The Future Number 9

Pazzini is better then Rossi

Pazzini doesn’t even play…

Pazzini misses as bad as Gomez

Posted from  United States

Nice piece.

However, I don’t think Rossi is “built” for a “true” number 9. His attacking prowess is undeniable, and I KNOW he will a great striker for Italia soon, but I don’t think he can be that dominant number 9 we need.

The reason I say this, is mostly the height factor. A number 9 must be good with his back to goal, he must be terrific with his head, and he must be able to shield defenders off while the ball is at his feet and allow other players to run off him. Rossi doesn’t really fit these requirements. NOT to say that Rossi isn’t a terrific player, he is. I just don’t think he has the physical build to be a true number 9.

Posted from  United States

What about SuperPippo? Truly a #9 if there ever was one.

Posted from  United States

Rossi is more of 2nd striker..
Here is a great goal by Rossi for Villareal
http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/1a_division/goles/es/desarrollo/1053834.html

alessio, I’m totally agree with you, Pippo is true #9 without any argues!

Julian, it seems to be late but I really want to welcome you in this blog! your posts are great, full of passion and intelligence) thank for this, you really know what you’re doin’)
let’s hope that Borriello will prove his worth with Milan, but now (I’ve have noything to add in this case) Rossi have all the qualities to become this true #9 (like Pippo was and maybe is)

And some other thoughts.
So we’ve got a great defender, but we need two of them) really need!
and I hope to see (and read with pleasure) in the future your opinion about the second central defender. And about defence at all)

and for now again… thank you for the posts!

Posted from  Russian Federation

Rossi is NOT a true number 9! The only time I’ve ever seen him used as a center-forward, he got kicked up and down the pitch by defenders who saw how small he was (he still managed to get a goal and an assist though… insanely talented).

It’s kind of hard to figure out who exactly Rossi can be compared to because he’s got so many different facets to his game. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that he most resembles Del Piero. Del Piero can be a huge creative force when he wants to be, but he’s got a striker’s instincts and isn’t really a fantasista in the purest sense of the word. This describes Rossi’s style in a nutshell, although I’d have to add that he seems to have Totti’s brand of footballing IQ as well — he’s an extremely cunning player (more so than, for example, Messi who has the ability to just run through and dribble defenses in a very direct manner) and his chemistry with Giovinco is really a sight to behold.

If they can translate the current understanding they have at the youth level to the senior side, Rossi and Giovinco (and whichever number 9 ends up starting in 2010) could form an extremely potent attack. Possibly one of the best in the world.

I’ll be keeping my eye on these two during the Olympics.

P.S. For what it’s worth, Zola thinks that Rossi is the “Italian Messi”. I’ve also heard Cassano comparisons as well, though I think that Cassano is more of a flair player (though not necessarily more effective).

Posted from  United States

Osvaldo(Argentine)
-Acquafresca(Polish)
-Rossi(American)
-Balotelli(Ghanaian)
-Borriello

Michel oliver, it is amusing to see you , of all people , a French trying to be jovial..
Osvaldo has 50%Italian blood and is playing in Italy at his peak..
Aquafresca( the name itself is Italian)has an Italian parent and grew up in Italia and honed his skills in Italia and has represented Italia in the junior ranks..
Rossi–was born in USA but to 100%, i repeat 100% Italian parents and has dual nationality and has the right to decide on his career..
Balotelli was adopted by sicilian parents, virtually played all his football in Italia, honed his skills in italia and Ghana has nothing to do with his development, in any case, he is still not an Azzurri player, he has all the rights to decide on his career..
It is very ironic that a French man like Michel oliver id highlighing the issue..If u did not know, 20 of the 23 French squad are not even Europeans, theyare all Africans..

@ Domeneco
the point im trying to make is in the future young players will have many options because of lineage. It’s a good thing, i myself have different lineage.

Posted from  United States

I see Domeneco, Nitti, Tuscani etc you are very aware of player’s race and nationality, now how about discussing football, you never gave damn anyway. I pity you since you seem to still not understand the premise that nationality is a simple piece of paper with a stamp, nobody is 100% for we all come around each other and mix, for whatever wicked reason you believe your ‘people’ share a higher class, education and honor-beside the funny sounding giocci preziosi names…aquafresca! give me a break for the love of god. You insult anyone who isn’t 100% etrucian or arian (note that you are mixing two different concepts here) The fact that you demean french africans because they aren’t napoleon look alikes proves you have many lessons yet to learn young grasshopper.

Posted from  Spain

guys, just get educated that the poster 9 champs league is none other than the Arab boy(well arabs r spainish r arabs as the whole world knows) white is right( what white??only ur finger nails and ur eye balls!lol)..We do believe that we r superior to spanish, because we are miles above spanish in all aspects, food, culture, heritage, skin colour, descendency……………………..4 world cups..atleast, even our dark people and players(nesta)r clearly european and have chiselled features which ur spanish players DONT have..
just to sutt u up, ur coach Arangones has chiimp nose, fat lips, a clear sign of arab descendency..argue if u can Arab boy!!spanish and mexicans r the same for the whites..

Posted from  Spain

Hey Julian,

You know what I would love to see? An evaluation of the best Italian players per decade – in other words an all ’30s, ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and ’00s Team. No war years, obviously. This would probably be toughest for the ’30s, what with two world cups, “european champions”, and olympic gold medal winners. Easily the best decade for Italian football ever.

I would also love your selection and thoughts (through a blog post – no less) on:

The best Italian team to never win the world cup (I vote for the ‘90 squad)
The best Italian team to win the world cup (I vote for the ‘06 squad)
The best Italian team ever at a world cup (I vote for the ‘90 squad, again)

Hey, it will give you plenty to post about during the lackluster summer, rigth?

Posted from  United States

And could we please knock off all of the racism here?

Posted from  United States

It is a fact that Spain has always been a notch above Italy in football, be it when one compares the national squads or even the clubs. Real madrid has 9 CL titles and i dont see Milan winning another CL atleast in my life time with these grandads. Also, AS ROMA will be humiliated by a tennis like score by the Euro giants. Spain has just won the Euro cup, watch out now for Real madrid to run through Champions league and Spain to dominate in 2010 world cup. Spain will dominate the world of football like never before. Italy will go from bad to worse.
Campeones!!!Hala madrid!!jajajaja

guys, iam the real 9 champions league titles, always watch out for the flag when you read comments, though i must admit that Italians and Italian football and italian clubs suck with a big S. Match fixing, diving/cheating training regimes..defending and playing anti-football at all costs….this are italian values for you.
arribaderchhi

Posted from  Spain

by the way, i love David Villa´s brown Paki looks..also, iam enamoured by the hooked noses which our spanish girls seem to have inherited from their Morroccon forefathers..

Posted from  Spain

an italian accusing others of hooked noses…now ive heard it all.

Nice approcah porky, of course nobody was bound to find out its you using my name, after all your vocabulary is so broad and rich and your style a myriad of variety right…or not.

Posted from  Spain

really? roma humiliated? hmmm, well then hopefully roma gets “humiliated” again as it walks right through real on its way to the successive round.

and is it really “a fact” that spain has been a notch above italy? how long has that been a fact, for 88 years?

Posted from  Canada

Guys, i have lived in America for 15 years and i have been refereed to as a Mexican by many uncouth Americans but that is just a reflection of their uncultured, stupid veiw. I can assure you that though being a bit burnt and with coarse, blunt features, we spanish are also latin just like Italians, French and others. This season, if madrid happens to meet Roma, i can assure you guys that it will be a 10-0 win..We will humilate the useless Roma who gets humilated by man united

Posted from  Spain

Wow nice try there porky, how many hours did you spend trying to change your style and words…coarse..not bad at all, good work porky, i see signs of improvement in you, keep it up. Graaande porky graaaande.

I think you exagerated a tiny bit there with the 10-0, but now that the milanistas have ronaldinho…perhaps they can fight for at least the 4th position this year and play the CL legitimately instead of surprisingly getting ascended due to some last minute steaua bucharest cheat scheme lol

Posted from  Spain

Trip to milan 200 euros

hotel and match at san siro 280 euros

The look on porchetta’s face cheering for non true white europeans and non save his milan….priceless : )

“but but but nesta has chisseled features” lol rolling off my chair

Posted from  Spain

We have got Porky’s nuts here in Germany … preserved in a glass … Come and see … And you can borrow a microscope for free, too …

I wonder if porky was at san siro praising and calling grande a the new “Arian” saviour, ronaldinho! isane to watch all those demented fans with ultrarightwing insignias yet welcoming someone who theoretically they’d hate!

Posted from  Spain