Official 2016 European Cup Thread (FORZA AZZURRI)!!!

Well thats what we expect will happen, but not necessarily what should happen.

 

Good but we got to play Insigne though. I'd play 4-3-3 and put Insigne and use Saponara on the bench. If you want 4-3-1-2 Insigne can play attacking midfield. But the way Insigne has been this season, we got to play him. Otherwise great. Yeah older players Bonucci, Marchisio, Giovinco, and Candreva are great backups. By the way play Florenzi rather than De Sciglio, not only is he a bit better, but I think Florenzi is always a hungry player and you can really trust him to work hard every game.

 

Guys how would you rate our players from all positions? I don't know how to explain this well but I want your opinions on this:

Rank each player from your top to bottom. Each position in a different rank.

Like this:

Goalkeepers:
1. Buffon
2. Perin
3. Sirigu
4. Padelli

Center Backs:
1. Barzagli
2. Chiellini
3. Bonucci
4. Ranocchia
5. Astori
6. Ogbonna

Full Backs:
1. Darmian
2. Florenzi (RB)
3. De Sciglio
4. De Silvestri
5. Criscito
6. Santon
7. Antonelli
8. Pasqual

Central Midfielders:
1. Verratti
2. Marchisio
3. De Rossi
4. Pirlo
5. Montolivo
6. Parolo
7. Bertolacci
8. Soriano

Wingers:
1. Berardi
2. Insigne
3. Candreva
4. Florenzi (RW)
5. Caligiuri (Why does Conte never call him?)
6. El Shaarawy
7. Giacherinni
8. Cerci

Forwards:
1. Gabbiadini
2. Giovinco
3. Balotelli
4. Quagliarella
5. Pelle
6. Eder
7. Immobile
8. Zaza
9. Matri
10. Okaka

So do something like that in how you would rank our players?

 

No not really. Marchisio is an amazing player, and probably at his prime now. He is very key and good, but Verratti has something not many other midfielders have. He has amazing passing and assisting skills, and is always comfortable on the ball and knows what to do with it. Verratti is very key to PSG, and I am not sure what PSG would do without him. Also Verratti has high potential and isn't at his prime yet.

 

Hey guys the draw is on saturday.

Pot 1: France, Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, Belgium

Pot 2: Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Ukraine

Pot 3: Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary

Pot 4: Turkey, Ireland, Iceland, Wales, Albania, Northern Ireland


Best Possible Draw: England, Hungary, Albania

Worst Possible Draw: France, Poland, Iceland

 

Group A: France, Croatia, Sweden, Northern Ireland

Group B: Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey

Group C: Germany, Austria, Romania, Wales

Group D: Belgium, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Ireland

Group E: Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Iceland

Group F: England, Italy, Hungary, Albania

 

The groups I hope for.

 

Okay here is our group:

First Match vs Belgium

Second Match vs Sweden

Third Match vs Ireland


This is a group of death but it could have been way worse.

I am looking forward to playing Belgium for real this time. We kind of start slow in our groups, but we always manage to win the very first game usually or at least draw it and the Belgium one will be very crucial. I think we can beat them, but it won't be easy. Looking back at the friendly Belgium's second goal was a mistake by us that we could have avoided and they had home advantage, so really Belgium aren't superior to us. We didn't even have our best team.

Sweden shouldn't be underestimated but I think they are pretty much an easy team. Yes they do have Zlatan Ibrahimovic but he is aging and it seems that they rely on him. Don't forget Austria beat this team 4-1 in Sweden, and so did Russia. So I think Sweden is our easiest game and won't be hard to beat them at all as long as we play strong and not underestimate them.

Ireland have shown that they are a strong team in qualifying but they are much stronger at home than away. Thanks God the Euros are not in Ireland. Anyway with our defense we should be able to handle them. They will be hard to break down, but the new 4-4-2 that Conte has put in place seems to be working quite well when it comes to playing defensive teams.


Bad News: Tough Tough Group

Good News: All Games will be interesting, and we shouldn't miss any of them.


FORZA AZZURRI!!! We can do this, We have the Confidence!!!

 

2002- beat Ecuador
2006- beat Czech Republic
2014- beat England

I said win or draw usually. Very rarely lose. Belgium and Portugal were friendlies. I don't know who was even taking these games seriously. Ireland are not a team to be underestimated.

 

sorry I mistyped, yes it was Ghana but we won!

 

I like Group F, I'd say Group B is more of a joke.