It won't stop until the clubs are punished or incentivized (depending on your perspective) to play Italians. The country is strapped of cash, clubs can barely run unless they sell players for profits on the cheap buys from s*** scouting areas. Those who can't keep up with that model eventually get docked points and possibly erased from existence because FFP is rigged to penalize the poor and keep the cash pumped to the rich. Until this model gets reformed, get used to seeing 29 year old Libyans start in Serie A over better italians. The Nazionale will slowly die with this model. And we will deserve to die if we do nothing.
The defence is by far our biggest liability and the most disfunctional area right now. It’s correct to proceed with a back 3 because no one in this generation is adequate in a back 4. One thing is certain for me, Bastoni and Calafiori cannot play together in any formation.
Another thing I forgot to mention about Dimarco. I’m really happy he’s playing great and I hope his form continues and he smashes every assist record in history but I hope this form carries over for the Azzurri. Same thing for Bastoni who always saves his best for Inter.
Would be shocked if we see anything but a DiMarco-Calafiori-Bastoni approach to the defense on the left side for these matches. It's not ideal, but just what I expect them to do. RCB and RWB are still the question marks depending on fitness and what Gattuso has the stones to try to implement with little time and their backs against the wall.
Yes it's not ideal last time they tried Bastoni in the centre but to me Calafiori is better with his head and if instructed to stay back could play in the centre physically speaking he also could quaterback passes from there. Then Bastoni and he can switch when they want to go on runs. Scalvini being so good this year helps a lot as at least you have one good option for RCB but if the backline is not disciplined it could collapse because you have DiMarco Palestra Bastoni and Calafiori all wanting to get forward. The other option would be to play Calafiori in front of the defence and let Barella and Tonali take turns dropping deep to collect the ball off him. That way you can defend with a 4 without having to really worry about DiMarco or Palestra dropping back. This is something Capello has mentioned as an idea. -----DiMarco-------Tonali--------Barella-----Palestra -------------------------------Calafiori ------------Bastoni-----------Acerbi-------Scalvini
Yes, I also think we're at a point where you have to roll out Di Marco in a formation that suits him. You can't have him off the field no matter the Azzurri inconsistency. He is one of the best performing Italians full season so far, we have to live and die with him.
Good thoughts. Either way, I think if it's going to be a back 3 (which it needs to be if you are starting DiMarco, for my money) we are still lacking the right fit in the CB role between Bastoni/Calafiori in a 3. You want a pure man marker who can get physical when needed in the CB spot which is not the strength of either of them and either way you are nullifying a lot of their gifts slotting them in there. It's unfortunate that they are both left-footed and want to effect the match in the same sort of areas, but it is the reality we find ourselves in heading into the playoffs. The future doesn't look much different with so many other potential key contributors waiting in the wings on the left side, lol, but cross that bridge when we come to it. The reality is Italy just needs to make this work for potentially two games. Nothing else really matters so as currently constructed there is going to be some forcing square pegs into round holes, so to speak, and you are going to have to take a chance with a line-up in some regards with this defensive personnel.
Here is my controversial take. IF we qualify, I agree you do it by any means necessary. Young or old, dirty or clean tactic, beauty or ugly....JUST QUALIFY. FFS GENTLEMAN DO YOU WANT TO QUALIFY OR NOT? Now, if we qualify...the squad in my opinion must be selected with the mindset of who will benefit the most by experiencing a world cup. My controversial opinion is this world cup qualification better serves for four years time than right now. Players that we need in the next four year window must experience this world cup. if we roll out there with the Pellegrinis and the Mancinis and gd El Sahaarawys it will do nothing. We will accomplish nothing. if we choose the squad to be competitive but with the best players who need this experience, it could set wonders for the next four years that we can't imagine right now. Players gain so much just from going to the world cup, this is why this selection is so important IF we qualify. Fans will groan because they want to believe we can win now. We can't win the world cup now. No chance. We can in 4 years. We can do it by qualifying and not f'ing up the selection. This world cup has to be part of a 4 year vision. if we treat it in a silo we'll just not qualify or go there and embarrass ourselves, gain nothing, and rinse and repeat.
And the main problem with a 352 is Gatusso does not like it nor does he really understand it. so his instructions won't be suited to it and could become suicide ball again. You could still use DiMarco in a Simeone style flat 442. ----------------Pio----Retegui DiMarco----Tonali----Verratti----Barella Calafiori--Bastoni---Scalvini---Kayode ---------------------Gigio
-Chiesa (hopefully) -Berardi -Zaniolo -Vergara -Bellanova -Ruggeri Di Marco can play high up as well. Orsolini could be an option but he hasn't been consitent, not sure what his deal is. 3-5-2 we'll get exposed on the counters especially if Di Lo makes it back on the squad, these upcoming games, especially if we play Wales are all counterattack based.
Now is the time to strike on Vergara. Sorry other midfielders who aren't performing. if we strike now and keep him included in the group, the result will be more than we can ever envision in the future
Di Lorenzo is having surgery so he will not be available for the playoffs. Also here is the players Gattuso has met with, a good list might I say (from Gazzetta): Retegui, Verratti, Calafiori, Chiesa, Vicario, Udogie, Donnarumma, Kayode, Savona, Tonali, Miretti, Locatelli, Cambiaso, Gatti, Pio, Dimarco, Bastoni, Barella, Frattesi, Bartesaghi, Gabbia, Ricci, Kean, Orsolini. He will meet with the Napoli, Roma, Atalanta, and Cagliari guys on Friday.
kinda wild Gatusso has to fly across the world to talk one on one with players because he has no time to retrain them with whatever new ideas he and his team have come up with and he did not really build anything solid in qualifying. My hope is entirely centred on the individual form and talent of our best players.
They probably won’t be called but Pisilli and Ghilardi have been playing really well. Also,Verratti hasn’t played since January 15th when Gattuso went to visit him. This is what ChatGpt pulled for me, “After that, multiple Arabic reports say he suffered a knee injury (described as an injury to the internal knee ligament / MCL) and that it worsened in his last appearance with Al Duhail—then the medical staff recommended a long rehab (and some reports mention surgery), with talk that it could end his season. “
So Leoni, Di Lorenzo, and Verratti will all be out injured. Zaccagni and Barella are the only ones not available but should be by then.
The Italian midfielder for Qatari club Al-Duhail has suffered a major blow after sustaining a knee ligament injury that will sideline him for an extended period and could officially end his season. Medical tests revealed a complex tear in the 33-year-old's medial collateral ligament, prompting a medical recommendation for surgery within the next few hours. This will be followed by a months-long rehabilitation program. The injury is a recurrence of a previous problem, which has recently worsened, leading Al-Duhail's medical staff to make the crucial decision to end his participation this season to ensure his safety. https://www.alanba.com.kw/1343715 maybe these papers are wrong and he’s recovering for the playoffs but two Arabic papers are saying it
I remember Marco Messina of IFTV glazing Conte like he would be the only coach that could save Azzurri. He sure ain't saving the joke of Napoli this season, out in all competitions in February.
The one coach from Azzurri history who could have come in and steer a new generation would have been Dino Zoff in my opinion. We are crying for a fresh approach and unique set of ideas that are truly Italian and not trendy. His approach from 1998 is, to me, so badly needed it hurts my entire being.
🇮🇹⚔️ 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐎 𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀 (𝟐𝟎) is the U20 player with 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐔𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐍 in the Big-5 Leagues this season 𝟐𝟐𝟕.— @DataMB_ pic.twitter.com/amWlZTEuKm— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) February 10, 2026