I didn't see Spain is as strong as previous few years.

Most of the Spaniard either injured much, dropped form and weaknesses revealed.

Spain is not as strong as 2010. Italy is stronger compare to the 2010 ageing team.
I only found Germany is getting stronger and Netherlands are improving much.

Anyhow, I am awaiting an entertaining Euro 2012.

Forza Italia!

Quite agree with u.

Germany is getting stronger n stronger. More versatile and can attack non stop.

However, Italy new bloods had improved a lot. Most of them shine at important stages when we dont expect them. As long as they go past second round, they can surprise anyone.

I think this time is not as serious as 2006 ...

Italy 1982 and Italy 2006, both had similar issued and went on to win the World Cup but, Italy 2006 were really a strong side and the best ever squad till today

Would Euro is too small tour to win by Italy 2012 version ???

FORZA ITALIA!~

Pirlo is the phenomenon and he is a must man to deliver.

We still need a super out and out striker, but seems ballotelli is not the man just yet ...

I quite agree with you.

I am not worry about the capability of Pirlo, he is as good as Xavi or much better, but Italy shouldnt rely on him too much. Pirlo doesnt have the likes of Iniesta, Fabregas or Alonso to support him.

The midfields must link with the defense and attack very well, which currently, it didnt link very well. Marchisio no doubt is very talented, but too few caps under his belt. De Rossi is experienced and a tough tackler, but he looks better in AS Roma than the blue jersey.

Without winger like Camoranesi, wing backs like Zambrotta and Maldini who can support attack, Italy need to gel more and need to dominate the short passing from the middle park.

If I am the Italy manager, I would never start Montolivo, a very clear this Fiorentina player is Prandelli's fave player during his post time Florence management. He only deserves a substitute.

We still need a deadly striker like Baggio, Vieri, Inzaghi, Totti and Toni. All of our current packs are either inexperienced at big stage level or injury prone players. I would prefer the combination of Di Natale and Cassano. Di Natale is yet to proof anything at international level but for consecutive years, he scored a lot of goals at Udinese. Ballotelli is another very talented player, but I found he lazy enough to support the midfield when the chain is not there. He rely on Prilo crosses too much. I rate Matri is much better player in blue jersey than Ballotelli.

Anyhow, I always trusted that as long as Italy able to survive against Spain, they can go far without very fantastic display, Italy were always good in knock out stages ...

Balza would be the LWB .... Bcz Ogbonna can play as CB ....

Let's go Italy .... Forza Italia!~

Beat the odds and I am sure we can win tonight ...

Spanish is not as strong as 2010 and without Puyol and Villa, they were weakened ...

Agree ...

Balo is a joke ..

Lucky Italy still managed to grab a point, which with the good chances we had, we should have 3 points.

We did made some mistakes especially through passing. Rossi put on a commanding defensive masterclass as well as Pirlo did very well. Balo surprisingly, he did a lot of hard work by running back to help the midfields, allowing midfielders more spaces.

Spanish made a mistake by a formation of none striker, a fake striker was played instead. They kept the ball very well.

For the Balo's chance, as a No. 9 for Italy, it was a terrible misses given an such superb opportunity where he was allowed one on one with keeper. The terrible effort was mounted as he
- Did not even make shot ( that's the main terrible issue ) even he was one on one situation where the nearest defender was far behind
- He collected the ball and dribbled it too slow, allowing Sergio Ramos who fell earlier and came back to made his amend with his tackle.
- With his situation, he should shoot at goal instead of passing to Cassano, due to he was at a very good position and Ramos was still metres away behind.
- Ramos able to made a solid and good tackle without conceding a red card and penalty
- Yet he dropped and unable to made an intelligent decision.

If the situation was when he wore the Man City shirt, I am assured he had made a shot. He was kind of player who was a bit selfish and would trying to make shot whenever good chances came. But, maybe it was changed when he wore the Italy shirt in his first major tournament. Hope he can score in his next game if he still started ahead of Di Natale.

Italy always started lowly ... hopefully we can make further amend this time and beat Croatia convincingly ....

Azzurri can't take Croats lightly ... they gel together as a team like Russia and have a dominate force in attack ...

This is the most likely line-up if Prandelli is going to shuffle to 3-5-2 and having 5 midfields included wing backs are better formation to pull down the counter attack launch by Uruguay, the other strength is being the competitive battle in the midfield by Uruguay but defensively, they are not that capable.

Darmian is good and its great to have De Sciglio back from injury and hope he is fresh enough since Italians are struggling with the heat against Costa Rica in the same time zone.

Balotelli is unpredictable, but he was wasteful whenever Italy is playing much slower, which is expected due to the heat, but not the SOuth Americans as they just need to score and win. In this case, Balotelli would be crucial not to offiside too often and the Serie A topscorer shall be given chance to shine along with him and share the burden.

Haha.

If the line up is correct, it would be 6 Juves into the Azzurri line up.

But I like the idea to have Barzagli, Chiellini and Bonucci as 3 central defenders due to the thread offer by Suarez, who looks to be too quick for the feet of the trio as well as Cavani is finding space btw the line of Pirlo.

And strategy wise, at least Chielini can switch to left back if to swing for 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formation and Bonucci is good at overlapping and launch the long back attack.

If Verrati and Marchisio is able to protect Pirlo along the diamond 3, I believe they can slow down the Uruguay tempo and good defensively. De Rossi missing could be a loss and if 3-5-2, means Candreva would be not among the first 11 although he is good in dribbling and crossing from the flank, hence Immobile needs to take his dribble job as back up to Balotelli.

Hope they are not too tired at the crucial period btw 70-90 min if the tie is still draw.

Haha, true, I sometimes getting frustrated if he offside too much, but he is good to receive the long pass, control it before coolly slotted it at the edge of the box or outside ( remember vs Germany 2 years ago ? )

Anyway, Pippo is more to a goal poacher and his speed and positioning is incredible compare to Balotelli. He is natural goal poacher and quick, yes, like you said, if the defender mistake once in the tenth, Pippo would easily punish them.

Not overly 5 defenders but 3 central defenders to nullify the combination and Speedo of Suarez and Cavani.

Darmian and De Sciglio is more than wing back today.

Italy only has Verratti dribble well last night but injury force him out and sub by Thiago Motta.

Unfortunately for Italy, the red card too harsh on Marchisio and conceded the Godin goal by corner 9 min from time is too tough for any team to climb back with a man down.

Overall, they put in a good performance to control the possession and defense, the letdown was down to poor performance by Ballotelli, ineffective and carelessly yellow card for high challenge.

Uruguay win marred by the Suarez incident. Hope he is going to be ban by FiFa. I hope this referee not going to referee for the quarter finals match onwards. Poor decison making on some occasions.

Thats football bro.

It was poor strategy that paid the price. They know they lack of pace, so they dont attack from 1st half bcz they are more stronger in defense and held as high as 69% possession. They just need a draw and before Marchisio red card, Uruguay barely have the chances to have more shots and more creativity in the midfield battle.

Ballotelli is the worst on the pitch, having himself regularly outside the box and unable to read most of the Pirlo and Verrati passes. The final third is too poor for them go out earlier.

agree with you

Italia unable to score even a single goal for the last 180 minutes, they only had themselves to blame.

Also agree.

As a big nation country who won the WC 4 times, they must be professional enough to stand on the heat and humidity, although it was a huge impact but cannot solely blame on the high pressure climate.

It was too lacklustre against Costa Rica, the execution of the finishing and substitution strategy was very poor where they even hardly press for an equaliser for the entire 45 minutes.

Candela is very good, but too bad he is not the plan of Prandeli's 3-5-2

sigh.

Roberto Baggio ....

I prefer Christian Vieri compare to Luca Toni, where the latter is more luckier to have a such bunch of Totti, Del Piero, Pirlo, etc to supply him the goals in 2006.

Pippo Izaghi is great, but same as Del Piero, the legendary who did not materialized in World Cup, not expected the WC 2006 triumph is largely a Del Piero contribution but Cannvaro, Buffon & co