haha where'd you get that icon with the danish flash doing the italian one...laugh my ass off...
but a fantastic display from the italian team today...unlike their recent performances...man that euro 04 what a disaster, very funny too, that whole affair with vieri being reported on the news media that he couldn't jump enough to get a header, and then getting the equalizer from sweden was it, with vieri on the goal line jumping to avert a goal and the ball just scraping his head and going in, just after his press conference where he'd said to the news reporters " I am more of a man than all of you put together"...brilliant stuff...hollywood material.
but a fantastic display from the italian team today...unlike their recent performances...man that euro 04 what a disaster, very funny too, that whole affair with vieri being reported on the news media that he couldn't jump enough to get a header, and then getting the equalizer from sweden was it, with vieri on the goal line jumping to avert a goal and the ball just scraping his head and going in, just after his press conference where he'd said to the news reporters " I am more of a man than all of you put together"...brilliant stuff...hollywood material.
Jack our problem is that Vieri is going to be on the 22 man for WC, probably he's now better than what you have remembered (but everyone
is...me too after a drinking night :drink: )
About the winner it's very difficult to pick another team than Brasil...but don't know why...i like England very much
is...me too after a drinking night :drink: )
About the winner it's very difficult to pick another team than Brasil...but don't know why...i like England very much
ddarkside said:
Vieri, if he even makes the roster, won't play. They have WAAAAAAAAY too many Fs who are better and in far better form. They have to take Toni, Gilardino, Totti, Iaquinta. Del Piero is also a MUST with Totti's injury, especially in his current form and the way he played today. That doesn't include Cassano either, who has to get in shape and some time with Real. Vieri should be nothing more than the 10th option. Hell, I would take Pippo over him. Vieri has always been horribly overrated. Takes him 15 opportunities to just get one on goal. Toni and Gilardino are deadly when they get chances.
As for teams who can win, only about 5, Brazil who is a huge favorite IMO, and your usual underachievers, Argies, Portugal, England, NED and Italia. Germany stinks, they played pretty much a full squad today and got hammered. I can't see them playing at home making up that much of a talent disadvantage, but who knows.
Plus, Lippi hasn't given Vieri any significant time to date and he clearly LOVES the Toni/Gilardino combo with a playmaking F like Totti or Del Piero. I can't see him even making the roster without some injuries, and I certainly can't see him getting time.
22 has to look like
Buffon
GK?
GK?
Cannavaro
Nesta
Grosso
Zaccardo
De Rossi
Zambrotta
Gattuso
Pirlo
Camoranesi
Totti
Gilardino
Toni
Iaquinta
Del Piero
Matterazzi
Barone
Diana
Blasi/Chielini?
That leaves 2 spots is you exclude Blasi and Chielini
22 has to look like
Buffon
GK?
GK?
Cannavaro
Nesta
Grosso
Zaccardo
De Rossi
Zambrotta
Gattuso
Pirlo
Camoranesi
Totti
Gilardino
Toni
Iaquinta
Del Piero
Matterazzi
Barone
Diana
Blasi/Chielini?
That leaves 2 spots is you exclude Blasi and Chielini
fhmesq44 said:
The other goalkeeper will be Peruzzi for sure (and the other one Amelia-Abbiati)...i don't see Iaquinta in the WC and hope Lippi think the same about him so the probably five strikers Toni, Gilardino, DelPiero, Vieri, Totti (Inzaghi). There are not my favourites (i would prefer Cassano instead of Vieri or Inzaghi) but without injuries or bad last part of the season the most probable.
ddarkside said:
What about Lucarelli? God, please, give me anyone other than Vieri. If he makes the team, there is a chance he plays and he couldn't break onto the field at Milan or Inter at the end of last season. They may have to take 6 strikers now that they play with 3 up front, especially if Totti isn't fit.
of course vierri is far down the line, i just mentioned him as part of a really funny incident in the previous euro.
Let me add here to what everyone has said that perhaps THE most important factor in a world cup is the officiating as it has swayed world cups in favour of one or another team not once or twice, but actually so many times that one would rightly think that the games are not actually played on the field but outside, where do I start, from argentina hosting and getting the wc in their dictatorship, to THAT penalti in the argnentina v. germany final, to a few years ago where the fucking korean parody was at play with some nobodies fifa refs slaughtering teams such as spain, italy or portugal. I haven't studied this one to find any angles but one should always bear the above in mind, it's not who's the best or better but who fifa and the status quo for whatever reason like...not always, but most of the time.
Let me add here to what everyone has said that perhaps THE most important factor in a world cup is the officiating as it has swayed world cups in favour of one or another team not once or twice, but actually so many times that one would rightly think that the games are not actually played on the field but outside, where do I start, from argentina hosting and getting the wc in their dictatorship, to THAT penalti in the argnentina v. germany final, to a few years ago where the fucking korean parody was at play with some nobodies fifa refs slaughtering teams such as spain, italy or portugal. I haven't studied this one to find any angles but one should always bear the above in mind, it's not who's the best or better but who fifa and the status quo for whatever reason like...not always, but most of the time.
"Nice to see you share the paranoia most Italian soccer fans live with."
well I am not italian, nor any particular fan of the team, and it's reassuring to see you behaving according to the typical puritan american naivete, or faux naivete, if I ve interpreted your quasi cryptical comment correctly. It's very interesting to see that the prime originators of world wide conspiracies (that's the u.s. and you can quote me on that) are the first to label a conspiracy theorist or paranoid or whatever other derogatory epithet to anyone having any clue on the actual goings on anything, even if that is football, and even if all the events are very obvious and very well documented, as with what I ve mentioned, and I won't expand on any further, whoever gets it, gets it, if they don't more money in the bank for me.
well I am not italian, nor any particular fan of the team, and it's reassuring to see you behaving according to the typical puritan american naivete, or faux naivete, if I ve interpreted your quasi cryptical comment correctly. It's very interesting to see that the prime originators of world wide conspiracies (that's the u.s. and you can quote me on that) are the first to label a conspiracy theorist or paranoid or whatever other derogatory epithet to anyone having any clue on the actual goings on anything, even if that is football, and even if all the events are very obvious and very well documented, as with what I ve mentioned, and I won't expand on any further, whoever gets it, gets it, if they don't more money in the bank for me.
Boy, have we been down this road more than a couple of times, Jack! I won't get involved now - better opportunities will arise in the next couple of months! ;-)
I have to say though, that the officiating at the last World Cup was an absolute disgrace - we agree about that. But I trust the Germans to do a much better job than the Asians. I vote for Robert Hoyzer to officiate the World Cup final!
:money8:
I have to say though, that the officiating at the last World Cup was an absolute disgrace - we agree about that. But I trust the Germans to do a much better job than the Asians. I vote for Robert Hoyzer to officiate the World Cup final!
:money8:
"I vote for Robert Hoyzer to officiate the World Cup final!"
An excellent choice. I hear the Germans will be cooperating very closely with their friends and neighboors the Belgians to ensure an impartial officiating for the games, they 've appointed some key figures of La Louviere (or Louvieroise) and other recently made unemployed players, coaches, and technical directors from the belgian league as a special task force. And fifa president Blatter declared that even if Hoyzer doesn't get the job for the cup final they will make good use of his services as a consultant and media link with the bookmakers. They are also hosting intensive training seminars for the officials with key speaker the referee of the game Bayern Munich hosting Milan for the champions league, a Belgian himself too, who will be delivering in a few days his keynote adress "Dismemberment of defenders' right hand as a means to avoid penaltis". Several world class defenders I am told have already opted for arm severing cosmetic surgery after the recent developments.
An excellent choice. I hear the Germans will be cooperating very closely with their friends and neighboors the Belgians to ensure an impartial officiating for the games, they 've appointed some key figures of La Louviere (or Louvieroise) and other recently made unemployed players, coaches, and technical directors from the belgian league as a special task force. And fifa president Blatter declared that even if Hoyzer doesn't get the job for the cup final they will make good use of his services as a consultant and media link with the bookmakers. They are also hosting intensive training seminars for the officials with key speaker the referee of the game Bayern Munich hosting Milan for the champions league, a Belgian himself too, who will be delivering in a few days his keynote adress "Dismemberment of defenders' right hand as a means to avoid penaltis". Several world class defenders I am told have already opted for arm severing cosmetic surgery after the recent developments.
