24 June 2014
ITALY 0
URUGUAY 1 (Godin 81)
The game was terrible and there was little goalmouth action aside from Buffon's double save on Suarez.
Marchisio was sent off after raked his studs down Arevalo's legs. Italy were in complete control up until that point. Late in the second half Chiellini and Suarez were jostling for a corner, Suarez sunk his teeth into Chiellini's shoulder, Chiellini swung his arm back which I would argue is a natural reaction (but didn't make contact with Suarez), Chiellini fell clutching his shoulder and Suarez fell clutching his face then teeth! Chiellini pulled backed his shirt to reveal teeth marks, despite Ramirez' cowardly attempt to cover them up. The officials did nothing, having not seen the incident and minutes later Godin headed in a corner to send Italy out.
Suarez is almost certainly not going to play in the rest of the World Cup. He should get a life ban from the tournament. Prandelli resigned after the match as did FIGC president Abate, jumping before they were pushed. I'm not a fan of Prandelli, he's made too many mistakes tactically and in terms of selection. He made a point of trying to play like those doped up bastards, the Spanish, which was a betrayal of history, it's Italy who have won 4 World Cups not Spain. Giving the ball to Pirlo works against England. It's not so effective against other teams. The more Pirlo plays the less influence he has, he doesn't have the gas to play every 3 days and teams that defend deep or press Italy's midfield renders them castrated. ALLEGRI WAS RIGHT. Prandelli should have realised this four years ago. He should have realised this two years ago. Leaving Rossi and El Shaarawy, who had missed most of the season through injury, was understandable. Leaving Florenzi, who has already played and scored for Italy, at home was criminal. Spalletti (mistake), Mancini (mistake) and Allegri (the only choice because he will drop Pirlo) are among the names being mentioned as Prandelli's replacement.
This patient passing from midfield bollocks is not the way forward. Cerci is one of the quickest players in Europe but rarely got a kick because with Pirlo dominating and slowing down play there isn't room for genuine wide men. Immobile has no experience at this level and will undoubtedly improve at Dortmund. Verratti is not the replacement for Pirlo, he's limited and lacks invention. Marchisio and De Rossi in midfield behind El Shaarawy on the left, Florenzi on the right and Cerci behind anyone of Destro, Rossi and eventually Immobile. Insigne can play anywhere along the front line and has extreme pace so he's another option. Balotelli I think will slowly be phased out because he's completely unreliable and unstable. If Berardi maintains last seasons form he'll be in the reckoning before too long as well. Centre forward is not an issue, despite the Balotelli reliance. Italy need to go back to basics and become a counter attacking side. Soak up pressure and attack with the pace of the midfielders and forwards.
There are a lack of up and coming DMs and huge problems in central defence. The Juventus contingent are shit. Astori doesn't get a look in because for plays for Cagliari and until he moves to a bigger club and plays regular Champions League football he'll be overlooked. Criscito is another player who doesn't get a look in despite being a more than capable left back. Right back is not a problem, Abate is the best defensive full back in the game, now that Ashley Cole is getting old, and De Sciglio is improving in that area but offers much more going forward. Buffon should be retired. Sirigu is a more than adequate replacement until Perrin and Scuffet, who have limitless potential, mature.
Obviously another problem is Serie A is shit. Milan and Inter are in transition and the racists at Inter don't like Italians. Roma are still Totti dependent and using players from their academy less and less. Napoli and Fiorentina are like Inter, foreigner heavy so unless things change it means future Italy squads will be picked from the lesser teams and without that Champions League experience these players struggle to adapt, as was the case with Cerci and Immobile. Of course if German clubs continue to raid Serie A for talent that will be to the betterment of the national team. Italy are in a similar position to England with the exception Italians play overseas.
Attendance : 39,706
Red Card : Marchisio 59 (Italy)
Assist : Ramirez (ck)
COSTA RICA 0
ENGLAND 0
This was shit.
Attendance : 57,823
Assists : n/a
20 June 2014
ITALY 0
COSTA RICA 1 (Ruiz 44)
The early signs were ominous. Buffon flapped at a corner and Borges should have taken advantage. Balotelli wasted a fantastic Pirlo pass after recovering from a poor first touch he lobbed well wide of goal. Minutes later he slammed a Motta flick on straight into the hands of Navas. Campbell was robbed of a stone cold penalty when Chiellini was caught hopelessly out of position after failing to control from Marchisio, Campbell checked inside Barzagli before Chiellini shoved him over. Costa Rica coach Pinto hit the roof but he need not have worried as just a minute or so late Ruiz lost Chiellini to head in a superb Diaz cross.
Italy created nothing in the second half. Nor in fact did Costa Rica. I have argued the reason Juve's defence looks so good domestically is entirely down to Pogba and Vidal. Buffon is awful, he has been awful for two seasons but much like the Gerrard worship in England he's deemed untouchable by the press. When Robbie Savage says of a player he's having a poor game, you really need to take a long hard look at yourself. Balotelli was of course terrible as well, wasting two of the few chances created. Italian players kept running offside, which wouldn't have happened say 8 years ago but with so few teams playing offside when defending deep it's alien in today's football. Pirlo was largely neutered in midfield and the Costa Rican's were on another planet physically, comfortably maintained their stamina through the whole match while some of the Italians were breathing on fumes after just 30 minutes. Chiellini is a shit at centre back. He doesn't hold his position and his marking is poor. Paletta did a much better job. Prandelli's switch to 4-5-1 backfired miserably. Cerci has to play. Italy's midfield is one paced and Balotelli doesn't get support from the midfield runners because Marchisio aside none of them can run.
Attendance : 40,285
Assist : Diaz
19 June 2014
URGUAY 2 (Suarez 39, Suarez 85)
ENGLAND 1 (Rooney 75)
Steven 'hospital pass' Gerrard turned in a joint man of the match performance to help Uruguay to victory. A mistake by Jagielka presented Uruguay with the first real chance but fortunately the ball fell to Rodriguez, who like 8 of Uruguay's players is complete rubbish, and he blazed over. As did Cavani when Suarez caught the England defence napping with a driven corner. Gerrard failed to tackle Suarez as he gathered Lodeiro pass, he sucked in Liverpool team-mates Gerrard and Henderson before passed out wide to Cavani, Cavani waited until Suarez made a run then swung an exquisite cross in between six players onto Suarez's head, 1-0.
Suarez should have at least tested Hart when Gimenez' back header caught Wellbeck out of position but he skewed horribly wide, as did Cavani minutes later after combining with Lodeiro. Wellbeck inadvertently helped on a Baines centre but Rooney shot straight at Muslera. He finally broke his World Cup duck by finishing off a wonderful team move. Suarez lost the ball deep in the England half, Jagielka, Lallana and Rooney worked the ball down the left before Gerrard, Johnson and Henderson switched play to the opposite flank to Sturridge, with his back to play he spun away from Cavani and Pereira before passing to Johnson, Johnson touched the ball inside Godin, sending him sprawling then centred to the back post for Rooney to slide past Muslera. Once again, as they had done against Italy, England failed to gain any momentum and ten minutes later Gerrard condemned them to defeat. Muslera sent a hail Mary pass downfield, Gerrard flicked on, despite being under no real pressure from Cavani, and Suarez got between the England centrebacks and slammed a shot past Hart.
Attendance : 62,575
Assists : Cavani, Johnson, n/a
14 June 2014
ENGLAND 1 (Sturridge 37)
ITALY 2 (Marchisio 35, Balotelli 50)
Both teams made the conservative start many expected. The game came to life on the half hour mark and was excellent from that point. Candreva worked a short corner with Verratti, Pirlo ran at the ball with only Sterling pressing, he let the ball run through his legs, Marchisio took a touch to steady himself then fired into the bottom right corner. Gerrard, who was absolutely shite, smacked a pass against two Italian players, under little pressure, but the ball broke for Sterling who spun away from Pirlo before splitting four Italians with a brilliant pass to Rooney and Sturridge got between Paletta and Chiellini to volley in his cross at the back post. It was the only positive contribution Rooney made all night. Italy responded immediately. Jagielka made a brilliant header off the line to deny Balotelli after he lobbed Hart and Candreva hit the base of the left post following more slack set piece defending.
Darmian (Italy's third choice right back) and Candreva combined for the winner. Candreva shaped to cross, Baines jumped and Candreva ran inside him before hanging a cross to the back post for Balotelli to head in. Probably the only time the superb Cahill lost his man. Baines seized on Barzagli's poor defensive header to feed Rooney but having turned inside Darmian he shot hopelessly wide with the goal at his mercy. Unforgivable miss. Pirlo clipped the top of the crossbar with a nonchalant 35 yard free kick whose trajectory bamboozled Hart. Cahill made a brilliant sliding tackle to deny Immobile a third 5 seconds before full time.
This was the most composed I have seen an Italy team look in the opening match of a World Cup, in the 24 years I have been watching them. They were in second gear and stepped on the gas when needed. Much has been made of England's young players and Wellbeck aside (all he does is run hard and dive) they impressed. It was the senior players, Gerrard and Rooney especially, that let England down. Baines was cruelly exposed by fellow international rookies Candreva and Darmian. Buffon isn't expected to recover for the Costa Rica game and Prandelli should keep him on the bench even if he does make it back for Uruguay. He's past it and makes far too many mistakes. Sirigu probably won't be #1 in the Euros in any case with Perrin and Scuffet breathing down his neck.
Attendance : 39,800
Assists : Verratti, Rooney, Candreva
URUGUAY 1 (Cavani 24 Pen)
COSTA RICA 3 (Campbell 54, Duarte 57, Urena 84)
Diaz sacked Lugano for the penalty. Costa Rica began to grow in confidence once it was apparent just how crap Uruguay were. Lugano headed Gamboa's right wing cross straight to Campbell who blasted in the equaliser. Bolanos' dead ball delivery was excellent and Duarte made up for a terrible miss with a brilliant header into the bottom right corner. Campbell split the Uruguay defence with a brilliant pass inside two players and Urena hooked the ball around Muslera as he came off his line. Pereira was sent off for cowardly kicking through Campbell's right leg. He should be banned for the rest of the tournament, not that I expect Uruguay to go beyond the group stages.
Without Suarez there is no creativity in the Uruguay side. Forlan is past it and Tabarez has stood by the same tedious midfield that bored everyone four years ago. Costa Rica could take advantage of England jitters to sneak second but they weren't really tested.
Attendance : 58,679
Red Card : Pereira 94 (Uruguay)
Assists : Lugano (won pen), n/a, Bolanos (fk), Campbell