The Official Italy WC Thread (31 Viewers)
- Thread starter Bjerknes
- Start date
:stress: :stress: :stress: 
I am still working on the best team in my mind: I have to say I might start without either Totti or DP! For the good of the team:
Anyway here are the thoughts of Buffon:
BUFFON: IF WE HAD STEVIE AND LAMPS WE'D RULE THE WORLD
By Martin Lipton
ENGLAND have a World Cup winning midfield of Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard, according to Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
While England boss Sven Goran Eriksson struggles to get the best out of them, Buffon believes Italy would be world champions if they had the pair in their side. The £32million Juventus keeper said: "I'd say England have the strongest midfield in Europe, maybe in the world.
"They have the best players in that area. Lampard and Gerrard are great players, strong people who can drive the game and win you matches." Buffon, cleared to play in Germany after being implicated in the betting and corruption scandal which has enveloped Italian football, added: "If we could have just one of them, we'd be very lucky.
"If we could have them both we'd win the World Cup. When you look at our team we're very strong at the back, with Nesta and Cannavaro and have strikers to choose from in Cassano, Gilardino, Vieri, Inzaghi and of course Toni, who has done so well for Fiorentina this season.
"But there is a weakness in the midfield. We have a few good players but it is a weakness and one of the points we have to try to address.
"When we look at the England squad and the midfielders they have, we do wish we could have one of them.
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And he has hit the problem on the head, Italy have a week and ineffective midfield.
Anyway here are the thoughts of Buffon:
BUFFON: IF WE HAD STEVIE AND LAMPS WE'D RULE THE WORLD
By Martin Lipton
ENGLAND have a World Cup winning midfield of Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard, according to Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
While England boss Sven Goran Eriksson struggles to get the best out of them, Buffon believes Italy would be world champions if they had the pair in their side. The £32million Juventus keeper said: "I'd say England have the strongest midfield in Europe, maybe in the world.
"They have the best players in that area. Lampard and Gerrard are great players, strong people who can drive the game and win you matches." Buffon, cleared to play in Germany after being implicated in the betting and corruption scandal which has enveloped Italian football, added: "If we could have just one of them, we'd be very lucky.
"If we could have them both we'd win the World Cup. When you look at our team we're very strong at the back, with Nesta and Cannavaro and have strikers to choose from in Cassano, Gilardino, Vieri, Inzaghi and of course Toni, who has done so well for Fiorentina this season.
"But there is a weakness in the midfield. We have a few good players but it is a weakness and one of the points we have to try to address.
"When we look at the England squad and the midfielders they have, we do wish we could have one of them.
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And he has hit the problem on the head, Italy have a week and ineffective midfield.
Buffon sees England danger
Monday 29 May, 2006
Italian goalkeeper Gigi Buffon has backed England to launch a serious assault at winning the World Cup.
The Juventus shot-stopper is a fan of Sven Goran Eriksson’s men, pinpointing their central midfield partnership of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard as key.
"I'd say England have the strongest midfield in Europe, maybe in the world,” the custodian told the Mirror newspaper. "They have the best players in that area.
“Lampard and Gerrard are great players, strong people who can drive the game and win you matches.”
The Azzurri will start the tournament as possible winners, but the 'keeper insists their chances would be boosted had Lampard or Gerrard been Italian citizens.
"If we could have just one of them, we'd be very lucky,” he added. "If we could have them both we'd win the World Cup.
“When you look at our team we're very strong at the back, with [Alessandro] Nesta and [Fabio] Cannavaro and have strikers to choose from.
"But there is a weakness in the midfield. We have a few good players but it is a weakness and one of the points we have to try to address.
"When we look at the England squad and the midfielders they have, we do wish we could have one of them.
"England are good enough to reach the Final."
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A very bad way from gigi not to give his midfielders some credits.
Monday 29 May, 2006
Italian goalkeeper Gigi Buffon has backed England to launch a serious assault at winning the World Cup.
The Juventus shot-stopper is a fan of Sven Goran Eriksson’s men, pinpointing their central midfield partnership of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard as key.
"I'd say England have the strongest midfield in Europe, maybe in the world,” the custodian told the Mirror newspaper. "They have the best players in that area.
“Lampard and Gerrard are great players, strong people who can drive the game and win you matches.”
The Azzurri will start the tournament as possible winners, but the 'keeper insists their chances would be boosted had Lampard or Gerrard been Italian citizens.
"If we could have just one of them, we'd be very lucky,” he added. "If we could have them both we'd win the World Cup.
“When you look at our team we're very strong at the back, with [Alessandro] Nesta and [Fabio] Cannavaro and have strikers to choose from.
"But there is a weakness in the midfield. We have a few good players but it is a weakness and one of the points we have to try to address.
"When we look at the England squad and the midfielders they have, we do wish we could have one of them.
"England are good enough to reach the Final."
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A very bad way from gigi not to give his midfielders some credits.
I think he's spot on actually. Nice to see him give credit where its due. Pirlo who I've always rated, well we've seen in the Cl this year and last that when he comes up against the best, he looks slow, lethargic and short of ideas.
Camoranesi is not, has never been and will never be a top class player and in my view is extremely lucky to be playing for his national team. De Rossi I've seena few times, fairly decent player, but come on, hardly in the same league as Gerrard or lampard, it would be laughable to compare. Which leaves Gattuso, excellent battler but limited technical ability. In summary our midfield is a hell of a lot stronger than Italy's
Camoranesi is not, has never been and will never be a top class player and in my view is extremely lucky to be playing for his national team. De Rossi I've seena few times, fairly decent player, but come on, hardly in the same league as Gerrard or lampard, it would be laughable to compare. Which leaves Gattuso, excellent battler but limited technical ability. In summary our midfield is a hell of a lot stronger than Italy's
Sure.....he may be right.....but he shouldn't be saying things like that. That would deflate the confidence in his own players. A lot of Italian players talk too much about a lot of things. Cannavaro's comments about Moggi may be right (doubt it) but you can't say things like that to the press.....you will get fried.
I think Italy should have had a press silence because of the scandal. I think its REALLY REALLY bad for morale.
As a general rule, WHEN IN DOUBT DON'T TALK TO THE PRESS.....ESPECIALLY ON THE EVE OF A WORLD CUP AMIDST AN ITALIAN SCANDAL!!!!!!!
Anyway, getting to his comments. I think one has to be mindful that England play with a 4-4-2. If Italy play with a flat 4 in midfield...then England's midfield would truly kick our ass. However, Lippi is aware of this no doubt. Therefore, we tend to favour a formation that maximises our strengths. Therefore we use 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-3. Our midfielders are more battlers with a touch of creativity and rely heavily on our forwards to a lot of their own attacking.
Bottom line.....its hard to make direct comparisons with other teams on midfield because some teams use anywhere from 3 to 5 midfielders and in different modules and ways. In Italy's case we tend to use 3. Totti, although a midfielder plays in a more advanced role. This is why Italy is a much more direct team in terms of attack. England team is about using flanks and central mids to CREATE while leaving full backs BACK and not attacking as much. Teams like Argentina and Spain tend to be patient teams in building an attack and tend to use up to 5 midfielders searching for a sole poaching striker.
Italy has the edge on Goalkeeper
Back 4 is an even score between Italy and England (for the first team of course)
Midfield on balance is in Engalnd's favour.
Strike force is in Italy's favour.
The above would suggest that Italy still has the edge on England.
But as we all know.....being better on paper means nothing if history teaches us anything. Therefore, morale and team building has to take priority right now. And the scandal and the stupid comments made by our players is not helping us at all!!!!!!
I think Italy should have had a press silence because of the scandal. I think its REALLY REALLY bad for morale.
As a general rule, WHEN IN DOUBT DON'T TALK TO THE PRESS.....ESPECIALLY ON THE EVE OF A WORLD CUP AMIDST AN ITALIAN SCANDAL!!!!!!!
Anyway, getting to his comments. I think one has to be mindful that England play with a 4-4-2. If Italy play with a flat 4 in midfield...then England's midfield would truly kick our ass. However, Lippi is aware of this no doubt. Therefore, we tend to favour a formation that maximises our strengths. Therefore we use 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-3. Our midfielders are more battlers with a touch of creativity and rely heavily on our forwards to a lot of their own attacking.
Bottom line.....its hard to make direct comparisons with other teams on midfield because some teams use anywhere from 3 to 5 midfielders and in different modules and ways. In Italy's case we tend to use 3. Totti, although a midfielder plays in a more advanced role. This is why Italy is a much more direct team in terms of attack. England team is about using flanks and central mids to CREATE while leaving full backs BACK and not attacking as much. Teams like Argentina and Spain tend to be patient teams in building an attack and tend to use up to 5 midfielders searching for a sole poaching striker.
Italy has the edge on Goalkeeper
Back 4 is an even score between Italy and England (for the first team of course)
Midfield on balance is in Engalnd's favour.
Strike force is in Italy's favour.
The above would suggest that Italy still has the edge on England.
But as we all know.....being better on paper means nothing if history teaches us anything. Therefore, morale and team building has to take priority right now. And the scandal and the stupid comments made by our players is not helping us at all!!!!!!
You lost me there. In a 4-4-2, that means 3 for italy (gk + strikers) and 4 for england (mid)... how does that give Italy the edge, even by your ratings. England easily have the edge over Italy, anyone who can't see that needs their eyesight testing.
Our players have more heart, more pace, higher fitness levels and have proven to be more effective in recent years.
Our players have more heart, more pace, higher fitness levels and have proven to be more effective in recent years.
And who is going to follow them? There is only Gattuso that has the match fitness to keep up (almost) with the likes of Gerrard, leaving FL with the freedom of the pitch, or vice versa. And who, pray would have the pace to cope with Aaron Lennon late on, or Walcott, Rooney even Owen if fully fit (which seems likely)?
The Italy side is so slow its embarassing, and we all know how important pace is in today's game, thats why arsenal got to the CL final, thats why the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Henry & Rooney are so damn good!
The Italy side is so slow its embarassing, and we all know how important pace is in today's game, thats why arsenal got to the CL final, thats why the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Henry & Rooney are so damn good!
No need to follow them if you're defending around your own box 
. That's the game Italy would play against England. That way you also cut out the pace part, as a forward can be as fast as he wants, if the defender's already there he simply can't run past him. England aren't used to this kind of play anyway. No way in hell they can overcome that tactic. Yes, it really is that simple.
. That's the game Italy would play against England. That way you also cut out the pace part, as a forward can be as fast as he wants, if the defender's already there he simply can't run past him. England aren't used to this kind of play anyway. No way in hell they can overcome that tactic. Yes, it really is that simple.
England pair of midfielders (Gerard and Lampard) are easy the best midfield on Europe, and probably the world... Buffon is rigth about that, now what he did wrong is (if he really said it) to say that Italy's midfield doesnt have good players, not becouse is not true, but becouse of respect of his teamates.
But England does have a better midfield, theres no doubt about it.
But England does have a better midfield, theres no doubt about it.