Official Azzurri (Italy) Euro 2008 Thread (29 Viewers)

[Alen]

Haha, I'm growing to like him more and more. I'd rather sleep in instead of looking at Vienna too

Lol, why is that ? Vienna is my favorite city and one of the most beautiful cities on earth.

Anyway, i don't know if it's mentioned, but the Italian starting XI against Holland was the oldest starting XI in the history of the EURO.
The average age was 31 years and 52 days

 

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[rounder]

Here's what I think. If he plays Del piero and Cassano together, he'll be doing something right because Italy are in dire need for players like them. However, Donadoni must be thinking about his pride too.

Playing Del piero, Cassano, and De Rossi would mean he has listened to the press and the Italian fans. In actuality, the coach of the team would then be te Italian press and fans and not Donadoni. Surely, if he does play the formation everybody wants him to play, his competence as a coach would largely be at question. Not that it isn't already.

When Capello was at Juve, everybody called for Del piero's selection but he never listened. He stuck to what he believed in despite the never ending critisizm he received. He won two Scudetti at the end though and that's why Capello is one of the most respected coaches in Italy, if not the world. It's his arrogance and authority that has earned him a great deal of admiration from many people.

Donadoni is faced with a rather difficult task here. If he sticks to his prefered formation and Italy fail to win, he would undoubtedly lose his job and would be hated by millions of Azzuri fans. If Italy do succeed, he will grow in arrogance and could possibly earn the respect of many fans, the way Capello did.

If he chooses the more sensible option and that is to pick the most in-form players at the moment, Cassano, Del piero, De Rossi etc.. and decides to drop the players and even the formation he dropped against Holland, his credibilty as a coach would largely be at question since anyone in the world can coach Italy in this case, he would just have to read the papers and see what the fans want.

For him to drop the formation he has been working with for over two years and to choose players who haven't been playing regularly for Italy for a long time(Alex and Cassano), it's not as easy as it looks because if he looses, he will be at fault for listening to the press and if he wins, he wouldn't take any of the credit.

It will be very interesting to see what type of person Donadoni is. If he is selfless and cares only for Italy, he would change his style of play and quick. If he is arrogant and cares more for pride than he does for his country he will decide to take a big gamble by playing his preferred 4-3-3 formation with the Milan trio, and the exclusion of Del piero and Cassano from the starting line-up.

 

[HelterSkelter]

Forza CAPITANO ok and Cassano

You better bold Cassano too

 

[HelterSkelter]

Donadoni could also try Camo in the middle.

Before i get to that..

Who are Giovinco Sr and Giovinco Jr?

 

[tibike]

Before i get to that..

Who are Giovinco Sr and Giovinco Jr?

Seba and Guiseppe, his brother :jvefan:

 

[Azzurri7]

You better bold Cassano too

Done just for the sake of winning the match against Romania

 

[HelterSkelter]

Now use capital letters too

 

[Azzurri7]

shut up, you're asking too much

 

[tibike]

Juve Revolution: You are right, but Capello had every right to be stubborn, he actually won something before joining us. And despite him not playing Del Piero, we didn't lose games by a three goal margin. We actually won most of them, albeit in a very ugly way and unnecessarily close.

Anyway, even though your logic about Donadoni is correct, I don't believe he will be this stubborn. If he is, then it will greatly diminish his chances of a good job later.

 

[HelterSkelter]

shut up, you're asking too much

Its not like i cant change it on my own:eyebrows:

 

[Azzurri7]

Its not like i cant change it on my own:eyebrows:

I completely forgot about that. Ok waiiiiit, I'll do it myself

 

[juventus1897]

Lol, why is that ? Vienna is my favorite city and one of the most beautiful cities on earth.

I know Vienna is a nice city, I just love sleeping in and the prospect of some organized sight seeing tour sounds boring to me. Also I'm lazy

 

[rounder]

Juve Revolution: You are right, but Capello had every right to be stubborn, he actually won something before joining us. And despite him not playing Del Piero, we didn't lose games by a three goal margin. We actually won most of them, albeit in a very ugly way and unnecessarily close.

Anyway, even though your logic about Donadoni is correct, I don't believe he will be this stubborn. If he is, then it will greatly diminish his chances of a good job later.

What concerns me is that at the press conference he refuses to acknowledge his mistakes. He said that it was easy to critisize someone in hindsight and that he thinks he played the best possible formation.

All coaches make mistakes with no exception. Italy lose and that's that. At least now Italy have the advantage of knowing where they went worng and what they should do to fix it, it's not as simple as it seems however. His words weren't encouraging after the game and I fear we will see a nearly identical formation against Holland with very little or no change. He has been playing with Di Natale and Camo on the wings for 2 years now, putting them both on the bench now isn't exactly fair to be honest, nor is it easy.

I want Ale and Cassano to play but let's not forget what Camo and Di Natale have done for Italy in the qualifications. If I were in his shoes, I would make drastic changes because another display like that against Holland is just unacceptable to say the least.

Let's not forget that we aren't talking about the brightest of coaches here. Anyone that plays a 35 yearold Panucci as a fullback against an extremely quick Dutch side should have his brain examined. I have my doubts on how he will choose to play against Romania but I for one wouldn't be surprised if he plays the exact same formation as the one he did 2 days ago.

 

[tibike]

Yeah, but on the other hand, it's not fair for Del Piero and Cassano. They've worked hard all year to convince Donadoni, that they deserve to be in the team, they performed well, better than Camo and Di Natale and still they won't get a chance. I think Di Natale and Camo have to admit they were poor and hope for a second chance, not demand it.

 

[Azzurri7]

Anyone noticed the two chances Mauro had, when he could've easily shot but he instead chose to pass it, one of them was to Luca Toni. He really looked hesitating in that match.

 

[juventus1897]

Juve Revolution, he can't go in front of the press and say "You're right, I should have taken hints on the starting lineup from you guys, please help me against Romania". He has to stand behind his decisions, no matter what the outcome is. He says the starting lineup was the best he could bring from what he knew. It didn't work but it's not all to blame on the lineup, but also on the performance of the players.

Besides, they are already saying that he'll be fielding a different team against Romania, so I'm not worried. It would be foolish to say certain things in front of the press even if they were true.

 

[Azzurri7]

Juve Revolution, he can't go in front of the press and say "You're right, I should have taken hints on the starting lineup from you guys, please help me against Romania". He has to stand behind his decisions, no matter what is outcome is. He says the starting lineup was the best he could bring from what he knew. It didn't work but it's not all to blame on the lineup, but also on the performance of the players.

Besides, they are already saying that he'll be fielding a different team against Romania, so I'm not worried. It would be foolish to say certain things in front of the press even if they were true.

Well said.

 

[Alen]

I have my doubts on how he will choose to play against Romania but I for one wouldn't be surprised if he plays the exact same formation as the one he did 2 days ago.

The formation should be set depending on the opponent.
Now, i don't follow the Romanian NT and i think Rab knows much more than we do about the Romanians, but maybe 4-3-3 is really the best formation to play against them ?
Ribery said that the main mistake for France was not playing on the wings because that was the way to beat Romania.
If he's right then maybe it will be a mistake to play without Camoranesi and to play a 4-3-1-2 as many suggested, where all the attacks will go through the center ?

 

[juventus1897]

The formation should be set depending on the opponent.
Now, i don't follow the Romanian NT and i think Rab knows much more than we do about the Romanians, but maybe 4-3-3 is really the best formation to play against them ?
Ribery said that the main mistake for France was not playing on the wings because that was the way to beat Romania.
If he's right then maybe it will be a mistake to play without Camoranesi and to play a 4-3-1-2 as many suggested, where all the attacks will go through the center ?

Ribery said that? Then why did he switch sides with Malouda so he could break into the center instead of staying on the right side to go down the wing?

 

[rounder]

I definitely think that at the moment, Del Piero and Cassano deserve to start for Italy without a doubt. This whole tournament might end in three games, Camo and Di Natale failed to convince in the first game. Now it's time for Ale and Cassano to show what they have to offer. What I'm trying to say is that Donadoni has been playing Di Natale and Camo for two years for a reason, it's because he is convinced by them. That's why I find it hard to imagine him suddenly dropping them to the bench despite it being the right move right now.