Sh#t i always mix up lol theyre both southerner so there u go

red&blacklegion wrote:Sh#t i always mix up lol theyre both southerner so there u go

The Neapolitan in me resents association with Palermo :lol!:

Abate fully deserves his call up. He has been fantastic for us.
To say that he got called up because it is a "no risk friendly" is stupid.
He's been consistently great in defence and attack. That's why he got selected.

1. Abate deserves the call-up, he's been playing very well for us.
2. Most big national team coaches use a wide variety of players in the qualification stages, because they expect to qualify relatively easy. They have nothing to lose from trying different options.
3. Let's say Maggio gets injured or loses form at Euro... the squad needs depth, even if Abate doesn't crack the starting XI immediately, his presence is undeniably a good thing strategically.
4. If Italy only call up players that have already been used for friendlies, Prandelli is wasting an opportunity to develop new talent and give more players national team experience before the tournament.
5. "Non-Italian" does not mean we are any less informed.

what about maggio???

noway prandelli is going to bench maggio for abate...

Even if Abate only manages to hold down the back up role (which is still too early to say) behind Maggio, he still has plenty of time to try to establish himself there as he's 5 yrs younger.. I just hope he gets some game time and performs well.. Especially against Uruguay.

Italy will face Poland on Friday with Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini in attack, while Ignazio Abate will make his debut at right-back.

Boss Cesare Prandelli announced his starting XI on Thursday, but did add that there would be changes made to the team after the break.

Balotelli and Pazzini come into the side given that Antonio Cassano is recovering from heart surgery, while Giuseppe Rossi will be out for six months after damaging knee ligaments.

“Balotelli needs to go on to the pitch with no pressure on him,” Prandelli noted.

“The fact that he hasn’t scored for Italy yet shouldn’t be an obsession for him. He just needs to stay serene and the goal will come naturally.

“The Rossi-Cassano-Balotelli trident? We had it up to a few weeks ago, but it hasn’t gone. We just need to be patient.”

Milan man Abate will be thrown into the team for the first time, while Andrea Ranocchia has recovered from injury and will partner Giorgio Chiellini in defence.

Riccardo Montolivo will be used in an advanced midfield role behind the two strikers as Prandelli will keep faith with the 4-3-1-2 system.

However, the side are expected to switch to a 4-3-3 at some stage during the tie once Juventus’ Simone Pepe comes off the bench.

“Simone has been doing really well in training,” added the tactician. “He’s convinced me to use him in the next two games against Poland and Uruguay.

“We’ll change the system against Poland after the interval to try a few experiments. The first half, though, will be one for continuity.”

It’s being claimed that Torino stopper Angelo Ogbonna could make his debut as a substitute in the game, while Juve’s Alessandro Matri is being tipped to be used too.

Thiago Motta, Alberto Aquilani and Antonio Nocerino should feature at some stage as well.

The Azzurri will play Uruguay on Tuesday where Prandelli could try a front two of Balotelli and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo.

Italy starting XI: Buffon; Abate, Ranocchia, Chiellini, Criscito; Pirlo, De Rossi, Marchisio; Montolivo; Balotelli, Pazzini

Abate will have to impress in the Poland match if he wants to be a part of the Euro action, anything less than outstanding probably won't cut it. Also, I hope he doesn't get injured.

One of the most important factors in his call up was the fact that Italy and Milan play the same formation 4-3-1-2. He'll do just fine, well earned call up.

Abate starts!

red&blacklegion wrote:Since Prandelli doesnt use 3-4-3 formation like Palermo i see Abate more suited for the RB position!Maggio can be the perfect all purpose box to box midfielder for the azzuri!This is just my opinion !

Azzurri*.

Maggio would never, ever play in that position. That is absurd. There are much better midfielders who can be played in that system, namely Marchisio, Pirlo, De Rossi, Aquilani, Nocerino, Montolivo, etc. There is absolutely no lack of depth there.

Maggio will be the starting right-back for Italia, that is without a doubt. Abate today was dreadful, but as much as I dislike his domestic team, I say it would be unfair to judge him based on his first ever performance playing for his national team...kind of a big deal, if I do say so myself.

He has a chance of becoming an admirable substitute, just hope he can replicate some of his AC Milano form.

It's not really relevant, but I think Maggio's talented enough to play in midfield, it's simply an unnecessary change and he would need to make a transition at club level. Excellent passer, good touch, great engine, can tackle. It would be pointless to teach him where to move at such an age though.

It's not going to happen, just a thought.

I didn't see today's game but I heard Abate was defensively solid, I've no idea what was thrown at him though.

dostoevsky wrote:It's not really relevant, but I think Maggio's talented enough to play in midfield, it's simply an unnecessary change and he would need to make a transition at club level. Excellent passer, good touch, great engine, can tackle. It would be pointless to teach him where to move at such an age though.

It's not going to happen, just a thought.

I didn't see today's game but I heard Abate was defensively solid, I've no idea what was thrown at him though.

He does have the ability to, but as I said, there would be absolutely no need to, considering the midfield has an over-abundance of depth and talented players in comparison to the right-back position which, besides Maggio, is not as strong as the rest of the team. The only other weak point would be the left-back position, because beyond Balzaretti, there is only Criscito really who is being utilized and while he is talented, in comparison to the rest of the team, definitely a weakness.

Not to digress further; Abate was somewhat of a fish out of water, not position wise, naturally, but more like you could tell it was his first game. He was unfamiliar at times and there were occasions where Chiellini and Ranocchia chewed him up a bit for faltering. As I said though, it was his first game, and even I am empathetic enough to realize this and form an opinion if he ever plays again.

Abate! will do just fine.
And the fact that he was called up is a big deal for a young player like him.
Of course he will be a little nervous playing.

I'm a bit tired of reading this italian and non italian comments.
I'm 100% italian that lives in USA, and let me tell you there plenty of non-italian that follow the national team and have knowledge.

That's all

Superpeppe wrote:Abate! will do just fine.
And the fact that he was called up is a big deal for a young player like him.
Of course he will be a little nervous playing.

I'm a bit tired of reading this italian and non italian comments.
I'm 100% italian that lives in USA, and let me tell you there plenty of non-italian that follow the national team and have knowledge.

That's all

Who mentioned Italians and non-Italians ? Nobody.

JuvenelCuore wrote:

red&blacklegion wrote:I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

In what universe ? Funny how non-Italians pretend to know so much about the national team.

Nice to see two former Juventus players make the list too, hope to see Nocerino and Aquilani do well...but only for Italia.

You did

oh I forgot

Forza Cugino

:cyclops:

Superpeppe wrote:

JuvenelCuore wrote:

red&blacklegion wrote:I think he'll do great!Poor Maggio is gonnabe a bench warmer soon

In what universe ? Funny how non-Italians pretend to know so much about the national team.

Nice to see two former Juventus players make the list too, hope to see Nocerino and Aquilani do well...but only for Italia.

You did

When a comment like that is made, not my fault.

I think that Maggio will start. It would be interesting to see maggio in the mf and abate as fullback

king_alex10 wrote:I think that Maggio will start. It would be interesting to see maggio in the mf and abate as fullback

It would be, but unfortunately, it will never happen. Abate needs to improve because he showed himself as a liability, and as I said, it was his first game so I am not going to go ahead and say he will be as bad in the future, certainly not. But Maggio has cemented himself in the position of right-back, and for a very good reason.

I'm not gunna complain at all. IMO, maggio deserves the start n abate deserves the bench. Great options

Maggio will be the starter at the Euro and Abate will then take his spot. In my opinion they are very similar players