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Italy v Costa Rica (Recife) June 20th, 1pm local time

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#81 ·
I would still have Marchisio (dont look at my avatar lol) but play him instead of Motta. And have Insigne or Cassano on the left.
 
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#82 ·
That's not the team.

I'm sure Prandelli is waiting to see if he can afford to gamble after the England vs Uruguay game.

I woukd play a 4-3-3...just pack that midfield and attack!

We've played in Recife before against Japan in that amazing game.
 
Discussion starter · #83 ·
I may be wrong, I just read on twitter from one of them Italian update things. Now I am reading Barzagli could be out as I first predicted and so Bonucci would start if this is the case.

BTW today proved to me that we must be careful. Holland got away with it, but they were too confident in the beginning and it nearly cost them, We do not have the individual firepower like Holland to get away with things so our team performance must always be 100% motivation. I hope we are disciplined and hungry to win.

I also hope Prandelli goes for a more attacking option upfront, but it seems Motta will be chosen the more I see and hear, so if this is the case only Marchisio could possibly come out. I feel a midfield of DDR, Pirlo and Motta from the start is a bit of a mistake. Its ok to end the match with them, but to start, there are no serious runners to the opposition box or fast players across the pitch. At least Verratti is a good possession player and better than Motta in that respect. DDR and Motta for me are too like for like.
 
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#84 ·
Deano said:
I also hope Prandelli goes for a more attacking option upfront...
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I hope he goes for attractive attacking football, just like the English always pine for...never mind where its got that sorry lot, lets go for aesthetics
 
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#85 ·
I mean the English are such an aesthetic bunch of men...look at Rooney and his lion's mane of hair, and Peter Crouch and his adonis like body
 
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#87 ·
Well there's more than an ounce of truth in my humour...I thought I was being obvious, while Deano is looking for attractive attacking football, I would like to see Prandelli, inasmuch as his options are zero, somehow fix a pulcini calcio defense. To Deano direct...there is no defense. Get it?
 
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#89 ·
okay...you really get it
 
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#90 ·
Romulus said:
I wouldn't risk Meazza or Piola either, even though they are two and three years younger than Buffon, respectively. The veterans need a break. Now Schiavio is in his prime, I would start him before Balotelli just based on age advantage given the heat and the humidity.
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:howler:

Deano said:
Yes I expected to being in Insigne or Cassano here to give us more threat on the left. If we play like this all the time we could become quite one dimensional. Let's see.
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Issue for me is that Italy would not be introducing another system to keep opponents guessing like Lippi had in 2006.
 
Discussion starter · #91 ·
Romulus said:
Well there's more than an ounce of truth in my humour...I thought I was being obvious, while Deano is looking for attractive attacking football, I would like to see Prandelli, inasmuch as his options are zero, somehow fix a pulcini calcio defense. To Deano direct...there is no defense. Get it?
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I was ot looking for 'attacking football', but from a tactical point of view we should not go in to this game with the same philosophy as that v England. Costa Rica will have numbers behind the ball and in midfield. Balotelli will be isolated upfront IMO if we play the same way here (at moments he was isolated enough v England). That is why I hope Insigne comes in on the left as he can also get closer to the box.

DDR-PIrlo-Motta in midfield means we have 3 midfielders who do not really drive into the box. I think against England it was a decent tactic. It may not work here to play the same way again. Just feel like we could get loads of sterile possession with such a line-up against Costa Rica who are bound to be quite defensive.

Anyway lets see.
 
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#92 ·
outrage said:
Costa Rica is getting far too much respect. Prandelli needs to stick with an attacking formation and Italy should get the results needed.

4-3-1-2
or
4-3-3
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I don’t think underestimating or not respecting Costa Rica is a good idea. Costa Rica is a good team. They’ve a good defense but also a front three that can hurt you if you don't take them into consideration.

“Balance” and “possession” are key for this game IMO. You’ve to be good and careful enough defensively to prevent their wingers and striker from being a threat (1). They’re a good team defensively and play with five defenders, so you also need enough numbers up front (2). And lastly, Costa Ricans are well-suited to the heat and humidity, so possession becomes very important (like in Manaus) to prevent the Italians from getting tired quickly (3). I think the following formation/lineup satisfies all three:

Image

(1) Two DM’s and a conservative FB in Abate will provide the necessary defensive cover and strength. Abate won’t stay back all the time, but his primary responsibility lies in defense.
(2) You’ve an extra attacker in Cassano, and Darmian will act as a WB to provide width on the left. Cassano also will naturally move to the left from time to time or go inside the box when the CM’s enter Costa Rica’s third.
(3) Cassano is in the middle and not out on the wing to help with possession.
 
#94 ·
I really hope Cassano will start. We need penetrative and inventive players like him to offer a little surprise to Costa Rica. We have an abundance of talent on the bench, and Prandelli had tested so many systems, that if he ends up with the same-old-same-old I'll be very disappointed.
 
#95 ·
Not bad, but I would switch Motta with De Rossi because we simply require more cover in central defense and Motta won't take no crap in CM against the physical Costa Ricans. Need some muscle against these guys. I expect Pirlo to get more free kick chances this match. We can respect the opposition, but we just remember who we are and move forward with patience and resolve. I fancy Balo to score again.
 
#96 ·
I understand that the squad and managers need to say the right things, and be in a competitive mindset, to never underestimate an opponent. But as supporters (unless you're into jinxes) I don't see why so many people are uneasy in declaring that this should be a comfortable win.

As someone who is 'treated' to CONCACAF play on a regular basis, there are 2 thoughts on this that come to mind:
1) The talent level has really increased, and the play has gotten much better in the region over the last 5 years or so.

2) I'm still surprised (and don't believe it will be sustained) at the level of success the CONCACAF teams have had so far this tournament.

Costa Rica has some very talented players. In fact I'm surprised Bryan Ruiz doesn't get more love. But there is no way Italy shouldn't walk away with 3 points from this match. I'm not saying the points are a guarantee, but it should be viewed as a disappointment, not a sign that Italy ran up against such a quality Costa Rican squad.
 
#97 ·
Yeah, Costa Rica is the third most talented team in Concacaf. They played a great game against a Uruguay team that was without Suarez and underestimated them. They aren't a juggernaut. Plus, they're missing one of their best players and leaders, Alvaro Saborio.

Italy should not approach this one with fear. Italy needs to play their game and make Costa Rica respond to their style.
 
#98 ·
Il Luogotenente said:
I understand that the squad and managers need to say the right things, and be in a competitive mindset, to never underestimate an opponent. But as supporters (unless you're into jinxes) I don't see why so many people are uneasy in declaring that this should be a comfortable win.

As someone who is 'treated' to CONCACAF play on a regular basis, there are 2 thoughts on this that come to mind:
1) The talent level has really increased, and the play has gotten much better in the region over the last 5 years or so.

2) I'm still surprised (and don't believe it will be sustained) at the level of success the CONCACAF teams have had so far this tournament.

Costa Rica has some very talented players. In fact I'm surprised Bryan Ruiz doesn't get more love. But there is no way Italy shouldn't walk away with 3 points from this match. I'm not saying the points are a guarantee, but it should be viewed as a disappointment, not a sign that Italy ran up against such a quality Costa Rican squad.
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Costa Rica might be on a high and when teams play on a high the quality disparity can quickly disappear. That mental high is essentially like a drug...gives you more lungs, legs and makes you that bit sharper.

We shouldn't underestimate CR. We should treat them seriously and be cautious but still not be so defensive as the media is saying. We should attack them.
 
#99 ·
Spartan_Juve said:
Yeah, Costa Rica is the third most talented team in Concacaf. They played a great game against a Uruguay team that was without Suarez and underestimated them. They aren't a juggernaut. Plus, they're missing one of their best players and leaders, Alvaro Saborio.

Italy should not approach this one with fear. Italy needs to play their game and make Costa Rica respond to their style.
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Great point on Saborio... They're also missing Bryan Oviedo, Everton left side mid-def. That's 2 of probably their top 5 players.
 
#100 ·
THIS IS ITALY FFS. We should approach this one with extreme caution. We are more than capable of a shit performance vs. a small team. And like GaGa just said, the Costa Ricans are on a high right now.
 
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