The Azzurri Thread

[Mus]

“I never really thought of doing this without Balotelli, as he is a focal point of the national team.”

However, Prandelli ruled out the possibility of calling up either Francesco Totti or Alessandro Del Piero for the competition - unless his hand is forced by an injury crisis.

“If I should find myself in an emergency situation with the team, I would call on the old champions," he admitted. "However, I have a project for Italy and it involves young players.

 

[Xifio]

“I never really thought of doing this without Balotelli, as he is a focal point of the national team.”

relieved that he came out and said it ... thank you cesare!

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I mean... people hate the on field antics and cynicism of Italians already. Making Balotelli the focal point is going to cause people to absolutely DESPISE you!

 

[Sir Calumn]

Is Mario the first ever black man to play for Italy?

 

[Xifio]

I mean... people hate the on field antics and cynicism of Italians already. Making Balotelli the focal point is going to cause people to absolutely DESPISE you!

which people?

Is Mario the first ever black man to play for Italy?

Matteo Ferrari was ... coz Liverani is Somalian, so more arab than black, in ethnicity grey area ...

 

[Sir Calumn]

Ferrari's Algerian which I would say is more arab than black too... certainly both of them dont look half as black as Balotelli......

 

[Xifio]

uh, arab Algerians are actually pretty white -- like Zizou and Benzema ... Somalians are a proper grey area when it comes to black/arab ... so, I guess Ferrari is Italy's first black player like Obama is USA's first black president ...

and anyway, with people like Prandelli in charge, the future of Italy will have some colour to it ...

 

[ARIAGA II]

Look at that Angelo and Okaka. The two designated Nigerian miracles. This feels even worse than losing the Austrian-Filipino-but-really-Nigerian David Alaba, since they might actually win something.

UGH!

 

[ShiftyPowers]

which people?

You must be joking

 

[Xifio]

^ dude, haters gonna hate ... zero fux given ...

 

[Mus]

I was under the impression the majority of opposition supporters liked Balotelli and enjoyed his antics rather than despised him for it

 

[ShiftyPowers]

His off field antics of course. Not his on field bull****! The cutesy stuff is fine though (WHY ALWAYS ME)

 

[Xifio]

32 called up ... 9 to cut ...

PORTIERI: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Palermo)

DIFENSORI: Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus), Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit San Pietroburgo), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter)

CENTROCAMPISTI: Cigarini (Atalanta), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus),Schelotto (Atalanta), Verratti (Pescara)

ATTACCANTI: Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma)

I think cutting 8 is fairly straight forward: De Sanctis, Astori, Ranocchia, Cigarini, Schelotto, Diamanti, Giaccherini, Destro ...

the 9th, Verratti, would be an easy cut too, but I kinda want to see him taken ... hard to see who's going to get left out for him, though ... could be Ogbonna (doubt it) or Bocchetti ... I'd personally drop Thiago Motta in a heartbeat ...

 

[Mandieta6]

Borini got called up? Wow, he's done well.

 

[Mus]

Borini being called up is more due to a lack of other decent options than doing very well, he's probably been the most consistent striker at Roma this season however.

Also kinda gutted about the Verratti call up, his price can only go up now which hinders his move to Juve

 

[Ulysses]

by the name sounds this is the weakest italian team i've ever seen

 

[Mus]

Monty and Chiello both might not make it or won't be fully fit for the first match

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Just read a piece suggesting Italy could play 3-5-2. Maggio!

 

[Xifio]

^ link pls!

I still would have wanted to see this:

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::Cassano::::::::::::::::::Balotelli:::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::Rossi:::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::Montolivo:::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::Pirlo::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:Criscito:::::::::::::::::::::::::::Maggio:
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::^::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::Chiellini:::::::::::Barzagli:::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::De Rossi:::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::Buffon::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
​

but with Pepito out, I'll be fine with Prandelli's preferred 4-3-1-2 ...

 

[ShiftyPowers]

http://jameshorncastle.com/should-italy-play-3-5-2-at-euro-2012/