[scimy]

GK- Buffon, Toldo, Abbiati

D- MAterazzi, Maldini, Cannavaro, Nesta, Panucci, Iuliano

M- Coco, Zambrotta, Ambrosini, Fiore, C.Zanetti, Gattuso, Doni, DiBiagio

A- Vieri, Totti, Montella, R.Baggio, F.Inzaghi, Del Piero


GK- Buffon

______Cannavaro____Nesta______Maldini________

__Zambrotta___C.Zanetti____Ambrosini(Fiore)_____Coco(Doni)

__________________Totti______________________
__________Montella(DP)_______Vieri_________________


I think this is perhaps the best team we can bring to the World Cup. I don't know why Ambrosini is ignored so often I consider him a very good player (and I am not a Milan fan) I like Inter in fact. However, with him in the midfield it may become too defensive so Fiore is another option or Doni on the left wing.

The exclusion of Delvecchio is known for many reasons. I simply think that Montella can even do a better job in the air (2 headers againt Chievo). Many may question my inclusion of Baggio after his long injury, but frankly I think he is th best bench option if we need a goal and he is healthy (which i'm sure he will be by WC time). Del Piero or Montella beside Vieri is an attack couple that many cannot match and the replacements of inzaghi/Baggio/Del Piero or Montella can all get the job done, ia m sorry that i haev to exclude DiVaio as I think he is a great player, but he is still young and there will be Euro 2004 where I'm sure he will probably get a place.


The trio of defenders is probably the best in the world and should we need to at any point (to hold lead?) insert Materazzi for a forward or Totti.

I also think our goalies are interchangable as well, two of the best in the world.

PlZ comment on any changes/criticisms of my picks or formation, I respect evryones input, or post your own lineups.

 

[Catenaccio]

I have been saying it for a long time that 4-2-3-1 is the best formation for the Azzuri. Juve just played 4-2-3-1 and they realize that in this system you get unbelievable attacking strength with plenty of defensive back-up.

Here it is...

_________________BUFFON_________________

CANNAVARO___NESTA___MATERAZZZI___MALDINI

____________TOMASSI___FIORE_____________

__________________TOTTI___DONI/DP_______
_______MONTELLA________________________

__________________VIERI_________________

 

[CUG]

buffon toldo abbiati
cannavaro nesta maldini iuliano materazzi panucci
zambrotta coco tomassi zanetti di biagio fiore totti doni
vieri del piero montella inzaghi di vaio
last player (either Baggio, Liverani, AMbrosini, Tacchinardi)

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

cannavaro-----nesta-------madini---------coco

------------------------tomassi------------------

zambrotta------------------------------doni

-------------------------Totti-----------------------

-----------vieri----------------------del piero


i think that if maldini is fit, he should be there, we have that option of playing him at left back and maybe playing panucci at right back and have nesta and cannavaro in teh middle. But Coco is a good player and could do well for italy.

i think doni can't play that whole wing as he really can't defend. so thats why i would play that 4-4-2 formation. i mean, he is too good to have on bench and he should be there starting.

if need be to take him off and try different things, we have the players change into this formation a lot easier and quicker. doni change with totti, totti with DP and DP in doni's position. or montella comes on etc....so many different formations can be tried and they would all basically work in that formation, well i hope anyway.

would love to take baggio if he is fit, but if he isn't ready, dont waste him. del vecchio wouldnt even be mentioned for my selection into teh squad!

 

[scimy]

Ya when i started this topic it was to see how diffennt the formatuons would turn out. The outcoem ahs suprsied me a littel bit, not with the player chosen but how they are used some of the time. However, to each his own, and i can see strendths and weaknesses in each foration (including my own).

 

[Primo]

Toldo
Cannavaro Nesta Materazzi
Zambro Doni Tommasi Maldini
Totti
Montella Vieri

AZZURI LOVER

 

[ToniSamp]

I think that all the formations you proposed are good. I just think that Torino's Asta should go to the WC and that perhaps he is better than Zambrotta as a right wing. Unfortunately he has been injured for a long time....

 

[Dean]

Buffon
Cannavaro Nesta Maldini
Zambrotta Di Baggio/Fiore Tommasi/Zanneti Doni/Totti
Del Piero
Montella Vieri

 

[TomItalia]

My squad

I would take:
Buffon, Toldo, Abbiati
Maldini, Coco, Materazzi, Cannavarro, Iuliano, Nesta, Panucci
Tomassi, Di Biagio, Fiore, Zanetti, Zambrotta, Totti, Doni, DP
Ambrosini, R. Baggio, Vieri, Montella, Di Vaio

I would play a variation of a 4-4-2 (more like a 4-2-2-2)


_______Buffon___________

Coco____Cannavaro_____Nesta_____Maldini


_________Tomassi_________Fiore/Zanetti/Zambrotta


_________Totti____________DP


_________Vieri____________Montella

I think any one of Fiore, Zanetti, Zambrotta, Ambrosini, or Di Biagio could play as a defensive midfielder. Coco and Maldini could push up from the back on the wings. Perhaps Totti or DP would have to be on the bench with Doni starting for more of a defensive prescence. Still, with this formation, you essentially have 6 defenders and 4 strikers at all times.

 

[Azzurri1009]

KEEPERS- Buffon, Toldo, Abbiati

DEFENSE- Cannavaro, Nesta, Maldini, Materazzi, Panucci, Iuliano, Pancaro

MID- Totti, Doni, Coco, Zambrotta, Tommasi, Gattuso, Di Biagio, Zanetti

FORWARDS- Vieri, Montella, Inzaghi, Del Piero, Di Vaio

I left off Delvecchio because of his lack of offense for Roma this season and I added Di Vaio because of his offensive out put for Parma. Huge possibilities for the MID are Baggio instead of Doni and Tacchinardi instead of Gattuso. Pancaro is my wild card for defense his pt could be filled by someone else? My formation would be 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-1-2 instead of Azzurri's 3-4-1-2.


4-3-2-1

------------------BUFFON----------------------------
------------------MATERAZZI---------------------------------
---------CANNAVARO-------NESTA-----------MALDINI-----------
--------COCO-----------DI BIAGIO-------------ZAMBROTTA-------
----------------TOTTI----------------------------VIERI------------
--------------------------------MONTELLA----------------------------


4-3-1-2

-------------------BUFFON------------------------------------------------
-------------------MATERAZZI--------------------------------
--------CANNAVARO----------NESTA--------------MALDINI---------
---------COCO---------------DI BIAGIO--------------ZAMBROTTA------
--------------------------------TOTTI--------------------------------------
-------------------MONTELLA--------------------------VIERI-------------


3-4-1-2

--------------------BUFFON---------------------------------------
-----------CANNAVARO--------------NESTA-----------MALDINI---------
-------------------------------TOMMASI----------------------------
------------COCO----------------DI BIAGIO----------------ZAMBROTTA-----
------------------------------------TOTTI-----------------------------
--------------------MONTELLA------------------------------VIERI------------

 

[Tommi]

Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni said Monday that he would name his squad for the World Cup on Wednesday.

Speaking the day after the Italian Serie A season ended the only remaining domestic fixture is on Saturday when champions Juventus and parma contest the second leg of the Italian Cup Final.

But Trapattoni said that by then his 23-man squad will be unveiled.

"We are just checking the physical fitness of everyone and on Wednesday I will give the list," said the 63-year-old who recently extended his deal until

Looking back to the Italian first division title race won by Juventus over Inter Milan and AS Roma Trapattoni said he had mixed feelings at Juve eclipsing Inter as a former coach of both clubs.

"I thought Inter would win it," he admitted. "But Juventus is a little bit in my DNA so I know it well. Juve is like a dragon with seven heads, as soon as you cut off one another appears. They never give up."

Earlier a spokeswoman for the Italian Football Federation (FICG) told AFP that Trapattoni would name his line-up either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
____________________________________________________


Settled Italy hunting fourth world crown

Giovanni Trapattoni's Italy team has a familiar look going into the 2002 World Cup with the 63-year-old having woven together a starting side that has played together more or less uninterrupted for two years.

With a 3-4-1-2 system that Trapattoni built to allow playmaker Francesco Totti to maximise his talents only injuries and the occasional experiment have persuaded the much-travelled coach to shuffle his cards since he succeeded Dino Zoff after Euro 2000.

Of course Trapattoni inherited an already competitive team from Zoff after Italy had been denied victory in Euro 2000 by a last-gasp French equaliser and then a golden goal.

But while Totti is the jewel in the best traditions of Italian football it is the defence that has the most permanent look about it as the 'Azzurri' hunt a fourth world crown that would see them equal Brazil's record.

At Euro 2000 Fiorentina goalkeeper Francesco Toldo had starred in place of the injured Gianluigi Buffon but 'Trap' surprised some by immediately recalling Buffon as his number one choice.

Toldo, now at Inter Milan, and AC Milan's Christian Abbiati remain in reserve but Buffon will don the gloves when Italy's campaign gets underway against Ecuador in Sapporo on June 3.

In front of Buffon is a three-man unit that has been rock-solid under Trappatoni, whose only defeat in 16 matches in charge came in a friendly with Argentina in Rome last year.

Lazio defender Alessandro Nesta is in the centre with Parma's Fabio Cannavaro to his right and AC Milan veteran Paolo Maldini to his left.

In the event of injury Inter Milan's Marco Materazzi, a left-footed central defender, could replace either Nesta or Maldini while Christian Panucci of AS Roma would be the natural replacement for Cannavaro on the right.

In midfield Trapattoni fields Barcelona's Francesco Coco on the left - when he was with AC Milan he was the first player given a debut by Trappatoni - while Juventus player Gianluca Zambrotta patrols the right.

In central midfield there has been more competition although the two principal players have been Inter's Luigi di Biagio and AS Roma's Damiano Tommasi.

Alternatives for the central roles include Cristiano Zanetti of Inter and AC Milan's Gennaro Gattuso.

In front of the midfield quartet is Totti, the hub of the team whom Trapattoni has even compared to Van Gogh.

Should Trappatoni decide to give Totti a breather in the closing stages of a game - or in the nightmare scenario of injury - the alternative is Cristiano Doni of Atalanta.

Not even Doni's own mother would have given him a chance of going to Japan last summer but he has had an electric season for the Bergamo-based club, scoring 16 goals and earning a summer move to Juventus.

When Trapattoni gave him his chance against Japan last November substitute Doni grabbed it with both hands, scoring Italy's goal in the 1-1 draw.

In front of Totti, for whom Roma coach Fabio Capello also constructed a 3-4-1-2 model, will be a front pair with Inter's Christian Vieri taking the role of target man. :drool:

Vieri, with five goals in the last World Cup, will lead the line for Italy although AS Roma's unpopular Marco Delvecchio, whose goalscoring rate is dismal, could also play that role if injury-prone Vieri comes a cropper.

Equally unpopular with supporters but far more prolific is AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi who might be given the chance to use all his tricks - fair and not so fair - by Trapattoni. 'SuperPippo' has been Italy's top scorer both under Trapattoni and predecessor Zoff.

Alessandro Del Piero of Juventus is the favourite for the role of 'secondo punto' who will play just behind the target man.

The alternative to Del Piero could be Trapattoni's secret weapon in AS Roma's Vincenzo Montella whose appetite for scoring on the big occasion is well known and who is Italy's most in-form forward at present.

That, at least, is the plan for Trapattoni who recently extended his deal with Italy until 2004.

But recent Italian football history proves that a late gatecrasher is always welcome. Paolo Rossi was controversially recalled by Enzo Bearzot in 1982 after a match-fixing ban and duly scored six goals to win the golden boot as Italy won their third World Cup.

And in 1990 an unknown Sicilian called Salvatore 'Toto' Scillachi took his chance with both hands when he came on as a 70th-minute substitute in Italy's opener with Austria.

Four minutes later he scored the winner and ended the tournament with the golden boot and six goals although unlike Rossi he did not have a winners' medal to show for his endeavours.

Forza ITALIA!!!!!!!