World

Europe

Italy

Italy-Brazil Live Blog

June 21st, 2009 | By: Paul | 190 Comments »

Here we go, game on!
We advance with a win, or a tie (if Egypt ties or loses)

1st- Dossena takes the throw-in, he’s in for Grosso tonight.
3rd- Maicon makes a dazzling run down the right, passes Dossena with ease and almost chips Buffon. The whole play is nulled for offside.
4th- Toni easily pushed off the ball, but Camo hits a great cross. Lucio clears for corner, looked dangerous. Good start.
- Another corner, DDR almost heads towards goal. Pressure still on that end of the pitch.
6th- Fabiano passes wide to Ramirez, hits the post! What a chance!
10th- Kaka (I think) had a good chance, blocked by the centre backs. Brazil pushing up the pressure.
12th- Fabiano in the box, pressuring Buffon, but Chiellini and Zambro there to shield and get Buffon to the ball.
(There was a corner earlier and Buffon looked like he was about to shit himself….what happened to him, Mr. Confident?)
14th- WOW. Kaka plays a sweet ball through, Fabiano all alone 1v1 with Buffon and Gigi slides away with it.
19th- Corner Italy. Bad clearences from Brazil, but the Italians get blown for the foul.
20th- Iaquinta played through beautifully! RIGORI!!! Nope, just a VERY marginal offside. SOOO CLOSE.

(Donovan really just fucked up a golden opportunity for the US. Damn, we need many goals from them)

GOALLL FOR USA. Egypt down 1-0! After Donovan messed up a possibly beautiful chance, Davies scores a scrapper of a goal. This really helps Italy!

24th- Awkward clearance sequence from Zambro and Chiellini. Juan is subbed out??? Wow.

It’s a hamstring problem. Juan out, in comes Luisao.
Luca Toni hasn’t scored an Int’l goal in 18 months. Wow.

27th- After a few missed headers, Camoranesi JUST MISSES a beautiful volley. Just a foot over the bar!
29th- Pirlo with some dazzling dribbling, but Dossena shanks his cross.
30th- Brazil with some beautiful possession, Maicon’s cross finds Fabiano and his header just wide!
The whole attack started with….guess what…Toni giving the ball away!

32nd- Corner from Maicon, flicked out. Another corner, that one looked deadly almost.
2nd corner is headed out but right to Brazil, Lucio hits it across, IAQUINTA DEFLECTS OFF THE BAR!
CORNER AGAIN, LUCIO VOLLEYS, BUFFON PARRIES! Someone else hits it over the bar. What an intense 2 minutes!

36th- Maicon through, FABIANO GOAL. No offside flag….idk… 1-0 Brazil
It was perfectly timed, both Cannavaro and Chiellini looked like they were standing in cement.

38th- Maicon cross, Fabiano almost gets some kind of foot on it.

Anyone wanna count how many times I’ve mentioned Maicon so far? Looks like Dossena is getting PWNED.

40th- ITALY SUB already! Iaquinta off for Giuseppe Rossi.
Why not push Iaquinta inside and take Toni off? Vincenzo has looked 20329049 times better than Luca

43rd- 3v3, beautiful stuff from Kaka and Robinho, and Fabiano finishes after De Rossi completely misses a tackle to take it from Robinho.
2-0 Brazil
What was De Rossi tackling there?

44th- Italy Corner, Rossi flattened by Robinho, no foul. He counters 2 v 2, cross is slid in by DOSSENA. DOSSENA BEATS BUFFON, OWN GOAL!
WHAT A DISASTER!!!!
3-0 Brazil

The USA might advance now, wow.

HALF TIME: Italy 0 Brazil 3.
Goals: Fabiano (2) Dossena (OG)
The announcers say “those in Blue shirts are stunned” Are we really? I have to say most of us saw this coming.
I’m happy this is happening, maybe this disaster will be the only thing to get Lippi to change his fucking mind that this team has the wrong players and formation.

2nd Half
Pepe in for Montolivo. LOL!
I wonder if this will pan out like Roma’s season. After humiliating losses the fans stormed Trigoria. Are fans gonna storm the plane when the team returns tomorrow?

47th- La la la, more shitty crosses with no one on the end of them.

Sepp Blatter up in his luxury box smiling and laughing. His favorite team is getting killed! He’s in heaven!!!

48th- 3v3, Cannavaro beat, Chiellini has to foul. Yellow, and a good free kick opportunity coming.
Santos couldn’t get it to dip enough. I wanna see Pato come on and put in the dagger. It would be a nice big FU to Lippi and Italian football.
53rd- Pepe cross over everyone. Counter, Robinho dances around Chiellini but he gets it away somehow.
Any idea what our formation is right now?

Looks like 4-2-3-1

57th- TRADING SHIT for SHIT: Gilardino on for Toni.
59th- Every attack has been via a cross. We need to go through the middle a bit more. Who would help that? Hmmm, I’m thinking of a certain player from Samp.
62nd- Camo with a pretty sweet ball, Pepe can’t control it. What an opportunity! He was on the corner of the 6 with just Julio Cesar to beat.
64th- Rossi takes matters into his own hands, blasts one from 30 yards, Julio Caesar hits it away.
65th- Dossena crosses, Gila flicks it and couldn’t sneak it into the near post.

Italy holding possession and the attacks. Wait for the Brazilian counter.
Rossi and Pepe looking not too bad!

67th- Rossi with another great strike that Julio Caesar can only palm away!

USA 2 Egypt 0, they need one more I think to get through.

68th- Robinho dances with Chiellini, Kaka just misses the far post. Wow.
71st- Pirlo hasnt scored a free-kick in 18 months. It hits the wall. Corner, Pepe with a blast, another corner. Headed out. Lets go for a 3rd. Short this time, nothing comes from it.

My internet disconnected. Didn’t really matter, it’s over. The game, the tournament, me yelling at the TV, and Marcello Lippi being an idiot. (Ohh no, that wont change)

Brazil 3 Italy 0
United States and Brazil Advance

Tags: Group E

Italy World Cup RSS Feed

Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 190 comments.

Read the rest of the comments

By Josue | June 21st, 2009 at 10:23 pm

I think G. Rossi chose the wrong team, at least as long as the “genius” of Lippi is at the helm!!!

By Sam | June 21st, 2009 at 10:25 pm

Yeah Paul, I agree with you about the youngsters. But I hate Inter so it is extremely hard for me to do so.

Im a Roma fan, and for gods sakes, with all the injuries we had this year I was waiting for us to find our own versions of Santon or Balotelli in our team. I was waiting for D’Alessandro to come on and explode but he only really got like 10 minutes against Juve and then a bit more time against Torino at the end of the season.

Im sick of the mentallity in Italy that youngsters are too inexperienced to play. I know some coaches are protecting them from the media but if they are good enough let them play for crying out loud. Even Riise has said that one of the key differences in Italy compared to England is the fact they dont use their youth even if they are capable of competing at the highest level!

By Panna | June 21st, 2009 at 10:35 pm

Marco, good call about Pepe firing completely useless crosses into the box without even looking. I gained a bit of respect for him because he looks like he plays with a fire inside. While his pace was good in this tournament, his decisions were awful.

Posted from United States

By Sasha | June 21st, 2009 at 10:39 pm

what’s all this about Cassano being able to save the team? He was given a fair chance by Donadoni (of all people!) and produced absolutely nothing of note. Rossi? yes. Giovinco? yes. Cassano? no. Aquilani > Montolivo

Posted from United States

By Leite | June 21st, 2009 at 10:40 pm

Man did Italy get humbled and humiliated in this tournament! (just like at the Eurocup too!) And you know what, the only reason Italy beat the USA was because they were playing 11 vs 10, but if it had been 11 vs 11, I doubt they would have gotten so lucky! Hopefully now Lippi and Buffon learn to be a little bit more humble and realize they are not as good as they think!

By Valdani | June 21st, 2009 at 10:48 pm

Brazil > Italy
Egypt > Italy
11-man USA > Italy
10-man USA < Italy

By alessio | June 21st, 2009 at 10:56 pm

Response to Marco:

De Rossi – Pirlo: Very poor game from both of these guys. Pirlo may indeed be finished and no longer capable of being a guy who distributes the ball well.
How is Pirlo finished more than De Rossi? Pirlo played relatively well in all games, and that’s with Gattuso being exhausted after minute 5 and De Rossi playing poorly positionally and giving the ball all the time. He had strikers in poor form, fullbacks who weren’t fast enough, and a midfield giving him zero help. What was he supposed to do?

Gattuso: This was probably the game Gattuso should have played.

Brazil is fast. They raped us on the counter. This is NOT the game for Gattuso to play.

Chiellini: But I do think there are better players out there.

I will freely admit Giorgio wasn’t at his best this tournament, but who in God’s name do you think is better? He’ll be fine at the World Cup, he plays big in every big game.

It all begins with Cassano, how he could be at home is beyond me. Pazzini, Brighi, heck even Palladino and Nocerino I would have brought, for my money their great. Of Course Foggia should have been there. What about D’Agostino? or Molinaro? or Marco Cassetti? Rosina anyone?

Do you just browse the web and spout names you see, or do you watch Calcio? Palladino had an average season, Molinaro is hated by most Juventini, Cassetti has been absolutely disastrous for Roma and Italy this season, and Rosina’s team got relegated with him as captain playing a very indifferent role.

It’s the Confederation’s Cup, for God’s sakes. Everyone chill the hell out.

Posted from United States

By alessio | June 21st, 2009 at 11:02 pm

You know what’s pathetic? That Inter, who have the lowest Italian contingency of any team, are the ONLY TEAM that play their youngsters! Balotelli and Santon get a ton of playing time, and besides the useless Grandpa Materazzi, they are the only Italians on the team.

Balotelli has been playing for about half a season, since two wingers flopped, and Adriano drank himself to Brazil. He was gifted his spot, and while he has taken it very well, it’s not like Mourinho did with Santon and picked him up out of nowhere. Regarding Santon, yeah, kudos to Mourinho for giving him a shot, but it’s not like he played a full season…in fact he later was benched.

Everyone is overreacting. Lippi saw who was fit to play and who wasn’t. He already axed several ‘06 players from the team, and he’ll continue to do so.

Posted from United States

By kurdt | June 21st, 2009 at 11:04 pm

You can’t be serious about Cassano, he was the best player we got in last Euro. Toni should be blamed for that, the guy missed a hundred chances. KA is definitely better than Montolivo but the problem is he hasn’t been playing lately, I prefer Rosina above these two.

Posted from Taiwan

By lev lucien | June 21st, 2009 at 11:47 pm

alessio…. serious question here….. do you ever blame management?

you really defended ranieri all season and continue defending lippi.

lol at Marco seriously suggesting that half the team flat out retire. anyone complaining about Pirlo this tourney loses any credibility.

By ricci | June 21st, 2009 at 11:49 pm

The main problem is the midfield. Our defenders wouldn’t be getting so exposed if our wide forwards and midfielders wouldn’t lose the ball so fucking much.

Watch the game again, there were counter attacks with 4-5 Brazilians running at 3 Italian defenders. Don’t care if you are a prime Baresi or Maldini, there’s just nothing you can do about that.

The fullbacks are also extremely poor at holding the ball/tracking back too. Zambrotta gave the ball away waaaaaay too much and Dossena is just a bag of elephant shit. Look at Maicon, guy makes an 80 yard run, and then sprints back to cover. Our guys are jogging back casually.

Pirlo and De Rossi were both very bad. They both tried to do too much, forced the issue, and gave the ball away. Most of the Italian sites gave Pirlo just a low of a rating as De Rossi.

Sorting the midfield out should be #1 priority. I’m having serious doubts on De Rossi and Pirlo co-existing in a 3 man midfield.

Posted from United States

By telli | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 am

9 champs leagues is a racist douchebag … i don’t even bother to read anytyhing he writes anymore

By kqql | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:11 am

No marco we are not suprised…..and I am glad this did happen now……and not @ WC 2010.

By lev lucien | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:12 am

I’ve seen daryl delete posts before….are the bloggers here not allowed to?

By donadinghi | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:17 am

Doc Latin,

Balotelli and Santon were not really played significantly by Mourinho. in fact that’s why Balotelli threw his hissy-fit and threatened to leave. and Santon was only played towards the end of the season because of injuries and tactical shifts.

Alessio,

just because this is only the Confed Cup, do you really think the same group of players that were put on the field could really get far in the WC?
the whole team sucked. it looked like Brazil were playing fucking Cyprus out there.

in defense of Cannavarro, i have to say most of his problem was that Zambrotta was not there when he should have been and Fabio was out of place trying to cover for him. i am a big Zambrotta fan, but i think it is time to keep him as a sub and play Motta, who by the way is better than Santon.

the midfield sucked across the board. DeRossi and Pirlo are still having trouble with positioning and playing together. both are fantastic players and deserve to play, but their fielding positioning needs to be adjusted. Montolivo sucks. anyone saying he is “alright” should no that you don’t put “alright” on the national team. he sucks and will continue to suck.

i have already said it for 2 years, Gila & Toni will get us nowhere and they continue to. Foggia, Iaquinta, Rossi, Quagliarella, Balotelli, even DiNatale, hell, call up DiVaio or Miccoli.

this is bullshit.

By Yi Da Li | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:36 am

G. Rossi is good but not good enough. He cannot be the solution for Italy’s attack.

Rossi does not have and, sadly, will likely never have the required tenant for the position that he is playing fro Italy. Only four players in the recent history has that kind of talent to play that role: Baggio, Totti, Cassano, and Giovinco. Luckily, three of them are still playing. Italy needs at least two of them on the team (Not that all of them should play at the same time). Giovinco should be in the National team.

Italy must play 442, period. The reason is not Italy can’t play 443 attack. It’s they are not the best at defense in a 433.

Of the 2 in 422, the “1” should be Vieri/Inzaghi caliber and the “2” Baggio/Totti level.

For the “1”, Toni needs to go! Gilas can stay. But bring in more depth in this position who is at least 182cm unless he can score as efficiently as P. Rossi or Inzaghi. If Inzaghi is as fit as last season at the end of the next season, I’d say bring him to S.A.

Italy’s back line is getting old. Yong players should be given more chances as early as possible. Or else it’s going to be too late for WC 2008. That said, Italy miss/need Nesta!

I am for bringing new young faces but for Nesta, Totti and Inzaghi, I’d say bring them if they are in shape and condition. And willing.

Finaly, Give Cassano a chance!

Posted from Canada

By gio | June 22nd, 2009 at 12:58 am

MARCO,

i agree with every thing you said, very articulate and to the point.

i have to say #1, Iaquinta is fantastic. if you actually look at how much time he has played and not how many games (he is often put in for the last 15 to 20 minutes of many games), he has scored 12 goals in about 1600 hours of play: that is about one goal every 130 hours or the equivalent of one in every 1.4 games. in the very limited amount of time he has appeared in the Azzurri shirt (equivalent of about 6-7 full games this year) he has scored against Ireland and 2 against New Zealand. again, that is pretty good.

#2, Dossena plays in for Grosso, not Zambrotta, so it should be Motta or Santon who would stand in for Zambro. i used to really like Zambrotta, but i think it is time for him to be superceeded.

By gio | June 22nd, 2009 at 1:09 am

anybody think Lippi has a ‘plan’ in mind here?

i have been asking myself, is he maybe trying to slowly bring new, younger players in while some of the older players are still around so that they can hand down their wisdom before some “final changing of the guards”?

is he maybe trying to loose now to bigger teams so that later they will expect less of us if we meet them in the later stages of the tournament (WC, that is)?

is he trying to convince Josep Blatter that he doesn’t have to pay off refs in the WC in order to eliminate a Zambrotta-Gattuso-Toni-Gilardino-Pepe-Italy (which, of course, was done in 2002 (and worked) AND 2006 (but didn’t work), and then sucker punch everyone with a Motta-Brighi-Foggia-Pazzini-Pellisier-Italy?

he is not a stupid man, but there are few people having seen the last 10 games or so who would not be able to tell he is really going in the wrong direction.

any ideas? WTF?

By alessio | June 22nd, 2009 at 1:28 am

lev lucien, I give blame where it’s deserved.

I’ve criticized Lippi’s non-call of Cassano, and there’s several other players who should be on the team. I think his biggest mistake is sticking with Donadoni’s 4-3-3, and not immediately switching back to a traditional 4-3-1-2 or 4-4-2. But I think he’s doing a decent job and the team will be different when we’re playing in a serious tournament and players are changed. His reputation as a coach isn’t a fluke, like Big Phil.

Let’s look at his record already. He’s already dumped a few players from WC06, as well as Euro2008. I think that list will grow. I groaned when he subbed in Toni, but that very well likely could have been Luca’s last chance to impress. Did we all not notice he didn’t start until the game against Brazil? Or that Gattuso got hooked after 55minutes everytime for Montolivo? Or that he surprisingly started Dossena instead of Grosso in the last game. He was experimenting and seeing which players are fundamental to the team.

Posted from United States

By alessio | June 22nd, 2009 at 1:30 am

Ricci, as usual, you are right on

Posted from United States

By kqql | June 22nd, 2009 at 2:37 am

Alessio….u are a smart dude………just saying……

By kqql | June 22nd, 2009 at 2:48 am

I think or maybe I am wrong 2nd half was a variation of 4-2-3-1…..which looked like a 4-4-1-1 to me

2nd half
Buffon
Zambro-Canna-Chiellini-Dossena
——De Rossi – Pirlo –
Pepe—–Rossi——Camo
——Toni/Gila

By Frank | June 22nd, 2009 at 4:46 am

It´s always the same problem. The italian team was old in 2006 and it was their last chance and they won it but the same players still play and it´s just one year to go.

It has never been a pleassure to watch the italian national team because of their style but at least they played this ugly football very very good and perfect and everyone had to fear these organized team but now they are even too old for this type of football.

By kat | June 22nd, 2009 at 4:54 am

How low can you go – with Lippi’s sacrosant 433?

Posted from Italy