Italy starting XI

Thought I'd start the thread again since it was so popular in the former section. Revised from last game and who has been called up

--------------------Buffon
Maggio-------Chiellini----Ranocchia--------Balzaretti

----------------------Pirlo
-------------Nocerino-----Marchisio
--------------------Montolivo

---------------G. Rossi---Cassano

even though I'd want Gamberini over Ranocchia I know Prandelli wont do it

Milantildeath wrote:Thought I'd start the thread again since it was so popular in the former section. Revised from last game and who has been called up

--------------------Buffon
Maggio-------Chiellini----Ranocchia--------Balzaretti

----------------------Pirlo
-------------Nocerino-----Marchisio
--------------------Montolivo

---------------G. Rossi---Cassano

tbh, i really liked they way we looked against estonia. very creative and definitely better than a year ago. i know it was lowly estonia, but impressive nonetheless

Milantildeath wrote:Thought I'd start the thread again since it was so popular in the former section. Revised from last game and who has been called up

--------------------Buffon
Maggio-------Chiellini----Ranocchia--------Balzaretti

----------------------Pirlo
-------------Nocerino-----Marchisio
--------------------Montolivo

---------------G. Rossi---Cassano

Nice

Imagine having the likes of Balotelli and Quag back.

As for Montolivo, let's hope he gets a chance in the TQ position against Ireland, see how he does. Already two assists to his name against Estonia. My problem with Montolivo is that he lacks with finishing, and wastes a lot of opportunities, for example taking long range shots and what not. Not forgetting his work rate and able to track back makes things much better. It is a step up from Mauri..

Let's just hope Cassano regains fitness, seeing him in a TQ can be deadily aswell.

I think Nocerino has earned a spot as well, his fitness and grit is awesome to have in the field. He is a more technical version of Gattuso.

Ganso wrote:last match made it pretty obvious that cassano-rossi is a must

Not entirely, this will not always work against strong opposition's with harder defenses. Although Estonia played with defensive tactics, in a 4-4-1-1 covering almost every possible space, Prandelli read the game right and chose mobile players to get the win over Estonia. However this will not work all the time, we will always need players like Pazzini to find open space and score goals.

But what about someone like Balotelli then? Who can actually do both the SS role and the CF role.. A duo of Cassano and Balotelli sounds even deadily, I guess the best way to chose our combinations is with who is best inform. So Rossi is a must, Cassano when he regains fitness, he will be better then now. Balotelli needs more playing time, and were all set to go.

............................................4---3---2---1.........................................................



.................................................BUFFON(C)....................................................



ABATE...................RANNOCHIA................CHIELLINI........................CRISCITO..



...............MARCHISIO........................PIRLO...................................DE ROSSI...


..............................G.ROSSI.............................CASSANO.............................




.................................................BALOTELLI.................................................

-------------------Buffon-------------
Abate-Chielleni-Rannochia---Cristico
-------------------De Rossi---------
-------------Montolivo-----Giovinco--
----Balotelli------------------Cassano
-----------------Rossi-----------

Surag.Blueguy wrote:............................................4---3---2---1.........................................................



.................................................BUFFON(C)....................................................



ABATE...................RANNOCHIA................CHIELLINI........................CRISCITO..



...............MARCHISIO........................PIRLO...................................DE ROSSI...


..............................G.ROSSI.............................CASSANO.............................




.................................................BALOTELLI.................................................

4-3-2-1 is my favored formation aswell.

I think the best formation for us in my openion is the 4-2-3-1 which would be something like this --
--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Pirlo-----------------
G.Rossi-----------Cassano----------Giovinco
--------------------Pazzini--------------------

The centre back position would go to the player more in-form between Bonnuci and Rannuchio, Chiellini would be my first choise. Although It won't be a bade idea if we move Chiellini to the left as Giovinco won't have to worry about tracking back anymore. If Balotelli can get some game time and mature then he would take Pazzo's place.

tahaa89 wrote:I think the best formation for us in my openion is the 4-2-3-1 which would be something like this --
--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Pirlo-----------------
G.Rossi-----------Cassano----------Giovinco
--------------------Pazzini--------------------

The centre back position would go to the player more in-form between Bonnuci and Rannuchio, Chiellini would be my first choise. Although It won't be a bade idea if we move Chiellini to the left as Giovinco won't have to worry about tracking back anymore. If Balotelli can get some game time and mature then he would take Pazzo's place.

That is deadly ! However, don't expect this to work against Strong oppositions. Our Midfield would be too thin to contain them.

I would favor a 4-3-1-2 with Montolivo as a trequartista behind Rossi and Cassano. Since this team is having trouble playing out wide and putting in quality crosses, players like Gilardino or Pazzini are much less dangerous. We couldn't put in one decent cross against Ireland which was worrying, so for now I would go with Rossi and Cassano which would be a good duo going down the middle. In midfield, 3 out of Pirlo, De Rossi, Nocerino and Marchisio would get the other spots, maybe even Aquilani if he has a good season and stays away from injuries. Parolo could attempt to get in there as well if he has another good season. As for the defense, Chiellini is a certainty, while I'm not convinced by either Bonucci, Gamberini or Ranocchia.

tahaa89 wrote:I think the best formation for us in my openion is the 4-2-3-1 which would be something like this --
--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Pirlo-----------------
G.Rossi-----------Cassano----------Giovinco
--------------------Pazzini--------------------

The centre back position would go to the player more in-form between Bonnuci and Rannuchio, Chiellini would be my first choise. Although It won't be a bade idea if we move Chiellini to the left as Giovinco won't have to worry about tracking back anymore. If Balotelli can get some game time and mature then he would take Pazzo's place.

As much as I love this team, it has no midfield depth. Maybe if you changed it to :

--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Nocerino-----------------
-----------------Montolivo----------------------
G.Rossi-------------------------------------Giovinco
--------------------Pazzini--------------------

but even then....

Yeh, true, I guess against the likes of Spain and Germany that formation won't work. I guess 4-4-2 has allways been our most successfull formation. Rossi-Cassano must start in my openion, because when of them dosen't we lack creativity. This is why I hope Giovinco goes back to Juve or move to a bigger team. Another possibility is to play like this --

--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Marchisio------------
Montilivo-----------Pirlo-------------Cassano
--------------------G.Rossi--------------------

We would be keeping the same formation that we would use against lesser teams, but with different personal against Spain and Germany we could keep more position and have a stronger midfield.

ErPupone wrote:I would favor a 4-3-1-2 with Montolivo as a trequartista behind Rossi and Cassano. Since this team is having trouble playing out wide and putting in quality crosses, players like Gilardino or Pazzini are much less dangerous. We couldn't put in one decent cross against Ireland which was worrying, so for now I would go with Rossi and Cassano which would be a good duo going down the middle. In midfield, 3 out of Pirlo, De Rossi, Nocerino and Marchisio would get the other spots, maybe even Aquilani if he has a good season and stays away from injuries. Parolo could attempt to get in there as well if he has another good season. As for the defense, Chiellini is a certainty, while I'm not convinced by either Bonucci, Gamberini or Ranocchia.

Hmm I got to disagree. Although Montolivo was able to pop in two assists against Estonia, he failed completely against Ireland. I feel he's better off being a CAM because he's better at it. The problem with the treqaurtista's is the we lack. Giovinco is too small, Pirlo is getting old, Aquilani is not able, Montolivo is not a natural TQ, Cassano is out of shape, Balotelli is too lazy to track back. So the solution is reverti it, to 4-3-2-1. Instead of relying on a TQ, having Cassano and Rossi be your seconda punta's and support a prima punta like Matri or Pazzini. That would work, making everything balanced. And yet, we can use other players to play the roles and always expect the same outcome, like Giovinco or Balotelli.

Sorry Mike, I agree with the Midfield however your conclusion with the CB's seems a bit odd to be. I for one agree that Gamberini is not convincing to me and I never liked him. Me and MTD had a debate about it, and he was wrong this whole time. Not only was I right about Gamberini being poor, not deserving of a spot, and there to replace Astori who was suspended.. He even was at fault for the second goal against Ireland.

However, I don't see why your not convinced by Ranocchia and Bonucci. If you're not convinced by them, then who should we rely on? Ranocchia has been pretty decent up to this point. A monster in my opinion. Bonucci, aswell, has his ups and downs, however is still a great defender. Needless to say, we shouldn't forget that Rano and Bonucci has the best defensive record with Bari out of the whole league. So that should mean something and convince you some way.

Brigate Rossonere wrote:

tahaa89 wrote:I think the best formation for us in my openion is the 4-2-3-1 which would be something like this --
--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Pirlo-----------------
G.Rossi-----------Cassano----------Giovinco
--------------------Pazzini--------------------

The centre back position would go to the player more in-form between Bonnuci and Rannuchio, Chiellini would be my first choise. Although It won't be a bade idea if we move Chiellini to the left as Giovinco won't have to worry about tracking back anymore. If Balotelli can get some game time and mature then he would take Pazzo's place.

As much as I love this team, it has no midfield depth. Maybe if you changed it to :

--------------------Buffon--------------------
Abate----Bonnuci------Chiellini---Balzeratti
-------------De Rossi---Nocerino-----------------
-----------------Montolivo----------------------
G.Rossi-------------------------------------Giovinco
--------------------Pazzini--------------------

but even then....

I agree, it has no depth. However. Rossi can't play on the wing. He is a central player. He dosen't love playing on the wings.

Shift that to a 4-3-2-1.

sciacca wrote:

ErPupone wrote:I would favor a 4-3-1-2 with Montolivo as a trequartista behind Rossi and Cassano. Since this team is having trouble playing out wide and putting in quality crosses, players like Gilardino or Pazzini are much less dangerous. We couldn't put in one decent cross against Ireland which was worrying, so for now I would go with Rossi and Cassano which would be a good duo going down the middle. In midfield, 3 out of Pirlo, De Rossi, Nocerino and Marchisio would get the other spots, maybe even Aquilani if he has a good season and stays away from injuries. Parolo could attempt to get in there as well if he has another good season. As for the defense, Chiellini is a certainty, while I'm not convinced by either Bonucci, Gamberini or Ranocchia.

Hmm I got to disagree. Although Montolivo was able to pop in two assists against Estonia, he failed completely against Ireland. I feel he's better off being a CAM because he's better at it. The problem with the treqaurtista's is the we lack. Giovinco is too small, Pirlo is getting old, Aquilani is not able, Montolivo is not a natural TQ, Cassano is out of shape, Balotelli is too lazy to track back. So the solution is reverti it, to 4-3-2-1. Instead of relying on a TQ, having Cassano and Rossi be your seconda punta's and support a prima punta like Matri or Pazzini. That would work, making everything balanced. And yet, we can use other players to play the roles and always expect the same outcome, like Giovinco or Balotelli.

Sorry Mike, I agree with the Midfield however your conclusion with the CB's seems a bit odd to be. I for one agree that Gamberini is not convincing to me and I never liked him. Me and MTD had a debate about it, and he was wrong this whole time. Not only was I right about Gamberini being poor, not deserving of a spot, and there to replace Astori who was suspended.. He even was at fault for the second goal against Ireland.

However, I don't see why your not convinced by Ranocchia and Bonucci. If you're not convinced by them, then who should we rely on? Ranocchia has been pretty decent up to this point. A monster in my opinion. Bonucci, aswell, has his ups and downs, however is still a great defender. Needless to say, we shouldn't forget that Rano and Bonucci has the best defensive record with Bari out of the whole league. So that should mean something and convince you some way.

Well let's get one thing straight, the days of natural trequartistas are done. The last "real" trequartistas were Totti and Del Piero and they don't even play that position anymore. I chose Montolivo because I find him to be the best fit in that position despite the fact that it isn't his favoured role. He has the willingness to contribute on both ends of the pitch and has the ability to put in some good through balls to supply his strikers. I often have the "Defense-first" mentality and do not usually favour having 3 strikers such as Rossi, Cassano and Balotelli on the pitch at once when you don't have full confidence in your defense. Our defence in terms of quality is a little weak, despite the good stats we've had in our qualifications (of course it's hard to forget the days of the Cannavaro-Nesta partnership so everything compared to that is weak). Gamberini is definitely not good enough to be a starter. To be honest, I have trouble picking between Ranocchia and Bonucci, they both have their shortcomings. But there are no other options other than Astori and Barzagli, though those would be long-shots.

As for the difference between the 4-3-2-1 and 4-3-1-2, there isn't a big difference and no matter which one we use on paper, it's the players' natural instincts and ability that prevail. Whether it's:

Cassano Rossi
Pazzini

or

Cassano
Pazzini Rossi

There isn't a big difference since Cassano and Rossi are both mobile strikers who will roam from their positions to a certain point.