No talk of italy beating holland 3-1 a month ago

Netherlands (4-3-3): Van der Sar; Kromkamp, Vlaar, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, Landzaat, Cocu, Van der Vaart, Castelen, Kuyt, Babel.

Italy (4-3-3): Abbiati; Zambrotta, Nesta, Cannavaro, Grosso; Camoranesi, Pirlo, Gattuso; Gilardino, Toni, Del Piero.


Looks to me like Holand was missing a few starters.

As for Italy who's missing besides Totti and Buffon???


regardless it was a friendly. Maybe Italy could of showed that dominance in their WCQ.

 

I don't think people are talking about it because it was only a friendly, and both teams were missing key players. I guess the result is good for morale, but it doesn't tell you much about the teams.

 

Blind Squirrel Allegory.

 

From what I've been told Holland had 67% of the possesion, more chances and only lost because Italy exploited the very young Vlaar, who is not a regular starter.

 

From what I've heard I thought Cassano might not even make the World Cup roster cause he's a head case. Have I been misinformed?

 

First, although Holland were missing some key starters, the match was playing in their home when, with them defending a 15-match unbeaten streak. One cannot possibly tell me that given the circumstances that Holland were playing another top nation, riding a long unbeaten streak, and playing at home, the game was utterly meaningless to them

Second, with respect to Italy's qualifying campaign, their record was a very solid 7 wins, 2 draws (away against team that are are solid at home) and only one loss (early in Lippi's tenure). They qualified with a game at hand, and never looked in danger of losing the group. They currently are 15 games unbeaten, as well.

 

You "heard" wrong. Italy also had a perfectly valid goal annuled in that game, and Holland scored on their only real opportunity in that much. It was not close. Further, to attribute the win/loss to one player is ridiculous; he could not stop Toni, which is a task that other defenders have had trouble with this season as well.

 

He has had contract disputes with his club, Roma. In retaliation for Cassano not having signed an extension, they were not playing him in the beginning of the season. It seems that Roma have given up hope with regard to his extension, and Spalletti has begun playing him again on the regular basis. He has notched a couple of goals since. Lippi will definitely take him if he is playing regularly with his club, and he will most likely start along with Luca Toni, given that Gilardino has struggled to capture his form of last season.

 

I guess I must hear this from someone else to believe it. I'm sorry, but I have little respect for someone who lives in the US, yet puts them on their "Teams you'll be rooting "against"" list.

 

First, I never believe anything reported on that site.

Second, if I am wrong, how typically stupid would that be of Real to go after another attcker and fail to address their real problems. Florentino Perez has converted what was once the most prestegious club in the world, into a laughing stock. So much so that Real's fans need be satisfied by giving a standing ovation to key players ON REAL'S BIGGEST RIVALS (i.e. Ronaldinho).

 

As I have little respect for someone who has the audacity to comment on a game he has not seen for himself, based on pure hearsay from mistaken sources.

For the record, I root against the US because of the obnoxious and uninformed supporters; I have nothing against the team.

 

Perhaps, but I would not make him priority number one. Unfortunately, that is the trap that Real falls into (i.e. making the flamboyant attaker the prime target in lieu of adressing more pressing team issues).

 

These are good points, but it still doesn't prove anything. If you guys would have convincingly beaten a fit Holland side at home that would be impressive. But the fact that they (and you guys) were missing many key players makes it less important. I don't think anyone is saying Holland didn't want to win or didn't care, but I think you guys are reading way too much into that one result. Italy has a good side. You guys are strong defensively and have some good individual talent. With all that said, the results lately in international tourneys makes me skeptical.

Also, (I'm not saying this to totally discredit Italy's accomplishments because you can only play who you are given, but).. I would hope that you guys would easily qualify given the teams in your group. Modova, Belarus, Slovenia, Scotland and Norway aren't exactly world beaters. I wouldn't really brag about that.

 

Nobody is bragging about anything here. I am in agreement that reading too much into friendlies is mistaken, however, I also think it is foolish to completely cast aside what Italy have done in the past two years under Lippi's tenure.

You seem to do the same when you say "last few tourneys." To say this is to fail to recognize that Italy have implemented a completely new system and a new manager since Trapattoni who took a great part of the responsibility for the failures at those tournaments.

 

At least I admitted that was what it was did I not? I did not call it fact.

Then why don't you try to change that and help soccer in the country you live in grow, instead of rooting for them to do bad?

And seriously, don't try to tell me every team doesn't have "obnoxious and uninformed supporters".

 

Fair enough, but we don't really have much else to go on. We'll see what Italy does with the new system.

 

You're about to be acquainted with a phrase that we Yanks have had burned into our brains by every fan of every nation in the world.

Friendlies don't matter.

It's only three words long, so it should be easy for you to memorize.

 

I've been pretty neutral so far, but those who discount Italy's win for any reason whatsoever are being childish and illogical. You're going out of your way to discredit an Italian side that clearly deserves respect.

Luca Toni, Gilardino, and Del Piero had rarely if ever played together before this match, Italy used its third or fourth choice goalkeeper, the game was played in Holland, yet thats still not enough to consider the win fair and valid as a representation of Italy's merit. Come on people.

 

It's was a friendly! Most people know Italy is a good team, but beating Holland in a friendly (regardless of where it was played and how many people have played together before ) doesn't make me think they are better or worse than I thought before. By your logic, Brazil and Australia shoud be scared of Croatia in Group F. Remember Croatia tied Brazil in a friendly a couple of months ago. They must be just as good as Brazil. Seriously, it is one game that meant little in a larger perspective. I wouldn't read to much into it.

 

Beating Holland in a friendly a month ago is less indicative of Italy's form than WC 2002? People here, US supporters especially, will use any form of rhetoric too prove to themselves that they're worthy opponents or whatever, its mindless. Just accept that a team is good, perhaps better than you, and support them anyway. In fact, to the USA's credit, they'll perform better as an underdog than otherwise.