Awful but unexpected? Nope.

[diemme]

Apart from the bad luck of losing Canna; Oddo and Pippo not being selected due to injury and Sandro and Totters retiring (yes Sandro's usually sidelined by his wonky but v. hot body but he's usually an option for the first two games)

Frankly Donadoni needs his head examined.

1. That formation was a mind bogglingly poor choice against a team as quick as the Dutch.
2. Luca Toni is at his best up front alone.
3. Di Natale? Camaronesi? * shudders * He would have done better to start Cassano.
   
4. Ambrosini - I love him to death but De Rossi would have been miles the better choice against the Dutch.

We will be astoundingly lucky to make it out of the group. Even without the injuries we're still a team in major transition and not yet at the standard of the 2006 WC team. No shame in it, really.

Congratulations to the Dutch.

Comments

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

That's true. It's not going to be the same without Sandro being crippled by injury midway through the second.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

I wonder what he's doing at the moment. Maybe sprawled on a beach on Miami with his family and the Maldinis, working up the energy to make sandcastles with his wee daughter?

[roadtoharmony.livejournal.com]

In my next life, I am going to be reasonable and not get into football again. And I'll bring popcorn, too.

Huggles

[diemme.livejournal.com]

But sometimes it brings us such joy.

Huggles back

[roadtoharmony.livejournal.com]

That's the problem - the joy can be so intense that you are willing to accept days like today. It'd be great if it could be just a wee bit more balanced though.

Re: Huggles back

[diemme.livejournal.com]

Yes. I'm afraid Donadoni is going to be roasted over his tactics today.

Re: Huggles back

[roadtoharmony.livejournal.com]

Roasted? That's the mild version. The man had better stock up on his security - and I think he can get out that Azzurri contract and contemplate burning it, too. It's not going to end pretty, either way, it's just a question of how bad it'll get.

Re: Huggles back

[andolinn.livejournal.com]

There is a clause in the contract saying that within 30 days of the Euros, they can fire him or he can leave. I think he'd better run.

Re: Huggles back

[roadtoharmony.livejournal.com]

Run, move out of the country and change his name (though I think his pride will forbid the latter). *sighs*

Re: Huggles back

[andolinn.livejournal.com]

I think you're right on the name. But he had better do some quick salvaging or exile is going to look good.

Re: Huggles back

[roadtoharmony.livejournal.com]

I hope he thoroughly kicked their asses (and, you know, thought again about the tactics he wants to apply), and we'll see a fighting, driven Italy on Friday rather than a still downtrodden one. I have hope yet.

[andolinn.livejournal.com]

*shudders* I recorded both games, intending to skim the Romania game to get to Italy and then loved them to death and watched it all. So very, very glad too!

Is Donadoni really as bad a coach as I think he is? They looked utterly hapless. The Meelan midfield still looked exhausted and slow, service to Toni was indeed nonexistant...

Yes as well, a team in transition.

And Ruud did indeed look on top of his game.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

The Romanians were rather tenacious.

When I saw the formation I was boggled. The folks with me were boggled. Italy just doesn't play like that and if we knew that Donadoni should too; the choices seemed all wrong from the beginning.

[andolinn.livejournal.com]

Well clearly they were undeniable, spectacularly wrong in a way that demands Donadoni fixxxx eeeetttt...or face lynching or exile! Of course, he left a few tools at home, so...

And the Romanians stuck to their game and their crisp passing. Not sure what that will look like in the face of the Dutch.

[rose-of-rouen.livejournal.com]

Donadoni didn't pass on Pippo because he was injured, but because of technical reasons, whatever that means. I can see his point on Oddo, he's had an awful time of it this season.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

When he didn't choose Pippo I had the same sinking thought as in 2004 - who else is going to score?

[rose-of-rouen.livejournal.com]

I'm hopelessly biased, but Pippo can come on and score in the last minute, if he has to, he's a terrible distraction to the defence, and he just never gives up, which it sounds as if Italy could have done with last night.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

Yep, I was saying so to a buddy last night - that frantic running and "will he, won't he" offsidedness is important to the team. * sighs * Shades of 96 and 04, I guess.

[winter-solstice.livejournal.com]

i can't really comment much because i fell asleep halfway through the game. i really should stop doing that! i wasn't expecting that scoreline though, at first, i thought i must have just heard wrong!