To Pippo Or Not To Pippo, That Is The Question

Apparently Phil Collins was wrong, you CAN turn back the years, because Alessandro Del Piero and Pippo Inzaghi have both been doing it towards the close of this season with goal totals bringing great worry about the quality of defense in the peninsula. Somewhere pigs are flying, hell is frozen, Raymond Domenech is saying something intelligent, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Of course with form comes the chirps for an Azzurri call-up, something we’re all too familiar with lately from a certain Alessandro Del Piero, who won’t get his damn mug out of the media. So cue the calls for Pippo.

But first, Sir Inzaghi would like to thank someone:

“I have to thank Mother Nature for giving me the ability.”

Everybody got that? Mother nature.

I can’t stand Pippo Inzaghi. The guy is so devoid of athletic talent it’s infuriating. But I’d also have to be blind to not know what he brings to the table: goals. Somehow, someway, the guy just manages to score goals. It’s one of the great mysteries of the world, but it happens. So, given his form, should Donadoni bring him? Let’s break it down quickly:

Pros

- That goals thing. They help.
- His familiarity with Andrea Pirlo, the guy who will undoubtedly be pulling the strings in Swissaustria.
- Form. (9 goals in his last 5 games.)
- Experience

Cons

- If he doesn’t score goals, you might as well dress up a turd in a Puma kit and send it out onto the field, because he’s useless.
- The formation. Chances are it’ll be 4-2-3-1 or a similar variation, which leaves only one true striker up top. That striker’s name is Luca Toni, non-negotiable.
- Marco Borriello is also in form, but he’s been so since September. Plus he adds more dimensions to the attack and is younger. In essence, he’s just a better choice as the first choice off the bench for vice-Luca.
- Numbers. If Del Piero goes, which looks probable, then Donadoni can’t really waste another striker selection on a guy who will be second choice at the very best, third choice most likely.

And that’s basically where it ends. With 20 spots open sans-keepers, Donadoni is probably going to take 6 forwards (including Camo, who will be playing on the right). He has to take at least 6 mids and probably 8 defenders, though the selection of Christian Panucci along with Zambro’s left/right ability adds some flexibility there. Those six forwards right now?

Luca Toni
Antonio Di Natale
Mauro Camoranesi
Fabio Quagliarella
Marco Borriello
Alessandro Del Piero

Plus there’s Vincenzo Iaquinta who, though not a first team regular in Torino, has all the right qualities for this team, not fantacalcio lineup. I really don’t see him staying home, especially given the fact that he has some versatility to boot. And that’s before we get into the debate of The Don going batshit crazy and deciding to take along a certain immature, volatile Sampdoria phenomenon.

What does all of this say? Form is nice, but there really isn’t a spot for Pippo Inzaghi on this team. Hell, the more I think about it, I’m not sure there’s a spot for Alessandro Del Piero. It’s about creating the best team, remember.

Then again, this is Roberto Donadoni. One never knows what, if anything, is rattling around in his brain.