The Official Azzurri thread

[Carlo Romano]

[Messinterista]

Marchisio and Pepe set to start?

Juventus pairing Claudio Marchisio and Simone Pepe look increasingly likely to start for Italy against Paraguay this evening.

Italy boss Marcello Lippi has been won over by Marchisio's personality and also likes his versatility.

The 24-year-old will play on the left-hand side of the Azzurri's midfield if Lippi goes with a 4-3-3 as expected. He could also reprise his role along the line of trequartisti in a 4-2-3-1, although that formation has been put on the shelf for now.

As for Pepe, the 26-year-old winger hasn't missed a trick during training camp, seizing his opportunity to establish himself as a first team regular.

The new Juventus signing is among the players most in form and should play on the right of an attacking trident comprised of Alberto Gilardino and Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Another surprise could come in the form of Domenico Criscito, the Genoa left-back co-owned by Juve, who could play behind Marchisio.

Lippi has abandoned his idea of playing Giorgio Chiellini at left-back and has been trying out Gianluca Zambrotta there even if it isn't his natural position.

However, Criscito and Marchisio grew up together at Juventus and played regularly together for the Italy Under-21s, giving Lippi pause for thought when drawing up his team-sheet.

Source: http://football-italia.net/jun14d.html

[RomaShield27]

I bet you Lippi has selected Pepe to start just because it is confirmed he will join Juventus. Fuckin homo's.

How can Gilardino and Di Natale not start? Di Natale is the most in-form forward of the lot and should be there. Lippi is too concerned with the opposition instead of focusing on his own team.

As Carlo said, praying may be the Azzurri's best bet this evening.

[juventino_italiano]

[RomaShield27]

Lippi gambles on Criscito
– Monday 14 June, 2010

Italy boss Marcello Lippi will take a gamble against Paraguay this evening and play Domenico Criscito from the start. Criscito is a natural left-back, but many feel Lippi hasn't been entirely convinced by him in training, experimenting with Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluca Zambrotta in that position. However, given his comfort at playing there and his relationship with Claudio Marchisio, Lippi has decided to take a risk rather than play someone else out of position.

Elsewhere, Gianluca Zambrotta has been preferred at right-back to Napoli's Christian Maggio. Riccardo Montolivo also looks to have edged out Angelo Palombo in the race to play instead of the injured Andrea Pirlo. Up front, Lippi has resisted the temptation to play Giampaolo Pazzini, keeping faith in Alberto Gilardino who will be flanked by Simone Pepe on the right and Vincenzo Iaquinta on the left.

Speaking to RAI, Lippi exuded confidence and revealed that he had received a signed pink jersey from Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso. “He sent me a pink jersey on which was written: 'Marcello now it's up to you',â€

[juventino_italiano]

This is not confirmed though Shield???

[p_maldini_3]

the only good thing is that criscito is starting.

lippi is such a fucking dumbass. he's had 2 years to integrate players like criscito and bochetti into the lineup, but instead they're being thrown into the deep end at the world cup.

[Messinterista]

Woah, I'm impressed. We didn't lose!

[Bagg10]

[Messinterista]

[Bagg10]

[Carlo Romano]

Last night's result again showed us one of the reasons bookies succeed in business and despite lots of differing opinions I too expected the draw. It needn't have been just that! It's all very well Lippi continuing to use different formations because he wants the players to be familiar with working them. That's sense but what isn't is the fact he should have long before now learned his particular group of players doesn't suit a 4-2-3-1.

Bagg on the Shoutbox rightly made the point the coach should use a system/systems to suit the players he has and not the other way round. What he has he is now stuck with! Let's be frank, at best what Lippi has is a team that is functional and he is trying to make that "collectiveness" count in the absence of having several true World Class flair players. Again though, he should have been able to assess their full capabilities before now!

I thought during the first half until Paraguay got their goal (a soft and needless free kick to concede) that our Azzurri were just ahead on points although the match seemed slow paced and negative in terms of serious intent, even making allowances for the wet conditions! What I also didn't like to see was how unsettled our lads clearly became after losing that goal and how their attitude lasted for the rest of the first half.

Reverting to a 4-4-2 made an immediate difference as did bringing on Camoranesi for Marchisio. If anyone had told me before the match that I'd have listed Pepe and Zambrotta amongst our top performers by full time I'd have at very least raised an eyebrow in surprise. I'd add Cannavaro to our very best last night except I still think he and De Rossi could have put far more pressure on Alcaraz to put him off from scoring. Why was De Rossi having to cover as one of the last two defenders? He shouldn't have had to and it spoiled his otherwise fine match! Criscito did well enough but could have been better had he been integrated into things before now as he should have been. Who wouldn't show some nerves when being chucked straight in at the deep end?

On our front men...Gilardino copes at club level with being isolated but then he has guys like Jovetic to feed him passes...I don't like the long ball game involved utilising the players we have to get the ball to Gila or whomever. It's not Italy's style, never has been, and the better play with short, quick interchanges proved that, after the system change. Leave the English game to the English!

Tony made two good suggestions: "Against tougher opposition we will need two DMs (Palombo and De Rossi). This will cover our defensive speed issues a bit more, because we will get exposed against a quicker back line. Gilardino is not right for this formation. He is too stranded up top. He needs to be 1 of a 2 striker system. Either play 4-4-2 with Iaquita inside, or use Di Natale behind him."

Let's hope Lippi takes this into account because mark my words as much as Bagg's on this point, our progression in this tournament will most certainly depend upon what we do against Slovakia, against whom, as with the Swiss, we have a history dating back to the days of Czechoslovakia of finding life very difficult!

Our Commissario Technico has now made two serious errors in judgment within a week. Firstly, following our Mexican defeat he said he had thought our squad was in better condition than it apparently is and secondly, by wasting an entire first half last night on a system which he should have known does not suit us, and which put us under needless pressure to recover from. Let's hope there are no more unnecessary shocks waiting for us though I have my doubts...and if there are then Lippi may be best advised to follow his team captain to Al Ahli though he just now denies that's a possibility!

On Gigi...I'd much rather accept the explanation of a small strain of the sciatic nerve for his substitution than the Latin-American media gossip of him hurting his hand after slamming it down on a table during an argument with Lippi at half time.

[ricky2882]

---------------------------Buffon

------Maggio - Cannavaro - Chiellini - Criscito

-------------------------De Rossi
-------------Camoranesi-------Marchisio
-------------------------Montolivo

--------------------Pazzini - Di Natale

[Messinterista]

Lippi voices Paraguay regrets

Marcello Lippi admits “there is great regret, as this is the kind of match we have got to winâ€

[Lombardiamia]

This is a team where everyone gives his 100%, as Lippi wanted, but in which no one can give 1% quality, as Lippi wanted. We'll scrape through the group cause its way too easy not to, but we'll be out as soon as we play a decent squad.

[RomaShield27]

World Cup 2010: Italy's Gianluigi Buffon pledges to overcome back pain
• Injury forced goalkeeper to miss second half of Paraguay game
• Buffon insists he will beat sciatic nerve problem 'in two days'

www.guardian.co.uk – Tuesday 15 June 2010 10.16 BST

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon insists he will be fit to play again "in two days", despite a sciatic nerve problem forcing him to miss the second half of the Paraguay game. Having been sidelined with injuries for several months this season, Buffon had been an injury doubt ahead of the tournament, but declared himself ready just in time for selection. However, the back pain that ended his opening game early has now jeopardised his participation in the rest of the World Cup.

Italy's team doctor Enrico Castellacci said Buffon would have medical tests to determine the extent of his injuries – but the goalkeeper said he remains optimistic that he can play against New Zealand on Sunday.

"I'm hoping to recover in two days," he said. "I thought I tore something apart but it turned out I just aggravated my sciatic nerve."

Buffon was replaced by for the second half by Federico Marchetti, who plays for the Serie A club Cagliari.

"It was really exciting, although at the same time I'm sorry for Gigi. Before I came on he calmed me down and encouraged me, and that was really nice coming from such a great champion like him," Marchetti said.

[RomaShield27]

I think Lippi will stick with his 4-2-3-1 for the next game against Mid-World, as they are likely to be ultra-defensive and hard to break down and so Italia will need as many offensive players on the pitch as possible. Its also a good game to give as many of the forwards a chance to play as possible so they can score and get their confidence up, which means everything for a striker in this tournament. Later in the tournament, if they get that far, I think he might revert back to a much more conservative 4-4-2, with Camoranesi on the right and Marchisio or Montolivo on the left.

I still can't believe Iaquinta played in this game. I wonder if he played the season he's just had at a club like Sampdoria or Genoa would Lippi of picked him. Its clear he's his boy. Maybe he selected him for his physical presence, I'm not sure, but he was woeful on the left in the first-half last night. As a more central striker he is not so bad but not good enough to start. Di Natale certainly should of started wide out left last night. Italy need at least one forward player who can take on and beat his man. Pepe will try his heart out but he's just lacking on the required quality to be a match-winner.

Up top, I think Gilardino is still the man to lead the line. He was alright in the first-half, and while he faded in the second, it was hard for him playing alone against a tight and well-organised Paraguayan defence and had to put in a hard shift. The conditions didn't help either. Pazzini is a very useful alternative but I think people want him starting the games just because he represents something new, a change in personal to the tried and trusted, but I still think Gilardino is better at this stage.

[p_maldini_3]

Iaquinta: 'It was tough for me'
Tuesday 15 June, 2010
Italy striker Vincenzo Iaquinta has complained that he had a tough game against Paraguay partly because Marcello Lippi played him out of position.

The Juventus star was placed on the left-hand side of Italy's attack and struggled to make an impact until Lippi changed formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2.

“We put more pressure on the opponents when we played two centre-forwards,â€

[ricky2882]

[quote]


Antonio Cassano doesn't know why Marcello Lippi refused to pick him for Italy, but showed real class by wishing him well at the World Cup.

A considerable number of people wanted to see Cassano included in Lippi's plans, sparking protests at Italy's qualifying matches.

Interviewed on Sky Italia, Cassano was asked to explain why Lippi doesn't seem to trust him.

“I sincerely don't know. I haven't even seen him,â€

[Italiamia]

The original article strikes a quite different tone I would say:



Mondiali 2010 - Cassano "Tifo Italia, ma non per Lippi"
Italpress - mar, 15 giu 13:53:00 2010

Antonio Cassano si dimostra vicino alla Nazionale di Lippi che - dice lui - "forse soffre la mia personalità". Quanto alla Sampdoria, il fantasista barese rivela: "Sono stato vicino alla Fiorentina, ma ho voluto fortemente restare a Genova. Ora voglio vincere qualcosa con questa maglia..."


Antonio Cassano è così: o lo si ama o lo si odia. Difficile restargli indifferente. Una carriera sempre a tutta, anche e soprattutto negli eccessi fuori dal campo. Dentro, con il pallone tra i piedi, è un fenomeno; fuori, con le parole, graffiante come pochi...

"TIFO ITALIA. SE VINCONO AZZURRI CONTENTO PER LORO, NON PER LIPPI" – “Io mi auguro che l'Italia possa vincere, sono tifoso italiano e spero che faccia benissimo. Visto che Lippi deve andare via, mi auguro che lo faccia l'11 luglio da campione. Ma non per lui, lo dico per i giocatori e tutto il resto". Antonio Cassano è uno che non le manda di certo a dire e - pur augurandosi di vedere l'Italia di nuovo campione del Mondo - ribadisce lo scarso feeling col CT. "Non mi vede, cosa ci posso fare? - continua - La partita di ieri non l'ho vista ma quando mi dicono che l'Italia manca di qualità penso che potevano esserci Totti, The Waterboy, anche se tutti da due anni pensano che dovevo esserci io". Secondo Cassano, Lippi ha un problema con le personalità dei giocatori di carattere: “Forse soffre la mia personalità. Io non ho mai avuto a che fare con lui, ci siamo sentiti solo all'inizio e mi disse che mi sarei stancato di andare in Nazionale. E invece mi sono stancato di non andarci. Cassano può essere uno che spacca il gruppo? Non so se l'ha detto, sicuramente lo pensa. Ha detto che i giocatori devono essere pronti per la Nazionale a livello psico-tecnico e io a livello mentale faccio fatica. Ripeto, sarei contento se l'Italia vincesse ma non per lui".
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http://it.eurosport.yahoo.com/15062010/ ... lippi.html