Italy are one great performance away from a defining victory.
In two short years Cesare Prandelli has created a dynamic, honest, progressive football team. In the depth of our South African nightmare two summers ago, it did not seem possible. It takes a very special coach and personality, with a very strong vision and set of values to bend the national team to his will. Capello couldn't do it. Nor could Blanc. Quite simply, on the international stage, Prandelli is better.
Today comes the biggest game of his career. Rumours suggest he has no intention of reverting back to the 3-5-2 that he opened the tournament with. In every sense that felt like a confidence building exercise we no longer need. Prandelli is the tactical equal of Sausage Del Bosque and he need not tailor ITaly's game to Spain's.
The expected line-up is:
Buffon
Abate-Bonucci-Barzagli-Chiellini
Pirlo
De Rossi-Marchisio
Montolivo
Cassano-Balotelli
The only quibble from me is, for this particular game, I would opt for Balzaretti in place of Abate even out of position as a right-back. Balza Ballerina was phenomenal against Germany and is a much better defender/ tackler than Abate. But Abate's horse-power may prove decisive on the break and by now we should trust Prandelli to make the right call.
We need a big game from everyone. There's no point singling anyone out: the defence must be strong, the midfield clever and our strikers clinical. Nothing short of everyone's a-game will see us defeat Spain.
We should all be proud of what this group have achieved so far. They have played attractive, courageous football with a sense of positive unity that has made them - for the first time in my lifetime - likable to fans who are not Italian!
Mister Prandelli, you have made a difference. You are tactically brilliant, completely sincere and have helped foster Italy's first ever international black icon in Mario Balotelli.Whatever the result tonight, you have made it count.
In every sense, you have pushed us forward. Bravo.
Nearly one month ago our journey into EURO 2012 began with the daunting task of opening against the reigning WORLD and European Champions, Spain. Few gave the Azzurri a chance of success against the Spanish. Following back and forth nature of the first match; impressions of the Azzurri began to change. The 1-1 result did not do justice to the pace and ferocity of the match. The Azzurri matched and at many times during the match met and exceeded the pace and tenacity of their Spanish counterparts. Had lady luck focused her bright light on the Azzurri; they could have easily put the Spanish to bed within the 90 minutes. However, as history goes; with a few foiled opportunities and shaky legs to finish off the final 20 minutes of the match; the Azzurri would settle for the draw.
Fast forward one month to July 1st and Italy are now in the finals. Behind them lay the charred wreckage of Croatia, Ireland, England and Germany. When you consider that for a moment; not bad notches to add to our bed post. In both our Quarterfinal and SemiFinal match; the Azzurri were underdogs to a resurgent English squad and a youthful German team. In fact prior to both matches media pundits claimed the English followed by the Germans would lay waste to the Italians. However, following the two matches it became clear that the media had called Italy all wrong.
Tear up the script; because this is not the Azzurri we remember. This is not the Azzurri of our fathers generation or the Azzurri of our early childhood. This is not the Azzurri of 2006 or 2000. In fact the only squad I can place this team to resemble is the team of destiny in 1982. During the WORLD CUP in 1982; the Azzurri started off disappointing; not looking like contenders; we quickly grabbed our stride with victories over Brazil and Argentina in the second group stage; as the momentum built to fever pitch; we'd soon face West Germany in Madrid for the World Cup final; considered to be one of the favourites of the tournament; West Germany succumbed to our awesome power and lost 3-1 for Italy to hoist their third WORLD CUP.
The 1982 team, if you're not aware, was much like this one; a team, put together with a lot of grit; with P. Rossi returning to the National fold after a two year ban; with all of Italy in the shadow of another Calcio scandal. That's not the similarity; the similarity I see in this team to the 1982 team is the grit in the midfield; the feisty display of winning the ball; the willingness to maintain possession and take the game to our opponents. In 1982 we would have never scored three goals against a Brazilian team that some say was the greatest team in history, without taking the game to the Brazilians. in 2012; at this European Championships we have done the same. We have taken the game to our opponents; going against conventional wisdom and flooring many of the 'experts'.
And so it is with this style of football that we arrive in Kiev tomorrow to face the Spanish, a team that has nearly perfected the possessional game.
SPAIN
The Spanish arrive into tomorrow's final having left behind Ireland, Croatia, France, and Portugal. During their tournament they seemed to look in control against the Irish and the French; while the Croatians and the Portugese seemed to have caused them a little concern. Albeit, they did escape all of their matches with a positive result; it seems the Spanish are not carrying as much confidence as one would expect. I've seen some comments from fans claiming that the Spanish are far too cocky and will lose. That's just ignorant hogwash. This is a team that's anything but cocky and a team that has stuck to their game plan without wavering whatever the cause. I was a little surprised that Del Bosque continues to resort to the false 9 in Fabregas instead of calling on the height and goal scoring ability of Torres. This is especially true since Torres has been able to open up the game in favour of the Spanish in every match he has partaken.
That being said, they have continued to score some nice goals; but have had trouble against technically stronger opponents (Portugal and Croatia). Del Bosque will be looking to make history in tomorrow's match with Spain on the cusp of winning three major International tournaments in a row.
ITALY
The Azzurri arrive into tomorrow's match having exceeded expectations and defeating a German team considered perennial favourites to win this tournament. The scoreline of 2-1 was far too generous for the Germans as Italy seemed to best the Germans in just about every quarter of the park. There are concerns arriving into tomorrow's match with the tweaked Abate and DeRossi still making the rounds as well as Chiellini looking completely off colour in the semifinal bought; however in the good news department Christian Maggio will return to the lineup to lend a helping hand following a suspension from the semis.
I don't believe Prandelli will resort to the 3-5-2 formation which he executed in the first match; instead, it's likely he will remain with the diamond midfield and line Maggio/Abate on the right with Balzaretti on the left. The question mark becomes in the centre of defence. After Barzagli and Bonucci have played incredibly during the Germany and England matches; not conceding a single goal in either of the matches (I don't count a bull$@*t penalty in injury time) would it be wise to go back to Chiellini who really hasn't looked that good in the tournament. Yes, one can argue that Barzagli and Bonucci have been helped by a resurgent Buffon; but is it worth a risk to pick Chiellini over either Centre Back?
In midfield; it's quite likely the status quo will be maintained with Montolivo, Pirlo, Marchisio and DeRossi shoring up the centre of the park. Each of these guys have had a great tournament with obviously Pirlo and De Rossi standing out amongst the crowd for their contributions. Against a midfield with the depth that the Germans exhibited Pirlo had less of an effect in the centre of the park; Montolivo was able to pick up some of the slack with a great assist on Balotelli's second goal; but it might be worth a shot bringing Nocerino or even T. Motta into the fray to help displace the Spanish midfield and break up some of their plays - as they obviously tend to move the ball around the pitch quite a bit.
In attack; its very likely the dynamic duo of Cassano and Balotelli will get the nod up front. Both have put together an incredible tournament and will be looking to build off their earlier performances with a pièce de résistance being produced in tomorrow's Final. I'd like to see Cassano taking more shots and not resorting to little flick passes in the box as much. But we shall see.
What to Expect
Tomorrow's match will obviously be the most difficult for the Azzurri. Although one or two chinks in the Spanish armour have been witnessed throughout this tournament it's wholly expected Del Bosque will have been working to sort everything out for the grand finale of this European Championships. In turn, Prandelli will hopefully also be ready and prepared for the match tomorrow. The Azzurri have not had the kindest of schedules; however, after seeing how they went the distance against England only to play three days later and so deliberately defeat the Germans fitness is not my biggest concern. These are professional athletes that are fully aware of the job they need to undertake over the course of the 90 minutes tomorrow.
For the match our biggest concern will be to remain focused for the entire 90 minutes tomorrow. In just about every match we've played at EURO 2012 our focus and fitness has dipped into the second half of the match. We need a concerted effort like the one put forth against England to really make a dent. Up front, an early goal will do wonders to sway momentum immediately; further, if we do manage an early goal we cannot rest on our laurels and need to continue the attack similar to our effort against the Germans.
Spain will be supremely focused for the match tomorrow; they've been on this stage over the last 4 years on three occasions; its worth to note they come in as vetrans of the big stage. It's the Azzurri who will need to rise to the moment and grasp victory; we have the fire power; the midfield; the defence; and of course the Goal Keeper to make the difference on tomorrow's Final stage of EURO 2012. We need it all to come together; to give birth to a new generation of heros; men capable of picking up the torch and holding it higher than it's ever been before. The Azzurri cometh ...
This fixture has brought some true classics down the years.
1970, 1982, 1988. But for anyone of our generation, the defining azzurri
performance will always be the 2006 semi-final.
Once more we face a seemingly indomitable German force. They
have pace, guile, power and confidence. They will consider themselves favorites,
relishing the opportunity to take revenge not only on Italy, but on Spain, in Sunday's final. Italy and Spain
are the teams who knocked Germany
out of the last two major tournaments. In their minds, it's the perfect run of
games.
But Prandelli will have different ideas. He has full belief
in this Italy
team as an attacking, cohesive unit. Frankly, so do I. Sure, we've needed to be
more clinical. But there's plenty of time for our strikers to catch fire.
Starting with the 90 minutes tonight, and hopefully another on Sunday.
De Rossi, Abate and Chiellini are all late fitness worries.
It's uncertain if any will make it. But i believe Prandelli will entrust the
right deputies.
Rumours abound that Diamanti may get a start. A real
surprise would be to see him replace Montolivo, asking him to play as deep as
he often did for West Ham. I like Diamanti a lot and he has shown tremendous
character. But what we could benefit from most is his surprising directness,
cutting through the rather ponderous nature of our front two.
That said, Motta is waiting in the wings and could hand the
azzurri more control of the midfield. Prandelli has some real decisions to make
before kick-off.
As usual, no-one is giving Italy a chance. But we can win. We
have the players to compete in midfield, a superior defence and we will create
chances. The one nagging doubt is our finishing but we know that Balotelli,
Cassano, Di Natale and Giovinco all have goals in them. So there's every reason
to be positive.
I was tempted to post a youtube clip of our semi-final win
in '06. But you know what? Those days are over. This is Prandelli's Italy, its a
new philosophy and a new era for Italian football.
So here's something to give us hope for this evening - every
single pass Pirlo made against England.
All 800+ of them. Prepare to be mesmerised by the embodiment of Prandelli's
style. Enjoy!
Forza Italia!
Get us into the final against Spain! Salami beats chorizo, any day.
Welcome to the Semifinals of EURO 2012. Did we really expect to be here and in the running for this European Championship. Many felt this tournament would be a warm-up to our WORLD CUP 2014 effort. Surely, after a dismal WORLD CUP 2010 in South Africa, a semifinal birth in this tournament was not in the cards. Yet, here we are; and we've looked bloody good getting here.
If our match against England should serve as a single purpose; that purpose must be to motivate the troops. Although we needed the dreaded shootout to win our match; the Azzurri were sexy in that game. We dominated possession, dominated chances on goal and had the wind decided to blow just a degree off it's path during the Quarterfinal match; we could have easily won the match well within the 90 minutes.
Come what may, perhaps we needed to go through that nerve-racking match in order to build a mental discipline required for this match. Only time will tell... and we are just a few short hours from finding out.
Germany
With Joachim Low at the helm, the Germans have seen a remarkable renaissance in the last 8 years. Following their successful hosting of the WORLD CUP in 2006; the German's left that tournament with a third place overall result. From there, they made it all the way to the Finals at EURO 2008 only to be beaten by a rising Spain. In the 2010 WORLD CUP, it was again Low who helmed the team to another third place result.
Germany are the youngest team at this tournament and they feature such rising stars like Ozil, Müller, Khedira and Schweinsteiger. Up front they are guided by their beacon point man Mario Gomez; who reminds me of a Luca Toni with talent. Their ever ready skipper Lahm has been credited in some circles as the gold standard for full backs in the game today.
Low has this team playing some very organized, free flowing football. Although I feel their weaknesses will be down the middle; this is a team that is really thirsty for success. If they are to take the leap from perennial bridesmaid to European Champions they will first and foremost need to overcome the Azzurri.
Italy
The Azzurri arrive into tomorrow's semifinal with a bit of an injury case on their shoulders. Abate and DeRossi needed to be shipped off the pitch against England due to muscle strain and there may be a chance both will be unfit to play in tomorrow's crucial final. Regardless, the Italians arrive into tomorrow's match with little or no pressure to perform. For some reason, despite some of us knowing the kind of potential this team was capable of producing; the general media in Italy and abroad seemed to have written off the Azzurri far before this tournament go underway.
With that lack of pressure and expectation to under perform Italy has met their challenges and exceeded expectations. Yet despite their fantastic performances; pundits have continued to hesitate in labelling the Azzurri contenders. Let the pressure to perform be placed squarely on the shoulders of the Germans for tomorrow's match.
Our strengths have without a doubt been in the centre of the park. Pirlo and De Rossi have been absolutely methodical in their approach to the game. They have outplayed (except for certain stretches of certain games) their counterparts in Spain, Croatia, Ireland and England thus far in the tournament. Let's not forget, prior to the Quarterfinals against England just four short days ago; it was Steven Gerrard who people were heralding as having an incredible tournament. Suddenly his name has been supplanted by that of Andrea Pirlo. Joachim Low obviously realizes this and will be willing to apply extra pressure to the Italian maestro to help reduce his effect on the game.
That's where De Rossi will come in. He's been a tiger in breaking up plays and disrupting the opposing team's movement down the centre of the pitch. This has forced teams to resort to making runs down the wings; where to they have met their matches in the form of Balzaretti on the left and Abate on the right. Both, especially Balzaretti have been vital to the Azzurri's success down the flanks.
The Azzurri's medical ward did, for a change, bring forth some good news with the return of Chiellini. Such a monster at centre back will be vital against thwarting off the arial challenges that Gomez and Klose represent. I want to note that Barzagli and Bonucci did play well against the English; but the addition of Chiellini brings with it another element to our back line.
In attack, I don't want to harp on either of the strikers; they have played incredibly well. Against Germany, a team who will play far more open then the English did; we should have an easier time up front. I hope that Cassano does a little less touches and takes a few more shots. In the meantime, his partner Balotelli; must keep his head down and focus; it's apparent that when he gets himself into these glorious positions; he tends to over think his next step. Instead, he only needs to get his head down and let one rip. I'm sure if he can get a quick goal in tomorrow's match, he will follow it up with a few more.
Tomorrow's SemiFinal
The Semifinal tomorrow will feature two teams that have a long history in Europe. I find that when Germany and Italy meet in a match of significance that there is little point to rehash the fact that Italy have never lost to Germany in a competitive match. It's of little value to call on teams of the past to try and find some clarity in the present. Precedents are set every day; what we can and should take from the Azzurri teams that beat Germany in the past is their unwavering commitment to win. In 1982 Italy didn't decide to take the lead and rest on its laurels; instead they pressed and Marco Tardelli scored a screamer... Then in 2006; Lippi and Co didn't try to take the game to penalties; instead he applied pressure; made the right substitutions in bringing on Del Piero and co; and pressed; only to be rewarded with two late goals propelling them onto a WORLD CUP Triumph. This must be the same frame of mind tomorrow. We are not there to give ourselves a pat on the back; instead we are there to beat the Germans and to go into the Final of the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. We are there to make history and become a team of destiny like we were in 1982 and 2006.
Ask yourself was Marco Tardelli the same person before he scored that historic goal in Madrid? Who was Grosso before he scored that oh so late goal in Dortmund to send the Azzurri to the WORLD CUP Finals... Tomorrow, there is an opening for the next Tardelli and Grosso... Who will it be.
Incredible. When searching the deepest recesses of my mind; tapping into my earliest Azzurri memories; I cannot find a vision or an instance that is reflective of what I saw today. The Italians parted with conventional wisdom and demonstrated to the world that they have finally given birth to an new footballing Age. Their performance was not so much clinical as it was exceptional; it was art; a renaissance of Italian Football.
Celebrations as the Azzurri advance to the Semi-Finals of EURO 2012
From a seething display of a domination in possession, the creation of some truly remarkable scoring changes to a shored up back line which couldn't be penetrated; the Azzurri looked like a completely new and invigorated team.
When the draw was originally announced, I cringed like many of you. The prospect of Italy v England in a Quarter Final would surely be an ominous task. Season after season, Champions League after Champions League we are bombarded with the claim by the English media that England and her footballing products are superior to the world over. We have all heard the reports "On paper England has the best team...They just can't play together." The media frenzy always surrounding this team elevates it and its players to the level of the Greek gods on Olympus. Whenever a major tournament roles around the roar from the media and the English supporters always grow to a fever pitch. That fever pitch becomes suddenly silenced when their team inevitably crashes out of a tournament.
England's road to the Azzurri began with a 1-1 draw with France; where although the English were outplayed; they remained very much in the game. This was followed by another odd performance against Sweden where they managed to squeak out a 3-2 result in a game that was far more even then their opener. Their third match a drubbing of co-hosts Ukraine. Although the English media's outlook of their national team began with muted optimism; it would soon reach fever pitch following their victory over Sweden. That fever pitch quickly became euphoric celebration once they beat Ukraine and moved into the Quarterfinals.
With their new manager in toe (Hodgson); the media's expectations of grandeur at EURO 2012 had reached their usual inaudible heights. In just about every tournament I can remember; prior to the commencement of the tournament; it would be pitched that the English had more than a shot at winning the whole thing. I remember prior to WORLD CUP 2002; I purchased the computer game FIFA WORLD CUP 2002. When loading the game; prior to a match; you would see on the screen the combating teams and their starting lineups with stars allocated to their key players. The Azzurri with talents like Del Piero, Totti, Maldini, Cannavaro, Vieri; had about 6 stars affixed to their starting lineup (yes, more than Brazil). I can still recall a ridiculous site; with all 11 English players having stars affixed to their names. The media hype for this team has transcended common sense on more than one occasion.
Although I do give the English credit; in every tournament in recent memory; they haven't been drastically outplayed by their opponent. Whether they met their end against Argentina, Brazil or Portugal; England has always been at least 50% in the game and within shouting distance of pushing themselves through with just a little more luck and a little less hype.
Today was different. I don't want to harp on England as a team; I thought they did an admirable job under the circumstances. But I do, for the record want to say; the Azzurri dominated this game in such a way that I don't think anyone expected. The fact that we couldn't score added a dimension of nervousness to the match. But truly with a little more luck on our side; Italy could have turned this match into a very humbling experience for a very flamboyant and over presumptuous media.
Enough about the Media... Let's chat about the match.
C. Prandelli came out tonight with very little media attention focused on the Azzurri. As luck would have it; drawing the English in the Quarterfinals would veer the media spotlight away from Prandelli and Co and onto their rivals. The Azzurri for the first time in this tournament seemed to have, oddly enough, dodged the media spotlight.
Our starting back line was a little concerning on paper. Chiellini coming into this match was hurt and would be unavailable; leaving Abate - Barzagli - Bonucci - Balzaretti charged with the task of ensuring we would not concede to the English.
In midfield; we had a question mark on Motta's fitness and thus Prandelli decided to leave the former Inter mid on the bench in place of a very questionable Montolivo. The other three choices were obvious with DeRossi, Pirlo and Marchisio all getting the usual nod for this match.
Following our victory against Ireland, Prandelli decided to return to the tandem of Cassano and Balotelli up front. Which was in effect the right choice based on their performances in that match and then again tonight.
This quarterfinal began in a way that the other three quarterfinals weren't able to produce; immediate chances on both ends of the pitch. De Rossi dinging the post with a long distance shot; followed by an odd chance on Buffon who seemed to deflect the ball with his left arm from a close range opportunity. The English would take the next 5-10 minutes and pressure the Azzurri as they probed our back line looking for opportunities and gapping holes. Although I missed this portion of the match; it did seem the Azzurri were just getting into the rhythm of the match at this point and trying to find their legs. Once we were able to withstand a little English pressure; the Azzurri and namely Pirlo began to settle into their usual positions and began a series of plays that were reminiscent of Spain.
We began to retain possession; probed the English defence with runs; Balotelli had an incredible opportunity thanks to Pirlo with a scissor kick off a lobbed pass; followed up by a bicycle kick which just sailed over the bar. Cassano carried the ball deep and into the zone with his great dribbling abilities. England looked either content or incapable of moving the ball out of their third of the park. Both Terry and Lescott played to their maximum potential; they had their hands full the entire match with Balotelli, Cassano and a little later Diamanti. Pirlo's passes were for the most part precise as he orchestrated the great renaissance from the middle of the park. De Rossi also had some of the most opportunistic moments to score; not only did he zing one off the bar four minutes in; but later on in the match; he was wide open in front of Heart and punted the ball just past the mark.
Highlights from the Match
Two moments in the second half would send a fateful sign to Tifosi around the world; indicating that although we maintained 60-65% possession during the match; perhaps tonight was not our night. In one scenario; Balotelli was clear on goal; took a shot which was deflected by Heart to Montolivo who sent it wide. Following a substitution; Nocerino did manage to get a header past Heart and into the net; only to be called offside. It looked for a moment the gods would not favour the Azzurri tonight. Following 30 minutes of extra time and sustained Italian pressure; the English managed to hang on for the dreadful Penalty Shootout. Missed it? Watch the video below.
Watch the Penalty Shootout Here
With the final shot; Diamanti scored sending the Azzurri into the Semi-Finals and the English home. This match was incredible not only for the determination of the Azzurri; but for the seesaw of emotions which were felt. At times I was relieved by such a tenacious display; while at other times I was nervous that the Azzurri would concede a dumb goal on an English counter attack. Either way we are through.
Player Ratings
BUFFON 8.5 Didn't have much to do in this match. But when he did; he did great. Heck, he stopped a penalty and showed class all the way. During the penalties you looked a Joe Heart trying to psych out the penalty takers by flaring his eyes, sticking his tongue out, smiling, talking and jumping around. But Buffon just showed up and did his job. He looked great.
ABATE 7.5 Got forward often. His runs looked menacing and very dangerous at times. He had one or two lapses at the back. But fret not; he will be up to the task against Lahm. He also out played his English counterpart severely tonight.
Barzagli 7.5 It's good to have him back. I am the first to admit; I don't like him all that much. But tonight he showed me his quality in marshalling the back line around. I thought he'd be undone by English pace; but looked even quicker than they at times. Lost a few ariel battles.
Bonucci 7.5 Had good clearances; lost a few ariel battles; but overall had a steady night.
Balzaretti 7.5 I like the tandem developing between he and Cassano. Both move the ball well at the top of the pitch and along the line. Although he got caught venturing too far forward at times; he did boss the left side of the pitch.
Marchisio 7 Had a tidy night in winning the ball. Really he should be more present; but perhaps he is a player in the mould of Xavi Hernandes and is basically there to move things along and win battles when necessary.
Pirlo 9 Aside from a few stray passes; he earned his merit today. He's having a great tournament overall; but tonight was his coming out party. He bossed the midfield, sent seething passes through to Balotelli and was the ring master of every Italian attack. His penalty was cheeky and utter class.
Montolivo 7 Aside from Pirlo it seemed as though our second channel for passes were from Montolivo. I do reckon had we subbed him for Nocerino or Diamanti; we could have likely sealed England's fate earlier in the match. However, resting De Rossi might have been a little foresight by Prandelli.
De Rossi 8.5 Had glorious chances; all of the missing the mark. Played a ferocious match with a lot of grit. He reminds me more and more of a Fabio Cannavaro at his peak.
Cassano 7 Not his finest match. Although he did very well in stretching the English defence. Was happy to play in behind Balotelli.
Balotelli 8 He was extremely dangerous. Needs to build a little more composure and he will score a lot of goals. Won battles tonight, held the ball, beat the Lescott and Terry wall numerous times just couldn't bury the ball in the back of the net. Could have had 4 goals tonight but instead he smashed home his penalty and looked bloody relieved he didn't miss.
Diamanti 8 I really like this crazy little guy. Sent some good balls into the box; took shots; his corner kicks were more precise than pirlo's from the right side; that cross which curled in and hit the bar was oh so close. But needless to say he won the game for the Azzurri
Maggio 7 Did play well tonight. Came in for Abate; worked well with Diamanti and Pirlo, sent in some good crosses and earned a yellow card for nothing. Will miss Germany on Thursday.
Nocerino 7 Had a goal called back. disrupted plays in the midfield.
Prandelli 8.5 Although I didn't agree with his subs; in hindsight there's a reason he's the manager and I'm not. They did seem to be the right calls with an eye on Germany.
Final Thoughts
Although today does bring cause for celebration. I think it's always important that even in victory we must remain focused on the ultimate goal - Winning Euro 2012. Although we did, severely outplay England; I do admire the English for their never quit attitude. They have put together a team that really demonstrated great defensive skills. Whether it was Hodgson or Capello who is responsible for their defensive organization, is not of consequence. I look forward to our exhibition match against them in August.
In the meantime, we take what we've learned here and hopefully continue to build momentum. Our next match will be anything but easy. We will be pitted against a German team that has been heavily favoured to prevail in this tournament; not to mention Germany is the youngest team at this EURO 2012 and already many on this team one major tournament under their belt. Whereas our group have been basically assembled over the last two years... Although they are anchored by some of the best players in the world. At the moment Germany does seem to have a leg up on us in experience at the major tournaments. Although tonight's harrowing match would have gone a long way to building experience for many of our younger players.
I am quite fond of how Prandelli has turned our team into a cohesive unit. It really does seem each of these players are friends both on and off the pitch. Further, it is apparent that the discussions we have with each other are of a constructive nature and not the usual complaining between teammates.
Thursday's match will require our very best composure and determination. We will be pitted against one of the best perceived teams in the world. While Group B on paper was labelled the group of death; Germany really did have an easy trip through. In the Quarterfinals they were positioned against a Greek team that never really did gain traction in this tournament and provided little opposition to the Germans. Germany's last game was on Friday which means they will have had 6 days of relaxation in comparison to the 3 Italy will have had come thursday. Going to the brink with England and UEFA's unequal scheduling may prove difficult to overcome for the Azzurri on Thursday. To overcome this fatigue, Prandelli should begin to resort to the minimally tested players on the squad. I would not have objection to Motta returning, Nocerino getting the nod over Montolivo, Giovinco over Cassano and/or Borini over Balotelli. I think resorting to the latter later in the game will keep him fresh for a Finals which could be around the corner.
Prandelli can cement a good tournament tonight by beating an
England
team that looks more determined and confident than they have for about a
decade.
SELECTIONS
Two key decisions look likely to define the big game for Italy. Will
Prandelli keep faith in the quiet but efficient Thiago Motta? Or will he be
tempted to play his 'lost son' Ricardo Montolivo?
Montolivo is a better passer but much weaker and lazier than
Motta, who does everything relatively well. Against a team as physically strong
as England,
it is a big risk to play the Fiorentina man. We'll also miss Motta's heading
ability when defending set pieces. Something tells me Prandelli is determined
to be positive and feels like he doesn't need an orc to break into England's
Helm's Deep of a defence, but a bit of extra cunning.
The other selection dilemma perhaps isn't one at all: who
will partner Cassano? Both Di Natale and Balotelli have impressed more as a
substitute, but impetus seems to be with the Man City
man, Super Mario.
If Balotelli isn't fired up now, to answer the relentless
doubts raised about him by the English press, over and over, all season long -
a press who have ridiculed him despite his big contribution to Manchester City's title win - well, then he simply
isn't human. These are the games he was selected for. If ever we need Mario and
not Wario, it's today. I expect to see Balotelli start and I must expect him to
be totally motivated. The biggest worry is isn’t a bad performance (every
player can have those) but an angry one. Mario must find his inner-Yoshi to
slot away the chances.
Of course, Chiellini is missing and his Juventus stand-ins
must bring their very best game tonight. Nothing short of that will see us
through.
TEAM SET-UP
Taking all that into account, we can expect the following
line-up in Prandelli's trusted (by him, anyway!) 4-1-3-2:
BUFFON
ABATE BARZAGLI BONUCCI BALZARETTI
PIRLO
MONTOLIVO DE ROSSI MARCHISIO
BALOTELLI CASSANO
Italy
will likely dominate posession and it is going to come down to how much they
can capitalize on their periods of pressure. So far, that has been there
weakness. Had we been more ruthless, we'd have beaten both Spain and Croatia. Cassano and Balotelli need
to more clinical and more direct. Behind them, Marchisio and De Rossi must run
from deep and Pirlo must find the time to probe England's solid but slightly
immobile centre backs.
England's
counters must be cut out early as we are weak when it comes to defending
crosse4s in the box and Welbeck and Rooney are good at finishing them. To avoid
uncertainty, Balza and Abate must be quick on their heels to nip Young and
Milner early. One worry with Abate is if he lets Young wriggle into the box.
Abate is rather clumsy and I'd hate to see us lose by giving away a penalty.
We can theorise forever, but ultimately, Italy must
allow their more creative tendancies to flourish, work themselves a foothold
and show a real desire to recover the ball early and isolate Gerrard and Rooney. Players such as Marchisio,
Balotelli and Montolivo will need to show a strength of character we haven’t yet seen from them before. If ever we needed a suprise hero, a goal from midfield, or a red hot striker, it's tonight.
Ultimately, the azzurri will have to show the courage of their convictions to
create something special tonight and put a spirited England team to the sword.
Beat England and Italy can be proud of a fine tournament.
Not many would have bet on us getting to the semi-finals. So a win would put us
in positive territory. And of course, opens up the chance of ultimate success.
Lose and it will be utter shame. Leaving at the quarter final stage after a mixed group phase would be a crushing disappointment.
That’s the fine line.
Losing to England, in particular, would be hard to take. The
jingoistic media, the lazy, out-of date punditry, the openly patronising players…
we can’t lose. We really can’t let it happen.
FORMATIONS AND PLAYERS
Prandelli will keep his opponents guessing again.
He has seen Italy play very well with his new 3-5-2, but
pick up only two points in two games. While using 4-1-3-2, Italy were a bit
shoddy, but won.
That presents Prandelli with a quandary. A 3-5-2 against
England may not be a wise choice. England have shown they are happy to try and
out-Italy Italy, by sitting back, soaking up pressure and countering. This isn’t
the quickest Italian team or the biggest, so our centrebacks are going to have
to be very good in the air and very wary of overcommitting. 3-5-2 is built for
countering, not for applying pressure and maintaining possession.
So I expect Prandelli to revert to his beloved 4-1-3-2,
allowing Italy to keep the ball, probe England’s deep back-line, and hopefully
create openings patiently or score from distance.
That means we are pinning a lot on Pirlo, Marchisio, De
Rossi and Motta to win the battle in the middle. Pirlo will need to find space
and resist the temptation to dawdle on the ball like he did against Ireland. Pirlo
will be harried by Rooney and Welbeck, so he must release the ball early.
De
Rossi must put in a crunching performance against Parker and Gerrard, with
Marchisio and Motta closing space down immediately. We need to see the
concentration we saw against Spain, without the fatigue.
Up front, whether its Cassano and Di Natale or Cassano and
Balotelli, they must take their chances and beat the in-form Joe Hart. Hart
fancies himself on penalties and one-on-ones, so we must be clinical and dent
his confidence EARLY. I feel an early goal for Italy will be everything in this
game. I'm confident we can score, let England attack and catch them out. But the longer we leave it, or if we concede early, England are more likely than us to grown in confidence.
Cassano and Di Natale must be clever to wriggle through
against England’s tight defence. They must pull them about, taking advantage of Terry's immobility. That's why this could be a game for Giovinco to come on and
make a big impact, too – perhaps winning a penalty.
ENGLAND’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
England are strong, fast and imposing on set-pieces. That is
there biggest asset. The main worry is that they will out-muscle Italy and out-pace
them. The Italians must be extremely disciplined and ready to defend, stopping
supply fromthe wings, where England
look very dangerous (especially when Walcott is on).
England are gaining confidence from playing badly and
winning. Italy seem to be losing confidence because they are playing well but
still finding it hard to win.
Hodgson’s England are weak in possession and have the tendency
to sit too deep. If they play another half like they did the first against
Ukraine, I believe Italy will score at least one.. I expect England to have
periods that rock Italy and test their resolve.
I also believe Italy will
concede at least one goal, maybe even two. So we must create opportunities for
our strikers by pulling Terry and Lescott across the pitch, opening up space
for Marchisio and De Rossi to exploit. I feel we will need a goal from midfield
to win this game. It’s time to see Marchisio’s good runs come to fruition.
KEY MEN:
Barzagli. Become the monster you have always threatened to
show us. We need a Hulk.
Balotelli. He will either inspire Italy to win or hand
victory to England. I feel it’s just written that way. He will want to impress against the English, he will be burning to get on the pitch.
De Rossi. He must dominate. Scott Parker puts everything on
the line for England. Beardface must respond. He has to cut Gerrard’s legs off.
Cassano. We need one of those magical nights from Antonio.
He’s been through hell to get here. Show us a glimpse of heaven. Be the clever, cocky little bastard we have come to love.
PREDICTIONS
I am not going to curse us by predicting a score.
I openly fear England’s physicality and directness. That’s
why I would have preferred to have faced a ponderous and lazy France in the
quarters. England run like dogs and never give up. We need to match them, and
then some.
Italy usually beat teams who respect them and give them
space. England do not respect Italy. In fact, to the English press (and
possibly players) Italy represent everything they dislike about ‘foreigners’.
In their eyes, the azzurri will forever be conniving, masters of the ‘dark
arts of football’ and, let's face it, weak.
We must throw such xenophobic stereotypes back in their face, with a
confident and classy display. Although, if we did manage to con the ref into a winning penalty, that would be pretty damn sweet.
We can do it. We can. If we shake off the nerves that crept in during
all three of our previous encounters in the tournament, we can play a good game. We must be ruthless,
clinical and let our superior technical ability flourish.
