The Azzurrini (U21) Thread (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter ReBeL
- Start date
Pazzini sucked. All he did was foul, run offside and squander a great chance. Palladino had a pretty good game with some nice touches and good movement, it's a shame he couldn't put away one of his chances. Rosina was our biggest threat in the second half. Chiellini was solid at the back but kinda wasteful in attack.
I wanted more tonight... I rated Rosina as one of our few bright stars. I expected more from Aquilani, and also from Palladino who could have had 2 goals between the 30th & 40th minutes. The miss in the 40th minute in particular should have been a goal! If we're going to be constructive, then at least we know our boys are capable of making chances and on another night, take them, and that goes for Pazzini as well...his miss in the dying seconds was the act of a young man, out of desperation. That will change as he goes on, be assured, he and Palla have too much talent not to improve. Did any of you catch the picture at the end, Gigi Casiraghi white with anger over the defeat, just before he was interviewed? Let's hope he uses that to motivate our boys who are now obliged to win the next 2 games!
Chiellini counts cost of missed chances
Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini bemoaned his side's profligacy after the five-time UEFA European Under-21 Championship winners opened their 2007 finals campaign in lacklustre fashion with a 1-0 defeat against Serbia in Nijmegen.
Pierluigi Casiraghi's side carved out four glorious opportunities at the Goffert Stadium with Raffaele Palladino and Giampaolo Pazzini particularly culpable, both failing to hit the target when unmarked in front of goal. "We created three or four great chances, controlled the game and definitely deserved better luck, so we have to be truly disappointed," Chiellini told uefa.com after Dejan Milovanović's blistering 63rd-minute drive had given Serbia the points. "Even after Serbia scored we fought back well and, although they defended really well, [Pazzini] had the chance to level the game in the final minute but again we didn't make the best use of it."
When asked to pinpoint the reason his side had suffered an unexpected defeat, the Juventus left-back said: "Serbia scored with their only real chance while our major problem was that we were unable to take the chances we had created. We were clear on the Serbia goalkeeper on several occasions but the ball just didn't want to go in. They didn't have that many chances and that was the big difference between the two sides - they scored and we didn't. That's all that really matters. And give Serbia credit, they played well and have a lot of good players. They'll give other teams problems. I said before the match they were dark horses in this tournament and I hope we can get through with them. Now we know what we have to do."
With England and the Czech Republic playing out a 0-0 draw in Monday's other opening Group B game, the Azzurrini's second match, against England in Arnhem on Tuesday, takes on even more importance. "Obviously we can't afford to lose against England now - we have to go out to win that game and we'll give everything to do that," Chiellini said. "We don't feel as if we're out of the tournament just yet. We know we are strong, we just need to stop thinking too much and focus on doing our best. We are still sure of our abilities. We've lost the first game but even then we've proved we have the quality to get to the semi-finals."
©uefa.com
Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini bemoaned his side's profligacy after the five-time UEFA European Under-21 Championship winners opened their 2007 finals campaign in lacklustre fashion with a 1-0 defeat against Serbia in Nijmegen.
Pierluigi Casiraghi's side carved out four glorious opportunities at the Goffert Stadium with Raffaele Palladino and Giampaolo Pazzini particularly culpable, both failing to hit the target when unmarked in front of goal. "We created three or four great chances, controlled the game and definitely deserved better luck, so we have to be truly disappointed," Chiellini told uefa.com after Dejan Milovanović's blistering 63rd-minute drive had given Serbia the points. "Even after Serbia scored we fought back well and, although they defended really well, [Pazzini] had the chance to level the game in the final minute but again we didn't make the best use of it."
When asked to pinpoint the reason his side had suffered an unexpected defeat, the Juventus left-back said: "Serbia scored with their only real chance while our major problem was that we were unable to take the chances we had created. We were clear on the Serbia goalkeeper on several occasions but the ball just didn't want to go in. They didn't have that many chances and that was the big difference between the two sides - they scored and we didn't. That's all that really matters. And give Serbia credit, they played well and have a lot of good players. They'll give other teams problems. I said before the match they were dark horses in this tournament and I hope we can get through with them. Now we know what we have to do."
With England and the Czech Republic playing out a 0-0 draw in Monday's other opening Group B game, the Azzurrini's second match, against England in Arnhem on Tuesday, takes on even more importance. "Obviously we can't afford to lose against England now - we have to go out to win that game and we'll give everything to do that," Chiellini said. "We don't feel as if we're out of the tournament just yet. We know we are strong, we just need to stop thinking too much and focus on doing our best. We are still sure of our abilities. We've lost the first game but even then we've proved we have the quality to get to the semi-finals."
©uefa.com
Palladino plots England's demise
Raffaele Palladino said Italy would "give everything" to beat England on Thursday after a shock 1-0 defeat against Serbia in their opening game in Nijmegen.
Italy were left bitterly disappointed after Dejan Milovanović scored Serbia's winner in their Group B oponer at the Goffert Stadion, despite a hatful of chances for Pierluigi Casiraghi's side. Palladino now knows a win against England in Arnhem is vital, saying: "We will give everything and fight hard against England to win what is already a decisive match." The Juventus striker admitted his side had let the match against Serbia slip. "We had it in our hands so it is even more disappointing," he added. "It was a strange game, we performed so well and created so many chances. Serbia barely had one opportunity but they were more clinical and scored the winning goal."
The 23-year-old acknowledged that Italy had made a slow start, struggling to get possession, but maintained that his side had put in a decent performance. "Apart from the first 15 minutes, in which we didn't do very well because we started at too slow a pace, the game was always under control," he said. "We played nice, attacking football but weren't rewarded." Having been knocked out at the group stage of last summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Palladino and his team-mates are determined not to fail again and the striker, who won the Serie B title with Juventus this year, still thinks Italy can reach the later stages. "Italy has the quality and skill to qualify for the semi-finals," he said.
uefa.com
Raffaele Palladino said Italy would "give everything" to beat England on Thursday after a shock 1-0 defeat against Serbia in their opening game in Nijmegen.
Italy were left bitterly disappointed after Dejan Milovanović scored Serbia's winner in their Group B oponer at the Goffert Stadion, despite a hatful of chances for Pierluigi Casiraghi's side. Palladino now knows a win against England in Arnhem is vital, saying: "We will give everything and fight hard against England to win what is already a decisive match." The Juventus striker admitted his side had let the match against Serbia slip. "We had it in our hands so it is even more disappointing," he added. "It was a strange game, we performed so well and created so many chances. Serbia barely had one opportunity but they were more clinical and scored the winning goal."
The 23-year-old acknowledged that Italy had made a slow start, struggling to get possession, but maintained that his side had put in a decent performance. "Apart from the first 15 minutes, in which we didn't do very well because we started at too slow a pace, the game was always under control," he said. "We played nice, attacking football but weren't rewarded." Having been knocked out at the group stage of last summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Palladino and his team-mates are determined not to fail again and the striker, who won the Serie B title with Juventus this year, still thinks Italy can reach the later stages. "Italy has the quality and skill to qualify for the semi-finals," he said.
uefa.com
