AS do I. Granted at 24 years of age he still very much has time on his side, but I definitely expected more from him by this point. He just seems to lack the consistency to take his game to the next level. As for Gila, the man will always continue to be an enigma. It's not so much the fact that he can't perform, but rather the fact that he can't perform at clutch moments when we most need him too. He went from being a goal-scoring machine at ALL LEVELS during his years with Parma, to suddenly being a guy that only seems to show up when he wants to. Granted, he's still scoring in bunches for Fiorentina, but he has been simply dreadful for the Azzurri ever since the World Cup!
Hell, a player of Flamini's quality had a hard enough time seeing any playing time last year, so one can just imagine how tough it would be for a youngster like Abate. A place like Milan (with all due respect) just isn't the idea place for a young player to make his mark at the moment, unless your name is Pato (or you're BRAZILIAN in general for that matter).
Gila's form is due to the influence of Prandelli. He has played mostly in sides coached by Prandelli and it is with him that he produces his best form. Prandelli is able to build the team around him or he would have a better understanding of Gila's character. Montolivo is very gifted but I feel that he is being wasted by Prandelli. He is a CM or box-to-box midfielder in Prandelli's formation. Montolivo is really a trequartista and he is a guy to build a team around. He should be solely used for attacking options. Everyone talks about a lack of creativity in the Italy team post-Totti but it would be good for a change Montolivo was played in his true position for club and country. I'm not saying that he'll automatically win a World Cup for us just by moving him into that position but Prandelli and Lippi are not getting the best out of him by using him as a box-to-box player. Prandelli is a positive for Gila but he is destroying Montolivo. Prandelli is turning Montolivo into a system player, which he is not.
Maybe Montolivo is being played out of position for club and country I dunno but, to be honest, I don't want Montolivo called up any further until he produces magnificent form. Every time the guy plays, he plays scared, timid and hesitant. <-- This has nothing to do with what position he is told to play in. A player's drive and aggression has to do with inner emotion. And, frankly, when Montolivo plays for the Azzurri he shows none. I'd rather get D'Agostino or someone similar on the field who plays his heart out. If I were the coach I would stop babying some of these players and get fcukin real results and good play out of them. If I ever called up Montolivo, I would right before the game say something like "Go out there and show me you deserve a position on this team. If you can't, I'll assume you do not." Similarly, I would huddle Gila, Rossi, Iaquinta, etc. and be like "I want no less than 2 goals today from you all; show me you have it in you all." I'm sorry but our players need a fcukin fire lit under their asses. Of course, Lippi knows more in his right earlobe than I ever will in my entire life so I guess we'll leave it to the master. What the hell do I know anyways lol
I do agree that the Squadra Azzurra needs players with heart and they need to show their commitment for Italy. Not only that, Montolivo has been disappointing at senior level. At the same time, with the way Montolivo is being positioned, only Italian coaches are bringing him down. Italy is a serious offender to coaching skills out of players due to their obsession with tactics and at the moment, they're doing a good job with Montolivo. I can't see him developing any confidence or consistency if he is used as a CM. If he is used as a trequartista again, that is the only way that Montolivo can live up to his full potential.
Nowaways, a trequartista has to have the ability to dribble and break the defense and score. A trequartista as a pure playmaker doesn't exist anymore. Pirlo was a trequartista and one of the reasons why he was changed to a DM was becuase he didn't have this ability. Montoliv doesn't neither (or at least he rarely can do it). If anything, Jovetic is much suited as a trequartista than Montolivo although Jovetic has to improve his scoring ability.
Azzurri Players in CL/EL Gila, Monto in CL Qualifier [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDUF8zBkfRA"]YouTube - SPORTING LISBONA - FIORENTINA 2-2 - HIGHLIGHTS AMPIA SINTESI STUDIO SPORT - 19/08/09 - HQ[/ame] Rossi in Europa League Playoff [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPuzS3WZ97A"]YouTube - Voetbal NAC Breda - Villarreal voorronde Europa-League[/ame] Amelia, Bocchetti, Criscito in Europa League Playoff [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKZTlNrVw_E"]YouTube - Genoa 3-1 Odense Highlights[/ame] De Rossi, Motta, Brighi, Totti in Europa League Play off [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhNYagrkpZU"]YouTube - Kosice 3-3 AS Roma Highlights[/ame]
Kosice-Roma 3-3??? I turned off the tv when the result was 1-3... About Lazio: Foggia was an unused substitute yesterday, the feeling is that he won't see much PT this season...
I hate Lazio with passion the club is run backwards they love to award there best players by treating them like shit, Pandev, Ledesema, Rocchi all get shelled for playing good soccer.
Wow, that is hard to fathom. I have nothing against Lazio but it is difficult to grasp what they are playing at with all this self-inflicted turmoil. You would think Foggia would command a good price if they don't plan to use him, and as far as I know he isn't one of the "rebels" so they wouldn't appear to be rewarding bad behavior.
Congrats again to Canna on his record 127th cap ...... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIMVFOGtKR0"]YouTube - Fabio Cannavaro (Record di Presenze in Azzurro) - Viva l'Italia - Esoesgallo[/ame]
Cases like his really frustrate the hell out of me. If he were on a bigger club like the big 3 then I could understand the limited amount of playing time he would see, but you'd think a mid-table club like Lazio would be making the most out of having an incredible talent like him. Granted, he's not in the twilight of his career by any means, but at 26 years of age now is the time that he should really be making his mark. It would be such a shame to see a quality player like him wasted due to a club's inability to make the most of him.
The difference between Jovetic and Montolivo is that Jovetic is willing to dribble and Montolivo doesn't believe in himself to do it that often.
Both Cassano and Pazzini haven't lost a beat it seems, as they both wasted no time in making a strong case for themselves today. In a 2-1 victory over Catania, Pazzini managed to score the first goal off of an assist that came from none other than Cassano
Other good things of today matches: Foggia (today finally started) with a great assist for Rocchi, then he was subbed off around 60', and Criscito (played only the second half) scored a great goal with his right foot.
pazzini scored, but today was all about cassano from what i read on the gamecast. canna and chiellini had a nice first match, as did marchisio and iaquinta, but it was against chievo at home, so not exactly the stiffest of tests.
oh, and i guess he can go here as well, but andreolli was rated a 7 this match, even though his foul led to the second goal. diamanti, the late bloomer, was rated an 8 and marchetti a 7.5. he really is a good keeper
Cassano continuing to make his claim for the national team. It will be criminal if we don't see him in blue next summer.
Criminal yes. Unfortunately Lippi would be willing to do a life sentence before he allows Cassano onto the squad
I know for sure who will be called for the sept wcqs... Donadoni gift to the Azzurri = Di Natale..... 2(1 P.k) goals today....... maybe even 4-3-3 will be back.. P> Pazzini is suspended for the next WCQ .
Here u go ...RECAP of .. Azzurri Players / Serie A week #1 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j15MPUXNEYs"]YouTube - Juventus Chievo 1-0 Highlights sintesi 1a giornata controcampo HD 23-08-09 serie A[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juhiz_myzPc"]YouTube - Catania Sampdoria 1-2 Highlights Sintesi 1a giornata controcampo HD 23-08-09 serie A[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjPDUH9BrtE"]YouTube - Udinese Parma 2-2 Highlights sintesi 1a giornata controcampo HD 23-08-09 serie A[/ame]
cont...Serie A - Azzurri players ..Week #1 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdkSknLzjGo"]YouTube - Palermo Napoli 2-1 Highlights sintesi 1a giornata controcampo HD 23-08-09 serie A[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySjrWucNWek"]YouTube - Genoa Roma 3-2 Highlights Sintesi 1a giornata controcampo HD 23-08-09 serie A[/ame] Foggia + Freshwater.... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zIuWu0JbO4"]YouTube - Lazio Atalanta 1-0 Highlights Sintesi 1a giornata controcampo HD 23-08-09 serie A[/ame]
Can he serve his ban only in the WCQ? I thought that a ban has to be cleaned up in the next official competitive matches after the punishment, so the CC in this case...