Re: U-21 vs Slovenia and Belarus [R] Rosina impressed me too together with Donadel (quality and quantity in the midfield). In this U21 there's plenty of talent, Montolivo who was injured is another very promising player. The same can be said for Aquilani (something between Giannini and Totti), Pazzini whose acrobatic control when he hit the crossbar was amazing. Chiellini is a great wingback and it's easy to predict a shining future for him. Just to name a few... And well our Bianchi really impressed me in all the matches he played in U21. He is showing a constant growth match after match... He says he's learning a lot with professor Zola. Now he should show his skills also in serie a matches though the way Cagliari plays now is not what best fits his characteristics. This U21 is born to attack, if there is something to work on it is the defensive attitude. I really like the way they play.
Italy's Class of '84 (U-21s) [R] Here are Gentile's callups for next Tuesday's U-21 friendly in Sofia: Portieri: Agliardi (Brescia), Berni (Ternana); Difensori: Bovo (Parma), Rullo (Lecce), Dallamano (Brescia), Piccolo (Reggina), Potenza (Parma), Zambelli (Brescia); Centrocampisti: Aquilani (Roma), Donadel (Sampdoria), Lazzari (Atalanta), Loviso (Bologna), Pagano (Sampdoria), Rosina (Parma); Attaccanti: Bianchi (Cagliari), Mannini (Brescia), Pazzini (Atalanta), Pepe (Piacenza). Few new faces - in particular the Brescia trio of Dallamano, Zambellio and Mannini as well as Lecce's Rullo and Atalanta's Lazzari
Re: 11/16 U-21 Friendly - Bulgaria vs Italy [R] I was wondering about that. He's been in great form for Atalanta even if they aren't winning. I thought maybe he was hurt, but he apparently had a good game yesterday (rated best on the field for Atalanta by RAI). Not sure what's up. Hope it's not a sign of another Gentile freeze-out a la Cassano.
Re: 11/16 U-21 Friendly - Bulgaria vs Italy [R] Actually I hear he is injured other players from Serie B are not really included becoz I think they are playing next week.
Re: 11/16 U-21 Friendly - Bulgaria vs Italy [R] Well, that's good. I mean, not that he's injured .... oh, you know what I mean.
Re: 11/16 U-21 Friendly - Bulgaria vs Italy [R] RAI International airing this game. It's listed for 9 am Eastern US time on Tuesday. http://www.international.rai.it/tv/palinsesti/tvnor/20041116.shtml
Re: 11/16 U-21 Friendly - Bulgaria vs Italy [R] Gianpaolo Pazzini was injured in today's league game and has been replaced in the squad by Roma's Daniele Corvia.
Re: 11/16 U-21 Friendly - Bulgaria vs Italy [R] Italy won the game, 2-0. Pepe and Bianchi were the scorers (although I saw Pepe's goal and it seemed more like an own-goal).
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Like the full national team Italy's U-21 team has a friendly vs Russia next week ahead of the resumption of European championship qualifying - Tuesday evening in Olbia. I'll post the call-ups as well as any TV info here.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Here are the call-ups for this match:- Squad - Goalkeepers: Agliardi (Brescia), Berni (Ternana). Defenders: Bovo (Parma), Dallamano (Brescia), Ferronetti (Parma), Piccolo (Reggina), Potenza (Chievo), Zambelli (Brescia). Midfielders: Aquilani (Roma), Donadel (Fiorentina), Lazzari (Atalanta), Loviso (Bologna), Montolivo (Atalanta), Rosina (Verona). Forwards: Bianchi (Cagliari), Corvia (Roma), Mannini (Brescia), Pagano (Atalanta).
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] The U-21 Italy-Russia match will be aired live on RAI International Tuesday Feb 8 at 3 pm EST.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Daniele Corvia is hurt, so Perugia's Antonio Floro Flores has ben called into the squad to replace him.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Another injured player heads home - Ternana keeper Tommaso Berni is replaced by Roma's Gianluca Curci.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] And now Floro Flores, who was himself called in as a replacement, has also been injured in training (Gentile must be out there making tackles himself! ) and has been replaced by Salernitana's Raffaele Palladino.
Azzurrini v. Russia U-21 [R] I guess no one saw this game seeing that no thread was started. 2-1 to Gentile's squad. Goals for Italy were by Aquilani on a PK and Pagano on a diving header. Russia scored on a PK. Gentile is too defensive. I hope he never becomes NT coach...
Re: Azzurrini v. Russia U-21 [R] There's a thread for the U-21 team. I'll merge it. Watched the beginning closely and the team looked good. They haven't lost a game or even tied since qualifying began in the fall, so I'm not too unhappy. I like Rosina a lot; it surprises me that Parma couldn't find a place for him on their team. And I thought Mannini impressed as well tonight.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Here's a game report: Azzurrini roll over Russia http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/feb8k.html And comments from Gentile regarding the 4-2-3-1 system: http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/feb8k.html FIGC report: http://www.figc.it/english/primo_piano_01/primo_piano_01.htm Player ratings: http://it.sports.yahoo.com/050208/8/67e8.html
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Here are Claudio Gentile's callups for the U-21 team's next European qualifier vs Scotland, scheduled for March 25: Portieri: Agliardi (Brescia), Curci (Roma); Difensori: Bovo (Parma), Dallamano (Brescia), Mantovani (Torino), Motta (Atalanta), Piccolo (Reggina), Potenza (Chievo); Centrocampisti: Aquilani (Roma), Donadel (Fiorentina), Lazzari (Atalanta), Loviso (Bologna), Montolivo (Atalanta), Pagano (Atalanta), Rosina (Verona); Attaccanti: Bianchi (Cagliari), Mannini (Brescia), Pazzini (Fiorentina), Pepe (Piacenza).
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] This game will be shown on RAI International Friday afternoon at 5 pm Eastern US time.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Italy won this match 2-0. It was a tight scoreless contest until the 70th minute when captain Marco Donadel's quickly-taken free kick sent Marco Motta loose into the right corner. His cross was turned brilliantly by Rolando Bianchi into the net on the volley to make it 1-0. Seven minutes later, midfielder Alessandro Rosina angled a low shot into the far corner to seal the victory. Italy remains 100% with a perfect 5 wins in 5 qualifiers and are 10 points ahead of Slovenia in their group. Roma's Gianluca Curci debutted in goal for the U-21s while Atalanta's Motta had a strong showing at right back in his first callup to the team. Player ratings from RAISport: Italia (4-4-2): Curci 6, Motta 7, Bovo 6, Mantovani 6, Potenza 6, Rosina 6.5, Aquilani 6 (40' st Montolivo), Donadel 6.5, Lazzari 5.5 (8' st Pagano 6), Bianchi 7, Pazzini 6.5 (33' st Mannini). (12 Agliardi, 13 Piccolo, 14 Loviso, 18 Pepe). Allenatore: Gentile 6.5. This link also has highlights from the game: http://www.raisport.rai.it/raiSportSezioneIndex/0,5785,_78_76_9870,00.html
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Motta really impressed... and he's 18. He ran endlessly the whole match with very good quality. He impressed me so much that I won't be surprised at all if he will join the NT in the next few years. Of course 1 match is not enough but... if he performs always as he did friday... Anyway he's playing well also for Atalanta in serie A. p.s. Bravo Rolando.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] Here is the U-21 squad called up to face Norway on June 3: AQUILANI ALBERTO A.S. ROMA BERNI TOMMASO TERNANA CALCIO BIANCHI ROLANDO CAGLIARI CALCIO CAPELLI DANIELE ATALANTA BERGAMASCA CURCI GIANLUCA A.S. ROMA DONADEL MARCO FIORENTINA ACF LAZZARI ANDREA ATALANTA BERGAMASCA LOVISO MASSIMO F.C. BOLOGNA MANNINI DANIELE BRESCIA CALCIO MANTOVANI ANDREA TORINO CALCIO MARCHESE GIOVANNI F.C. TREVISO MONTOLIVO RICCARDO ATALANTA BERGAMASCA MOTTA MARCO ATALANTA BERGAMASCA PAGANO BIAGIO ATALANTA BERGAMASCA PAZZINI GIAMPAOLO FIORENTINA ACF PEPE SIMONE PIACENZA CALCIO PICCOLO FELICE REGGINA CALCIO POTENZA ALESSANDRO A.C. CHIEVO VERONA ROSINA ALESSANDRO VERONA HELLAS No Bovo or Dalla Mano because they are injured while this is the first call for Marchese and Capelli.
Re: Italy's Class of '83-'84 (U-21s) [R] No Chiellini either, Sue. Does that suggest Lippi will call him up for Norway?