The Official Azzurri thread 2

[p_maldini_3]

[juventino_italiano]

[DavidP]

how much playing time do you guys think abate will get at the euro?

[red]

Not much.

He'll be going as second choice RB, so will only feature if Maggio is unavailable for whatever reason.

[DavidP]

gotcha, that's what i thought too.

[Bagg10]

Abate won't make the final cut.

[p_maldini_3]

quagriella barely played this season, how was prandelli gonna select him (cassano's is a unique scenario).

and fine, i'll concede on matri, but very little. he's not shit, he's just crap.

the RB back-up spot is a toss-up between abate and balzeretti (maggio is a guarantee). i don't think abate is anything great [anymore], but he does have more big-game exposure and i think it'll be enough to pinch it from balzeretti.

[Bagg10]

Pepe was/maybe is considered a mediocre player, but he's extremely useful, That's point I'm trying to make. Matri didn't have the greatest of seasons as it comes to scoring, but he's a versatile. He's also good at holding up the ball up top and laying it off to his teammates.

I'm not saying it's a travesty or injustice that he didn't make it...

If Prandelli is thinking about having the 3-5-2 as an option going into the Euros then yes, I think Abate will make it. But Ogbonna has only just been moved to CB maybe a year or two ago, he can play RB if needed. It really just depends on who Prandelli like in the midfield and forward positions, whether he can afford a spot to him or not...

[p_maldini_3]

ogbonna is left-footed, no? and he played as LB in the last azzuri game. i don't think i've ever seen a left footer at RB.

i don't think prandelli will make any surprise decisions like 7 defenders or 10 midfielders, he'll stick to 2 specialist players per position.

[DCGweez]

Ogbonna will make it given his ability to play multiple positions. Don't see Abate as a priority since he's similiar but worse than Maggio.

I'm willing to concede your point on Pepe. I still don't know what you're talking about in terms of Matri being versatile. He's no polymath at all. He's Mario only slower, weaker, worse dribbling and shooting.

I'd rather Matri date my sister. Other than that give me Mario.

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]

[RomaShield27]

Related to one of Italia's group stage opponents, great interview with Giovanni Trapattoni by calcio expert Paddy Agnew:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 50735.html

[DCGweez]

[DCGweez]

[red]

What does it matter if Matri (or Pazzini or Osvaldo) is versatile?

The other forwards are versatile enough to give plenty options.

I'd have had a real CF in the squad as there are times you need a guy who can lead the line, offer a physical presence and be relied upon to consistently get in goalscoring positions.

[p_maldini_3]

http://www.football-italia.net/18973/pr ... l-football

i'm not gonna lie, i've liked what i've seen from prandelli's italy. it's a shame that for the past few games italy has been playing without it's first choice strikers, but they're back for now.

[Bagg10]

[RomaShield27]

Lots of pics from the Azzurri's training ground in Coverciano here:

http://www.gettyimages.ie/Search/Search ... image&ep=2

[DCGweez]

http://jameshorncastle.com/

Interesting article on the Nazionale and the 3-5-2. In it Lippi says he wanted to play a 3 man D in 10 but was thwarted by Nesta's refusal to play and Chielini's injury.