The Official Azzurri thread 2

[RomaShield27]

Seen bits of the game v England, Italia were quite good, but fell apart a little once a lot of subs were made, which can happen. Result not really important.

I thought it was great to see so many young players involved. Nice and refreshing. Isn't it funny how the outlook for the future of the Azzurri can change so dramatically from just after the last World Cup when many people believed that Italia were on the slide and there weren't many – if any – promising young players coming through? Now look at it. A great performance in the Euro's, a bit of pride and belief restored, and now the future looks good.

From lasts nights game, you had the likes of Verratti, Destro, El Shaarawy, Ogbonna, Gabbiadini, Fabbrini, Poli, Schelotto all involved. All very promising.

Then there's also Balotelli and Borini, plus Under 21 players like Insigne, Immobile, Florenzi, Perin, De Sciglio, Marrone plus more.

[Bagg10]

DIRAMATA LA LISTA DEI GIOCATORI CHE PRENDERANNO PARTE ALLE GARE CONTRO BULGARIA E MALTA.
Roma, 2 settembre 2012 - Venticinque giocatori e tra questi una novità , l’attaccante del Napoli Lorenzo Insigne, che ha già vestito la maglia azzurra dell’Under 21. Il commissario tecnico Cesare Prandelli ha ufficializzato oggi i nomi degli Azzurri che domani inizieranno la preparazione in vista dell’esordio nelle qualificazioni mondiali, un doppio impegno il primo in casa della Bulgaria, in programma venerdì 7 settembre a Sofia (ore 21.45 locali, ore 20.45 italiane), e il secondo con Malta martedì 11 allo stadio “Alberto Braglia” di Modena (ore 20.45).
A Coverciano la Nazionale si radunerà nella tarda mattinata di domani e nel pomeriggio scenderà in campo (ore 16) per sostenere il primo allenamento. Presso il centro tecnico federale gli Azzurri svolgeranno martedì e mercoledì due sedute giornaliere, mentre giovedì, dopo l’allenamento del mattino, partiranno per Sofia. Domenica 9 settembre, in vista della seconda gara in programma a Modena, gli Azzurri effettueranno la preparazione presso il campo Comunale di Medolla, una delle zone più colpite dal terremoto dello scorso maggio.

Questo l’elenco dei convocati:

Portieri: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Fiorentina);

Difensori: Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Roma), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Cassani (Fiorentina), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino);

Centrocampisti: De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus), Poli (Sampdoria), Verratti (Paris St. Germain);

Attaccanti: Borini (Liverfekkin'wankscum), Destro (Roma), Giovinco (Juventus), Insigne (Napoli), Osvaldo (Roma), Pazzini (Milan).

Tecnici Federali: Cesare Prandelli, Gabriele Pin, Vincenzo Di Palma, Renzo Casellato;
Preparatore Atletico: Giambattista Venturati;
Medici Federali: Prof. Enrico Castellacci, Dott. Luca Gatteschi
Massofisioterapisti: Aldo Esposito, Antonio Pagni, Gianluca Scolaro.

I convocati dovranno trovarsi lunedì 3 settembre entro le ore 12.30 presso il Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano. Alle 13.30 è prevista la conferenza stampa del Commissario tecnico e dei calciatori; alle 16.00 gli Azzurri sosterranno una seduta di allenamento (aperta alla stampa)

http://vivoazzurro.it/it/news/azzurri-i ... randelli-0

[Bagg10]

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

Cassani-----Barzagli----Bonucci-----Balzaretti

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

-------------------Diamanti
------------Giovinco----------Pazzini

What I'd go with. Maggio will probably start over Cassani. Nocerino for DDR if he's injured.

[DCGweez]

Players called up:


Portieri: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Fiorentina);
Difensori: Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Roma), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Cassani (Fiorentina), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino);
Centrocampisti: De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus), Poli (Sampdoria), Verratti (Paris St. Germain);
Attaccanti: Borini (Liverfekkin'wankscum), Destro (Roma), Giovinco (Juventus), Insigne (Napoli), Osvaldo (Roma), Pazzini (Milan).

[RomaShield27]

Prandelli: Osvaldo, Giovinco to start
Thursday September 6 2012f / http://www.football-italia.net/

Italian National team Coach Cesare Prandelli has confirmed that Pablo Osvaldo and Sebastian Giovinco will start against Bulgaria in Sofia on Friday night.

Corriere dello Sport claim the former Fiorentina tactician has chosen the 3-5-2 formation as his preferred system to start with tomorrow after leaving from their Coverciano training camp to Pisa and on to Sofia this afternoon.

“We will be playing in a very difficult atmosphere,” asserted the 55-year-old.

“We are the team to beat at the moment and that has become very apparent over the last few days.”

The Italy Boss also commented on Roma’s burly forward and Juventus’s diminutive striker:

“They are both on form and in great condition to play tomorrow night against the Bulgarians. I knew on Monday that I would be punting on them.”

[RomaShield27]

So, were Italia playing recently? juventino_italiano? Anyone see the game? Bagg, Italiamia, DCG, MI?

[DCGweez]

Ain't much to say. Roma carried the team. Prandelli was out thunk. Bulgaria's halftime adjustments were better. Prandelli made a tactical switch from 3 at the back and it didn't get relayed properly with the sub. Bulgaria tied it up and Italy barely hung on.

DDR got hurt and he had used all subs with 30 minutes left. Italy were lucky to escape with a point. This reminds me of all the Italy qualifiers from the 80s and 90s.

[RomaShield27]

Seen a few highlights. Agreed that Roma carried the team. Bit of a disorganised performance, some sloppy defending on the equaliser. Yeh lucky enough to escape with a point in the end, going down to 10 men.

[Bagg10]

You're all fucking welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2600F871586A98F6

[DCGweez]

Mario is supposedly out with the flu. So it's Ozzy and Gio tonight up front.

[Bagg10]

Monday October 15 2012

Prandelli: Buffon wants to play
By Football Italia staff

Italy Coach Cesare Prandelli has admitted that Gianluigi Buffon is desperate to start against Denmark, despite missing training.

The Juventus 'keeper sat out Monday's session after suffering from a slight thigh strain, but the 55-year-old tactician has confirmed that the veteran shot-stopper is keen to play in the World Cup qualifier at San Siro.

“Buffon wants to play,” he told a Press Conference today. “We will assess it in the morning, but has hasn't trained as a precaution.”

The former Fiorentina boss continued by issuing harsh words to reporters who asked about the Serie A clash between Juve and Napoli on Saturday.

“Juve – Napoli? We do not care about that. It's a game that concerns fans and journalists only. All that we're worried about is the three points.

“I hope that everyone [in the team] is concentrating on this game [against Denmark]. The last time we talked about a club game, we lost to the USA in Genoa.

“So I will not say any more about things that do not concern the national team.

He concluded by commenting on the situation surrounding Mario Balotelli, who missed the win over Armenia because of a virus.

“Balotelli is available,” he said. “He has trained well over the last two days.”

http://www.football-italia.net/26170/pr ... wants-play

[RomaShield27]

Wednesday October 31 2012 / http://www.football-italia.net/26741/pr ... reputation

Italy Coach Cesare Prandelli spoke about how “proud” he is to have changed the perception of calcio abroad with Euro 2012 and comments on Marco Verratti’s progress.

“I am proud to be told Italy have a quality of football rarely seen before, especially when said by people who analyse the statistics,” he told French site Zonemixte.fr.

“In Italy we are still so tied to the result, but we sent out a significant message that we can achieve a result via good football.

“We tried to give emotional moments and sensations to our fans and they appreciated that, even after losing the Final. Obviously, we play to win.”

The Azzurri are dominating their World Cup qualifying group, top with 10 points compared to Bulgaria’s six and the Czech Republic on three.

“Anyone who wears this jersey must not only have responsibility, but also feel proud and represent a model for all the kids who dream of the Azzurri shirt.

“We have done well to speed up the project, but now need to focus on qualification and not take it for granted. We’ve got to improve in terms of performances, as football is in a state of constant evolution.

“There are different expectations now, as it’s not enough to create 15 scoring opportunities – people want three goals per game too. The way of seeing this team has changed radically, as if we are already the finished product.”

Prandelli was asked about his tactical experiments and building on the midfield foundations set by the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Daniele De Rossi.

“A Coach must design a tactical system based on the players at his disposal. One cannot be rigid in these matters and ignore the characteristics of his squad. Our talent has been working with different tactical systems and that meant the players had fewer difficulties when the time came to change.

“When we started this adventure two years ago, we realised Italy had a very strong midfield and on top of those three had someone like Thiago Motta or Riccardo Montolivo. This is why we tried to build around that area of the side. We have many attacking midfielders who don’t give reference points.”

Verratti has quickly become a star in France with PSG, but rarely steps on to the field for the senior Italy side.

“The strange thing is that we’re happy no Italian clubs signed him, because that way the lad can gain international experience in France and the Champions League,” confessed Prandelli.

“He is a talent who perhaps should’ve been protected and dealt with differently. I am happy for him, as he has great character for someone so young. He can become one of the best midfielders in Europe, but he needs international experience first.

“Thiago Motta had a great Euro 2012 and some fitness problems, but right now I want to understand if there are other players ready for that role for the next two years.”

Prandelli started with De Rossi and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo after they were frozen out by Roma Coach Zdenek Zeman for not putting enough effort in, prompting both to provide performances and find the net.

“We often try to prick the pride of players to get the best out of them. They arrived ‘wounded’ and proved they were professionals, because Zeman levelled serious accusations at them.”

[Lupa]

I didn't know where else to put it, but Time Magazine's international edition has profile on Balotelli.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 58,00.html

[Bagg10]

Sunday November 11 2012

Italy squad to face France
By Football Italia staff

Stephan El Shaarawy, Davide Santon and Alessandro Florenzi are in the Italy squad to face France in next week’s friendly, but Daniele De Rossi is dropped after his red card.

Cesare Prandelli has a strict code of ethics and confirmed he will not call up players who are sent off for dissent or violent conduct.

De Rossi saw red today for punching Stefano Mauri during Roma’s 3-2 defeat to Lazio, so is frozen out even though he went to the locker room afterwards to apologise.

The Azzurri welcome Les Bleus to the Stadio Tardini in Parma on Wednesday evening.

Milan starlet El Shaarawy is again named in the senior squad and it seems has now definitively made the step up from Under-21 level.

Another figure poached from the Azzurrini is Roma midfielder Florenzi, while Newcastle United full-back Santon gets his first call since August.

Cagliari defender Davide Astori is recalled for the first time since March 2011.

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Emiliano Viviano (Fiorentina);

Defenders: Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Roma), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St. Pietroburgo), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Davide Santon (Newcastle);

Midfielders: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Marco Verratti (Paris St. Germain);

Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Manchester City), Mattia Destro (Roma), Stephan El Shaarawy (Milan), Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus), Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (Roma).

http://www.football-italia.net/27184/it ... ace-france

[Bagg10]

Tuesday November 13 2012

Prandelli names Italy-France XI
By Football Italia staff

Cesare Prandelli has named his starting XI for Italy’s friendly with France, a 4-3-3 including Marco Verratti, Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy.

It had already been reported that the Coach was going to adopt the system for tomorrow evening’s game at the Stadio Tardini in Parma.

Prandelli rattled off this list of players: Sirigu; Maggio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Balzaretti; Montolivo, Verratti, Marchisio, Candreva, Balotelli, El Shaarawy.

“El Shaarawy will play in the position he already uses at Milan, Balotelli will be the centre-forward and Candreva plays on the right.

“I will ask the attacking players to flood the area and seek depth in going for the goal. El Shaarawy and Antonio Candreva have very attacking characteristics and the midfield must work to support them.

“The internal midfielders must not just bring balance, but also participate in the attack and go for goal.

“In terms of possession, as we do not have a fourth midfielder then we will have to keep the ball less and surge forward more, while without the ball we need to repeat the same attitude we had in recent outings.”

It is a special game for Verratti and Salvatore Sirigu, who both play in France with Paris Saint-Germain.

“I expect Verratti to grow in terms of character. He is gaining experience, but mustn’t feel too much pressure on his shoulders. He needs to do his job without thinking about over-doing it.”

The Coach also called up Newcastle United full-back Davide Santon and Roma’s Under-21 international midfielder Alessandro Florenzi.

“We want to play a ‘real’ game, so these lads will only be introduced later on in the day. As for Balotelli, I expect to see the same effort he put in against Denmark.

“France are a great team who want to win this, even if it is a friendly, so we must not lower our guard. We want to give the fans emotions and a spectacle,” pointed out Prandelli in his Press conference.

“I am intrigued to see the character of these lads. France are renewing their squad and showed against Spain that they have become more versatile, practical and balanced. They are a very attacking team who try to make the most of width.”

Italy line-up: Sirigu; Maggio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Balzaretti; Montolivo, Verratti, Marchisio, Candreva, Balotelli, El Shaarawy

http://www.football-italia.net/27251/pr ... -france-xi

[RomaShield27]

Great to see Florenzi get a call up, makes me proud to be a Roman...

Hopefully Prandelli gives him a run out in the second-half, he's had a great start to the season and deserves it.

[DCGweez]

Watched the first 70 minutes of the game and saw all 3 goals. One of the best games I've seen the team play since 06'.

Don't be fooled by the score, Italy were the better side and our MF got the better of France's without Pirlo and De Rossi on the pitch.

In addition Balo and E-S played well together.

(Florenzi also played pretty well although his crosses left something to be desired.)

It's a good mix of old and young and frankly has me very excited.

Here is the highlights although they don't show the full movement of Italia goal. It was excellent:

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/italy-1-france-2/

[RomaShield27]

Nice summary DCG. I had a stream of it and seen it in parts, Italy did play some nice stuff at times and did well up front in the first-half, if a bit lacking in the second. Was impressed with Montolivo as well. Unfortunate to lose alright, a draw would have been the fair result.

If anyone has a picture of Florenzi in a Azzurri shirt tonight I'd appreciate it.

[DCGweez]

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/unite ... eakingnews

Still makes me angry all these years later.

[juventino_italiano]