Swiss are the Home Team so they get first choice, so I imagine they will wear all red. Italy should be OK to wear all Azzurro.
Gazzetta says Fagioli will start and Jorginho will sit. Let's see if that makes any difference in how we circulate the ball in midfield.
This is what I'm gathering from some of the leading Italian papers: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian; Barella, Fagioli, Cristante; El Shaarawy, Retegui, Chiesa. I'm just curious what Di Lorenzo has to do to get benched. I think Cristante is poor and I don't set SES to start. Zaccagni should have gotten the nod given that he's actually done something in this tournament. It's hardly the most impressive group.
Many say that Fagioli will play instead of Jorginho but maybe we will see Cristante in fronf of the defence. Fagioli and Barella may actually play on the left and on the right of Cristante. I don’t care about positions though! I only want us to qualify!
I view SES as a super sub vs starter but then again he hustles for 90 minutes so I'm not upset with the decision. Di Lo is still a mystery on why he starts. Retegui over Scamacca is a big no for me, Scamacca usually draws a double team (goal against Croatia is a perfect example) which creates space.
Not the most inspiring Lineup but EL Sha can't do any worse and others believe in him so it'd surely me missing the boat on him. Retegui produces more than Scamacca in Azzurro so again, there's that.
This is quite a turnover. Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian; Barella, Fagioli, Cristante; El Shaarawy, Retegui, Chiesa. Italy starting lineup v.s Croatia Donnarumma Darmian, Calafiori, Bastoni — Di Lorenzo, Jorginho, Barella, Pellegrini, Dimarco Raspadori, Retegui. I know some changes needed to be made but 5 different players? That is half of the team! Is it just because of Califiori's absence or does Spalletti really have faith in this new group?
A positive outlook would be that we'll have a lot of targets on corners and set pieces. Mancini and Cristante are good at wading through the scrum and making solid contact on headers. I think we'll all be pleased with what Shaaraway brings in terms of effort and energy. And if we still need a goal in the second half, Zaccagni will be a good sub option. Hoping Retegui can get that one ball at his feet within the box, and do that quick turn on his left-foot into a shot toward the side netting. Hoping this back 4 + Cristante somehow affords Barella a little less defensive effort, so we can get his best on the attack. Chiesa clearly brought it last game when he came on as a sub. I expect he'll be a demon out on the right flank.
Calafiori can't play and Dimarco is injured, so those are must changes. However, Spalletti has always really tinkered and changed our starting teams from game to game since he's taken over. We honeslty field quite different lineups in our 3 group games.
Im hearing the line up is this ----------Il Farone----Scamacca---Freddy Church -------------Nicky Beans-------Nicky Barella -------------------------------Bryan Darmian--------Bastoni-----Materatzzi----Spaletti jr ---------------------------Napoletano Buffon Im thinking Materatzzi scores a header and gives up a penalty and we have 1-1 where we win a shootout in Berlin again. Unless we are here to lose a shootout and pay it back.
This looks to be the confirmed lineup, thankfully Spalletti has a little bit of sense in choosing Scamacca over retegui
Pellegrini rightfully dropped and about time we see SES. The team has been crying out for him since the Spain game. If the chances open up on the counter thats 2 dangerous wings now with a bit of pace.
I don't see much of a difference between Scamacca and Retegui at this point; not in terms of their respective styles, but rather their influence on the game.
Dropping him for the third game may have been one of Spalletti's classic little mind game. If he can get him to see he will drop him, that may inspire him to keep his head and play for the team, even if a game isnt going your way. Its all in Scamacca's attitude and he can yet be the key player for the group.
yep just confirmed. Il Farone with the start! it makes sense looking at this game but it's funny how Spalletti was obviously rejecting the 3421 352 with every fibre of his being and was given every excuse to move to a 433 even tho we are light on wingers. 433 makes sense tho for Spaletti and for italy going forward do we have enough to scrape by right now? We will see .. need a big performance from Barella Beans Cheisa Scamacca the rest juts need to do the work their position asks for. I am even fine with the flat back 4 because Barella Fagioli and the wingers can press high.
Retegui has the combined first touch of Cristante and Immobile and Donnarumma while Scamacca can be the Italian Zlatan on his day.
Retegui has the Argie street brawler style. He is a good player to have and will score goals when the chances come up. If he started today it would have been deserved but Scamacca must have showed his worth to Spalletti over the last few days.
for me between the 3 games so far Scamacca vs Albania was by far the best performance. i don't think he was given a chance to do anything against Spain and Croatia as a late sub.