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Italy-Montenegro

March 28th, 2009 | By: Julian | 179 Comments »

Italy starting 11 (probable): Gianluigi Buffon; Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro, Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Grosso; Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo, Angelo Palombo; Antonio Di Natale, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Fabio Quagliarella.

Montenegro news: Same as last time, minus Vucinic.

Kickoff is at 3:45 EST, and this link should give you a nice stream of the game. I’m not sure I’ll be able to watch it so leave tons of comments so I can at least read about how we did.

Let’s bring home the three points.

Tags: Group E

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 179 comments.

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By Julian | March 28th, 2009 at 4:30 pm

I still dont understand why Lippi thinks the 4-3-3 works well for us. It doesn’t. We need a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-1-2. We just dont have the guys to play a 4-3-3.

Posted from United States

By Vincent | March 28th, 2009 at 4:31 pm

I bet we will see Rossi, Pepe, and Pazzini upfront against Ireland

Posted from United States

By Marco P. | March 28th, 2009 at 4:32 pm

The idea Julian, is to use the “Udinese connection”. With Di Natale on the left and Pepe on the right, 4-3-3 works. Whether you think Pepe shouldn’t be there at all, is another matter.

By Marco P. | March 28th, 2009 at 4:34 pm

Trademark Fab Quags from long range. Narrowly off the mark.

By kat | March 28th, 2009 at 4:34 pm

This team will be damn lucky if they make through the group-stage.

Posted from Italy

By Vincent | March 28th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

No matter all our complaints, FORZA ITALIA!!!!!

Posted from United States

By Julian | March 28th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

Lippi should try the “Italian connection” and play Cassano and Rossi up front with Pazzini.

Posted from United States

By Marco | March 28th, 2009 at 4:36 pm

Marco P. All Udinese players don’t deserve to be there.

Regardless, another lousy performance. If this continues we are going to get bamboozled at the Confederation Cup this summer.

By Marco | March 28th, 2009 at 4:37 pm

Julian, how dare you put three talented players together up front. Lippi will not have any of that nonesense.

Btw, that would be a tremendous Italian Connection!

By Neo | March 28th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

I don’t think brighi touched the ball yet..

By kqql | March 28th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

2-0 FT…….

By kqql | March 28th, 2009 at 4:40 pm

Only reason Pazzini was in the squad was….Toni and his highness Gila were injured…

By Neo | March 28th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Pazzini wasn’t even expected to play but Iaquinta had some issue and had to be replaced

By Bobo | March 28th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

Guys, second half was much more positive. Don’t like the formation, don’t like Pepe, but Pirlo made everyone around him better.

I always had faith in Pazzini… all he needs is service, not necessarily Cassano’s service. Although that would be the best kind

By kat | March 28th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

What a load of croak..

Posted from Italy

By LorenzoRosanero | March 28th, 2009 at 4:45 pm

Marco – it’s “monkey in the middle” lol I like your version though!

By Marco P. | March 28th, 2009 at 4:45 pm

Julian, Cassano-Pazzini is definitely a proven (and winning) combination. Too bad Lippi has made up his mind on Cassano.

By Marco P. | March 28th, 2009 at 4:47 pm

Lorenzo, I always heard “pig in the middle” and that was taken straight from a youth coaching manual. It was printed in England though, so “pig” must be the British version perhaps…

By Caroe | March 28th, 2009 at 4:47 pm

At least the defence worked well. Montenegro’s only chance was clearly offside.

Posted from Denmark

By asem | March 28th, 2009 at 4:51 pm

Why does De Rossi try the sombrero everytime the ball comes to his feet hahahha …

Posted from United States

By kat | March 28th, 2009 at 4:53 pm

If Vucinic played tonight, he’d have bagged at least a brace.

Posted from Italy

By Nnahoj | March 28th, 2009 at 4:57 pm

Still waiting to see a really good Italy performance in Lippi’s 2nd tenure. Italy needs to have a traditional trequartista. The 4-3-3 just isn’t Italy’s style.

The midfield 3 played pretty well though; I thought De Rossi was immense. Pepe played well – at least the best I’ve seen him play in an Azzurri shirt. And of course it was great to see Pazzini score on his debut.

A solid, but unspectacular performance. Could have all been different had Cannavaro been (rightfully) sent off, though…

P.S. Quagliarella shouldn’t (ever) be played out wide; he’s a CF and a CF only.

By Gio | March 28th, 2009 at 11:56 pm

you guys are high … if Cassano has been so great in setting up goals for others, why is Samp floundering in 14th place and their only other good striker is Del Vecchio, holding up the 42nd position in the top scorers table.

jump off the band wagon and actually watch him play. i am not saying he has no ability, i am saying he is off his game now and until he gets back some form, he is the wrong guy … not to mention he is lazy as all hell and only tracks back when someone throws a hamburger on the field. in this day and age you can’t afford to field lazy players on the international stage.

i reiterate that the problem is not with many of the players (except Pepe and Palumbo should be on the bench), but with the formation. the players on the field do not fit into a 4-3-3.

By sabastiano | March 29th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Italy should play 4-4-2
Chiellini
Santacroce
Santon
Dessena
Grosso
DD Rossi
Pirlo
Aquilani
G. Rossi
Pazzini
yep that is it …

By gio | March 29th, 2009 at 12:39 pm

sabastiano,

you have 5 defenders in there,

i like Santacroce too, but he has a lot of growing up to do

DeRossi, Pirlo and Aquilani all play central mid, so they would all be overlapping (when Roma plays DeRos and Aqui at the same time, DeRos is always back in front of the rear 4 while Aqui place centrally in front of him (aside from the injury shuffles)) … i am sure that is why Lippi was trying to play a 4-2-3-1 with DeRos paired with Palumbo in the centre of the back mid and Pirlo pushed up in the middle between the two wingers (though i am not yet convinced it is working, but it is a t least beginning to move away from the 4-3-3)

and Pazzini has shown some good stuff, but i am not sure it is early enough to begin starting him.

the players Lippi chooses will dictate the formation.

personally i think we might be better with a 4-1-3-2, but i am not sure that we have 2 quality, assist-producing wingers that could flank a central Pirlo. we need midfielders who can run all day and can pass well. Perrotta and Camoranesei are the only two that come to mind.

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