Italian Football Thread

[War]

Very raw and overhyped. One season wonder imo, but time is on his side. Don't mind him as a bench warmer for Brazil '14 though - would be a good experience for him. My wishful strikeforce -> Rossi (if fit), Balotelli, Totti, Cassano, Immobile

Yea as we have discussed many times before, Totti being recalled especially would be beautiful.

 

[War]

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli selects Giuseppe Rossi and Stephan El Shaarawy as veterans miss cut - ESPN FC


Squad:

Goalkeepers: Francesco Bardi (Livorno), Antonio Mirante (Parma), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Simone Scuffet (Udinese).

Defenders: Davide Astori (Cagliari), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Lorenzo De Silvestri (Sampdoria), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan); Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Daniele Baselli (Atalanta), Federico Bernardeschi (Crotone), Andrea Bertolacci (Genoa), Giacomo Bonaventura (Atalanta), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Marco Parolo (Parma), Romulo (Hellas Verona), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Andrea Poli (AC Milan).

Forwards: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Manolo Gabbiadini (Sampdoria), Alberto Gilardino (Genoa), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Fiorentina), Simone Zaza (Sassuolo), Mario Balotelli (AC Milan), Stephan El Shaarawy (AC Milan), Pablo Osvaldo (Juventus).

Prandelli rules Totti and Toni out of Italy plans - ESPN FC

No Totti, bummer. Prandelli for the last 6 months has been preaching quite understandably that he wants 'athletes" in his world cup squad given the conditions in Brazil. So i find it interesting that he picks Cassano in this training squad & not Totti.

 

[Haarithan]

The thing I hate most about Prandelli is his favoritism policy. How Osvaldo time and again makes the national team is bloody beyond me. This's a 43 man list, but I'm fairly sure Dani will make the 23 man cut too

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

odd choice of goalies too. perin and scuffet are good and potentially brilliant in the future but why ignore de sanctis, marchetti and sirigu? they'll regret that if it comes down to actually needing their reserve keeper and they have to put someone so inexperienced in.

I like Maggio too so disappointed he's not gone.

 

[War]

odd choice of goalies too. perin and scuffet are good and potentially brilliant in the future but why ignore de sanctis, marchetti and sirigu? they'll regret that if it comes down to actually needing their reserve keeper and they have to put someone so inexperienced in.

I like Maggio too so disappointed he's not gone.

I believe in the article he said, he isn't picking the non serie A players because of logistics for this camp, but didn't rule out selection, plus is believe De Sanctis asked not to picked anymore cause he don't want to be understudy to Buffon & Sirgu.

 

[thedon5]

I wonder what De Sanctis thinks now that even Sirigu didn't make the cut...

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

aaah, the PSG guys must be getting called at a later date.

d'oh, I never even noticed the absence of Motta and Verratti.

 

[Haarithan]

Marchetti has had a stinker this season, so has ultimately paid the price.

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My wishful 23 (ignoring Prandellis 43 man list):

GKs: Buffon, Sirigu, Perin

DEFs: Abate, De Sciglio, Maggio, Chiellini, Paletta, Bonucci, Barzagli, Santon

MIDs/Wingers: Pirlo, De Rossi, Motta, Insigne, Florenzi, Verratti, Montolivo/Marchisio

STs: Rossi, Balotelli, Totti, Cassano, Immobile

 

[War]

Marchetti has had a stinker this season, so has ultimately paid the price.

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My wishful 23 (ignoring Prandellis 43 man list):

GKs: Buffon, Sirigu, Perin

DEFs: Abate, De Sciglio, Maggio, Chiellini, Paletta, Bonucci, Barzagli, Santon

MIDs/Wingers: Pirlo, De Rossi, Motta, Insigne, Florenzi, Verratti, Montolivo/Marchisio

STs: Rossi, Balotelli, Totti, Cassano, Immobile

Santon hmm, looks decent sometimes at newcastle, especially in attack & a bit vulnerable defensively. I dont see a lot of him because these days, but I've always found Domencio Cristico (spell check) to be a very solid left-back.

Paletta or Ogbonna as back-up defender will be interesting.

Marchisio is probably certain to travel, even if he might not start. An bit more advanced version of Jordan Henderson.

 

[Haarithan]

Criscito was terrible in the CL games against Dortmund as well as in the friendly against Spain (admittedly the only 3 games I've seen him play this season). Massive liability at LB. Hope it's De Sciglio.

And not being biased, but Henderson is better than Marchisio imo. Over the last two years, that is. But agree, like for like players both.

 

[thedon5]

Criscito was terrible in the CL games against Dortmund as well as in the friendly against Spain (admittedly the only 3 games I've seen him play this season). Massive liability at LB. Hope it's De Sciglio.

And not being biased, but Henderson is better than Marchisio imo. Over the last two years, that is. But agree, like for like players both.

I think that says more about Marchisio's recent form than it does about Henderson.

Santon is looking handy for Newcastle for sure, he could cut it at a bigger club, but for Italy in the WC, I'm not so sure. As a back-up I guess why I not.

 

[ParkedTheBus]

odd choice of goalies too. perin and scuffet are good and potentially brilliant in the future but why ignore de sanctis, marchetti and sirigu? they'll regret that if it comes down to actually needing their reserve keeper and they have to put someone so inexperienced in.

I like Maggio too so disappointed he's not gone.

Scuffet is better than most Italian keepers and he is only 17. Any Italian GK with 2 Fs in their name is special

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Apparently Lazio has a 41 years old player but rumored to be "17" years old.

Joseph Minala. From what I've seen , seems to be a wonderkid. Very good talent and it is his chins which make him seem so old

 

[War]

BBC Sport - Juventus: Antonio Conte's vision revived Juve, says Andrea Pirlo

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Hachim Mastour has been picked for Milan and he is just 15! Gotta say that is amazing! He was in some Red Bull video with Neymar and performed epic skill moves.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

that's the very frustrating thing about milan, they have monster talent in their youth team, el Shaarawy, de sciglio, cristante and mastour all have huge potential, and there are some signs that Petagna and Niang have also got some quality.

but the vision of the management and board just aren't meshing. seedorf has been under pressure from the word go this season and can't develop (plus that has someone with zero coaching experience bringing through young talent under him could be hit and miss) and galliani seems intent on picking up players on freebies that are past it.

most of the dream signings among milan fans are not for players (though seeing as abiati is on the verge of retirement I'd very much like them to sign Perin) but getting in barbara berlusconi as director and new back room staff.