The Official Azzurri thread 2

[maro]

What's unclear? I shall be supporting the Poms in the manner in which I always have done - that is, not at all (as ever). And I shall be supporting the Azzurri but without quite the same enthusiasm I'd at once have had were Florenzi and Totti (and Destro and Perrotta . . .) in the line-up. But all of that's old news, no?

[Italiamia]

Well now you are clear. Was that so hard.

[maro]

Which bit was unclear? Perhaps this will clarify things still further:


L’ennesimo sgarbo di Prandelli alla Roma
martedì 3 giugno 2014 07:56


(Il Tempo – Massimo Ciccognani) - Che strano personaggio Cesare Prandelli, uno che i problemi li attira come una calamita e quando non li ha, se li crea. È innegabile che le decisioni sugli uomini da portare al mondiale in Brasile spettino solo a lui. Giusto quindi che Prandelli abbia fatto le sue scelte. Mandare a casa Destro come Rossi può starci e anche l’attaccante viola si è risentito, eccome. Quello che dà fastidio, sono i modi.





Mattia è tornato ieri a Trigoria e ha raccontato la sua verità a Sabatini. In un «tweet» della Roma, il giocatore ha spiegato di non aver mai detto «no» a Prandelli. «Per quanto dispiaciuto – ha spiegato Destro – non ho mai rifiutato alcun ruolo in Nazionale. Vorrà dire che mi metterò subito al lavoro per una grande stagione con il mio club e ovviamente con la Nazionale che rimane il mio obiettivo primario».





Destro ha ripercorso gli ultimi giorni con Sabatini. Prima del match con l’Irlanda, Prandelli gli aveva spiegato che convocando un Rossi non al meglio, lui sarebbe stato la sua riserva. Il romanista, secondo quanto riferito dal giocatore a Sabatini, non avrebbe battuto ciglio. Non ha neppure fatto salti di gioia ma avrebbe detto a Prandelli «decida lei, io ci penso e comunque non ho altri impegni», rimettendosi alla volontà del ct che evidentemente non ha fatto altro che interpretare (male) a sua immagine e somiglianza quel «decida lei». Al termine della partita il ct ha confermato al romanista che avrebbe puntato su Balotelli e Immobile e che lui sarebbe potuto partire per il Brasile solo se avesse accettato di essere inserito tra le riserve. Infine, nel terzo e ultimo colloquio di domenica, il tecnico ha comunicato la sua decisione definitiva a Destro, chiedendogli un indirizzo email sul quale fargli spedire un programma di allenamenti specifico da seguire nei prossimi giorni per tenersi pronto in caso di una chiamata in extremis. Ma con l’esclusione di Rossi non ha più senso: l’inserimento nella lista è ormai possibile fino a 24 ore dall’esordio solo in caso di un infortunio «certificato». Insomma, se Prandelli voleva davvero portare Destro al Mondiale, non si sarebbe comportato così.





La storia di questa stagione è piena di controsensi, di atteggiamenti che lasciano perplessa la Roma. A cominciare da quel codice etico che si è rivelato una boutade. A tradirlo è stato per primo proprio Prandelli, che ha valutato sempre a seconda della convenienza o dell’importanza del calciatore. Prendete il caso De Rossi. Sulla colpevolezza del centrocampista (pugno nei confronti di Icardi) ci sono pochi dubbi, ma non doveva essere il ct a non convocarlo ancor prima della decisione del giudice Tosel, senza peraltro prendersi la briga di avvisare la Roma. Nessuna chiamata neppure quando ha escluso Destro dai test fisici per la manata ad Astori.





Stessa cosa era accaduta per Osvaldo ai tempi della Roma, anche in quel caso «tagliato» dalla Confederations Cup per essersi rifiutato di ritirare la medaglia nella finale di Coppa Italia persa contro la Lazio. Ma con il codice etico il ct non aveva punito Balotelli, tre giornate anche per il milanista, «perché ha già scontato la squalifica», si limitò a dire il ct. Poi lo stesso Osvaldo, diventato nel frattempo juventino, è stato convocato dopo che al Southampton aveva colpito con un pugno il compagno Forte. Infine Chiellini, tre giornate per una gomitata a Pjanic che Prandelli ha ritenuto non violenta. In realtà non poteva rinunciare al senatore juventino durante il Mondiale.





Mai una giustificazione da parte del tecnico. Totti, ad esempio, si aspettava quanto meno una telefonata. Ma non c’è stata. La stessa che aspettava la Juve dopo la convocazione di Chiellini appena recuperato dall’infortunio e che ha mandato su tutte le furie Conte e Marotta che volevano essere avvisati della scelta del ct. «Non devo avvertire nessuno», tuonò Prandelli in risposta alla Juve.





Ufficiosamente anche la Figc ha fatto sapere ai dirigenti della Roma che Destro non ha mai rifiutato la Nazionale, ma si sono ben guardati dall’emettere un comunicato a difesa del giocatore. L’ennesimo sgarbo della federazione e del suo ct alla Roma. ma anche verso Pepito. «Ho la coscienza a posto», ripete Prandelli, al quale piace perdere i pezzi. E anche l’affetto di tanti tifosi.

[Italiamia]

So what is the point of all of this, Tomasso? We can bitch and moan all we like but what does that accomplish. He's chosen his team; there is no recognisable code of ethics which is equally applicable to every player; he favors rubentus players and ostensibly has issues with Roma players; hence, he behaves in a hypocritical manner. I would say that Prandelli is your prototypical human that walks the earth in the year 2014.

In the end, I support the boys who will represent Italy in the World Cup.

[juventino_italiano]

[Italiamia]

[tonykart]

Bad team... Maybe Prandelli can do well with them, but there are just too many pieces that don't fit and too many players that aren't the right age. I don't like any midfield with both De Rossi and Pirlo in it even though they are our best CMs... they both play the same position differently and are bad in other roles in MF.

What is the point of Parolo? Over Rossi and El Sharawawaawty?

Our defense sucks... plain and simple. It works at Juventus because we put them all at the back... none of them are intelligent or classy enough to play in a back 4.

Euro Cup was a squad I liked... I knew it was a good squad. This is a BAD squad. I am always right. Hopefully I am wrong.

------------------ BUFFON

ABATE - BARZAGLI - BONUCCI - CHIELLINI

------- DE ROSSI - PIRLO - MARCHISIO

-- CERCI ----- BALOTELLI ----- CASSANO

...

Maybe this is best:

---------------------- BUFFON

------- BARZAGLI - DE ROSSI - CHIELLINI
ABATE ------------------------------------ DE SCIGLIO
----------------------- PIRLO
-------- CANDREVA --------- MARCHISIO

-----------BALOTELLI ---- CASSANO


I just don't see Prandelli's side having a cohesive shape with this group of selections. Lets see if he has lost his marbles.

[Messinterista]

It's not that bad tony. It just depends on the Italian 'mentality' that turns up to a major tournament. This squad can make the Quarters/Semis. I agree however, Rossi over Parolo.

--------------------------- BUFFON------------------------

ABATE----BARZAGLI-----BONUCCI--------CHIELLINI (until DE SCIGLIO is 100 percent fit to start, then Chiellini replaces Bonucci)

---------------DE ROSSI------------PIRLO-----------------------

-------------------------MARCHISIO--------------------------

-------CASSANO-----------------------------CERCI----------

--------------------------BALOTELLI-----------------------

[juventino_italiano]

The England squad is designed the sole purpose of beating Italy. Quick young forwards and wingers who will try to out last the Italians in the heat and will try to take advantage of the frailties in the back. I hope prandelli has this figured out and plays a very traditional Italian defense game and hit them on the counter. Barzagli is going to have an extremely busy game.

I should be feeling very confident facing the usually shitty England squad but I don't this time around...not at all

[ancient milanista]

http://www.football-italia.net/50517/pe ... fon-injury

[tonykart]

Solid performance against a pretty sloppy, but dangerous England side. Paletta was rancid... hope he never touches the field again. Bonucci isn't much better, but he is better none-the-less. Candreva and Darmian ran the flank nicely. This is Pirlo's team indeed... we just need to make sure he continues to have space to operate in the coming matches.

I kind of prefer Sirigu to Buffon as I don't think Gigi has been that great last season. Sirigu has game and was all over even the shots that went wide.

Sirigu, De Rossi, Pirlo, Barzagli, Chiellini, Marchisio, Darmian, Candreva, Balotelli... played well. Paletta was awful. Verratti was ok, but I felt better with Motta out there... he covers better when the opponent has posession.

[Messinterista]

The less we see of gigi the better. I'm afraid injury is the only thing that is going to keep him out of the starting XI.
Paletta was pretty bad and Motta should be starting over Veratti, however can he last the full 90 of a match though?
Pirlo, superb as always. Considering his age and the heat, he was all class.
Rest of the team played well and there are promising signs. Hopefully the injuries can stay away.

[p_maldini_3]

i'm sure veratti's inclusion had something to do with prandelli wanting to tire england out in the heat of manhouse last night. i've never seen a fixture play such a vital role in the outcome of a game.

[DCGweez]

I think the thought process on Veratti was simple. He was put in there to force England to play straight up and not crowd Pirlo.

All the people criticizing Roy don't realize that you can't simply mark out a guy in the center of the park who can hold up the ball with one man. You'd need one man plus a shading. When they did that De Rossi pushed up the pitch and had one or two balls down the wing and over the top that were just too dangerous.

[Bagg10]

Verratti was put in for the two reasons mentioned above. 1. Help keep possession in humid conditions so that England tired themselves out chasing the ball, and 2. So that if England decided to man-mark Pirlo, we'd have another capable playmaker to pull the strings.

[Lombardiamia]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldc ... Eheadlines


This probably also helps understand why he wanted Veratti in there.

[RomaShield27]

Wednesday 18/06/2014 06:19 / http://vivoazzurro.it/en/news/askazzurr ... questions/



What did Totti say to you before you left for Brazil?
He told me… I am going on holiday. You go to a training camp in the sun for a month and a half. It is his typical dry comedy, but I am a bit younger than him, he already played his part at World Cups and Euro Championships. My teammates at Roma are enjoying their holidays; I hope they get a good rest because we want to have a great season next season.

How does it feel to be one of the icons of the Italian national team?
I feel very proud. It’s every kids’ dream when they start playing football. Only a few actually achieve it. Even though I am already 31 I still think about this a lot and feel proud.

What is the meaning behind your shirt number 16?
In recent years I settled for the squad numbers which were free. First, I used to wear the 4, a typical midfielders’ number, Guardiola also wore it. I did like this number. Then, when 16 became available, I picked it because my daughter was born on the 16th. 16 was also Roy Keane’s number, my absolute idol. There were a few factors which led me to choose this number, which I will keep until the end of my career.

What do you do to relieve tension before you go onto the pitch?
In my early career I used to be more superstitious and had some rituals. Not anymore, I listen to all kinds of music.

What is your favourite song to listen to before a game?
I used to change a lot. In the last few weeks my favourite song is Piano Men by Billy Joel. As long as it brings me luck I will probably keep listening to this song.

Have you ever thought about growing your beard like Moscardelli?
No, to grow a beard like Moscardelli would be wrong. He is the only one allowed to have beard like that.

As for your look, did to Alan from the Hangover inspire you?
Well, someone has clearly noticed some similarities, I hope only look though (beard, hairstyle) and not his personality. This comparison always makes me laugh because he’s hilarious.

How did the idea of a tattoo “tackle forbidden” on your calf take shape?
I saw a tattoo of a friend of mine who used to play rugby at a high level. He has a rugby tackle, I put a football tackle. We grew up together so I decided to do it.

Is it true that you follow the NBA? If so, what is your favourite team?
Yes, I follow the NBA and American sports in general. I did not really use to have a favourite team. This year I was lucky because I picked San Antonio, but I am not a hardcore fan, if a team loses I am not incredibly upset.

Is it true that Ostia is better than Copacabana?
To me, yes. Ostia is better than anything. I have never been to Copacabana. Last year I did not go and this summer I will not make it. To us from Rome, Ostia is the best.

Who was your idol as a kid?
Always midfielders, different players for different ages. At the beginning Roy Keane, then Pep Guardiola. I used to love Edgar Davids from Juventus. The list also includes Gerrard, Lampard, Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo. As a lifelong Roma fan I could mention Rudi Völler or even Totti himself. As a kid he was not a friend, just a world class player to admire at the stadium. Then we became close friends, of course.

Who’s the best player you’ve played with?
I’ve played with a lot of players, but it has to be Francesco Totti.

Who is the player you fear the most in this World Cup?
Well, Messi and Neymar… I will not face them in the group stages obviously, but I hope to face them in semi-finals or in the final. I think they could win the World Cup but hopefully not this one.

Which Azzurri player have you bonded the most with?
Well, Andrea Pirlo, since we have shared the room at the training camp for at least 8 years.

Are you able to understand Immobile and Insigne and their Neapolitan dialect?
I should tell them off. Sometimes they include many sentences in a word. I used to play with a lot of players from Naples in the youth teams, so I can understand some things here and there, but, as I said, sometimes they express lots of sentences in a word or two.

How can Prandelli not sweat in 31 degree heat in his suit?
I could never do it. After hours travelling you are always have to wear the suit. I do not envy him for that.

If you had not been a footballer, what would you have liked to do?
Probably something in the field of sports, maybe football, without playing. It’s not easy to say, though.

What would you do in order to win a World Cup again?
Just taking part in a World Cup alone is a dream. To win it is something unique thing for us players. To win it twice would be awesome. I will give it my all on the pitch to make it happen.

[RomaShield27]

POSTED BY JAMES HORNCASTLE
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/world-cup- ... -world-cup

Mario Balotelli didn't get the kiss on the cheek he wanted from her royal highness Queen Elizabeth II in exchange for a win that would have kept England's slim hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive at least for another four days. Instead the Italy striker and his teammates received a slap in the face from a Costa Rica team that merit consideration as the revelation of the World Cup so far.

Some had thought Cesare Prandelli exaggerated when claiming this match was the one he feared most when the groups were drawn back in the winter. The papers believed he was making Costa Rica out to be better than they really were in order to focus his players' minds and ensure they did not underestimate their opponents. But Prandelli meant it. From the tape he had studied, Costa Rica had earned his respect. Their 3-1 win against Uruguay in the opener only justified his opinion of them further. Their performance today will not have come as a surprise to him even if it is a shock that Costa Rica join Spain and Brazil as the only teams to have beaten Prandelli's side in a competitive match over the last four years.

Italy didn't play to the standard they set against England in Manaus last Saturday. The set up was the same, but the personnel were different. Gianluigi Buffon returned from injury and while he did make a decent stop from Christian Bolanos in the first half, he appeared a little rusty and didn't inspire confidence coming for crosses. His timing sometimes seemed off.

With Mattia De Sciglio still out, the ambidextrous Matteo Darmian, one of Italy's star performers at the weekend, was moved from right-back to left to allow Giorgio Chiellini to move back into the centre of defence alongside Andrea Barzagli after Gabriel Paletta's poor showing. That meant the relationship he struck up with Antonio Candreva down the right flank -- one of the Azzurri's principal strengths against England -- was broken up. Ignazio Abate could not replicate the same effect. Out of form and often on the bench towards the end of the season at AC Milan, he frequently took up the wrong positions and was at fault on Costa Rica's goal, leaving Junior Diaz time to cross for Bryan Ruiz to head beyond Buffon.

Issues at the back were compounded by Italy's inability to impose their "Tikitalia" style. Marco Verratti's lack of fitness meant Thiago Motta came in for him in midfield. While he is a much better at making the play than many observers give him credit for, too often he slowed Italy down. Not dynamic enough, he doesn't carry the ball forward like his younger Paris Saint-Germain teammate and it contributed to his team often being too deep. Overall, Italy's play was slow, predictable and imprecise.

Costa Rica, it must also be said, pressed well and with intelligence. Their line was high just as it had been against Uruguay. They made it difficult for Italy to play out. It was a courageous tactic from Jorge Luis Pinto, the Costa Rica coach, because the solution to it seemed simple and one that Andrea Pirlo looked to have solved: balls over the top and in behind for the pacey Balotelli to run onto. That very nearly yielded a goal for Italy after half an hour. Pirlo played a jaw-dropping first-time pass, but Balotelli's heavy touch let him down. He never really had control of the ball and his lob was wayward.

One of the reasons why Costa Rica appear so confident in playing with their back five so advanced became apparent minutes later. Released again, Balotelli's hooked shot was saved comfortably by goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Though straight at him, having a shot-stopper like him behind you -- genuinely one of the top 15 in his position in the world -- provides Costa Rica with great security. Their offside trap was also executed with bravura. It caught Italy out no fewer than 11 times.

Prandelli sought to change things after the interval. Italy were fortunate to go in only 1-0 down considering Joel Campbell had a clear penalty denied following a challenge from Chiellini. In the second half, Antonio Cassano came on for the disappointing Motta. He was followed by Lorenzo Insigne and Alessio Cerci who replaced Candreva and Claudio Marchisio as Italy morphed into a 4-2-3-1. But they couldn't make the difference. Cassano didn't manage to spark the team into life and the attacking width Prandelli introduced failed to stretch Costa Rica. It was perplexing that Ciro Immobile remained on the bench. Excellent at playing on the shoulder of defenders and breaking beyond the last line of defence he perhaps would have been better suited than Balotelli to getting in behind Costa Rica.

Playing at one in the afternoon, in temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and with humidity at 80 percent also drained Italy. Their opponents are more used to these conditions. But Prandelli had said beforehand that, so thorough had Italy's preparations been -- they trained in a sauna for Manaus and practiced in Recife at the same time of day as kickoff on Thursday -- that it couldn't be used as an excuse.

Italy now have to bounce back. Friday's match was a reality check. Make no mistake about it this wasn't a humiliation like the one they suffered against North Korea in 1966. That would be disrespectful to Costa Rica. They are ranked 28th in the world. As a team they are better than the sum of their parts with a good collective and strong tactical identity. As Daniele De Rossi said before the game: "You cannot think Italy will beat Costa Rica just because we are called Italy."

Parallels have been drawn with Euro '96 when the Azzurri started well, vanquishing Russia 2-1 at Anfield only to then succumb to Czech Republic, draw with Germany (both eventual finalists) and not get out of the group. This is different. A draw against Uruguay in Natal on Tuesday, like the one they recorded in the third place playoff during last summer's Confederations Cup, will be enough to see Italy through to the knockout stages. They have a superior goal difference. It sounds simple, doesn't it? Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez showed last night though that it will be anything but.

[p_maldini_3]

Prandelli can't keep playing with 3 deep midfielders. Balotelli, while no reliable superstar himself, is way too isolated up front and he needs more support than just candreva and marchisio. And now with de rossi set to miss the uruguay game, maybe dropping marchisio deeper into midfield while bringing in cassano might help us move the ball forwardetter.

[DCGweez]

Marchisio? Why would he put him there. I'd think Motta would be the most like for like while Veratti would be my guess.