Francesco Totti: Talk to me in April

Totti’s definitely the best player in the country available to Lippi, but he can no longer play behind the strikers. And it takes away from his current strengths. He’s a tremendous goalscorer first and foremost these days and as Capello said “It’s insanity to take Totti away from the goal”. That’s what Lippi’s team lacks. Pirlo is the playmaker with 2 defensive mids behind him. Totti can lead a line and should do in SA. The word trequartista can never appear in front of his name again.

Totti never said not playing for Lippi’s Italy team in a world cup, Period. So there is no hard feelings between him and Lippi.

We all know the circumstances that Totti “retired” in. Totally understandable and circumstantial. So it is not a valid point that he needs anybody’s “forgiveness” or “acceptance”. If Totti think is fit to play for Italy, and Lippi needs him, there is a place for him. Period.

If Italy wants a real chance of repeating, Totti has to be in the team. No team member is against him back. They all know that the team is missing. Let’s pray that Totti is healthy at world cup.

Actually, Lippi is smarter than Donnadoni in not calling Totti early to avoid such awkward situation with Totti. I predicted last year that Lippi won’t bother Totti before the world cup and that he will call Totti next year just before world cup.

Totti totally can play Trequatista today. Lippi will play him behind 1 or 2 strikers. It seems in Lippi’s strategy, the strikers must do “blue collar labors” – the work that Gila and Iaquinta are willing to do. Such labor release pressure in the mid and back line by hold the ball high with back facing the goal.

HERE WE GO AGAIN…

http://www.football-italia.net/blogs/si65.html

If Lippi can retire from National and come back, why not Totti?

If Lippi called Totti for the qualify, in cold Geogia or not, Totti would have went. But Lippi did not. Smart Lippi! Donadoni would have called Totti anyway. That’s stupid.

Ask youself, do you want a repeat or not? If so, you know the right answer to it.

The lack of a fantasista on this national team makes the return of Totti a must.

i agree with with francesco…ordinarily i would have said totti’s too old and injury prone…but since lippi hasn’t chosen any good trequartista…he’ll be a great addition

i completely agree with vivaldi

totti won’t be playing behind the two strikers… he will be more of a second striker now. Despite not playing as a trequartista, his creativity will still be there, which is much needed

totti is no longer a trequartista. he will be da main stiker in 4/2/3/1 or main striker w/iaquinta next 2 him.

sadly vivaldi there will be no repeat with or without many of your “hero” this team will look strangely like the 06 team but with four years of age piled on top…this team was doomed from the start.

Gianfranco, that has lot of truth to it for many of my “heros”. But not for Totti. Regardless of age, Totti has to be there. Totti was only at 50% in 2006. His current fit is much better than that. I am not saying with Totti, the chance is 100% (I would say on the ball park of 10%). But without Totti, it’s 0%.

The team have lot of young blood to choose from. But maybe too little too late. What Lippi should have done was giving young player lot of chances early on. Although, there is still time.

The “middle aged” players gained four years of experience and in their prime, such as De Rossi and Gila. But sadly, not many in this age group.

The age issue is centered on two defensive possitions really. I don’t need to spell their names. In other possitions, there is no age issue. It’s more quality issue.

Totti doesn’t have to play trequartista, he could as well play as deep lying forward.

Totti being in the group changes everything it’s really that easy to comprehend. The mentality, the goals and objectives for the tournament, the spirit of the players, the confidence levels everything is changed.

And personally after his inability to deal with the pressure in 02 (not helped by Trap’s holy water and negative tactics, or the referees obviously), because he started very well with that Ecuador match), being half-fit in 06, this 2010 could be his best ever world cup.

Forza Totti! I hope he comes back , as well as Nesta. I have been saying this for awhile. You have Nesta paired up with the 25 year old Chiellini, and put Totti upfront with a forward who will run. I would use Totti as the target man, and mix it up with him and the other forward moving around.

But, you will need some “legs” in the midfield who can carry the play. Young guys like DDR and Marchisio to do a lot of the running.

true say daddio, this could be his best world cup

reason totti has become a full striker is 2 beat baggio 218 goals in seriea. 2 bad! totti could top baggio seriea goals, but he is no baggio.

or the reason he converted from a treq to a striker had something to do with that ankle break he suffered. He still is a main target for a lot of rough challenges, but think about how much more he would be subject to if he still played as treq? that is just my thoughts on the subject.

Can you even imagine how well little Rossi will play with Totti? I think Totti can bring him to another level of efficiency.

The ideal situation, given the restrictions of the manager, would be the return of Nesta and Totti, and a resurgent Gattuso. Would a 4-2-3-1 make sense, with Totti at striker, Marchisio/DDR/Camo behind him, Pirlo/Gattuso(obviously a giant ? mark), and the obvious four in defense?

Come on now, Totti has right to play where ever he wants to for Roma and if that gets him more goals than Baggio then so be it.

Effective strikers in abundance? Yikes, have you been watching the same matches that I have? Even in 06 we did not have an “effective striker,” our matches were won by guys like Grosso. There is something to be said for a total team game, where anyone is capable of scoring, and does so (e.g. 06), but having a striker that actually causes fear in the defense is something we lack and would help the team.

I find it okay that people are against his return to the NT. They have their own reasons, which might be valid. What I find inexplicable though are those who advocate Amauri’s inclusion in the NT over Totti’s.

Both haven’t played in qualifiers. Amauri’s first possible game in Azzurri will be in group stage. How on earth does one prefer an out-of-form, internationally inexperienced striker for WC over an in-form already Azzurri guy with tons of experience?

Otherwise, come April we’ll see.

lazio adios from da europa league

for me, it all depends on whether totti is fit in April, if he is then invite him, if he is still struggling with injuries, don’t invite him. Sometimes it is just that simple.

I don’t even know where to begin here! So much happening, the draw is friday and we’re talking totti! not even the prospect of seeing the Azzurri and Les Blu battle it out in the group stage is nearly as enticing as Totti

Alright, just a couple quick remarks from browsing the … remarks to this blog.
1. Totti is no longer a trequ because he is simply too old and too fragile.
2. Totti is a necessity for this azzurri team. With 0 creativity at the moment this would be a fresh ‘gust’ of air – I say gust because everything is stale at the moment.

So what does Totti bring to the table? Is he a game changer at this late stage in his career? Firstly, Frankie Totti would make the #10 on any national team. That’s just how good he is. If he is indeed selected by Marcellino Lippi then, I would say the Azzurri are better off then when they left the pitch against Sweden. No denying that. But does Frank bring what is needed to the table. Hardly.

In my watching of Lippi’s second go as Azzurri manager I can say with a clear conscience that a variety of things have been missing from this azzurri team. Speed, creativity, solid ‘Azzurri Grade Defence” – I would consider the three the most urgent matters at hand. Totti’s (potential) arrival may ease pressure on the topic of creativity. But it does nothing for speed or defence, which may actually be more urgent following the Calgiari/Juventus match.

With that being said, will Lippi even bring Totti? I reckon that if the Azzurri are drawn into a group of death Lippi will likely be calling Cassano as well. It all depends on friday. Marcellino, no matter my past remarks, isn’t a complete moron. Arrogance will have to subside sooner or later for the sake of the legacy he plans on leaving behind. If we’re drawn into a group of death, you can bet, Frankie Tott’s and Sir Cassano are going to South Africa. For either or both of them not to go will result in our certain demise in the group stage.

Here’s a fact, with the lack of investment in finding suitable and credible replacements for Zambrotta – Cannavaro and Grosso we will need to bank on scoring lots of goals, regardless of the opposition. If we plan on scoring we will need creative attacking players, capable of scoring, and dishing out the passes. At Totti’s age and physical fragility he cannot do it all alone, which is why Cassano needs to go. If these two suit up behind a pazzini or gilardino the goals will fly. Come south africa time we will not be able to rest on the laurels of a galvanizing 1-0 victory. Or bank on the possibilities of opposing teams getting red cards – alla USA, France, and Czech in 06. The likelihood is with a guy like chiellini running foul in serie a and getting away with it, we may cause some of our own predicaments in South Africa.

By the way to those of you who only read part of my remarks and throw out your opinions aimlessly. What I have said above is simply – Totti should be brought in, but to remove defensive pressure from him (he’s fragile), we should also throw Cassano in too. Because at the end of the day our defence will not be able to withstand what it used to. also, of course this is hypothetical, I already know the likelihood of Cassano going is marginal at the very best if not damn near impossible

Serritella you know as little about football as anyone I’ve ever come across who’s written more than 5 sentences about the sport.

“we have effective strikers in abundance..Gilardino…Iaquinta..DiNatale..Quagliarella(he is too good, he will come out of his bad form)..pazini..palladino…”

This above sentence is proof of my claim (and of insanity I might add).

even if we get lumped in a group of death, lippi still won’t take cassano…he’s a stubborn mofo and would rather let italia get hammered and knocked out of the group stage than swallow his pride.

I feel lucky every time I get to watch Totti play. What sort of idiot would NOT want him on their team? It’s a no brainer, and that’s why Lippi’s been coaxing Totti to come back since he was reinstated with gli Azzurri.

i have been considering this for a while now and it is clear that Totti needs to come.

he is by far the most creative player in Italy and that creativity can be put to good use.

it is true, he is old, not as fast, a bit fragile, etc. …. but, contrary to what MARCO says, we do not need speed alone to be competitive. the Italian game is not about moving the ball faster to beat the opponent, rather it is about creating space from which and within which to attack. it is about superior tacticality, not better physicality. this is how teams like Roma can defeat much better funded opponents like Real Madrid and Chelsea, who can afford better and faster individual players.

the proof itself is within Totti’s vision which has earned him more goals this season than any other striker in the Italian game that anyone can name (19 goals in 14 games) … despite his age. his contribution to creating scoring opportunities for others is also evidenced by his fantastical ability to distribute the ball.

so he may be older, but he is more experienced than ever before, and this is experience where it counts, experience that has no paragon. as such he needs to be played as a true striker. he is not fast enough to be in a 3/4ista position any more, and it would be a waste of his goal scoring ability for him to be stuffed back behind two other forwards.

sure, it would be nice to have one or two fast players up front, but in the end, it may help but it doesn’t win games (…see France).

it should also be considered that Totti will get triple teamed and draw defenders away from others to open up space, as well as drawing a lot of fouls that will result in a good number of set pieces.

Totti should definitely be there. i only wish the rest of the team Lippi should select would be there with him.

and i would love it for Totti to come in and bump Gilardino

By gio | December 3rd, 2009 at 12:21 am

and i would love it for Totti to come in and bump Gilardino
Posted from United States

Gio

this shouldn’t even be a debate. a fit Totti in April MUST go to the WC. his ability to hold the ball and distribute is godly…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHiv3JngHoU

5stars, fortunately for Azzurri fans, you don’t make the player selections. Seriously,

Let me get this straight, if Totti is selected, it will “cost Lippi the world cup”??? I had’nt realised that that we looked so convincing in the qualifiers and Confederations Cup. If that’s the case, you’re right. Why bother considering Serie A’s leading scorer (while playing in only half the games this season)…Italy should just show up to the WC tournament with their 5th star already sewn on their crest.

Wow there’s another Marco!? This is getting out of hand

Anyway, Tomorrow is the big draw people. A bit more of our world cup journey will be revealed. I stand by what I’ve said earlier. Lippi’s team will be molded in part of what the outcome is of tomorrow’s selection. He’s not a complete idiot, he will need to maintain his legacy, which has been undoubtedly been tarnished during his second tenure.

I like your optimism Marco but I do not think it will happen. There is no way in hell Lippi will call Cassanno.

Marco, in many ways every group will be one of death. There really are no slouch teams, aside from NZ, SA, and Switzerland.

O_O

While going through the history of all world cups, the video montages talked about the winners as well and their highlights/qualities of the tournament. Like for France it praised their defense. For 06, the montage focused on Germany as the hosts and didn’t mention Italy’s highlights at all!

FIFA and Italy.

I always love Fifa sanctioned events. Such a bias against Italy/Italians it’s not funny. I mean we are the reigning world champions and yet Brazil is receiving more coverage for their 2002 victory than the Azzurri. If your in Canada CBC’s coverage is the fucking worst. They’re covering england, they showed a montage of team’s selections from the past, they showed Brazil, Argentina, England, Portugal, neatherlands – Ummm where was Italy? hmmm

I smell a bullshit world cup ladies and gentlemen. It’s looking 2002 all over again.

totti is the great of the world for football.

Draw is on right now.

Italy in Group F.

From Pot 2 Italy will meet:
New Zealand

Excellent!

So far so good. NZ should be easy.

Paraguay. Not bad!

NZ should be a no brainer. Paraguay will be tricky, but we should take that.

The Fuckin French get South Africa,Uruguay and Mexico. What a joke!

Paraguay …. interesting.

BTW, how easy does england have it. When your toughest test is USA, you should be quite satisfied

I have a feeling we will get Portugal

Slovakia

Very nice group!

Or maybe not, Slovakia. I will take that.

Honestly, I think Italy has THE easiest group out of the Pot 1 teams. France is going to have a tough group as Mexico will be a hard opponent and I’m sure South Africa will be given favors in order to get out of the group and into the knockout round. Groups D, E and G will be awesome to watch.

We’re in a pretty simple group over here.

Italy – Slovakia – Paraguay – New Zealand. The Azzurri should sail through here. The true tests in this world cup are coming in the round of 16. Does anyone know the tournaments structure yet? how plays who in the round of 16. Cause we could map out the route to the 5th world cup.

Sadly this guarantees Lippi to continue with his limp formation and squad. What he will need to do is randomize the team enough to keep everyone fresh for the group stage and into the round of 16.

Brazil is in a tougher group, but to be honest I don’t think any of the big teams are in too much trouble. I would have liked england to have a rougher situation but what have you.

What the hell – this is a boring WC. Not even a single group of death. And damn the French – first they are undeservedly in SA and then they get probably the easiest group. Damn them.

If you ask me, the hardest group is Brazil, Portugal, N Korea, and Ivory Coast

Rahul: Group D and G are not hard enough for you?! Portugal, Brazil and Ivory Coast together? Germany, Australia, Ghana and Serbia? D is hell imo.

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France = France, Mexico
Group B: Argentina, South Korea, Nigeria, Greece = Argentina, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia = England, Algeria
Group D: Germany, Australia, Ghana, Serbia = Germany, Ghana
Group E: Netherlands, Japan, Cameroon, Denmark = Netherlands, Japan
Group F: Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Slovakia = Italy, Paraguay
Group G: Brazil, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Portugal = Brazil, Ivory Coast
Group H: Spain, Honduras, Chile, Switzerland = Spain, Switzerland

Na, Germany’s group is easily the hardest group! Good God, you would think I live in fucking England. I hate Canadian state television CBC.

I agree Mike R. That group is the closest thing there is to a Group of Death in this WC.

I think we would crossover with group E in the round of 16, then after that, Im not sure. So, provided we qualify, we are likely looking at Denmark or Holland.

@Jorid – No, they are not. Hard groups (for me) – where the favourite team (Group D: Germany Group G: Brazil) have problems in qualifying. They both won’t – the fight would be for the second spot. I wanted this as a group – Argentina, France, Ivory Coast and USA. That would have been completely messed up.

I know Marco, thats why everyone was pissed when CBC got the rights to this WC here in Canada. The coverage is weak. You would never see this on TSN or Sportsnet, everything would be covered.

Apperently some of the game are going to be on a channel called BOLD??? Brutal.

Bold is some secondary CBC channel on digi cable. This is really poor coverage. It’s unbelievable how racist CBC is. TSN always had fantastic coverage

@ Marco, LOL. I dunno about racist, but it seems they blow up about 90% of their budget (aka taxpayer money) on Hockey, 5% on shitty Canadian produced shows and the last 5% on the biggest sports spectacle in the world. Screw CBC! TSN and Sportsnet were fantastic last world cup. Better coverage, better studio hosts, better analysis.

BTW, some game are on TLN, which is fine, but in Vancouver, BOLD and TLN arent in HD, which sucks (hopefully I dont sound like too much of an ass complaining about games not being in HD)

@Rahul lol, that would have meant that the USA would have lost every match 9-0 lol, instead of the 3-0 that they are going to lose by. I still think France and Mexico will have trouble against South Africa because the latter will most likely get favors by FIFA.

I loved the hostess’ comment though. When they were drawing France, the crowd booed and the guy asked “no comments?” and the girl said something along the lines of “sometimes no comments say more”.

@Jorid, if FIFA favors a team against France, its the one time I wont complain. I personally think SA are crap, but sad to say, they will find a way to progress.

If France doesnt progress, who wants to bet that that scumbag Domenech will blame those stupid Vuzzula’s or whatever they are called.

My predictions!

Quarter-finals
02 July (Netherlands) vs (Brazil)
02 July (France) vs (England)
03 July (Argentina) vs (Germany)
03 July (Italy) vs (Spain)

If it was any different at that stage I’d be very suprised.

After that it’s anyone’s guess – but I’d like an Italy- England final

Italy’s group looks easy on paper. But in reality, Paraguay and Slovakia are very good teams.

i think italy have it the easiest, i think there trickiest might come against slovakiaa, after all they qualified first in their group, and ousted czech republic and polandd

Ummm I think we’re all forgetting Paraguay beat Brazil and Argentina. I am expecting Italy and Paraguay to advance from this group.

But that’s not to say anything. I have no idea how good/bad new zealand is, or how strong slovakia is. After looking again at the groups, the one thing I do have to say is that this world cup should produce some of the strongest Quarters – Semi’s and Finals we have ever seen. Putting upsets aside. We could really see some super competitive stuff come the round of 16.

I will also bet the USA beat England. Everyone is putting this team off, but let’s face it, they made it to the finals of the confed cup, and most of their players play in England.

It is Italy vs England for Finals of WC 2010

Italia might have a good chance to win WC for the fifth time.

Chris: you’re predicting that not a single African team will make it to the quarters? Really?

As for Totti, in spite of his talent, there should be no discussion. He retired. He hasn’t contributed bubkus to qualification. I say he can buy tickets like everyone else…

Berlusconi will weep.

Spaghetti ~
But it will depend on the meat sauce.

Totti ma vafammocc!! Si nu figl e ndrocchia!!!