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Italy- New Zealand Review

June 11th, 2009 | By: Julian | 27 Comments »

Due to time constraints (ie, my job), I wasn’t able to watch this game. Due to the fact that it was a friendly and didn’t mean much, I didn’t really go out of my way to watch all of it. But, basically, here’s what we have:

A team that wasn’t really close to full strength for us was able to be New Zealand 4-3. So yes, we won, but should we leak 3 goals against such a weak team? Well lets answer that with a question: should Amelia have made that many mistakes?
Iaquinta and Gilardino both nabbed a brace, which is good news for us. Both are prototypical #9s and seeing Gila, especially, score when we had all but given up on him was nice to see.

Our lineup looked like this, courtesy of Channel4:

Amelia; Santon (Zambrotta 65), Legrottaglie, Gamberini, Dossena; Gattuso (Montolivo 60), Palombo; Pepe (Camoranesi 60), Rossi (Pirlo 46), Quagliarella (Iaquinta 60); Gilardino (Toni 60)

We seemed to suffer from an overall bout of suckiness and problems defending from set pieces, but it’s really hard to take this seriously when it was a friendly with our B squad.

Now, I know I sound like a hypocrite because our last friendly, I was basically jumping up and down at the keyboard. But a friendly is merely that, and when Lippi himself says it was basically a training ground session it’s hard to really care about the game.

Overall, we got the win in difficult circumstances, which is a good sign. The defending needs work on, but there’s really not much to say. I would replace Amelia as backup with either Curci, De Sanctis, or Abiatti (once he’s fit again), though, based on his horrible display here. Plus if he knew he had competition, he might perform a little better.

Channel 4’s write up here.

If anyone who did see it would like to comment on the game further below, that would be fantastic so we could get a more indepth view of how it all went down.

Tags: Amelia, Friendly, Gila, Group E, Iaquinta, New Zealand

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 27 comments.

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By Paul | June 11th, 2009 at 9:11 am

Ahh, how I hate public school computers. They wont let me comment on my story, so here’s a response to all the questions, but on this post.

Mike- I’m a distance guy. Longer the better for me, I ran 5K and 3200 in high school and will probably move up to the 8K/10K in college.

Jed- I’m from Hopewell Valley, in between Princeton and Trenton.

Gio- Yeah, you sound very similar to me. I like your line-up too.

I didn’t see the friendly either (final exams), but I am pumped for Monday! Time to fight with my friend over Italy-US, and be considered “non-American” when I sing the Inno.

Posted from United States

By marco | June 11th, 2009 at 10:21 am

I agree with bringing Foggia in, and we NEED cassano. i have a bad feeling about this upcoming tournament. our defense is weak. cannavaro has been a good servant but his time is up. problem is there really isnt anyone who can take his place in the centre. midfield we’re alright. i think we need to throw the 4-3-3 out the window, and i dont understand how brighi didnt make the squad. i would love to see him and de rossi together in the centre with foggia out wide and i think giuseppe rossi could do a great job at left mid.

and we need cassano up top. no one showed any creativity against new zealand. no one has showed any creativity in the qualifiers. no one has showed any in the friendlies leading up to this, and i dont count the northern ireland friendly cause they were just bad. but foggia did have a great game. i fear for us in this tournament cause we have no creativity in the attacking third. rossi is capable but not like cassano. de rossi can make things happen if he is allowed to push up.

i think against brazil and spain if we play them and even against the united states we will struggle to break them down. we will have to rely on our midfield to carry us and if we play the 4-3-3 it will be difficult for them to find space and they will be out numbered and we will be pinned back in our own half

By kurdt | June 11th, 2009 at 10:31 am

You got to put a crack first in Lippi’s head before we’re having Cassano in our lineup.

Posted from Taiwan

By Marco | June 11th, 2009 at 11:04 am

Wait…what!? How is there a ‘2nd’ Marco on this forum? The only way to differentiate between us is the uppercase and lowercase ‘M’ – I am glad to see you share my love for Antonio Cassano. Of Course the Azzurri need the guy, I have been calling for him to come back for years now. Regardless, he isn’t coming back for this tournament and thus we need to use what we have available.

Was that even a 4-3-3 we played yesterday? I thought it was more of a MESS! Seriously, Lippi put three strikers and a pepe on the field and expected what exactly? Next time you try and do something like that talk to Roberto Mancini first, he’ll show you how to do it without giving away four goals. The problem wasn’t so much the defence, although Dossena isn’t National team quality, it was the lack of midfield. Palombo just seems to get in the way of things. I think Lippi’s idea would work better with the following players:

Giovinco (Cassano) – Balotelli – Iaquinta (gila, Aquafresca) – Rossi

DeRossi (Marchisio) – Gattuso

Instead of:

Quags – Gila – Rossi – Pepe
Gattuso – Palombo

regardless, I don’t know how much Lippi is really paying attention. We had no players which were able to carry the ball. We resorted to the fabled constant crosses and lobs and that got us no where.

Furthermore, I didn’t really take into account the fact that summer is winter in South Africa. This could work completely to our advantage next year at the world cup. I don’t think we should sit by and let this opportunity pass. Remember we have suffered when in extremely hot temperatures (USA 94 (rosebowl stadium at high noon), Korea/Japan) in these colder temperatures we can accel and push past many teams.

Anyway just a couple of thoughts, I don’t think Lippi knows how to play the tools he has at his disposal. I think he thinks they are of the same quality as they were in 06 and previous.

By Eric | June 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am

Watched from about the 35th minute on after I got home from work. Rossi didn’t look nearly as good as he did against N. Ireland and him getting subbed was probably for the best. I’ll admit, I didn’t watch the first half but the annoying commentators on GOLTV seemed to agree. Amelia was just dreadful. Toni did look a bit more lively than he has recently and I don’t think he’s done with the Azzurri. WC10 will be his swansong. His service to him wasn’t anything to write home about and there’s only so much he can do (taking defenders on himself was never his game). Does he deserve to start? That’s for another post, but I don’t feel like he was all that bad last night. Iaquinta should have sewn up a spot in the Starting XI.

Posted from United States

By Mike D | June 11th, 2009 at 11:15 am

Personally, I wouldn’t be too hard on Amelia. He had a very bad game but I know he’s capable of playing world class football. I remember Italy’s friendly against Portugal last year before Euro and he had an excellent game, so we know he can rise to the occasion.

By alessio | June 11th, 2009 at 11:23 am

Perhaps when he gives a damn.

Tactics last night were a bit odd, seemed he was playing 3 men behind Gilardino and Palombo-Gattuso were just generally overrun in midfield. Didn’t help that Ringhio looked a bit tired even before the break.

Posted from United States

By Pepe | June 11th, 2009 at 11:28 am

“I don’t think Lippi knows how to play the tools he has at his disposal”

Juventus

Italian League Championships (5)

1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003

Runners up: 1996

Coppa Italia (1)

1995

Runner-up (2): 2002, 2004

Supercoppa Italiana (4)

1995, 1997, 2002, 2003

Runner-up (1): 1998

UEFA Champions League (1)

1996

Runner-up (3):1997, 1998, 2003

European Supercup (1)

1996

Intercontinental Cup (1)

1996

UEFA Cup Runner-up (1):

1995

Internazionale
Coppa Italia Runner up 2000

Italia
FIFA World Cup 2006

And that’s just his trophies.

By Pepe | June 11th, 2009 at 11:37 am

Can I also say for all everyone who is overreacting about Italy’s attack, the Gazzetta said
“Bene Pepe e Quagliarella come uomo dell’ultimo passaggio, ma soprattutto benissimo Gilardino”

The real critics should be laid at the defence, conceding three goals against New Zealand is very poor and they were not even good goals, two awful set pieces and a silly penalty by Amelia.

By James | June 11th, 2009 at 11:53 am

I hope we lose every game this tournament, that way Lippi has to do a major shakeup on the lineup; or his ass is out.

Posted from United States

By alessio | June 11th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Well done, Pepe. Probably the best coach of our generation, showing he can win in league play AND in knockout competitions.

Posted from United States

By Jem | June 11th, 2009 at 12:12 pm

I think if Buffon played in goal and Pirlo played a full 90 minutes, this game possibly could have been 6-0. Clearly the first half was an experimental line up testing link up play and gattuso’s fitness. Toni did look a bit clumsy per usual, but i think his presence in the box attracts attention therefore freeing up Iaquinta, so he wasn’t totally useless. Still interested to see how the’re gonna hold up against teams like Spain and Brazil…

Posted from United States

By ricci | June 11th, 2009 at 12:35 pm

Palombo was set up to fail with that lineup. 4 strikers and Gattuso next to him. It was just a mess. You guys all saw in the 2nd half with no Gattuso and more midfielders how much better we played.

It was a training ground game, nothing more really. He was resting his real XI for Monday.

Posted from United States

By lazybug | June 11th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

confed cup is a goin to be the test for all the strategy Lippi’s gonna come up with, you fail here; people will lose faith…

Posted from India

By MAD | June 11th, 2009 at 3:17 pm

Man this group is bipolar.

The North Ireland game was a training match as was this one.

With the different formations and different combination we learn more about the team.

Why are you all getting bent out of shape over friendlies? If New Zealand wants to call this a victory for them, who cares? We all know that can’t actually win anything meaningful.

Winning the game isn’t the purpose of this game; finding out who plays well, who doesn’t and where to play people is the point. If Lippi learns more about the team and that helps us to win, then the game had a purpose.

Just relax everyone and hope we *don’t* win the Confederations Cup. No one who has ever won it, has won the World Cup.

As far as Lippi goes, he has only ever won anything with Juve (although they were juicing and influencing the refs…) and the National Team. Therefore those are the only two venues that I would trust him to coach in. He is coaching the National Team right now, he was successful with it once, let’s see if lightning will strike again. If it won’t, we can always dump his ass.

By James | June 11th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

it is baffling that Pepe is on gli nazionale, but Cassano cannot break through. Our tactics, leave our own player’s scratching their heads. I predict that we will lose to US, tie Egypt, and get spanked again at the hands of brasil. We’re too old too slow, and this nazionale has no creative soul whatsoever. Hopefully this will force Lippi’s hand in making some REAL changes

Posted from United States

By Pepe | June 11th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

I knew someone would breeze that Lippi only ever did it with Juve, first he got Atalanta to 7th in Serie A in 93 and got a post-Maradona Napoli to the UEFA cup, plus he reached 4 champions league finals, a competetion one cannot buy if you are suggesting he bought his scudetti.

Don’t forget he managed the greatest player of 96-06 in Zidane, who had this to say

“Lippi è stato come un interruttore: mi ha acceso ed io ho capito cosa significa lavorare per qualcosa che vale. Prima di arrivare in Italia, il calcio era un lavoro, ma soprattutto un divertimento. Da quando sono arrivato a Torino, invece, la voglia di vincere non mi ha lasciato più.”

So more Goddamn respect for our CT PLEASE, there are not many WC winning tacticians out there, and remember the words of Gattuso, amongst many others “siamo un squadra tosta”, that’s what Lippi builds, always, a TEAM that is stronger than the sum of it’s parts.

By Shuli Italia | June 11th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

The squad that played against N. Ireland showed more creativity and style in play, above all it showed the players that played that game showed that they are hungry for success.

By Marco | June 11th, 2009 at 4:59 pm

I think many of you are missing the point. First we all wanted Donadoni fired, for what looked to be incoherent choices for the national team, poor formation and tactical choices, etc. We all wanted Lippi back. So back comes Lippi. What did we get? Did we get the same brand of counter attacking creative soccer we saw throughout Lippi’s first run as national team coach, and many years as Juve coach? NO! Instead we got the same old Donadoni players, selections, tactics, and formations. The team has looked extremely ordinary and slow. Then comes the game against Norther Ireland. We saw flare, we saw creativity, we saw some old fashion Lippi coaching. Then that performance is followed by a poor national team selection and a boring, uncreative brand of football against new zealand.

Listen, at the end of the day this team is not looking like a Lippi team. In 2005 Lippi didn’t have the best record as coach, it’s true. But the national team still demonstrated something, you could tell they were just waiting for an addition of a couple key componants. This time around, the team just looks old, sloppy, and slow. This isn’t a case of mistaken identity, this is a case of some poor choices being made.

By kqql | June 11th, 2009 at 10:31 pm

Paul welcome

I agree with what Marco said….and here is my 2 cents..

It all depends on where u play Rossi…
@ Parma he played as SS and did well in a 4-4-2
@ U21 he played behind on the left or right of main Striker and did well in 4-3-2-1
@ Villarreal Rossi is mostly used Left or Right of the main Striker as SS in 4-4-2 and does well.
However, the game he played vs. Arsenal in London as CF in 4-2-3-1, he didn’t do well ast all… since there was no support from the midfield. Even Pellergini said he made a mistake to play him as CF.
vs. Brazil he played as SS and did well
vs. N. Ireland he played behind on the left and right of the main Striker and did well. In more like 4-3-2-1 version of 4-3-3.
vs. N. Zealand he didn’t do so well at all (In an un Familiar-role) in 4-2-3-1….
This is the first time I have seen him in 3 years play that position (Where Pirlo plays with NT these days) -
-
Lippi is trying to figure out how to fit him in his current formation
of 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 since Lippi is not playing 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-1-2 these days.
Also, I don’t think Rossi will fit with guy like Gila, since he mostly depends on his head to score goal/s……… @ Villarreal his 7 assists this season had nothing to do with any crosses for Header/s.
I would think Rossi and Iaquinta, who is more a all round player than Gila would make his ideal Partner….. in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-1-2

….

By gio | June 11th, 2009 at 11:32 pm

i agree with Marco. also, i think kqql, you make some good points … especially Rossi being partnered with Gila.

Gila doesn’t move .. he likes to lurk around the box and pounce, and he is more of a lone-wolf, he doesn’t pass off well to teammates. this means ball movement becomes a opne-way street to Gila from guys like Rossi, but not the other nway around. with guys like Iaquinta (see the goal where he passed off to Montolivo and then pick up the rebound to score) is is more of a two way street which alows Rossi to have the option to shoot more and subsequently open up the play more.

both Gila goals owed more to Quagliarella, who is so much more important to this team as an assist maker as well as creative goal scorer.

i disagree about Cassano. i saw him play plentyof games this year, and though he looked great in th e beginning, he really did not impress me. Foggia looked like the most dangerous player i have seen running the wings.

problem is how to use Pirlo, DeRossi, Quagliarella, Rossi, Foggia and Iaquinta all on the field at the same time.

By kqql | June 12th, 2009 at 12:27 am

problem is how to use Pirlo, DeRossi, Quagliarella, Rossi, Foggia and Iaquinta all on the field at the same time

Gio….I bet Paul knows

By nick | June 12th, 2009 at 7:42 am

hey does anyone have a link where i can download a copy of the full game?

By Paul | June 12th, 2009 at 10:35 am

Back 4
Pirlo DDR
Foggia Rossi Quags
Iaquinta

4-2-3-1
Only problem is the lack of defensive cover with Pirlo as a deep lying play maker. Also, the lack of subs for that formation is a problem. Only winger you can sub on is Camo.

Posted from United States

By kqql | June 13th, 2009 at 4:52 am

Nick
Here u go Italia – N. Ireland
http://www.justin.tv/clip/b01cb3d0734d0b81

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