[Deano]

What should the squad be for these 2 games... sound easy on paper, but we know Italy at the start of qualification games

Here would be mine:

Buffon, Amelia

Zambrotta, Bonera, Gamberini, Santacroce (if fit), Canini, Dossena, Grosso

De Rossi, Pirlo, Aquilani, Palombo, Montolivo, Camoranesi

Giovinco, Cassano, G. Rossi, Gilardino, Iaquinta

 

[camelface]

Buffon, Amelia

Zambrotta, Bonera, Gamberini, Santacroce (if fit), Canini, Dossena, Grosso

De Rossi, Pirlo, Aquilani, Palombo, Montolivo, Camoranesi

Giovinco, Cassano, G. Rossi, Gilardino, Iaquinta

Is Gattuso injured?

A bit too early to call 2 players who haven't proved anything. If Italy is having a hard time, maybe Di Natale can help more than Rossi or Gio can....

No Toni?

 

[Deano]

G. Rossi has proven quite a bit in Spain, and he scores goals... doesnt influence the game as much as he should, but thats why Cassano is there. Giovinco for the ride... Gattuso isnt injured, hes just not what he was. I'd even prefer to give Palombo some chance to gain experience in the NT, but I know Gattuso will be called anyway.

 

[camelface]

rightly so

 

[marlo85]

My 23 would be

GK: Buffon, Amelia, Abbiati
DF: Zambrotta, Gamberini, Barzagli, Grosso, Bonera, Santacroce, Dossena
MF: De Rossi, Pirlo, Aquilani, Montolivo, Gattuso, Palombo, Camoranesi
FW: Cassano, Giovinco, Toni, Rossi, Di Natale, Gilardino

I would like to take Canini and Bovo too instead of Bonera and Barzagli but I think we need the experience even if Barzagli hasn't shown himself to be the most reliable defender

By the way, anyone know when Cannavaro will be fit?

I just want to add, when everyone is fit, I think we have 4 very good CB in Gamberini, Chiellini, Cannavaro and Santacroce who can be the youngster on the bench as the 4th CB

 

[Osman]

Aslong as I see Rossi, Giovinco and Santacroce in the squad, it will be a nice squad for me.

 

[Deano]

Still no Iaquinta Marlo? I dont understand why many still dont like this guy... he is one of the best options currently available to Italy because he is versatile, fast (unlike everyone else), strong and can nick the odd goal too... but is a great partner for other strikers.

 

[marlo85]

I wouldn't mind bringing Iaquinta as Toni's back up instead of Gilardino but I would never bring him to play on the right (or the left) of a 4-3-3 when we have players like Rossi, Cassano, Di Natale, Giovinco etc who can all fill that role better

 

[Deano]

Thats our problem though recently IMO... we play too many half wide strikers/fantasistas... IMO 2 is too many and that ultimately leads us to not having many people in the box ready to score. Maybe its time we started to play 2 strikers who bother to be near the goal.

 

[Quivering]

Inzaghi is available

 

[camelface]

Iaquinta is one of the first names on my list.

Deano is right, too many creative players. As was shown, Di Natale fails against good opposition so why not bring Iaquinta, or maybe even for one of Rossi and Giovinco. Just too many of these with Cassano on top of it.

 

[marlo85]

Thats our problem though recently IMO... we play too many half wide strikers/fantasistas... IMO 2 is too many and that ultimately leads us to not having many people in the box ready to score. Maybe its time we started to play 2 strikers who bother to be near the goal.

I agree. I hope Lippi goes to a 4-3-1-2 type of formational personally instead of the 4-3-3 with the 2 wide players

Something like these could work IMO

--------Cassano
-----Rossi----Toni

--------Giovinco
-----Rossi----Toni

--------Giovinco
------Toni----Cassano

Etc etc.........we have so many options

 

[Deano]

The same thing though... Cassano is not really a 2nd striker because he plays too far back... maybe you can play Cassano if you have at least 3 midfielders (like Samp) who are ready to be in the box once he drops back... but Italy doesnt. Its best if we play Cassano as a trequartista if we do. Giovinco will not start yet and for me he shouldnt, but he should be on the bench. I would like Cassano, Iaquinta and Toni (or Gilardino) personally. Obviously against the bigger teams you may need to alter things, but in qualifying for 06 and in the friendlies we were scoring goals and indeed blitzing teams with Gila-Toni combo.

 

[camelface]

Cassano can't play as trequartista. He is a second striker or a wide forward and that's about it. You can't give him many responsibilities.

I would like us to move to a 4-man midfield like Juventus. I know this is impossible for us now though...

 

[marlo85]

Personally, I think Cassano can do great as a second striker. I know he doesn't have a great scoring rate and he is not the best finisher but he can get a lot of assists in advanced positions and some goals too. Plus, at the moment he is a better finisher than Gilardino for sure

The perfect second striker IMO though is probably Rossi

 

[Deano]

I wouldnt play Cassano as a starter at all anyway... hes a great player for a club like Sampdoria or he is even great in club football altogether and for me is still our most creative player... but Italy just doesnt play a way which can suit such a guy... We need 11 workers... nd if we dont play 11 workers... we need that 1 player to at leas be creative centrally... but Cassano diesnt do this... he plays too far left (this was not only Donadoni's tactics)... like Del Piero, only alot more creative. I would not bother playing much creativity as a second striker, unless Cassano bothers to stay upfront next to the striker, but Im not sure he will.
My favourtie team right now is still...

Buffon; Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Dossena; Camoranesi, De Rossi, Pirlo, Aquilani/Montolivo; Iaquinta, Toni/Gila

And you are right if we did play a 2nd striker. G. Rossi is perfect as he scores alot of goals too... Hopefully he starts to play in qualifying as does Giovinco get games.

 

[CUG]

----------------buffon

-zambro----cannavaro---chiellini----grosso


------camo-------pirlo------de rossi


---------------montolivo---------

--------toni--------------cassano


i would stick with cassano...for me iaquinta and di natale are good players but they dont have the ability to change a game with a moment of brilliance, this is something cassano does have. Not that Del piero or totti did that often, in fact under Lippi in the last WC, we didnt rely heavily on either of these players, but still, you knew each one could pull a rabbit out of the hat. I also see Cassano stepping it up again this season as for the first time in a long time, he'll have better preparation leading up to the season.

I am a fan of montolivo, i think he can be something for the NT and he can pull the strings from behind the forwards. Camo will always work hard and be creative whilst pirlo and de rossi will do their normal jobs.

zambro and grosso need to work hard up and down those wings and link with camo and cassano on the left. my concern is that we do not have players ready to step up and take over these two players who are well in their 30s now.

I would have Iaquinta and Rossi waiting on the sidelines. Now that Gilardino looks set to start every game, hopefully he'll regain his Parma form and offer the NT some back up for Toni. Giovinco needs to prove himself still. We know he has the skills and pace and finish to be something special, but until he does it week in week out and against the best in Europe, then i think he shouldnt be there.

Lippi can build this team for a new era as he has the mix of experienced players and young stars who are making a name for themselves.

 

[marlo85]

Montolivo is so inconsistent its not even funny! And lately, he has becoming so overrated too. I like the guy but he has to show a lot more before he starts ahead of Cassano in the trequartista role IMO (I understand they are very different players but both can play the trequartista role)...........What has he done to get the hype and respect he gets? A crap Olympics? A crap 2007 U21 Euro's? A very average Serie A season except for the last few matches?

Anyways, with Montolivo the talent IS there he just doesn't show it which is very frustrating

 

[ToniSamp]

Balotelli IMO should be called up instead of an old fart.

 

[Osman]

Indeed, must say I agree.

Even if I said before its premature and it should be done when has had time to show more, just played a dozen pro games in his career. But alas, shouldnt take long to be tested in the highest of the stages, in National team footie.