Italia: La Nazionale II

Do remember though, Sweden may have won with a deflection but their football was pretty good compared to Italy. So Italy is gonna have really raise their game which happens to include Ventura who is just shitting the bed constantly with his choices.

Nothing against my dearest friend Hala obviously but Italy has to do better than what I saw. For both qualification (obviously) and reputation.

Warrior wrote:San Siro ?

The football was poor and the subs worse but its not like Sweden did more than Italy either. We had more possession and shots. They stayed organized for the most part and hoofed it to to the CFs over and over again.

In the end they scored from a deflection and Darmian hit the post. The other big chance was Belotti's header just wide and a long shot from a Swede that went just wide to the right. The draw was the expected result with that kind of match.

Anyway in San Siro the attitude must be completely different, the team has to take the initiative and play like we haven't under Ventura.

Warrior wrote:No Italy in the world cup would sadden me A LOT, for obvious reasons.

Unusual but sacking Ventura right now is the energy spark this team needs. Anyone can do better... @rincon, are you available on monday afternoon ?

I can make time for it

The rincon revolution

A lot of the coverage for the game is about "nothing is certain" but still the media has an expected 11. Ventura is trying to race towards being the worst NT coach in the history of Italy. From his subs and this lineup it seems as if he lost touch with reality the moment Sweden scored on friday.

Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli; Darmian, Florenzi, Jorginho, Parolo, Candreva; Gabbiadini, Immobile

Gabbiadini...
The most important game of his career and he leaves out Insigne, Belotti, El Shaarawy and Bernardeschi for Gabbiadini.

Otherwise its fine but I can't get over Gabbiadini. Maybe he goes on and scores, hopefully, but what is the point of handicapping yourself like that and not playing your best players in a game were you have to win by 2.

Ballardini

Genoa boss ’not talking to Swedish wife’

Lets just hope for a result.

I'm done with line up discussion because its deflating. Even now if he starts Jorginho after months (literal months), of not even calling him to the squad, just speaks volumes about our manager.

I'm super nervous for this game, I'm trying to keep my expectations low but it's difficult

what is this

It's a prank

Still putting money on Italy -1 handicap

I see a draw at best for Italy and then a long needed reset at the top and mid levels of the FIGC. Can't wait to see Tavecchio out of there and of course this moron of a CT.

RG and this gambling, hopefully he won't use this forum as collateral.

Well, it is a line up that can win you a game so I'm sure Italia fans are still hopeful. I just feel ES and Insigne obviously said something naughty behind Ventura back and got caught since that is the reason for another non inclusion in the starting 11. And that's for either of them to start, not necessarily both.

Actually that has shit odds. Immobile anytime scorer is better.

Not sure about Immobile-Gabbiadini
Not sure about Darmian alone on the left side, he's mostly defensive-minded
Not sure about using the BBC they are not imperial anymore
Not sure of how Sweden will manage the pressure either

I still believe but it really is 50-50 imo

Ventura is playing the football equivalent of 52 card pickup. Throws up a deck of playing cards and picks the first 11 cards without any idea why.

Well this isn't looking good...

Candreva clueless, Parolo needs to stfu

Clear penalty kick denied to us now

Darmian got away with that one. Clear PK for Sweden, Hala just vomited. Also, it's his boy Lahouz refereeing too.

As I predicted. This moron Ventura took a little over a year to dismantle a decent national team. Now, let's hope heads start rolling.

How does one go from a very impressive Euro showing to being KO'd by Sweden in just over a year?

By excluding Jorginho and Insigne, by wasting Verratti, by calling up and starting Gabbiadini, by exclusively playing with 2 strikers, by refusing at all costs to play your players in their best positions, by getting to the last game and relying a player you are only now giving him a debut, etc, etc

Giampiero Ventura

From the moment Insigne came on last game was told to play midfielder, which the other players didn't even believe at first. To this now

http://video.gazzetta.it/italia-svezia-ventura-de-rossi-non-dobbiamo-pareggiare/802a402e-c8c1-11e7-ad91-5eb3e22db240?vclk=home_generico|italia-svezia-ventura-de-rossi-non-dobbiamo-pareggiare&refresh_ce-cp

Ventura must be *bleep* insane. De Rossi is too much of a legend.

Well, he resigned now but I really wish he could come back and explain that one. Why would you wanna put on De Rossi while chasing an equaliser?

De Rossi telling the idiot to put in Insigne because they had to score. He would have been a much better manager than Ventura. This just makes it clear that Ventura is a moron.

Rincon's lets forget about the NT tragedy look at the new U21 team.

The U21 Euro was this summer and concluded the cycle of that team. Even though Di Biaggio is a srcub, the kids played well, got important results and showed a lot of talent in this cycle.

Most players from that team are past the age limit and some graduated to the senior NT and Serie A sides. Notably:

Donnarumma, Bernardeschi, Rugani, Caldara, Romagnoli, Gagliardini, Conti, Benassi, Pellegrini and Berardi now have to transition.

The new U21 that started this fall has some leftovers from the last team plus come of the players that reached the semis of the U20 WC this year.

After a defeat in the first game in a friendly to Spain, they have won 4 games in a row vs Slovenia, Hungary, Morroco and Russia.

Some notable players from the new team:

The GKs looks promising, Meret looks like a top prospect, Audero has been very good for Juve's youth teams and Scuffet had the hype back then.

The midfielders have made noise in Serie A already, regulars, or starters, in their teams. Mandragora, Barella and Locatelli are there. Murgia and Depaoli are the more low key ones.

Forwards/wingers include Verde, Chiesa, Favili, Cutrone, Orsolini, Bonazzoli and Vido.

I don't know the defenders well enough to rate them. Only Romgna cause he was in the Juve academy. There's a guy called Lorenzo Dickmann, that deserves a mention.

Bolded some interesting ones form what I've seen of them. The three midfielders are familiar enough to all of us by now. Locatelli has the most experience at a high level while the other show top potential (and performances) in A. Meret was on the shopping list of top teams including Juve and Napoli. Cutrone and Chiesa are making tons of noise while Orsolini and Favili have been on the hype train their whole careers.

The clubs from the players in the previous U21 team that I posted above looks like this:
Milan, Juve, Juve, Atalanta(Juve), Milan, Inter, Milan, Fiore, Roma and Sassuolo

Big win that they have so far transitioned into top teams. This was a big problems with previous teams. Hopefully this new crop does something similar.

From a Juve perspective we have Orsolini, Mandragora and are on Barella (Cagliari). Favili himself is our former player (loan). Milan have Locatelli and Cutrone. Roma has Verde.