Azzurri Thread (95 Viewers)

deggen10

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2011
1,182
Lol at that article. Yeah 3 great CBs over 20 years, hardly a massive production line. At present, Chiellini and Barzagli have shown some quality and for future, Acerbi and Ogbonna look ok.

Everyone also forgets the obvious here... we play Pirlo in front of the D and currently, no true DM. Puts more pressure on which is why the 3 man is needed.
 

Powis

Senior Member
Dec 9, 2009
8,479
Solid? SOLID ???
Are freakin kidding us???
We are talking about Italy's rearguard, what was used to be the best in the world for decades!
And are you calling the utter compromises, named, Astori, Bonucci and Maggio as SOLID?

Solid in what sense exactly, we are talking about international level, not how calciopoli has turned serie A.
It is a disgrace that the NT cannot find anything better than that.
I red a relevant article in goal.com http://www.goal.com/en/news/2898/euro-2012/2012/06/06/3150824/where-is-the-next-cannavaro-nesta-maldini-italys-defensive
ocusing exactly in the point of criticism i have been pointing out in the past 6-7 years.
Juventus is probably the team that has suffered the most because of this.
In our desperate effort to keep a fully Italian team, we made huge compromises in cash and performance, just because we deny to accept this crude reality.
Italy does not produces uality defenders anymore!
We overpay for the available ones, keep giving them chances so that they can benefit, from the work of their other teammates, but it never pays back!
The Molinaros, Stendardos, Mottas, Grossos, Bonuccis, Legros only give us more frustration.

Enough with it already, having NT cappers is a reason to be proud of, when there is competition among great players, not among players like Astori, Maggio and Bonucci.

When there was competition among Canna, Zambro, Nesta and Maldini, with Milan and Juve trying to hold as many of those gems as possible.
Then yes, it was justified, but seeing us now drooling over the Bonuccis, Maggios and Astoris is just disgusting.

And i believe by overrating these mediocre players, we make things worse for Italy and our teams in the long run.
Hopefully this summer ppl will finally realise what i ve veen talking about all those years.

Pll, we have a major hole in the back, what used to be our strength, what we could rely upon, is no more!
Things have changed, we must adapt, we must do smth about it!


PS: told ya that giving away Balza is a fatal mistake, exactly because of that, after all these years of searching, the best we can do is DC and Caceres...
The army of my haters call me racist for saying so many years that Italy is not producing defensive talents, they are so blind and biased, they cant see beyond their nose, hey look, its EURO 2012 and the best Italy can do is field Balza as a starter...:alen::alen:
Ok, i do not read your mega-long post usually, but you are obviously right about it.

I think this problem touches not just Italy. You know, in current times the modern football just gets bigger and bigger and that means defenders just get worse and worse. What do i mean by saying modern football? Now every coach and all others just are trying to be followers of attacking football. Probably i don't need to explain these things.

Italy joins that group officially and we see the result of that. It sucks even more because at least teams that defence is poor, has universal-modern fullbacks like Brasil's Alves and etc, Italy doesn't have ones, everything sucks in defence.
 

deggen10

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2011
1,182
I feel sorry for Prandelli though. He started with the intent to play 4-3-1-2 using Motta as a defensive anchor (after Pirlo's non-season). We got our best result against Germany with that system... but with Andrea's resurgence, and other problems, he has to throw it all out on the eve of the tournament.
 

Joe

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2009
14,980
I feel sorry for Prandelli though. He started with the intent to play 4-3-1-2 using Motta as a defensive anchor (after Pirlo's non-season). We got our best result against Germany with that system... but with Andrea's resurgence, and other problems, he has to throw it all out on the eve of the tournament.
That's hardly the problem. Pirlo > Motta in every way.

Buffon
De Rossi - Bonucci - Chiellini
Maggio - Motta - Pirlo - Marchisio - Balzaretti
Cassano - Balotelli​

Bench: De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Montolivo, Giaccherini, Di Natale, Giovinco, Borini

Best of both worlds, let's hope for that line-up.

I think Giaccherini always has to be on the bench. He's really the only player who can sub in for Maggio and Balz and pretty much every other position.
 

JuveJay

Senior Signor
Moderator
Mar 6, 2007
74,883
Solid? SOLID ???
Are freakin kidding us???
We are talking about Italy's rearguard, what was used to be the best in the world for decades!
.............................
Italy conceded 2 goals in qualifying, the lowest of all teams. I know those games were not as important as the friendly against Russia, but ideally they'd be considered.
 

Dadi-SK

Senior Member
Jan 30, 2011
3,688
Italy conceded 2 goals in qualifying, the lowest of all teams. I know those games were not as important as the friendly against Russia, but ideally they'd be considered.
Are you kidding? How could a friendly match be more important than Euro qualifications. Italy was quite good against Russia and at times dominated and wasted some clear chances. They were brought down when Prandelli started with the hockey substitutions and if not for the silly mistakes of De Santis and Maggio the score would have been different.
 

pitbull

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2007
11,045
That's hardly the problem. Pirlo > Motta in every way.

Buffon
De Rossi - Bonucci - Chiellini
Maggio - Motta - Pirlo - Marchisio - Balzaretti
Cassano - Balotelli​

Bench: De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Montolivo, Giaccherini, Di Natale, Giovinco, Borini

Best of both worlds, let's hope for that line-up.

I think Giaccherini always has to be on the bench. He's really the only player who can sub in for Maggio and Balz and pretty much every other position.
You should drop one of di Natale/Giovinco/Borini for Abate, probably Borini.
 
May 22, 2007
37,256
Those defenders were initially described as solid, and I still don't know how Cronios managed to make a post that long about it. It even has Maggio in his preferred position, Bonucci as the regista of defense and Astori is a 'solid' player.
 

deggen10

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2011
1,182
Best of both worlds, let's hope for that line-up.
Yeah that's the point. Pirlo requires a 3 man backline or a midfield destroyer (which Italy doesn't have) or else with a 2man, Motta is better, especially against a team with an AM like Germany.

Italy should be more concerned with the lack of DMs, No.10's and SS's.

I agree re. Giac. He's the only Attacking Mid there.
 

Hængebøffer

Senior Member
Jun 4, 2009
25,185
I feel sorry for Prandelli though. He started with the intent to play 4-3-1-2 using Motta as a defensive anchor (after Pirlo's non-season). We got our best result against Germany with that system... but with Andrea's resurgence, and other problems, he has to throw it all out on the eve of the tournament.
And beat Spain.
 

Cronios

Juventolog
Jun 7, 2004
27,519
ghulp, maybe Italy has a chance after all^^
There might be some new talents we are not aware of!

Hey Cron, what do you make of Greece's chances?
to be honest i really dont know, i really lost all interest, i respect the job done to reshape the team.
But i cannot live with compromises anymore, i will not waste time, watching my NT, i would like to enjoy Italy, i so miss good football and good things in life.
I would like to see Italy's new generation, finally France returning to power and England the favourites fail again.
Beyond that, Euro is a waste of mercato as far as i am concerned!
 

Klovn

#MakeTuzGreatAgain
Jul 28, 2011
21,859
Are you kidding? How could a friendly match be more important than Euro qualifications. Italy was quite good against Russia and at times dominated and wasted some clear chances. They were brought down when Prandelli started with the hockey substitutions and if not for the silly mistakes of De Santis and Maggio the score would have been different.
Isn't it obvious?
 

DIECI

Senior Member
Jul 12, 2011
2,115
Solid? SOLID ???
Are freakin kidding us???
We are talking about Italy's rearguard, what was used to be the best in the world for decades!
And are you calling the utter compromises, named, Astori, Bonucci and Maggio as SOLID?

Solid in what sense exactly, we are talking about international level, not how calciopoli has turned serie A.
It is a disgrace that the NT cannot find anything better than that.
I red a relevant article in goal.com http://www.goal.com/en/news/2898/euro-2012/2012/06/06/3150824/where-is-the-next-cannavaro-nesta-maldini-italys-defensive
ocusing exactly in the point of criticism i have been pointing out in the past 6-7 years.
Juventus is probably the team that has suffered the most because of this.
In our desperate effort to keep a fully Italian team, we made huge compromises in cash and performance, just because we deny to accept this crude reality.
Italy does not produces uality defenders anymore!
We overpay for the available ones, keep giving them chances so that they can benefit, from the work of their other teammates, but it never pays back!
The Molinaros, Stendardos, Mottas, Grossos, Bonuccis, Legros only give us more frustration.

Enough with it already, having NT cappers is a reason to be proud of, when there is competition among great players, not among players like Astori, Maggio and Bonucci.

When there was competition among Canna, Zambro, Nesta and Maldini, with Milan and Juve trying to hold as many of those gems as possible.
Then yes, it was justified, but seeing us now drooling over the Bonuccis, Maggios and Astoris is just disgusting.

And i believe by overrating these mediocre players, we make things worse for Italy and our teams in the long run.
Hopefully this summer ppl will finally realise what i ve veen talking about all those years.

Pll, we have a major hole in the back, what used to be our strength, what we could rely upon, is no more!
Things have changed, we must adapt, we must do smth about it!


PS: told ya that giving away Balza is a fatal mistake, exactly because of that, after all these years of searching, the best we can do is DC and Caceres...
The army of my haters call me racist for saying so many years that Italy is not producing defensive talents, they are so blind and biased, they cant see beyond their nose, hey look, its EURO 2012 and the best Italy can do is field Balza as a starter...:alen::alen:
There's a lot of truth to this, this is why Prandelli out of I believe desperation will play DeRossi at CB. I think its a blessing in disguise actually, DeRossi I have a feeling could excel at that position. Look at Barca, they use Mascerano, a natural midfielder as a CB, it has worked wonderfully for them, I think Derossi could be a similar situation for the Azzurri.
 

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