We also have pirlo and Gattuso who if in the correct formation can be good.
I said previously that Italy is not Milan in terms of style, but I am willing to take my statement back.
A 4-3-2-1 is the best way to go... Cassano-Totti behind Gila, A midfield of Pirlo, Gattuso and Maresca or De Rossi. A defence of Nesta-Cannavaro-Zambrotta and someone, at the moment Zaccardo, but hopefully someone comes through/improves for RB in the next 1 year and a half. Goalie of course Buffon
That team in paper is not so crappy, world cup winners? maybe not, but luck is also involved. No NT has great team apart from Brazil and Argentina IMO. Spain have a classy team but suffer in WC and England have a class team but like us have never found the right balance. Plus Gerrard and Lampard individually are good but for England they screw up because they are not a correct pertnership, both play the same way and even if Gerrard can defend, he attacks more like Lampard.
Our back up can be worrying, but then the players we have can be reliable if nothing special.
One thing we need to win a world cup, Cannavaro to stop getting suspended in major tournaments
BTW, 8 world class top level players is more than enough, I can only think of maybe 4 other nations which can say they have 8 top level of the game players like Buffon, Pirlo, Gattuso, Totti, Nesta, Cannavaro, Zambrotta and Cassano, not forgetting Gila of course to hopefully be the 9th by world cup 2002 and with the progression of others in 2 years also.
Befor e I have stressed the fact of how worrying our players are and how we have had better players in the past, but that is football as a whole. Not many nations can say they are so much better than this quite poor Italy team in comparison to others.