Lads and Gents, Here’s the Team that Will Begin to Defend Our Title

August 31st, 2008 | by: Julian |

Lippi has named the squad for our world cup qualifiers against Georgia and Cyprus (we play at Cyprus on September 6th and are at home against Georgia on the 10th in the Stadio Friuli). So without further ado, the guys who will start out on the road to the 2010 WC are:

Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), Amelia (Palermo), De Sanctis (Galatasaray)

Defenders: Barzagli (Wolfsburg), Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Cassetti (Roma), Dossena (Liverpool), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Olympique Lione), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Zambrotta (Milan)

Midfielders: Aquilani (Roma), Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Gattuso (Milan), Palombo (Sampdoria), Pirlo (Milan)

Attackers: Del Piero (Juventus), Di Natale (Udinese), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Iaquinta (Juventus), Toni (Bayern Monaco)

This is basically the squad Lippi called up for our last friendly, and I’m not too thrilled about it to be honest.

In goal, we’re set. There’s no debate that Buffon is the number 1, and Amelia has shown that he can be a decent backup (ie, the friendly against Portugal pre-Euro). I have no complaints here because, well, there really isn’t anything wrong. Buffon is in goal as he should be, and that’s that. This is the only area of the call ups that I’m fine with.

In defense, Cannavaro’s back. And I think I speak for everyone when I say, THANK GOD. The downside is that Chiellini’s injured so we can’t see the new C-C centerbacking that seems so promising on paper. Most of the other choices are decent, but I wanna seem some young guys here. I mean, are Cassetti and Barzagli really going to go to South Africa in 2010? Probably not, so why call them up for this? I would’ve liked to see Santacroce at the very least. Yes, he’s young, but we need to start transitioning the team at some point. Why not now?

In midfield, as long as Pirlo and De Rossi are fit, they’re basically guaranteed starters- and deservedly so. The only question is who should join them on the pitch? The answer: not Gattuso. Monto’s injured so I imagine that’s why he wasn’t called up, but where’s Giovinco?

And our attack… This is kinda absurd. With guys like Osvaldo, FreshWater, Gio, and Rossi, Lippi calls up Gila and Toni again? The two guys who can’t to hit the side of the Great Wall of China? And where the hell is Cassano? Why wasn’t he, out of all people, called up?

Listen, I love Italy. I’m extremely biased Azzurri-wise, and I believe that the team Lippi called is good enough to defend our title as it is. But I don’t want “good enough”. I want the best team possible, and I firmly believe that some of our best guys weren’t called up. Lippi seems to be picking players based on how they were 2 years ago when he used them in Germany. And that’s mighty grand and all, but it isn’t 2006 anymore. I can’t find a single argument as to why Gila and Toni deserve to be on this team more than Rossi and Gio, who had a spectacular showing at the Euros.

These guys should be good enough to beat Cyprus and Georgia because those countries basically have no one (harsh but true). But if he sticks with this kind of team throughout all of qualifying, I’m afraid 2 things are gonna happen:
1. We won’t successfully integrate youth into the team
2. We won’t be able to beat the tougher teams down the road.

It’s a bit early to hit the panic button but Lippi seems opposed to change, and I can’t figure out why.

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http://juventus.theoffside.com alessio

I’m ok with it. We know the team now won’t be the team in WC2010, he’s giving Gila and Toni a chance, because they have a record of goals, they just need confidence and service. The others still have yet to really prove themselves in Serie A. I’m all for calling up a few young players, but we don’t need a whole revolution right away.
asem

i don’t know why ADP keeps getting called up.
i mean, i love the guy and all, but he never plays well for italia. i’m glad to see matrix hasn’t been called up and i wish gennaro would be cut as well. perrotta isn’t on the list either, and as much as it pains me to lose another roma player, it was time for him to go.

i think cassetti is a solid player (roma bias again), why not have him on the team? what other right wing backs are there for italia who are better than him who aren’t already on the team? i can’t think of any, but that’s also because i don’t know many right wing backs haha.
Porchetta

well..well..well..t Florence, Gilardino has beaten Buffon in the last minute..will it revitalise and stimulate Gila´s career??In an case, it is great for Italian football to see Gila and Toni score today..Lppi is no fool, he knows what he is doing…
MAD

Some others that warrant consideration I think:

Santacroce (mentioned), Di Silvestri, Rosina, Sammarco, Mozzi (did I spell that one right?), Quags
asem

Rosina & Quags for sure should be considered. I’d take Quags over Iaquinta. Santacroce is also solid, though he showed today that he can lose his head. Needs to keep his temper in check.
Mostafa

and he’s not taking perrota because he’s injured right
sofia

Quags is shit!! That would be the stupidest idea ever. Bring in Rossi and Giovinco and Osvi. Done. Then later you can begin to integrate more and more youth and the veterans get old and retire. Look, this is Lippi’s second game back, give him a chance, its only Cyprus and Georgia whom we have beaten before under Donadummy as you call him. However, I am biased as I have been a Lippi supporter since he started his first stint as Azzurri coach. If my memory serves me correct, there was much controversy when he started coaching the Azzurri last time…give it time..the man is a genius, im sure everything will be juuuuuust fine.
Jeff

im really surprised just that cassano didn’t get called up
mike de robbio

not impressed with this team. we certainly do need to start seeing some young guns coming through. I really hope Lippi sorts this out soon. Toni again? Really? jesus!
Nina

Jeff,same here!
http://acmilan.theoffside.com/ gianfranco

Its funny because many of you clamored and called for the return of the “great” Marcello Lippi to return Italy to the promised land and what did you get? The same old crap that couldnt cut it against Austria, AUSTRIA!!!! One of the worst teams in Europe. This team is a weird blend of Lippi boys, and a weirder blend of guys that should no longer be on squad. The time has come to revamp this team and add young blood with new blood, and if Lippi isn’t comfortable with that than maybe someone else should have been given the wheel. I will give him the benefit of the doubt for the next two matches, but after that he will have to prove he wants to be back at the helm by moving this team forward.
Vincent

Very disappointed with the same old blood. No more Toni, ADP, Iaquinta,Gattuso, etc…

We are playing for freakin’ 2010!!!! Is ADP and Toni going to be playing in 2010 for Italy?? Gattuso??

C’mon
Samson

Good to see tha not one Interista is in the Azurri. Its not like they have many italians anyway.

I hope Lippi uses DeRossi a little more than what Donadoni. (dumbass)

If we adopt the habits of the EPL like Inter, our national team will suck as bad as England (ok maybe that was to extreme, we cant possibly be worse than England)
asem

DDR FOR LIFE!!!

Barzagli, Gattuso, ADP, Di Natale (I just don’t think he’s that great), and Toni all need to go.

I think Giovinco needs to be called up, and Guiessepe would be a good addition as well …

Also, BRING BACK JESUS!!!
Just Kidding.

But Seriously. Totti for life.
Nnahoj

asem, I could think of at least one right full back that deserves to be on the team more than Cassetti; Christian Maggio of Napoli. Much better player and had a much better season last year for Sampa that Cassetti did for Roma.
MAD

You know, I think it was Maggio I was thinking of earlier…

Why did I write Mozzi?

Wow, I think that opening weekend fried a circuit or two. I don’t think I can loose to many more…

Lol
Nina

lol@Mad
I just can’t get over the fact that guys like Cassano,Rossi,and Giovinco weren’t called.
http://juventus.theoffside.com alessio

You guys need to chill the shit out. WC06 team was not the same as Euro 2008 team. Just because players have talent doesn’t mean they deserve a spot on the team, players like Giovinco need to earn it in Serie A first. It’s a vetting process. We don’t need a brand new Starting XI, with new players. Our team was fine at Euro2008 (with a few exceptions) we just had an awful coach.
zack

I kind of cringe about Cassetti, Iaquinta, and Camo being in the squad for different reasons, but do we really have to do our best AC Milan impression and field the oldest team possible?

Do we really not have any room for Cassano or [insert decent midfielders name] instead of one of the geezers? It’s not like Cassano hasn’t been in good form of late.
http://italy.worldcupblog.org/ Julian

Alessio- I can agree with you on Gio (though I think he’ll make it just fine). But whats Lippi’s excuse for leaving out Cassano, who proved himself last year at Samp and at the Euros? And how about Rossi (albeit to a lesser extent), given his goalscoring record at the Olympics and at Villareal?
Tony Ursitti

Agree 100% with Alessio, I don’t know why every time a major tournament finishes a revolution in terms of national team players needs to happen.
Should players retire, see nesta and totti so be it, don’t need to cry over it, or beg them to come back, we’re world champions for gods sake.
Rossi and Giovinco will get there chance, Rossi i believe is injured and for one i still am not convinced about all the cassano hype a good player to be sure, but Julian i think the only thing he proved at the euros was that he probably WON’T go ape-shit.
As far as Toni and Gila are concerned, their previous years scoring records speak for themselves, and people who want them banished from wearing the azzurri colours based on 1 bad tourney, or 1 bad season need a reality check. Just the same, given the convocati lippi chose, heres my XI
————Buffon————
—Zambro-Canna-Legro-Grosso—
————-DDR————–
—Camo—Pirlo—Aquilani—
——Toni—Di Natale——
yoman

Ref: Giovinco, Rossi, Gila, Rino, Cassano…ect

Rossi: out since 8/26 w/ankle sprain for approx 3 weeks.
Giovinco: He is busy warming Juve Bench. unless that changes soon.. Lippi will not be calling him
Gila: He did well v Juve………..so he;s got go w/him.
Cassano: ADP doesn’t want Cassano and Lippi is ADP friend.
Rino: Stupid call, just have been left and AC Milan Bench.
Toni: Well he did good yesterday……….so gotta give him chance.
http://italy.worldcupblog.org/ Julian

Toni and Gila did good in their respective games but those games took place after the call ups were announced. So that’s not really a legit argument
kat

Can anybody give me one logical explanation why the hell is Gattuso keep on getting called up for Azzurri?
http://udinese.theoffside.com vin

Lippi is slowly transitioning the squad. He’s not going to just cut 60% of the team and start from scratch; how would that look? He needs some continuity.

Lippi’s a smart man; he knows what he’s doing.
Bashar

The problem is players who deserve a spot on the team now may not deserve one in 2 years. Players like Del Piero, Perrotta and Di Natale are playing well now but come 2010 when they are 33 or 34 they will probably be out of contention.. or at least not a starter. And vice versa of course for the likes of Gilardino, Rosina and Giovinco.

Others don’t deserve a spot now or later like Gattuso, Inzaghi and Materazzi. I don’t hate them at all but there are better choices now and certainly in 2010. Those should be dropped starting now, but the door should not be completely closed should they prove themselves again.

Cassano’s time will come.. He just needs to re-prove his maturity to Lippi. Rossi should start getting called up actually. I think he’s ready.
Bashar

Toni’s goal against Hertha was nice.. Maybe a little fortuitous but it’s as good as it gets for the big guy.. Nice bit of skill.
ilcapitano

I understand how Rossi and Gio arent getting immediate call-ups, being young and not 100% proven players. They’ll get called sometime early next year, Rossi before Gio though.
Rosina should get a call up NOW! Kids a great talent and is ready to play, him and Montolivo (injured) are the future of the midfield with DDR and Aquiliani.
Nnahoj

*Cough*…excuse me…but I think I just read someone say that Perrotta is playing well and I choked on my Hi-C!