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After the failed experience at the 2014 World Cup, the Italian national football team underwent significant changes. Not only are there many new faces, but also a new coach at the helm. It seems like the team is ready to turn a new page. What is it like? Let's get to know it better.
Is the team full of average players?
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Federico Marchetti, Salvatore Sirigu.
Defenders: Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Ignazio Abate, Andrea Ranocchia, Matteo Darmian, Luca Antonelli, Davide Santon, Emiliano Moretti
Midfielders: Antonio Candreva, Marco Verratti, Marco Parolo, Alessandro Florenzi, Roberto Soriano, Mirko Valdifiori, Franco Vazquez.
Forwards: Alessio Cerci, Ciro Immobile, Simone Zaza, Graziano Pelle, Manolo Gabbiadini, Eder.
This is the current composition of the Italian national team. Reading the names of the goalkeepers, there are no big questions. Gianluigi Buffon's name has been shining in this list for 18 years, and another excellent season with Juventus silenced critics who claimed that the 37-year-old "Gigi" was no longer that good. In case of injury to Gianluigi, there's no need to cry. Both S. Sirigu and F. Marchetti represent their clubs stably and reliably.
The defensive line cannot be called a weak link either. Thanks to Bonucci, Chiellini, and Barzagli, with top-notch defense, Juventus is preparing for the Champions League final. The names of Abate, Ranocchia, and Santon do not inspire awe, and Darmian is being courted by Barcelona. There could be some discussion about Antonelli and Moretti, but these two players will not play a significant role in the national team one way or another.
The current midfield line since the 2014 World Cup is hardly recognizable. A. Conte decided to get rid of the services of two veterans A. Pirlo and D. De Rossi. Players who played crucial roles in the 2006 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship. In Brazil, they did not show good form, especially Pirlo, about whom there were reports in the press that Neuer ran more during matches than Pirlo. Perhaps Conte was right to get rid of these two stars, but their replacements have not shown the desired results. Many football fans scratch their heads when they hear names like Valdifiori, Vazquez, or Soriano. Yes, these are not famous players, but that's what the national team has. The only two promising central midfielders are M. Verratti and M. Parolo. Verratti is a key player in PSG's lineup and is often considered one of the most promising players in the world in his position, while Parolo brought fresh energy to Lazio, which after many years will play in the Champions League again.
It is difficult to remember when Italy had such problems with forwards. In 1982, there was Paolo Rossi, in 2006 Totti and Del Piero, in the 2012 European Championship, M. Balotelli shone. However, after the 2014 World Cup, it became clear that Italy did not have a decent forward. It is no wonder that after a tragic season at Liverpool, M. Balotelli is no longer invited to the national team. Currently, "Azzurri" realistically have only three true forwards who could play in the attacking role. The first such player is C. Immobile. A player who cannot boast of goals this season. In the ranks of Borussia, he only scored 3 times and in the second half of the season, he mostly started matches from the bench. Conte gave him many chances to defend his country's honor, but in 5 matches, the Italian did not score once, raising doubts about whether he deserves a call-up to the national team. Another forward who also got his chance in the Italian national team is Simone Zaza. This season is much better for him than for Immobile. Zaza scored significantly more goals in Sassuolo and showed 9 goals. Considering that Sassuolo is not as high-level a club as Borussia, and there are not so many high-level players around to create opportunities for the forward, Zaza's performance is really good. He also scored once in defense of the "blue" honor, so his achievements are more successful than Immobile. The last potential player in the attacking role is Graziano Pelle. The latter scored 12 goals in his first season in the English Premier League and, although he appeared only once in the initial lineup of the Italian national team, it was enough for him to contribute to a victory against Malta. The fact that the forward topic is relevant is shown by statistics. The most productive player in the Italian national team's qualifying for the 2016 European Championship is a defender (Giorgio Chiellini - 2 goals)
Conte - the wrong coach?
Although A. Conte has been in the position of head coach for only 8 months, there have already been reports in the press that perhaps he is not the person who will bring back the glory days for Italy. There are indeed reasons to think so. Four things make him a less than stellar coach. First of all, the apparent change in formation catches the eye. It seems that Conte knows only one formation, 3-5-2. This setup helped him win numerous trophies when he coached the Juventus team. But it seems that this formation does not suit the Italian national team, and this choice causes problems in other areas. The second thing that raises doubts is the players' positions. Because of the new setup, players are often forced to play in unusual positions. For example, during the match against Bulgaria, Conte decided to turn Candreva into a central midfielder, and Antonelli became a right back. The Italians defended poorly, and the match against Bulgaria ended in a 2-2 draw. Also, in the challenging victory against Azerbaijan, Florenzi played as a central midfielder. It was clear that Conte's decisions to allow players to play in unusual positions influenced the results of the matches. The third thing that makes one doubt Conte is the decisions in the forward line. It is completely incomprehensible why Immobile was allowed to play in four out of five matches. After all, he did not score a single goal and, as mentioned, did not show good form in Germany. Not
