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Qualified top of the group, seven wins in 10 games, a healthy zero in the defeats’ column – surely nothing to complain about?
Less a complaint, more an observation. Analysing Marcello Lippi’s squad, I don’t see any individuals that would make it into a top 30 world players’ list apart from the man who stands between the Azzurri sticks. Buffon’s longevity of high-quality goalkeeping continues to put his competitors to shame, but after the Juventus shot-stopper, the Italian national side looks very average indeed.
The defence underlines the state of the team – brimming with players who are revered for their illustrious careers, but have dropped down a level or two courtesy of time’s debilitating effect. Fabio Cannavaro, 2006 Ballon d’Or recipient and one of the greats of his generation, is 36 now. Gianluca Zambrotta is 32, Fabio Grosso is 31, Alessandro Nesta [if he ever returns] is 33 – these World Cup winners have had their time.
Their younger replacements are decent – Giorgio Chiellini stands out with his never-say-die approach to the game. Nonetheless, the days when the Italians taught the world the art of defending are gone. It may have been an experimental side against Cyprus on Wednesday, but the defensive frailties on home soil against relative minnows will have many supporters worried for the future.
The heart of the midfield – where Italy were blessed three seasons ago – now appears tired and uninventive. Andrea Pirlo, an undisputed master of passing, fails to dominate games as he once did and last campaign’s injury to Rino Gattuso seems to have advanced the footballing age process. Dissenters may scream out Daniele De Rossi’s name in retort to this article’s header, but is he honestly in the same league as Xavi, Frank Lampard or Iniesta?
Up front is where Lippi must truly be scratching his head. Considering the players that have spearheaded the national side in the last 20 years – Roberto Baggio, Christian Vieri, Francesco Totti to name just a few – this must be the most average strike-force available to an Italy Coach in, well, ever.
Vincenzo Iaquinta epitomises a do-a-job forward – work-rate in abundance, lacking in talent to which his goal ratio will attest. The Azzurri team isn’t the flowing creative force of Germany ’06 so how much Alberto Gilardino can bring to the side is debatable. Late bloomer Toto Di Natale offers a different threat but is 32. If Messi, Ronaldo and Kaka are Champions League, these guys are fighting relegation.
You can see why the cries for Antonio Cassano just won’t go away.
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It is certainly true that Italy are average these days. I think things go in cycles and right now Spain have a vintage side, and England have a very good side too. Italy and Germany are solid are not so full of star players, so they will need to rely on their organisation. I don't think Cassano will really make that much difference to Italy, and Lippi will never go back on his decision to freeze him out. It would make him too weak in the players eyes. As for the future, Italy could have a strong side in 2-4 years, when the likes of Santon, Criscito, Marchisio, Balotelli and Giovinco (if he ever gets a game!) have come on a bit.
Chris, Japan
Tom just doesn’t get it. Italy does not put its hopes of winning tournaments on one or two star players. Instead they build a team that works well together for a common goal. This is why teams like England fail miserably in major tournaments. They rely on their Rooneys and Lampards to get them through. But what happens when those players are shut down and become useless against the bigger squads? Unless you are Brazil, you need more than a starting XI to win a tournament. Italy won the World Cup because of a superb performance from Cannavaro, but don’t forget what lesser talents such as Materazzi and Grosso did. Those guys were not even on the radar. I love when the rest of the World writes off Italy’s chances, because that my friend is when they are the most dangerous.
Tony Aiello
You must be English. Your article is quite good when it comes to describing Italy's defensive frailties. But it is quite appalling that you are placing Frank Lampard in the same league as Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. What troubles me further is that you describe Italy as the flowing creative force of Germany '06. Did you actually watch Italy's games that year? I'm guessing you did not. Argentina should be described as the flowing creative force of Germany '06. Italy always parked their players in front of the D and threw bodies forward on the counter. The article does its job regarding Buffon's class, but some your observations make you sound delusional.
Abhilash Rodrigues
I have to agree with your article, Buffon is the Azzurri’s only world class player in the true sense of the word, but why on earth did you mention Frank Lampard at all, never mind in the same breath as Xavi and Iniesta? If you felt the need to mention an Englishman then the blatantly obvious choice would have been Steven Gerrard.
Gary Parker
I believe you are being way too pessimistic here. Sure the Azzurri don’t have as much talent as Spain, they don't have the "names" that England has, but at the moment of truth they surely can deliver. At the very least they are as good as Germany, and I personally predict Germany to lift the trophy. First of all Lippi seems to have a magical touch on Cannavaro, Grosso, and even Pirlo wasn't the best player at club level in 2006, but he was the best in the tournament. The likes of De Rossi, Rossi and Santon are likely to explode under Lippi, not to mention if he picked Giovinco and Marchisio. At the end names don't bring trophies and that's undisputed. Just look at England and Brazil last time.
Hesham, Kuwait
At last a reasonably sane assessment of the national team. Compared with some of the comments and hysteria I have heard this week I can actually agree with most of what was said in this blog. In 2006 Italy had a complete side, strength in depth in every position except right back and that was solved with Zambrotta. However, This was an aging team then. If you look at Italy now they are going through a transition and people must be patient. I think in 3-4 years the attack and midfield will be world class.
Enrico Polsinelli, Essex
Dissenters may scream out Daniele De Rossi’s name in retort to this article’s header, but is he honestly in the same league as Xavi, Frank Lampard or Iniesta? They are attacking midfielders, DDR is defensive midfielder, how can you even compare them? And yes he is the same class and even above because he scores and creates in the league of the strongest defences in the world. But I agree Italy need CASSANO!
Wiktor Czernis
The spectacularly good Giuseppe Rossi seems to have been left out of this blog.
Bruno
Italy will never give up until the final whistle. To keep their cool and score a goal in the final minute against Ireland took some doing, especially after conceding a late goal three minutes earlier. Only a team with true belief, fortitude and quality would have pushed to get that goal, and that is why Italy have always been serious contenders since 1970 as World Cup winners.
In saying that, Italy must learn to kill off lesser opponents sooner, control the midfield and not leave every thing to the last minute, great examples being Australia and Germany 2006, and more recently the Republic Of Ireland and Cyprus. I say we back Lippi, we all know that Cassano can be temperamental and Lippi has dealt with him on a national level.
Matteo Sedazzari
I have to agree with most of what you say, I'm a big fan of Italy - and of Lippi - but something just doesn't seem right about the current squad. I do think you were a bit harsh on Chiellini, De Rossi, and Gilardino though. I think they are definitely world class and comparing De Rossi to Xavi and Iniesta (not Lampard, he does not deserve to be compared to them), is a bit extreme as they are not just world class, they are the best in the world.
The squad I would like to see in South Africa would be: Buffon, Amelia, Marchetti. Chiellini, Gamberini, Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Criscito, Santon, Grosso. De Rossi, Gattuso, Montolivo, Marchisio, Palombo, Aquilani, D'Agostino. Cassano, Del Piero, Amauri, Gilardino, Rossi, Pazzini.
Briggsy
Could not agree more with you. For those of us who follow la Nazionale religiously you would hear that we also believe we won the 2006 WC because of one man only – King Buffon!! The Italian game is built around low-scoring tight games. This places even more pressure on the ‘keeper as he is called upon to be a game saver more often than not. In most 2006 games Gigi was our best player and absolutely the MVP of the tournament. Lest we forget his incredible saves against Romania, Germany and Zidane’s header with 10 minutes to go in the Final. Sure Pirlo, Del Piero, Grosso, De Rossi all had good tournaments, but without Buffon we don’t even get a sniff at the Cup.
AP
You say Xavi, Lampard and Iniesta are better than our current crop of midfielders, yet Lampard has still to put in a decent display for England, whilst Pirlo completely outshone Xavi and Iniesta, as well as Zidane, in 2006. And you overlook the fact that it took Spain penalties to beat us in Euro 2008, and we had Cannavaro AND Pirlo missing. Hardly awe-inspiring stuff, is it?
Daniele De Rossi IS a world class player, whilst the likes of Cannavaro, Gilardino, Giuseppe Rossi, Grosso, Marchisio and Camoranesi are all wonderful players who would add something to any national side. And If Lippi saw sense to include the likes of Cassano, Miccoli and Pazzini in our squad, we could be a formidable side, on a par with most teams (barring Brazil). I'm not saying we will emerge victorious in South Africa, but you dismiss Italy at your peril, as many found out in 2006.
Marco, England
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