Well, that was a miserable start wasn't it?
Granted, the first goal was offside and conditioned the whole game but, just the same, the hari-kari defending was the cause of great concern. By the time we got things sorted out in the second half the horse had bolted.
The third goal was the icing on a bitter cake.
Is this penance for the World Cup? Can we still turn things around? In truth, if the Azzurri can't beat Romania they don't deserve to go any further. Failure to win that game would also put Donadoni's contract under severe pressure.
Di Natale was caught short at the highest level, Grosso should have started and I can never understand why we would go without De Rossi. The small consolation? It was only a group game - Holland were celebrating like they had won the tournament.
About Me
- ginkers
- A fortysomething Scottish-Italian journalist and author with a love for good food, good football and bad alcoholic beverages.
7 comments:
In any tournament every team has one bad game in them. Better to get it out of the way early on. Italy won't play so badly at the back again, with or without Cannavaro. Panucci shouldn't start, and a I'd leave Gattuso out as well.
The first goal was a stinker and the only explanation that I've found for why it was allowed to stand is this :-
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/
football/international/euro_2008/
article4101053.ece
Romania and France look very ordinary so I'd still expect Italy to go through.
But losing captain Marvelous will probably tell in the end.
Credit where it's due Holland played very well, I think they milked their fans for having beaten the reining World champions (3-0). Quite a feat.
The small consolation ? Losing to what will prove to be one of the goals of the tournament.
There's plenty to play for yet. Keep the faith ;0)
Beat Romania & France and we're through and despite last night I think Italy are more than capable of that.
I can accept the UEFA explanation, though I think its a very strict interpretation designed to take the heat off the linesman and its certainly not an interpretation thats with in the original spirit of the law.
That being said, at best Italy deserved a draw and probably deserved to lose. 3-0 was a bit much though.
Why the milan trio got to start is beyond me, its certainly not because of form.
I think the 11 players on the pitch at the end of the game should be the starting 11 against Romania with one change. I'd have De Rossi on for either gattuso or ambrosini.
Grosso needs to start on the left and Zambrotta on the right. and i thought the matrix was appauling and Panucci or Gamberini should take his starting spot in the centre next to Barzagli.
I agree with TT that Gattuso probably needs to make way for De Rossi and up front i really think that Toni needs guys in close to him rather than out wide. So id have ADP or Di Natale playing next to him with Cassano or perhaps Aquilani behind them in the centre of the pitch.
Toni was made to look very ordinary in that formation.
I disagree Pat.
Di Natale should never play again for the national team after that performance. Del Piero gave us more in 20 minutes than Di Natale did for 70. All Di Natale did was give the ball away with useless backheels and flicks, none of which were ever on. Totti used to do this too but at least sometimes one would come off. Di Natale doesn't have the same skill to even think about it. He shouldn't play again. We need Inzaghi. Just imagine if he had come off the bench, you know he would cause trouble.
The starting line up was very wrong and changes should have been made at 2-0 in the FIRST half. But of course making a change then would be to admit you got it wrong in the first place. Only a manager with coglioni di ferro would make such a move. Donadoni is far too inexperienced for this job, and he's now proved it.
We live in hope.
Trent
I guess we will find out soon if it was one bad game or if we are short of the mark. I think I know why the first goal stood but I really can't agree with such a ridiculous rule!
Martino
If we can't at least beat romania to give ourselves a hope we don't deserve to go any further.
Pat
I reckon we will see at least four changes - hopefully the right ones.
AR
Certainly Toto was found wanting in that game. I don't know if I would write him off entirely but he certainly slips well down the pecking order. Certainly Del P looked streets ahead but the pattern of the game had changed hugely by then. I felt Grosso made the biggest difference of the lot.
Ginkers, hark back to USA-94. Losing the opening group match to *Ireland*. Qualifying from group B in *3rd* place. We know what happened after that. My point is that a slow start isn't unusual for the top tier teams.
I am a nervous person so I hope we get some early goals tonight. Otherwise I don't know if I can stand the tension.
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