The Official Italy WC Thread (19 Viewers)

ZhiXin

Senior Member
Oct 1, 2004
10,321
Byrone said:
Australia coach Guus Hiddink was left a bitter tactician after his side's defeat to Italy had him fuming from the touchline.

The SocceRoos bowed out of the World Cup courtesy of Francesco Totti's last-minute penalty, awarded, harshly perhaps, when Lucas Neill has adjudged to have brought down Fabio Grosso inside the area.

Hiddink feels defeat was wholly unjust on his side and when reflecting on Italy's performance, despite the fact they were reduced to ten-men for much of the second half when Marco Materazzi was dismissed, the Dutchman was scathing in his appraisal.

"Even when Materazzi was on the park we controlled parts of the game and then when he was sent off, we assumed full control," he said.

"Then we fully dominated against a team that is much more highly ranked than us, before we got caught out in the last minute and if you see the replay there is no doubt it wasn't a penalty.

"Italy just tried to play on the counter-attack and we tried to play another style, a style that is more attractive for the spectators to see but that is their style.

"The Italians wanted to play defensively, they love to play with a wall - they don't think about attractive football, they just think about the result."

One noticeable absentee from Australia's ranks was Harry Kewell, the man responsible for getting his country to the last 16, with it now being confirmed the Liverpool man is suffering from gout.

"He's got gout on his foot," confirmed team-mate Scott Chipperfield.

"He's in a lot of pain, he can't walk, he's walking on crutches.

"It was disappointing for us tonight because we could have done with him in the last third."

Source:Skysports

:howler:

Hiddink is such a hypocrite,he didnt mind Korea winning in a dubious cricumstance's in 2002 WC & now he has the nerve to bad mouth Italy.
This has become the trend for the whole world. After Matrix was sent off, people want Italy out, and now that the referee awarded a penalty, the hate for Italy would be even greater. They even labelled Grosso (I don't think people even know who he is) a diver, and the hatred begins. No matter what, Italy's football image is tarnished because of that incident.
 

sateeh

Day Walker
Jul 28, 2003
8,020
Dominic said:
Lippi is making a very fickle and annoyable Dick Advocaat impression on me, this tournament. Certainly not the calm and stylish Lippi, of a couple of years ago.

mnementh-- explain "more knowlegable"

the national team job has soo much more pressure, i didnt expect Lippi to keep his calm for a long time.
 

mnementh

Senior Member
Jun 5, 2005
2,122
Lippi only speaks Italian for example, not a bad thing per se, but he's a less global person. Hiddink already has experience from numerous leagues and cultures.
 
Jun 1, 2006
7
I get so tired of all the negative Press that are directed toward the Azzurri". I mean the game against Australia, so much has been written about the penalty. But let's get real how come not much has ben written about Marcos red card. That was very harsh and didn't rule him a red card, but he was shown straight red and sent off. The Aussies don't think that they got lucky from that call. Come on!!!!!!! The had a extra man advantage for almost the whole second half, but couldn't do anything with it. Let's be real here, the Azzurri defence stepped up and determination won this game. It's like whole world is against the Azzurri because of what's happening in Italy, I truly hope we win the World Cup, but the negative press will always be there to slam them. As for the Socceroos, the Marco red card was a gift that you couldn't open. Get off the penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

ZhiXin

Senior Member
Oct 1, 2004
10,321
juve-cannavaro said:
I get so tired of all the negative Press that are directed toward the Azzurri". I mean the game against Australia, so much has been written about the penalty. But let's get real how come not much has ben written about Marcos red card. That was very harsh and didn't rule him a red card, but he was shown straight red and sent off. The Aussies don't think that they got lucky from that call. Come on!!!!!!! The had a extra man advantage for almost the whole second half, but couldn't do anything with it. Let's be real here, the Azzurri defence stepped up and determination won this game. It's like whole world is against the Azzurri because of what's happening in Italy, I truly hope we win the World Cup, but the negative press will always be there to slam them. As for the Socceroos, the Marco red card was a gift that you couldn't open. Get off the penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After Matrix's sent off, Italy is in a lose-lose situation

If they lose, everybody will praise Australia and bash Italy for their defensive play. And now the penalty occurs and Italy is through, everybody will still bash Italy for their "luck". No one will even provide justive for Materazzi, because the press think that it is a right decision to send him off when it is only a rough tackle but not dangerous. Everybody hates Italy
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
39,307
juve-cannavaro said:
I get so tired of all the negative Press that are directed toward the Azzurri". I mean the game against Australia, so much has been written about the penalty. But let's get real how come not much has ben written about Marcos red card. That was very harsh and didn't rule him a red card, but he was shown straight red and sent off. The Aussies don't think that they got lucky from that call. Come on!!!!!!! The had a extra man advantage for almost the whole second half, but couldn't do anything with it. Let's be real here, the Azzurri defence stepped up and determination won this game. It's like whole world is against the Azzurri because of what's happening in Italy, I truly hope we win the World Cup, but the negative press will always be there to slam them. As for the Socceroos, the Marco red card was a gift that you couldn't open. Get off the penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's because most people are jealous of the Italian flair. You have people who admit loving it and people who act as if they're disgusted but actually wish they were just like them. I mean, how many do you hear a statement like "those fucking pretty Italians that win all the time.."? Who doesn't want to be a pretty guy who wins all the time? Just jealousy and it's funny as hell.
 
Nov 23, 2005
331
I think that Italia deserved to be where they are right now. Nobody was robbed, if there was someone who was robbed it was italia, i mean that red card for materazzi was a joke. He inflicted more damage to Zambro than to that Aussie.
 

denco

Superior Being
Jul 12, 2002
4,679
juve-cannavaro said:
I get so tired of all the negative Press that are directed toward the Azzurri". I mean the game against Australia, so much has been written about the penalty. But let's get real how come not much has ben written about Marcos red card. That was very harsh and didn't rule him a red card, but he was shown straight red and sent off. The Aussies don't think that they got lucky from that call. Come on!!!!!!! The had a extra man advantage for almost the whole second half, but couldn't do anything with it. Let's be real here, the Azzurri defence stepped up and determination won this game. It's like whole world is against the Azzurri because of what's happening in Italy, I truly hope we win the World Cup, but the negative press will always be there to slam them. As for the Socceroos, the Marco red card was a gift that you couldn't open. Get off the penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Simple its because people like to support the underdog, they do not really give a rat's ass about Australia, they just wanna add their own to every situation. Not a lot of ppl cried foul when Australia had calls go for them against Japan as they were evenly matched or when Ghana had calls go their way against the USA. But once it involves the big boys, then everyone wants to put in their own comments. Sometimes you will notice that its usually someone form a country still in the competition and wants a rival out, then starts to cry foul at every little occasion even though his country enjoys the same benefits. Hypocrisy is a bitch
 

Bisco

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2005
14,418
Seven said:
You get it from drinking. TBH Kewell does look fat. It wouldn't surprise me if he drank a lot.

offcourse u dont get gout from drinking!!!!!:D its when u take in too much red meat (animal protien) and yr body cant break it down properly into smaller units ( due to insuffeciency of an enzyme that is required to break down the uric acid which is an end product of protein). its is quite painful specially when uric acid accumlates at the jionts like the finger joints and the worse of all the joint making up the big toe in a person feet.
 

Stephan

Senior Member
Nov 9, 2005
16,639
Luca’s luck runs out
Despite becoming the first player in almost half a century to net 30 Serie A goals in a single season, Luca Toni can’t break his World Cup duck for love nor money. Richard Godden takes a look at Italy’s unlucky man


It’s hard to believe that around three weeks ago many of us were talking up Luca Toni’s chances of following up his Serie A Capocannoniere crown with the World Cup Golden Boot. Barring a late goal flurry – a la Paolo Rossi in 1982 – that is not going to happen. But where has it all gone wrong for the lanky striker?

Well it’s not so much that things have gone wrong for the £7m Fiorentina man, more that they just haven’t gone right. Take, for example, the opening game against Ghana. Long before Andrea Pirlo and Vincenzo Iaquinta were putting the seal on a deserved win, Toni had shattered the crossbar with a rasping volley. It was a chance he had made for himself with his trademark move – back to goal, swerving past his marker and then pulling the trigger almost in one movement.

That very same move was witnessed against Australia in the second round, sandwiched in between missed headed efforts and a couple of half chances. This time Mark Schwarzer produced a breathtaking save to keep him out and ensure that Tonigol would be left waiting for that elusive World Cup strike. His critics, who are few and far between it must be said, will point to his lack of experience in European club football as a key factor. But he has shown sufficient form for the Azzurri over the past 18 months to suggest that he was ready for Germany ’06.

The big question now is whether or not Coach Marcello Lippi keeps faith with the 29-year-old. He may have scored 81 goals in his last 124 domestic League matches, but that counts for little now that Alberto Gilardino, Pippo Inzaghi and Vincenzo Iaquinta have all found the back of the net in the competition. However, Toni adds something to the team that none of the others can quite as successfully – the ability to hold up any sort of ball, either high or low, and bring others into the play.
At 1.94m tall he is bigger than most defenders, and he’s no slouch when the ball comes into feet either. Peter Crouch is often described as England’s ‘Plan B’ due to the height he offers to the side, but the guy can barely get his feet off the ground and he certainly doesn’t help build attacks. Looking at Toni’s performance in the second round, the only thing that he was missing was a goal to go with his solid build-up play.

If we do put the No 9’s goal drought down to bad luck then it won’t be the first time. In one of his rare lean patches in the previous Serie A season, he revealed that part of his lucky charm – a small red horn which was hanging from his car’s rear-view window – was broken. He did, of course, return to scoring ways but he never did reveal if he had found the horn. It remains to be seen if he’ll get another chance on the big stage to prove that there’s more than just luck to his game…
---
 

Stephan

Senior Member
Nov 9, 2005
16,639
Plenty of sex please, we're Italian

DUISBURG: Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro has put his excellent World Cup form down to a good diet, plenty of sleep and a healthy sex life. The 32-year-old Juventus defender was outstanding in their hard-fought 1-0 second-round win over Australia.

Italy had to play with 10 men for almost the entire second half after Marco Materazzi was sent off, but Cannavaro superbly marshalled the defence as the Azzurri keep their third clean sheet in four matches. "For an athlete it's as important how you behave off the pitch as you do on it," Cannavaro said. "Eating well, getting plenty of sleep and having sex - all of these things are important." Asked how often he has sex, Cannavaro replied: "Whenever I want to, it helps me."
-------
 

Sicilian Juve

Junior Member
May 17, 2006
245
juve-cannavaro said:
I get so tired of all the negative Press that are directed toward the Azzurri". I mean the game against Australia, so much has been written about the penalty. But let's get real how come not much has ben written about Marcos red card. That was very harsh and didn't rule him a red card, but he was shown straight red and sent off. The Aussies don't think that they got lucky from that call. Come on!!!!!!! The had a extra man advantage for almost the whole second half, but couldn't do anything with it. Let's be real here, the Azzurri defence stepped up and determination won this game. It's like whole world is against the Azzurri because of what's happening in Italy, I truly hope we win the World Cup, but the negative press will always be there to slam them. As for the Socceroos, the Marco red card was a gift that you couldn't open. Get off the penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cannavaro said it best. " how many shots on goal did they get?" "1 or 2". "We had 7 or 8". The azzurri are playing fine. Cannavaro is having a whale of a cup. Only goal givin was an own goal. Enough said.
 

baggio

Senior Member
Jun 3, 2003
19,250
I expect a less lively encounter against Ukraine. Again, with the Azzuri prevailing. That said however, I dont think anybody has the right to question how deserving Italy are of their place in the quarters. Fact is, they shut down against Australia, and defense is as much part of football as attack. Talk of the penalty being dubious is unfounded. Materazzi was sent off wrongly, and nobody seemed to take note of that. The game would've been over a lot before the 95th minute if it was 11 against 11. And I'm only too happy Hiddink was dumped out in this manner, although I dont want to touch upon 4 years ago and his Korean team. Moving on, if Italy do make the semis, I see them lose to Argentina. On the other hand, if they do make it and it happens to be against Germany, I think Italy would have the measure of the Germans. Either ways, as much as I want Italy to win this cup, cant see it happen. It just seems destined to be either Argentina's or England's.
 

Desmond

Senior Member
Jul 12, 2002
8,938
denco said:
Simple its because people like to support the underdog, they do not really give a rat's ass about Australia, they just wanna add their own to every situation. Not a lot of ppl cried foul when Australia had calls go for them against Japan as they were evenly matched or when Ghana had calls go their way against the USA. But once it involves the big boys, then everyone wants to put in their own comments. Sometimes you will notice that its usually someone form a country still in the competition and wants a rival out, then starts to cry foul at every little occasion even though his country enjoys the same benefits. Hypocrisy is a bitch
Make no mistake, its not solely because of the obsession with the underdog that gets the press all over Italy's back. In the current world cup atmosphere its mainstream to support the flamboyant attacking sides such as Argentina, Brazil and to a certain extent today's Germany. Italy is an easy team to hate. As far as comparisons go you always find the Azzurri falling into the categories of "regressive", "defensive" and ultimately "boring"; some of these generalizations are backward, some not, but the point is that general sentiment does not look favourably upon tenacious, gritty football as opposed to the open, free-flowing football of the afore mentioned teams. For most people its simply technicality over tactics.
 

HelterSkelter

Senior Member
Apr 15, 2005
20,535
you know,the similarities with this world cup and the 1982 finals are scary.not a lot of people seem to think that italy will win the world cup imo.they think that germany will beat italy in the semis.i like to thnk otherwise.the germans have been good,but 4-1 anyone?

i dont think it'll be 4-1 this time,but i cant see klinsmann beating lippi's professionalism.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 19)