Re: Italian National Team Thread

[nadinkrah]

too bad that defense doesn't have much to brag about on the international level.

[flameas]

Please leave Montolivo home and take Verratti instead..

[Robespierre]

about Paletta-- the question is : there is really need to naturalize an average player as him? I mean , he is really so better than Astori and Ranocchia? ( I don't say him because Interista, but in last 3 months he has played certainly well )

[Arquitecto]

I'd Rano over Balding Paletta anyday. His performances in the 2nd half of the season have earned him a call.

[Robespierre]

Potentially Ranocchia has always been better than Paletta. His problems are not technical .Paletta was awful against Inter and against Torino today , 2 decisive matches for EL
excessive hype for an average player . I am not basically against the naturalization of players , simply against the degeneration of this thing expecially if the player choose the new NT simply as spare wheel because his NT doesn't rate him

[Robespierre]

Codice etico is basically the worst thing made in football history.
Contradiction and hypocrisy.
Osvaldo wasn't called up for confederations cup because simply he  tweeted against his manager, Chiellini elbowed to Pjanic but Prandelli justifies this because " it was not a violent gesture" . an elbow is not a violent gesture now lol .  so as to avoid he will miss the WC
this codice etico has not sense, it causes just the hypocrisy because some best players are saved from it ( as it was for Balotelli ) . and then, what is the sense? If there was " codice etico" Argentina 86 wouldn't have won the World Cup.

[Tomwin Lannister]

Was a stupid rule to begin with

Club football is not related to international football, trying to implement this was stupid from every possible angle

Players should not be called up for 1 solitary reason, because they are not good enough.

[Lupi]

Prandelli: Chiellini actions not violent

Italy Coach Cesare Prandelli does not believe Giorgio Chiellini’s elbow on Roma’s Miralem Pjanic was a violent act.

The Juventus man has today been banned for three Serie A matches by the Giudice Sportivo for the incident but the national boss takes a different view of proceedings.

“I have looked again and again at what Chiellini did,” Prandelli said to Ansa. “For me, it is not a violent act.”

The player is therefore expected to be named in the tactician’s provisional World Cup squad this week, as he will not fall foul of the 56-year-old’s code of ethics.

“Do I expect criticism for my decision? My code of ethics has been controversial for four years!” Prandelli half-joked.

  The dude elbowed pjanic under no *bleep* pressure from any one and that's not violent.   what a clown

[Robespierre]

[dostoevsky]

Gilardino Someone save us.

I'm expecting Mirante, Romulo, Ranocchia, Parolo, Gilardino, Insigne and Destro to be dropped by Prandelli in the end. I'd remove a different selection of 7, however that's my instinct concerning who will actually miss the cut.

[dostoevsky]

Genoa's official twitter account has confirmed that Gilardino and Perin will indeed be part of the 30 man provisional squad.

The only real possible surprise might be Giaccherini if Prandelli decides Rossi is too much of a risk, however I'm certain that he'll include Giuseppe to give him until the last minute to prove himself.

[Tomwin Lannister]

I thought that Gilar and Criscito weren't picked. That's what I heard like 20 minutes ago

[zarola]

OFFICIAL:

Portieri: Buffon (Juventus); Mirante (Parma); Perin (Genoa); Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain)

Difensori: Abate e De Sciglio (Milan); Barzagli, Bonucci e Chiellini (Juventus); Darmian (Torino); Maggio (Napoli); Paletta (Parma); Pasqual (Fiorentina); Ranocchia (Inter)

Centrocampisti: Aquilani (Fiorentina); Candreva (Lazio); De Rossi (Roma); Marchisio, Pirlo (Juventus); Montolivo (MIan); Parolo (Parma); Thiago Motta, Verratti (Paris Saint Germain)

Attaccanti: Balotelli (Milan); Cassano (Parma); Cerci, Immobile (Torino); Destro (Roma); L. Insigne (Napoli); G. Rossi (Fiorentina)

I must say, I'm very happy with this slection so far. Very very happy.

Source: http://www.ftbpro.com/it/messaggi/davide.martini/936335/mondiali-2014-ecco-l-elenco-dei-30-pre-convocati-da-prandelli?a_aid=5370baaa40613

[Ganso]

I want to see Balo-Cassano again

euro 2012

[Tomwin Lannister]

Criscito should be the starting LB tbh, apart from that it looks great


Cassano will probably be a super sub. Rossi if fit will start and rightly so.

[zarola]

I agree with Criscito but to be fair I haven't seen him in a long while, perhaps being in Russia has caused this , I don't really know, he could suck now...

Portieri: Buffon (Juventus); Mirante (Parma); Perin (Genoa); Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain)

Difensori: Abate e De Sciglio (Milan); Barzagli, Bonucci e Chiellini (Juventus); Darmian (Torino); Maggio (Napoli); Paletta (Parma); Pasqual (Fiorentina); Ranocchia (Inter)

Centrocampisti: Aquilani (Fiorentina); Candreva (Lazio); De Rossi (Roma); Marchisio, Pirlo (Juventus); Montolivo (MIan); Parolo (Parma); Thiago Motta, Verratti (Paris Saint Germain)

Attaccanti: Balotelli (Milan); Cassano (Parma); Cerci, Immobile (Torino); Destro (Roma); L. Insigne (Napoli); G. Rossi (Fiorentina)


that's my choice to get rid of

[Robespierre]

yes also for me Criscito would have deserved to be even starter
he said to be most disappointed now than in 2012 on twitter ... on the other hand so unlucky with NT, in 2012 he was excluded because of codice etico ( and he was not guilty)

[RealGunner]

Why Can't Cerci be included in Midfielders and go instead of Candreva?

[Xifio]

cannot tell you how delighted I am with Prandelli so far ... no Osvaldo, no Giaccherini, no Gila!!! and Antonio Cassà still in contention!!!   

that said, I am very concerned that Marco Verratti, and potentially Cassano too, won't be on the plane to Brasiu ... I'm trying to see how Prandelli would accommodate these two ahead of a couple of known favourites, and it's not that straightforward ...



Portieri [3]: 1 easy cut ...

Buffon, Sirigu, Perin, Mirante



Difensori [8]: I'm worried about an extra defender being taken at the cost of an attacker ... otherwise, it'd be between Paletta and Ranocchia for the Chiellini back-up spot ... wish Ranocchia would've made his selection a cert, but sadly he hasn't quite (considering he just edged out Astori to make the 30) ...

Abate, Maggio, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Paletta/Ranocchia, Pasqual, De Sciglio, Darmian



Centrocampisti [6]: this is where things really start getting tricky ... De Rossi and Thiago Motta are automatic starters, as far as I'm concerned ... Candreva is a workhorse, who is versatile too, so I think he'd get the athelte vote from Prandelli ... I would personally cut one amongst Monty and Marchisio, but they are Prandelli favourites (especially the former) ... this all leads me to why I am very concerned that the sublime and mercurial Verratti may miss out; I really hope I'm wrong, and little Marco goes to Brazil ...

De Rossi, Candreva, Rômulo, Pirlo, Parolo, Thiago Motta, Verratti/Montolivo/Marchisio, Aquilani




Attaccanti [6]: Immobile and Cerci are in based on the weight of their season stats, while Super Mario and an uninjured Pepito are automatic selections too ... I don't think Destro has done enough to merit a spot at the cost of Cassano (or Insigne, for that matter), who will always bring the intangible quality of magic ... but, as I said earlier, I'm worried that Prandelli would sacrifice an attacker for an additional defender ...

Balotelli, Immobile, Cerci, Rossi, Cassano/Insigne/Destro

[danyjr]

Cassano

Just lose that belly brah...you'll be a GOAT.

[Tomwin Lannister]

I agree with Zarolas omission choices apart from attack

I would have Cerci over Insigne as Cerci who also plays in a wide position had a much better season. Insigne's barely had an impact in the league whatsoever.

[Robespierre]

Cerci must go absolutely in Brazil , for good condition , for the performances showed this year , and then there is not another player as him in roster, also as type of player . he is the best Italian winger , and infact he will be called up surely

[RealGunner]

-----De Rossi----Pirlo------Motta/Verratti
------------------Cassano---------------
--------Balotelli---------------G.Rossi------

imo

[Tomwin Lannister]

Yep, if Italy plan on playing with some form of 4-3-3 at any point during the World Cup, Cerci is by far the best player to make that transition.

[danyjr]

-----De Rossi----Pirlo------Motta/Verratti
------------------Cassano---------------
--------Balotelli---------------G.Rossi------

imo

That attack is way too slow in my opinion.

[Ganso]

-----De Rossi----Pirlo------Motta/Verratti
------------------Cassano---------------
--------Balotelli---------------G.Rossi------

imo

That attack is way too slow in my opinion.

they reached Euro final with

-------Montolivo----------
----Balo--------Cassano--

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