Azzurri Thread (65 Viewers)

Bjerknes

"Top Economist"
Mar 16, 2004
116,996
Lol nothing would ever convince you when you already decided on what you are going to harp on regardless of what was said, but here, another excuse for you to rip into Azzurri:
Um, perhaps the whole premise is absurd, my favorite Somali? But hey, I'll bite on this one.


“It’s too soon to be talking about the Spain friendly in August,” the Coach said at Coverciano on Saturday afternoon.
It sure is. Just like it's too soon to be talking about playing like Spain. But we all have our dreams, eh?

Say, if Italy does indeed end up playing like Spain, and hence like Barcelona, what will some here say about that? Don't most Azzurri fans hate Spain and Barcelona? Are the tides turning a bit? Hmm. That's an interesting proposition.

Thus far, I have not seen any objections to Italy striving to the game like Spain, which is very weird. Or maybe it isn't. After all, whatever Italy does it Ze Best, so we'll shove our own opinions in the trash bin and nod our heads like ze puppets we are...

“It’s not possible to compare us as they have been working together for some time. Hopefully we can get to their levels in a shortly.
And you haven't been working together over the years? OK, I know that Spain has pretty much a set crew of players they use and Italy foolishly left a couple very good forwards at home in 2010 (not Rossi), but overall similar players are being used.

But this is the sort of irrational and arrogant quote that I abhor from the Italians. Prandelli says they are not at Spain's level simply because they haven't worked with the same team for several years. You know, I really don't like Spain, not just because of the match today. But Italy's players, tactics, and overall personality on the pitch are not anything like Spain's, even if they try to emulate them. It's not just because this Prandelli side hasn't played together. That's nonsense.

What I don't understand is why I'm not seeing more rejection of this whole Spain talk. To the purists out there, I'm sure that deep down they hate throwing away the Italian identity and becoming willing imperial slaves to their rivals in Spain.

“We are looking for our players to grow and a lot of them won’t be playing in Europe next season which is a handicap.”
For the Azzurri it isn't a handicap. Your players will be more fresh for internationals. Perhaps if the FIGC cared so much about European spots, they would not have imposed the non-EU rule and would not have relegated Juventus. But hey, at least you guys are starting to figure out the problem. Hopefully one day you'll finally realize the problem is yourselves.

According to Opta statistics, Prandelli’s team completed 829 passes against Estonia, the most by a team in a Euro 2012 qualifier so far.
:delpiero:

I guess after the last World Cup, that's a nice accomplishment for the Azzurri, so I'll give credit to them and Prandelli.

"The performance chart yesterday showed good balance,” continued the former Fiorentina boss.
Fantastico!

“When you can interpret the game well, every challenge becomes easy, but no match is won before it is played. Our ability yesterday was that we gave our opponents hardly anything.
... because our opponents were hardly anything."

“There was pessimism around us at the start of my spell, but we still can’t think that we can beat anyone. We are working hard and the results are helping us.”
Ahhh, go right ahead, revel in glory, Prandelli. Don't worry, the "pessimists" will be back.

Giuseppe Rossi opened the scoring last night with a wonderful goal after Prandelli opted to play without a centre-forward in a 4-3-1-2.
Wonderful goal? Who writes this shit? The keeper should have made the save, period. Nice little yellow journalism there. This sort of stuff makes it look like England played Estonia.

“Rossi proved himself to be a complete striker yesterday. He was excellent, combining technique with speed of execution.
Execution. At least you got that right. :tup:

“He is a great professional, now mature, and it is a shame that he left Italy to play his club football elsewhere. Some people didn’t believe in him…
And rightfully so, because he's an irrational, traitorous, bi-polar would-be suicide victim if it wasn't for his sawker.

“We can use yesterday’s system again, but only if every player does their job. There are no sure starters in this team. Healthy competition can help players to give their best.
Good luck with that against practically anybody else.

“It’s now up to us to get closer to the best national sides, but, I repeat, we have achieved nothing yet.”
There. You got it! Good job, Styles P. I'm proud of you.

/rant
 

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Niddo

Junior Member
May 3, 2011
212
srsly so much hatred targetted at giuseppe rossi

u just pissed he decided to play for italy instead of the states

i wonder how turks feel bout ozil, how arabs feel bout benzema,nasri n rami,how africans feel bout half the french squad,how albanians feel bout ninis,shaqiri and other swiss players

i mean if he wouldnt wana play in the euros and have a shot at challenging for a world cup instead of playing in the gold cup and just reaching the knock out rounds at the world cup
 

JCK

Biased
JCK
May 11, 2004
125,416
It is extremely silly to say that Italy are to emulate the Spanish system. So because they won the last international competitions everyone should play like they do? Did National teams want to play the French system when they dominated? Did they want to play the Brazil system when they dominated? Did they want to play the Germany system? Hell, did a national team say they wanted to take the Greek approach when they conquered Europe?

All this talk about doing like others is extremely foolish, play your game and stop looking at others. It reminds of club directors saying they are to follow the barca approach, grow yourself a fucking personality for crying out loud.
 

king Ale

Senior Member
Oct 28, 2004
21,689
Yea I find that sort of talks really stupid, I'm a fan of the Azzurri but I have always admired their defensive approach to the games. Not every team must/can play Jogo Bonito, not every team must/can play Tiki-taka and it's not like those are the only ways to win the games which is the most important objective of a football game. I personally prefer the extremely organized style of football Germans offer. Look at the players you have and then establish a style which suits your players the best. I don't think Italy have that sort of players a team would need to play like Spain. Still, I can' help laughing at those being angry at seeing the Azzurri playing really really well even if it was only Estonia.
 

Bjerknes

"Top Economist"
Mar 16, 2004
116,996
Andy, you are so biased its beyond parody. Like you disecting the quotes makes it less laughably ridicolous.
It's only ridiculous to you because you're a fan of the team. To the neutral or someone like me, I think we can find a bit of humor in it all.

Dissecting quotes is one of my favorite pastimes.

Andy, why do you post here anyway? We all know that you hate Azzurri...I'm just wondering.
Because I can, that's why. Why shouldn't I post here?
 

JuveJay

Senior Signor
Moderator
Mar 6, 2007
75,483
It is extremely silly to say that Italy are to emulate the Spanish system. So because they won the last international competitions everyone should play like they do? Did National teams want to play the French system when they dominated? Did they want to play the Brazil system when they dominated? Did they want to play the Germany system? Hell, did a national team say they wanted to take the Greek approach when they conquered Europe?

All this talk about doing like others is extremely foolish, play your game and stop looking at others. It reminds of club directors saying they are to follow the barca approach, grow yourself a fucking personality for crying out loud.
I said this before on another forum. Italy won World Cups playing like Italy. Football changes but you aren't going to beat masters at their own game, you can take bits from different styles and add them to yours. The Spanish thing is something of an exaggeration anyway, Prandelli's sides have always played neat football and now he is working with better players he can enforce his more direct philosophy.

England has this preoccupation with copying others. Italy won the World Cup and they went after Capello, now the journalists talk about trying to play the Spanish way and putting U16's onto small pitches with smaller players, something which should have been done 15 years ago just like other leading football countries.

However it's not always a bad thing, if you are starting from a low position. Japan are one example, like everything they look at the most successful that they can't produce and copy it fundamentally (Brazil), now Japan are a strong international side inside 20 years.
 

JuveJay

Senior Signor
Moderator
Mar 6, 2007
75,483
Italy name Ireland friendly line-up

The starting XI for Tuesday’s Italy-Republic of Ireland friendly has been confirmed with Giuseppe Rossi and Giampaolo Pazzini in attack.

Unlike the one used in the 3-0 victory over Estonia, this system does have a recognised centre-forward and does not appear to include a trequartista.

Cesare Prandelli named his line-up in today’s Press conference with numerous changes from Friday.

Only Giorgio Chiellini, Riccardo Montolivo, Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo and Rossi remain from the side that started against Estonia.

Antonio Nocerino played almost all of that game, replacing the injured Alberto Aquilani after 24 minutes.

Newcomers are Pazzini, Mattia Cassani, Alessandro Gamberini, Domenico Criscito and goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

Tuesday’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland will be played on neutral turf in the Belgian city of Liege.

Italy: Viviano; Cassani, Gamberini, Chiellini, Criscito; Nocerino, Pirlo, Montolivo, Marchisio; Rossi, Pazzini

FI

------------------------

I assume Montolivo will play as the link man. A few key Irish players have dropped out too so it'll be less competitive but useful to see some other players.
 

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