Now, the team has been axed to 25 players. Based on these players, place your best formation and the starting XI against Spain. Mine is: 5-3-2 Buffon Barzagli Bonnuci Chiellini Abate Balzaretti / Maggio Pirlo De Rossi Marchisio / Nocerino Balotelli Cassano Maybe my formation or selection is a bit crazy. Yet, I believe we need defensive players to stop Spain's possession and we need to be careful of Spain's midfield. Spain's midfield is more deadly than their forward, so we have 3 centre back to stomp any forward or midfield to get close the box. And the wings, we have Abate and Balzaretti / Maggio. With 3 center backs, the full back can be more offensive at times as they will be covered by De Rossi and Marchisio / Nocerino, when the full backs are attacking. Pirlo will be controlling the tempo of the game and set deadly passes to Balotelli or Cassano or even to the full back if they can breakthrough Spain's defence. This formation is more suitable for counter-attack.
-----------------Buffon Maggio-Chiellini-Ogbonna-Balzaretti --------De Rossi-Pirlo-Motta ------Diamanti-Balotelli-Cassano
-----------------Buffon Maggio-Chiellini-Ogbonna-Balzaretti I'm not going any father than this. Ogbonna is an excellent player.
I agree, if Ogbonna gets cut tomorrow as reports are saying , then this would be Prandelli's main mistake in an otherwise excellent campaign so far for him.
Prandelli said that he wants his players to be calm during the tournament so they could focus on the game and Criscito will have too much on his mind with the betting scandel, so he is being dropped.
that truly sucks if he's innocent. What a way to ruin a player, this coulda been a big turning point of his career.
That's not a bad line-up, by any means. I worry about 4-3-3 though; we don't really have the wide players a 4-3-3 requires. I would probably pick Balotelli and Cassano up top but sub in another midfielder for Diamanti. Montolivo for me is a great passer and could do well, or even Marchisio if Prandelli wants someone to make runs into the box.
--------------Buffon------------ Maggio Chiellini De Rossi Balzaretti Diamanti Marchisio Pirlo Nocerino -----Cassano-----Balotelli-----------
3-5-2 Buffon Juve Defense(Barzagli/Bonucci/Cheillini) or add Ogbonna if you please Maggio Nocerino Pirlo De Rossi Balzaretti Cassano Balotelli bring in Montolivio for a defender to help gain an attacker, bring in Giovinco/Borini/Diamanti for midfielder if needed explosive attacker to get a goal if losing or bring in T Motta/Marchisio if needed to replace midfield for fresh legs. I think starting with this formation will allow for much more flexibility when it comes to changing formation if we winning or losing. Plus, it allows us to adapt to other teams styles rather quickly without replacing players. Shifting into a 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-3 will be very easy.
Right, so if we need to be careful of Spain's midfield, why have you proposed that we only play 3 midfielders, as opposed to Spain's likely 5 man midfield. We will get ournumbered and outplayed.
Mine: Buffon Maggio Barzagli De Rossi Chiellini Motta Pirlo Nocerino Montolivo Cassano Balotelli Prandelli: Buffon Maggio Barzagli Chiellini Balzaretti Motta Pirlo DeRossi Montolivo Cassano Balotelli
Reports suggest that Prandelli will try out a 4-3-3 and 4-3-1-2 vs. Russia tomorrow. He has not been testing the 3-5-2 because Chiellini isn't back to full fitness yet. I think Prandelli may end up with this XI: Buffon Maggio -- Chiellini -- Barzagli -- Ogbonna Marchisio -- Pirlo -- De Rossi Montolivo Cassano -- Balotelli
For the millionth time...Montolivo is not a trequartista! When will people understand this. A trequartista needs to be a magician with the ball and really protect it. Montolivo is a great passer and shooter, but he loses possession to much for my liking and he isn't going to break down a defense on the dribble very often.
Maybe not but he was first choice in that position for two years of qualifying so I dont see the coach putting somebody else there especially when Monty is his boy.
Well technically he's playing as an attacking midfielder, rather than a trequartista. I think the days of playing a traditional trequartista (like Totti or Baggio) behind 2 strikers are gone. In fact, we saw that in WC2006, where Lippi changed his formation because the midfield was being overrun.
I mean we need to stop their midfield does not mean that we should do it in the center of the field. We need to fall back at the outside of the penalty box. Spain's possession of the ball is too greatly in the midfield, one mistake could cost us conceded. We need to close down at the outside of the box, restrain their movement from getting into our box. And eventually, wait for counter attack. Like how Chelsea did to Barcelona. Spain is playing offensive oftenly, and that is why when they can't score or break into our box, they will anxious and their will push their defender up front for more attacking role. That is when we will wait for our chance. Though it sounds like we playing defensively, I rather not carelessly charging in the midfield or center half and makes our defender vulnerable. At least, we have 5 defenders and 3 midfields guarding in front of the box. Well, this is my innocent opinion.
For me: -------------Cassano OR Giovinco----------Balotelli--------- ---------------------------Marchisio OR Motta-------------------------- -----------Nocerino--------Pirlo------------------De Rossi OR Marchisio--------- --------------Balzaretti------Chiellini-----Barzagli-----Abate------ ----------------------------------Buffon-------------------------------------------
I'd prefer a 3-5-2: Buffon Bonucci --- Barza --- Chiellini Maggio --- De Rossi --- Pirlo --- Marchisio --- Balza Cassano --- Di Natale The 4-3-1-2 was great in the qualifiers but at club level, teams have realised that it's too narrow. A 3-5-2 formation is ideal because you can pack the midfield and still get decent width. The Juve players should stick to roles that they have at club level, as illustrated by the defence. This formation will really suit Maggio. His crosses will be much better and he can make runs into the box, which is good if Balzaretti over-hits a cross. If Prandelli keeps the 4-3-1-2, he should drop Maggio. He is lost in that formation, unlike Abate who plays in a team that uses nothing but the 4-3-1-2.
I believe the formation we played yesterday would do fine with some changes in a couple players. -----------------------------Buffon------------------ -----Abate-----Barzagli-----Chiellini--------Balzaretti------- -------Nocerino---------Pirlo--------------De Rossi/Marchisio----- ---------------Balotelli---------------Giovinco----------------------- Abate for Maggio: Abate is naturally a midifelder like Maggio, but I think he adapted better defensively then Maggio did, plus Abate has expirience playing against world class players in the Champions League, unfortunately we didnt try him out before. Maggio can always come in as a substitute for Nocerino or someone. Giovinco for Cassano: I am still not sure i would do this change for sure but Cassano isnt completely fit and i dont know how Giovinco and Balotelli would do from the beginning. Nocerino: With the team that we have, playing the ball on the floor is what we do and Nocerino is get with his touches, and runs, and cuts in the box. Marchisio: See Nocerino. Anyone think of De Rossi playing infront of the defence, and Pirlo where Montolivo was?
I like your line-up. I think Prandelli should try Abate - I remember that Abate and Pirlo linked up pretty good in the qualifiers when Abate would make the runs down the side and cut in behind the defence. What about having Cassano behind Balotelli/Giovinco..? Would Prandelli ever start Di Natale ? If so, I'd put Di Natale over Giovinco.
Chelsea is not the best example. They afforded Barcelona lots of chances and were incredibly fortunate to win. We can't simply rely on having that kind of luck. We have to play smart, but i don't want to see us park the bus and play rubbish football like Chelsea did.