Azzuri 2008 EC Qualifiers

Ok, it's kinda late for opening this thread, but i know there are many Azzuri fans here so this is the place where you can talk about the Italian NT and their road to EURO 2008

I'll start with a bad news :
Pirlo suffered a knock to his calf muscle and he'll most probably miss the match in Kiev against Ukraine. Pirlo will be sent home, or ( less possible) he'll sit on the bench in Kiev.

This is a huge blow for coach Donadoni because he lost his best midfielder and because Gattuso is also suspended for this match.
Luca Toni still won't be recovered and Marco Materazzi is also injured. If we add Nesta and Totti who retired from the NT we'll see that the team that will play in Ukraine is far from the best team Italy has.

Originally Posted by Tony29.

Ok, it's kinda late for opening this thread, but i know there are many Azzuri fans here so this is the lace where you can talk about the Italian NT and their road to EURO 2008

I'll start with a bad news :
Pirlo suffered a knock to his calf muscle and he'll most probably miss the match in Kiev against Ukraine. Pirlo will be sent home, or ( less possible) he'll sit on the bench in Kiev.

This is a huge blow for coach Donadoni because he lost his best midfielder and because Gattuso is also suspended for this match.
Luca Toni still won't be recovered and Marco Materazzi is also injured. If we add Nesta and Totti who retired from the NT we'll see that the team that will play in Ukraine is far from the best team Italy has.

Italy didnt loose their best midfielder,they lost their best Player.....its gonna be a huge blow, I think Aquilani should step in,as his the only one who can make up for Pirlos creativity...maybe...even de rossi, can be given more freedom...

One more thing, As much as I love ODDO for being rossonerro I really think Zambro needs to play on the right and Grosso on the left...

Maybe now The Don will pley 4 -4 - 2 With Zambro and Camo on the flanks

Originally Posted by kastriot

Italy didnt loose their best midfielder,they lost their best Player.....its gonna be a huge blow, I think Aquilani should step in,as his the only one who can make up for Pirlos creativity...maybe...even de rossi, can be given more freedom...

One more thing, As much as I love ODDO for being rossonerro I really think Zambro needs to play on the right and Grosso on the left...

Maybe now The Don will pley 4 -4 - 2 With Zambro and Camo on the flanks

True, this can work (although i have a slightly different idea ) ,
and also Del Piero mustn't start the matches. I mean, i love him and all, but he is not someone who can play from the start in such important matches. It's different when the team is Catania or Livorno, but against France or Ukraine , Del Piero will be perfect to enter the game from 70 minute. Capello used him that way and DP was deadly back then. Del Piero is still ready to play top football, but for 30-45 minutes mostly.

Pippo is another problem.... we all know what can Pippo do but in the situation Milan is in (with the forwards) , Pippo is hardly getting rest time in Milan and he's not getting any rest at all with the NT, especially with Toni out.
Donadoni is forced to play with Del Piero-Inzaghi up front---- they are still classy players and they used to form a deadly partnership...but the accent is on USED.
Now Pippo at 34 and DP at 33 are hardly in position to play match after match and still be great.

I don't know what will be the smartest thing to do in Kiev. The defense has problems as it is but they can still do a solid job, but the midfield and attack..that's a problem.
Maybe Donadoni can use the 4-3-2-1, like against Scotland, when they destroyed the Scots.
On that match Pirlo didn't play and Italians still controlled the match with Gattuso-De Rossi-Perrotta in midfield and with Camoranesi-Di Natale behind the striker (Luca Toni). It can be done again on Wednesday with Aquilani or , even better, Ambrosini taking over Gattuso place and Inzaghi instead of Luca Toni.
Something like this :
Buffon
Oddo-Canna-Barzagli-Zambro
Ambrosini-De Rossi-Perrotta
Camo - Di Natale
Inzaghi

Originally Posted by Tony29.

True, this can work (although i have a slightly different idea ) ,
and also Del Piero mustn't start the matches. I mean, i love him and all, but he is not someone who can play from the start in such important matches. It's different when the team is Catania or Livorno, but against France or Ukraine , Del Piero will be perfect to enter the game from 70 minute. Capello used him that way and DP was deadly back then. Del Piero is still ready to play top football, but for 30-45 minutes mostly.

Pippo is another problem.... we all know what can Pippo do but in the situation Milan is in (with the forwards) , Pippo is hardly getting rest time in Milan and he's not getting any rest at all with the NT, especially with Toni out.
Donadoni is forced to play with Del Piero-Inzaghi up front---- they are still classy players and they used to form a deadly partnership...but the accent is on USED.
Now Pippo at 34 and DP at 33 are hardly in position to play match after match and still be great.

I don't know what will be the smartest thing to do in Kiev. The defense has problems as it is but they can still do a solid job, but the midfield and attack..that's a problem.
Maybe Donadoni can use the 4-3-2-1, like against Scotland, when they destroyed the Scots.
On that match Pirlo didn't play and Italians still controlled the match with Gattuso-De Rossi-Perrotta in midfield and with Camoranesi-Di Natale behind the striker (Luca Toni). It can be done again on Wednesday with Aquilani or , even better, Ambrosini taking over Gattuso place and Inzaghi instead of Luca Toni.
Something like this :
Buffon
Oddo-Canna-Barzagli-Zambro
Ambrosini-De Rossi-Perrotta
Camo - Di Natale
Inzaghi

I like it too...however i think maybe quagliarela(spelling??) if his there should play instead of Di Natale, also I have to say I did not like Camo at all with france, The right flank with Camo and Oddo wasnt functional at all...IMO


Edit: I really think Aquilani should be given a chance!!

Originally Posted by kastriot

I like it too...however i think maybe quagliarela(spelling??) if his there should play instead of Di Natale, also I have to say I did not like Camo at all with france, The right flank with Camo and Oddo wasnt functional at all...IMO

Camoranesi was injured for 2 months and he didn't play at all until the match against Cagliari, where he played 30 minutes only.
This was his first full match so it's logical that he's not at 100% yet.
I didn't watch ITA-FRA yesterday so i don't know the formation, but from what you say it was a typical 4-4-2, no ?
If that's true and if Oddo-Camo were so bad, then i'm even more convinced Donadoni should use the Christmas tree. Lately Camo is playing much better behind the striker(s) than on the right flank and i'm convinced he can be great playing Kaka's role. Oddo on the other hand will be given much more space on the right and he can play on the same position he's playing in Milan.
Or if it's not Oddo, then Zambrotta can play as a full back, covering the right side.
Donadoni should copy Ancelotti's Milan in this match. With this set of players he has, christmass tree is the most logical solution.
And thinking of it... yeah, i also think Aquilani should start this match instead of Perrotta.
That will be typical Ancelotti's Milan, with two full backs, 2 DM's and a creator, two players behind the striker and 1 striker

Originally Posted by Tony29.

Camoranesi was injured for 2 months and he didn't play at all until the match against Cagliari, where he played 30 minutes only.
This was his first full match so it's logical that he's not at 100% yet.
I didn't watch ITA-FRA yesterday so i don't know the formation, but from what you say it was a typical 4-4-2, no ?
If that's true and if Oddo-Camo were so bad, then i'm even more convinced Donadoni should use the Christmas tree. Lately Camo is playing much better behind the striker(s) than on the right flank and i'm convinced he can be great playing Kaka's role. Oddo on the other hand will be given much more space on the right and he can play on the same position he's playing in Milan.
Or if it's not Oddo, then Zambrotta can play as a full back, covering the right side.
Donadoni should copy Ancelotti's Milan in this match. With this set of players he has, christmass tree is the most logical solution.
And thinking of it... yeah, i also think Aquilani should start this match instead of Perrotta.
That will be typical Ancelotti's Milan, with two full backs, 2 DM's and a creator, two players behind the striker and 1 striker

Italy yesterday was playing the same as in the WC final..Don basically copied Lippi`s formation, With Camo on the right and Zambro covering all the left side,as De Rossi is not a flank player...

You might be right about Camo, than again if his not played for a couple of month I dont know if its smart to play him twice in a 4 days..

Besides Aquilani I think that Rosina should also be given a chance for Italy. He could easily play a support striker role to Toni or whoever is up top and can inject some pace into the team. Totti's retirement/Cassano's problems have taken a lot of the spark out of the Italian attack. Maybe Quagliarella (sp?) should be given a start as well?

italy must win this wednesday it would be terrible to see hem lose to ukraine.....what about toni, a big lose for italy most likely he will be out again...camoranesi really did well surprised me..del piero is also very useful and we cant forget pirlos kicks, but i heard hes injured

I dont think Camo was that bad at least he was way better than Perotta who didn't do any thing at all, I agree about both DP and Pippo, but to me Italy's biggest problem was the absence of the (Number 10 player) the one that can deliver deadly pass behined the deffence and score when ever its possaible , I dont see any player in Italy who can do this except Cassano I know he is a CF ,however, he can has the job done otherwise Italy will be completely lost.

Exactly why I say they should call up Rosina. He's exactly the kind of player they need in attack. Cassano also needs to get his act together because Italy needs a player of his characteristics.

maybe its was to late in the game to judge dinatale, but he didnt play to well del piero was much better bad tacticle move by donadoni to take del piero off

I'm curious as to what non-Milan Azzuri player everyone loves???

Crucial game coming up in 2 hours at Kiev.

Here's the probable lineup:
Zambrotta, Barzagli, Cannavaro, Pannuci; Pirlo; Ambrosini, Perotta; Di Natale, Camoranesi; Iaquinta.

I wanted Oddo for Panucci, Aquilani for Di Natale, and Lucarelli/Pippo for Iaquinta.

Isn't Pippo fit???

Even if not, he's better than Iaquinta and Di Natale and Lucarelli combined..

italy are playing awful!! I respect Donadoni as a player, but as a coach... if italy want to qualify i think Lippi or capello have to take over!!