" even if I personally chose the Group, I couldn't have chosen an easier one", said Marcello Lippi at the end of the match against Slovenia in a exclusive interview with Rai channel.
Yet things didn't go their way...as a matter of fact Lippi took all the responsibility of the failure explaining that he was not able to take out the best from the squad. Well its very simple to say now even though its been months that criticisms were coming after the friendlies. The team was definitely not ready for the World Cup and there could be a couple of changes made even the last moments before taking that plane to South Africa.
The best part is that until now Lippi does not agree that he could have left someone out of the squad who would have changed Italy's fate....what a shame...
Lets take a couple of examples together. How about one of the best players in the Serie A this year Antonio Cassano? A player that had tremendous dribbling skills and capable enough to put a companion infront of goal with just the keeper to beat...mistery still remains of why Mr.Lippi kept putting Iaquinta as a winger when he himself stated his difficulty in playing that role!
Italy have always been famous for a number 10..someone behind the forward dangerous enough for any defence in the world and our impeccable defense. This time we lacked both! Firstly, how can a national team have defenders in the starting line-up who played the worst performance in their careers? Secondly, why not get along Francesco Totti instead of Camoranesi who barely played 2 games the whole year and barely used in the World Cup? Not to mention other players who could have been fundamental in getting results for the Azzurri. Balotelli, Ambrosini are but a few of the long list of possible candidates
Taking the matter to another level let's analyze respecting Lippi's formation what possibly went wrong. The first thing to take note is the conditions of the players...ridiculous..a total failure...No one in the starting line-up was in condition to complete 90 minutes of game. The Azzurri coach made excuses during the friendlies of their condition stating that the training in process will give fruit during the WC. Did anyone see any improvement? In my opinion the condition were worse than ever!
The second is his terible mistakes in making the starting line-up itself! Angelo Palmbo was one of the best midfielders in the Serie A 2009-2010 and yet did not get even a minute on the field while Gattuso barely playing any match in the League was in the starting line-up in the match against Slovakia that would decide Italy's fate! Quagliarella seemed the players most in form both phisically and mentally. His was the presence along with Andrea Pirlo who changed the Italian attacks. Too bad that Lippi's pride was too much for him to notice these observations taken by the most simple people along the streets of Italy.
Cesare Prandelli is the new appointed coach of Italy and has a lot of work to do until the next important event, Euro 20012. No Italian will be proud of this WC performance, although the heart will never stop beating for the AZZURRI!
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