Match Time: 14:50 ET Stadium: Stadio San Nicola in Bari North American TV: Rai Italia From the group standings below...needless to say this game is important....not to mention we can't let Trap take one from us. Team MP W D L GF GA Pts Italy 5 4 1 0 8 2 13 Ireland 5 3 2 0 6 3 11 Bulgaria 4 0 4 0 3 3 4 Cyprus 4 1 1 2 4 5 4 Montenegro 4 0 2 2 3 6 2 Georgia 6 0 2 4 4 9 2
4-4-2 ? Buffon Zambro-Canna-Chiellini-Grosso Motta-Pirlo-De Rossi-Brighi Rossi-Pazzini 0r 4-1-3-2 ? Buffon Zambro-Canna-Chiellini-Grosso De Rossi Motta-Pirlo-Brighi Rossi-Pazzini
Rossi and Pazzini up front would be great. As long as the service from Pirlo is good then I could see them causing massive troubles for the Irish back line.
in practice, given how the second half of montenegro played out, it would be buffon zambro/motta--canna--chiellini--grosso/zambrotta brighi--de rossi pirlo pepe/quags/iaquinta---rossi/quags pazzini but i wouldn't read too much into the practice formations, other than the fact that it seems pazzini and brighi will start. and pirlo will play how he did in the second half with brighi and de rossi taking care of the defensive covering and shielding duties. I personally doubt motta will play, and rossi is slightly more likely, but i still doubt it
Probably will be: 4-2-3-1 Buffon Zambro-Canna-Chiellini-Grosso De Rossi-Brighi Pepe-Pirlo-Quags/Rossi Pazzini
Anyone else wish for this formation when healthy? 4-3-1-2 zambro/motta--canna--chiellini--grosso/zambrotta Gattuso - Pirlo - De Rossi Cassano Rossi - Pazzini
Likely formation according to all of the latest report: Buffon Zambrotta - Cannavaro - Chiellini - Grosso De Rossi - Pirlo - Brighi Peppe - Pazzini - Rossi
trapattoni verus lippi, i cant wait!! should be a great friendly atmosphere between the irish and italians, Come on you boys in green!
I think both sides would be delighted with a draw. Neither team will be willing to risk too much. I prefer playing a 4-4-2 with more support in the midfield. Make this a boring game and get a point...at least.
I highly doubt Lippi or an Italian player would be content with a draw. They will play to win and run the score up if they can.
I also don't think they are going to play for a draw. Getting a win means taking a good lead in the group and it would be foolish not to go for it. However I'm not to convinced after the game against Montenegro. Kind of feel like it was one of those nights where everything went your way. The penalty, which was a penalty, coming early and when our attack had not done much. It put the dynamics in our favor and from there the match was over. I have my doubts about this formation and it's ability to create solid and creative scoring opportunities by the numbers. I also wonder how this defense will hold up against a real attack. Maybe this match will elevate some of my concerns or maybe it will make Lippi adopt another module.
yeah, we'll see. ireland is a quality opponent under a tactician who will know how to stifle the opponent, but at least this attack has rossi who is very good in tight spaces and can skip by his man usually. lippi already has headed in the right direction by playing another runner next to de rossi and now playing pirlo a little more forward as opposed to the 4-3-3 before that with montolivo and pirlo both having to be supported by just de rossi alone, which completely overwhelmed de rossi and didn't allow him to express any of his considerable technical qualities in building play. this 4-3-3 really now plays much closer to a more balanced 4-2-3-1 which fits these players better than the previous formation imo....just wish there was a little more quality on the right front... no doubt this will be a tough match, though. i hope brighi does well, this is the match where he can lay claim to a spot after palombo's sub-par effort against montenegro and with gattuso out.
Along with Brighi I'm hoping for a killer game from Rossi. He needs to step up now that Di Natale is gone and claim his spot.
They should go for the win because their home,if the playing at Irland then maybe they could play for a draw...
If anything, Ireland will want to run the score up if they can. Italy are sitting in a very comfortable position with 2 points ahead on level games played. IRE are in need to get the victory in order to claim first place in the group. ITA can play more conservative and at worst settle for a draw and see the table remain as is. It's evident that both nations will qualify and Italy shouldn't risk losing first place. I'm sure they will want to win at all costs, but a draw in this case is a victory for Italy.
I'm looking at the roster and I can't help but think that Lipp should try to incorporate the poromising youngsters sooner rather than later. Giovinco, Santon and Balotelli should get a look ASAP. Balotelli has some attitude problems but there is no denying his talent. He is already better than a number of strikers/attacking players present on the current squad.
I think, with his recent call-ups, Lippi has done a fairly good job incorporating youth: Bocchetti (22), Motta (22), Foggia (25), De Rossi (25), Montolivo (24), Pazzini (24), Pepe (25), Rossi (20). But yes, I agree that Santon, Giovinco and Balotelli are worth consideration. Unfortunately, as you and I both know, Giovinco doesn't get sufficient regular playing time at Juve. Sadly, this is really hurting Giovinco who I think would be getting calls-up if playing for almost any other country.
I mention those three because I believe they can develop into truly world class talent. Out of those you mention only De Rossi is already world class. Rossi, Montolivo and Motta, like the three I mention, have that type of potential. Not quite sold yet on Foggia or Pazzini. Bocchetti I have hardly ever seen play. In addition, of those you mention, only De Rossi and Pepe (to a lesser extent) seem in Lippi's current plans. My hope is that those players get incorporated sooner rather than later because I don't know how some of the vets (Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Grosso, Camoranesi, Di Natale, Gattuso, Pirlo, Toni, etc.) will fare next summer. It would be cool to see the following side in a friendly (4-3-2-1): ---------------------------------Buffon----------------------------------- Motta----------Bocchetti-----------------Chiellini-------------------Santon -------------De Rossi------------Pirlo-----------Montolivo/Aquilani---------- -------------------------- 2 of Giovinco/Cassano/Rossi--------------------- -----------------------------Balotelli/Pazzini-------------------------------
Italy have an all time record of 37 wins and 4 draws in 41 WC qualifiers at home so if we draw it would be a major disappointment.