++ [ originally posted by A_LAcki ] ++
Pessotto? I heared better jokes recently!
Seriously, we will surley stick with a 4 men defense. We used it the whole pre-season, so forget about Pessotto. I would stick with this one:
-------------------Buffon---------------------------
Zebina---Thuram---Cannavaro---Zambrotta
---------Blasi---Nedved---Emerson------------
Ibrahimovic---Trezeguet--------Del Piero----
Yes, Pessotto was bit of a joke, but I tried to use him as a signal that we got about 6 (Pessotto, Iuliano, Birindelli, Montero, Zalayeta -altough still young, Legrotaglie...) players written off, but one or two of them hopefuly will rebirth this season thanks to Capello.
If one of them is Legrotaglie, than it can take our defense no second best to Milan.
About the 352. Capello said in an interview after the arrival of Cannavaro, that now he can play either with two or three central defs. If I had not heard this, I would still think Capello will use the 352 sometimes, may not a strict one. As you surely know in Roma, after the injury of Candela, Capello used the mediocre Lima as a dumb leftback-left wingback, while on the right Mancini played in a quite attackind role. Its the same situation here. We got Zambrotta, who can do serious attacking, and still does his defensive job, while on the other side, about 3 of our players can perform as well or better than Lima did it in Roma.
----------------Thuram--Cannavaro---Legro-------------
----------------------------------------------------------Birindelli
Zambro-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------Blasi------Emer-----------------------
--------------------------Nedv
I think Capello will try to use the full squad, or as many players as he can. The season is very long. (of course taking too much risk can make it much shorter).
Btw 442 and 352 are not so far from each other, with this players: just take Birindelli a bit back, Zambro steps up to rm, while Nedved goes lm. Of course different variations with different players or Zambro on the left are just as likely, if not more.
I also think that dp-zlatan and trez wont stay too much time on the field together (injuries, cards (Zlatan!), rest).