Andrea Pirlo (84 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mark
- Start date
- Tags the goat of midfield
No. This image is from www.juvestore.com:
The shirt obviously comes with two stars, but you have the option to order a third star for free, which you can add yourself.
The shirt obviously comes with two stars, but you have the option to order a third star for free, which you can add yourself.
This is an interesting view on pirlo´s euro games and we definitely need tot ake note of this:
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Part-time Pirlo?
Andrea Pirlo is Italy’s most important player at Euro 2012 but, asks Alex Fusco, is he also their biggest weakness when the clock counts down?
Italy looked excellent as they sumptuously stroked the ball around with enviable self-assurance. That was, in general, for the first 60 minutes of all three group games. The problems began when they opted to defend a 1-0 lead with 30 minutes left. Had Ireland been blessed with a mildly potent attacking threat – to compliment their hustle and bustle – then they would more than likely have made Italy pay for their nonchalance. The Azzurri would have been watching Sunday’s quarter-final from home.
So why are Italy unable to maintain their fluidity and dominate for the entire 90 minutes? As with most questions about this Italian team, the answer lies with Andrea Pirlo. It is no coincidence that as Pirlo’s 33-year-old legs begin to tire, Italy start to crumble. As his grip on the game begins to wane, Italy start to look disjointed as well as fractured and mistakes creep in.
Never one to look hurried at the best of times, Pirlo’s internal speedometer at Euro 2012 seems to move from leisurely yet sublime toward sluggish in the final half hour. The demands of pulling the strings behind the Italian attack for the entire game may be becoming too much for him after hardly missing a game for Juventus all season long.
This is no criticism of the Italian No 21. For the first hour against Spain, he made a midfield containing the likes of Andres Iniesta and Xavi look decidedly ordinary. However, it is when the pendulum begins to swing away from the Azzurri that they need a Plan B, another outlet to mould attack from defence because the over-reliance on Pirlo is proving counter-productive in the closing stages. Instead of liberating the attack, it is stifling the midfield.
The obvious solution from the bench would be Riccardo Montolivo. Although he hasn’t lived up to the promise of becoming Pirlo’s natural successor, the new Milan man possesses many of the same characteristics as his compatriot and is equally adept at spraying passes around from deep.
Admittedly, his introduction against Croatia was largely ineffective after coming on for Thiago Motta in the 62nd minute. But the fact that Pirlo remained on the pitch could well explain his fruitless efforts.
Virtually every attack goes through the midfield maestro when Pirlo is playing – he is the undisputed lynchpin – and the first option for every pass in the middle of the pitch. Consequently, Montolivo was shunted out of a central position and largely ignored by his teammates, who continued to pepper Pirlo with passes even when it was clear he was beginning to tire. Even when he is running on empty, the hope that Pirlo might produce a moment of sheer quality, a final flicker of magnificence, means Prandelli is reluctant to substitute his midfield talisman.
Pirlo is an exceptional player and currently enjoying a purple patch of form. The statistics will also attest to a goal and two assists in three games. But Italy cannot afford to completely rely on one player – as the beating heart of the Italian team begins to slow, momentum deserts the Azzurri cause.
A solution? Prandelli could in part revive the Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera staffetta, where one would play the first half of games and one the second. Italy’s current CT should perhaps consider a transplant around the 70th minute mark which could see Montolivo brought on for the mercurial Pirlo. Otherwise, against the more clinical European heavyweights that dwell in the latter stages of the knock-out competition, Italy will be punished for their over-dependence on their metronome.
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Next season will be long, tough and very demanding.......and pirlo is not getting any younger...
Will he be able to withstand whats coming for him=?. What if we burn him mid season? or if he gets injury prone?
what we will do?
----------------------------------------------------
Part-time Pirlo?
Andrea Pirlo is Italy’s most important player at Euro 2012 but, asks Alex Fusco, is he also their biggest weakness when the clock counts down?
Italy looked excellent as they sumptuously stroked the ball around with enviable self-assurance. That was, in general, for the first 60 minutes of all three group games. The problems began when they opted to defend a 1-0 lead with 30 minutes left. Had Ireland been blessed with a mildly potent attacking threat – to compliment their hustle and bustle – then they would more than likely have made Italy pay for their nonchalance. The Azzurri would have been watching Sunday’s quarter-final from home.
So why are Italy unable to maintain their fluidity and dominate for the entire 90 minutes? As with most questions about this Italian team, the answer lies with Andrea Pirlo. It is no coincidence that as Pirlo’s 33-year-old legs begin to tire, Italy start to crumble. As his grip on the game begins to wane, Italy start to look disjointed as well as fractured and mistakes creep in.
Never one to look hurried at the best of times, Pirlo’s internal speedometer at Euro 2012 seems to move from leisurely yet sublime toward sluggish in the final half hour. The demands of pulling the strings behind the Italian attack for the entire game may be becoming too much for him after hardly missing a game for Juventus all season long.
This is no criticism of the Italian No 21. For the first hour against Spain, he made a midfield containing the likes of Andres Iniesta and Xavi look decidedly ordinary. However, it is when the pendulum begins to swing away from the Azzurri that they need a Plan B, another outlet to mould attack from defence because the over-reliance on Pirlo is proving counter-productive in the closing stages. Instead of liberating the attack, it is stifling the midfield.
The obvious solution from the bench would be Riccardo Montolivo. Although he hasn’t lived up to the promise of becoming Pirlo’s natural successor, the new Milan man possesses many of the same characteristics as his compatriot and is equally adept at spraying passes around from deep.
Admittedly, his introduction against Croatia was largely ineffective after coming on for Thiago Motta in the 62nd minute. But the fact that Pirlo remained on the pitch could well explain his fruitless efforts.
Virtually every attack goes through the midfield maestro when Pirlo is playing – he is the undisputed lynchpin – and the first option for every pass in the middle of the pitch. Consequently, Montolivo was shunted out of a central position and largely ignored by his teammates, who continued to pepper Pirlo with passes even when it was clear he was beginning to tire. Even when he is running on empty, the hope that Pirlo might produce a moment of sheer quality, a final flicker of magnificence, means Prandelli is reluctant to substitute his midfield talisman.
Pirlo is an exceptional player and currently enjoying a purple patch of form. The statistics will also attest to a goal and two assists in three games. But Italy cannot afford to completely rely on one player – as the beating heart of the Italian team begins to slow, momentum deserts the Azzurri cause.
A solution? Prandelli could in part revive the Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera staffetta, where one would play the first half of games and one the second. Italy’s current CT should perhaps consider a transplant around the 70th minute mark which could see Montolivo brought on for the mercurial Pirlo. Otherwise, against the more clinical European heavyweights that dwell in the latter stages of the knock-out competition, Italy will be punished for their over-dependence on their metronome.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Next season will be long, tough and very demanding.......and pirlo is not getting any younger...
Will he be able to withstand whats coming for him=?. What if we burn him mid season? or if he gets injury prone?
what we will do?
.
