First of all the czech rep vs Ghana match showed that Czech do not have a good squad at all. Without the older players and Rosicky there is nothing there. Ghana played very well with their high tempo unfortunately they do not have great strikers or they would have won by a basketball type score. Without Koller and Baros, Lovenc is quite useless and Nedved was poor. Roscicky was the only shining light, looks like cutrains for this aged squad but you never know with this group
Italy vs Usa
What a game and hats off to the Americans for putting up a very battling display, I did say Donovan was ordinary after the first game but he was superb last night and frankly Usa should have won as i still do not understand why that goal was disallowed with some horrendous piece of goal keeping by Buffon.
The officiating was embarassing with so many cards given out unnecessarily and offsides given that were not
What is it with Italy and second games in tournaments? They hardly seems to win their second games and for Lippi to blame exertions against Ghana for taking its toll is just a big nonsense, they had so much time to prepare and besides he has a good enough squad to rest tired players.
At one time Italy were meant to be playing 10 against 9 but in all honesty it was 8 against 9 as Perotta was injured and Gilardino was non existent.
I have not seen a more pathetic display from a striker in a very long time when you have a 1 man advantage, in fatc in the whole game apart from scoring, all he did was dive to get Pope to get 2 yellow cards. He was a pussy and very pathetic. Afetr getting Pope sent off, he never touched the ball until the 89th minute heading the ball wide. For 30 minutes, he did not touch the ball, that has to be some sort of record against 9 men
Toni was just as bad, offering absolutely nothing to the cause and it is in keeping with the pathetic referring that Onywenu did not get carded when he fouled more than anybody on the pitch.
I thought Cannavaro was as poor as at any time i have seen him play for Italy, giving the ball away cheaply and letting players run past him, and i was stupifyed to see football italia give him 7.
Nesta was good as was Gatusso when he came on, Pirlo was probably the best player for Italy whilst Zambrotta did provide energy but always seems to overdo things at times.
Totti should not have been taken off as far as im concerned as Toni ought to have gone at that time
You wonder why managers pick ceertain players and after Moggigate, your mind is now tuned in a certain direction for I cannot for the life of me see what Lippi likes in Zaccardo, he is clearly a poor player and that own goal was just shameful
DDr is a disgrace and i hope he never plays another game in this competition
Dp had some nice touches but his decision making for Italy has always been suspect and again it was eveident in some of his decisions last night as the ball he tried to pass to Gatusso or Iaquinta, i am sure for Juve he would have buried it
Iaquinta is not international class and getting offsided 5 secs after coming on is just unthinkable
I still think Marchionni should have been in this squad as he has pace and can come on to better effect than Iaquinta.
Its big decisions for Lippi from now on as I dont think they can win it with Toni and Gilardino in this form. Totti needs to completely step up as balls from insode your area looking for the runs of Gilardino and Toni won't always work, he should stop hiding and look for the ball constantly