Italia: La Nazionale II

Doc wrote:Interesting. On one hand, if the top Italian talents do stay in Serie A, it would not only benefit the league itself but the trickle down effect would also be strengthening the NT as well. On the other hand, since the league itself currently isn't elite, any top level Italian talent that stays there would remain at the level of the league itself which, once again, isn't elite so there is a bit of a stagnation taking place. Well, "stagnation".

It's a delicate balance that we have not paid enough respect to. Surely the four Champions League places coming back will only benefit the league and national team overall. I do believe there is a direct correlation (not to be confused with causation) of having a strong league with a strong national team. Historically, the top Italian players play for the top Italian teams, it begins and ends there for me. And I do believe over the past 2-3 seasons, the Italian clubs are paying a bit more mind to this. I don't believe in a prioritizing signing Italian players but I do believe that the talented Italian players should be well-represented at the top Italian clubs

vs The Netherlands

Perin; Zappacosta, Caldara, Romagnoli, Criscito; Cristante, Jorginho, Bonaventura; Verdi, Belotti, Insigne

The non-WC final....

Dem fullbacks and dat midfield

I didn't realize it was that big of a gap in talent between the old guard and the next generation... wow. After 2010, we had similar problems except that there was Benzema and Ribery along with Lloris and Evra to carry us over kind of. Diaby (when healthy) and Valbuena weren't horrible either... the issue was our putrid midfield and CBs otherwise.

Italy need to find a way to stay respectable while rebuilding. Not sure how... but it has to happen. Balotelli needs to keep it together.

sportsczy wrote:I didn't realize it was that big of a gap in talent between the old guard and the next generation... wow. After 2010, we had similar problems except that there was Benzema and Ribery along with Lloris and Evra to carry us over kind of. Diaby (when healthy) and Valbuena weren't horrible either... the issue was our putrid midfield and CBs otherwise.

Italy need to find a way to stay respectable while rebuilding. Not sure how... but it has to happen. Balotelli needs to keep it together.

Well, we are missing a handful of key players like Chiellini, Verratti, and Bernardeschi, also there is Conti, our most promising right back who suffered an ACL tear quite early in the season for Milan.

There is enough there for Mancini to work with and continue experimenting. With how this qualification run went over Ventura, I'm sure everyone will be keen to see fresh ideas and players

I'd say 2012 was quite a decent Italian team under Prandelli.

2016 I think was the worst squad but one of the most overachieving managers in Conte- very short term however

Ventura had probably a better squad than Conte but is one of the worst managers of all time

Now were here

Incredible what 2 games with Mancini does in terms of style vs 2 years with Ventura.

Also, Van Dijk looks like a fraud

Gotta admit, Italy playing really well

rincon wrote:Incredible what 2 games with Mancini does in terms of style vs 2 years with Ventura.

Incredibly sad

How was Verdi?

He was fine. Had good 1-2s and good movement. Should have scored with one of his chances. If you are asking for Milan, he already signed for Napoli.

I'm aware of that lol. I was just wondering because he's a former Milan player. IIRC, he had a lot of hype for a Primavera product back in 2010 or so.

He looked like he should surely be part of the group going forward, but didn't blow anyone away to look like the key player.

Looked better than Politano and Berardi. Him, Chiesa and Bernardeschi should be the RW options imo.

Very poor showing, and it was sobering to realize that Poland have a much better center forward than Italy does. Italy didn't play with a CF, Balotelli is not a no. 9.

L’elenco dei convocati

Portieri: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Mattia Perin (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino);

Difensori: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter), Emerson Palmieri Dos Santos (Chelsea), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Alessio Romagnoli (Milan);

Centrocampisti: Nicolò Barella (Cagliari), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Roberto Gagliardini (Inter), Frello Filho Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Chelsea), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain);

Attaccanti: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Gianluca Caprari (Sampdoria), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Patrick Cutrone (Milan), Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Simone Zaza (Torino).






what is this

y i k e s

Belotti, Balotelli, Zaza and Cutrone out. Immobile is supposed to be kept on the bench because he barely made it. So the friendly today seems to be played with no CF.

Probable formation:

Donnarumma; Florenzi, Bonucci, Chiellini, Biraghi; Verratti, Jorginho, Barella; Chiesa, Bernardeschi, Insigne.

Humble, hardworking Bernardeschi 1-0

We have a bunch of mediocre players that can't beat anyone. We need to wait for the next generation and hope that a few decent players evolve.

Very good showing by Italy so far.

But the finishing is unbelievably shite.  Should be up 5-0.

Ok, 5-1 lol. What a miss by Milik.

Very well deserved win. Great game by Italy.

Incredibly frustrating when the game was heading to a draw after controlling the match so decisively.

Mancini with some GOAT work to setup the team but some really strange subs and shocking choice of LB.

What a different style of performances.

10 of these players looked great. Only Biraghi is out of place at this level, Palmieri, Spinazzola, De Sciglio, Criscito, anyone else please. It would be wonderful for Belotti to put the injuries in the past and get on form to complete this team.

Jorginho-Verratti-Barella has a fantastic look. The team just needs an actual striker to be more complete.