Signing in.
I have now decided that we are going to win it, we are going to repeat our 2006 World Cup. We have the best squad, he have the best coach, we have the strongest mentality.
Gigi, will you lead us to glory?
[ATTACH=full]1253[/ATTACH]
Ti Amo!!!
There’s a fucking surprise :rolleyes:
Why do you think Italy can win it and what’s the best price? I’m going to stick a few bob on them just in case they do win it. It will be insufferable on here listening to you gloat, but a nice payout would soften the blow.
[QUOTE=“Sandymount Red, post: 944509, member: 1074”]There’s a fucking surprise :rolleyes:
Why do you think Italy can win it and what’s the best price? I’m going to stick a few bob on them just in case they do win it. It will be insufferable on here listening to you gloat, but a nice payout would soften the blow.[/QUOTE]
Because we have a great team and finally under Prandelli we will have real quality depth in attack. We have a lot of good young players who have established themselves in recent years like De Sciglio, Insigne, Verratti, Destro and Immobile.
Italy will not win the forthcoming world cup. They won’t even make the final.
They have made the final every 12 years since 1970. They aren’t due another final appearance until Russia 2018.
If they get out of the group, it will be with a win over Costa Rica and 2 goalless draws with England and Uruguay, leaving everyone to marvel at the fact that they’re still there despite their notorious tendency to start slowly.
Semi finalists.
Signing in
Gigi to prove yet again he is the greatest keeper that ever lived and what a fine tournamant player he is.
Signing in.
I feel this World Cup has come 4 years too early for Italy. Too many newcomers to international football I feel. I look forward to seeing how Insigne, Destro & Immobile in particular cope in their first big tournament.
Disappointed El Sharaawy didn’t make the squad but missing a third of the season did him no favours I guess.
[QUOTE=“Gary Birtles Lovechild, post: 944651, member: 2585”]Signing in.
I feel this World Cup has come 4 years too early for Italy. Too many newcomers to international football I feel. I look forward to seeing how Insigne, Destro & Immobile in particular cope in their first big tournament.
Disappointed El Sharaawy didn’t make the squad but missing a third of the season did him no favours I guess.[/QUOTE]
I think this is our year, not too many standout centre backs coming through right now although they can develop very quickly and I would be hopeful over Bianchetti and Romagnoli in time. Chiellini and Barzagli are in their prime right now and hard to know what they will be like in four year’s time, it’s also likely to be the last world cup for Pirlo, De Rossi and Gigi.
Even though he’s no longer in the international frame, I feel this thread needs the greatest song about a footballer ever.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain)
Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Ignazio Abate (Milan)
Midfielders: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Romulo (Verona), Marco Parolo (Parma),
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Giuseppe Rossi (Fiorentina)
Gazzetta are reporting that this looks like the squad Prandelli will pick. They believe Ranocchia, Pasqual and Insigne have very slim chances of making it and that the main battles are between:
Parolo, Verratti and Aquilani
Abate and Maggio
Rossi and Destro
I’d be reasonably content with that squad although I’d be very disappointed to see Verratti left behind and I’m not a big fan of Romulo though I do understand the need for his versatility in that he can play play in both midfield and cover at full back.
Very disappointed for Insigne if that’s true. So much potential there.
I can see Abate getting in ahead of Maggio - how fit can Maggio be when he’s only just back from a 3 month injury layoff.
Signing in of course!
Team named for the game against Ireland.
Sirigu
Darmian Paletta Bonucci De Sciglio
Montolivo Verratti Motta
Marchisio
Immobile Rossi
Both Darmian and De Sciglio are comfortable on both sides so they could easily switch around, the midfield is also able to change shape quite easily, it will be intersting whether Marchisio plays at the tip of the midfield or on the right hand side of a flat four. Prandelli also likes to go with a diamond shape in midfield so that could be an option as well. Huge match for Verratti as he is supposedly one of the players in big danger of not making the squad.
Italy start as alluded to above.
Oireland play a 4-4-1-1.
Forde
Coleman O’Shea Pearce Ward
McGeady Kendrick Meyler Pilkington
Hoolahan
Long
Italy to run out 4-0 winners.
The head on Keith Andrews. 
cmon Italy , into these potato munching bastards
Do you not like potatoes mate?
no
Picked up an Italian Jersey in Lidl today for 5.99