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Super-Pippo to the Rescue

June 19th, 2006 | By: Josh | 65 Comments »

[Cue the Mighty Mouse Music]: “Here I Come to Save the Daaaaaaay!”

Ragazzi,

We need Pippo. To start.

But that begs the question: who do should sit?

On the one hand I think Gila because Toni should be a menace in the box against the Czecks. Then again, hadn’t we all thought that Toni would be a menace against Ghana and then the U.S.? To be fair to Luca, he would have easily scored two against Ghana with a modicum of service from his mates. But against the U.S.?

Gilardino’s faster, and has a goal (some confidence). Toni is a a tornado of strength and talent, and still has something to prove. One of them has to make way for Inzaghi. What say you?

Also, where the %&$#*@(# was Camoranesi? DP looked unnervingly slow and winded for a last-30 sub, and while the man’s a genius and nearly provided the desperately-needed magic against the U.S., I think he’s practically a non-factor on the wing- especially in the international circuit, where young legs and pace abound.

Tags: Group E

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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 65 comments.

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By Angelo Abruzzese | June 20th, 2006 at 9:38 pm

Pao,

Non ti dimenticare anche il ginochio in pancia quando uno ti tolga il piato di Lasagna che non e ancora finito.

Scusami si il mio Italino e un po “Rusty” or arrovinato, ormai non scrivo pui in Italiano da pui di 30 anni sai.

Posted from United States

By domenica | June 20th, 2006 at 11:06 pm

it seems that nothing can be easy for the azzurri. i’m nervous about the thursday game but will keep my optimism.

in bocca al lupo, ragazzi

Posted from United States

By FORTE | June 20th, 2006 at 11:48 pm

F–K it, bring on Brazil in the second round. Let’s go out “Guns Blazing”. Let’s do to Brazil what Korea and USA did to us.

Posted from Canada

By pao | June 21st, 2006 at 12:13 am

ahahahah Angelo, non ti preoccupare il tuo Italiano non è così rusty, hai solo qualche problema con le doppie che è tipico di chi scrive e parla inglese. Ma conosco moltissimi italiani a cui tu potresti insegnare a scrivere.

Posted from Italy

By Vin | June 21st, 2006 at 1:34 am

Ah… the Nigeria match. Pao, that’s the match I had in mind when I mentioned the “spark” earlier.

The spark’s name is Baggio.

If somebody could step up to the plate, once again, like he did, and lead gli Azzurri to victory, it would be a World Cup for the record books.

The Nigeria goals are available on this page, if anybody wants to remember.
http://www.pro-paul.net/baggio/english/goals.html

Here’s some great highlight footage, including one of the goals vs. Nigeria. The video is a little gay at points, and the English isn’t great, but it still gets me choked up.
http://www.pro-paul.net/baggio/media/three_decades_of_passion.mpg

I believe that we could make a run, if somebody - maybe Totti - maybe Toni - would become a magician like Baggio.

Posted from United States

By Nando | June 21st, 2006 at 5:33 am

Ciao tutti,
I have a good feeling we will see Oddo come in for Zaccardo. In Mid, we will see Gattuso, Pirlo, and Camoranesi. Totti will be behind Toni and Gilardino. I don’t like to hear this talk about us giving up on Luca Toni as he is outstanding. He will come out flying, like he did with Ghana. There will be space to sub in Inzaghi and DelPiero. Totti and Toni will find their form. We must be patient. We will qualify in 1st place.
Non te preoccupare Italiani!!!

Posted from Canada

By Roberto | June 21st, 2006 at 7:01 am

I only hope that our players don’t do the soap opera bit in the end if we go out of the cup tomorrow. It’s totaly embarrasing when our player start crying and acting like women after losing. Please please please don’t make us the laughing stock by crying. Lets start taking our defeats like men and not girls. It’s not attractive!!!!!!!!!

By Bariman | June 21st, 2006 at 2:19 pm

I have some questions for you:
1. Italy have a potentially good team but why are they afraid to attack in numbers?
2. Why do they try to defend a slender lead when it rarely works?
3. Has anybody seen Del Piero play well in a competitive game in the Italy shirt?

Posted from United Kingdom

By Josh | June 21st, 2006 at 8:13 pm

Bariman:
1. We don’t have a potentially good team; we have a damn good team. But beyond that, please give us a break as we used to send no one! We’re quite content with sending a couple of players forward (a relative legion). Of course, we still pride ourselves on excellent defending, so you won’t see countries scoring more than one goal against us, including our own….

2. We don’t know. We wish we wouldn’t do that. Remnants of catenaccio, perhaps? Hopefully we won’t try to do this against the Czechs, because it would lead to one of two things: a) an utterly disgraceful first-round exit; or b) advancement, and hence encouragement to try this approach again.

3. Del Piero has had several strong showings in the qualification stage. But he has consistently failed to deliver in the big tournaments. I think he’s a highstakes head case at this point and should not feature, if at all play.

Posted from United States

By Josh | June 21st, 2006 at 8:19 pm

thanks for the links, vin.

i was hoping to see the highlight of his sublime chip pass, late in the game from 94. i can’t remember if that was against spain or nigeria? or maybe another team altogether? does anyone remember? anyway, that assist, for me, was baggio’s best play of the tournament.

Posted from United States

By JoetheGreek | June 22nd, 2006 at 12:16 am

Listen, Italy will win. Czechs will not know what hit them.

By boo | June 22nd, 2006 at 1:05 am

pipo is the biggest diver of them all hes a poor sport.

By pao | June 22nd, 2006 at 2:50 am

Thanks for the links vin….and this time i must agree with boo. Inzaghi is a diver I don’t really like him.

Posted from Italy

By pao | June 22nd, 2006 at 2:54 am

http://nazionale.altervista.org/bagcec.wmv
take a look at that

Posted from Italy

By devansh | June 22nd, 2006 at 6:48 am

its a poor site pao

By moka | June 22nd, 2006 at 1:22 pm

Before I start, I want to applaud the author of this article for a job well done. By all means, I strongly believe Inzaghi should start over Gilardino. Yes, even after Gilardino’s nice goal against USA. Should Inzaghi start on the bench, I also strongly believe he should be subbed in over Iaqinta. Once again, yes, even after his goal against Ghana.

For those who criticize Inzaghi for being offside most of the times, I would like to bring to attention, 11. Enough said there.

Allow me to compare Inzaghi to Gilardino this season. Gilardino undoubtedly scored more than Inzaghi, however, in European competitions, Gilardino failed to find the net in 9 matches, while Inzaghi gave Milan victories against Bayern Munchen and Lyon, scoring 1 and 2 goals, respectively.

Throughout his career, he has scored 52 goals in 78 matches in Europe. Stats don’t lie.

There is no doubt that Inzaghi, the poacher, aka the fox, is very much capable of proving his worth when it comes to important matches. Tonight’s match is undoubtedly an important one.

Should Lippi decide to start Inzaghi over Gilardino, he WILL make a difference. Even if he doesn’t score himself, I’m sure he’ll get Italy a penalty.

FORZA ITALIA …

(ITALY 2 - 0 CZECH REP.)

Scorers: Inzaghi, Del Piero

(if they start o.O)

Posted from Kuwait

By moka | June 22nd, 2006 at 1:31 pm

For those who criticize Inzaghi for being offside most of the times, I would like to bring to attention, 11. Enough said there.

That should read :

For those who criticize Inzaghi for being offside most of the times, I would like to bring to attention the number of offsides Italy had against the US, 11. Enough said there.

Posted from Kuwait

By rinaldo | June 22nd, 2006 at 1:49 pm

so guys, perrotta’s fit to play today:
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun22b.html

forza azzurri…

Posted from India

By devansh | June 22nd, 2006 at 3:29 pm

Moka , you are over rating inzaghi. why will lippi put gilardino on the bench ????
he has score against usa…….

maybe toni can be off

By Angelo Abruzzese | June 22nd, 2006 at 4:24 pm

What did I tell you about letting the guys on.

The Matrix scared you but he scored for us.

Lets hope it gets better.

Posted from United States

By NAPOLI | June 22nd, 2006 at 10:35 pm

brilliant today proud to wear the shirt, gattuso is the key man along with pirlo

Posted from United Kingdom

By NAPOLI | June 22nd, 2006 at 10:37 pm

pippo is the man, u saw when he scored a naturall italian striker plays out of his heart for his country im glad lippi brang him along

Posted from United Kingdom

By Abe | June 22nd, 2006 at 11:34 pm

My man of the match was definitly Cannavaro…

Posted from United States

By joe | June 23rd, 2006 at 4:57 pm

It does not suprise me that Lippi benched Toni. He has always been a complete idiot, so his actions should not suprise anyone. Typical of an Italian coach to bench the only talented player we have. It reminds me of when Baggio, the best Italian player in the last 25 years, was benched in 98 for Del Piero, who has consistently been a disgrace to Italy.So what if Toni didnt score in the first two games, in 94 Baggio didnt score in the first three games, and finished with 5 goals. Toni was the leading scorer in serie A for a reason. Let him play.

Posted from Canada

By marco | June 24th, 2006 at 11:05 am

joe … i agree .. i think toni and inzaghi should start .. i mean against ghana he was ever so unlucky and could have got 4 goals … the other thing is that he needs to play full games .. how many times have i seen him score in the 85th minute for fiorentina and win it for them .. come on lippi get some brains

Posted from Australia