(might as well put it here)
Here's the squad Lippi has announced for for next 2 WCQ against Slovenia and Belarus:
Gk: Buffon (Juventus), Pelizzoli (Roma)
D: Bonera (Parma), Cannavaro (Juventus), Materazzi (Inter), Nesta (Milan), Oddo (Lazio), Pancaro (Milan), Zaccardo (Palermo), Zambrotta (Juventus)
M: Blasi (Juventus), Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Diana (Sampdoria), Esposito (Cagliari), Fiore (Valencia), Gattuso (Milan), Perrotta (Roma)
F: Corradi (Valencia), Di Vaio (Valencia), Gilardino (Parma), Toni (Palermo), Totti (Roma)
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Some ballsy moves by Lippi.
First of all, Del Piero and Vieri are both out "injured" (Juve/Inters way of admitting theyre playing poorly)
After theyre great starts, Lecce and Messina shouldve been represented. Parisi and Pinardi deserved a callup, but i guess Pancaro and Corradi were better choices
Zaccardo. Alright, hes been playing well, but Cassetti of Lecce has been better so far.
For GK, if im Lippi i pick Lupatelli over Pelizzoli (they wont play anyways), just for his play against Palermo and his sideburns with a shaved head (if you havent seen, it looks he has slugs next to his ears).
Ferrari not called up, Lippi is clearly sending him a message. He's been poor this season anyways. Good to see Materazzi keeps his place though
.
No Pirlo(:/). Because of De Rossi's emergence maybe hes not a starter, but you cant leave him out and call up Perrotta, Diana or Camoranesi (whos been surprisingly doing alright this season, but i dont want stranieri in La Nazionale) over someone like Pirlo.
Speaking of Diana, im kinda surprised he kept his place in NT, hes a great talent though.
No Cassano
. Theres no reason he shouldnt be here. Lippi not calling Panucci (still Italys best R
for personal reasons is bad, but come on, no Peter Pan?? I was excited of a trident attack with him, Totti and Gilardino.
Havent seen much of Esposito, i wonder if he'll even get any playing time.
Pancaro openly said he was dissapointed to be excluded from last squad, and now he gets call here? Really, whats the logic in Lippi calling him? He'll be around 76 when the WC comes, and by then his entire head will be a combover (shave your head stronzo!!), so why not call up somebody younger. How bout Parisi whos been in great form has been strongly linked to Juve and Inter and just happens to play LB. This callup frigtens me, cause its the kind of move that Trappatoni would make.
Lippi calling the Valencia trio, good stuff, but enough with Corradi, the guy is good but not NT quality. Too bad Miccoli's form has been poor of late, but still, based on his play against Norway, and in all games for Azzurri for that matter he should be a regular.
As for lineups, I really hope Gilardino and Di Vaio start up front. Di Vaio is a great player and was unfairly abused my media for being picked over Gilardino at Euros (when Corradi was the one who shouldnt have been picked). Marco is now in Spain and scoring plenty of goals for a great Valencia side. Him and Gilardino bring diff qualities and in Cassanos absence could form a good partnership.
Heres how i figure/hope Lippi lines them up:
::::::::::::::::::::: Di Vaio :::::::::: Gilardino :::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Totti ::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::: De Rossi :::::::::: Gattuso :::: Fiore ::::::
:: Zambrotta ::: Cannavaro :: Nesta ::: Bonera :::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Pelizzoli :::::::::::::::::
Well, if Lippi puts Zambrotta at LM like he did against Norway, than everything goes upazzu. And it means that Pancaro might start at LB
(oh, and Clau, we dont speak anymore after that comment. Im in tears)