Ruddy makes a smart save from Destro after good work from Diamanti who has probably been the pick of our players tonight. Peluso has done well since coming on.
Lovely run and nutmeg from Destro nearly comes up with a goal and then Peluso gets in behind with a good run and should have scored. Diamanti again at the heart of things.
Gabbiadini and Verratti on for El Shaarawy and Diamanti so we’ll change to a 4-3-1-2 now with Aquilani presumably playing the advanced role.
Astori has put in a number of crude and nasty tackles tonight. 
Verratti is the one chosen to play at the tip of the midfield. I feel it would suit Aquilani and his passive style to play there as Verratti is someone who gets on the ball and can dictate things from deep. Aquilani has just been replaced by Poli.
Sirigu make a wonderful save to prevent an own goal there. We have defended set pieces poorly tonight.
Defoe scores a goal against the run of play after England break from a Ryan Bertrand off the line clearance. We’ve dominated from general play and I think we’ve done better since the change in system.
Fabbrini for Destro.
Schelotto for Abate.
Was Cleverley any use tonight Totti?
Worthwhile workout tonight and a few things for Cesare to learn from.
The most important one is that I don’t ever see 4-3-3 working for our national side. You need a high pressing midfield for it and that’s never been in the Italian culture and never will be, without a high pressing midfield the individuals get too isolated in attack.
El Shaarawy, Destro, Poli and Peluso equipped themselves well tonight on their debuts. Gabbiadini needs to work on his movement, he’s got a lethal left foot and a very rangy build but he’s too static. Fabbrini will never make it in Serie A until he toughens up, far too lightweight. Verratti was deployed in the wrong position tonight.
Balzaretti was shocking, played like he had blocks on his feet and was asleep for the equaliser. Peluso was very good in attack when he came on, got in behind the opposing full backs with clever runs on a couple of occasions. We didn’t defend set pieces well but I think that maybe down to the tepid and meaningless of friendlies, I’d expect us to be much more switched-on come competitive games. Aquilani may have terminated his international career after that performance tonight, completely shirked any responsibility tonight. Diamanti was very good, real livewire, constantly showing for the ball and showing good craft and execution when he got on it. Ogbonna very good, Astori was rash and erratic in his tackling, solid overall but I’m not a big fan and we have better options.
Destro was really good and you’d imagine he will do very well when we get the likes of Pirlo, Montolivo, Marchisio and Cassano back. I feel there is a need for us to try more midfield options out, Cigarini and Lodi are two who should get some opportunities in the qualifying campaign. Hopefully Cesare abandons 4-3-3 now, he has tried it out on a number of occasions in friendlies and it has not worked out, 4-3-1-2 suits our players and we were much the better side in the second half when we swithced to it in the second half despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise - I think that is our fourth successive friendly loss but it’s the lessons learned from friendlies that matter more than the result.
I thought England were completely shit to be honest, they threatened from set plays and counter attacks but created nothing at all from open play. Their first goal came from a corner and the second from a break which had been shut off before Defoe tried one of his usual speculative efforts that flew into the top corner. They were pretty much bypassed from midfield and Cleverly left no real impression on the game.
Goalkeepers:[font=verdana][size=3] [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Buffon[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Juventus[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), De [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Sanctis[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Napoli), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Sirigu[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Paris St.[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Germain[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Viviano[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Fiorentina[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]);[/size][/font]
Defenders:[font=verdana][size=3] [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Astori[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Cagliari[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Balzaretti[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Roma), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Barzagli[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Juventus[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Bonucci[/size][/font][font=verdana]size=3, [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Cassani[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Fiorentina[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Maggio[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Napoli), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Ogbonna[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Torino);[/size][/font]
Midfielders:[font=verdana][size=3] De Rossi (Roma), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Diamanti[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Bologna), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Giaccherini[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Juventus[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]),[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Marchisio[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Juventus[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Nocerino[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Milan), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Pirlo[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Juventus[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Poli[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Sampdoria[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]),[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Verratti[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Paris St. [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Germain[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]);[/size][/font]
Forwards:[font=verdana][size=3] [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Borini[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Liverpool), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Destro[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Roma), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Giovinco[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] ([/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Juventus[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Insigne[/size][/font][font=verdana]size=3, [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Osvaldo[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Roma), [/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3]Pazzini[/size][/font][font=verdana][size=3] (Milan)[/size][/font]
[font=verdana][size=3]I’d imagine Balzaretti and De Rossi will be withdrawing so we’ll have to call up replacements. Good to see Insigne in there and Pazzini back as well. I hope Cassano is still in Prandelli’s plans and I don’t think Cassani and Borini deserve to be called up.[/size][/font]
De Rossi has joined up with the squad so his injury might not be too serious. Balzaretti has withdrawn however and Peluso has been called up in his place. The Italian media are suggesting we will use a 3-5-2 formation against Bulgaria on Friday with Insigne and Osvaldo leading the atttack and Diamanti playing the trequartista role.
Milan’s Francesco Acerbi has been called up to replace Davide Astori who has also withdrawn through injury.
This looks likely to be the team that starts Friday night:
[Soccer][GK]Buffon[/gk]
[rcb]Barzagli[/rcb] [sw]Bonucci[/sw] [lcb]Ogbonna[/lcb]
[rwb]Maggio[/rwb] [lm]Giaccherini[/lm]
[cdm] Pirlo[/cdm]
[rcm]De Rossi[/rcm] [lam]Marchisio[/lam]
[rcf]Giovinco[/rcf] [st]Osvaldo[/st][/Soccer]
Going to a funeral tonight guys so I will be missing this, hope some of our resident Italians will be watching the game and supplying a report on how we’ve performed.
2-2 FT
Did you thank the family of the deceased for attending?
Not an ideal start, we tend to be slow starters and make a slog out of qualifying so I’m not overly worried.
Bomber. 