I’ve been reading this thread for a while. Too many times when something like this occurs people tend to over analyze things. (Conversely when something goes right they tend to over analyze it too.) I think the Italian system and team for the most part is fine I think Ventura was a disaster and they got screwed with the group they were in. I do think this generation wasn’t the greatest and this team probably needed more new blood.
The only thing that I notice over the other big five leagues is that Serie A is probably the least hospitable to young players. I think too many teams in Serie A value positioning and being steady over skill. Not all teams are this way but for the big clubs I think it’s true. I think it’s easier for a youth player from Germany, France or Spain to make the first team from the youth team than it is for Serie A.