It's adieu Zidane but Italy to win
A month of football will finally end today, and it will be either France or Italy who will lift the Jules Rimet trophy. Will it be Cannavaro or Zidane? Who knows, but you lot know who I will be supporting.
Probable starting lineups:
Courtesy of BBC Football
Quick lowdown on Italy:
The Italians have not conceded against the opposition, having only given up their only goal to a comical own goal by Cristian Zaccardo, who thankfully will not be starting today. But it is not only the old catenaccio that are getting Italy through, some of their play has indeed been brilliant. Pirlo is the one that is orchestrating things as the deep lying playmaker, and Totti is the one making incisive runs behind Toni, who will be a threat despite only scoring 2 goals so far. Toni is a robust centre forward, who has the skill to match. I fancy him to score personally, as well as one from a Pirlo free kick. More on predictions later. Their aforementioned defence is rock solid, Buffon is impeccable in goal, proving his worth many times but the standout save was the one from Poldolski against the Germans, finely poised in extra time at 0-0, when the ball left Poldolski goal I didn't bear to watch, but fucking hell did that man come up with the goods. Best defender of the tournament so far as well in Cannavaro, just brilliant, full backs can threaten, they are especially vital as Italy don't play with traditional wingers.
And the man behind all this is of course the brilliant Marcello Lippi. Winners of countless Serie As, a champions league medal, and many other trophies. Great motivator, reads the game like a book, and of course the man who steadied the ship despite the scandal, as well as the Pessotto incident.
Nobody expected Italy to reach the final, especially as the pressure was growing around them, and the players really bonded very well, and the team spirit is absolutely brilliant, likes of Inzaghi and Del Piero might not have seen much action so far, but they have not voiced a single complaint.
---------------------------
Lowdown on France:
Who else but Zidane for France? The aging star has been the focal point of the French, making quick and incisive passes, gliding past players effortlessly and rolling back the years. He has able support in Onree and Ribery, who will threaten the Italians. France's trump card might be set pieces, most of their goals have come from set pieces, and the Italians who are not the greatest in the air will have to be wary, which is why I think De Rossi who returns from suspension will feature at some point. In goal they have the ever eccentric Fabien Barthez who so nearly cost them a goal against Portugal, you never know what you will get with Barthez, as I got to know first hand being a United supporter, but he can repel anything on his day. Central defence has been solid, Gallas unflappable, and Thuram rolling back the years. Camronesi will have to test Abidal who is suspect at left back, while Sagnol is ever so solid at right back. Makelele and Vieira have been great central midfield protecting the back four, Vieira seems to have regained some of the mobility that was lacking last season. Ribery has been the revelation of the World Cup, Malouda isn't the best but he's part of the team job. Onree has yet to prove his billing on the biggest stage, but this might be his time.
And unlike Lippi, Domenech isn't respected by the press or the players, and it seems that the senior players, rather than him are making the main decisions. His only trophy won as a manager was a second division title, back in 1989.
France were expected to flop as well, but they have proved their doubters wrong, but imo they have not been overly impressive. But it's a remarkable achievement that such an aging team managed to galvanise themselves one last time to reach the final, and possibly their crowning moment?
Adieu Zidane it will be as well, as it his swansong, and a fitting stage in the World Cup final for the best player of his generation, he will have to come up with something special to penetrate the Italian defence.
-----------------
Prediction: Italy to win 3-1. Toni Pirlo and Del Piero scoring, with France getting one back with Onree.
---------------------------------
Results so far:
Group stages:
Italy 2-0 Ghana
Italy 1-1 USA
Italy 2-0 Czech Republic
France 0-0 Switzerland
France 1-1 South Korea
France 2-0 Togo
Knockouts:
Italy 1-0 Australia
France 3-1 Spain
Italy 3-0 Ukraine
France 1-0 Brazil
Italy 2-0 Germany AET
France 1-0 Portugal
Final
Italy v France
Referee: Horacio Elizondo (the Rooney ref)
Ball:
Special Golden Ball for the final, winners get to use it for the next 4 years.
ITALY
Squad
1 BUFFON Gianluigi (GK)
2 ZACCARDO Cristian
3 GROSSO Fabio
4 DE ROSSI Daniele
5 CANNAVARO Fabio
6 BARZAGLI Andrea
7 DEL PIERO Alessandro
8 GATTUSO Gennaro
9 TONI Luca
10 TOTTI Francesco
11 GILARDINO Alberto
12 PERUZZI Angelo (GK)
13 NESTA Alessandro
14 AMELIA Marco (GK)
15 IAQUINTA Vincenzo
16 CAMORANESI Mauro
17 BARONE Simone
18 INZAGHI Filippo
19 ZAMBROTTA Gianluca
20 PERROTTA Simone
21 PIRLO Andrea
22 ODDO Massimo
23 MATERAZZI Marco
FRANCE
Squad
1 LANDREAU Mickael (GK)
2 BOUMSONG Jean-Alain
3 ABIDAL Eric
4 VIEIRA Patrick
5 GALLAS William
6 MAKELELE Claude
7 MALOUDA Florent
8 DHORASOO Vikash
9 GOVOU Sidney
10 ZIDANE Zinedine
11 WILTORD Sylvain
12 HENRY Thierry
13 SILVESTRE Mikael
14 SAHA Louis
15 THURAM Lilian
16 BARTHEZ Fabien (GK)
17 GIVET Gael
18 DIARRA Alou
19 SAGNOL Willy
20 TREZEGUET David
21 CHIMBONDA Pascal
22 RIBERY Frank
23 COUPET Gregory (GK)
From soccer 24-7.
Probable starting lineups:
Courtesy of BBC Football
Quick lowdown on Italy:
The Italians have not conceded against the opposition, having only given up their only goal to a comical own goal by Cristian Zaccardo, who thankfully will not be starting today. But it is not only the old catenaccio that are getting Italy through, some of their play has indeed been brilliant. Pirlo is the one that is orchestrating things as the deep lying playmaker, and Totti is the one making incisive runs behind Toni, who will be a threat despite only scoring 2 goals so far. Toni is a robust centre forward, who has the skill to match. I fancy him to score personally, as well as one from a Pirlo free kick. More on predictions later. Their aforementioned defence is rock solid, Buffon is impeccable in goal, proving his worth many times but the standout save was the one from Poldolski against the Germans, finely poised in extra time at 0-0, when the ball left Poldolski goal I didn't bear to watch, but fucking hell did that man come up with the goods. Best defender of the tournament so far as well in Cannavaro, just brilliant, full backs can threaten, they are especially vital as Italy don't play with traditional wingers.
And the man behind all this is of course the brilliant Marcello Lippi. Winners of countless Serie As, a champions league medal, and many other trophies. Great motivator, reads the game like a book, and of course the man who steadied the ship despite the scandal, as well as the Pessotto incident.
Nobody expected Italy to reach the final, especially as the pressure was growing around them, and the players really bonded very well, and the team spirit is absolutely brilliant, likes of Inzaghi and Del Piero might not have seen much action so far, but they have not voiced a single complaint.
---------------------------
Lowdown on France:
Who else but Zidane for France? The aging star has been the focal point of the French, making quick and incisive passes, gliding past players effortlessly and rolling back the years. He has able support in Onree and Ribery, who will threaten the Italians. France's trump card might be set pieces, most of their goals have come from set pieces, and the Italians who are not the greatest in the air will have to be wary, which is why I think De Rossi who returns from suspension will feature at some point. In goal they have the ever eccentric Fabien Barthez who so nearly cost them a goal against Portugal, you never know what you will get with Barthez, as I got to know first hand being a United supporter, but he can repel anything on his day. Central defence has been solid, Gallas unflappable, and Thuram rolling back the years. Camronesi will have to test Abidal who is suspect at left back, while Sagnol is ever so solid at right back. Makelele and Vieira have been great central midfield protecting the back four, Vieira seems to have regained some of the mobility that was lacking last season. Ribery has been the revelation of the World Cup, Malouda isn't the best but he's part of the team job. Onree has yet to prove his billing on the biggest stage, but this might be his time.
And unlike Lippi, Domenech isn't respected by the press or the players, and it seems that the senior players, rather than him are making the main decisions. His only trophy won as a manager was a second division title, back in 1989.
France were expected to flop as well, but they have proved their doubters wrong, but imo they have not been overly impressive. But it's a remarkable achievement that such an aging team managed to galvanise themselves one last time to reach the final, and possibly their crowning moment?
Adieu Zidane it will be as well, as it his swansong, and a fitting stage in the World Cup final for the best player of his generation, he will have to come up with something special to penetrate the Italian defence.
-----------------
Prediction: Italy to win 3-1. Toni Pirlo and Del Piero scoring, with France getting one back with Onree.
---------------------------------
Results so far:
Group stages:
Italy 2-0 Ghana
Italy 1-1 USA
Italy 2-0 Czech Republic
France 0-0 Switzerland
France 1-1 South Korea
France 2-0 Togo
Knockouts:
Italy 1-0 Australia
France 3-1 Spain
Italy 3-0 Ukraine
France 1-0 Brazil
Italy 2-0 Germany AET
France 1-0 Portugal
Final
Italy v France
Referee: Horacio Elizondo (the Rooney ref)
Ball:
Special Golden Ball for the final, winners get to use it for the next 4 years.
ITALY
Squad
1 BUFFON Gianluigi (GK)
2 ZACCARDO Cristian
3 GROSSO Fabio
4 DE ROSSI Daniele
5 CANNAVARO Fabio
6 BARZAGLI Andrea
7 DEL PIERO Alessandro
8 GATTUSO Gennaro
9 TONI Luca
10 TOTTI Francesco
11 GILARDINO Alberto
12 PERUZZI Angelo (GK)
13 NESTA Alessandro
14 AMELIA Marco (GK)
15 IAQUINTA Vincenzo
16 CAMORANESI Mauro
17 BARONE Simone
18 INZAGHI Filippo
19 ZAMBROTTA Gianluca
20 PERROTTA Simone
21 PIRLO Andrea
22 ODDO Massimo
23 MATERAZZI Marco
FRANCE
Squad
1 LANDREAU Mickael (GK)
2 BOUMSONG Jean-Alain
3 ABIDAL Eric
4 VIEIRA Patrick
5 GALLAS William
6 MAKELELE Claude
7 MALOUDA Florent
8 DHORASOO Vikash
9 GOVOU Sidney
10 ZIDANE Zinedine
11 WILTORD Sylvain
12 HENRY Thierry
13 SILVESTRE Mikael
14 SAHA Louis
15 THURAM Lilian
16 BARTHEZ Fabien (GK)
17 GIVET Gael
18 DIARRA Alou
19 SAGNOL Willy
20 TREZEGUET David
21 CHIMBONDA Pascal
22 RIBERY Frank
23 COUPET Gregory (GK)
From soccer 24-7.
posted by Melvin at 6:55 PM
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