Start Your Engines!!!!!!

obviuosly, it’ll be Buffon in net, then Nesta and Cannavaro at centre defence, then Zambrotta on the right and Zaccardo on the left or vice versa, then they’ll have Camoranesi on the wing with Pirlo and Gattuso playing in the midfield with Totti supporting Toni and Gilardino

Posted from  Canada

Similar to Matt’s, but maybe grosso on the left and zambrotta on the right. And de rossi instead of gattuso. This would be my choice. Although i think lippi’ll go for Matt’s lineup.

Posted from  India

…and if totti’s not 100%, i’d start del piero as a left-sided forward:

————toni—-gila
—-del piero
——–de rossi——-camoranesi
—————-pirlo
grosso———————-zambrotta
———–canna—-nesta
—————buffon

i love making these formations

Posted from  India

I think Lippi will do Toni, Gila and Totti up top, Pirlo, Gattuso and Camo in the midfield and Nesta, Canna in the back with Grosso on the left and Zambrotta on the right and of course, Gigi in net.

I’ve said this before, but I think de Rossi should be on the field in place of Camo, but I don’t think Lippi will stray from Camo.

So I have two questions: Who will Lippi bring on/take off when the Azzurri are up a goal around the 60-70 minute mark? I think it’s either Barzagli or Perrotta in place of Gila.

And heaven forbid, they are ever down around 60-70 minutes, who does Lippi bring on/take off? This one I’m not so sure of. Does Gattuso come off for del Piero? I guess it depends on how effective Gila or Toni have been. What does everyone think?

Posted from  United States

Goalkeepers:
Gianluigi Buffon, Angelo Peruzzi, Massimo Di Santis (although di santis has been cought in the coruption so he might not go any more)

Defenders:
Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Grosso, Alessandro Nesta, Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, Massimo Oddo, Cristian Zaccardo

Midfielders:
Mauro Camoranesi, Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti, Gennaro Ivan Gattuso, Daniele De Rossi, Mauro Esposito, Christian Zanetti

Forwards:
Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni, Cristiano Lucarelli, Francesco Tavano , Filippo Inzaghi

Posted from  Australia

paul,

I think that if there 1-0 up or 1-0 down they should just keep pushing for more goals like they have been doin lately, but to answer you question id bring inzaghi on and then if no one scored id bring on tavano or lucarelli (maybe one for one game and the other for another game. also i might make a sub in defence and bput oddo on for groso or something liek that or even put de rossi on for camo or zanetti for pirlo

Posted from  Australia

Sorry just one more post .. I would like to say that the strikers, consisting of Alberto Gilardino, Luca Toni, Cristiano Lucarelli, Francesco Tavano and Filippo Inzaghi have scored a combined number of 96 goals this yr in Serie A .. and if you include totti in that its 111… Man thats a beast of a strike force, and you would have to say is arguably the strongest in the world by far!!

Posted from  Australia

I agree with most of the above, except that I would have Del Piero play from the get-go–> he has way too much talent and is a bit of a head case (though he’s demonstrated with Juve this year that he’s comfortable, and quite successful, as a sub).

Perhaps more of a shocker — and I’m not a big Pippo fan — but if Inzaghi makes the cut, I think he should get the nod over Gila. He’s a cold-blooded goal-scorer, a goal-poaching pirate, he’s ruthless and effective, which, in the end, is what we need. We don’t play the beautiful game like Brasil or France (when they’re on)…so we should take any and all rebound or garbage goals… and Inzaghi is a one great garbage collector. Should we call him the Trash Man? [insert Beatles' music to "Taxman" here --> "And I'm the TrashMan...Yeah Yeah...."

And if not Inzaghi, then Lucarelli. When you are on your game like Lucarelli, you view the odd bounce as an opportunity to pounce, and not as a bad bounce or missed oportunity. Guys in funks throw their hands up in the air when the ball doesn't drop where they want it to. For those of you who have been tuning in, I'm sure you'll agree that he's (Luca.'s) been playing with an excellent attitude, and that's what we really need. (Which is also one of the reasons why I'm really in favor of a "happy" Del Piero [translation= "starting" Del Piero] and not a disgruntled DP). Toni has so much confidence, I’m really excited to see him play– he’ll restore full honor to the shirt.

So these guys have been scoring goals at will but Gila has been crap. I don’t think the enormous pressure of the world cup will help a player to get out of a funk. Gila to the bench IMO.

But Lippi….

Paul, great questions. Up 1-0, I think we have to bring on Costacurta to steel up the D. Just kidding. I’d go with Gattuso (hopefully he’d be on the bench to start). Down 1-0, I think either DP or Inzaghi (whoever wasn’t on the pitch, and if both started on the bench, it’s gotta be Inzaghi).

Posted from  United States

marco, u can be sure that tavano, esposito, and definitely zanetti will not be at the WC.

if we start with gattuso and totti instead of dp and de rossi (refer to my previous post), and if we’re a goal down, then i’d well, have dp and de rossi on or maybe pippo for gila.

if we’re a goal up, however, i don’t think i’d go more defensive. Just take off anyone who seems tired for someone in a similar postion. If we r TWO goals up, i’d take off gila for perrotta or barone.

Posted from  India

marco posted:
“Goalkeepers:
Gianluigi Buffon, Angelo Peruzzi, Massimo Di Santis (although di santis has been cought in the coruption so he might not go any more)”

dude, i don’t think it’s the same de sanctis. This one’s a referee with the same last name. But anyway, i think amelia will make it over de sanctis.

Posted from  India

Rinaldo — nah it is the goalkeeper for Udinesse (i thinki read the article on goal.com)

Any way i donnno why every one wants Dp in the team, i mean this yr he has done not to bad and i think his best asset is his free kicks (which he has scored some nice ones this yr) but i mean he has only scored like 11 goals in comparison to Tavanos 19. And even though this has not been Gilas best yr.. he still scored like 15 goals i think (and lets not forget he was italys second highest goal scorer 2 yrs in a row).

Any way it all comes down to lippi now and wether he makes stupid decision like maldini. As long as italy play like they did against the netherlands & germany they will destry any team.

Posted from  Australia

marco – it’s referee massimo de sanctis ( http://www.wldcup.com/news/2006May/20060511_36042_world_soccer.html )

And dp’s a playmaker (unlike tavano who’s more of a goal poacher), and since we aren’t taking cassano, we need to have at least two playmakers (totti, dp). Plus, dp has managed 11 goals in such limited time, and can be deadly on the left side (like against holland). Also, according to http://channel4.com/sport/football_italia/ascorers.html , gila is not so much behind tavano (compare penalties) in terms of goal scored, and gila has to share goals with sheva and pippo. But yeah, i expect tavano to play quite a big part in the euro qualifiers…

the thing with lippi, i feel, is that he’s trying to get a “club like atmosphere” in the NT, so he would stick to generally the same players that played in the qualifiers. That’s the only reason i can think of why he’d stick with vieri for so long, and why iaquinta’s still in the scene.

Dunno how, but apparently experience does play a big part in these major tournaments…

we can be sure that the forward lineup will be:
gila, toni, dp, totti, inzaghi, iaquinta/lucarelli

Posted from  India

whats the situation with christian vieri??? is he injuryed? although he is getting on a bit, he would surely be useful!

Posted from  Ireland