The Azzurri Thread

[Arnau]

What are you thinking, 7-0?

Italy knows how to compete. Usually when they lost friendlies, they win tournaments.

 

[Arnau]

1980: Totonero scandal ---> Italy won World Cup 2 years later

2005/06: Calciopoli scandal ---> Italy won world cup

2012: still nameless scandal --> ??

 

[Xifio]

What are you thinking, 7-0?

nah, Spain will score a consolation: 7-1 ...

Neg. It was my birthday so I was out and missed the game.... From what i've read online it was decent in the start then things started getting crazy and structureless with a mass amount of substitutions.

How was the trident? Horrible?

Heard the Napoli players + Montolivo had absolute shockers, especially Maggio vida facebook..

happy belated birthday!

Toto kept dropping deep to collect the ball, coz Thiago Motta was on by then, playing regista ... apart from a long range effort, they didn't do much ...

this was in contrast to passing and movement seen with the starting formation, where all the ideas were there; but it lacked execution, and it smacked of a team who have had one less friendly to get synced up with each other at match pace ... it could easily have been 2-0 Italy before Russia had a look in both halves ... I'm cautiously optimistic if the XI I named above start against Spain ...

on that note, I think Chiellini's return in place of Bonucci will restore order to a defence that was in shambles well before any subs happened ...

 

[Mus]

Thanks.

Pretty interesting, saw the goals they were pretty much more our doing than of Russia... I think we're pretty much confirmed as dark horses

 

[RobbieD_PL]

1980: Totonero scandal ---> Italy won World Cup 2 years later

2005/06: Calciopoli scandal ---> Italy won world cup

2012: still nameless scandal --> ??

This is a EURO tournament, but ok....

BTW, polacs are beating els polacs petits 3-0.

 

[Mus]

1980: Totonero scandal ---> Italy won World Cup 2 years later

2005/06: Calciopoli scandal ---> Italy won world cup

2012: still nameless scandal --> ??

Scommessopoli

 

[Haarithan]

Hearing Barzagli might well be out for the next 20 days. This just keeps getting worse for us. A final decision on Barzagli to be made on Friday.

Still think we can manage if we recall PDC/Santon. Astori/Rannochia are favorites though.

I mean this 3-5-2 looks pretty decent and can't fare any worse than our present 4-3-1-2:

Buffon
Bonucci - De rossi - Chiellini
Maggio - Marchisio/Nocerino - Pirlo - Montolivo - De ceglie
Cassano - Balotelli

P.S: Not a big fan of Balzaretti.

 

[Xifio]

why don't you like Balzaretti? based on what I saw from him and Ogbonna, de Ceglie isn't needed ... and there's no way Santon will be involved ...

but I love where you've got De Rossi ... I'd swap in Ogbonna for Bonucci (though I doubt Prandelli would) ... Balzaretti would play LWB ... and, as I've said before, I'd pick Nocerino RCM, and Montolivo at LCM ... the idea of 3-5-2 is really growing on me ...

 

[Mus]

Damn. Barzagli was our best player this season I thought, even above Pirlo, huge loss.

 

[Haarithan]

why don't you like Balzaretti? based on what I saw from him and Ogbonna, de Ceglie isn't needed ... and there's no way Santon will be involved ...

but I love where you've got De Rossi ... I'd swap in Ogbonna for Bonucci (though I doubt Prandelli would) ... Balzaretti would play LWB ... and, as I've said before, I'd pick Nocerino RCM, and Montolivo at LCM ... the idea of 3-5-2 is really growing on me ...

I don't know, but from what I've seen of the duo (Balza & PDC), I've always liked PDC better... And yeah, I've been wanting the 3-5-2 for a while now...

 

[Xifio]

I love where you've got De Rossi ... I'd swap in Ogbonna for Bonucci (though I doubt Prandelli would) ...

or maybe my telepathic link with him is stronger than I expected -- not only is Prandelli trying 3-5-2, he's doing it the way I want:

Permane il problema della sostituzione di Barzagli, in mattinata prima del volo da Pisa Prandelli ha provato una difesa a tre con Ogbonna, De Rossi e Chiellini.

---


and there is talk of Criscito being called up to replace Barzagli ... as much I'd like to give Barzagli a chance to recover and play in the knockouts, I'd rather have Mimmo right away ... do it, Prandelli!

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Wasn't he sent home for suspicion of match fixing? Why bring that into the squad?

 

[Mus]

Wasn't he sent home for suspicion of match fixing? Why bring that into the squad?

He was sent home because Prandelli thought it would be too much pressure for him, knowing that at any moment throughout the tournament he could be summoned for questioning

 

[Xifio]

pretty much confirmed for the match v Spain:

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Balotelli ::::::
::::: Cassano :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::: Marchisio :::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::: Motta :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::: Pirlo ::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
: Balzaretti :::::::::::::::::::::::::: Maggio ::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::^::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::: Chiellini :::::::::::: Ogbonna:::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::: De Rossi :::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::: Buffon :::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::​

could be Bonucci instead of Ogbonna, and Giaccherini instead of Balzaretti ... I'd personally pick Montolivo over Marchisio, and Marchisio over Thiago Motta ... but, considering the personnel missing, I do like this 3-5-2 ...

 

[Mus]

Cool. Agreed with the dropping of Motta, still not sure of DDR as a CB

 

[Mus]

Barzagli's staying, good news hopefully he can recover soon, it's only a calf and they aren't too tricky to heal

 

[Deisler]

Win Just win.

 

[Arnau]

 

[Back Door Skip]

win just win.

Brilliant.

 

[Rocky]

It was about time Di Natale stepped up for us!

De Rossi was a beast as sweeper. I had mixed feelings about him playing there but Prandelli's decision was the right one. Saved us quite a few times.