Conte’s Italy flatter to deceive
Football Italia
Following an uninspiring win over Scotland in Malta, Edo Dalmonte argues that this is what Conte’s Italy was always going to be.
Last night’s 1-0 over Scotland was hardly a festival of champagne football, but fans who followed the BBC’s online commentary wouldn’t have known that.
Scoreless at the half, one contributor posted that “Italy lead 13-0 on shots on goal...but only one stat counts, right?”. Yes, the stat that RAI produced on 38 minutes, which confirmed that the Azzurri had only managed two shots on goal, against nine off target. A perfect summary of the most uninspiring Italy side to show up to a major tournament since Marcello Lippi’s retirement tour to South Africa.
The Azzurri’s pacy, often disjointed play may have convinced Italy fans that Antonio Conte is trying to wedge a number of square pegs in as many round holes.
Nothing could be further from the truth: these are, for the most part, exactly the kind of players that work in Conte’s system, and the same ilk that he has called up time and time again, to the detriment of more exciting alternatives.
Those among us who were hoping to see Lorenzo Insigne, Jorginho or Federico Bernardeschi stake a claim for a place in the squad- nay, a starting spot - have been disillusioned: they’re more alien to the current setup than the unimpressive Eder, Emanuele Giaccherini or Alessandro Florenzi. If that isn’t the biggest red flag, it's hard to say what is.
If the Federation were hoping that the Azzurri would resemble Conte’s Juventus when they hired him back in 2014… they got it, but in its most uninspiring, harmless form, typical of when the Old Lady passed the ball around in Champions League action without ever seeing daylight.
It feels like Italy only know how to play one way: like a Subbuteo team, with Conte covering the whole pitch with his men, and the passing resembling a sort of connect-the-dots exercise. The ball travels directly to the player, often forcing him to stop instead of looking for the one-two or to run into space.
This may explain why Insigne or Bernardeschi don’t fit in: they need to be able to run at players, not just wait around to make a decisive flick. Conte prefers the more hardworking sort (like Alessandro Florenzi, Antonio Candreva or Emanuele Giaccherini), who have all the intensity Conte wants, but none of the accuracy Italy need at the moment of truth.
A typical example was an Azzurri counter on 29 minutes, in which Candreva tripped over the ball before getting it back, only to see his cutback be wasted by Alessandro Florenzi. The Roman’s move to - and lack of familiarity with - the right-back position have been quoted as excuses when he makes mistakes, but what if it had been a lack of technique all along, especially in tight spaces? Why should a full-back with poor touch play in central midfield exactly?
One positive was Daniele De Rossi, whose quick, vertical passes often created danger on the outskirts of the box: Italy’s goal came when he found Eder (who was otherwise absent), to tee up Graziano Pelle for his fantastic finish. With his 14 Premier League goals and good work ethic, the Southampton striker is a credit to Conte, and deserves a starting berth.
Even the defence’s positive performance comes with a huge proviso: Scotland’s players barely showed up, and if they were picked because of their resemblance to Group E opponents Ireland, then the Azzurri have another thing coming at them. It is unlikely that even the most craven opponent in France will allow the Azzurri to control the flow and build slowly without countering with a purpose.
In a pre-match press conference, Coach Conte promised that this team “would be able to surprise everyone” at Euro 2016. Italy fans won’t be holding their breath.
Is it safe to say he will be injured in the middle of the euros?![Juventino[RUS]](https://www.juventuz.com/data/avatars/m/5/5409.jpg?1650619365){kind=avatar}
![Juventino[RUS]](https://www.juventuz.com/data/avatars/s/5/5409.jpg?1650619365){kind=avatar}
