Playing Italy in the World Cup Campaign

[gustavo]

Donadoni plays an unusual style for Italy with a flexible 4-3-3, which reverts to 4-5-1 when under pressure.

Yea I can't think of a single team who's done that in the last 5 years

[jmurphyc]

Quality contribution right there.

He's merely correcting a false statement.

[jmurphyc]

My team for the Italy game:

----------------Kenny-----------------
--J O'Brien McCarthy St Ledger Delaney-
Lawrence Holland O'Toole Rowlands Tabb
---------------O'Donovan-------------
I think that team could hold its own against Italy. All proven quality players.

[lionelhutz]

Donadoni plays an unusual style for Italy with a flexible 4-3-3, which reverts to 4-5-1 when under pressure. That's assuming he's still there.

---Buffon---

Zambrotta----Cannavaro----Matterazzi----Grosso

----De Rossi----Pirlo-----Gattuso-----

Camorenesi------------Di Natalie--

-----------------Toni-------------------------

:

That is obviously a more talented side than ours but I wouldn't be too worried about playing against that starting 11.

Granted Buffon is a top class keeper, but I've seen alot of the Spanish league this year and Cannavaro doesnt look nearly as assured as he was in 2006. I would say the same of Zambrotta. Grosso looks a class act but I've never been convinced about Matterazi.

Their midfield is strong, but I feel Gattuso is overrated - he loves not having the ball but can't do much with it at his feet. He's a bit of a Carsley but with much more stamina. Pirlo is a classier version of Andy Reid but I feel Reid will fulfill his massive potential and if not reach Pirlo's level, be close to it. De Rossi is a very intelligent footballer, always picks the right pass, but nothing too extravagant.

Camoranesi is carried by the rest of the midfield - a poor player. He's a headless chicken who has a bad attitude. I don't know much about Di Natalie to be honest.

Toni looks strong but is by no means a world class striker of the calibre of van Nistelrooy, Torres, Berbatov, Rooney, etc

[Superhoops]

Their midfield is strong, but I feel Gattuso is overrated - he loves not having the ball but can't do much with it at his feet. He's a bit of a Carsley but with much more stamina...

Disagree completely. Every good team has a player who can win ball, break up play, rough up an opponent if needed and support the back four. For the last 2 or 3 years Gattuso has been the best in Europe in that role. I wish we had him, he would be first name on the sheet.

[jmurphyc]

Then he needs to return to English class as notice how I said "An unusual formation for Italy."
It may take a while for you understand the reason for my inclusion of the "for Italy" part but don't feel bad!

Still confused? Ok, I'll explain.

Italy usually traditionally would play 4-4-2, in recent years with a target man like Toni and generally accomodating Totti to play behind him. 4-3-3 is more attacking than per usual for them, it seems like a compromise between AC Milan and Juventus's style.

They're quite used to that formation. They used a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation in Euro 2004. They have changed their formation and tactics on plenty of occasions in the last 10 years, depending on the opposition and the coach.

If you want to start being patronising to me then perhaps you should start arguing your points a bit more eloquently and actually attempt to justify your idiotic remarks when someone questions them instead of just avoiding a thread when someone pulls you up on it.

[Razors left peg]

I honestly dont believe there is anything to fear from Italy. I think they are an aging team. Yes they have obvious quality but they are far from unbeatable

[Pike B]

1 Given 2 O'Shea 3 J O' Brien 4 Dunne 5 Mc Shane 6 Carsley 7 Hunt 8 S Reid 9 Doyle 10 Keane 11 Duff.

The team to beat The Azzuri..

[Razors left peg]

Only Cannavaro and Matrix are over 31 on that team I posted. The core of the team Pirlo, Gattuso and Toni are late 20's and De Rossi's only like 24.

Carsley will probably be the oldest player on the pitch against them.

Pirlo and Gattuso look well past their best in this years champions league, and Toni is nothing to be afraid of

[Pike B]

Matrix?? Materazzi yes? That dog. I hope somebody shows him up for us.. After his part in Zizou's finale.. BA###RD...

[Billsthoughts]

My team for the Italy game:

----------------Kenny-----------------
--J O'Brien McCarthy St Ledger Delaney-
Lawrence Holland O'Toole Rowlands Tabb
---------------O'Donovan-------------
I think that team could hold its own against Italy. All proven quality players.

sometimes a sledgehammer is yer only man....

[superfrank]

Donadoni will be leaving after the Euros so who knows what their next manager will play.

[TerryPhelan]

It's also expected that Fabio Cannavaro will retire after the Euros, according to (ahem) the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1779.

[Razors left peg]

That's him.



Pirlo was poor against Arsenal because he played something like 4 games that week. Milan are in a raging battle to catch up to Fiorentina for 4th place so the Champions League is not their top priority at the moment, but I wouldn't worry about Pirlo, he's been overplayed. He'll be lethal when he needs to be.

Gattuso though, you're on to something. He's had some injuries and apparently an element of pyshicality has been taken out of his game. Which be a godsend to us, if we want to get points of this team a neutered Gattuso would go a long way!

Pirlo was poor enough against Celtic too. I just think that most of our players are playing in the Premiership now which is probably a stronger league than Serie A at the moment so I dont see why our players should fear any of the Italian players

[Razors left peg]

What league is the country of the world champions, current Champions League champions and current player of the year based in?

Kaka is Brazilian, AC Milan out this year with 4 English teams left in it and I know they are world champions but I dont think they are as good as they were in last world cup

[Razors left peg]

Dont forget the Scots pushed them all the way in the last Euro Qualifiers and I think we have better players than Scotland. Im not trying to dismiss Italy and say they are a poor team.I just dont think they are anything to be afraid of either if we perform to our potential

[Irish_Praha]

Dont forget the Scots pushed them all the way in the last Euro Qualifiers and I think we have better players than Scotland. Im not trying to dismiss Italy and say they are a poor team.I just dont think they are anything to be afraid of either if we perform to our potential

Italy will still have the majority of a successful hard-working and well-structured team. If they have continued success in the Euros I can't see the next manager wanting to change things around too much. Whereas the Irish team have been a structureless and disinterested shambles for the last two or three years. I agree with your point but it's only if Ireland play to their potential. Trap will probably introduce a new system and will have to get the players playing to the top of their abilities again and hope that this group of players and any new additions gel into hard-to-beat team. Then we have to hope that that is enough to get us by against a team that has not been just qualifying for but winning tournaments while this Irish team was rotting away under the guidance of Stan (and partly Kerr) for the last few years. However, I have every confidence that El Trap will turn it around in the 5 or so games before we play Italy

[Razors left peg]

Italy will still have the majority of a successful hard-working and well-structured team. If they have continued success in the Euros I can't see the next manager wanting to change things around too much. Whereas the Irish team have been a structureless and disinterested shambles for the last two or three years. I agree with your point but it's only if Ireland play to their potential. Trap will probably introduce a new system and will have to get the players playing to the top of their abilities again and hope that this group of players and any new additions gel into hard-to-beat team. Then we have to hope that that is enough to get us by against a team that has not been just qualifying for but winning tournaments while this Irish team was rotting away under the guidance of Stan (and partly Kerr) for the last few years. However, I have every confidence that El Trap will turn it around in the 5 or so games before we play Italy

Glad to see someone else shares my blind optimism

[lionelhutz]

Milan are in a raging battle to catch up to Fiorentina for 4th place so the Champions League is not their top priority at the moment

The champs league has been Milans top priority for the past 5 years at least. They believed they could win it again and they were going all out for it. There's no doubt Ancelotti was prioritising the Champs league over 4th in Serie A. Especially it being Maldini's final hurrah

[back of the net]

My team for the Italy game:

----------------Kenny-----------------
--J O'Brien McCarthy St Ledger Delaney-
Lawrence Holland O'Toole Rowlands Tabb
---------------O'Donovan-------------
I think that team could hold its own against Italy. All proven quality players.

hahahahaha - yeah the italians would be crapping it if they saw them come out in the stadio olmpico