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Exorcising Aldo Donnelli

June 14th, 2006 | By: Jay | 17 Comments »

The history of US/Italy matches can be counted on one hand: 4 meetings (3-1-0 to Italy). Two of those matches were World Cup matches; the 1990 match where the US threw a bunch of college kids up against the Azzurri, and 1934, when Italy walloped the US by a 7-1 scoreline. The loan goal that day was scored by Aldo Donelli. The US will be truly desperate to make Aldo a footnote in history by scoring a couple goals this Saturday, and I expect Lippi to field a more defensive squad and play the counter.
The US is vulnerable in a lot of respects, but they can get forward in a hurry if they get the wider players involved. The 4-5-1 lineup they used against the Czechs was woefully ineffective and I don’t think we’ll see the same tepid attempts to push the ball through midfield. You’ll probably see Donovan play deeper and get involved earlier. To that end, if Gattuso can play it will be a real boost to stop the incoming attack but I don’t see him playing much (if he’s even available).

And now it looks as if the Czechs have their own problems: Baros and Koller are out for the Ghana match and Baros might be done for the tournament. Although, who can believe anything regarding injuries– everything is a smokescreen these days.

Tags: Azzurri, Italy, USA

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Comments

By pao | June 14th, 2006 at 9:58 pm

I don’t think Lippi is going to field a more defensive squad. The squad has been playing a 4-3-1-2 during the last 2 years no matter who’s the opponent. This squad has a different attitude and very good midfielders, why should they allow the control of the game to Americans wasting their potential?

Posted from Italy

By Vin | June 14th, 2006 at 10:55 pm

Damn straight pao. I hope we don’t field a more defensive squad.

Our back 4 + Buffon can handle Donovan and Beasley and McBride (I hope / think).

Let the others do the rest. If our clearances are still spot on, the midfield and frontmen will have supply enough to do their thing.

I am praying for a Luca Toni goal this time around. He wanted a goal SOOOOOO badly vs. Ghana, and his shot off the crossbar was inches shy of being the goal of the tourney.

Posted from United States

By Vin | June 14th, 2006 at 11:09 pm

By the way, has anybody noticed that the main link to the Italy blog brings you to old blog posts? The newest ones (including this one) are not there.

Posted from United States

By forza italia | June 14th, 2006 at 11:17 pm

ITLL BE BYE BYE SATURDAY FOR THE USA, THE AZZURRI ARE ON FIRE THIS YEAR,WE WILL WIN 2-0 WITH LUCA TONI SCORING FIRST GOAL, TOTTI IS FINE SO THATS GOOOD NEWS WE DESERVE THE TROPHY THIS YEAR ITS BEEN SO LONG,IT WILL HELP ALL THE CORUPTION IN ITALY AT THE MOMENT ABOUT THERE FOOTBALL AND A THE SCAMS, BRING IT BACK TO ITALIA WERE IT BELONGS,CALCIO ITALIA

Posted from United Kingdom

By Lang | June 14th, 2006 at 11:36 pm

I agree, Vin and Pao. Arena seems to think that he will see the sudden re-emergence of catenaccio and conservative play. I’m not sure what he is basing that presumption upon. We haven’t seen defensive play from Italy in 2 years, and I can’t imagine why plans would suddenly change now. I’ll bet anything that we line up 4-3-1-2 again. Getting a win against the USA is imperative not only for morale but also because if the Czechs rout Ghana by a number of goals, we’ll need a win (rather than draw) against the Czechs in order to avoid Brazil in the 2nd round. I would be soundly displeased with a draw on Saturday, I must admit.

Channel4.com suggests that Grosso will likely be relegated to the bench against the USA because Zambrotta is coming back. Does anyone think that this is right? I would imagine that Zaccardo would be on the bench since Zambrotta can play on either side and Grosso (as far as I know) prefers to play on the right anyway.

Posted from United Kingdom

By pao | June 15th, 2006 at 12:23 am

Lang Grosso prefers to play on the left. I agree with you, I think Zaccardo will be on the bench, Zambrotta on the right and Grosso on the left.
I don’t know why Bruce Arena is saying that, maybe it’s just to put some pshycological factor on the match I don’t know. I know coaches should be aware of their opponents strategies, Arena seems to follow old stereotypes like catenaccio and so on without any idea about the way Italy plays. I can’t imagine he is incapable and ignorant about their opponents, I guess it’s some kind of mental strategy.

Posted from Italy

By pao | June 15th, 2006 at 12:27 am

Vin I am hoping a Luca Toni goal too. He deserved it, he played a great game. scoring can give a great confidence which is such an important factor in this competition.

Posted from Italy

By Italo-Americano | June 15th, 2006 at 12:48 am

A lot of talk about how the US needs to beat italy to get the 3 points. Are we in a different world, we all know Italy, whether they are good or bad it will be no problem to take care of the MLS guys. No need to give this match any importantcy, because it will be a one sided affair I just hope it will not be a total inhilation, but everything says that it will be, of course in the eyes of a football educated person not an espn educated, oh my god.

As for Mr. Lang,
I don’t know what are you basing your assumption on. Ghana got beaten by Italy for the simple reason which is that they made the fatal mistake of giving them to easy chances not because they were the better team in the field and that’s by the admittance of Lippi himself. Don’t count Ghana out yet, they will beat the Czechs you will see and the USA will be blown by Italy by even a bigger margin than the Czechs game. Lets be realistic here not sentimental.

By Lang | June 15th, 2006 at 1:19 am

Mr. Italo-Americano, I think that giving another team two easy chances would qualify as poor play (on the field), and if you watched the Czech-USA game, you would know that the Czechs were merciless with the chances that the USA gave them. Don’t get me wrong, it might be a close game, but Ghana just didn’t seem like much of a threat up front. I’d like to see Ghana snipe a victory, but I can’t see it happening, even though the Czechs are without Koller. Also, I think that the USA are far better than you seem to estimate them. Let’s not forget that this is a team who went to the quarter-finals of WC 2002, and weren’t it for a poor refereeing decision could have gone further.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Vin | June 15th, 2006 at 2:35 am

Ghana was MODERATELY strong, but they couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn on that given day (thank God). Hence my near heart attacks at our defensive breakdowns in the corners of the box, when Pappa-E or whatever his name was and/or Essien and Appoeh were left completely unmarked.

Hopefully, the return of Zambrotta will go a long way toward helping stop these breakdowns on the wings (we already know the middle is in great hands…er… feet). That’s why I said our back 4 + Buffon SHOULD be able to handle the US.

Of course, this is calcio, and anything can happen, as we all know. Moreover, the US is going to come out wanting to redeem themselves from that disgrace vs. Czech Republic.
That said, the US will come out running like crazy, and hopefully, that big dude in the back (the guy they call “Gooch”) won’t be flagrant in the fouls he WILL commit.

Damnit, I think I might be more nervous about this one than I was with Ghana!

Posted from United States

By Vin | June 15th, 2006 at 2:43 am

Bingo, Lang. You hit the nail on the head regarding Ghana’s up-front antics.

Them vs. the US is going to be an interesting matchup

Is anybody else worried about the Czech Republic? If anything, playing them might be a good preview of what Croatia will show us, should we meet them.

(By the way, I would rather face Brazil in the Round of 16 than Croatia. Croatia is no joke. Neither is Brazil, but I think our guys will come out foaming at the mouth wanting to beat Brazil if they faced off. Did you see the look in Totti’s eyes? lol Multiply that intensity X5, and that’s where he’d probably be if we faced Ronaldinho and co.

Posted from United States

By Gino | June 15th, 2006 at 3:04 am

Italy will have to be very serious about facing the US. Italy must come out to win and book their place into the round of sixteen.
I agree with Vin, I would rather have Italy face Brazil. Italy will come out to cautious against Croatia and they are very unpredictable. Italy know how to beat Brazil and lets face it Brazil is prime to fall this year. We’ll take it one game at a time. FORZA AZZURI!

Posted from Canada

By pao | June 15th, 2006 at 3:06 am

Vin you are completely right this is calcio you never know what it can happen. Well, being 30 y.o. this is my 7th world cup as a fan and I am not used to think as USA as a serious opponent (I know they are a decent team at the moment). If you say USA I think they are powerful in every given sport except football (soccer). That’s a arrogant typical attitude that comes with mother’s milk if you are Brazilian, Italian, German, Spanish and so on. Now the problem is: will our team get rid of this bad attitude? If the answer is not we are going to underrate USA (a decent team as i said before) and get punished. We underrated South Korea in 2002 and we lost, we underrated north korea in 1966 and we lost as well. I am sure USA is a better team than Korea so we’d better learn by our mistakes. Czech Republic is a great team maybe a bit old, they had their maximum a couple of years ago, now they are fading but still a great team. If I was brazilian I’d be not so happy to encounter them in the second round.
Croatia…Croatians feel a great rivalry towards Italians, when it comes to play us you can be sure they’ll put all theirselves in the match, they will be a very tough opponent.

Posted from Italy

By pao | June 15th, 2006 at 3:18 am

they would be rather, we aren’t qualified yet, nor is Croatia

Posted from Italy

By Vin | June 15th, 2006 at 3:18 am

Right on all counts pao. Hopefully, gli Azzurri have learned their lesson(s).

It seems like Italy’s neighbors always give them the hardest time, doesn’t it?

Posted from United States

By pao | June 15th, 2006 at 3:26 am

ehehehe yes Vin that’s what it is. I don’t know why.
I am really hoping we face Brazil in the round of 16, what a match it would be. I still remember the one in 1982…well unfortunately I remember the one in USA 94 as well…anyway Italy- Brazil, that’s what i want see. And if we lose well, no regrets in losing with them.

Posted from Italy

By Alessandro | June 15th, 2006 at 10:42 pm

Forza Italia !

Czech 3 - 0 USA
Italia 6 - 0 USA

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