How about we hire someone to break Pepes legs?

Also WTF I thought Prandelli was more intelligent...how can he still be calling an imbecile like Pepe...

 

I know it wont happen but I would love to see us play like this

-----------------Viviano
Cassani----Bonucci----Chiellini----Antonelli
------De Rossi-----Pirlo-----Lazzari
-----------------Cassano
--------------Rossi----Pazzini

Or even a 4-3-2-1 with both Rossi and Cassano behind Pazzini playing more centrally, unlike in a 4-3-3 where they would be out wide

 

Sirigu should remain in goal IMO. Needs more experience, he is our best young GK. Give Viviano a chance in friendly or something. Dont mind though, GK should be untested.

Team above maybe with Cassano to the left and Rossi to the right of Pazzini would be excellent, mouth-watering really, much more so than with Pepe in the team.

 

I think Lazzari could get a game perhaps, maybe De Silvestri will be given some match time. I think Rossi and Gila could also start. I feel Prandelli will think 3 points should be ok whoever he plays so he may give some experience to others.

 

BTW would be nice to see Lazzari play. Nice youtube comp

IH9gzEnVnZc

He has got a nice shot and looks like he can score goals. Important to play him more than Montolivo if this is the case.

 

I think Prandelli needs to do something special with Montolivo. He needs to convert him for the NT. Change his position to an outside or attacking midfielder or something like that. You don't win a WC with this shit tactic. Any decent team (Spain, Germany) will run you over.

 

The reason managers pick Pepe is because he's a bit more defensive and works for the team, and they're (correctly) worried that having 3 men up front who don't track back is too many. Basically, they want him to do what Kuyt does for Holland and Liverpool, but they forget the fact that, unlike Pepe, Kuyt actually has pretty good technique and an eye for goal.

If we're playing 3 up front than I would play more of a winger on the right (but who?) so that when we lose the ball we turn into more of a 4-4-2. We could maybe do 4-3-2-1 with Cassano and a slightly more defensive person in the 2, but 4-3-1-2 with Cassano does not work IMO - he is not an Ozil/Sneijder type player capable of linking midfield and attack.

 

we all understand why pepe is played (well not all here) but he can't live up to even that role. some people here want him to be del piero or totti but even in the kuyt role he can't deliver.

 

I think everyone understanda the role of Pepe, but what we do not understand is how come he is given this role when he has such poor technique. Who cares if he can run and run and run, in that position you need quality aswell. I would rather Marchionni if anything (who Prandelli even likes) and especially Guberti who ok is not world class, but has more quality than Pepe and does work hard. We could even play Lazzari in that position from what I understand of him, and still continue with the current trio of midfielders.

 

i want one day us to play aquilani ddr pirlo montolivo pazzini cassano all together


or 343


cassano pazzini quags
lb pirlo ddr rb
chiellini rannocchia bonucci

 

I think Aquilani has some ability to play as one of the 2 in a 4-3-2-1 indeed.

 

no, 4-3-1-2 or 4-2-2-2 or 4-4-2

 

i'd be content with

cassano pazzini
pirlo
montolivo de rossi lazzari
​

 

Man I've been wanting us to play a 4-3-1-2 for too long! Unfortunately, I don't see Prandelli playing such a formation.....I wouldn't mind a 4-3-2-1 even, as long as the 2 support forwards play more centrally than they do in that damn 4-3-3 :yuck:

 

the thing with 4-3-1-2 is we can stay pinned back a long time

 

but indeed i want us to go back to being a defensive team with good counter that is hard to play against

 

we need to play with 4 mids again

lazzari seems a good all rounded player making runs that could fit in with all attacking and all defensive pirlo and ddr

 

Something else that I would like to see tried is a 4-1-2-1-2

-----------Cassano----Pazzini
-------------------Pirlo
---------Lazzari----------De Rossi
-----------------Palombo
Antonelli----Chiellini----Bonucci----Cassani
------------------Viviano

We could also move De Rossi to where Palombo is and play Montolivo as the right sided center midfielder

As I said before, anything but a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1

 

exactly, something like that...

 

I'd definitely agree with the consensus on the narrow midfield, it's Italy's natural style of play. Now if there was only a rampaging left back and a libero to complete it all...

 

montolivo can't work 3 mid....he need 2 mid

 

whatever

 

Montolivo should play on the bench.

 

I wasn't saying that people didn't understand why Pepe was being played, and I completely agree that he is incapable of performing the role managers want from him and therefore should have been dropped a long time ago, I just think people need to forget about playing 3 out-and-out strikers apart from when we need a goal. At least one of them has to help defend, and while ideally a forward like Quagliarella or Rossi could adapt to this sort of role, it's not easy. A proper winger would be ideal but I can't think of any, and nor do I see great candidates to play "in the hole" behind two strikers.

I agree about a narrow midfield suiting our players and DNA, but in the past it's been helped by having the likes of Zambrotta pushing forward. None of the current full-backs seem to be able to to that and defend at a reasonable level, although I've read good things of Antonelli.

 

I dont think Cassani is some bombarding full-back, but his ability on the ball seems reasonable and very calm. De Silvestri and Motta are the more bombarding type, but the final product is not great. That is for the right. Hopefully Santon will come in to play on the left soon enough, and Criscito is good enough aswell.

 

Yes, those five should represent the future of the full back department until 2014.

 

Perhaps make that 6 with Antonelli.

 

7, cause Balzaretti will claim the leftback position his if only he was given the chance.

And I still think he should go with Sirigu, unless he thinks Viviano is better.

I mean GKs not knowing whos playing is the last thing you'de want as a coach.

 

I am not a huge fan of Pepe but Italy really doesn't have any good wide players who can also help in defence. That is a major problem and Pepe is one of the few that is OK at doing that.

I don't care how we win, but we need to win this match. Its a terrible time of the year to play for the national team - no one is in full form, and I hope that there will be some better players to choose from throughout the year.

I am hoping that Ranocchia can get his senior call up and that Giovinco and Candreva do well for Parma - that would give this national team a few more options.