Don't know what to write other than given that Chiesa scored more goals than Dembele for a negative Juve team under Allegri despite playing less matches than Dembele scored for a league powerhouse PSG, IMO stands to reason Chiesa would have scored even more in Ligue 1. It's like that comment you made how Giroud was a better scorer than Immobile. Well, sure. If we don't count goal totals.
Calafiori Whatever it was against Leicester it didn't keep him out as he went the full 90 Minutes today. Like in the weekend match, he was one of the higher rated players today as well (say top 3rd on his team). He's a bit susceptible to getting Booked, I've noticed. I believe this is was his 3rd Booking across all competitions this season.
If the rumors are true, Di Gregorio replaces Meret as #3. Brecianini hasn't done much the last month. I'd have Daniel Maldini draw in.
How does Zaniolo get a yellow subbing in during the second half with a 3-0 lead, and playing forward? That guy is not a serious player.
LOL he probably has a bit of the Balotelli effect on refs, just accumulates cards b/c of his perception
So past Zaniolo. Thankfully Italy's current formation isn't dependent on wingers so don't need depth in that role. Seems like Atalanta is a perfect spot for him to turn it around but instead much of the same. Move on from him once and for all. He should have stayed at Galatasaray. This is his level. As expected, Retegui made an appearance in the 2nd Half. Didn't know about Brecianini. Thanks. The hell is Di Gregorio doing handling outside the box? Gigio wasn't all that either versus Calafiori's Arsenal yesterday. Typical Gigio -- he's monster in Azzurro and league play but trash in the UCL.
So who do we have injured? Barella, Brescianini, perhaps Chiesa? Locatelli and Fagioli should both be on the team.
Chiesa was out today with a "knock" suffered in Training this week but should be available for the weekend. Bellanova scored, Assist to ex-Italy player Zappacosta. Cambiaso credited with an Assist. Orosolini the lone Italian in the starting 11 for Bologna. Fabbian and Casale came on in the 2nd Half.
Goalkeepers: Donnarumma, Vicario, Provedel (Di Gregorio) Defenders: Di Lorenzo, Gatti, Bastoni, Gabbia, Calafiori, Buongiorno. Full-backs: Cambiaso, Bellanova, Dimarco, Udogie. Midfielders: Ricci, Fagioli, Tonali, Pellegrini, Frattesi, Zaniolo, Pisilli (Locatelli, Cristante). Strikers: Retegui, Raspadori, Kean, Chiesa (Zaccagni). this is what the papers are saying at the moment as far as the expected call ups. Some surprises in midfield. I prefer Baldanzi to Pellegrini but I understand not wanting to upset the apple cart too much there as Pellegrini is his direct senior. Zaniolo is a surprise to me but managers rate his talent level in training even if he does not produce consistently on the pitch.
Official 𝑵𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒆 🇮🇹La lista dei 23 convocati del Ct Luciano #Spalletti per i due impegni in Nations League contro Belgio e Israele 💙#Nazionale #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/FMbp5Ie91e— Nazionale Italiana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri) October 4, 2024
My Comments At some point, going to need Barella and Chiesa back into the team if Italy want to go into Qualifiers with their best possible 11. Il Mister deciding yet again to keep the squad down to 23 and keep away from the inflated 28. I think I understand his reasoning behind it. Attack: Still no Chiesa. Damn. Would have loved to see him with Retegui. Zaccagni out as well despite some good performances. Not sure why he cannot take a flyer on Lucca given Scamacca's absence. Deserved for Maldini. 3 generations of Maldini for the Italy NT, quite something. Midfield: SMH at Pellegrini. Come on. Hope Pisilli gets some Minutes. Would it have hurt to include Locatelli? Defenders: SMH at Di Lorenzo. Enough already. Gatti should have been included instead. Auguri to Matteo Gabbia. More than deserved. Yipee a Milan player back in Azzurro.
After the away successes against the world vice champions France and Israel, the national team resumes its journey in the Nations League with the first two home matches of the season: on Thursday 10 October (8.45 pm, live on Rai 1) at the Olympic Stadium in Rome they will face Belgium, while on Monday 14 October (8.45pm, live on Rai 1) the 'Friuli' Stadium in Udine will be the setting for the second match with Israel. The objective is to confirm themselves at the top of the standings and secure qualification for the quarter-finals with two more victories. Niccolò Pisilli, Roma midfielder born in 2004 Coach Luciano Spalletti has called up 23 players, four making their first call to the national team: Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, Milan defender Matteo Gabbia, Roma midfielder Niccolò Pisilli and Monza striker Daniel Maldini. Over 22 years after the last presence of father Paolo (18 June 2002) and 61 years after grandfather Cesare, a Maldini returns to wear the blue shirt. Daniel Maldini, striker born in 2001 for Monza The national team will meet on Sunday in Coverciano and on the afternoon of Wednesday 9 October they will move to Rome to return to the Federal Technical Center on Thursday night. The transfer to Udine on Sunday, on the eve of the match against Israel. For Spalletti, a journey in reverse compared to the one he made in 2005, when he moved from Udinese to Roma, two intense experiences in his coaching career. THE LIST OF CALLED PEOPLE Goalkeepers: Michele Di Gregorio (Juventus), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham); Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Matteo Gabbia (Milan) , Caleb Okoli (Leicester), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham); Midfielders: Nicolò Fagioli (Juventus), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma), Samuele Ricci (Torino), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle); Forwards: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Daniel Maldini (Monza), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta).
Glad Zaniolo is not there because it would have sent the wrong message. Pellegrini though has dark forces protecting him. The guy is a human vacuum who sucks the life out of everything around him. You can make the case that Di Lorenzo should also be gone, but Conte is getting good games out of him. Until his club form drops, very unlikely that he’s not gonna be dropped from Italy. The biggest omission for me is Gatti. I don’t know how Okoli is doing so I can’t say whether he was deserving or not. Locatelli to Spalletti is becoming what Ambrosini was to Lippi. Then in attack, if you’re not delighted that a Maldini is wearing the azzurri shirt again you need to go ******** your self
great to see Pisilli Okoli and Maldini! Have to say Spaletti has been making great selections post euros to keep things fresh and reward good form and competition to those on the cusp of the 26 man squad.