Lazarus Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Yeah, Italy just hanging around - making sure we all get enough of their ugly game! :tdown: :tdown: It's up to Spain now to set them straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irlandos Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Why not mention the obvious: Italy SORELY miss Cannavaro! Is Pirlo out of the quarterfinal game? Italy could be in for a long night though luck has always liked them much better than Spain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genome Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Yes, Pirlo is out for that game. I can see Italy winning vs Spain ... because Spain might choke like they usually do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GS1905 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Yeah, Italy just hanging around - making sure we all get enough of their ugly game! :tdown: :tdown: It's up to Spain now to set them straight. don't worry man.. this time it WILL happen.. :) and we're probably going to have "an early final" in Holland v Spain in the semis.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro2004 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I don't know where all this criticism of Italy comes from... the fact is they deserved to qualify. Romania simply weren't good enough, on top of that when they did lose, Adrian Mutu was smiling and having a laugh with a Dutch player (don't remember who). Re m#$%!, you just threw away the biggest opportunity in your international career. You could have made a global "BAM" by qualifying at the expense of the 2 world cup finalists, and you're laughing? That's the definition of a loser! I think DUDE made this point about the Olympiakos players after the defeat to Chelsea. As for France, Domenech is a loon. Martin O'Neil was saying that he feels sorry for Domench because everything that could go wrong did go wrong... yes, this is true, but let's analyse his actual tactical decisions. Firstly, Abidal at centre-back <_< The guy is a distinctly average left-back, at centre-back he's terrible! Why didn't he start with Boumsong who is an aerial-focussed defender who would have countered Toni? Instead, every long ball the Italians played caused havoc. I have no idea how Toni failed to score with the chances he had. Once that incorrect decision was made Abidal was always vulnerable and he got caught out with a long ball when he gave away the penalty. At this point, where do France find themselves? They are 1-0 down, Ribery is injured and are down to 10 men in a game they must win, i.e. they need at least 2 goals. So what does Domench do? He takes off Nasri and brings on Boumsong. Boumsong should have come on for Makallele. France were struggling to create chances before the sending off, so keeping 2 defensive midfielders on the pitch and no attacking options in midfield was asking for trouble. Needless to say, France were lacking incisiveness and eventually Domenech had Anelka, Henry, and Benzema on the pitch. However even here his tactics were wrong. The defense was 20 metres away from the midfield who in turn were 20 metres away from the strike force. These huge spaces within your team cause problems at the best of times, but when you're down to 10 men, against a team that can retain the ball as well as Italy, this tactic is suicidal. The Italians were playing triangles and the French couldn't get a foothold in the game. Instead they were expecting a moment of magic from Henry or Benzema. What Domench should have done is made them more compact. 12 metres between the forwards and the midfield and 12 metres between the midfield and the defence. This would have made life more difficult for the Italians and prevented them from retaining possession. If anything, it would have made the game messy and forced the Italians to look for the long ball. If the French were not only compact but played a high defensive line, the long ball would have been a straight forward race between Luca Toni and Cassano versus the French backline. In a sprint, the Italians would have had no chance. There was one instance where Toni was 5 metres ahead of Evra and within a one and a half second sprint Evra burned him! This would have happened constantly. But, Domenech's tactics were a recipe for defeat. Italy deserved to qualify, not because they've been great, but because the others have been so bad. And Lazarus, don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to criticise Italy's "ugly game" when Greece's success was also based on defence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I don't know where all this criticism of Italy comes from...The criticism stems all the way from 1970 !!! - the earliest I remember my self following international soccer! I never liked them, never will. You can call it one of those "things"! They have always been the ugliest team to show up at every tournament. Yes, granted. The won a few. But in my eyes they have been the ugliest.! In plain words. Hate'em!!!And Lazarus, don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to criticise Italy's "ugly game" when Greece's success was also based on defence? We were a one time deal. I can live with being ugly and winning it all once! They (the Italians) keep coming back, and back, and back... Enough with that! :tdown: Hey, nobody's perfect. I admit to it. I dislike Italy -- always did, always will! Very much so! :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GS1905 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Italy deserved to qualify, not because they've been great, but because the others have been so bad. And Lazarus, don't you think it's a bit hypocritical to criticise Italy's "ugly game" when Greece's success was also based on defence? man, countries like Greece, Denmark, Czech Rep and even Turkey have no other chance if they seriously want to win a EURO.. they have to defend properly first..the attack should come later.. remember EURO 2004.. Czechs played by far the best, attacking, most fluid football and what happened?! the boring (!), ultradefensive blah blah blah Greece eliminated them..it's irritating when teams like France, Italy, Holland (remember EURO 2004 and WC 2006), Germany who can generate very able players go out and play f***n catenaccio or some sort of it!!! and finally, with this sick football Italy would have big big problems in the other groups to qualify, too.. I think Spain will cut off Italy's bill.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUDE Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Great analysis Euro2004. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REY Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Group C, day 3, Zurich, game 21 France 0 - 2 Italy half-time (0 - 1) Ref. Luboš Michel Formation/Line-ups: -------------------------Buffon------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------- ------------Panucci-----------------Chiellini---------------- Zambrotta--------------------------------------------Grosso --------------------------------------------------------------- ------------Gattuso-----Pirlo--------------------------------- --------------------------Perrotta---De Rossi---------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- ------------Cassano------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------Toni--------------------- =================================== ---------------Benzema--------Henry----------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Ribery----------------------------------------------Govou ---------------Makelele--------------------------------------- ----------------------------------Toulalan-------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Evra----------------------------------------------------------- ---------------Gallas-----------Abidal-----------------Clerc ---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------Coupet------------------------------- Substitutions : France 10' Samir Nasri (Ribery) 26' Jean-Alain Boumsong (Nasri) 66' Nicolas Anelka (Govou) Italy 55' Massimo Ambrosini (Pirlo) 64' Mauro Camoranesi (Perrotta) 82' Alberto Aquilani (Gattuso) Match Details : 18' P. Evra YC 24' E. Abidal RC 25' [0 - 1] A. Pirlo (pen.) 44' A. Pirlo YC, misses next match 45' G. Chiellini YC 47' S. Govou YC 54' G. Gattuso, misses next match 62' [0 - 2] D.D. Rossi 72' J. Boumsong YC 85' T. Henry YC ------------------------------------------------------------- Group C, day 3, Bern, game 22 Netherlands 2 - 0 Romania half-time (0 - 0) Ref. Massimo Busacca Formation/Line-ups: ------------------------Stekelenburg------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------- Boulahrouz---Heitinga----------Bouma------------------- -------------------------------------------------------de Cler --------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------de Zeeuw--------Engelaar---------------- ----------Afellay--------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------Robben--- -----------------v.Persie------------------------------------- --------------------------------Huntelaar-------------------- =================================== --------------------------------M. Niculae-------------------- -------------Mutu--------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------Codrea----------------------------- ---------------Chivu-----Cocis-----------Nicolita------------ --------------------------------------------------------------- Rat----------------------------------------------------------- ---------------Ghionea---------Tamas---------------Contra --------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------Lobont------------------------------ Substitutions : Netherlands 58' Mario Melchiot (Boulahrouz) 61' Dirk Kuyt (Robben) 82' Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Huntelaar) Romania 59' Daniel Gheorghe Niculae (M.Niculae) 72' Nicolae Dica (Codrea) 82' Florentin Petre (Nicolita) Match Details : 54' K.J. Huntelaar [1 - 0], asst. Affelay 78' C. Chivu YC 87' R.v. Persie [2 - 0], asst. Heitinga ---------------------------------------------------------- Standings: Or.Team.................Pl...W....D...L...GS..GC..GD..Pts 1. Netherlands.......3....3....0....0....9....1...+8....9 2. Italy...................3....1....1....1....3....4....-1....4 3. Romania.............3....0....2....1....1....3...-2....2 4. France................3....0....1....2....1....6...-5....1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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