The Official Azzurri thread

[juventino_italiano]

[Bagg10]

[p_maldini_3]

fiorentina, for all their offensive talent, were incredibly lost bringing the ball forward.

the way they tore milan a new one in the first half (in both our matches against them) was replaced by offensive lethargy in the second, the difference between the 2 halves was incredible.

prandelli can set a team up, but his teams always leave something to be desired in terms of fitness (lasting the full 90) and offensive potency.

[Bagg10]

[Messinterista]

Exciting future ahead for the Azzurri!

[RomaShield27]

So who else do we think Lippi will cut from the Azzurri World Cup squad? There's still 28 players in the squad which has to be cut to 23 by 1 June, so five more players to lose:

G:Buffon, De Sanctis, Marchetti, Sirigu, D: Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Maggio, Bonucci, Criscito, Cassani, Bocchetti, M:, Pirlo, Gattuso, De Rossi, Montolivo, Camoranesi, Palombo, Cossu, Marchisio, Pepe F: Quagliarella, Rossi, Iaquinta, Di Natale, Borriello, Gilardino

One will certainly be a 'keeper, so you'd imagine Sirigu. Camoranesi has to be cut from this team, he is playing terrible and has had a shite season, and I would almost say the same for Gattuso, and he should be gone, but Lippi won't do that. So it may be Cossu. One will have to go from defence, so I think it will be one from Bocchetti or Cassani, hopefully the latter. Likewise upfront, one will have to be cut, but who? For me it has to be Iaquinta, he is another who has had a shite season and is in there on his previous reputation alone, but he is one of Lippi's favourites, so I don't know.

[juventino_italiano]

Shield, I agree with your cuts.
But i will somewhat defend Iaquinta and Camoranesi who are very versatile players, Iaquinta especially. They haven't necessarily had shite seasons, while rather they have been injured for most intervals of the season.

I'm not saying the deserve to be there based on form and yes they are certainly there based on the past....

I don't particularly like Pepe, I never really have....anyways...at this point i have nothing left to do but have full faith in Lippi, It's too late to bitch and moan...

[RomaShield27]

Pepe suits Lippi's system as he can play out wide and put in a decent shift in tracking back etc, so I can't see Lippi cutting him. If Iaquinta and Camoranesi have been injured for most intervals of the season then that is another reason why they shouldn't be included. They simply haven't had good enough seasons, and the likes of Cossu and Pepe and even Quagliarella have been better than them and so Lippi should cut the two Juventus men.

[p_maldini_3]

[Bagg10]

In that case Pirlo, Gattuso, and Zambrotta should be cut as well.

[p_maldini_3]

pirlo had to shift to a 2 man midfield which required a shit load of running on his part. he probably covered the most ground over the course of our season. the obvious result was a hindrance to his usual game. but he still has it, a player like him doesn't get 'old', you give him the right players and he will turn dust into gold.

the last world cup, as much as it was a great group effort, pirlo was probably the most fundamental player to the team. had 3 or 4 MoM's out of 7 games, including the final.

with the proper cast around him, pirlo is unstoppable.

[Bagg10]

I agree mk, I don't actually think Pirlo should be dropped. I'm just saying that according to Shield's standards he shouldn't be on the team. As much as Lippi likes to commercialize the fact that he's take the most "in form" players anywhere from 18-40 years old, it just simply isn't true. Lippi has a system in mind, and he has picked players that fit that system, and he's putting faith a few of his key players despite their club form.

[RomaShield27]

Has Pirlo had as bad a season as Iaquinta or Camoranesi, or Grosso or Cannavaro, even? I think almost certainly not. It may not of been his best but surely it wasn't as bad as those others. As much as I agree that players should be picked based on form and the season they just had, Bagg, some players are just irreplaceable, Pirlo being one of these, much in the same way that if Buffon had a poor season, he could not be dropped, as he is crucial. De Rossi has also had a relatively poor season by his standards, but dropping him wouldn't be smart. In short, Iaquinta or Camoranesi are, simply, not key players, and by coming off poor seasons they should be dropped in favour of those who are on the fringe.

[p_maldini_3]

[juventino_italiano]

[RomaShield27]

[p_maldini_3]

[RomaShield27]

[Bagg10]

[juventino_italiano]