The Official Azzurri thread

[Lombardiamia]

[Bagg10]

[maro]

[Lombardiamia]

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]

[p_maldini_3]

[Bagg10]

[Messinterista]

[Carlo Romano]

I fell asleep with about 12 mins to go...that's how enthusiastic I was by that point! I hate it when something I've been looking forward to as I had been on Wednesday lets me down! Lets be under no false impressions...even missing a half dozen first choice players, this was a very average Cameroon side and we saw we had the beating of them. Which we couldn't do.

Like I already said, I remember very well why the football world in general abandoned the 3-4-3 back in the 90's. Theoretically, this formation means being obliged to defend higher up the park, to "press" the oppositon when possession of the ball has been lost. It supposedly takes the heat off the 3 man back line, (is Lippi thinking of Cannavaro here?) and, it allows a quicker counter attack if the ball can be won in the opposition's half.

That's fine when you have the players to suit, as Zac had at Udinese back then! But the mess a 3 man backline can get into when things go wrong is the stuff we don't want to see at the World Cup unless of course it's done by a team we are playing against!

Lomba, I too like the basics of your selection and the 4-2-3-1 but I'd have to say Montolivo no longer inspires the same confidence in me he once did. His form loss of course can be corrected even though his club is struggling, but we don't have the luxury of time to wait...and up front, even though still under 20, I think Balotelli has to come to Sth Africa. The fact that Lippi seems to like him could point to his inclusion.

Lastly, I spoke of Lippi more and more reminding me of a conjurer looking to pull a rabbit out of his hat, and if it has to be so, then this is the image I want to see...



Unfortunately I have another conjurer's image of a guy losing his head in the process of trying! Why do I feel more and more the second image is Lippi? No one is sorrier than me to suggest our CT is trying to find the best damage limitation formula he can, rather than a potential cup winner's plan!

Bagg, I've seen nothing since last Sunday re/Baggio on tv. My cousin suggested that the discs may only at this point be available through Gazzetta dello Sport or whichever paper is the sponsor...which means having to wait until they appear on the 'net and from all the usual outlets...

Sorry guys, I wrote and stored this post yesterday and of course there have been more made by you since, which kind of outdates this one...

[Lombardiamia]

I had high hopes on Cassano at the start of the year. I knew Lippi would not chose him even if his life depended on it, but I believed he'd give Lippi a hard time to defend his hard-headidness. Yet after his late problems even with Del Neri, I have really lost all hopes on him. He is now 27 I believe, yet he keeps pulling his antics with each and every coach he has. I dont believe that at this point he will ever mature.
I quite like the formation Bagg but forward here, though Giovinco is definately not a trequartista. He may play wide in a 4-2-3-1, but his main position is that of support striker. He loves space to run into, therefore the trequartista would limit his potential. I would still chose Pirlo after the WC. Also I am hoping that there will be a new young striker to 'explode' next year, as we are really thin on options up there.

[Carlo Romano]

I'm one of many who've long since concluded Cassano can only be motivated by being the centre of attraction. Seeing him recently at San Remo where some people considered his "interview" by Antonella Clerici to be one of the Festival highlights is not what a footballer ought to be about...unless he is actually a proven big winner on the football pitch.

What major trophies has he actually helped a club win? Nothing with Roma and his few token appearances for Madrid did not in a "telling" way contribute to their two league championship wins when he was there.

Del Neri recently said Cassano's talent is not what it is made out to be. Just when or if Cassano disproves that statement...with quality football is down to himself alone.

I have faith as I continue to say that our Euro 2012 squad will be better than our 2010. I'm also as sure as I can be that the scugnizzo barese won't be part of it!

[Lombardiamia]

[RomaShield27]

[Bagg10]

[Carlo Romano]

Bagg, well, at least now you know and that's the main thing!

Lomba & Ed, I have to say I've seen a more imposing Montolivo than I'm seeing at the moment. For me he is an Azzurri squad player, not for now starting quality. Kind of describes more than just him though when you view the Baggio clips by comparison!

[p_maldini_3]

[p_maldini_3]

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]