The Official Azzurri thread
Moderator: juventino_italiano
by Carlo Romano » Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:02 pm
Rai, Mediaset, and Sky Italia are projecting a 4-2-3-1 formation, and though it will be adjustable or adaptable to circumstances on the pitch, I can't see it working over 90 mins against the Dutch. Lippi will change things around for the second 45, he's talking about using 5 or 6 subs. Just look at the names on our bench. He speaks of only wanting 2-3 new/newish names amongst the old or it will unbalance the team, yet it's clear we could have done with more changes even before the Confed.Cup which was the ideal time...a self contradiction in there surely, and why is Pellissier still being ignored? Also he has taken his damn time over calling Maggio!
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by juventino_italiano » Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:14 pm
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by Carlo Romano » Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:36 am
Ennio, did you see Palladino's post-match comments? He was saying he has worked hard for his place and doesn't see why he should have to give it up, meaning Cassano has no more right to it than he does. I'm sure Giuseppe Rossi would say the same thing, though in Palladino's case, he does as he added, need to show he can do more!
De Rossi too has made negative noises on Cassano being called to the squad. There may (or not) also be others of the same thought which is certainly not good for a locker room atmosphere.
I'd say it's a fair assessment of our forum opinion to suggest more than 90% want Cassano in the Azzurri squad. However, for as long as Lippi remains in charge, it's my opinion Cassano will be as most of us will be, watching on tv!
I'm not missing your point, believe me, in saying we need a difference maker in reserve, or if the occasion demands it, even as a starter. I too also think if Lippi uses younger, more energetic guys in midfield like Biondini, Maggio, and Candreva, we are a good way there, and have sufficient talent up front as is, to make that difference. I have been saying so since back at the friendly against Northern Ireland...
Remember though, where we are going, out of our own hemisphere where no European team has ever won anything of any consequence. The heat, and even more so the humidity, just don't bode well for us.
A "decent" tournament as you say ought not to be beyond us, but a win? No...
De Rossi too has made negative noises on Cassano being called to the squad. There may (or not) also be others of the same thought which is certainly not good for a locker room atmosphere.
I'd say it's a fair assessment of our forum opinion to suggest more than 90% want Cassano in the Azzurri squad. However, for as long as Lippi remains in charge, it's my opinion Cassano will be as most of us will be, watching on tv!
I'm not missing your point, believe me, in saying we need a difference maker in reserve, or if the occasion demands it, even as a starter. I too also think if Lippi uses younger, more energetic guys in midfield like Biondini, Maggio, and Candreva, we are a good way there, and have sufficient talent up front as is, to make that difference. I have been saying so since back at the friendly against Northern Ireland...
Remember though, where we are going, out of our own hemisphere where no European team has ever won anything of any consequence. The heat, and even more so the humidity, just don't bode well for us.
A "decent" tournament as you say ought not to be beyond us, but a win? No...
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by p_maldini_3 » Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:11 pm
http://www.footballitaliano.co.uk/article.aspx?id=768
Azzurri Analysis - Italy 0-0 Holland - Whether Pescara or Rome, we don’t want negativity at home
By David Swan
Is there any excuse for negativity at home? It is difficult to envisage any situation where Italy, a country who are still a major power in international football, should set out negatively in their own backyard against any team. Yet they did just that on Saturday evening in their 0-0 draw against Holland. We have all seen the 4-3-3 fail miserably with this squad before – but at least it was a genuine 4-3-3 with three players up-front, no matter how far away they were from the midfield, or how far the two wide players were from the striker. If you now imagine these two wide players, and move them deeper in your mind so that they are in a nice line with the three midfielders, you have the horrific 4-5-1 the poor natives of Pescara had to watch for 55 minutes of this game.
There is a recurring theme appearing in Azzurri games where Coach Marcello Lippi starts with the 4-5-1/4-3-3 atrocity - Italy are always much better when he changes it, which is inevitable considering they play poorly every time in this system. For the last 35 minutes of the game, and thus the majority of the second half, Italy was the better team. It was a contrast from the first period, where Holland had more control of the game, even if they did not create many chances. Indeed, chances were few and far between for both sides. It was a poor game in truth, not helped by the two teams attempting to spoil it - Lippi with his containment approach to tactics for 55 minutes, and Holland with their efforts to kick the world champions off the pitch.
As ever with friendlies, it is about learning and discovery. So what did we learn from Saturday? It was not a great game, which perhaps helped debutant Antonio Candreva, who stood out with his performance. He provided an aspect to the midfield that is normally missing with the usual starters - pace and a willing runner from midfield. Alberto Gilardino was a solitary figure leading the attack, but the Livorno youngster worked incredibly hard to get forward. For a team that was so deep in the first 45 minutes, his pace on the break was invaluable to at least give the impression that Italy could threaten going forward. With experience and more games, he will learn to take up goalscoring positions, as well as those that support a striker. It was not always easy for him, because with only Gilardino in attack, he was running into Dutch defenders with nobody to mark.
He was moved to the left hand side when Giuseppe Rossi was introduced as part of Lippi’s change to 4-4-2, yet this did not change his impressive contribution from the midfield. Rossi’s presence ensured Candreva had fewer defenders, and more space, to run into. With the competition for central midfield spots incredibly fierce - it is by far the strongest area of the squad - a role out wide could be his best chance of obtaining a ticket on the plane to South Africa. Lippi has already admitted that his best position is in the centre, and he plays as a trequartista for Livorno, but he has prior experience of the wide positions from his time in the U-21 squad. He was certainly more impressive there than Raffaele Palladino, who, like Candreva, offered pace and a willingness to run in support during offensive phases of play, but was not as effective.
Defensively, the team looked very solid. Although the Dutch were missing Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, while Robin van Persie departed early on through injury, there was still enough attacking talent on the pitch to cause problems. You would expect nothing less from the Azzurri, with the negative tactics that were employed, but the change in formation and the increase in adventurous play that followed did not make what was a relatively comfortable night for Fabio Cannavaro and colleagues any more difficult. It only reinforces the importance of the fitness of the first choice back four, and how vital a 36-year-old Cannavaro is to the team.
Yet, for all the positives about the defence, we are still left with question marks over the attack. It was a dull game, with little quality in forward play and few chances - exactly the type of game you can encounter when you play a top team in a World Cup knockout match. Both sides will be cagey, ensuring first that they do not lose. They are exactly the sort of games that potential world champions win. Past Italy teams would have come out of this type of match with victory - nobody plays a dull affair like the Azzurri. But they appear to be losing their ability to come out of matches like this with victories. The friendly with Switzerland earlier in the season (which also ended 0-0) had a similar feel to it, but we can excuse that as it was before the season had started. Bulgaria bored everybody to death in Sofia last year - it was a game Italy dominated, but did not win. Having been so reliable before, it seems these matches now prove problematic for la Nazionale.
The offence lacks imagination. Everything is very predictable. One of the few players in the squad at the moment who can provide something that is unpredictable - Villarreal’s Rossi - happens to suffer from his greatest strength currently acting as a huge weakness. He gets very excited when the ball is at his feet 40 yards from goal, too excited in fact, and unfortunately fails to utilise the great positions he finds himself in to the maximum benefit of the team. His teammates do not appear to know what he is going to do, and a lot of the time it looks like that he does not know what he is going to do either. Andrea Pirlo, probably the only other player with imagination in the squad, is suffering from Lippi’s indecision over whether to move him further forward, or keep him in is normal position closer to the defence. In all likelihood, he will probably stay in his deeper role.
The Coach, therefore, has two options - accept Rossi’s inconsistency and play him (or better yet, attempt to harness his talent so he benefits his teammates more), or call up more players with imagination. There is an obvious choice, but ‘he who shall not be named’ is not going to receive a call-up while Lippi is in charge - it is best we accept it (begrudgingly) and plan without him. There are three players which standout as alternatives. Sebastian Giovinco is profiting hugely from Juventus Coach Ciro Ferrara’s change in formation and playing regularly, but now he must start playing well if he is to become a serious consideration. Alberto Aquilani, when he eventually gets fit, has the potential to make waves in 2010, but it is difficult to envisage Lippi trusting him with a place in the starting XI. The final choice is a certain Francesco Totti, another Roman with monstrous fitness issues, but who is still one of the best Italian players around. It would be a temporary solution option, bridging the gap between the maturation of the potentially exciting attacking young players, but what a stop-gap he would be. With continual question marks over his ability to perform on the big stage, South Africa 2010 could provide a perfect opportunity to lance the doubters.
Azzurri Analysis - Italy 0-0 Holland - Whether Pescara or Rome, we don’t want negativity at home
By David Swan
Is there any excuse for negativity at home? It is difficult to envisage any situation where Italy, a country who are still a major power in international football, should set out negatively in their own backyard against any team. Yet they did just that on Saturday evening in their 0-0 draw against Holland. We have all seen the 4-3-3 fail miserably with this squad before – but at least it was a genuine 4-3-3 with three players up-front, no matter how far away they were from the midfield, or how far the two wide players were from the striker. If you now imagine these two wide players, and move them deeper in your mind so that they are in a nice line with the three midfielders, you have the horrific 4-5-1 the poor natives of Pescara had to watch for 55 minutes of this game.
There is a recurring theme appearing in Azzurri games where Coach Marcello Lippi starts with the 4-5-1/4-3-3 atrocity - Italy are always much better when he changes it, which is inevitable considering they play poorly every time in this system. For the last 35 minutes of the game, and thus the majority of the second half, Italy was the better team. It was a contrast from the first period, where Holland had more control of the game, even if they did not create many chances. Indeed, chances were few and far between for both sides. It was a poor game in truth, not helped by the two teams attempting to spoil it - Lippi with his containment approach to tactics for 55 minutes, and Holland with their efforts to kick the world champions off the pitch.
As ever with friendlies, it is about learning and discovery. So what did we learn from Saturday? It was not a great game, which perhaps helped debutant Antonio Candreva, who stood out with his performance. He provided an aspect to the midfield that is normally missing with the usual starters - pace and a willing runner from midfield. Alberto Gilardino was a solitary figure leading the attack, but the Livorno youngster worked incredibly hard to get forward. For a team that was so deep in the first 45 minutes, his pace on the break was invaluable to at least give the impression that Italy could threaten going forward. With experience and more games, he will learn to take up goalscoring positions, as well as those that support a striker. It was not always easy for him, because with only Gilardino in attack, he was running into Dutch defenders with nobody to mark.
He was moved to the left hand side when Giuseppe Rossi was introduced as part of Lippi’s change to 4-4-2, yet this did not change his impressive contribution from the midfield. Rossi’s presence ensured Candreva had fewer defenders, and more space, to run into. With the competition for central midfield spots incredibly fierce - it is by far the strongest area of the squad - a role out wide could be his best chance of obtaining a ticket on the plane to South Africa. Lippi has already admitted that his best position is in the centre, and he plays as a trequartista for Livorno, but he has prior experience of the wide positions from his time in the U-21 squad. He was certainly more impressive there than Raffaele Palladino, who, like Candreva, offered pace and a willingness to run in support during offensive phases of play, but was not as effective.
Defensively, the team looked very solid. Although the Dutch were missing Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, while Robin van Persie departed early on through injury, there was still enough attacking talent on the pitch to cause problems. You would expect nothing less from the Azzurri, with the negative tactics that were employed, but the change in formation and the increase in adventurous play that followed did not make what was a relatively comfortable night for Fabio Cannavaro and colleagues any more difficult. It only reinforces the importance of the fitness of the first choice back four, and how vital a 36-year-old Cannavaro is to the team.
Yet, for all the positives about the defence, we are still left with question marks over the attack. It was a dull game, with little quality in forward play and few chances - exactly the type of game you can encounter when you play a top team in a World Cup knockout match. Both sides will be cagey, ensuring first that they do not lose. They are exactly the sort of games that potential world champions win. Past Italy teams would have come out of this type of match with victory - nobody plays a dull affair like the Azzurri. But they appear to be losing their ability to come out of matches like this with victories. The friendly with Switzerland earlier in the season (which also ended 0-0) had a similar feel to it, but we can excuse that as it was before the season had started. Bulgaria bored everybody to death in Sofia last year - it was a game Italy dominated, but did not win. Having been so reliable before, it seems these matches now prove problematic for la Nazionale.
The offence lacks imagination. Everything is very predictable. One of the few players in the squad at the moment who can provide something that is unpredictable - Villarreal’s Rossi - happens to suffer from his greatest strength currently acting as a huge weakness. He gets very excited when the ball is at his feet 40 yards from goal, too excited in fact, and unfortunately fails to utilise the great positions he finds himself in to the maximum benefit of the team. His teammates do not appear to know what he is going to do, and a lot of the time it looks like that he does not know what he is going to do either. Andrea Pirlo, probably the only other player with imagination in the squad, is suffering from Lippi’s indecision over whether to move him further forward, or keep him in is normal position closer to the defence. In all likelihood, he will probably stay in his deeper role.
The Coach, therefore, has two options - accept Rossi’s inconsistency and play him (or better yet, attempt to harness his talent so he benefits his teammates more), or call up more players with imagination. There is an obvious choice, but ‘he who shall not be named’ is not going to receive a call-up while Lippi is in charge - it is best we accept it (begrudgingly) and plan without him. There are three players which standout as alternatives. Sebastian Giovinco is profiting hugely from Juventus Coach Ciro Ferrara’s change in formation and playing regularly, but now he must start playing well if he is to become a serious consideration. Alberto Aquilani, when he eventually gets fit, has the potential to make waves in 2010, but it is difficult to envisage Lippi trusting him with a place in the starting XI. The final choice is a certain Francesco Totti, another Roman with monstrous fitness issues, but who is still one of the best Italian players around. It would be a temporary solution option, bridging the gap between the maturation of the potentially exciting attacking young players, but what a stop-gap he would be. With continual question marks over his ability to perform on the big stage, South Africa 2010 could provide a perfect opportunity to lance the doubters.
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by Carlo Romano » Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:38 pm
So, just as many of us expected, we see today Carlo Abete admit that Marcello Lippi will quit as Azzurri coach after Sth Africa 2010. I'm horrified at the thought of Roberto Mancini taking over, should that happen. There are three other articles attached to the link below, one being comments by Mancini.
Surprisingly and interestingly it doesn't give his Sth Africa 2010 first choice XI as was posted by the Mediaset text service today:
Buffon, Zambrotta, Nesta, Barzagli, Grosso, Pirlo, De Rossi, Gattuso, Cassano, Toni, Totti, presumably to be used as...
This would've been a formidable line up at one time. Now, with six of those guys still unarguably serviceable but undeniably past their peak, I'm reminded of 1974 when we didn't get beyond the group stages...and everyone referred to us as "The Pensioners XI!" Worse in fact than my previous comparison of Lippi's Azzurri Mk2 to Bearzot's 1986 XI. At least Lippi is proving his willingness to learn from his mistakes of being too loyal to the old guard!
I can't say the thought of Prandelli as his replacement appeals either, from the list in the article below, and as for Spalletti and Ancelotti, they have other interests which is our loss in Ancelotti's case!
http://www.football-italia.net/nov16v.html
Surprisingly and interestingly it doesn't give his Sth Africa 2010 first choice XI as was posted by the Mediaset text service today:
Buffon, Zambrotta, Nesta, Barzagli, Grosso, Pirlo, De Rossi, Gattuso, Cassano, Toni, Totti, presumably to be used as...
This would've been a formidable line up at one time. Now, with six of those guys still unarguably serviceable but undeniably past their peak, I'm reminded of 1974 when we didn't get beyond the group stages...and everyone referred to us as "The Pensioners XI!" Worse in fact than my previous comparison of Lippi's Azzurri Mk2 to Bearzot's 1986 XI. At least Lippi is proving his willingness to learn from his mistakes of being too loyal to the old guard!
I can't say the thought of Prandelli as his replacement appeals either, from the list in the article below, and as for Spalletti and Ancelotti, they have other interests which is our loss in Ancelotti's case!
http://www.football-italia.net/nov16v.html
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by RomaShield27 » Tue Nov 17, 2009 1:27 pm
Holland's Dirk Kuyt attacks Italy for lack of respect over Van Persie injury
• Liverfekkin'wankscum player attacks Italy for 'the way they kicked us'
• Arsenal's Van Persie facing six weeks of rehabilitation
www.guardian.co.uk – Tuesday 17 November 2009 12.53 GMT
The Holland striker Dirk Kuyt has accused Italy of a lack of respect as the row over Robin van Persie's ankle injury continues. The Arsenal forward, who has been in fine form this season with eight goals in all competitions, has been ruled out for around six weeks after a robust challenge from the Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during the teams' friendly meeting on Saturday.
Van Persie has since absolved Chiellini of any blame in the incident, but the Liverfekkin'wankscum forward Kuyt today launched an angry assessment of the Azzurri's tough-tackling approach to the match.
"I was very disappointed," Kuyt told Sky Sports. "We played a friendly against a big country and if you see the way they kicked us it's very sad, very sad for the Dutch team and also very sad for Robin because he was in great form.
"I think it was a bad tackle. Sometimes you think about this when you play a friendly for your country – there should be more respect for each other. Hopefully it won't happen in the future."
The Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga, who joined Kuyt and Van Persie in the Premiershit when signing for Everton earlier this year, also expressed sympathy for his stricken international team-mate. "It's hard for a team, but harder for him as he has been playing well for the last couple of months and he was one of the best players in the Premiershit," said Heitinga. "I hope for him he recovers soon."
• Liverfekkin'wankscum player attacks Italy for 'the way they kicked us'
• Arsenal's Van Persie facing six weeks of rehabilitation
www.guardian.co.uk – Tuesday 17 November 2009 12.53 GMT
The Holland striker Dirk Kuyt has accused Italy of a lack of respect as the row over Robin van Persie's ankle injury continues. The Arsenal forward, who has been in fine form this season with eight goals in all competitions, has been ruled out for around six weeks after a robust challenge from the Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during the teams' friendly meeting on Saturday.
Van Persie has since absolved Chiellini of any blame in the incident, but the Liverfekkin'wankscum forward Kuyt today launched an angry assessment of the Azzurri's tough-tackling approach to the match.
"I was very disappointed," Kuyt told Sky Sports. "We played a friendly against a big country and if you see the way they kicked us it's very sad, very sad for the Dutch team and also very sad for Robin because he was in great form.
"I think it was a bad tackle. Sometimes you think about this when you play a friendly for your country – there should be more respect for each other. Hopefully it won't happen in the future."
The Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga, who joined Kuyt and Van Persie in the Premiershit when signing for Everton earlier this year, also expressed sympathy for his stricken international team-mate. "It's hard for a team, but harder for him as he has been playing well for the last couple of months and he was one of the best players in the Premiershit," said Heitinga. "I hope for him he recovers soon."
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by tonykart » Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:25 pm
Glad to see Maggio get a call up for the Sweden friendly, but that is one weak looking roster. Hopefully they play their hearts out.
[img]http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1998/fracingteam0m95eff25nw1.jpg[/img]
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by Carlo Romano » Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:55 pm
Tony, we all want to see a convincing Italia!
Lippi is experimenting again and experience tells us that unless the newer/lesser used players put in a fighting performance to please him, this probably won't be the game to expect anything too out of the ordinary. Especially as we know the more serious stuff will be confined to the first half. As for the link below...
Human nature being what it is, the more some people are pushed, in this case Lippi, the less likely they are to go in the direction of those doing the pushing, in this case a sizeable percentage of the fans and media.
http://www.football-italia.net/nov17o.html
Lippi is experimenting again and experience tells us that unless the newer/lesser used players put in a fighting performance to please him, this probably won't be the game to expect anything too out of the ordinary. Especially as we know the more serious stuff will be confined to the first half. As for the link below...
Human nature being what it is, the more some people are pushed, in this case Lippi, the less likely they are to go in the direction of those doing the pushing, in this case a sizeable percentage of the fans and media.
http://www.football-italia.net/nov17o.html
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by p_maldini_3 » Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:29 pm
Italy Camp Focus - The more we learn, the less we understand
By Andrea Tallarita
A savour-less result is better than a bitter one, so there is no use in being disappointed. Marcello Lippi said that he was satisfied at the end of the match, which is obvious – as long as supporters are seeing their team in shades of grey, a Coach is guaranteed to see everything in rosy hues. There are good and bad things to take away from this match, but conclusive statements are still quite a way to go.
The first thing that must be noted is how disappointing the Dutch were. Other than Eljero Elia, who tore the Azzurri to shreds whenever he descended down the left, their movement on the offence was evanescent and timid. Gianluigi Buffon could have spent most of the match playing chess with the photographers, really. As for the Dutch defence, the poverty of their performance was not surprising, but astonishing. Some of the spaces which they failed to cover seemed taken out of an illustration from the most elementary of football manuals. It is true that the Italians, having stepped onto the field with yet another new formation, gave little in the way of reference, but still. If this is how the Oranje intend to play at the World Cup, then they might as well not buy the plane ticket.
In last week’s article, we called the Dutch team ‘very powerful’ and one of the three or four favourite teams for the World Cup. We were obviously mistaken. There are a number of possible explanations behind their disappointing game – it was no more than a friendly, the tactics were ‘experimental,’ they were playing away, and so on. But the defensive frailties which they revealed, especially those on a tactical level, transcended these pretexts. Their set-up does not bode well for a Coach who intends to keep a team undefeated over the course of a seven-game tournament. If the Dutch wish to add a World Cup to their trophy cabinet, then they shall have to tighten their coverage skills at once.
Onto the Italians, two aspects of the performance are immediately outstanding. Firstly, the midfield was brilliant. They were balanced, disciplined and brave. The reasons for this are difficult to read – in the last two games against Ireland and Cyprus, the central department of the team appeared disorganized and spiritless. It may simply be due to the fact that Andrea Pirlo was playing without the partnership of Daniele De Rossi, since the combination of these two players has already proved dysfunctional in the past. And of course the individual performances left their imprint – Pirlo and Mauro Camoranesi were both in excellent shape, and Antonio Candreva was surprisingly impressive when it came to building bridges between the midfield and the offence. Lippi may have been right about the latter player when he praised the boy’s tactical flexibility. He deserves another run, and who knows that he may not turn out to be the surprise call-up for 2010.
It will take a few more games before we understand why (it may all have been due to the risible man-marking of the Dutch), but it is undeniable that the midfield looked very strong. Some of the geometries drawn when coming forward were so pretty that we may even call this Lippi’s best Italy since his second appointment – matched, perhaps, only by the one he fielded against Bulgaria.
The second point to consider is decidedly less positive, and it is the sterility of the attack – a spring of trouble that Italy have been faced with for as long as we can remember. There were some flashes of tactical merit in the opportunistic passes by Alberto Gilardino and in the effort of his team-mates, but overall the work done was underwhelming, especially in light of the support that was offered by the midfield. Italy should have scored. They had the spaces and the opportunities, and they should have scored (without the aid of Giampaolo Pazzini’s extended arm, we mean). Heavens help the Azzurri if they go under in the scoreboards against a team doted with a more effective defence – or if they do not improve their own offence by the time that moment comes.
Raffaele Palladino, a player who could have been of great use in the context of our drought of wingers, failed to grasp his opportunity. His performance was lacklustre, and with better options on the offence, it seems unlikely we will see him in South Africa. Speaking of better options – what an impressive display by Giuseppe Rossi. Still the most talented among the strikers fielded to date, still the greatest hope for the Italian offence in the present state of the call-ups. He was fast, humble and willing, and he seems to have lost for good that aura of selfishness which marked his first few matches under Lippi. His stature gives him some trouble in the aerial game, but it is also the condition for his swift changes in pace and direction. The real trouble with Rossi is consistency, since his form at Villareal is not exactly sparkling. Will he be fit come the summer? Let the prayers commence.
Of course, we cannot speak about the attack without a passing mention of Antonio Cassano. For a stadium too small to accommodate 30,000 people, the number of banners calling for the man was extraordinary (this writer counted six different ones, and those were only the ones picked by the cameras). Before ten minutes of the game had expired, a supporter ran into the pitch with a blue shirt bearing the following text – Cassano in Nazionale. The words are explicit, and the gesture, given the modesty of the location, even more so. Who knows if any of this will ever bear fruit.
With that aside, and all things considered, it was a pretty perplexing match. Confrontations between Italy and Holland normally offer a wealth of material for analysis, but this one seems to have rippled the waters more than it cleared them. Mighty Holland played badly, saved from defeat only by the Italian inconclusiveness, and no-one knows why. Italy’s midfield went from dire to galvanising in the space of one match, albeit one separated by a time-span of a couple of months. And the Azzurri team as a whole still lacks a true tactical identity, having gone back to the 4-2-3-1 for this game, yet this seemed to work. Baffling, really. There were good and bad things to be taken from this match, but a conclusion, that just wasn’t there.
By Andrea Tallarita
A savour-less result is better than a bitter one, so there is no use in being disappointed. Marcello Lippi said that he was satisfied at the end of the match, which is obvious – as long as supporters are seeing their team in shades of grey, a Coach is guaranteed to see everything in rosy hues. There are good and bad things to take away from this match, but conclusive statements are still quite a way to go.
The first thing that must be noted is how disappointing the Dutch were. Other than Eljero Elia, who tore the Azzurri to shreds whenever he descended down the left, their movement on the offence was evanescent and timid. Gianluigi Buffon could have spent most of the match playing chess with the photographers, really. As for the Dutch defence, the poverty of their performance was not surprising, but astonishing. Some of the spaces which they failed to cover seemed taken out of an illustration from the most elementary of football manuals. It is true that the Italians, having stepped onto the field with yet another new formation, gave little in the way of reference, but still. If this is how the Oranje intend to play at the World Cup, then they might as well not buy the plane ticket.
In last week’s article, we called the Dutch team ‘very powerful’ and one of the three or four favourite teams for the World Cup. We were obviously mistaken. There are a number of possible explanations behind their disappointing game – it was no more than a friendly, the tactics were ‘experimental,’ they were playing away, and so on. But the defensive frailties which they revealed, especially those on a tactical level, transcended these pretexts. Their set-up does not bode well for a Coach who intends to keep a team undefeated over the course of a seven-game tournament. If the Dutch wish to add a World Cup to their trophy cabinet, then they shall have to tighten their coverage skills at once.
Onto the Italians, two aspects of the performance are immediately outstanding. Firstly, the midfield was brilliant. They were balanced, disciplined and brave. The reasons for this are difficult to read – in the last two games against Ireland and Cyprus, the central department of the team appeared disorganized and spiritless. It may simply be due to the fact that Andrea Pirlo was playing without the partnership of Daniele De Rossi, since the combination of these two players has already proved dysfunctional in the past. And of course the individual performances left their imprint – Pirlo and Mauro Camoranesi were both in excellent shape, and Antonio Candreva was surprisingly impressive when it came to building bridges between the midfield and the offence. Lippi may have been right about the latter player when he praised the boy’s tactical flexibility. He deserves another run, and who knows that he may not turn out to be the surprise call-up for 2010.
It will take a few more games before we understand why (it may all have been due to the risible man-marking of the Dutch), but it is undeniable that the midfield looked very strong. Some of the geometries drawn when coming forward were so pretty that we may even call this Lippi’s best Italy since his second appointment – matched, perhaps, only by the one he fielded against Bulgaria.
The second point to consider is decidedly less positive, and it is the sterility of the attack – a spring of trouble that Italy have been faced with for as long as we can remember. There were some flashes of tactical merit in the opportunistic passes by Alberto Gilardino and in the effort of his team-mates, but overall the work done was underwhelming, especially in light of the support that was offered by the midfield. Italy should have scored. They had the spaces and the opportunities, and they should have scored (without the aid of Giampaolo Pazzini’s extended arm, we mean). Heavens help the Azzurri if they go under in the scoreboards against a team doted with a more effective defence – or if they do not improve their own offence by the time that moment comes.
Raffaele Palladino, a player who could have been of great use in the context of our drought of wingers, failed to grasp his opportunity. His performance was lacklustre, and with better options on the offence, it seems unlikely we will see him in South Africa. Speaking of better options – what an impressive display by Giuseppe Rossi. Still the most talented among the strikers fielded to date, still the greatest hope for the Italian offence in the present state of the call-ups. He was fast, humble and willing, and he seems to have lost for good that aura of selfishness which marked his first few matches under Lippi. His stature gives him some trouble in the aerial game, but it is also the condition for his swift changes in pace and direction. The real trouble with Rossi is consistency, since his form at Villareal is not exactly sparkling. Will he be fit come the summer? Let the prayers commence.
Of course, we cannot speak about the attack without a passing mention of Antonio Cassano. For a stadium too small to accommodate 30,000 people, the number of banners calling for the man was extraordinary (this writer counted six different ones, and those were only the ones picked by the cameras). Before ten minutes of the game had expired, a supporter ran into the pitch with a blue shirt bearing the following text – Cassano in Nazionale. The words are explicit, and the gesture, given the modesty of the location, even more so. Who knows if any of this will ever bear fruit.
With that aside, and all things considered, it was a pretty perplexing match. Confrontations between Italy and Holland normally offer a wealth of material for analysis, but this one seems to have rippled the waters more than it cleared them. Mighty Holland played badly, saved from defeat only by the Italian inconclusiveness, and no-one knows why. Italy’s midfield went from dire to galvanising in the space of one match, albeit one separated by a time-span of a couple of months. And the Azzurri team as a whole still lacks a true tactical identity, having gone back to the 4-2-3-1 for this game, yet this seemed to work. Baffling, really. There were good and bad things to be taken from this match, but a conclusion, that just wasn’t there.
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p_maldini_3 - Posts: 4191
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by RomaShield27 » Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:19 am
Carlo Ancelotti not thinking about Italy job for now
– By Soccernet staff, November 18, 2009
Carlo Ancelotti says he is tempted by the chance to lead Italy but is only thinking about Chelsea for now. Marcello Lippi, who led the side to World Cup success in 2006, has returned to coach the side following Roberto Donadoni's disappointing Euro 2008 campaign, but he has come under fire from fans and the press for his refusal to select the likes of Antonio Cassano and Amauri.
Lippi is expected to leave Italy after the finals next summer but, while Ancelotti admits he would love to coach an international side, he insists he is intending to stay at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future.
"I like the idea of coaching a national team, but at the moment, I'm staying at Chelsea," he told La Repubblica. "In June, I want to enjoy the live games as a spectator.
"I won't be the Italian coach next season. I'm the Chelsea coach and I want to finish this beautiful adventure."
– By Soccernet staff, November 18, 2009
Carlo Ancelotti says he is tempted by the chance to lead Italy but is only thinking about Chelsea for now. Marcello Lippi, who led the side to World Cup success in 2006, has returned to coach the side following Roberto Donadoni's disappointing Euro 2008 campaign, but he has come under fire from fans and the press for his refusal to select the likes of Antonio Cassano and Amauri.
Lippi is expected to leave Italy after the finals next summer but, while Ancelotti admits he would love to coach an international side, he insists he is intending to stay at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future.
"I like the idea of coaching a national team, but at the moment, I'm staying at Chelsea," he told La Repubblica. "In June, I want to enjoy the live games as a spectator.
"I won't be the Italian coach next season. I'm the Chelsea coach and I want to finish this beautiful adventure."
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RomaShield27 - Posts: 13281
- Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:58 am
- Location: Ireland
- Blog: View Blog (2)
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