorenzo CDM- Jorginho LCM- Verrati RCM- Chiesa LW- Insigne CF- Belotti RW- Kean
I would say that Italy are slightly fortunate to have the Euros pushed a year because some of our more promising players are still very much in a transition phase or are coming off injury (Sensi, Zaniolo) Guys like Berrardi and Belotti absolutely need to move to bigger and better teams. They are good players, but unless they move on they will forever be provincial level. Chiesa also. Chiesa needs to be surrounded with better players and get better coaching ASAP
If the euro were to begin today (based on current form and injuries) 3-5-2 Goal: Donnarumma, Meret, Gollini CBs : Bonucci, Acerbi, Romagnoli, Izzo, Mancini, WB: Lazzari, Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola Mids: Verratti, Tonali, Barella, Bonaventura, Jorginho, Zaniolo Attack: Insigne, Belotti, Immobile, Berrardi , Chiesa, Bernadeschi