[Fry]

Game over

Not as bad as I thought but all concerns still there. Lippi would obviously use this to justify his idiotic squad selection.

 

[Stephan]

Ill take the draw considering the first half performance.

 

[Demandred]

What a borefest.

Were there any chances from open play the whole match?

 

[Catenaccio]

2nd half was pretty good i thought. The team looks way more balanced with the 442 formation. I thought Pepe was pretty decent, I thought Montolivo played well particulalry in the 2nd half and grew in confidence. Camoranesi shows good flashes but he is such a problem player - could have easily got sent off. Di Natale looked dangerous and Iaquinta played ok. Criscito looks a bit raw and shaky - he needs a confidence boost. Cannavaro looked ok and so did Chiellini.


All in all, I am happy with the result. We should beat Slovakia and New Zealand.

I can see the team played pretty well in the 2nd half.

 

[Boyo]

Paraguay was caving in towards the end, we could have finished them off. Still, a draw isn't bad. The other countries in the group shouldn't prove too difficult, so we're still in with a good chance of going through.

 

[cattus]

fair result

 

[Catenaccio]

I think we should start the next game with a 442. Montolivo and De Rossi seem to work well together in a 442. I thought Pepe worked his ass off and played well in my opinion. Camoranesi could start if he doesn't self destruct - otherwise we may need to look at using another player for the wing.

 

[Jefe]

I don't want to see Camoranesi start. Apart from one decent cross when he came on, he was rubbish.

 

[Great Outdoors]

The most horrid Italian national team I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty. This team is even worse than the one Lippi inherited from Donadoni. No creativity, no flair, no ideas. Is this Italy? It could have well looked like Denmark if they had wore red and white Hummel shirts out there. Pepe has no skill, Marchisio is a failed experiment, the most "creative" player in the entire bloody squad is an Argentine?

Jesus. What has Italy become?

 

[Giuliano81]

Pepe got the assist ffs. At least he played like he gave a shit.

 

[Jefe]

De Rossi, Pepe, Chiellini played well. The others, meh. Cannavaro, Camoranesi and Gilardino were crap.

 

[The Pippo]

I'll take the draw, but thought we were the better team and probably deserved a win. Paraguay had one chance and scored off it. Camoranesi and Iaquinta were both shit, hope neither of them play next game.

 

[Demandred]

BTW, has there ever been a world cup game in which Paraguay didn't play very defensively? What an ultraboring team.

 

[ToniSamp]

The most horrid Italian national team I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty. This team is even worse than the one Lippi inherited from Donadoni. No creativity, no flair, no ideas. Is this Italy? It could have well looked like Denmark if they had wore red and white Hummel shirts out there. Pepe has no skill, Marchisio is a failed experiment, the most "creative" player in the entire bloody squad is an Argentine?

Jesus. What has Italy become?

I can just agree. We are worse than I thought. Now the fitness bs is no more an excuse, because they all looked hyperfit. We simply look like a sort of big Udinese (no offense to Udinese).

 

[roadrunner]

What a borefest.

Indeed.

Were there any chances from open play the whole match?

Not really, only one for Paraguay.

I think Italy will fail to pass the group. They create too little and the defence looks very uncertain. Even Chiellini struggled.

 

[Great Outdoors]

Giuliano81:Who can't take a swinging corner like that with a supermarket ball?

I don't think we need mindless runners "working their socks off" in the final third. If anyone wishes to wear the Azzurri jersey on the flanks, he's got to have at least some kind of skill. The ability to beat at least his one single marker, the ability to cross accurately, the magic to conjur up something! We are Italy. Our DNA is to create, to improvise, we're the masters of the art of deceit. We're not Denmark or Sweden, but we certainly looked like one today.

We definitely looked like a big Udinese out there. Screw this whole gruppo theory. It worked 4 years ago but the world has moved on and we haven't.

 

[Stephan]

BTW, has there ever been a world cup game in which Paraguay didn't play very defensively? What an ultraboring team.

Yes.

When they lost to England 3:0 in 1986 WC.

 

[Demandred]

I think Italy will fail to pass the group. They create too little and the defence looks very uncertain. Even Chiellini struggled.

Unfortunately for me(since I bet a bit on Italy not passing the group) I think you are wrong and they will make it through, the other opponents are just not that good. Though I wouldn't be surprised if they screw up, since they look so lacking in class, only effort won't take them far.

 

[Jefe]

Who can't take a swinging corner like that with a supermarket ball?

I think we were the first team to score of the corner today. The quality of corners, and set plays in general, in this world cup has been pretty bad.

CORRECTION: Heinze scored for Argentina.

 

[Demandred]

Not true, the Argies scored from a corner kick.