Italy Squad announced

[tetsujin1979]

Italy squad: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari); Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Juventus), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Davide Santon (Inter), Gianluca Zambrotta (Milan); Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Gaetano D'Agostino (Udinese), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (Milan); Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli) and Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal)

[Murfinator]

Big news here is that cassano was snubbed again while Gattuso was recalled despite god awful club form.

Also worth reminding people Cannavaro is suspended for our game.

[Murfinator]

I'd expect a line up like this

Buffon
Zambrotta Chiellini Gamberini Grosso
---------De Rossi Pirlo
Camoranesi ----------Pepe
-------Iaquinta Gilardino

If he springs a surprise and includes Rossi and/or Di Natalie it'll signal trouble for us, they're both superb players.

Otherwise some of their front men are on top form. Camoranesi is playing as well as he ever was and Iaquinta is playing better than I've ever seen him. Pirlo is off form at the moment but still shows sparks of his A game and his at his A game he's the greatest playmaker in the world so I wouldn't discount him.

Positively the defence has been dodgy lately, Grosso and and out of the team, Zambrotta not the player he was. Gamberini a mediocre centre back at best. I think overall we need to go at them, unlike an Italian team led by Luca Toni or Pazzini you can't just hang back and mark their target man out of the game, Iaquinta is very shrewd and clever in tight space, he ripped Bulgaria apart with it. I feel like if we hang back and give them possession they'll punish us.

They aren't the quickest (Rossi aside who hopefully won't be starting) so forcing them to play on the counter and keeping them away from goal is probably our best bet.

[harpstilidie]

De Rossi and Pirlo against Andrews and Whelan in midfield scares me! :eek:

[Razors left peg]

De Rossi and Pirlo against Andrews and Whelan in midfield scares me! :eek:

Whelan was brilliant in the game in Italy, was best midfielder on the pitch that night

[likealion]

I think Gamberini is quality centre half

[SuperDave]

I think Gamberini is quality centre half

Basing that on one game against Liverpool?

Me too....

[Mr Maroon]

Gamberini isn't even Fiorentina's best centre half IMO.

[Philbert]

micolli isnt even in the squad, yet iaquinta is...

tut tut tut

[DeLorean]

Grosso in and out of the team

If Grosso is anywhere near as good in the games that I don't see, as in the games that I do, I would consider him the best left back around. It's usually the big games I see him in as well, whether it be a Champions League match with Lyon (I know he's at Juve now) or in a major tournament with Italy. He's big and strong defensively and excellent technically going forward.

[Murfinator]

I rate him highly as well, don't know why he'd be dropped at any time. But I would be worried about this game, I saw Italy against Bulgaria and they were magnificent. I think they're confident at the moment so I don't think they'll park the bus like many are expecting, they'll go out for the win and hope to seal their place in the world cup with a game to spare, no doubt.

[soccerboy]

this is probably one of the worst italian teams in decades....the fact that gattuso is still involved says it all,he is well past his best (his best wasn';t even that great). i expect ireland to get a result on saturday against a mediocre italian side, more than likely a 0-0 or 1-1 draw!!

[Carrigaline]

Buffon
Zambrotta Chiellini Gamberini Grosso
---------De Rossi Pirlo
Camoranesi ----------Pepe
-------Iaquinta Gilardino
I would be more than happy to be facing that team.

Buffon is still one of the best in the world, not much you can do there.

Zambrotta has been in horrible form for well over a year now. Grosso not much better.

Chiellini/Gamberini partnership is decent, but I think Doyle/Keane have the quality to find space.

Camoranesi/Pirlo haven't given a hoot about international football since they won the World Cup

Pepe and Gilardino are very meh.

No doubt Italy are the better team, but they can be caught out napping.

the greatest playmaker in the worldWas. Xavi ****es all over him from a height these days.

[Arnold Layne]

Seeing all those names fills me with dread for Saturday :(

[Mr Maroon]

Buffon - Best keeper in the world IMO
Zambrotta - Was once brilliant but has he in absolutely horrendous form for Milan recently.
Chiellini - Very good CB, not on the best of form though.
Gamberini - Meh.
Grosso - Had a great World Cup and has been riding on the reputation he gained for that ever since. Has lost a lot pace and doesn't offer anything like he used to when going forward. Was never the best at defending anyway.
De Rossi - Top class player. One of the best in the world in his position.
Pirlo - Finished.
Camoranesi - Rarely looks bothered when playing for Italy.
Pepe - Meh.
Iaquinta - Can look hopeless sometimes for Italy but has been in good form recently.
Gilardino - A decent goalscorer at club level but I'm not too worried about him.

[wexfordman]

i think toto di natalie will start he has been on fire for udinese this season.scores goals and creates them,similar to rooney but not as powerful but more guile and technique v underrated.

[Yard of Pace]

Buffon - Best keeper in the world IMO
Zambrotta - Was once brilliant but has he in absolutely horrendous form for Milan recently.
Chiellini - Very good CB, not on the best of form though.
Gamberini - Meh.
Grosso - Had a great World Cup and has been riding on the reputation he gained for that ever since. Has lost a lot pace and doesn't offer anything like he used to when going forward. Was never the best at defending anyway.
De Rossi - Top class player. One of the best in the world in his position.
Pirlo - Finished.
Camoranesi - Rarely looks bothered when playing for Italy.
Pepe - Meh.
Iaquinta - Can look hopeless sometimes for Italy but has been in good form recently.
Gilardino - A decent goalscorer at club level but I'm not too worried about him.

Careful lads. Lippi might print this stuff out and stick it on the wall of the Italian dressing room for motivation.

[SuperDave]

Buffon - Best keeper in the world IMO
Zambrotta - Was once brilliant but has he in absolutely horrendous form for Milan recently.
Chiellini - Very good CB, not on the best of form though.
Gamberini - Meh.
Grosso - Had a great World Cup and has been riding on the reputation he gained for that ever since. Has lost a lot pace and doesn't offer anything like he used to when going forward. Was never the best at defending anyway.
De Rossi - Top class player. One of the best in the world in his position.
Pirlo - Finished.
Camoranesi - Rarely looks bothered when playing for Italy.
Pepe - Meh.
Iaquinta - Can look hopeless sometimes for Italy but has been in good form recently.
Gilardino - A decent goalscorer at club level but I'm not too worried about him.

:rolleyes: He's only 30! He still has it.

I still think if Bulgaria don't win, this will be Germany-Austria 82 all over again.

[DeLorean]

I still think if Bulgaria don't win, this will be Germany-Austria 82 all over again.

But if Bulgaria don't win, Ireland may as well go for it as a playoff spot is more or less assured, right?

I agree about Pirlo. Was excellent against Bulgaria. Only time I've seen him recently though but I find it hard to believe he's finished.

[tetsujin1979]

:rolleyes: He's only 30! He still has it.

I still think if Bulgaria don't win, this will be Germany-Austria 82 all over again.Denmark - Sweden Euro 2004
Ireland - Holland Italia '90

[Mr Maroon]

:rolleyes: He's only 30! He still has it.


Have you been watching Milan in Serie A in the last 2 seasons? Even the Milan fans admit that he's passed it.

[Tipp Townie]

But if Bulgaria don't win, Ireland may as well go for it as a playoff spot is more or less assured, right?


Precisely. Bulgaria failing to win is the only chance we'd have of Trap sending the lads out to beat Italy. Although to be honest i suspect he'd still proceed with caution. Its what he does.

[Tipp Townie]

Even the Milan fans admit that he's passed it.

But thats what playmakers do innit? ;)

[SuperDave]

Precisely. Bulgaria failing to win is the only chance we'd have of Trap sending the lads out to beat Italy. Although to be honest i suspect he'd still proceed with caution. Its what he does.

nah, trap would definitely send them out to draw in that case.... as would lippi.... the mutual convenience would demand it.... if bulgaria win, there is much more chance of us beating italy, though i still expect italy to beat cyprus.... and anyway, trap has little reason to send us out to get a draw.... all a draw does as opposed to a defeat is mean we can get away with a draw v montenegro, and if we can't beat them, we don't stand a snowball in hell's chance in the playoffs.

[Morbo]

But if Bulgaria don't win, Ireland may as well go for it as a playoff spot is more or less assured, right?
Think we may still need a point from the final 2 games to assure we don't finish bottom of the 2nd placed table but yeah it is definitely worth going for if Bulgaria don't win.

[DeLorean]

Think we may still need a point from the final 2 games to assure we don't finish bottom of the 2nd placed table but yeah it is definitely worth going for if Bulgaria don't win.

Yeah that's why I played it safe by saying more or less. I do get the feeling Trap would take a draw under any circumstances the next night, though that wouldn't really be my thinking.

[rambler14]

I'd say you can more or less rule Cannavaro out of the next match too seeing as it's been revealed that he failed a drugs test!:eek:

Ban him and deduct the Italians for every game he played in with drugs in his system!:)

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12098_5617727,00.html

[rebelmusic]

Crazy...doubt fifa would stop italy getting into the world cup though. Would be surprised if he's allowed play against cyprus though which is a plus for hoping they dont take the 3 points there

[Noelys Guitar]

Interesting development. I notice their are different verions circling around in the media of why he took the drug/painkiller. Strange story with mysterious missing documents. Hmmmmmmmmm. Now who was that swimmer............

[Closed Account 2]

Juventus have said he was having a pain-killing injection and that's what caused him to fail the dope test... It's all very dodgy, I would imagine he wont play against us (even if he isnt banned, given the problems when a similar thing happened with Titov during the 2004 play-off with Wales).

[Noelys Guitar]

Juventus have said he was having a pain-killing injection and that's what caused him to fail the dope test... It's all very dodgy, I would imagine he wont play against us (even if he isnt banned, given the problems when a similar thing happened with Titov during the 2004 play-off with Wales).

It started off with a bee sting and some cream for pain. Juve must have missed out on the bee bit and have gone out with their own story of a pain killing injection being given. OK. I believe you. Others might not. **** it. Test their whole squad.

[John83]

I'd say you can more or less rule Cannavaro out of the next match too seeing as it's been revealed that he failed a drugs test!:eek:
While it means nothing for Saturday, he'll play against Cyprus, surely? No way a decision will be in before then.

[geysir]

When they do make the judgement
if the amount found is consistent with regular medicinal use then wouldn't he get the minimum, 6 months? regardless of excuse.

[paul_oshea]

for a footballer he is very muscley...plus these missing documents add to the intrigue.

[dr_peepee]

for a footballer he is very muscley....

Relax there Dale Winton!!!

Jayzus though. Interesting indeed. Has there ever been a precedent for points deductions?

[rambler14]

Another juventus related drug scandal.

[John83]

Jayzus though. Interesting indeed. Has there ever been a precedent for points deductions?
No.


Another juventus related drug scandal.
Yeah, and it'll get a lot of coverage for it. Juve fans have dug out a news article mentioning the bee sting though, which seems a bit unlikely if it was BS. I can't verify this though - anyone here read Italian? http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/2009/agosto/29/DAL_GATTO_ALL_APE_PAGA_ga_10_090829034.shtml

[Closed Account 2]

The Juventus teflon connections have kicked into action:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=684184&sec=europe&cc=5739