Game 2: Italia v Spagna Giovedì 20 Giugno 2024 : 3pm ET/ 12Noon Pacific Projected Line-ups: TBD GRUPPO B Spagna 3 Italia 3 Albania 0 Croazia 0
The Croatia match was the first match in 136 or so where Spain did not out-posses the opposition. The in-studio commentary here on my coverage are really making a point to stress that under de la Fuente, less emphasis on useless Possession and more on vertical play. Something Italy do They are correct. It was boring and although is was difficult to face, it wasn't too effective. There is also a minor stylistic change with Italy. Besides my own observation, I've seen at least 3 comments including one by a poster here after the Bosnia Friendly on Italy's 1-touch passing at times. Normally seen when they have the ball just outside the box. Will see if that continues. Need the Italy team to have a good performance and would like to see 3 Points. At worst, do not lose the match. Not scoring the 3rd goal could hurt in a Tie Breaker. Watched that Albanian chance in the 90th Minute again. While Califiori made a mistake, I see now what happened -- Bastoni wasn't quick enough to get back to cover his guy and Calafiori shifted over ever so slightly. Then when the ball was at the guy Calafiori should be on, he was a few steps behind that he couldn't make up. Another observation and I hope it was nothing. When Barella scores, every player either raises his arms in celebration or wheels away to go over to celebrate with Nicolò, except Scamacca who just stands there with his hands on head. Not suggesting Scamacca isn't fitting in with the group, just seems like such an aloof character. I feel bad that he had such a POS for a father.
The Spanish are going to let us have the ball. I’m curious if Spalletti is going to bite and play a similar formation to Saturday, or drop one of Frattesi or Pellegrini and insert a wingback like Cambiaso.
I think he drops an AM and plays a straight 3421. A draw is favourable here while we really needed 3pts against Albania and had no use for a proper back 3. I think 3421 also conserves energy while the fluid 4231 took a lot out of us. That felt like our 70th minute goal down tactic and it was brave to just start with this but not needed here. He probably does not want Chiesa that wide against Spain. I think Bastoni Califori also makes more sense with two wingbacks. It would really be tested in a back 4 there was too much space but Albania were not a big threat so it was fine.
As I can see, first place in the group can really make a difference going forward in the tournament, avoiding some powerful teams! That means we have to beat Spain! Having said that, the most important thing is to qualify to the knockouts and then everything can happen!
I also predict a 3-4-2-1 system against Spain! It will be actually the first time we will truly see if this formation works!
Yeah we have not used it since 2016 with Conte but that was a flat 352. We saw in 2012 the 352 neutralized Spain but 433 is often a 352 killer in Europe if the front 3 go one on one with the defenders too often or on the counter. Spaletti said he will play a back 4 against teams with 1 striker so the fluid 4231 is not impossible. I don’t know if he meant 1 CF or one attacker.
Aucun tifosi de l'Italie oubliera ce but de Chiesa pic.twitter.com/Kh4wF90OM7— JuveAddict (@Juv3addict) June 17, 2024
that goal was fantastic should have been the winner. we really turned off for the Morata goal. people that think Spain were better that day don't understand football. Berradi also should have killed off the game with an awful miss. Im really tired of playing them though ... it's been 16 years of this now my goodness 1994 was an anomaly when we beat them and now it's nearly every tournament since 2008.
insane because it's only since 2008 ... and they really don't suit us the way they've played but somehow we've come up with a really strong record against their best generation with certainly not ours. 2008 tie then Pks spin win 2012 tie 2012 Spain win 2016 Italy win 2021 tie then Pk Italy win This is due for another tie to keep it even.
Add to that 2 UNL SF's in 2021 and 2023, 2 WCQ'fiers in 2016/2017. Absolute sick of having to play them in recent years.
we will see they also said they were testing Cristante and Mancini as well. I think these may just be training exercises for the second half substitutions to try and hurt Spain on the counter or shut them down for the draw if it is 0-0 1-1 after the 60th minute. Retegui is more of a fox in the box and he will certainly run a lot so it's not the worst idea to rest Scamacca for Croatia but for me the link up play completely disintegrates when you play Cristante Retegui and we should be trying to build on what we did in the first half against Albania as it's still a new system. Im personally not a fan of Retegui I would not have even brought him as I don't see him as anything more than a one tournament mercenary and don't rate him but hey if he scores I will celebrate.
Spalletti communicated that he was going to start formations based on the opponent so I’m not really shocked that he’s doing these changes. And as far as the players coming in, I take it to mean that Spalletti isn’t going to the play de la Fuente’s game. He’s going to want Spain to have the ball. Also I’m not getting the Retegui hate
He may become a good striker I just don't see him as an improvement on Immobile for anything but fitness. I think he could be a good Serie A striker for a counter attacking team but for me I would pick Scamacca Raspadori ahead of him always just for touch and link up play alone. He is nice to have and surely better than say Pinnamonti or Lorenzo Lucca at the moment. He maybe picked the wrong team in Genoa as Gilardino is very defensive. Perhaps at Firoentina he can really explode. I suppose for me when a striker like him lacks dribbling I want to see more than 8 goals to justify a place. I understand for Italy he has scored and maybe that proves with proper distribution he is as clinical as they say. Or it's just goals in friendlies and qualifiers. He seemed to be a Mancini political pick to tell the clubs to play more italians and then he happened to score goals and win a place. At the end there Mancini seemed really bitter and made some odd call ups with Luis Felipe and continuing to play Emerson and Toloi it's like he was trying to make a point that was unnecessary. Happy for Retegui to prove me wrong but I see him as part of that late failed Mancini experiment fair or not. to be positive I think he has a great attitude and hunger for goals and I see myself in argentine italians so I have no problem with that aspect of it. If my nephew who only has an Italian born great grandfather wanted to play for Italy I would not see him as anything but Italian. So no issue there.
According to Football Italia “Meanwhile, UEFA have also confirmed the kits for this game and Italy will be wearing white jerseys, shorts and socks”. So, full white right?
Wearing whit kits has draw written all over it. I was over the moon that they finally wore the blue kits with white shorts as it should be! When they wear the blue kit and white shorts these kits are actually class probably the best since euro 2004 for me. The first Adidas kits were not good but they got it right this time out.
Italy was designated as the Away team for the Spain match way back in December. Was always going to be all whites. Are also the Away team for the Croatia match but since Croatia wear predominantly white on white, Italy will be wearing all blue against them.
The drugs wore off and the latest news is that Spalletti will thankfully start Scamacca again. In fact, I'm reading the only change will be Cristante over one of Pellegrini/Frattesi in the starting 11. This team if healthy will have to play Chiesa and Scamacca every game. We have no one else with quality on the bench in those positions. Luckily we have a decent midfield that can get some goals like Barella, Frattesi, and Pellegrini.