After watching the Confed. Cup Final twice yesterday, I asked myself two questions. Can this be one of the best Brazilian sides in a long time, and what do we need to do to defeat them if we face one another next year in Germany? I believe that we'll have the offensive talent to score, and the defense to control (not stop) their attack. The key for me will be the midfield. Brazil ran free through the middle portion of the pitch the entire match against Argentina. And as a result, produced some of the most entertaining football I've seen this year. I say that if you win the midfield, you can beat Brazil. Will we have the midfield to accomplish that task?
Interesting thread, Bobarino. I watched the match yesterday and was amazed. Even with their stud forward missing, Brazil put on an absolute show. (My buddy at the office described the game thus: "It was like Playstation--these guys put the ball exactly where they wanted to!") I don't think we need to despair, though. If you've watched this season's CL, you've seen: Cannavaro mark Ronaldo out of two games vs. Madrid; Nesta limit Ronaldhino severely over two group games (the 2nd didn't matter to Milan); Nesta limit Adriano to 0 goals over 2 legs. So that's all positive. Our defenders know how to limit flair players. It's in their blood, evidently. But to beat Brazil we'd need an absolute masterpiece of a performance, like our first 93 minutes vs. Franco at Euro 2000. Tight, clean defending; closing down space in midfield (Gattuso and Camoranesi wd. have to be animals); and lightning fast counter-attacks either down the flanks or through Pirlo and Totti. And our forwards couldn't miss if they were given chances. One positive for us is that Lucio is an idiot and Roque Junior can't defend. Provoke the first, beat the second, and I think we have a chance to notch a goal or two (Gila and Cassano wd. have to be on song, of course). Problem is, I don't see our team as being ready, complete, solid yet. I don't see us as mentally prepared to play perfect soccer for 90 minutes . . . I'd like to think about this question at the beginning of 06, by which time we should have seen mroe from our new squad.
First of all .... Brazil was Brazilliant! Congratulations!!! to Brazil. Second, Italia...... hmmmm, lets see, hmmmmm, Can Italia beat Brazil - Yes! Can Brazil beat Italia - Yes ! The eternal question? Italia for the next world cup better get their brains together because on a technical level the South Americans are the best. Italia has always had a hole in midfield and produced robots - robots that know only on how to push the ball up and not play the ball up - And like i've been saying from the day I was born - the game of Football is won in mid-field. If you don't have brilliant playmakers.... attacking playmakers for that fact, how can you win games and enjoy watching the games. I'm proud of Italia..... but - The brazilians are playing on a whole different level and as we can see...... they're is a delight and joy to watch Brazil. I can not say this for Italia yet. How many players on the Italian national team can you really get excited about - the truth! Italia better put some really good playmakers on the pitch if we are to dominate and show who's the daddy of football. It will be interesting to see what Italia will do for the WC 2006. Lets hope its in midfield!
Its not a matter of if we can beat Brazil, rather a matter of we have to beat Brazil. More likely than not, we will have to go through them to win the Cup. We can, will, and have to accomplish it.
i don't think Brazil are that great just lucky ... a full strength argentina disposed of them and Mexico beat them... (the argentina that got whooped by them was not full strength) Brazil are to fragile at the back and we can easily punish them for their foolishness of play with so many offensive players. Our attack can easily cut them while our defense can soak them up. The answer we definatly can beat them ..
You might want to actually try attacking though in order to do that. In all seriousness, of course Italy can beat us, but I think other teams present a greater danger to us - Holland, Argentina and Portugal for example. Hmmm, our best ever team was 1970. But that's probably a good example.
I believe that Italia can and will beat Brasil. All the pressure is on Brasil, that does not seem to faze them but I think many people are underestimating the talent of the other sides. I look at Italy and they have a magic 11 as does Brasil, as does Argentina, as does for me the Netherlands. But within these last two years I've seen the craziest things in football so I don't know who to say will win the WC! Greece for Euro 2004. Wow...
Portugal? They can only be more of a threat to Brazil because they attack more than the Azzurri. If the Azzurri attacked just as much as Portugal, Italy will be more of a threat to Brazil than the Portuguese.
Either that or something like in 1982. Gilardino, Cassano and Toni have the potential to be stars with the Azzurri and let's hope that they can make the most of their chances. Roque Junior makes Materazzi look good.
Their toughness gave the Azzurri midfield some real strength and they were very hard workers. From the footage that I've seen from the 1982 World Cup, Oriali, who wasn't exactly a superstar, managed to be fouled more times than any other Azzurri player.
Roque Junior does NOT make Materazzi look good. By the way, Ombak's assessment strikes me as being weird--I see the threat of Argentina & Portugal but Holland surprised me. Do you mean, Bob, because Holland have speedy wingers? I have heard a few people saying that Brazil might be vulnerable to wide play, especially since their CBs are often left alone in the box.
I only said that because Roque Junior is so hopeless and I was trying to compare him to another s*h*i*t just to emphasise Roque's hopelessness.
England always choke. It's a known fact. Just look at the game against Brasil. Italy have the best chance. I mean Buffon, Nesta, Maldini, Zambrotta, Cannavarro, Gatusso, Totti, Pirlo, Cassano, Gilardino, Camorenesi always have a chance. Hey I was wondering who will partner Gilardino if anyone at all? Vieri, Del Piero, Inzaghi? Who? Or will he use the 4-2-3-1 formation?
Maldini retired from international soccer after the '02 WC. As for Gilardino's partner: that's Cassano. If Vieri has a really outstanding season he could push Gila to the bench though. The current formation is variously described as a 4-4-2, 4-3-1-2, or 4-1-2-1-2. Here it is: Cassano---Gilardino -------Totti------- Gattuso---Camoranesi --------Pirlo--------- Zambrotta-Cannavaro-Nesta-Bonera -------Buffon--------
I wasn't sure about Maldini but included him. Wow. Is Bonera that good? And is he the one who plays for Brescia or at least used to?
Bonera used to play for Brescia and is a Parma man now. He's not great but basically he's a solid professional and is fairly competent. Panucci used to be our RB but he couldn't defend. Bonera can defend, but he's not an offensive force and rarely surges forward. We're waiting for a great RB . . .