Gli Azzurri - La Nazionale, Italy National Football Team

SpartanMilan · Sep 12, 2012

CalcioFan said:
Marchisio provided a great assist.

Nocerino on the other hand, yes, shouldn't be a starter.

This is what Italy does all the time. They suck in qualifiers. They don't have their full team either.

Balotelli, Cassano, De Rossi, Chiellini and Balzaretti were missing.

I think Cassano is done with the NT... G Rossi can make it back if healthy. Cassano is getting old and cant play 90 minutes, and Italy has a lot of other talent at striker. I think he is finished.

Plus it seems Criscito got cleared of all charges, and when he is back he is better than Balzaretti, although at the moment they are Italy's best 2 LBs.

Italy is in pretty good shape when healthy, and have a good young group to integrate in

Jasper · Sep 12, 2012

SpartanMilan said:
Plus it seems Criscito got cleared of all charges, and when he is back he is better than Balzaretti, although at the moment they are Italy's best 2 LBs.

Does he want to come back after he was kicked out like that? Did he comment that after being cleared, anybody?

Fiero · Sep 12, 2012

Jasper said:
Does he want to come back after he was kicked out like that? Did he comment that after being cleared, anybody?

From gazzetta:

"Se fossi andato all'Europeo mi sarei messo alle spalle tutto e sarei tornato ad affrontare l'argomento dopo i campionati. La rabbia di non aver fatto un torneo così importante resta, ma sono contento e non stupito per la notizia dell'archiviazione. È stata fatta giustizia, sapevo che sarebbe finita così. Sono stato indagato per una foto, ma io ero lì per parlare di tutt'altro. Ho capito che dovrò stare più attento".

Here's its google translate.

necromancer · Sep 12, 2012

Che dovro stare piu attento! :lol:

His takeaway from the whole episode is that he'll have to be more careful in the future.

Robinho7 · Sep 12, 2012

Cassano is a smelly piece of shit, he better keeps away form Azzuri.

Soldier_of_god · Sep 12, 2012

i hate cassano, never liked him even during his time in milan. He never shows up for big games, he is too slow and dwells on the ball too often, except against printer in the scudetto winning season. But, even i have to admit, he has been awesome for italy, cassano plays with heart when he is playing for his country, shame he dint have the same motivation when he played for us.

ELMAGO99 · Sep 12, 2012

I didn't realize Verratti and Insigne were called up ..and Insigne played. Nice..Italia getting even younger and stronger...

ELMAGO99 · Sep 12, 2012

I am very excited for Italy's team down the road...in the next world cup we will be quite good I think.

Senatore_M84 · Sep 12, 2012

2018 will be italy's year to reach final.

Looking at a lot of promising young talent, they'll all be prime age then.

also goes in line with the 'every 12 years' theory. 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970.... they do make finals every 12 years. And in continuing this theory win, loss, win, loss... they'll lose the final in 2018. Probably to brazil like in 1994, and 1970

so much symmetry

Ashish · Sep 12, 2012

this is an ugly team .. organization is so shit .. I dont know .. this is not italy i used to respect.

oh well i only look at defense

SpartanMilan · Sep 12, 2012

ELMAGO99 said:
I am very excited for Italy's team down the road...in the next world cup we will be quite good I think.

I think they end up with a 4-3-3 in all likelihood with all the attacking talent they have coming through the ranks. although I could also see the 3-5-2 working

what do you guys think of Luca Marrone, Juve seems to think pretty highly of him and I have a feeling he will get quite a bit of playing time this year due to the need for them to squad rotate....

acm55 · Sep 12, 2012

Prandelli: 'Italy work in progress'
By Football Italia staff

After the 2-0 win against Malta, Cesare Prandelli points out Italy are “a work in progress. We must find our identity searching for entertaining football.”

The Azzurri scraped a 2-2 draw in Bulgaria and beat Malta in their opening World Cup qualifiers, but the performances did not impress fans or media.

“I don’t like to suggest we are an open building site, but this team is a work in progress,” the Coach told ANSA news agency.

“We’ve got to be more daring. We must find our identity searching for entertaining football.

“I do not have much time, but if we all want to work towards this aim, then we can create a spectacular Nazionale.”

necromancer · Sep 12, 2012

Stick to the 4-men defense. Italy hasnt looked comfortable with the 3-5-2 at all, despite the Juve bloc. They should work to their strengths, which is a conventional central 3-man midfield.

Ashish said:
this is an ugly team .. organization is so shit .. I dont know .. this is not italy i used to respect.

oh well i only look at defense

It is truly moronic to call this team ugly :tongue:

Did you not see the Euros?

Ashish · Sep 12, 2012

yeah only finals

Redman10 · Sep 12, 2012

Ashish said:
yeah only finals

Soldier_of_god · Sep 13, 2012

italy is unpredictable, we have to wait and see what happens, think italy have a very good set of SS lol. Maybe they will play with wingers/ss.

yagami7gnr · Sep 13, 2012

I wonder, how come Criscito is dropped from Italy's NT for his case of being involved with betting but Bonucci is allowed to play?

Sage · Sep 13, 2012

bonucci plays for jube

Soldier_of_god · Sep 14, 2012

lol straightforward response by sage haha

Jasper · Sep 14, 2012

Jasper said:
Does he want to come back after he was kicked out like that? Did he comment that after being cleared, anybody?

"I never stopped supporting the national team. ... It's up to me to deserve [another call-up]. The blue shirt is the maximum. I have started the season well with Zenit and I want to continue that way. On October 3, there's the Champions League [match] with Milan. I hope that it's the prologue to my return to Coverciano [ahead of Italy's next World Cup qualifiers].

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/espnfcunited/id/462?cc=5739

Dinar · Sep 14, 2012

Azzurrini drawn against Sweden in play-offs for main tournament.

ELMAGO99 · Oct 5, 2012

Very Excited about Azzurri next few years.....

-------------------------------Balotelli/G.Rossi/Osvaldo--------------
----El Shaaraway/Giovinco/Insigne--------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------Montolivo-----------------------------------
-------------Marchisio----------------De Rossi---------------------
-------------------------Pirlo/Verratti------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
----Ogbonna/Criscito----------------------De Sciglio/Abate-------
--------------------Chiellini-------Barzagli-------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------Buffon-------------------------------------

SpartanMilan · Oct 6, 2012

Monty wont be good enough. Insigne will be in play for the SS role.

Destro, Borrini, and Immobile will also be available for sub roles.

Mr. Milanista · Oct 6, 2012

Balotelli
El Shaarawy - Insigne - Giovinco
Veratti - De Rossi
Criscito - Acerbi - Bonucci - De Sciglio
Perin

A bit crazy upfront. But I would still try it out.

Sage · Oct 6, 2012

acerbi? he should first start for his club.

SpartanMilan · Oct 6, 2012

Sage said:
acerbi? he should first start for his club.

exactly.

Personally wish that Prandelli gave Bocchetti a chance, I still think he would help.

Rannochia seems to have picked up his play this season, Italy should be ok at CB at the moment

SpartanMilan · Oct 8, 2012

so should Italy play with more backups against Armenia so that the rest of the team is ready for Denmark?

dhorasoo · Oct 9, 2012

A couple of youngsters should play. I'm thinking Verratti and El Shaarawy. And Insigne coming in from the bench.

acm55 · Oct 10, 2012

Prandelli chooses Italy starting XI
By Football Italia staff

Italy boss Cesare Prandelli has decided his starting XI that will face Armenia on Friday – a 4-3-1-2 that will be spearheaded by Mario Balotelli and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo.

According to Sport Mediaset, Gigi Buffon will be guarded by a back-four containing Christian Maggio, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Domenico Criscito.

Juventus stopper Giorgio Chiellini will thus start on the bench.

In midfield, Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio will play behind Riccardo Montolivo who will be used in the Trequartista role.

Roma ace Osvaldo has beaten Sebastian Giovinco of Juventus to the spot alongside Balotelli in attack.

Italy: Buffon; Maggio, Bonucci, Barzagli, Criscito; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Montolivo; Osvaldo, Balotelli.

Ashish · Oct 10, 2012

who is their second keeper?

Gli Azzurri - La Nazionale, Italy National Football Team

Milan Legend

Maldini tier

Moderator

Lo Stile di Pioli

Banned

Milan Legend

Milan Icon

Milan Icon

Milan Legend

Milan Legend

Milan Legend

Rossonero

Lo Stile di Pioli

Milan Legend

Milan Legend

Milan Legend

Milan Legend

Phase 3

Milan Legend

Maldini tier

Milan Legend

Milan Icon

Milan Legend

Milanista since Birth

Phase 3

Milan Legend

Milan Legend

data haiku

Rossonero

Milan Legend