Il Capitano Alessandro Del Piero (128 Viewers)

[X Æ A-12]

Being 28 means you are close to hitting the 30. And then you are almost 40 and then you are dead

Its great to be young.

Terrible 45min played by Ale. Anyhow, the only way I see Ale being called up for the Azzurri is having one of Di Natale/Quaggy injured. Other than that I don't see Lippi calling him.

He hasn't been in Lippi's for this world cup for months now. I hate to say it but it has been quite clear for a while now that DP played his last world cup in 06.

 

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[Martin]

Being 28 means you are close to hitting the 30. And then you are almost 40 and then you are dead

You are going to have a pleasant surprise when you turn 40. That is if you don't go insane with anxiety before that

 

[SABSAB]

I'm happy he's not called up. He better makes some good and long vacation, relaxes, Italy fails horrible and he's better not a part of that.

 

[solo JUVE.....!]

well,DP is our beloved legend but all of us know that he definitely does NOT deserve to be called up by Lippi. He's not brilliant ,nor does he shoot remarkably. Alex has enough experience to help the team in critical situations, but his lack of pace-caused by aging-means he has no part in genuine top-class strikers. Calling him up for the WC is totally insane.

On the other hand, I believe all we did last year against great teams,for instance Real Madrid,was deeply indebted to DP though he was not that young on those days too. The problem is obviously not his AGE,the only reason that makes me say those shitty words [saying that he does not deserve,...] is that he's not in form at the moment. Not calling him up makes sense...

 

[Lo-Pan]

well,DP is our beloved legend but all of us know that he definitely does NOT deserve to be called up by Lippi. He's not brilliant ,nor does he shoot remarkably. Alex has enough experience to help the team in critical situations, but his lack of pace-caused by aging-means he has no part in genuine top-class strikers. Calling him up for the WC is totally insane.

On the other hand, I believe all we did last year against great teams,for instance Real Madrid,was deeply indebted to DP though he was not that young on those days too. The problem is obviously not his AGE,the only reason that makes me say those shitty words [saying that he does not deserve,...] is that he's not in form at the moment. Not calling him up makes sense...

decent post, mate.

 

[Azzurri7]

The azzurri team is poor enough with adding in DP to make them even worse.

Did not expect more from you.

 

[king Ale]

Indeed. Alex doesn't deserve to go to the World Cup but he certainly deserves it more than the likes of Iaquinta, Camo and Grosso.

 

[Lo-Pan]

Did not expect more from you.

i can see that my opinion is well shared, mate...your loyalty is admirable in one way, but far removed from the realm of objectivity. its become far from controversial to suggest that Del Piero is in increasingly dire need of getting put out to pasture.

 

[Bianconero81]

Indeed. Alex doesn't deserve to go to the World Cup but he certainly deserves it more than the likes of Iaquinta, Camo and Grosso.

Yes and No. Italy have no wingers or decent left backs, that is why Camo and Grosso need to be called up; there are simply no better alternatives. As for Iaquinta, he is a more versatile player than DP, and we all know he is one of Lippi's favourites. In any case, this is the worst Azzurri squad since I started watching the World Cup back in 1990.

 

[Azzurri7]

i can see that my opinion is well shared, mate...your loyalty is admirable in one way, but far removed from the realm of objectivity.

Forget objectivity, how Del Piero's presence in the squad will make them even more worse? In what way?

 

[Alen]

Yes and No. Italy have no wingers or decent left backs, that is why Camo and Grosso need to be called up; there are simply no better alternatives. As for Iaquinta, he is a more versatile player than DP, and we all know he is one of Lippi's favourites. In any case, this is the worst Azzurri squad since I started watching the World Cup back in 1990.

I was about to reply in a very similar way

Grosso and Camo aren't there because they are better than Ale or because they had better seasons than Ale. They are called simply because there aren't better options.
Iaquinta isn't called just because he's Lippi's favorite though. Ale is, imo, one of Lippi's most favorite players, if not THE most favorite player. He's called because, as you said, his versatility gives Lippi many more options. Iaquinta's work rate granted him a place even in the WC winning 2006 squad and it's much easier to grant him a place in this much more inferior 2010 squad.
Even if both Del Piero and Iaquinta had relatively poor seasons plagued with injuries, Iaquinta still being in the best footballing years and being an integral part of the team that secured qualification for the WC makes him a favorite ahead of Del Piero.

 

[king Ale]

I don't believe there are not better options than Camoranesi and Grosso (both barely even played) in the whole league. Hell even we have better players at Camo position in Juve.
As for Iaquinta, there are already a few players in the squad who can do Iaquinta's job much better than he can but in Ale's position, whether right or wrong, Lippi wasn't going to call neither Cassano nor Miccoli so calling up Ale still would make much more sense than picking up Iaquinta.

 

[Alen]

I don't believe there are not better options than Camoranesi and Grosso (both barely even played) in the whole league. Hell even we have better players at Camo position in Juve.

So who are the better right wingers?
I can think of Camoranesi, Candreva and Maggio as the best 3 right wingers (although, Candreva isn't really a winger). All three are called in the provisional ~30 men squad and one of them won't be called probably. In the end, Lippi called the best 3 RWs and he'll pick two.

As for fullbacks, Lippi called Zambrotta, Criscito, Grosso and Cassani. Santon will probably be added later.
That's 5 players and 4 spots (2 LBs and 2 RBs). One of them will be excluded. All 5 can play at LB but Zambrotta, Cassani and Santon can also play RB. So two of them will surely be called as RBs, while one of them, Criscito and Grosso will fight for the 2 spots for LB.

Apart from maybe Balzaretti, I don't think you can add more fullbacks to this provisional squad.

As for Iaquinta, there are already a few players in the squad who can do Iaquinta's job much better than he can but in Ale's position, whether right or wrong, Lippi wasn't going to call neither Cassano nor Miccoli so calling up Ale still would make much more sense than picking up Iaquinta.

Are there better target men than Iaquinta in Italy? Yes
Are there better support strikers? Yes
Are there better strikers for the right side of a 4-3-3? Probably

Is there someone better than Iaquinta in all these 3 positions? No

Del Piero can only play in a two men attack, as a support striker, but even here Di Natale is (right now) much better than him. If Lippi's main and only formation was 4-4-2 or 4-3-1-2 then yes, Del Piero could have been called as a sub support striker.

But Lippi plays many different formations, and 4-3-3 is one of them and an important one. He will need at least 8 attackers to cover all these formations. He will need 2 target, 2 support strikers, 3-4 attackers who can play on the sides of 4-3-3 attack. There is no space in the squad for 7-8 attackers. With Iaquinta he uses one man instead of taking 3 players (3 sub players, may I add).

 

[king Ale]

So who are the better right wingers?
I can think of Camoranesi, Candreva and Maggio as the best 3 right wingers (although, Candreva isn't really a winger). All three are called in the provisional ~30 men squad and one of them won't be called probably. In the end, Lippi called the best 3 RWs and he'll pick two.

The best 3 RWs? How do you even consider Camo as one? He didn't even play in most of the second part of the season and whenever he played he was one of the worst players on the pitch. Only because he is a RW who plays for Juve doesn't mean he is one of the best three RWs.

As for fullbacks, Lippi called Zambrotta, Criscito, Grosso and Cassani. Santon will probably be added later.
That's 5 players and 4 spots (2 LBs and 2 RBs). One of them will be excluded. All 5 can play at LB but Zambrotta, Cassani and Santon can also play RB. So two of them will surely be called as RBs, while one of them, Criscito and Grosso will fight for the 2 spots for LB.

Apart from maybe Balzaretti, I don't think you can add more fullbacks to this provisional squad.

Same with what I said about Camoranesi. Grosso doesn't deserved even to be considered looking at his form and display in the second part of the season.

Are there better target men than Iaquinta in Italy? Yes
Are there better support strikers? Yes
Are there better strikers for the right side of a 4-3-3? Probably

Is there someone better than Iaquinta in all these 3 positions? No

Del Piero can only play in a two men attack, as a support striker, but even here Di Natale is (right now) much better than him. If Lippi's main and only formation was 4-4-2 or 4-3-1-2 then yes, Del Piero could have been called as a sub support striker.

But Lippi plays many different formations, and 4-3-3 is one of them and an important one. He will need at least 8 attackers to cover all these formations. He will need 2 target, 2 support strikers, 3-4 attackers who can play on the sides of 4-3-3 attack. There is no space in the squad for 7-8 attackers. With Iaquinta he uses one man instead of taking 3 players (3 sub players, may I add).

There must be a sub in Di Natale's position and Del Piero is the best available one since Lippi is not going to call up Miccoli and Cassano.

If people tend to say that Ale doesn't deserve to go to the World Cup because of his poor form, Iaquinta, Camo and Grosso don't deserve to be even considered for a spot in the team.

 

[Alen]

The best 3 RWs? How do you even consider Camo as one? He didn't even play in most of the second part of the season and whenever he played he was one of the worst players on the pitch. Only because he is a RW who plays for Juve doesn't mean he is one of the best three RWs.



Same with what I said about Camoranesi. Grosso doesn't deserved even to be considered looking at his form and display in the second part of the season.



There must be a sub in Di Natale's position and Del Piero is the best available one since Lippi is not going to call up Miccoli and Cassano.

If people tend to say that Ale doesn't deserve to go to the World Cup because of his poor form, Iaquinta, Camo and Grosso don't deserve to be even considered for a spot in the team.

I can partially understand you about Camo and Grosso, but I really don't understand you about Iaquinta.

The man started the season well. He was our topscorer before he got injured. He also played extremely well for Italy until the injury. Then he missed huge part of the season. He was back, he needed a month to get into good physical shape and now he's ok.
He runs a lot and started scoring again, plus he's versatile and as I said, for Lippi and looking how he changes formations, versatility is important.
Del Piero is back after the injury for 4 months now and he's only getting in worse shape.

We'll have to disagree on this. In Lippi's place i'd have also taken Iaquinta to the WC, even with Miccoli and Cassano in the team, and I wouldn't have taken Del Piero.

 

[JBF]

Marchioni is a good option on the right.

 

[king Ale]

I'd have picked Iaquinta too with Cassano and Miccoli but without players like them in the team, I'd have picked Del Piero instead of Iaquinta if I had to choose one of them.

 

[Alen]

Marchioni is a good option on the right.

Ah yes, I forgot about him. I'd have definitely included him on the list.

 

[Alen]

I'd have picked Iaquinta too with Cassano and Miccoli but without players like them in the team, I'd have picked Del Piero instead of Iaquinta if I had to choose one of them.

Why?

I'm guessing that you'd play 4-4-2 or 4-3-1-2, right? Who will your wingers be and who will be your AM?
If you're taking Del Piero to the WC (as a sub support striker, I guess) then I believe your only formation will be one with 2 men attack. So tell me more about the starting XI in those two men attack formations.

 

[Lo-Pan]

Forget objectivity, how Del Piero's presence in the squad will make them even more worse? In what way?

He has had an awful season, is in wretched form, and has played for the most dissappointing team in Serie A this season. he is old, slow, weak and spiritually down. His presence in the squad would take up a spot for a far more useful player.

All of the above explains, how he will make the azzurri squad worse.

he simply does not have anything to raise even the morale of the squad, or technical quality/potency.