Malta are pressing us with great intensity, we have been sloppy in possession and have looked disjointed however. Cassani is very poor - don’t know what Prandelli sees in him.
Pirlo should shave his beard, it doesn’t suit him. Insigne for Diamanti at HT.
Cassani is painful to watch, very disappointing performance so far, still 1-0. We should have added a few goals but we’ve still been poor.
Peluso makes it 2-0 in injury time. The Maltese goalkeeper (a Brit) is one the biggest car crashes I’ve ever seen. He took his defenders out numerous times tonight and was at fault for our second goal there.
Very disappointing performance, think we need Antonio back.
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Goalkeepers:Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St.Germain), Viviano (Fiorentina);[/size][/font]
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Defenders:Abate (Milan), Balzaretti (Roma), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus),Criscito (Zenit St. Petersburg), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter);[/size][/font]
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Midfielders:Candreva (Lazio), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus), Verratti (Paris St. Germain);[/size][/font]
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Forwards: Balotelli (Manchester City), Destro (Roma), El Shaarawy (Milan), Gilardino (Bologna), Giovinco (Juventus), Osvaldo (Roma)[/size][/font]
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Don’t see why we’ve brought Gilardino back, I know he is a favourite of Prandelli as he brought him through at Parma but we have much better options now. Insigne and Borini drop back to the u-21’s and Pazzini is left out. I also think Giovinco is very lucky to keep his place. Antonio really deserved a recall as well, he’s been in great form for Inter. Nocerino left out as well and I’ve no complaints over that, Candreva has been playing well for Lazio by all accounts. I thought Florenzi was unlucky not to get a call-up. Lodi and Cigarini are two players I feel also deserve a chance with the top team. In defence it’s good to have Ranocchi and more importantly, Criscito, back in the fold. I think we should also be looking at other alternatives to right back than Maggio.[/size][/font]
Our u-21’s lead Sweden in their playoff game. Immobile with the goal, Borini has been left on the bench with Insigne, De Luca and Immobile preferred in attack.
Bardi is an asbolute liability in goals for the Azzurrini, there are far better young Italian keepers out there.
De Sciglio has the ability to be the best Italian full back since Facchetti.
Have caught the last 15 minutes of this tie, been very impressed with how we’ve played - particularly with De Luca. He’s a player I wouldn’t have known a lot about until very recently. He was excellent against Roma at the weekend and has been a very impressive performer tonight, he’s a short, skilful and energetic player in the mould of Giovinco and Insigne. De Sciglio has bombed forward well at right back and Capuano looks a classy defender at centre back, not very impressed by his partner Caldirola though.
Roma-owned Paolo Frascatore has had a very good game at left back.
Our u-21’s qualified for the European Championship via a 3-2 victory in Sweden (4-2 agg). Insigne, Florenzi and Immobile on target.
Gigi has been ruled out of tonight’s big game in Milan against Denmark. De Sanctis to deputise.
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Italy: De Sanctis; Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini, Balzaretti; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Montolivo; Balotelli, Osvaldo[/size][/font]
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Denmark: Andersen; Jacobsen, Kjaer, Agger, S Poulsen; Rommedahl, Stokholm, Kvist, Eriksen; Krohn-Dehli, Bendtn[/size][/font]
The Danes are targeting Chiellini with great intensity tonight, everytime is getting the ball in defence tonight they are applying two players to him. I’m a bit worried - I feel De Sanctis is a liability.
This is going to be a very tough game, the Danes have been the brighter here early on Eriksen just tested De Sanctis with a stinging long range drive.
Another great chance for the Danes, Balzaretti getting caught out in a two-on-one situation and Rommedhal’s overhit cross was kept in play by Bendtner and a very panicked situation was resolved by Balotelli coming back and relieving pressure.
Balzaretti is playing far too narrow, he is giving Rommedahl and Jacobsen the freedom of the right.
Balotelli playing really well.
Decent chance for Osvaldo there after good work by Abate down the right.
Montolivo cooly fires home from outside the box after a beautiful flick round the corner from Super Mario.
Great goal.
Montolivo will be a world class player if he can develop a level of consistency to his game. He’s been in excellent form this season.
Daniele gets our second. Great play from Pirlo out wide and De Rossi powers his cross home with a near post header, the second time in two games this combination has led to an Italian goal.