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re: Official Euro 2012 Squad Thread
Posted on 5/14/12 at 6:54 pm to glassman
Posted on 5/14/12 at 6:54 pm to glassman
quote:
Where is the poacher/finisher for Italy?
There's really not one. I thought there was a good chance Matri or Osvaldo would be called up.
Looks on paper like a lot of confidence is being put on Balotelli not flipping out.
It certainly points to Prandelli's desire to have faster, creative playmakers up front and press a bit higher than the Azzurri has done historically with midfielders like Montolivo, Marchisio Nocerino and even De Rossi and the backs Maggio and Criscito getting forward for Pirlo to find.
Italy's best form against better teams has probably been with a front three of Cassano, Balotelli and Rossi recently. Seems that every call up is more to find a replacement for what Rossi brings.
However, Mattia Destro is the only striker that truly can sub Balotelli without changing things up a bit for Toto Di Natale. I'd like to see Toto kept on the team as his form has just been absurdly good the past 2 seasons but it may mean Borini becomes the odd man out.
0
Posted on 5/14/12 at 7:02 pm to glassman
quote:
Where is the poacher/finisher for Italy? Kind of surprised at Matri's exclusion.
Matri is a finisher? Have you watched any of Juve's games lol. He's missed so many opportunities this year.
Posted on 5/14/12 at 7:06 pm to wm72
quote:
After Pirlo, De Rossi is the best player on Italy's squad. Without much debate. There is a reason Real Madrid, Man U, Man City etc have all been falling over themselves to sign him from Roma. Namely, that he's probably the best defensive midfielder in the world.
Much better DM's out there.
He's in a freefall
LINK
Character issues
LINK
Honestly i haven't seen him take over a game in 4 or 5 years, but i don't watch Roma anymore. Spaletti roma was fun to watch, but after he left they have gone downhill IMO.
Posted on 5/14/12 at 7:17 pm to BraveTiger225
quote:
Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)
He's still alive...and still relevant?
Posted on 5/14/12 at 7:21 pm to j1897
quote:
Matri is a finisher?
I think so.
quote:
He's missed so many opportunities this year.
All finishers do. They place themselves in the right positions. Not every touch is perfect.
Posted on 5/14/12 at 7:23 pm to j1897
quote:
Much better DM's out there.
He's in a freefall
LINK
Character issues
LINK
Honestly i haven't seen him take over a game in 4 or 5 years, but i don't watch Roma anymore. Spaletti roma was fun to watch, but after he left they have gone downhill IMO.
I've never really seen Castrol rankings before and have no idea about them. Other ratings systems like the one for "Who Scored" have him at the top of Serie A but I don't really put much weight on those either.
FWIW, I'd take what I've seen from him--a touch that maybe only Busquets can rival at the position with an ability to create from deep lying positions and extremely fine tuned reading of the game defensively-- along with the fact that Mancini, Mourinho and Ferguson have tried desperately to buy him over any rankings system.
His "character issues" are so overblown it's a joke. Yeah, he loses his temper for a stupid red card every couple of seasons but he's certainly nowhere near the top of the list in red cards either and day in, day out he's a rock and I've have never heard that he's anything but a leader in the locker room.
He took over about every game Roma won this year aside from the few where we had so many injuries he had to play CB, where he was probably as good as Mascherano masquerading there.
I'm sticking to my thought that he's on the very short list for best defensive midfielder in the world. I can't think who I'd rather have as a defensive destroyer that turns to regista when the ball's won.
This post was edited on 5/14/12 at 7:25 pm
Posted on 5/14/12 at 7:41 pm to thenry712
"relevant"
He's slowly, but surely, approaching Denilson territory. Though, I'm sure that there's a really impressive youtube highlight from his time at Besitkas
He's slowly, but surely, approaching Denilson territory. Though, I'm sure that there's a really impressive youtube highlight from his time at Besitkas
Posted on 5/15/12 at 5:48 pm to joey barton
No Rio Ferdinand or Kyle Walker for England confirmed.
Basically means that EBJT is guaranteed a starting position this summer.
Still no word on Grant Holt.
Basically means that EBJT is guaranteed a starting position this summer.
Still no word on Grant Holt.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 5:59 pm to thenry712
England is so fricked I can't wait
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:13 pm to Tweezy
quote:
England is so fricked I can't wait
Joe Hart is going to have to be huge.
Is Roy actually going to try and play Gerrard and Lampard together? They are really going to miss Wilshere.
They might not get out of group play.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:16 pm to glassman
I picked France and Sweden from their group.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:17 pm to Tweezy
quote:
England is so fricked I can't wait
This is why I actually think England might do decently this tournament. There is absolutely no pressure on England to win anything this summer.
Roy has the backing of the FA, unlike previous managers. Hopefully he's wise enough to avoid the super successful Gerrard-Lampard midfield pairing. If Scott Parker is healthy, they'll have a competent and able captain, and a good keeper in Joe Hart.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:22 pm to thenry712
quote:
If Scott Parker is healthy
A coin toss.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:24 pm to hendersonshands
quote:
I picked France and Sweden from their group.
France dominated England in a friendly. Zlatan hasn't really ever done great for Sweden, but England's CB's look unable to deal with him.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:26 pm to thenry712
Yeah you're right about pressure, I'm just not sure they can put it together. I dont know if it was the pressure holding them back or the fact that they like their epl teams better and don't really give a shite about playing with their countrymen.... We shall see
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:26 pm to hendersonshands
France is always a toss up. I'm so down for them to not score a goal
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:31 pm to Tweezy
There's a theory that England would be better if their players moved abroad and played in other leagues. It's pretty interesting to think about. The best teams in the EPL are full of foreigners, that's what makes the league so great. I think English players would grow if they moved on to Spain, Germany, Italy, and even some of the you get ones playing in the Netherlands.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:33 pm to glassman
quote:
France dominated England in a friendly. Zlatan hasn't really ever done great for Sweden, but England's CB's look unable to deal with him.
England also beat Spain in a friendly. It's a tossup. The EBJT and EBGCahill partnership is better than Upson-EBJT or Ledley Kings Achy Knees/EBJT pairings from 2010.
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:35 pm to hendersonshands
La France
quote:
Provisional France squad (Ligue 1-based players)
Goalkeepers: Cédric Carrasso (FC Girondins de Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyonnais), Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille).
Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (LOSC Lille Métropole), Anthony Réveillère (Olympique Lyonnais), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (Montpellier Hérault SC).
Midfielders: Alou Diarra (Olympique de Marseille), Yoann Gourcuff (Olympique Lyonnais), Yann M’Vila (Stade Rennais FC), Marvin Martin (FC Sochaux-Montbéliard), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain FC).
Forwards: Olivier Giroud (Montpellier Hérault SC), Jérémy Menez (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Mathieu Valbuena (Olympique de Marseille), Loïc Rémy (Olympique de Marseille).
Provisional France squad (non-Ligue 1-based players)
Defenders: Gaël Clichy (Manchester City FC), Patrice Evra (Manchester United FC), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal FC), Adil Rami (Valencia CF), Philippe Mexès (AC Milan), Younès Kaboul (Tottenham Hotpsur FC)*.
Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United FC), Florent Malouda (Chelsea FC), Samir Nasri (Manchester City FC).
Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle United FC), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid CF), Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern München).
* withdrawn due to injury
Posted on 5/15/12 at 6:39 pm to hendersonshands
I could certainly see that, or if they just pulled a bayern and stuck all their players on one club team haha
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