ITALIA - LA SQUADRA AZZURRA 2008-09

Prandelli please.

I also would like to see Ancelotti get the NT job at some stage, but i ccan't see him leaving Chelsea after one year.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Prandelli please.

I also would like to see Ancelotti get the NT job at some stage, but i ccan't see him leaving Chelsea after one year.

Nah... Prandelli is on reserve just in case we win the CL and Mou wants to join Real...

Maybe Spalletti?

Now that Totti has proven to be the biggest brat of them all, lets see whether Lippi stays true to his word or he exposes himself as a hypocrite by selecting Totti.... this is getting interesting....

bluenine wrote:Now that Totti has proven to be the biggest brat of them all, lets see whether Lippi stays true to his word or he exposes himself as a hypocrite by selecting Totti.... this is getting interesting....

Am i wrong or was you not begging Lippi to call Totti?

L r dd wrote:

bluenine wrote:Now that Totti has proven to be the biggest brat of them all, lets see whether Lippi stays true to his word or he exposes himself as a hypocrite by selecting Totti.... this is getting interesting....

Am i wrong or was you not begging Lippi to call Totti?

Nothings changed, Lerdy..... I still hope Totti makes the squad, Italy desperately needs quality players like him.... Go WUM somewhere else.

bluenine wrote:

L r dd wrote:

bluenine wrote:Now that Totti has proven to be the biggest brat of them all, lets see whether Lippi stays true to his word or he exposes himself as a hypocrite by selecting Totti.... this is getting interesting....

Am i wrong or was you not begging Lippi to call Totti?

Nothings changed, Lerdy..... I still hope Totti makes the squad, Italy desperately needs quality players like him.... Go WUM somewhere else.

Says the guy who congratulated Chelsea on the title last week. So er you do want Totti to make the squad but will blast Lippi if he does

L r dd wrote:

bluenine wrote:

L r dd wrote:

bluenine wrote:Now that Totti has proven to be the biggest brat of them all, lets see whether Lippi stays true to his word or he exposes himself as a hypocrite by selecting Totti.... this is getting interesting....

Am i wrong or was you not begging Lippi to call Totti?

Nothings changed, Lerdy..... I still hope Totti makes the squad, Italy desperately needs quality players like him.... Go WUM somewhere else.

Says the guy who congratulated Chelsea on the title last week. So er you do want Totti to make the squad but will blast Lippi if he does

Blu probably can't be bothered but I will take this one. Lrd what Bluey is saying is that it is hypocrisy when Lippi will leave out Cassano for being a troubled guy while keeping Totti in there. The truth is rather that Lippi is merely using this as an excuse and the reason he is picking Totti is that he wants "his players" at the World Cup which is why Gattuso is in the squad while Ambrosini is out.

So Lippi isn't doing what is best for the team because Totti didn't even participate in the qualifiers plus he is a brat and he will still take him.

Predicting Lippi's squad. (This is not what I would like to see, but what I expect from Lippi).

The sure-shots:
Goalkeepers: Buffon, Marchetti, De Sanctis
Defenders: Cannavaro, Chiellini, Grosso, Legrottaglie, Zambrotta, plus 3.
Midfielders: Camoranesi, Gattuso, Marchisio, Pepe, De Rossi, Pirlo, plus 1.
Forwards: Di Natale, Gilardino, Iaquinta, Totti, plus 1.

IMO there are 5 open spots, 3 in defence, and 1 each in midfield & attack. The spots in defense will probably go to a CB, a fullback, and an "odd job eddy" - someone who can play in multiple roles (CB/FB/Midfield).

Main contenders (one in bold is the one I think will make it):
Striker: Pazzini / Toni / Amauri / Borriello
Midfielder: Palombo / Montolivo / Perrotta / Cossu / Candreva
Fullback: Cassani / Maggio* / Motta / Santon
CB: Bocchetti / Nesta / Bonucci
Versatile defender: Criscito / Maggio*

*Maggio may make it over Cassani as a FB, thats likely specially if Lippi is serious about his 343 plans....

Very un-inspiring squad

Quags is definitely a contender for a forward spot. I don't think Totti is a guarantee there yet (we still don't know if he will come back).

Unfortunately Nesta and Santon are not contenders. Neither is Amauri, or at least i should hope not.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Quags is definitely a contender for a forward spot. I don't think Totti is a guarantee there yet (we still don't know if he will come back).

Unfortunately Nesta and Santon are not contenders. Neither is Amauri, or at least i should hope not.

Their long term injuries have made their selection very dufficult (yeah, I still think Nesta would ve reconsidered if he was fit), but both are apparently ready to make comebacks - might be too little time for Lippi tho, so I kinda agree with ya... sad, these two are quality, can't say that for most of Lippi's selections....

bluenine wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Quags is definitely a contender for a forward spot. I don't think Totti is a guarantee there yet (we still don't know if he will come back).

Unfortunately Nesta and Santon are not contenders. Neither is Amauri, or at least i should hope not.

Their long term injuries have made their selection very dufficult (yeah, I still think Nesta would ve reconsidered if he was fit), but both are apparently ready to make comebacks - might be too little time for Lippi tho, so I kinda agree with ya... sad, these two are quality, can't say that for most of Lippi's selections....

His sure shots are pretty mediocre. Zambrotta, Grosso, Cannavaro, Gattuso, Camoranesi, Legro, Pepe - these guys don't deserve a place in the squad at all. They are either old and past it or average or both!

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Quags is definitely a contender for a forward spot. I don't think Totti is a guarantee there yet (we still don't know if he will come back).

Yeah, if Totti does not make it, then Quagmeister is almost certain to take that spot - since Rossi is no long a contender. However, if Totti makes it, then IMO the 5th striker will be an out & out CF, and thats why I did not put Quag in the contender list....

bluenine wrote:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:Quags is definitely a contender for a forward spot. I don't think Totti is a guarantee there yet (we still don't know if he will come back).

Yeah, if Totti does not make it, then Quagmeister is almost certain to take that spot - since Rossi is no long a contender. However, if Totti makes it, then IMO the 5th striker will be an out & out CF, and thats why I did not put Quag in the contender list....

Yeh it will be Gila + Iaquinta + Di Natale + Totti/Quags + Pazzini/Borriello

I also hope Toni doesn't make it.

Lippi's 30 announced - Totti did not make it!!!!

The only good news is that neither did Legrotaglie

Goalkeepers: Buffon, Marchetti, De Sanctis, Sirigu.

Defenders: Bocchetti, Bonucci, F.Cannavaro, Cassani, Chiellini, Criscito, Grosso, Maggio, Zambrotta.

Midfielders: Camoranesi, Candreva, Cossu, De Rossi, Gattuso, Marchisio, Montolivo, Palombo, Pepe, Pirlo.

Strikers: Borriello, Di Natale, Gilardino, Iaquinta, Pazzini, G. Rossi, Quagliarella.

XI of players not going:


That team would beat any team that Lippi fields.

Why has Aquilani not been picked? Injury problems or what? He's looked pretty good in his last few games.

Luis wrote:Why has Aquilani not been picked? Injury problems or what? He's looked pretty good in his last few games.

He never picked him during the qualifying campaign because of injuries and then no playing time at Liverpool. Lippi tends to stick with the same players he used during qualifying (unless you join Juve, then you can walk straight into the squad).

I think Aquilani is talented enough to merit a place irrespective of form or playing time.

bluenine wrote:
The only good news is that neither did Legrotaglie

something to celebrate at least

lol, gazzetta.it posted a piece on defenders at next wc, with this pic captioned "the best defenders".



please pick who's out of place here...

abundance wrote:lol, gazzetta.it posted a piece on defenders at next wc, with this pic captioned "the best defenders".



please pick who's out of place here...

Pique coz he is gay?

Or Terry coz he never was or will be World Class?

So we basically know the squad, but i still don't think Lippi knows what side he will field. I think either this:


Or a 4-3-3:

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:So we basically know the squad, but i still don't think Lippi knows what side he will field. I think either this:

Gilardino Iaquinta
Pirlo
Marchisio De Rossi Camoranesi
Grosso Chiellini Cannavaro Grosso
Buffon

Or a 4-3-3:

Di Natale Gilardino Pepe/Iaquinta
Marchisio Pirlo De Rossi
Grosso Chiellini Cannavaro Grosso
Buffon

Couldn't they find someone better than Grosso to clone?

Prefer the look of the first one.

Romford Pele wrote:Prefer the look of the first one.

Agreed. It is harder to play 4-3-3 with Pirlo in the side. Both teams look very uninspiring

If i had to pick a team from Lippi's squad:

I'd swap Gilardinho for Iaquinta, but other than that, it looks a pretty sweet team.

Who does Bonucci play for?

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:If i had to pick a team from Lippi's squad:

Rossi Gilardino
Montolivo
Marchisio De Rossi
Pirlo
Criscito Chiellini Bonucci Bocchetti
Buffon

Nice team, but no wings at all.... I would probably go for:

Peculiar selections. I'm not looking forward to watching this Italy team.

No one is

Tweesus wrote:No one is

You can argue that.