The Official Azzurri thread 2

[juventino_italiano]

[RomaShield27]

On the plus side to all this calcioscommesse scandal and all the players dropping like flies, if Italia do get booted out you can always cheer for Trap's Irlanda.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... ng-scandal?

[p_maldini_3]

sweet, bonucci is involved some how, that means he should get kicked off the team too. i hope he is told to fuck off too.

[Bagg10]

Fuck... I'm pretty disappointed Criscito has to miss the Euros.
I also can't believe he picked Rannocchia over Astori.

Without Criscito I think we should go with


------------------Buffon
Maggio---Barzagli---Ogbonna/Bonucci---Chiellini

-----------DDR---Pirlo---Marchisio

----------------Montolivo

------Balotelli--------Cassano/Di Natale

[DCGweez]

The friendly is cancelled.

[red]

Destro and Ranocchia are the players cut to bring the squad down to 23.

[RomaShield27]

[RomaShield27]

So, whats Italy's first 11 gonna be? Seen Bagg's line-up above, my formation would be similar:

------------------ Buffon --------------------

Maggio ---- Barzagli ---- Chiellini ----- Balzaretti

---------- DDR ---- Pirlo ---- Marchisio --------

------------------ Giovinco -------------------

------------ Cassano ---- Di Natale -------------

I wouldn't start Balotelli, he cant be trusted. With Criscito's exit i guess Balzaretti will start, unless Chiellini is pushed over there? Or Prandelli goes with a three-man back-line I suppose.

I think the exclusion of a big prima punta could be a mistake. I like Borini, very much so, but I'm not so sure if he's quite ready for this tournament and what sort of impact he can have. He's a bit one dimensional at the moment and lacks a bit of technical quality, and often has his head down on the ball and cant see a pass. He's a good player of course, full of energy, and had a good impact with Roma earlier in the season but wasn't that impressive toward the end. I just think maybe someone like Osvaldo or Matri would have been a better call to have on the bench.

[p_maldini_3]

borini is the striker you throw on when you're leading the game by one goal and you want some hustle at the top. that's why he was picked, and he can fit into a 4-3-3.

i think prandelli's picked an excellent squad, based on what is at his disposal. he's got a lot of players that can play multiple roles and that always helps. there's plenty of technical talent in the midfield, while the front line has some strikers that can create something from nothing as well as strikers that will be underestimated (di natale and giovinco).

[p_maldini_3]

although i don't understand the squad numbers, even though it's not that big of a deal. abate is wearing 7. that makes no sense.

[RomaShield27]

Yeh, Borini's work rate and enthusiasm is something which can be very useful alright, particularly off the bench when your leading, like you said. I guess I'm just not sure if there are enough options upfront. I mean, Giovinco isn't really a forward and is likely to play in that trequartista role, and you could have question marks over all the forwards selected: Balotelli (nutjob), Borini (technically), Cassano (fitness), Di Natale (prone to flop). I suppose there are options there, like you said, to mix it up play different systems, but I think a big prima-punta could certainly have played a role.

In other news, Trapattoni's has confirmed , and yes, the Ginger Maldini, Paul McShane, has made it. If you've nine minutes of your life to waste, bow down in fear, prepare to be awed, with this quality tribute (ahem) to him:

[juventino_italiano]

Who are the 3 reserves?

[p_maldini_3]

the way italy have been playing, a bumbling center forward is not something they really need. but one problem that italy could face is lack of penetration from a front trio of montolivo, cassano and balotelli. this is where marchisio needs to make his name, and if he's not doing a good job bring in nocerino.

[DCGweez]

I'm surprised people are thinking it will be Marchisio. I think it will be Nocerino.

Borini can play on the right in the channel and out wide. Who else would you put out there in a 4-3-3.

I think he gives the team tactical flexibility and work rate.

[red]

[red]

There's no way that Prandelli will go with Nocerino ahead of Marchisio and rightly so.

[red]

Not sure what I consider Italy's best team.

I'm finding it hard to think of a front three that will offer movement and penetration, without leaving Italy looking light in midfield.

I think the team would look a lot more solid with Chiellini at LB. It may limit Italy's ability to attack down that side to some extent, but I consider that a necessary sacrafice to make the backline look a bit stronger. Balzaretti could always be brought on if Italy need to open the game up and look for a goal.

[Bagg10]

Tuesday May 29 2012

Genoa ultras deny Criscito wrongdoing
By Football Italia staff

Genoa ultras insist the meeting they had with Domenico Criscito was not to discuss match-fixing. “We never talked about money or betting.”

Criscito was at Genoa during the incident that has dragged him into the investigation into a betting scandal.

A dawn raid on Italy’s Coverciano training ground on Monday morning confirmed he is under investigation and due to the “pressure” of the situation he was dropped from the Euro 2012 squad.

He was reportedly photographed having dinner with teammate Giuseppe Sculli, some ultras figures and Romanians who are under investigation.

“We only wanted an explanation on the derby and the players’ reaction after their winning goal,” ultras chief Fabrizio ‘Tombolone’ Fileni told Primocanale Sport.

“When Criscito came to the meeting to shake our hands, we refused it. We never talked about money or betting.”

However, the fan leader was scathing when it came to former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto. “His arrest was right.”

It should be noted Milanetto was hounded out of the club by the ultras due to a series of rows.

http://www.football-italia.net/19354/ge ... wrongdoing

[Bagg10]

Tuesday May 29 2012

Italy to go with Balotelli-Cassano
By Football Italia staff

Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano are expected to lead the Italian attack in the friendly with Luxembourg later this evening.

Coach Cesare Prandelli, who has now selected his 23-man squad for Euro 2012, will field a 4-3-1-2.

Juventus custodian Gigi Buffon will keep goal behind a back-four of Christian Maggio, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Balzaretti.

If Juventus stopper Bonucci isn’t fielded, given the reports that he could soon be investigated as part of the betting probe, Torino’s Angelo Ogbonna will start as Giorgio Chiellini recovers from injury.

The three in midfield should initially be comprised of Antonio Nocerino, Thiago Motta and Daniele De Rossi.

Alessandro Diamanti and Riccardo Montolivo are both set to be tested at some stage during the tie behind two forwards.

The match is scheduled to take place at Parma’s Stadio Tardini despite the earthquake in Italy this morning which rocked the Azzurri squad’s hotel, although city officials will discuss the matter with the Italian Football Federation.

http://www.football-italia.net/19337/it ... li-cassano

[Bagg10]

I know the game got cancelled, but I thought the predicted line-up was somewhat telling(what we already may have predicted).

I think he was just going to give Pirlo and Marchisio some rest/give Motta and Nocerino some playing time.