Comments on: “…With my Mind on My [Midfield] and My [Midfield] on My Mind…

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:02:00 +0000

Ironic to hear from someone who styles himself “Livin a dream” that WE should refrain from fanciful thoughts (dreams) and be more realistic….

We’ll beat Brasil in the round of 16. You watch. Our positive energy and support are going straight to La Nazionale!!
Forza Italia!!!!

By: Livin a dream

Livin a dream — Tue, 30 May 2006 04:26:48 +0000

IMHO – Don’t even start with the Brasil-Italy idea…..if we meet Brasil (and yeas I am an italian fan) we need alot more than DeRossi and Gattuso to stop them.

Lets be realistic folks Italy may have a chance to win if someone else does us a favour and kicks out Brasil

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 24 May 2006 21:04:56 +0000

I don’t think there is a natural replacement for Camo, but Lippi regularly subbed de Rossi and Perrotta for him in the qualifiers, as well as Barone (who is a wide player for Palermo). Semioli or Marchionni would have been nice though…

By: rinaldo

rinaldo — Wed, 24 May 2006 16:44:34 +0000

libertino, esposito’s not in the team. And it really worries me that we have no sub for camo (on either side).

By: wamdiego10

wamdiego10 — Wed, 24 May 2006 12:12:25 +0000

Height and weight….
Zantheman :

Hello,
We’re not in basketball man!
Some forget it today, but the quite short height of england attack is not an disadvantage.
The JUMP is much more important than the height:
Look at the greatest heading player:
Ivan cordoba, Roberto Ayala:
173 and 177 cm …..
Cannavaro: 176 cm ….

I remember you that owen scored 2 headers in the end of the friendly against Argentina (nov 05) to win 3-2 (ayala had been subsituted just at 1-2)

Else, I agree with you italia’s got the best attack with Brazil AND the under mediatized Argentina.
But this will depend a lot on Totti and del piero form, no doubt about Luca Toni.
France has got great names in the lineup, but untill now they are unable to create moves, Zidane looks alone and old.

By: libertino

libertino — Tue, 23 May 2006 18:25:41 +0000

Gatuso to start (he is more solid and will provide more of a defensive wall), but if the Azzuri go down a point or two, De Rossi to substitute (as stated, he is more creative and can open up more opportunity for good goals and even score himself).
Definitely Pirlo in the centre, and I would play Totti as a trequartista, which would put him in a play-making as well as scoring role.
Seeing that it looks like Zambrotta will be put in a more defensive role, I would have Camoranesi (good playmaker with quick reactions in passing) on the other side, but if Italy go down a couple, get Esposito in (incredibly fast, small and agile in the box, and great ball skills, though not as good in the pass-connecting department).
Up front I would definitely have Toni to start. Save DelPiero and Inzaghi for later. They are excellent, much more experienced and reliable players. If they do not have to exhaust themselves in the begining, they both have a great record to come on and score late goals.

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 23 May 2006 14:16:28 +0000

Thanks Trent, and probably the only one. lol.

I must have posted a minute or two after you, so i missed your query. Anyway, yeah, I’d tend to go sooner rather than later because this way Lippi could instruct Rino to go 200% for the first hour. If Rino knows that DeRossi will enter in the 60th minute, I think he could manage his energy accordingly. That is, he could afford to run himself into the gound so that he’s completely spent by minute 60–>which translates into a suped-up Rino. (Or the equivalent of Diego Maradonna’s energy level circa 1986).

Pedal to the metal for the first 60. 340 w/ six pack (i’m talking muscle cars, not fat guys and beer). then we switch to a modern, sleeker, sportier Ferarri. That should pose problems for the other drivers.

Vin, you mentioned Perrotta. Great point about the Roma middle. They would really gel together wouldn’t they?? That might be an excellent idea– Perrotta is certainly more offensively minded than Pirlo, and DeRossi could play defensive mid. I doubt Lippi would be so bold to start that way. Perhaps sub in DeRossi and Perrotta for Gattuso and Pirlo in the 60th minute. Not bad at all….

By: Vin

Vin — Tue, 23 May 2006 03:29:55 +0000

Yeah, up front we are in good shape, but we were talking about the midfield, right?

The only logic I see in putting DeRossi out there ahead of some of the others is that he has played on Roma with Totti, who will presumably be in the middle somewhere. …then again Perrotta’s from AS Roma too, so maybe we’ll see a 75% Roma midfield at some point.

I would go with the “Growl” before DeRossi. He has the ferocity to make people’s lives a pain in midfield, and we need that.

We have no shortage of talent in the midfield, but at the same time, it’s not an overflowing bounty like our front. To be honest, I kind of like that. If I am sitting here scratching my head about who’s going to get played, maybe the opponents will to.

Josh – You mentioned Kaka’. He’s a threat, to be sure, but I am not TOO worried about him for two reasons: 1) Our guys have played with him before in Serie A, and 2) I don’t know how he’d fit into the Brazilian system. Is he going to be comfortable distributing, or is he going to want to go flying up front? More importantly, if it’s the latter, will the R’s give him an opportunity to do so?

We’re talking about Brazil an awful lot lately. I guess we all want a piece. Personally, if we were eliminated, but gave Brazil a solid thrashing somewhere along the way, I’d consider that a really great consolation prize. I guess we’ll see what happens though. We need to concentrate on Ghana and not underestimate them one bit.

By: marco DeMichele

marco DeMichele — Tue, 23 May 2006 01:44:17 +0000

yea luca toni is the best .. have been saying so for the pasy 12 months … i mean sure vieri has not been the same the past few yrs but at the beggining of this yr shiowed he still had it, just was finding it hard 2 put goals away, prob due to lack of confidence – i agree that he does not have the skill of kaka, but he is exactly the same a luca toni, showing that strength and speed is just as good – and with not being able to dribble, iv seem him score some nice goals when obtaining the ball from 35 yards out and dribbling into the box… any way viva luca toni

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 23 May 2006 01:29:40 +0000

France had Henry and Trezeguet in Korea –when both were four years younger, and they managed to collectively hit the post. I agree with Zantheman about Vieri. He was great in ‘98 and then had a decent opening game against Ecuador in ‘02, but has been asleep ever since. In fact, ever since he missed that sitter against S. Korea, he’s been a completely different player, domestically and internationally.

Luca Toni = ‘98 Vieri. Lookout.