Azzurri thread for Euro2008

Deano-Forza Italia wrote:Lippi was more positive...WC06 was one of our most positive tournament performances for a while...it's the reason we beat so many teams easily, and scored so many goals.

We are in a very tough group, and outscoring opponents won't be easy. The only thing I will say, is that Holland don't have the best of defences...and Romania are obviously the weakest team in the group.

Donadoni Hints At Chiellini To Replace Canna
Roberto Donadoni appears to be moving towards a centre back partnership of Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini for Monday’s Euro 2008 opener against Holland. The Azzurri go into the match in Berne with some real problems in defence after inspirational World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury.

Andrea Barzagli is certain to take one of the centre back positions, but Donadoni appears to have ruled out the chance of Christian Panucci taking the other. With Marco Materazzi still not fully fit, it seems as if Giorgio Chiellini will partner Barzagli at centre back.

"I do not want to lose another man after having already lost Cannavaro,” Donadoni told La Stampa.

“There are players for that role [not Panucci who is a natural right back] and initially I favour them.”

Many people believe Italy may struggle without Cannavaro at the back, but Donadoni has confidence in the rest of his defenders.

"I think that the defenders who have come in during the last two years have done more than well,” he explained.

“For example, we've already been without Materazzi for a while and Barzagli did not let anyone down.”

bluenine wrote:So lets predict the starting XI against Holland:

-------------------Buffon
Zambrotta - Chiellini - Barzagli - Grosso
--------Gattuso - Pirlo - Ambrosini
Camoranesi --------------------Di Natale
---------------------Toni

I think Don is going to make two mistakes... Grosso over Panucci, and Gattuso over De Rossi. Specially De Rossi, he has to start!!! Apart from that, this is the right team.

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:Panucci being out is a blessing in disguise. Robben would've turned him inside out.

bluenine wrote:
I hope Materazzi recovers for the first game... not only do Italy need his experience, but also his hieght!

bluenine wrote:

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:Panucci being out is a blessing in disguise. Robben would've turned him inside out.

Zambrotta on the right is not too effective either. And I would have prefered Panucci over Grosso, mostly due to the experience. Italys defence, after a long long time, is too light on experience.

I hope Materazzi recovers for the first game... not only do Italy need his experience, but also his hieght!

Axeslammer wrote:

bluenine wrote:
I hope Materazzi recovers for the first game... not only do Italy need his experience, but also his hieght!

We have a team of midgets, the last thing you'll need against us is height

Toni will have a field day from set pieces though

bluenine wrote:

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:Panucci being out is a blessing in disguise. Robben would've turned him inside out.

Zambrotta on the right is not too effective either. And I would have prefered Panucci over Grosso, mostly due to the experience. Italys defence, after a long long time, is too light on experience.

I hope Materazzi recovers for the first game... not only do Italy need his experience, but also his hieght!

Khadrim wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:Panucci being out is a blessing in disguise. Robben would've turned him inside out.

Zambrotta on the right is not too effective either. And I would have prefered Panucci over Grosso, mostly due to the experience. Italys defence, after a long long time, is too light on experience.

I hope Materazzi recovers for the first game... not only do Italy need his experience, but also his hieght!

Can you explain this to me. Grosso was one of your standout players in the last world cup. Panucci may be 5 years older but he has never been to the latter stages of a major tournament like Grosso

BM Knows Best wrote:Four, Count em', Four Giallorossi In Azzurro!!!

Daniele De Rossi
Got to start, right? Clearly the best midfielder in Serie A this season, he’s simply a class above the rest when it comes to Gattuso and Ambrosini, his likely competitors/partners in the midfield alongside The World’s Best Right Foot (eat it Becks, could you have made that assist for Grosso against Germany? Thought so......)

There’s a chance that it might - this is Donadoni, after all - but that would be a major mistake. Daniele’s skill set combined with his grit and determination will ultimately be the key to winning the battle in midfield. Number 10 should, and most likely will, play every game from the start.

Christian Panucci
More likely he’ll either be a reserve CB/RB off the bench; or, if Fabio Grosso doesn’t play up to his typical Azzurri standards, he’ll be starting on the right with Zambro on the left. And, should the Azzurri win a free kick just outside the box near the goal line, Panuccigol is a good as gold.

Alberto Aquilani
The wildcard. He may start or he may spend most of the tournament on the bench. If he plays we all know what he’s capable of, which is probably close to or just short of Gigi Buffon’s expectations of him: see Gigi thinks Alberto can be the best midfielder in the world someday soon (future recruiter, he is). Perhaps he’s just impressed that much in training camp? Which of course leads one to believe that Alberto will be in the starting XI come the 9th of June, or at the very least will make his way in before the tournament is over, but we shall have to wait and see.

Simone Perrotta
His ratio of coach appreciation to fan appreciation is off the charts, and he’s one of the prime examples of why coaches are in the spots they are and fans are watching from home. His off the ball movement, workrate and stamina are second to none. If you can’t have otherworldly, Totti-type talent, he’s the next best thing. And for all of Donadoni’s shortcomings, I think he’s come to realize this. It just all depends on how Donadoni wants to work the midfield. Perrotta can play in a more central role, the treq position he performs for Roma or even on the wings as he was used under Lippi and in the late stages of this season. How could a coach not love the hardest working attacker in the world. Kuyt who?

I honestly have no idea how much he’ll play, with part of that being a credit to his versatility. And while he may not be in the sexiest XI, he just might be in the best XI, and that’s all that matters.

Logic says one of Aquilani (more likely) or Perrotta (less) should be in the starting XI, but when has logic ever figured into The Don’s thinking?

BM Knows Best wrote:

BM Knows Best wrote:Four, Count em', Four Giallorossi In Azzurro!!!

Daniele De Rossi
Got to start, right? Clearly the best midfielder in Serie A this season, he’s simply a class above the rest when it comes to Gattuso and Ambrosini, his likely competitors/partners in the midfield alongside The World’s Best Right Foot (eat it Becks, could you have made that assist for Grosso against Germany? Thought so......)

There’s a chance that it might - this is Donadoni, after all - but that would be a major mistake. Daniele’s skill set combined with his grit and determination will ultimately be the key to winning the battle in midfield. Number 10 should, and most likely will, play every game from the start.

Christian Panucci
More likely he’ll either be a reserve CB/RB off the bench; or, if Fabio Grosso doesn’t play up to his typical Azzurri standards, he’ll be starting on the right with Zambro on the left. And, should the Azzurri win a free kick just outside the box near the goal line, Panuccigol is a good as gold.

Alberto Aquilani
The wildcard. He may start or he may spend most of the tournament on the bench. If he plays we all know what he’s capable of, which is probably close to or just short of Gigi Buffon’s expectations of him: see Gigi thinks Alberto can be the best midfielder in the world someday soon (future recruiter, he is). Perhaps he’s just impressed that much in training camp? Which of course leads one to believe that Alberto will be in the starting XI come the 9th of June, or at the very least will make his way in before the tournament is over, but we shall have to wait and see.

Simone Perrotta
His ratio of coach appreciation to fan appreciation is off the charts, and he’s one of the prime examples of why coaches are in the spots they are and fans are watching from home. His off the ball movement, workrate and stamina are second to none. If you can’t have otherworldly, Totti-type talent, he’s the next best thing. And for all of Donadoni’s shortcomings, I think he’s come to realize this. It just all depends on how Donadoni wants to work the midfield. Perrotta can play in a more central role, the treq position he performs for Roma or even on the wings as he was used under Lippi and in the late stages of this season. How could a coach not love the hardest working attacker in the world. Kuyt who?

I honestly have no idea how much he’ll play, with part of that being a credit to his versatility. And while he may not be in the sexiest XI, he just might be in the best XI, and that’s all that matters.

Logic says one of Aquilani (more likely) or Perrotta (less) should be in the starting XI, but when has logic ever figured into The Don’s thinking?

Play all four against Espana says I!

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:I always knew Grosso was overrated and he's simply riding the wave after the WC like Materazzi is doing. Tonetto, Pasqual, Oddo and Zauri are all better than him.

bluenine wrote:

BM Knows Best wrote:

BM Knows Best wrote:Four, Count em', Four Giallorossi In Azzurro!!!

Daniele De Rossi
Got to start, right? Clearly the best midfielder in Serie A this season, he’s simply a class above the rest when it comes to Gattuso and Ambrosini, his likely competitors/partners in the midfield alongside The World’s Best Right Foot (eat it Becks, could you have made that assist for Grosso against Germany? Thought so......)

There’s a chance that it might - this is Donadoni, after all - but that would be a major mistake. Daniele’s skill set combined with his grit and determination will ultimately be the key to winning the battle in midfield. Number 10 should, and most likely will, play every game from the start.

Christian Panucci
More likely he’ll either be a reserve CB/RB off the bench; or, if Fabio Grosso doesn’t play up to his typical Azzurri standards, he’ll be starting on the right with Zambro on the left. And, should the Azzurri win a free kick just outside the box near the goal line, Panuccigol is a good as gold.

Alberto Aquilani
The wildcard. He may start or he may spend most of the tournament on the bench. If he plays we all know what he’s capable of, which is probably close to or just short of Gigi Buffon’s expectations of him: see Gigi thinks Alberto can be the best midfielder in the world someday soon (future recruiter, he is). Perhaps he’s just impressed that much in training camp? Which of course leads one to believe that Alberto will be in the starting XI come the 9th of June, or at the very least will make his way in before the tournament is over, but we shall have to wait and see.

Simone Perrotta
His ratio of coach appreciation to fan appreciation is off the charts, and he’s one of the prime examples of why coaches are in the spots they are and fans are watching from home. His off the ball movement, workrate and stamina are second to none. If you can’t have otherworldly, Totti-type talent, he’s the next best thing. And for all of Donadoni’s shortcomings, I think he’s come to realize this. It just all depends on how Donadoni wants to work the midfield. Perrotta can play in a more central role, the treq position he performs for Roma or even on the wings as he was used under Lippi and in the late stages of this season. How could a coach not love the hardest working attacker in the world. Kuyt who?

I honestly have no idea how much he’ll play, with part of that being a credit to his versatility. And while he may not be in the sexiest XI, he just might be in the best XI, and that’s all that matters.

Logic says one of Aquilani (more likely) or Perrotta (less) should be in the starting XI, but when has logic ever figured into The Don’s thinking?

Play all four against Espana says I!

I would prefer Ambrosini over Perrotta, but the rest of the giallorossi should play IMO

I think the azzurri midfield is taking a strategic shift from being completely Milan based to being completely Roma based.