The Official Azzurri thread 2

[p_maldini_3]

the premiershit has 20 teams? yet they were dominating the past few years. the point is that there are way too many variables involved to pin it on one problem. but in the grand scheme of things, i don't think an 18 team competition is one of those most pressing concerns if you want to balance the european equation.

with respect to inter's favorable refereeing decisions, every team needs that bit of divine foreplay to win the CL. if the footballing gods don't will your victory, you won't win.

[Messinterista]

I didn't say that if we change to an 18 team competition all will be fixed. It is a start.
Anyway, the premiershit is a different story, that have the money and restructured their league to what it is today - the powerhouse of club football (not including the champions league). Their national team suffers but that is only because they let far too many foreigners play and don't give the young ones a chance. (Don't say anything about Inter lol, we have a great academy. We just don't hold the players).
The Serie A has way to many things going against it. Another thing is the crowds. Too little crowds and whatever amount of people turn up, their experience is destroyed due to the fecking Ultras.

[RomaShield27]

Just watched Estonia v Italy in full. Overall it was quite a decent performance but certainly there is room for improvement – and they will need to improve, no doubt about it. They were in control for the entire first-half and went into the break a goal down solely because of the fault of Sirigu. He really should of got that ball further away or turned it out for a corner, so a bit of inexperience there. He never really recovered after that and could of cost Italy another goal when he flopped miserably at a cross right at the end. He seems like he has the confidence to recover, but the sooner Buffon gets fit, or the sooner Marchetti sorts his club situation out, or even give Viviano a go, the better.

Still, Italy showed good composure in the second-half and played the ball around nicely before they got their just reward. Cassano was instrumental in that and his touch for Bonucci's goal was pure class, and he showed exactly what was missing from Italy's line-ups for so long. Its ridiculous when you think he's been left out for so long.

[Giacomo]

Yes, it is ridiculous, almost criminal as well since, at the age of 28, he missed playing in a WC at the peak of his career for no justififable reason.

I was very encouraged by the performance and looking at some other players who were absent from this squad but who I expct to be involved (for example, Buffon, Criscito and Aquilani) and some of the players who should emerge from the Azzurrini in time to play in forthcoming euro2012 qualifiers and the finals (for example Ranocchia, Poli and Paloschi), I am confident that Italy will reach at least the semi-finals.

[Giacomo]

I regard an 18-team Serie A as an important part of the development of calcio, but because of the over-dependence on revenue from live TV, it is not probably practicable to implement it at the moment.

An 18-team division would eliminate the 4 midweek rounds of Serie A, ensure teams are fresher for their (hopefully) lengthy CL and EL campaigns, enable the division to become even more competitive becasue smaller clubs would find it easier to finance a higher quality roster because it could be smaller when faced with 34 rather than 38 games and free dates sothat the Coppa Italia does not have to be squeezed into cold midweek evenings in January, which could stimulate more spectator interest in the competition. The principle of weekend for the league and midweek for the cup woudl also be observed giving the season better shape and regularity.

[p_maldini_3]

Prandelli targets attacking approach

By Soccernet staff

September 5, 2010

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Italy boss Cesare Prandelli has vowed to make the side stronger and more entertaining as they look to bounce back from their World Cup disappointment.

Cesare Prandelli

PA Photos

Cesare Prandelli is looking to make changes to the way Italy play

Italy are currently in a transitional phase, with many of the 2006 World Cup winners failing to offer a convincing defence of their trophy in 2010, and Prandelli is looking to rebuild the side.

The Azzurri came close to embarrassment in Prandelli's first competitive game as they scraped past Estonia 2-1 but, ahead of the home match against Faroe Islands on Tuesday, he is promising a more attacking outlook.

"In my view, this Nazionale can give a lot more and over time it will also become an entertaining team to watch," he said.

"I am convinced that Andrea Pirlo, Riccardo Montolivo and Daniele De Rossi can guarantee both quality and quantity. If one of the three is locked down, the other two have to push up into the space - otherwise, with just Antonio Cassano doing that, it becomes difficult.

"I am certain that as time goes on they'll understand these movements. The basic play is for three strikers, but it all depends on Cassano. He must to all intents and purposes become a support striker. If he understands those movements, he can become extraordinary."

[Carlo Romano]

[RomaShield27]

Reuters - Yesterday, 10:04 – 

MILAN - For so long seen as the bad boy of Italian football, Antonio Cassano came of age in Italy's opening Euro 2012 qualifying win over Estonia and he will again be their focal point for Tuesday's game with the Faroe Islands. The Sampdoria forward, whose was as famous for his outbursts and immature antics as he was for his football in his early career, has calmed down significantly in recent times and at 28 is now making a difference for his country.

Former Italy coach Marcello Lippi was slammed by the media for ignoring him for two years but new boss Cesare Prandelli immediately restored Cassano after June's World Cup debacle. Cassano's headed goal and an instinctive backheel to set up Leonardo Bonucci for the winner helped Italy fight back from a goal down to defeat Estonia in their Group C opener on Friday.

"I would sign up to have him always display the same willingness he showed as well as the goals and assists," Prandelli told reporters. "Up to now he has behaved wonderfully with the national team. He understands the errors of the past. Only a while ago football was fantasy to him, now he feels responsible."

Cassano had a back problem before the game in Tallinn but that was never going to stop him. A quiet first half where he drifted too far to the left wing as part of Prandelli's three-pronged attack, with Giampaolo Pazzini and Simone Pepe, also threatened to undermine his performance before a startling second period.

ROSSI DOUBTFUL
Prandelli said he would like to play Cassano behind front man Pazzini, just like the pair do for Samp, but that the lack of wingers in Italian football means a 4-3-3 is more useful than a 4-4-2 formation. Pepe struggled against Estonia but could keep his place in the qualifier against the Faroes with rival Giuseppe Rossi doubtful after suffering an ankle problem in training.

The ghosts of South Africa, where holders Italy went out in the group stage, have a long way to go before they are exorcised with the defence of dead balls still a problem for the Azzurri and vulnerable stand-in goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. Unheralded Faroe Islands, who were unlucky to lose to Estonia before going down 3-0 at home to Serbia on Friday, will pose less of a threat and may give Prandelli's much-changed and inexperienced squad the chance to better gel on Tuesday.

Prandelli's first home match in charge will be extra special for the 53-year-old given the game is being played in Florence, where he guided Fiorentina to modest success over the past five years before taking the Italy job. He expects most fans to be welcoming but a few chants criticising his departure from Fiorentina could occur.

Probable teams:

Italy: Salvatore Sirigu; Lorenzo De Silvestri, Leonardo Bonucci, Girgio Chiellini, Cristian Molinaro; Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo, Riccardo Montolivo; Antonio Cassano, Simone Pepe, Giampaolo Pazzini

Faroe Islands: Gunnar Nielsen; Christian Mouritsen, Hendrik Rubeksen, Johan Davidsen, Atli Gregersen; Jonas Tor Naes, Frodji Benjaminsen, Jan Ingi Petersen, Christian Holst; Simun Samuelsen, Joan Edmundsson

Referee: Aleksei Kulbakov (Belarus)

[Carlo Romano]

The last time Italia won 5-0 was back in 1987 against Malta. It was great to hear the crowd singing again as our Azzurri played, even if it was "only" against the Faroe Islands. It's been quite a time though and I have to say the real icing on the cake for me was in seeing Gigi Riva, Gianni Rivera, and Roby Baggio sitting in the stands together watching the match! Three true Italiani fuoriclasse!

Cassano thanks his wife for helping him to grow up and the news yesterday she is two months pregnant means he has more growing up to do in the near future! Perhaps the fates or as Maldini referred to them a few posts back, the gods of football decided it was better that opportunity should knock later rather than sooner for him. He now has a clear run at things.

We will know just how good last night's performance was in terms of progress when we start facing stiffer opposition. Prandelli is certainly talking a good game in promising he wants to entertain us.

[Messinterista]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIKU4p57Sp0

It's soo good seeing Cassano back in the Azzurri side and doing well. Well done Pirlo on that fantastic free kick. We are back on track.

[juventino_italiano]

[juventino_italiano]

I'm not going to get too excited, there's a long long way to go for this squad, but i like Prandelli's style for the most part

[Carlo Romano]

Ennio, as we know, Prandelli has promised to entertain us and I think he means it. Maybe in time his results will prove me wrong about his being a "nearly but not quite man" and I would dearly love to hope so!

If history as fact does repeat itself and we do at least what Vicini's Azzurri did, I will still be happy as compared to our twilight zone era under Donadoni and then Lippi's reprise or bis as some Italians say. I say history "as fact" because let's remember Prandelli doesn't have that club side atmosphere Vicini did through having had many of his players together from U-21 level with just a few exceptions, greats like Franco Baresi, and Spillo Altobelli as examples.

However, as we also know, Prandelli is not afraid to give young players a chance and also those older ones who ought not to have been overlooked. That said, we can hope he finds a settled team before long which is without doubt the next best thing to Vicini's adventure. We are not this time around (as opposed to Lippi's XI) suffering through the wrong choices.

I still have hopes of Giuseppe Rossi, not fully back to 100% after his recent infortunio. For me as I have said before, his biggest plus factor is in having the courage and the confidence to take the ball to his opponent and know he can dribble past or slip the ball to a team mate, having just put one more defender out of the equation. We have very few young players with that "throwback" quality!

So next it's Northern Ireland away in early October and we can expect them to push us more than Estonia or The Faroes did, though Slovenia bother me more than Serbia, they both being our real competition. We seem to have a bit of a hoodoo with those Slovenians and I include a certain faction of their fans which could compete with our Ultras as major headache material.

[Bagg10]

I really wish Rosina would make his return to Serie A. We don't have many left footed options.

[RomaShield27]

I haven't heard much, in fact i've heard practically nothing at all about Rosina since he went to Russia. And was it Bocchetti who also left for Russia in the last mercato? I know the money is there and it is a rich league but it doesn't seem like a good move for a players international prospects.

[Bagg10]

If Bocchetti was playing regularly on a serie a team, he'd definitely be a contender for that LB spot. I think in the end Criscito is our best choice, but surely Bocchetti is a better choice than Molinaro. As for Rosina I think right now would be the perfect time for him to come back to serie a, if any of the bigger clubs would be willing to show some faith. He would offer Prandelli some versatility moving forward. We could switch from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1 (not in any particular order) to see what works best for us. The 4-3-3 worked against a small team like the Faroe islands, but we're going to need to play against a better team, to see if we can implement those tactics against better opposition.

----------------------------Buffon
Cassani------Bonucci---------------Chiellini-------Criscito

------Montolivo--------Pirlo-----------De Rossi

-----Balotelli-----------------------Cassano
---------------Pazzini/Gila/Amauri

I think Prandelli has this set-up in mind moving forward, which looks good offensively, but we need to see how well the defense works, especially on those flanks that are left a little more exposed in this type of formation.

The other concern I have is De Rossi and Montolivo, at times they seem like they're not sure what their role is on the team. DDR has to step and be more commanding in that midfield. He's had a lot more responsibility in that midfield since 06, but imo he hasnt stepped up to the plate. When Gattuso was playing, he was doing most of the ball winning and the hustling in the midfield, which made life a lot easier for Pirlo and De Rossi. Not to mention we had more cover on the flank when Camoranesi and Perotta were playing those wide roles in the 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 or however they were playing. But in this 3 man midfield, theyre both going to need to step up.

[tonykart]

WC 2014

--------------------- BUFFON

MOTTA - RANOCCHIA - CHIELLINI - SANTON

---- MARCHISIO - PALOMBO - DE ROSSI

------------------- GIOVINCO

------------ PAZZINI ------ CASSANO

Bench: Curci, Sirigu; Abate, Bonucci, Gamberini, Criscito; Montolivo, Nocerino, Aquilani; Rossi, Quagliarella, Balotelli.

EURO 2012

------------------------ BUFFON

MAGGIO - LEGROTTAGLIE - CHIELLINI - BALZARETTI

----------- PALOMBO -------------- DE ROSSI
------------------------- PIRLO

------ PEPE -------------------------- CASSANO
------------------------ PAZZINI

Bench: Abbiati, De Sanctis; Motta, Ranocchia, Bovo, Cassani; Nocerino, Montolivo, Marchisio; Giovinco, Balotelli, Iaquinta.

[maro]

Rosi's a better young Italian fullback than Motta is.

[tonykart]

I'd like to see him play some more before I say that.

[maro]

Of course, tk. I'm taking a bit of a punt but I have a hunch this will prove to be true - if only Rosi can squeeze himself into our starting 11 this year then it may be shown sooner rather than later. Defensively, Motta has been terrible every time I've seen him over the past 18 months (and I mean terrible - and, of course, I have seen him a fair bit). Rosi's problem has partly been finding his position (though I was sure he was going to be a fullback even when he was playing on the wing for us in the 4-2-3-1 three or four seasons ago). Last year was clearly very good for him and I think he's going to kick on this year in a big way.