Italy

[perica]

In my opiniom they have good chance on Euro...some player are in great shape (pirlo before all) and they'll be taff opponent to compete

[DucdeOrléans]

Well, it's not the same Italy I have grown up with but at least Prandelli has done a good job so far and the squad could have been worse.
I would like to see this lineup:

Buffon

Maggio - Chiellini - Barzagli/Bocchetti - Criscito

Pirlo - Rossi - Marchisio

Giovinco/Cassano

Balotelli - Di Natale

Should be enough to advance from the group stages at least.

But overall I have sadly no high hopes about France and Italy this summer but nevertheless I hope that they will prove me wrong.

[AnfieldEd]

I think Ireland and Croatia could beat that Italian team.

[DucdeOrléans]

I think Ireland and Croatia could beat that Italian team.

In fact any team could potentially beat Italy but what relevance has it? I am pretty sure the same can be said about your mighty Greece or England..

I think I have made it pretty clear that I don't expect much from France or Italy this summer.

[AnfieldEd]

In fact any team could potentially beat Italy but what relevance has it? I am pretty sure the same can be said about your mighty Greece or England..

I think I have made it pretty clear that I don't expect much from France or Italy this summer.

Nah Greece will fuck Italy up no problem. Italy won't know which Papadopoulos to mark at corners..........

[DucdeOrléans]

You have two of them?

Well, I think you must wait since I doubt that Greece will advance from their group.

[AnfieldEd]

You have two of them?

Well, I think you must wait since I doubt that Greece will advance from their group.

Yes. Avraam Papadopoulos who plays for Olympiakos and Kyriakos Papadopoulos who plays for Schalke. Both are defenders.

I don't doubt that we will advance! I think we'll get 4 points, which will be enough.

[DucdeOrléans]

Yes. Avraam Papadopoulos who plays for Olympiakos and Kyriakos Papadopoulos who plays for Schalke. Both are defenders.

I don't doubt that we will advance! I think we'll get 4 points, which will be enough.

I only know the latter (Pepe like character from what I have seen).

Not so sure about that. Poland and Russia are favorites to advance from that group IMO. Russia have the best players and Poland have a decent squad (Piszczek, Kuba, Lewandowski, Obraniak, Szczęsny, Boenisch etc.) and are at home. The Czech side is the worst in recent history.

But well this is the Italy thread so let us leave that discussion.

[catalan force]

Really wish that Prandelli takes Di Natale to the EURO. Di natale, Balotelli, Giovinco and Cassano. No borini no Destro. Though I feel he might drop Di natale and take borini instead.

[DucdeOrléans]

Prandelli announced earlier today a shortened 25 man provisional squad of the following players:

LA LISTA DEI 25 PRE-CONVOCATI:


Portieri: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain);


Difensori: Abate (Milan), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter);


Centrocampisti: De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus);


Attaccanti: Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma).


The squad will be further shortened to the final 23 man squad after the game against Luxembourg in Parma tomorrow.

Criscito has pulled out due to the ongoing betting scandal ("Scommessopoli") while Viviano, Bocchetti, Astori, Cigarini, Verratti & Schelotto are out of the squad as expected.

As said previously I am not that confindent but the squad should be strong enough to advance from the group stages at least.

But overall I have sadly no high hopes for Italy nor France this summer but nevertheless I hope that they will prove me wrong.

EDIT: Looks like Bonucci could be axed as well due to his involvement in the Scommessopoli scandal.

[AnfieldEd]

Ireland and Croatia have nothing to fear from that squad.

[DucdeOrléans]

Ireland and Croatia have nothing to fear from that squad.

Someone is in his bombastic "Hatem ben Arfa" mode I see.

It's not the same Italy I have grown up with but it's nevertheless still Italy and hopefully I don't need to remind you of how Italy performs when everyone else is saying that they are rubbish.

Apart from that I think Italy can easily say the same about Ireland and Croatia.

[woobie]

I think they'll do better than they did in 2010. How much better...remains to be seen. The fact that there's no CF by role is a bit worrying but we'll see how it goes. I remain hopeful; Prandelli is a good coach and there ARE some very good players in the mix.

[AnfieldEd]

Someone is in his bombastic "Hatem ben Arfa" mode I see.

It's not the same Italy I have grown up with but it's nevertheless still Italy and hopefully I don't need to remind you of how Italy performs when everyone else is saying that they are rubbish.

Apart from that I think Italy can easily say the same about Ireland and Croatia.

Not at all. I am more than aware of Italy's record at major tournaments. I never said they are rubbish, they have a decent defence, some good quality in midfield and in Balotelli you have a player that can be a monster when he wants to be.

Yes you can say that Italy can easily say the about Ireland and Croatia......except Ireland and Croatia aren't football powerhouses or have won 4 world cups and as such have a reputation to upkeep, so Ireland and Croatia should really fear that kind of country with that history and track record. But looking at the Italy squad I really don't see many world class players that will keep Ireland and Croatia up at night.

[DucdeOrléans]

I agree Wobbie, although I find it difficult to imagine a more worse performance than in 2010.

Not at all. I am more than aware of Italy's record at major tournaments. I never said they are rubbish, they have a decent defence, some good quality in midfield and in Balotelli you have a player that can be a monster when he wants to be.

Yes you can say that Italy can easily say the about Ireland and Croatia......except Ireland and Croatia aren't football powerhouses or have won 4 world cups and as such have a reputation to upkeep, so Ireland and Croatia should really fear that kind of country with that history and track record. But looking at the Italy squad I really don't see many world class players that will keep Ireland and Croatia up at night.

Will it seemed like the case.

Nobody is saying that Italy are great or favorites for that matter - certainly not me. Yeah, reputation can in some cases be a good thing but it's often not the case when the team can't live up to it's glorious past. Nobody is talking about Italy as the main favorites for the upcoming EURO's.

I don't know how you meassure "world class" but there are plenty of good players available and the team chemistry/unit has been pretty good during Prandelli's reign which is the crucial part of any team.

But if I am to be neutral and honest I don't see either Croatia or Ireland as teams that should be feared by their opponents.