The team who played against New Zealand was strong enough to win. They must have won that game. I agree that Cassano, Balotelli and Miccoli deserved to be there but I really doubt Italy needed them to pass the group stage.
The team that was put together was not strong enough to do anything, to be perfectly honest with you.
Fuck, Lippi even said it HIMSELF when he said that he didn't think that this team, that he had 2 years to put together, by the way, was strong enough to win the World Cup.
When, in the history of this tournament, did you ever hear this from the head coach of not only an international football power, but the fucking DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPIONS, come out and say
"Oh, although I didn't htink this team was stron enough to win the World Cup, I atl least thought they could get out of the group stage"
that is a defeatist attitude, and his selections, or lack thereof, cost Italian football greatly.