2012 International Friendlies

I'm thoroughly surprised people are so quick to judge a team with a manager who treats friendlies as a pure platform for experimentation as Italia are known to use friendlies such as such a luxury. Anyone seen our record before all the world cup wins in friendlies? Anyone know how Prandelli's thought process works?

-Maggio performs the same world class either way as FB or WB despite the myth formed here as he has just been riddled with injuries before the end of the year and trained very late with the squad along with the fact that he is known to be aloof in friendlies. (See his complacent performance against Barca pre-season. He cannot be judged here.

-Montolivo as AM which EVERYONE knows that DOES NOT work.

-Playing a 4-3-1-2 which has been proven to be Italia's worst formation along with Prandelli's 4-3-3- modification.

Motta as AM as well later on

-Giovinco out of position

-Di Natale playing wide

-Plus the fact that Italia are hilariously complacent and poor in friendlies but the principle stays for all the right reasons in their pure experimentation. (See Bearzot's Italia)

So anyone making judgements all ready on this side is just either scornful of Italia or just plain knee jerk ready

Who said Prandelli is clueless? You mole? On what basis?

I dont know who stupid someone can be its clear as day what Italy should do but some how Prandelli f*cks it up


Arq everyone knows Maggio is an awful fullback he cant defend he has shown it over and over again... he is a fantastic wing back but he is a trash fullback and Abate should play for this reason....

Also if friendlies are for mere experimentation and everyone knows these experiments dont work then why does he do it? he's clueless thats why.

This is not the first time Prandelli has made some awful decisions that anyone with a braincell would know it is stupid.

I get that they are complacent and might not take a friendly seriously but its not about that its about playing players out of position and playing a system which has shown before is clearly not workable for this Italy team.

And he should be using these friendlies to test a team which he is going to use and then Giovinco should be be playing and 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 should be used.

I will let you debate Abate vs Maggio.... but whats not up for debate is that this is the one and only warm up friendly and for some f*cked up reason Giovinco is on the bench and Montolivo is playing AM and the completely wrong system is being used.

I usually would'nt care but it really pisses me off seeing such obvious and amateur mistakes being made that even i can tell is just plain stupid.

I understand its a friendly but this is the last friendly before the start of the Euros and he SHOULD be using the team that he plans to be using and not this crock of crap he started tonight.

If Giovinco is'nt starting instead of Montolivo in a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3 or Di Natale as CF with Balotelli and Cassano behind him in the same system then quite frankly he's clueless.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:I dont know who stupid someone can be its clear as day what Italy should do but some how Prandelli f*cks it up

Buffon
Abate Barzagli Bonucci Chiellini
DDR Pirlo Marchisio
Giovinco Cassano
Balotelli

Arq everyone knows Maggio is an awful fullback he cant defend he has shown it over and over again... he is a fantastic wing back but he is a trash fullback and Abate should play for this reason....

Also if friendlies are for mere experimentation and everyone knows these experiments dont work then why does he do it? he's clueless thats why.

This is not the first time Prandelli has made some awful decisions that anyone with a braincell would know it is stupid.

I get that they are complacent and might not take a friendly seriously but its not about that its about playing players out of position and playing a system which has shown before is clearly not workable for this Italy team.

And he should be using these friendlies to test a team which he is going to use and then Giovinco should be be playing and 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 should be used.

I will let you debate Abate vs Maggio.... but whats not up for debate is that this is the one and only warm up friendly and for some f*cked up reason Giovinco is on the bench and Montolivo is playing AM and the completely wrong system is being used.

I usually would'nt care but it really pisses me off seeing such obvious and amateur mistakes being made that even i can tell is just plain stupid.

I understand its a friendly but this is the last friendly before the start of the Euros and he SHOULD be using the team that he plans to be using and not this crock of crap he started tonight.

If Giovinco is'nt starting instead of Montolivo in a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3 or Di Natale as CF with Balotelli and Cassano behind him in the same system then quite frankly he's clueless.

Hence, why I mentioned that you haven't followed Prandelli's purely experimental thought process of laying out all his external experiments on friendlies before matches that actually matter.

Once again, Maggio as a fullback is literally the same as he is a wingback. For the matches you would like to see him perform notably as a fullback are the first leg of chelsea, the 3-1 against Milan, 3-0 against Inter, etc. Maggio is simply out of form through injuries and his usual friendlies complacency make of it what you will.

Where he put the players and who he placed does not matter as all Italia fans are used to his tendencies to try each player in various formations.

His best formations are 3-5-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-2-1, 4-1-2-1-2 and very occasionally a 3-4-3.

I like your balanced line-up and all but Prandelli won't do that since he is more attacking than such a line-up.

Frankly I don't see the need to judge him in a match that holds little importance as by that logic I can name the carelessness of many top managers who have absolutely bombed in friendlies.

Wanna see friendlies where he made brilliant decisions in his tactics? See the win against Espana, the tie vs Germany where Italia dominated, see Uruguay as despite them winning Italia was better and would have won despite the missed chances.

Point is, Italians are used to such experiments and results pre-tournaments as its how the system works over there along with the thought process.

Ok Arq i will cool off and give him a chance until the tournament comes but if i see the same at the tournament i will be back lol.

I would like to see 3-5-2 tbh, but considering he left the only good LWB's at home ( Criscito, Santon and PDC) i dont see that as an option.

None the less if Montolivo is chosen above Giovinco or Di Natale i think Italy will struggle.... 1 of those 2 need to start IMO to give them to invention and attacking thrust to break down opposition defences.

I dont worry about the midfield or the defence ( if Chiellini and Buffon make it) its the attack i would be concerned with.

One positive though is Balotelli was impressive.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Ok Arq i will cool off and give him a chance until the tournament comes but if i see the same at the tournament i will be back lol.

I would like to see 3-5-2 tbh, but considering he left the only good LWB's at home ( Criscito, Santon and PDC) i dont see that as an option.

None the less if Montolivo is chosen above Giovinco or Di Natale i think Italy will struggle.... 1 of those 2 need to start IMO to give them to invention and attacking thrust to break down opposition defences.

I dont worry about the midfield or the defence ( if Chiellini and Buffon make it) its the attack i would be concerned with.

One positive though is Balotelli was impressive.

Right when I saw this line-up I predicted what Prandelli was looking to get at.

3-5-2 was used against Germany and USA as despite the loss against the latter the performance was superb.

Criscito's absence has devastated me as despite some of the Milanisti criticism of him, he is for me a damn near world class LB in attack or defence as this is how highly I rate this intelligent fullback. Sadly, Albertini made a decision which truly has pained me in letting him go.

Santon as well I agree should have been called up as this is a blunder imo. PDC? hmmm... Could work but I trust your judgement anyway.

Monty only struggles when playing advanced as otherwise he is quite good when played deep in attack and even defence as all the misconception of criticism aimed at him spurs from when he plays advanced which does not suit him. Against Germany and Espana he played deep and did very very well.

To be honest the only thing I am worried about it whether or not Prandelli will play what works best or not despite his Bielsa-esque methods of experimenting as otherwise I am confident Italia can go far as this is how highly I rate Prandelli's fast and flowing football for Italia along with his astute tactics. The preferences you named Prandelli has already played when it matters.

If he does make the same mistakes you can tell me "I told you so" all you want as I don't mind being proven wrong by you.

I honestly can't predict Cesa's line-up as he is quite unpredictable within his choice but I do find some great potential in your ideas which isn't really unusual coming from you.

Nonetheless, I hold great faith in Prandelli despite some of his eccentric choices yet I know he will not disappoint.

Poland will be a big suprise and reach the semi-final...you read it here first

BAYERN_MUNICH wrote:Poland will be a big suprise and reach the semi-final...you read it here first

They are very athletical team, they have Lewandowski in great form and they play home... It would be great to see them in the later phases..

tuddor wrote:

BAYERN_MUNICH wrote:Poland will be a big suprise and reach the semi-final...you read it here first

They are very athletical team, they have Lewandowski in great form and they play home... It would be great to see them in the later phases..

+ Kuba and Piczec in topform

+ the refs

Arq i would'nt be telling you i told you so iam not like that.... more showing anger and frustration that a team i feel has potential to go far in this Euros but could be held back by some poor and obvious tactical choices.

I just dont like to see some obvious things that are right infront of my nose and feel that tactically most people would figure it out.... and a professional coach cant figure it out....

It just frustrates me lol.

And Bayern_Munich.... I would not be suprised by that at all... they are a lot better side than people are giving them credit for i expect them to get out of the group stage and would'nt suprise me at all if they get as far as the semi's.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Arq i would'nt be telling you i told you so iam not like that.... more showing anger and frustration that a team i feel has potential to go far in this Euros but could be held back by some poor and obvious tactical choices.

I just dont like to see some obvious things that are right infront of my nose and feel that tactically most people would figure it out.... and a professional coach cant figure it out....

It just frustrates me lol.

And Bayern_Munich.... I would not be suprised by that at all... they are a lot better side than people are giving them credit for i expect them to get out of the group stage and would'nt suprise me at all if they get as far as the semi's.

I should have pointed this out before since I was meaning to as over the years I have indeed noticed your frustration over tactical or systematic choices made by managers of any teams etc. So in retrospect I can 100% understand your sentiments since it seems to only be the inner football connoisseur/tactician within you.

Until then, this gives me further incentive to break down the tactical analysis between Italia and of course, both of our motherlands, Espana, in the future.

Lets hope for the best my friend.

BAYERN_MUNICH wrote:

tuddor wrote:

BAYERN_MUNICH wrote:Poland will be a big suprise and reach the semi-final...you read it here first

They are very athletical team, they have Lewandowski in great form and they play home... It would be great to see them in the later phases..

+ Kuba and Piczec in topform

russia and greece will qualify

Greece will get out of the groups with zero points

dat cant happen. we wont concede a single goal

we might as well make 3 draws since we find it hard to score too

but we will definitely keep a clean sheet in 2 of the 3 games

Greece will park the national debt in front of the goal. I'd like to see the Czech's, Russia and the Poles get through that beast

Hungary 2-1 Czech Republic

Dzsudzsák with a clever free-kick and a great assist
http://www.soccer-blogger.com/2012/06/01/czech-republic-vs-hungary-1-2-highlights-2012-goals-dzsudzsak-kadlec-gyurcso-video-friendly/

I was too tired to watch the match, however I must disagree vehemently with Arq, Prandelli deserves every bit of criticism Mole just dished out. An experiment? That starting line-up consisted of 9-10 starters depending on how he decides to line-up the defence given Criscito's absence.

Thanks to Prandelli's selection policy until this point, Giaccherini has never played a single minute for the national side yet, Diamanti has one half of international experience and Borini has even less, our midfield is as dependent on Pirlo as ever and our three best left backs, Chiellini aside will be watching on television. Even Antonini is preferable to Balzaretti.

Our friendly records before successful international tournaments? We thumped Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal in the lead up to 2006. Though if you want to claim disinterest from our playing group against 'lesser' oponents then it's Prandelli's fault entirely for fielding the same line-up again and again with nothing to prove and the assurance of a free ride in the squad from their best buddy Cesare.

What has been the point of playing Pirlo, De Rossi, Chiellini and Buffon over and over again in friendlies? If he doesn't know what they're capable of by now then he needs to be sent back to repeat kindergarten. He's failed to give our midfield opportunities to prove itself without Pirlo. What happens if Andrea is suspended as in 2008 for our crucial game? The way to make a team fight for the shirt in friendlies is to give unproven players opportunities to prove that they deserve the call, that they can challenge for a spot in the first team, that they can offer the team something different. I can assure you that if you had inserted the likes of Ogbonna, Astori, Santon, De Ceglie, Cigarini, Destro, Borini, Giaccherini and the like they'd have fought like dogs against the Ivory Coast, Ireland, the USA and today against Russia to impress the coach, not to suffer losses against teams that have never touched us before in our history.

You don't start experimenting in the second half, you actually trusat your playing group. Prandelli might as well have brought 12 players, that's all he'd use if he was given the chance. What possible justification was there for risking Gigi today?

I agree that Mole is being very harsh on Maggio however, though if Balzaretti is used then Abate would provide balance as a more defensive fullback so that Balzaretti standing 30 yards up the pitch doing nothing shouldn't be quite as devastating. If Chiellini or Ogbonna are preferred though I'd persist with Maggio, unless there's a specific left sided player to be shut down.

Godabate working his way into contention for a starting place without even playing. What a boss.

Abate is not the answer at fullback either.

In the end, you're going to see 3 CBs on defense and the wingback in Maggio. To compensate, the midfield with have De Rossi, Pirlo and a DM. The attack will be 3 players.

4-3-3. There is no other option for Italy NT imo.

Lex wrote:Greece will park the national debt in front of the goal. I'd like to see the Czech's, Russia and the Poles get through that beast

if ninis and some other youngsters start ahead of some veterans

beware of some beatiful footy in the opening game

i doupt so. rumours here already say he is considering not using youngsters such as ninis, but instead some experienced/veterans who may fit the defensive 4-3-3 style
ill commit suicide if this happens

Team news -

#England confirmed: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Parker, Milner, Gerrard, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Young; Welbeck.

Belgium team to face England: Mignolet, G Gillet, Vertonghen, Kompany, Vermaelen, Mertens, Witsel, Mirallas, Hazard, Fellaini, Dembele.


This Belgium squad has the potential to be in the top10.

Chamberlain vs Vermaelen.

16.17 Tom Atherton says: "I think this will be a tricky game but England will win 3-1 with Andy Carroll getting on the score sheet. Good luck to Roy and the lads. I think we can actually win the Euros this year."

16.14 Belgium team: Mignolet, G Gillet, Vertonghen, Kompany (c), Vermaelen, Mertens, Witsel, Mirallas, Hazard, Fellaini, Dembele.

16.10 England team: Hart, Johnson, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Young, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck. Subs: Jones, Green, Baines, Lescott, Jagielka, Henderson, Downing, Defoe, Rooney, Carroll, Walcott, Butland.


put rooney in that lineup and a :notbad: is deserved

also,belgium's defense is goat

I think France U21 would beat that England team...

Dembele playing centre forward dat adaptive GOAT


Supposedly how they will line up.

I think they could bear them too