Italy-Brazil

Marco, agreed about all by Zambrotta. He is old, but he’s outpacing almost everyone out there, as he does at Milan too. He and Grosso rule the flanks.

Posted from  United States

*all but Zambrotta

Posted from  United States

Yeah. Zambrotta would be a great defenseman if he could ever bother to learn how to defend…

It was friendly Brazil plays hard when it doesn’t matter.

Good news: Rossi, Zambrotta, Grosso. Lippi did not deserve the win or the record.

Bad news: refs still treat us “special”; without Pirlo we’re just not the same; Chiellini alone cannot solve all that ails this defense…

Posted from  United States

Everyone but Zambrotta and Rossi looked like they didn’t want to be there. At times the whole team was bunched up in one place like a wall. Toni wasn’t that bad though, you have to admit.

Posted from  United States

And you have to admit that he wasn’t that good, either ;^>

Posted from  United States

I can’t believe this game. I thought would take this game but there is just no life in this team. If we play with this attitude in the future the WC will be tough to get through.

Posted from  United States

Toni was not bad at all

Posted from  United States

Matched up against any goalie but Julio Cesar, he might put 1 or 2 in the back of the net

Posted from  United States

The team should be built around De Rossi. Pirlo is magical but in today’s game it makes no sense to be a playmaker from that deep (I was saying this for months, not just today). Opposition will pressure and pressure and pressure until you cough the ball up, which is what happened tonight. De Rossi not only protects the ball better but is tactically and physically better, and almost as good technicaly.

Build it around De Rossi and the kid from Jersey. Brighi IS national team quality, guy is a gem on both sides of the ball. Pepe, fuck off. You are a mediocre player on your best day. Gilardino, you do nothing for the team. Keep scoring goals for Fiorentina, doesn’t matter…Floccari is 100X the player you are. You better wake up Lippi, you’re making the same mistakes Donadoni made for 2 years straight.

Posted from  United States

this G. Rossi is class, I look forward to seeing him play with some capable players. And as I say that there was just a great rebound for luca toni to put it away, but the guy is SOOOOOO SLOW! Really come on is this what we are showing the world we have? There are so many more capable players than this available.

Another little observation Buffon should relax on the apparel he brings to these games (national/Juvenutus) and come out and play the game. I mean, he looks as though he is putting more thought into his headbands and how he looks than anything else. He’s a great keeper but it just demonstrates to me where some of these players are.

Let’s talk Zambrotta: The only reason I would keep him on this team is because I don’t know who can replace him. I don’t know if there is anyone. At one time Zaccardo was the replacement but then that kid went off on a career of mediocrity and that was the last I saw of him. Dossena looks to be ready to take over from Zambrotta, but we need to see him first play with this team to get a better understanding if he is actually ready.

The thing about zambrotta is that he does the SAME crosses all the time. Teams are reading them very easily. Not to mention his defending is awful. He continuously gets burned. This is why Barca and even Milan have begun to phase out the Zambrotta – at least Barca did successfully. I do not question his sprint speed or athleticism. I question his ability to play the game against a talented team. He is no longer at this level and should be removed.

I did touch on another thing in that Zambrotta paragraph above that I think really needs to change. CROSSES. Brazil showed us today the way we at one point in the last couple of years played the game. little/quick passes to make space, one touch football. What happened to that? When did that successful style of football get replaced by this long pass/ slow dribble / get it to the wing and cross it in football? This form of the game was very unsuccessful in Austria/Switzerland and has been continuously unsuccessful during this second stint for Lippi. We need to go back to the drawing board and introduce the concept of TRIANGLES to these players and coaches alike. The beautiful counter attacks which were so awe inspiring during the world cup and are signature pieces of Lippi’s Juventus teams are absent in this edition of the Azzurri.

Defense. We have always prized ourselves with this position. Teams of the 60’s and 70’s were the absolute pinnacle of defensive teams. World Cup 2006 we managed to put on a stunning show with spectacular defense and a fast breaking counter attack midfield. But like even the motor in a finally tuned Ferrari F40 certain parts begin to wear and they must be replaced. Grosso is impeccable and maybe the most underrated player in the world. When Chiellini returns I guarantee he will be elevated to the status of best defender in the world. But today showed me, that Mr. Fabio, a man who has served our country very well throughout his career may not have the legs we require from him to play such an important role. He did get burned a number of times by the young quick breaking Brazilian offense. Maybe it’s time to see who else besides Legro is out there to partner Mr. Chiellini.

On a final note, I have many problems with this team. I have voiced them time and time again on this forum and feel as though I am repeating myself. Some of you will hit back with the ‘Lippi is putting together a team, give him time’ routine and some of you will agree with what I am saying. At the end of the day, I have no problems with any of these players. They are called to serve our country and they do the best job they are capable of. My problem is with the person making these phone calls. It seems to me that he believes he has some sort of mandate to do whatever it is he feels like. Because there was a public outcry during the Donadoni era for a return to Lippi, his ego seems to be over inflated. To me, he has put little to no thought into this team. He has kept it the same + or – a couple of players who weren’t figuring into the system anyway. Agree with me or not, Mr. Lippi is on course to completely embarrass us in 2010. If today wasn’t embarrassing enough at how amateur and disconnected our team really is I reckon 2010 will be the icing on the cake.

It seems to me, Mr. Lippi and the hierarchy of Italian football are clinging to some sort of old guard of players. They are not willing to give those that deserve a chance any chance to wear their national team colors. It is a shame that this team and a number of Serie A teams have been stuck in this mentality. They are all on the very cusp of an Italian Calcio Golden Age with some of the young talent that is out there. A second World Cup in succession I believe is easily within our reach. It’s simply a matter of doing away with the old, keeping the useful and integrating the new. Mr. Lippi has NOT BEEN DOING THIS.

I guess Cigarman didn’t deserve a record any more than Di Vaio deserved a call-up afterall. he

It seems to me, Mr. Lippi and the hierarchy of Italian football are clinging to some sort of old guard of players. They are not willing to give those that deserve a chance any chance to wear their national team colors. It is a shame that this team and a number of Serie A teams have been stuck in this mentality. They are all on the very cusp of an Italian Calcio Golden Age with some of the young talent that is out there. A second World Cup in succession I believe is easily within our reach. It’s simply a matter of doing away with the old, keeping the useful and integrating the new. Mr. Lippi has NOT BEEN DOING THIS.

Amen.

Posted from  United States

If Simone Pepe can play RW for the national team I might as well start cleaning my boots and showing him what I got. Guy is barely a professional player.

Posted from  United States

ricci, agreed on pirlo. apart from his poor form since 06, he is really left isolated in this aweful 433 that we seem to insist on playing since the donadoni era. there is little opportunity for link up play up to the forwards if you dont have at least one of the forwards dropping back (like rossi was doing in the second half) or have a legit, creative outlet in the midfield to take the pressure off (in a 4-man midfield preferably). we played a horribly static 433 and were getting schooled through the middle as a result. as soon as we populated the middle with another midfielder, things changed a lot.

Posted from  Canada

You guys should stop panicking so much. It’s only a friendly and there was obviously no pace or passion in it. The Brazilians looked quite slow too; they have a few fancy players who managed to get 2 goals. We didn’t. It’s not a big deal. We had a few good chances ourselves…

1. Stop bashing on Zambrotta. He’s one of the fastest wingers in the world. He’s not a bad defender either, I don’t know where that accusation came from.
2. Rossi is the future. Pirlo and Perotta are the past.
3. Luca Toni may be slow, but he is pretty damn strong, a kind of Italian Emile Heskey. I think there is still some juice to be extracted from him. He IS a good player – he’s the main goalscorer of the best team in Germany, for crying out loud… and for a reason!

As for Lippi’s personal record, I couldn’t care less. I’d rather see us winning important games and losing unimportant games (like this one) than tying a bunch of important games in a row.

Posted from  United States

i think the pepe experiment might have finally ended today after the first half. if not, lippi should consider resigning.

Posted from  Canada

actually, i thought zambrotta (and grosso) did okay today, all things considered…at least on the offensive side of the ball. however, i’m not sure he is going to be the answer in 18 months time.

Posted from  Canada

lippi needs to sort stuff out. im getting worried. I don’t think he’ll get it together for next year at all. Forza Azzurri 2014!!

Posted from  Australia

THIS is how our lineup shouldve been from the start:

Buffon
Zambrotta Cannavaro Legrottaglie Grosso
Camoranesi De Rossi Pirlo Perrotta
Rossi Toni

I have no idea why we played Gilardino or Pepe at all, or why we used a 4-3-3, or why we didnt call up Miccoli, Totti, and especially DEL PIERO!!! If Lippi had made better choices this game wouldve went alot differently, and Italy most likely wouldve won in my opinion.

4-3-2-1

Buffon
Zamb-Chiellini-Cannavaro-Grosso
Gattuso-De Rossi-Brighi
Rossi-Aquilani/Camo
Toni

play that lineup and we will confederations cup this summer. Play with training cones in the midfield and on the wing like we did today and we will get destroyed.

Posted from  United States

I really think this team desperately needs the creative services of Totti and Cassano. Totti is and was especially huge. In my opinion he continues to be, year in and year out the best Italian player currently playing the game. I am also still of the opinion that he retired from the national team specifically because he saw the Donadoni coaching era as a farce. Had lippi continued as coach and not quit to begin with, or a credible coach was hired following lippi’s departure, I am of the mind that Totti would have simply asked for a bit of time off to recoup and gather his form with his club team.

After today’s performance, there is no real creative player on this team, aside from Pirlo (I’ll talk about him momentarily). In the world cup, even with a sub par Totti, we were still threatening. Aside from a couple long balls today we looked pretty obvious. Believe it or not, I really do think we are head and shoulder’s technically superior than any other nation and I also still believe that our best players, when playing their best can rival any nation. The problem is with the vision for this team. I don’t think Lippi’s vision is where it needs to be, which is disappointing. How many more quality players are going to be wasted until Italian football realizes what mistakes their making.

About Pirlo, it was said earlier in here, I will say it again. WHY IS HE PLAYING SO FAR BACK? This guy is our most creative asset, yet he’s being used in a holding position. That job should be left for De Rossi (who is absolute quality these days.(this coming from a guy who doesnt hold a high opinion of him)) Against a team like brazil, I would have played with two holding midfielders. De Rossi and Nocerino would have been my top two choices, Gattuso (if healthy) would have been a close third) We needed to plug up that center field and pressure their creative play makers. Guess what, we didn’t, and they burned us. I think that is one reason why our defense looked a bit like swiss cheese.

A special message to Mr. Marcello Lippi. I have been a great admirer of his for quite some time. Loved him when he was manager of Juventus – even though I felt he killed the career of the Divine Ponytail. I was a massive supporter of his and backer when he was selected as National Team Coach and knew without a doubt in my mind that he would win the World Cup in 2006. I was also, a big advocate of firing Donadoni in favor of a return to the Lippi era. With that being said, Mr. Lippi is and has been doing something that has really bothered me since his return.

Before 2006, Lippi would select players for the national team, if they didnt work, he would tinker, he wouldn’t select some of them for the following match, he would bring new players in, leave some home etc. I remember going to watch a friendly, Italy v. Serbia Montenegro in Toronto. That match Italy had NO STARTERS! All the starters were back in Italy attending Frank Totti’s Bachelor party. Unknown players to the outside world made the trip to Toronto. One big lanky unknown guy was named Luca Toni – Spent most of his time in Serie B – but some how he was leading serie a in goals, everyone thought, ‘pf beginners luck’. Another guy was a tall lanky defender with a smile plastered on his face, on Fabs Grosso. These guys were nobodies. They were on the Cinderella Sicilian team of Palermo. Little did anyone know at the time (1 year from the world cup) that Luca Toni would score 2 goals in the quarter finals and Mr. Grosso would not only score the game winner against Germany in the semi’s but he would also score the World Cup winning penalty.

Alright long story short, Lippi isnt experimenting at all. Some of you will say ‘YES HE IS’ and to you I say this. Give me one example. Lippi put Rossi there because it was the most logical thing in the world to do. People were complaining about the fact he didnt change anything from the Donadoni era, so what does he do, he boots del piero and brings in rossi. WOW. what a move! The ONE good thing Donadoni did was that one game against South Africa. If you recall he brought in young nobodies, sure we heard of some of them, but who knew Rosina was that good? Had Donadoni continued that tradition he would still be coach today. Lippi on the other hand has taken a safe approach. With a group as easy as Italy’s, I know I would have taken a number of gambles on a number of players. Test the talent out two years before the cup, bring the intended team together of the Confederation cup, win or lose, tweak it a bit in the year of the cup, condition them a month or so before, win the cup, that should be the philosophy he needs to follow. We are already 1 year behind in development of this team.

Agreed 99% ricci. Thats an awesome lineup. I hope Lippi plays essentially that in WC 2010, though maybe working in cassano and del piero from time to time.