In the EPL
over 70% of players starting are foreign, I don't think the issues for Italy are that there are too many foreigners.
Italy's problem is that their attacking talent is horrific. Their midfield is fine, Barella and Tonali are top-class midfielders, while Locatelli, Frattesi, and others are good enough, especially as the next generation looks promising with Pisilli and Casadei. Their defense with Bastoni, Buongiorno, Di Marco (as a wingback, only), Udogie, Scalvini, Cambiaso, Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, all good players--but again, Buongiorno, Calafiori, Scalvini are all injured. In goal they have Donna, Vicario, Di Gregorio, Meret, Carnesecchi, they have a great keeper unit, one of the best in the world, actually.
Then you look at their attack and... Daniel Maldini is there. He shouldn't be. Lorenzo Lucca is not good enough to play for Italy. Retegui should be like Iaquinta, a guy who is there, he shouldn't be Italy's starting 9. Moise Kean might be a late-bloomer, but unless he steps up for Italy, he's going to be like a Pazzini.
Chiesa and Zaniolo had insane speed and power, but they both got too many injuries. Zaniolo also seems to be a top-level moron. Insigne was the last top-level winger for Italy, that's terrible. Who is Italy's winger talent today? I can't think of
one.
Italy keep producing a bunch of tiny 10s like Baldanzi and Pafundi, who aren't even physical enough to play like Bruno Fernandes or Bernardo Silva, but Italy just keep producing these guys, like Liberali, who do great in youth games but then fizzle out when they need to step to the next level. Obviously I want Liberali to turn into Phil Foden for us, but I don't see that coming from any of these 10s that Italy keep relying on to win youth tournaments.
Italy have trouble in their attack, no speed, no threat, no power, they got nothing there. The only world-class attacking talent that Italy has is Camarda, and most young players don't pan out, and who knows if the kid makes it?
Most of Italy's best players are set in a 352/343 type system, fine, but even if Italy don't have injuries, would you say this is Italy's best lineup?
------------------Kean---Retegui
Di Marco---Frat/Ric/Loca-Tonali-Barella--Cambiaso
-----Bastoni--------Buongiorno------Scalvini/Di Lorenzo
----------------------Donna
That's not a great attack, and it's not like Cambiaso is as good at attacking as Di Marco is, so what's the point of playing with this setup when it means you force Di Lorenzo into a RCB spot and sort of duplicate his efforts with Cambiaso, and it's not like you're using this extra cover for terrifying strikers, they're not. Spaletti tried Raspadori behind Retegui, but should Raspadori really be starting for Italy?
