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Comments(177)I really don’t like friendlies. I don’t like the fact that people read so much into them when the players really don’t care as much; I don’t like the fact that we spend so much time analyzing them when they’re little more than practice sessions against players of a different nationality. At best they can show the desire of fringe players to step it up and make the first team. But overall, friendlies don’t really tell us much of anything.
I didn’t get to see the game against the Netherlands, but I think it’s ultimately irrelevant. We tied 0-0, which is great on some level. Last time we played them we lost 3-0. So what changed? Did we get better? Absolutely- a Cannavaro-Chiellini pairing is miles ahead of Materazzi-Barzagli. But is that it? We still didn’t score (legitimately) so is our attack just as impotent? Did the Netherlands get worse? How much can we really read into this?
At best, a minimal amount. We can say for sure that our backline can hold out big teams in friendlies, but that’s about it. If this was a World Cup semifinal, the Netherlands would’ve been much more determined and focused, but then again, we would’ve been too. And it’s for reasons like that that I think we should just enjoy friendlies and probably not read too much into them.
Next up is a friendly against Sweden. They didn’t qualify for South Africa so they might actually be more dangerous than the Netherlands. Instead of playing it safe to avoid injury, they might as well just treat this like a competitive game and go for it. Lippi, though, isn’t taking it as seriously and sent home some of the bigger guns, meaning that we should see youth in this game. But again, no matter what happens, I would look more closely at the individual performances than the scoreline.
Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 177 comments.
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Nesta and Chiellini would be our ideal CB pairing if both were healthy for South Africa. Fact!
But, unless Nesta changes his mind, it won’t be
Dilemna- For Nesta to even CONSIDER coming back, he would prob need to not be playing 2 games a week deep into the season. But for the good of Italian footy, Milan needs to advance in the CL. Hmmmm
Well, for me the Azzurri always come first, even above Napoli, so you got my answer on that one
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CAN WE GET A NEW THREAD ABOUT THE DRAW, THESE BLOGERS SUCK I NEVER COME ON THIS SITE ANYMORE
Things r getting clear by the day..It is sad to see people not giving Lippi the recognition he deserves,he is a master strategist..cassano, as we all know , is ineffective when man marked..and if he loses his cool, he can cost the team..Gilardino ,Iaquinta, Totti,Rossi and Dinatale will be the strikers for the world cup..
Aquilani,Pirlo,gattusso,Camoronesi,Candreva,Marchisio,DeRossi will be the midfielders and buffon,marchetti and Amelia will be the goalies…
Buffon
Grosso-Canna-GC-Zambro
Camronesi-Prilo-DDR-Marschio
Totti
Rossi
I would like this line up for what we got
stasio, if Lippi, by chance selects ur selection, we will lose even against Honduras and finish last in the group..Guiseppe rossi is a waste of breath, he doesnt deserve azzurri colours yet, totti will be back..if not for iaquinta, gilardino and the likes we would not even be in world cup
http://www.football-italia.net/nov30v.html
il pupone, TOTTI will consider a comeback and he will be back and he is very much essential for that playmaker´s role..cassano is a waste who can cost us..the squad??
Buffon, Marchetti, DeSanctis
Maggio,Zambrotta,Chiellini,nesta,Canna( for inspiration, GOD pls break his leg or something),Gamberini,Grosso,Crsicito
DeRossi,pirlo,gattusso(for inspiration and supersub),Camoronesi,Marchisio,Aquilani,Candreva
Totti,Iaquinta,Gilardino,Pazzini,DiNatale/Quagliarella/Toni/Boriello(whoever is on fire and form)
by the way, guiseppe Rossi is going from bad to worse, he was pathetically poor and abysmal against a bottom club called gizon in Villareal´s last league match saturday, he was useless, GOD help us if Lippi selects this one-dimensional , useless short, physically weak american
^ nothing new 2 say Senor from spain.
we who watch liga can report nilmar (on fire 4 brazil) was more useless on saturday 4 villareal. villareal struggles r due 2 da new tactics u/new mgr
& off form of da midfield, senna, injury 2 cazorla. etc
Posted from 
United States
i like this st. 11
—————-buffon(c)————-
zambrotta-bocchetti-chiellini-criscito
camoranesi–de rossi–pirlo–marchisio
——–cassano———-totti——–
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elX8hOB3eZ8
Posted from United States
This is what the team should be:
——- | Buffon | ——-
Abate/Maggio/Motta – Chiellini – Nesta – Criscito/DeCelgie
——– | De Rossi/D’Agostino | ——
Pirlo/ Marchisio —————— Giovinco/Candreva/Camronesi
——- Super Mario/Totti —— Cassano/Adp
——— Pazzini/Gilardino ——
There you have it, experience, youth, vigor, skill, strength. I know some of you will say “Well sir, Motta doesnt play, and Balotelli is going to get us a card, or Cassano doesn’t rise against big teams.” and to you I say the following.
Yes some of these players don’t play so much now, but soon they will. So why not start them at the national team level? About Balotelli, I reckon mourinho is doing more harm than good for this guy – I’ll explain at a later date. And Cassano doesn’t rise against big teams cause he is on a nobody team at Samp. When he plays large teams, they just crowd him out with three guys on him, like Genoa did. It’s hard to move whenever you touch the ball and they take you down. If he was on Juventus or Milan he would fly, cause those teams are not one man teams.
Finally, a guy an dream. What happens if you take this team to the world cup? We win? We lose. Heck if we lose, what’s the harm in that? We built chemistry and experience to dominate the euros and the world cup. With the current team we have, the best thing that can happen is we win the world cup, the worst thing is that we lose any given match, are eliminated and have to start from scratch using the 2012 euros as an experimentation process.
Marco, some of the players on your team don’t even play or are subs for their clubs and you want them to be on 23 to World Cup?
Come up with better ideas dude.
that video from michel-olivier just shows what could have been!
Posted from 
Australia
and i would love to see Gilardino cut loose for Totti to come in
Posted from United States
Totti must and will never be selected..he has fancy footwork and he is technically still very good but he is injury prone plus he has lost his speed plus he will be 34 next summer plus he has lost his physical approach, he will be gobbled up by tough defenders who will make him look like a eunuch plus he quit the azzurri when he was required the most..
michael oliver posts a video dated about 7 years ago..lol and it is funny to see stoopid glory hunters eulogising the video as if it can happen today..facts r facts..cassano and totti were great technically naturally skilled players but tODAY, they will be easily man marked outta game by tough defenders..
Posted from 
Spain
italia2006, didn’t you read what I wrote? I am well aware that some of those players don’t play as often as they should. But we should still send these players to the matresses and build experience.
@eduardo/5star
u from spain r vain
Posted from United States
iam an italianmintining money in tenerife, spain, we have three restaurants..but what the hell!!iam 100%italian blooded, iam not from sicily, my ancestors did not run away to america and australia, i mean 99%of the bloggers here from canada, usa and australia ARE NOT EUROPEANS, FORGET ABOUT BEING ITALIANS.. u r all glory hunters..facts hurt but facts r facts..i would never dine on the same table with a sicilian dark fellow from america like u or ur father or ur ancestor…amauri is not an italian, guiseppe rossi is not an italian, motta is not an italian, zarate is not an italian, balotelli is not an italian, we dont want non italians and that too untalented ones in our team
Posted from Spain
^ u r vain & not italian & cowardo from spain
Posted from United States
no skin off my pink arrrse jackson…facts r facts..i DARE u to attend a derby in san siro, u will be put to ur place because of ur skin colour and origins..u r a glory hunting sicilian NERO..we iatlians dont need blacks like u as supporters..net is the place enjoy glory hunrting u american..
it is just ridiculous to see americans and australian tools in this forum talking from their dark asses..they want the one dimensional midget Rossi in the team because he is an american with some italian ancestory!!Rossi is a collosal flop this season with his club and he has ZERO goals or ZERO assists or ZERO impact in world cup qualifiers..even paloschi or maybe guiseppe sculli(this bloke has heart on his sleeve for Genoa, the way he plays) or Floccari or Boriello or even Tavano must be considered ahead of the weak american midget Rossi
Posted from Spain
@eduardo / 5star – no da facts r that r vain & not italian & cowardo from spain
Posted from United States
blacks like u cant speak about facts…dream on, u r just a glory hunter, as a matter of fact, even spanish people r more european than sicilians like u, u and mikederobbio and gio and mario and daddio and gio and all the american based sicilians R NOT ITALIANS..u r niiigggers
Posted from Spain
@eduardo / 5star – real facts r ur vain & a bigot from spain.
Posted from United States
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Alessio, they were only down by a goal. One offensive player – giovinco would have done the trick, Ferrara completely and unnecessarily over exposed himself at the back. I can understand him doing that if there was a more pressing scoreline but it wasn’t necessary.
About Cassano and Pazzini. I’ve noticed a trend in the last number of games for samp. Teams have decided to target cassano with a constant bombardment of two or three guys on him at all times. The rest of samp is a weak side. I thought cassano played very well regarding the rough tactics genoa imposed on him. he delivered balls, he forced a red card against genoa what more could you ask for? Pazzini was nowhere to be found.
Back to juventus, how was Chiellini allowed to continue this match? He was gushing blood all over the place. In an age so concerned about disease I am SHOCKED that he was allowed to continue in the manner he did. Did the ref not see this? It was an extremely odd decision on the part of the ref.