Still can't see how this could be true.
He had some good and bad games over the course of the years so calling for his omission by some I really can't understand. Anyway the club form is the main determinant of who gets the call and that's my point. Who should Prandelli call instead? Aquilani? Nocerino?
As for the NT he had more impact than Marchisio, but people over here disregard Marchisio's abysmal showing last year at Confederation Cup, when he would put in one after another horrific performance and place him into starting 11 by default and never question his status, even though he's spent most of the season as Pogba's sub. The fact is that Montolivo was rather dominant at Euro 2012, putting in great performances vs England and Germany in the process, but after the tournament along with most Italian players, be the cause of it poor fitness level, tactics, he has simply failed to repeat those. But still he is very valuable member.
He had some good and bad games over the course of the years so calling for his omission by some I really can't understand. Anyway the club form is the main determinant of who gets the call and that's my point. Who should Prandelli call instead? Aquilani? Nocerino?
As for the NT he had more impact than Marchisio, but people over here disregard Marchisio's abysmal showing last year at Confederation Cup, when he would put in one after another horrific performance and place him into starting 11 by default and never question his status, even though he's spent most of the season as Pogba's sub. The fact is that Montolivo was rather dominant at Euro 2012, putting in great performances vs England and Germany in the process, but after the tournament along with most Italian players, be the cause of it poor fitness level, tactics, he has simply failed to repeat those. But still he is very valuable member.
But you're right though, there isn't really anyone I can say is being robbed by Montolivo being in the national team instead of them. Aquilani & Nocerino are even worse players, to use your examples. And I used to think Poli would be a future Azzurri star, but we can all see that's not happening. Hard to tell if he's really just not that great, or if it's just Milan making him look mediocre, but either way he's not showing he should be in the national team either.
But in the least, I don't think Montolivo should be used as more than a sub in the WC.
