Best possible starting XI vs Spain

Discussion in 'Italy: National Teams' started by asprillialim, May 28, 2012.

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  1. asprillialim

    asprillialim Member

    Nov 16, 2004
    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.
     
    gcstorm9 repped this.
  2. mattteo

    mattteo Member

    Jul 19, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    -----------------Buffon
    Maggio-Chiellini-Ogbonna-Balzaretti
    --------De Rossi-Pirlo-Motta
    ------Diamanti-Balotelli-Cassano
     
  3. Iaquinta

    Iaquinta Member

    Jan 8, 2007
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    -----------------Buffon
    Maggio-Chiellini-Ogbonna-Balzaretti

    I'm not going any father than this. Ogbonna is an excellent player.
     
    forza_azzurri repped this.
  4. forza_azzurri

    forza_azzurri Member

    May 31, 2005
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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.
     
  5. Daei_10

    Daei_10 Member+

    Aug 22, 2007
    LA, California
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    wheres the list of 25 players? is criscito cut cuz of the raid on his house?
     
  6. LToni

    LToni Member

    Nov 25, 2007
    toronto
    Club:
    AC Milan
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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.
     
  7. Daei_10

    Daei_10 Member+

    Aug 22, 2007
    LA, California
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    that truly sucks if he's innocent. What a way to ruin a player, this coulda been a big turning point of his career.
     
  8. Sempre

    Sempre ****************** Member+

    Mar 4, 2005
    NYC
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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.
     
  9. 'Uaglio

    'Uaglio Member+

    Jun 8, 2004
    NYC
    --------------Buffon------------
    Maggio Chiellini De Rossi Balzaretti
    Diamanti Marchisio Pirlo Nocerino
    -----Cassano-----Balotelli-----------
     
  10. Daei_10

    Daei_10 Member+

    Aug 22, 2007
    LA, California
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i kinda like this line up
     
  11. gcstorm9

    gcstorm9 Member

    Dec 17, 2001
    Coral Springs, Fl
    Club:
    AC Milan
    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.
     
    turco3 repped this.
  12. ronaldo99

    ronaldo99 Member

    Jul 21, 2008
    There is no way Diamanti starts - he is the worst player in the squad!
     
  13. ronaldo99

    ronaldo99 Member

    Jul 21, 2008
    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.
     
  14. ArtemioD

    ArtemioD Member+

    Jun 2, 2006
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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
     
  15. Sempre

    Sempre ****************** Member+

    Mar 4, 2005
    NYC
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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
     
  16. DDR

    DDR Member+

    Jun 13, 2006
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Personally I like Chiellini better at left back, and I'd prefer Giovinco over Montolivo.
     
  17. 'Uaglio

    'Uaglio Member+

    Jun 8, 2004
    NYC
    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.
     
  18. ArtemioD

    ArtemioD Member+

    Jun 2, 2006
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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.
     
  19. ronaldo99

    ronaldo99 Member

    Jul 21, 2008
    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.
     
  20. asprillialim

    asprillialim Member

    Nov 16, 2004
    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.
     
  21. Luca03

    Luca03 Member

    Jun 11, 2006
    Toronto,Canada
    Club:
    AC Milan
    For me:
    -------------Cassano OR Giovinco----------Balotelli---------
    ---------------------------Marchisio OR Motta--------------------------
    -----------Nocerino--------Pirlo------------------De Rossi OR Marchisio---------
    --------------Balzaretti------Chiellini-----Barzagli-----Abate------
    ----------------------------------Buffon-------------------------------------------
     
  22. dor02

    dor02 Member

    Aug 9, 2004
    Melbourne
    Club:
    UC Sampdoria
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    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.
     
  23. Luca03

    Luca03 Member

    Jun 11, 2006
    Toronto,Canada
    Club:
    AC Milan
    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?
     
  24. JM1983

    JM1983 New Member

    Jun 1, 2012
    Club:
    AC Milan
    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.
     
  25. ronaldo99

    ronaldo99 Member

    Jul 21, 2008
    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.
     
    gummy-bear83 repped this.

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