Slovakia vs. France uh I mean Italy

[Axlswhk]

i'll give you the first 2, but his "punch" was him getting pushed into the back of the net and he put his hand up in a little self defense....I thought it was perfectly called by the very good Howard Webb.

You don't punch people just because of a push. If that is justified, we'll see punching from the first min to the last.

 

[Bigloco]

You don't punch people just because of a push. If that is justified, we'll see punching from the first min to the last.

i thought he raised it in self defense....i'll watch it again.

A punch to me is what Dempsey got in the Algeria game (and didnt writhe on the ground for minutes and came up bloodied)

 

[bluebloodinmyveins]

Shockingly bad Italian side that. They are in big trouble. They really dont have many good young players either. Be a fair while before they challenge for anything again.

 

[atrottel]

Yeah, but it wasn't really a punch now was it? Thought Webb did well in probably the dirtiest match I've seen. (Poetic justice for the dirt the Italians have dished out and continue to dish out over the years.)

Still think Mucha's a snidey toerag after this game, though.

 

[Axlswhk]

i haven't seen a good angle, from the ESPN3 it looked offsides, but they weren't square with the play. Linesman seemed sure of it though.

Offside or not, I don't think that is the cause for our elimination. The lack of creativity and the sloppiness at the back cost us greatly.

 

[Bigloco]

Yeah, but it wasn't really a punch now was it? Thought Webb did well in probably the dirtiest match I've seen. (Poetic justice for the dirt the Italians have dished out and continue to dish out over the years.)

Still think Mucha's a snidey toerag after this game, though.

If Mucha had done the same vs the yanks, OZ or Eng I'd hate him...

 

[Rook]

He doesn't even start games for you does he?

It's usually Davies and Altidore as a strikeforce isn't it? Rossi's better than both of them. Different, but definitely a better player.

I haven't seen much of Rossi this year, why was he left off? We probably could have used him with Davies hurt. However he would have a hard time unseating Davies if Davies comes back to full health. Altidore is raw but gives up a physical presence up front gives defenders fits he's always going to start. So I would see Rossi coming off the bench to sort of do what Feinhaber does. Though Feinhaber has had trouble on some of his club sides he's more than quality on the USMNT.

The thing about the American team its not about playing the best 11 (a team like England seems to pick players solely on their club form; Altidore was the least productive of our strike force at the club level) or taking the best 23 (if so Bornstein would have never gone). It putting the right players who can fit into what the team does best. So while Rossi would probably one of our more talented players he might not fit in with the US. He also reminds be a bit of Dempsey too and I'm not sure 2 Dempseys on the pitch is a good idea.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I'm not mate, but my very first world cup was Italia 90. The likes of Vialli, Baggio, Schilacci, Donadoni, Baresi and Maldini impressed me enough to support them ever since. Like we used to say, I'm the chosen one I guess.

I see, unlucky mate, hopefully Italy will see some new players introduced over the next few years, I think the squad definitely needs freshening up.

 

[Bigloco]

Offside or not, I don't think that is the cause for our elimination. The lack of creativity and the sloppiness at the back cost us greatly.

agree that you should out class that lot, but it is what it is...if its not offsides you were robbed and it cost you the game as I think you'd have bunkered up and gotten a draw.

 

[BlueTak]

Offside or not, I don't think that is the cause for our elimination. The lack of creativity and the sloppiness at the back cost us greatly.

Agreed, what has happened to Cannavaro? I know he's older but looks like he'd lost all understanding of the game this WC.

 

[Rook]

Webb was excellent. He didn't let either side game him (though I thought there should have been about a minute more of injury time Slovika spent 4 minutes on the ground).

Mucha maybe did it in self defence but you don't curl up in the fetal position in the corner with the ball. Show a little class after you give up a goal.

 

[Axlswhk]

Shockingly bad Italian side that. They are in big trouble. They really dont have many good young players either. Be a fair while before they challenge for anything again.

You are right, Italy use to produce flair players every now and then, the production line stop after Totti and Pirlo, non of our midfielder can ever get a place in the great era of 90s. There's no one with the abilities of Zola, Di Canio, Lentini, Donadoni etc in this team. The only one who came close is Rossi, I'm still puzzled why he was left out.
I believe the root of the problems is at their youth level.

 

[Bigloco]

I haven't seen much of Rossi this year, why was he left off? We probably could have used him with Davies hurt. However he would have a hard time unseating Davies if Davies comes back to full health. Altidore is raw but gives up a physical presence up front gives defenders fits he's always going to start. So I would see Rossi coming off the bench to sort of do what Feinhaber does. Though Feinhaber has had trouble on some of his club sides he's more than quality on the USMNT.

The thing about the American team its not about playing the best 11 (a team like England seems to pick players solely on their club form; Altidore was the least productive of our strike force at the club level) or taking the best 23 (if so Bornstein would have never gone). It putting the right players who can fit into what the team does best. So while Rossi would probably one of our more talented players he might not fit in with the US. He also reminds be a bit of Dempsey too and I'm not sure 2 Dempseys on the pitch is a good idea.

I always thought of that Italian American Rossi as more of a Davies sort: short, fast, creative...

My thought is that he has to want to play for the US or its better he's left off...I wouldn't trust his heart if he was only playing for the yanks because he couldnt get on with the Italians.

 

[Goat]

Well done Jan, did what needed to be done to get his team thru, we need players like that at Everton.

 

[bluebloodinmyveins]

Their midfield is so ordinary it's untrue. Gone were the flair and creative players. It was a team full of average plodders, who hit and hope rather than actually create. Even the forwards looked piss poor.