Penalty for Malta.
Gigi with a splendid stop to keep us in the lead.
Mario nets his eight goal for Italy. I am predicting he will beat Gigi Riva’s record.
The Confederations Cup is just around the corner folks. I’ve been thinking about who we should bring and this would be my provisional squad.
Goalkeepers:
Buffon
Marchetti
Sirigu
Defenders:
Abate
Barzagli
Chiellini
De Sciglio
Maggio
Bonucci
Ogbonna
Antonelli
Midfielders:
Marchisio
Pirlo
De Rossi
Montolivo
Verratti
Candreva
Aquilani
Attack:
El Sharaawy
Balotelli
Cerci
Destro
Diamanti
No Totti Totti?
We need to keep him fresh for the main event.
Poli and Gilagol have us two goals up against San Marino.
Presumably Antonelli has gone off with an injury just before half time, De Sciglio on.
Bonaventura has been very impressive tonight, as has Diamanti who is great to watch.
4-0 in the end.
Poli, Gilardino, Pirlo and Aquilani with the goals. Looks like Antonelli has fractured his shin however which would mean he will miss out on the Confederations Cup, a shame as he was playing well and has had a good season at Genoa, proving himself to be a very attacking left back. This will certainly mean Ogbonna will go and I’d say it’s likely Prandelli will leave it with 7 defenders as there is a good deal of versatility there.
I think the following squad will be picked:
GK: Buffon, Marchetti, Sirigu
DF: Abate, Maggio, De Sciglio, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini, Ogbonna
MF: Pirlo, Marchisio, De Rossi, Montolivo, Poli, Giaccherini, Candreva
ATT: Balotelli, El Sharaawy, Gilardino, Giovinco, Cerci, Diamanti
The only two choices I’d be unhappy about there would be Giovinco and Giaccherini, both are squad players at Juve who haven’t much of an impression at either Juventus or when playing for Italy. I’d go with Bonaventura/Aquilani and Sau ahead of them.
Mario Balotelli is after being sent off against the Czechs.
He’s also after punching the tunnel three times on his way to the dressing room.
The Czechs blow a wonderful chance at the back post. Italy have been dreadful tonight.
Czechs really should have won it at the end there. Italy’s worst performance under Prandelli. I’m beginning to get a little worried about some of his choices. Giovinco, Osvaldo, Gilardino and Giaccherini were all in the prelim squad despite there being much better options available to us. How he can continue to ignore Cassano is beyond me, hopefully Rossi, Cassano, Insigne and Destro make it very difficult for Prandelli to leave them at home next season.
Buffon made some big saves in that game. I am also frustrated at Prandelli continuing to choose Chiellini at left back, he is our best centre back and he’s not very good going forward from left back. He needs to decide between Bonucci and Barzagli and play a natural full back there. We had young De Sciglio on the bench there tonight and although Criscito and Antonelli are injured, there are plenty of other good left backs in Serie A like Pasqual, Morleo and Peluso who would be much more suited to that role.
Pirlo is also a worry, he is becoming much more ineffective in games for Juve and Italy and part of the reason has to be the amount of football he has played, he shouldn’t be going to Brazil this summer, he should have been left at home to recuperate and have someone like Poli in to impress.
Great to see Giussepe Rossi back to fitness and banging the goals in. He will surely be in the squad for the October matches. We have great competition in attack for places. Balotelli is the only certain one to go and there are a good 10-12 other attackers who can put themselves in the frame with a good season. My worry is Prandelli has consitently picked players like Gilardino, Giovinco and Osvaldo despite some indifferent form.
Insigne and Rossi should be definites to go to Brazil if they maintain their form. I think he will also pick a another target man as an alternative to Balotelli (probably will be Gilardino or Osvaldo - though I’d prefer Destro or Pazzini). Hopefully Cassano can regain his form and force his way into the reckoning - he was poor against Roma on Monday night.
I am creating a pooling system on the chances of attackers making the final squad for Brazil (availability permitting) which I will update bi-monthly.
Definite: Balotelli
Probable: Osvaldo, Rossi, Insigne
Reasonable: Gilardino, El Sharaawy, Giovinco
Outsiders: Pazzini, Destro, Quagliarella, Sau, Matri, Cassano, Gabbiadini.
It’s also hard to predict what number Prandelli will bring - whether he will opt for four attackers and another attacking midfielder (Cerci, Diamanti or Totti) or whether he will bring five attackers or maybe both.
Interesting to see what sort of attack we choose for the Denmark and Armenia matches.
Balotelli, Insigne and Osvaldo are all playing regularly and are in decent form so they should take up three spots in attack. Gilardino is playing regularly but not setting the world alight, Prandelli only chooses him because they go way back and it would be a waste of a genuine attacking place if he goes to Brazil. I suspect we will see him in this squad give the amount of attackers we have unavailable as well as others having slow starts to the season.
Cerci has been playing as a striker and is the top scorer in Serie A this season so far so he should be a definite, I’d like to see partner Balotelli up front. We have El Sharaawy, Pazini, Rossi and Destro out injured at the moment - all of whom are better alternatives to Gilardino. We also have the likes of Cassano, Sau and Gabbiadini who are having slow starts to the season but are better options than Gilardino.
On current form and giving our injuries in attack I would like to see Prandelli look at Quagliarella and Paulinho of Livorno, both have started the season off on form and deserve a chance. However Prandelli will most likely include Giovinco and Gilardino.
I think we will bring five attackers to Brazil and on current form my choices would be:
- Balotelli
- Rossi
- Insigne
- Cerci
- Osvaldo
Cesare Prandelli has confirmed he would have to consider selecting Francesco Totti for the World Cup should the Roma idol continue to sparkle.
The No 10 hasn’t played for his country since the 2006 World Cup Final, but the 37-year-old is still pulling the strings for surprise Serie A leaders Roma.
“Players with great talent like Francesco, like Parma’s Antonio Cassano, are always under observation,” the Italy tactician stated on Monday.
“We’ll evaluate Totti a month before the World Cup. But a Totti like this is a player to talk about, to reflect upon, it is a fantastic Totti.
“If the World Cup was today then I would absolutely call him up, there is no doubt about that.”
The tactician admitted he had not held talks with the veteran forward, but underlined that Totti would have to be 100 per cent fit.
“I haven’t spoken to him about it, there is no need eight months before the event,” Prandelli continued.
“The priority is to get to the World Cup with 22 players who are in good shape. The athletic condition of players will be decisive.”
One player who has been selected for the squad ahead of the games against Denmark and Armenia is Mario Balotelli, an inclusion which has raised eyebrows given the CT’s code of ethics.
“I can’t add another punishment to a punishment,” the boss noted. “Had there not been a midweek round of League games then Balotelli would not be here.
“His three-match ban expired today, after yesterday’s Juventus-Milan, so that is why he has been selected.
“I have never called up a suspended player before. The rules are clear, I don’t see the need for controversies.”
Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi has also returned to the set-up after missing most of the last two seasons through injury.
“Giuseppe is back after a long time being away. He’s recovered from injury even if he’s still suffering. I won’t put him under pressure, but I’m happy that he is once again with us.
“It is too early to say that he will be the favourite to play alongside Balotelli at the World Cup.”
Prandelli was also questioned on his future with suggestions that he won’t renew his contract once Brazil 2014 is over.
“There is no official decision to make right now and we’ll evaluate everything in March. The Federation directors and myself have been very clear and direct with each other.”
Italy have already qualified for next summer’s championship.
Speculated line-ups tonight. It will be interesting to see how Monty gets on as the hub of that midfield, I think he deserves this opportunity, I’m a little disappointed that Cerci doesn’t get a start but it would be good to see the likes of Ranocchia and De Silvestri get an opportunity in defence.
Monty already has a played a couple of sublime passes.
Nice balance in the team tonight and a bright opening by us we have plenty of runners from deep with Candreva, Marhcisio and the two full backs bombing forward with Monty and Diamanti finding them with great success in the early phases.
Is Bendtner battling some sort of alcohol/narcotics addiction? He has the appearance of someone who has hit rock bottom.