Select your Azzurini XI!!

Casiraghi has a tough job ahead of him to select his starting XI for the Euro U21s.... whom would you select??

My choice:



Alternate XI:



Hmmm... the second team looks as good as the first one. Thats a nice problem to have!!! Still could not find place for Marzoratti, I am sure he will be in the final squad.

sexy teams, i thought santacroce was the next big thing, i wonder how this team compares to the like of spain,england and germany.

This is what i think it spains strongest XI


----------------Asenjo

Torres---Torrejon----Sanchez--Canella

--Granero---R.Garcia--J.Martinez--Capel

------------Mata----Bojan

That Spain team looks amazing

Reallly?,i think italy's team looks better.

Messiah wrote:This is what i think it spains strongest XI


----------------Asenjo

Torres---Torrejon----Sanchez--Canella

--Granero---R.Garcia--J.Martinez--Capel

------------Mata----Bojan

That looks very good and quite on par with Italys u-21 allthough I don't Spain at the moment has the strength in depth in that Italy has. Ultimately this is why Italys future looks soo good because while some may fall for the pressure they have others who might prosper in their place.

italy as a lot of good player in the 19 to early 20's age group, but i think spain has better players in the U-19 age group.

Spanish players only really come to the fore once they're twenty-ish and start playing regularly for a B team.

Olé wrote:Spanish players only really come to the fore once they're twenty-ish and start playing regularly for a B team.

Its not much different for Italy, most Italians arrive in their early 20s. In over 25 years of watching football, I haven't seen an Italian teenager in the Azzurri squad for a major competition... and there indeed have been very few who have debuted for the NT in their teens, I can only think of Maldini and Buffon. Thats why Santon and Balotelli are so special, there is a good chance that they might join such an elite group. Tho to be fair, Balotelli has only just started playing for the U21s, and Santon has not yet debuted for the U21s!! So it may not happen!! Tho I am rooting for them, it will be great to see a teenager make it to the Azzurri squad for WC2010.

Messiah wrote:italy as a lot of good player in the 19 to early 20's age group, but i think spain has better players in the U-19 age group.

Spain are usually much better than Italy in the U19 and the U17 groups. U21, Italy is usually better. Its strange how this is usually true, tho if you analyse deeper, you can understand why...

Super Madrid wrote:

Messiah wrote:This is what i think it spains strongest XI


----------------Asenjo

Torres---Torrejon----Sanchez--Canella

--Granero---R.Garcia--J.Martinez--Capel

------------Mata----Bojan

That looks very good and quite on par with Italys u-21 allthough I don't Spain at the moment has the strength in depth in that Italy has. Ultimately this is why Italys future looks soo good because while some may fall for the pressure they have others who might prosper in their place.

I think you got it spot on there.... Italys biggest strength at that level is the strength in depth. There are a few countries who could match the starting XI, or at least be thereabouts, but I can't think of any european nation who has that kind of strength in depth. The good thing is that there is depth in all areas, its well balanced.

Italy's team does look impressive, but only because half of those players should really be in the senior side, the likes of Cigarini, Santacroce, Dessena, Motta etc

Spain's side looks good also, though weaker on paper than Italy's. Can't think of any others teams that would have such strong sides at this time though,

Calidad wrote:Italy's team does look impressive, but only because half of those players should really be in the senior side, the likes of Cigarini, Santacroce, Dessena, Motta etc

Spain's side looks good also, though weaker on paper than Italy's. Can't think of any others teams that would have such strong sides at this time though,

You think Cigarini and Dessena are ready for a senior team role? I am not sure yet. There are some players from the previous cycle of U21 who are higher up in the pecking order, players like Rosina and Foggia.

Motta, Rossi, Santon, & Marchisio are already ready for an Azzurri role IMO - I would be disappointed if they don't make the WC 2010 squad. Also players like Balotelli, Acquafresca, Giovinco, De Ceglie, Criscito, Bocchetti and Santacroce could be ready soon.

Cigarini IMO is ready. And Dessena has played a number of times for the U21's already and has played very well. I think that this is still a problem in Italy, the reluctance to try youth out at the highest levels.

Italy Under-21 squad for Holland friendly on March 31:

Goalkeepers: Consigli (Atalanta), Sirigu (Ancona)

Defenders: Ariaudo (Juventus), Criscito (Genoa), De Silvestri (Lazio), Marzoratti (Empoli), Ranocchia (Bari), Santacroce (Napoli), Santon (Inter)

Midfielders: Candreva (Livorno), Cigarini (Atalanta), Dessena (Sampdoria), Marchisio (Juventus), Morosini (Vicenza), Poli (Sasssuolo)

Strikers: Acquafresca (Cagliari), Balotelli (Inter), Di Gennaro (Reggina), Giovinco (Juventus).

Santon gets his first call-up.

Based on the call-ups, I'll choose these starting XI for next match:

3zycupid wrote:Based on the call-ups, I'll choose these starting XI for next match:

Consigli
Santon - Santacroce - Ariaudo/Ranocchia - Criscito
Dessena - Cigarini - Marchisio
Giovinco
Acquafresca - Balotelli

Agree with the midfield and attack... but I think either of Marzoratti or Criscito will start as a CB alongside Santacroce...