re: Germany/Italy Match Thread (2 p.m. on ESPN2)

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dk dude when I do see some of those guys you mentioned as well as others like Pelle they never show me anything that makes me think they are way better than Giovinco.

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I agree with you completely about Italy's options at #9 like Pelle, Immobile and Zaza not being world beaters.

However, Giovinco isn't competing with any of these three players anymore than he's competing with defensive midfielders for a spot on the team.

These are #9 type strikers that are going to be competing with other #9s for a spot unless the plan is to run something like Spalletti's 4-6-0.


The player that is actually quite similar to Giovinco is Insigne: small, fast, explosive dribbler and very creative passer but not much defending his position.

Insigne, not Giovinco, is the one Italian fans who follow closely really thought may warrant a change of formation to get on the pitch more because, like Giovinco, he doesn't fit in the 3-5-2.

Insine is really much better than Giovinco by almost any measure (production in Serie A, how good he's looked for the NT against top level competition, actually being chosen by managers and also being a star on a top team).


Like you say, if Conte had planned to go 4-2-3-1 then you could see Giovinco making the team.

However, even then, he'd have certainly been behind Insigne and almost certainly Franco Vasquez as well (who also didn't make the cut) for playing time.