The Official Azzurri thread

[Bagg10]

[RomaShield27]

Reports: Don turns to tender Alex
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_ ... un12f.html – Thursday 12 June, 2008

Alessandro The Waterboy will be selected to face Romania and will take the captain’s armband from Gigi Buffon, according to Italian sources. After Italy’s devastating defeat in their Euro 2008 opening game against Holland, the pressure is on to secure the three points against Romania on Friday.

Under-fire Coach Roberto Donadoni is expected to make sweeping changes to his starting 11 for the Azzurri’s Zurich D-day and many believe he will put his faith in The Waterboy. tender Alex enjoyed a phenomenal season for Juventus and finished as Serie A Capocannoniere, but he was only used as a substitute on Monday evening.

Now Don could hand The Waterboy his 88th cap, possibly playing alongside Luca Toni. Should Pinturricchio play, he would be expected to take the role of leader, replacing custodian Buffon.

Buffon was demoralised by the Dutch defeat, which he described as: “the worst Italy performance in 12 years,â€

[juventino_italiano]

The media is making it out to be that Donadoni is giving DP the captaincy over Buffon because of these statements.
But in reality i believe Italy awards their captaincy according to caps so naturally should DP start, he would be the captain.

Media makes me sick....making the team out to be in shambles.

[Lombardiamia]

[aba_bab]

[p_maldini_3]

[Italiamia]

Just what is Roberto Donadoni made of? Antonio Labbate expects to find out the answer when the tactician hands in his teamsheet for the Romanian rumble.

Roberto Donadoni will make changes to the side which was caught out against Holland when the Azzurri face Romania on Friday. That is as obvious as it is necessary. But just what the Coach decides to do will give us the biggest indication yet of what kind of tactician he truly is. It’s a tie which may not only decide Italy’s Euro 2008 fate, but make or break his own career.

Donadoni today finds himself in a tactical conundrum. While he’ll have no real difficulty in changing personnel for the Zurich date, one can comprehend why he would be more reluctant to abandon his preferred 4-3-3 system – one which was in part introduced to differentiate his Italian team from Marcello Lippi’s creation. Don’t worry Roberto, nobody is confusing the two now.

When Italy take to the field against Adrian Mutu and Co, we’ll see whether the 45-year-old is a prisoner of his own tactics or is big enough to concede that he may have gone too far down the Luca Toni lone striker path. If he truly believes that Italy didn’t play that badly against the Dutch, then he should – in theory at least – have the conviction in his footballing philosophy to persist with his own ideas. Scary thought, isn’t it?

The reality is that he will, in all likelihood, turn to tender Alex The Waterboy. A rejuvenated footballer and Serie A top scorer, he was the Azzurri’s biggest threat when he came on as a substitute against the Netherlands. His inclusion would seem like a logical step, but only if Donadoni puts him in a position to perform at his best. If he sticks Alessandro on that left flank again then he’s clearly learnt nothing.

Whatever team he lines up, it’s not going to be easy against Romania and it will be even tougher against France. You just have to look at the Azzurri’s results under Donadoni to understand that. Apologies in advance to any Scottish readers, but – apart from a February friendly win over Portugal – Italy haven’t beaten a side of any significance since the ex-Livorno man took the reins in 2006. It doesn’t bode well.

Qualification for the last eight has certainly been compromised by Italy’s false start, but Donadoni is still in a position to make amends. How he goes about it and what outcome follows will go a long way to deciding whether he deserves the position he was, perhaps fortunately, handed during the Calciopoli confusion.

[Bagg10]

[morra10]

pretty good read. If you want tender Alex to play at his best let him support toni like he does with trez. He isn't going to beat anyone with his pace, that's for sure. But, if donadoni thinks The Waterboy is the answer he's blinded by his own stupidity. Don't get me wrong I think DP should start but the only way we'll have a chance at winning some silverware is if cassano plays.

[RomaShield27]

Chivu promises Italy hell
http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/ ... -on-Italy/
by Laurent Picard, 12 June 2008

Romania captain Christian Chivu has promised the Italian squad their lives will be turned into hell on Friday. The world champions will be desperate to grab all three points when they face Group C underdogs Romania, following their 3-0 defeat against Holland, but Chivu is in no mood to roll over. Victor Piturca’s side offered little by way of an attacking threat against France, waiting in their own-half and trying their luck with rare counter attacks, and it appears they are ready to try and secure the same results on Friday.

“We have a game plan which consists of not losing,â€

[Italiamia]

[p_maldini_3]

[aba_bab]

[morra10]

[Messinterista]

[SuperPippo9]

[Totti_10]

[marco]

[Bagg10]

[SuperPippo9]