Azzurri thread for Euro2008

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:Materazzi is $h!t compared to Bonera, but he can get you goals, and he has that unpredictability factor (which can be good or bad).

Materazzi in form is a level Bonera is incapable of. But unfortunately, like you mentioned, there is the unpredictability factor... he can do anything and everything of the following in a game:
1. Get sent off
2. get an opponent sent off
3. get injured
4. injure someone
5. conceed a penalty
6. get a penalty
7. miss a penalty
8. score a goal by foot or head or even amazing bicycle kicks
9. score a self goal by head or foot (including his special 40 yard bullets!)
10. make amazing off the line blocks/clearances for your team
11. (and the latest addition) make amazing off the line blocks/clearances for the other team using his bottocks!

Usually in every game, he ticks many of the above boxes!

On the brighter side, the dude can really defend and will always give his all!

bluenine wrote:

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:Materazzi is $h!t compared to Bonera, but he can get you goals, and he has that unpredictability factor (which can be good or bad).

Materazzi in form is a level Bonera is incapable of. But unfortunately, like you mentioned, there is the unpredictability factor... he can do anything and everything of the following in a game:
1. Get sent off
2. get an opponent sent off
3. get injured
4. injure someone
5. conceed a penalty
6. get a penalty
7. miss a penalty
8. score a goal by foot or head or even amazing bicycle kicks
9. score a self goal by head or foot (including his special 40 yard bullets!)
10. make amazing off the line blocks/clearances for your team
11. (and the latest addition) make amazing off the line blocks/clearances for the other team using his bottocks!

Usually in every game, he ticks many of the above boxes!

On the brighter side, the dude can really defend and will always give his all!

certainly a colourful chap.
I like his role in that new nike ad

Cassanoooooooooooooooooo .

West Ham e Sampdoria wrote:Cassanoooooooooooooooooo .

So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

It better not be Cassano who gets dropped.

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

Totally agree, it will be Aquilani or Montolivo. It's pretty obvious to me that he called 24 players because he was unsure about the fitness of Aquilani, hence he has Montolivo effectively on standby.

Given the numbers i think he might drop a striker given he has selected 6 !

I think it will be Montilivo.

I would be thinking from the opposition point of view if I was Italy what can Robben do against Grosso or Pannuci(Sp?) , or VDV or Van Persie against them or Ruud vs Cannavoro etc or can we overpower them in midfield that they cant use these potent weapons.
What about France Italy wont dominate France midfield(if played right) if so then it will be one on ones Ribery,Anelka ,Benzema ,Trez ,Henry vs Italy defence and vice versa Toni ,Cassano etc.

Interesting looking forward to it.

Super Madrid wrote:

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

Surely you mean the only one who can play BACKUP center forward. Toni is the starter there, best case scenario for Italy is that Borriello does not play at all!

Yeah, considering the circumstances, Borriello is unlikely to be dropped. TBH, I just don't rate him tho - can easily be a one season wonder. And he has been Cr@p near the end of the season. I wish Iaquinta were fit, or Amauri was eligible. I would have even preffered Rocchi to Borriello.

DS wrote:I would be thinking from the opposition point of view if I was Italy what can Robben do against Grosso or Pannuci(Sp?) , or VDV or Van Persie against them or Ruud vs Cannavoro etc or can we overpower them in midfield that they cant use these potent weapons.
What about France Italy wont dominate France midfield(if played right) if so then it will be one on ones Ribery,Anelka ,Benzema ,Trez ,Henry vs Italy defence and vice versa Toni ,Cassano etc.

Interesting looking forward to it.

Exactly, that's where my worries are. Panucci is ancient and we'e already seen him get raped by the likes of Ronaldo, Robben and Lavezzi over the last couple of seasons. He's gonna get eaten alive by Malouda and Robben and possibly Mitea? Grosso is not much better, he's always pushing forward and leaves so many spaces behind because he's so slow and can't get back in time. He's only in the squad because of what he did at the WC. Tonetto, Zauri, Pasqual and Dossena are all better than him. I still maintain that Oddo will be missed because he's the only other fullback apart from Zambrotta (and Chiellini if he's deployed there) who can defend. I'm less worried about Cannavaro, but I am worried about the joker Materazzi.

Not sure it will be too easy to overpower our midfield. We're looking very strong in that area, but given the recent friendlies, i wouldn't be surprised if we don't hold the majority of possesion, but hit other teams on the counter with Di Natale and Camoranesi.

bluenine wrote:

Super Madrid wrote:

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

Surely you mean the only one who can play BACKUP center forward. Toni is the starter there, best case scenario for Italy is that Borriello does not play at all!

Yeah, considering the circumstances, Borriello is unlikely to be dropped. TBH, I just don't rate him tho - can easily be a one season wonder. And he has been Cr@p near the end of the season. I wish Iaquinta were fit, or Amauri was eligible. I would have even preffered Rocchi to Borriello.

Plus 5 of his goals were penalties.

Borriello=Rigano, Hubner, Protti etc.

But since Iaquinta got injured, there really aren't many other options. Inzaghi was in great form, but he doesn't have the necessary characteristics to play our system IMO and it would seem Donadoni would agree. Vieri finished the season poorly and is injured anyway. Gilardino has totally gone off the radar as has Lucarelli.

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Super Madrid wrote:

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

Surely you mean the only one who can play BACKUP center forward. Toni is the starter there, best case scenario for Italy is that Borriello does not play at all!

Yeah, considering the circumstances, Borriello is unlikely to be dropped. TBH, I just don't rate him tho - can easily be a one season wonder. And he has been Cr@p near the end of the season. I wish Iaquinta were fit, or Amauri was eligible. I would have even preffered Rocchi to Borriello.

Plus 5 of his goals were penalties.

Borriello=Rigano, Hubner, Protti etc.

But since Iaquinta got injured, there really aren't many other options. Inzaghi was in great form, but he doesn't have the necessary characteristics to play our system IMO and it would seem Donadoni would agree. Vieri finished the season poorly and is injured anyway. Gilardino has totally gone off the radar as has Lucarelli.

What about Rocchi? I would have prefered him as a back up to Toni.

Hell, I would have even prefered Lucarelli to Boreillo.

bluenine wrote:

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Super Madrid wrote:

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

Surely you mean the only one who can play BACKUP center forward. Toni is the starter there, best case scenario for Italy is that Borriello does not play at all!

Yeah, considering the circumstances, Borriello is unlikely to be dropped. TBH, I just don't rate him tho - can easily be a one season wonder. And he has been Cr@p near the end of the season. I wish Iaquinta were fit, or Amauri was eligible. I would have even preffered Rocchi to Borriello.

Plus 5 of his goals were penalties.

Borriello=Rigano, Hubner, Protti etc.

But since Iaquinta got injured, there really aren't many other options. Inzaghi was in great form, but he doesn't have the necessary characteristics to play our system IMO and it would seem Donadoni would agree. Vieri finished the season poorly and is injured anyway. Gilardino has totally gone off the radar as has Lucarelli.

What about Rocchi? I would have prefered him as a back up to Toni.

Hell, I would have even prefered Lucarelli to Boreillo.

At least Lucarelli has the physique and has performed for more than 1 season!

Rocchi could work, since he's obviously proven himself over the last 3 seasons, but he's nothing like Toni so we would have to change our style of play dramatically if he was upfront.

bluenine wrote:

Super Madrid wrote:

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

Surely you mean the only one who can play BACKUP center forward. Toni is the starter there, best case scenario for Italy is that Borriello does not play at all!

Yeah, considering the circumstances, Borriello is unlikely to be dropped. TBH, I just don't rate him tho - can easily be a one season wonder. And he has been Cr@p near the end of the season. I wish Iaquinta were fit, or Amauri was eligible. I would have even preffered Rocchi to Borriello.

Yeah that is what i meant because Toni is clearly first choice without a doubt. I rate Iaquinta but he isnt great for a striker role imo. everybody knows he likes to drift on the wing so i dont think he should have been in the squad as back up striker. Amauri would have been the perfect choice but Donadoni should have pushed before.

As expected, a very strong squad.

But to be perfectly honest, I'm glad that Inzaghi was not nominated. Yes, Italy have better alternatives, yes he is old, but Inzaghi's annoying way to play the game ("born offside"), his dives and most importantly efficiency in crucial matches are a good psychological weapon. Defenders are extra careful against him, and that often gave his team the edge in the past. He simply scares the opposition.

There are better strikers, but few have this psychological impact.

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Super Madrid wrote:

bluenine wrote:So who do you think gets chucked out??

Montolivo?
Aquilani?
Borriello?
or Cassano?

These are the only 4 possibilities.... most likely its gonna be one of the first two... if Aquilani is fit, then Montolivo is out.... but I guess any of these 4 could be told to go...

I cant imagine Donadoni being this stupid that he would leave out the only one who can play striker. It will prob be Montolivo.

Surely you mean the only one who can play BACKUP center forward. Toni is the starter there, best case scenario for Italy is that Borriello does not play at all!

Yeah, considering the circumstances, Borriello is unlikely to be dropped. TBH, I just don't rate him tho - can easily be a one season wonder. And he has been Cr@p near the end of the season. I wish Iaquinta were fit, or Amauri was eligible. I would have even preffered Rocchi to Borriello.

Plus 5 of his goals were penalties.

Borriello=Rigano, Hubner, Protti etc.

But since Iaquinta got injured, there really aren't many other options. Inzaghi was in great form, but he doesn't have the necessary characteristics to play our system IMO and it would seem Donadoni would agree. Vieri finished the season poorly and is injured anyway. Gilardino has totally gone off the radar as has Lucarelli.

What about Rocchi? I would have prefered him as a back up to Toni.

Hell, I would have even prefered Lucarelli to Boreillo.

At least Lucarelli has the physique and has performed for more than 1 season!

Rocchi could work, since he's obviously proven himself over the last 3 seasons, but he's nothing like Toni so we would have to change our style of play dramatically if he was upfront.

Rocchi can do more justice to being Toni's back up than Borriello. And if things are going very badly, Rocchi would have given that extra option of playing alongside Toni as a second striker, in a different way to DP/Cassano in an attacking 4-2-4 formation. So would Inzaghi, but unlike Inzaghi, Rocchi can play full 90s minutes if needed.

Lucarelli would also have been so much better than Borriello. Tried and tested. And he didn't have that bad a season considering he played for 3 clubs in the last 12 months!

But thumbs up for Donadoni, I am yet to come accross a Azzurri fan who is not happy with the squad chosen!

Oddo stunned by axe
Thursday 22 May, 2008

Massimo Oddo has spoken of his disbelief at being left out of the Euro 2008 squad. “I didn’t expect it,” said the Milan man.

The full-back has been a regular in the Giro Azzurro since the appointment of Roberto Donadoni in 2006, but the latter omitted him from his 24-man preliminary party earlier this week.

“It’s an exclusion that burns me and I sincerely didn’t expect it,” noted the former Verona and Lazio man.

“Two years of my total disposal, sacrifices and acceptance of responsibility have been trampled on in the space of a few weeks.”

Donadoni seemed to defend his decision to ignore Oddo by focusing on the recent knee meniscus surgery that they player underwent, but the World Cup winner insists that was irrelevant.

“I would have reached a more than satisfying level of fitness two weeks before the tournament kicked off,” he added.

“In all honesty, the minimum I would have expected was to have my physical condition verified – if Donadoni’s consideration and faith in me hadn’t changed that is.”

Italy will travel to Euro 2008 with two right-backs in the form of Roma’s Christian Panucci and Gianluca Zambrotta of Barcelona.

I love the words Oddo used.

Poor lad.

I've only just realised Oddo was left out . Has he really been that bad for Milan? Zambrotta hasn't been that good for Barca has he?...and Panucci isn't as good as Oddo either.

Deano-Forza Italia wrote:I've only just realised Oddo was left out . Has he really been that bad for Milan? Zambrotta hasn't been that good for Barca has he?...and Panucci isn't as good as Oddo either.

There are also fitness concerns.... sure for a top squad like Italy, if you show poor form and fitness, you cannot have a hope to make it.

I think it was a reasonable call by Donadoni.

Zambrotta plays RB for Barca, for Italy it will probably (and hopefully) be LB - and he is always good in that position.

Deano-Forza Italia wrote:I've only just realised Oddo was left out . Has he really been that bad for Milan? Zambrotta hasn't been that good for Barca has he?...and Panucci isn't as good as Oddo either.

Way to steal half my username.

Yes, Oddo has been horseshit for Milan this year. He has done nothing right.

Think Donadoni must have rushed through picking this squad. How anybody thinking straight could leave out Rossi is beyond im sure any football fan

His time will come , next world cup hopefully when he has proven himself.

L.r.d wrote:Think Donadoni must have rushed through picking this squad. How anybody thinking straight could leave out Rossi is beyond im sure any football fan

He was competing with the likes of Del Piero and Cassano, plus it was never likely that Donadoni would use someone so inexperienced at international level and someone he'd never called up previously.

I assume he can play in the Olympics though?

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:

Deano-Forza Italia wrote:I've only just realised Oddo was left out . Has he really been that bad for Milan? Zambrotta hasn't been that good for Barca has he?...and Panucci isn't as good as Oddo either.

Way to steal half my username.

Yes, Oddo has been horseshit for Milan this year. He has done nothing right.

Would it have been better for him to stay at Lazio?

Alive and Kicking wrote:

Forza Italia!Forza Milan! wrote:

Deano-Forza Italia wrote:I've only just realised Oddo was left out . Has he really been that bad for Milan? Zambrotta hasn't been that good for Barca has he?...and Panucci isn't as good as Oddo either.

Way to steal half my username.

Yes, Oddo has been horseshit for Milan this year. He has done nothing right.

Would it have been better for him to stay at Lazio?

Considering this season he has delivered maybe 2 good crosses then yes. He has been unbelievably frustrating to watch. I would not be surprised if he were sold this summer.

Perrotta could be out for Euro 08 after picking up a calf injury.