Football is a cruel, cruel game

[Intriago33]

Australia never seemed to have the quality to break down Italy.
Cannavaro has been exceptional so far  .

I'm dissapointed Lippi removed Gilardino for Iaquinta, and what's happened to Luca all of the sudden?
I'm still shocked he didnt bury that header in the first half.. you would of had your house on him scoring.

Materazzi played probably the best first half I have seen from him, great use of the ball from the back, but he still seemed pissed from the altercation with Cahill, and flew into, what was really, an unnecassary challenge.

[Javier]

and what's happened to Luca all of the sudden?
I'm still shocked he didnt bury that header in the first half.. you would of had your house on him scoring.

lol yeah seriously man

[Intriago33]

He doesn't seem the same guy as last season, he could do it all, score by any part of his body, and now he's really struggling.
I think Inzaghi may hold the key.

[Meho]

He doesn't seem the same guy as last season, he could do it all, score by any part of his body, and now he's really struggling.

Same shit as Adriano. Although I think he was fucked by the whole atmosphere at Inter. Well see what he'll do on this WC. But both are evry talented and young (Adriano is 23) so lets hope they get their magical touch back.

[Antonio_]

Italy are a defensively-solid team, they still managed to mount more attacks than Australia.

I don't mind Italy, I don't actually support them - it seems like a lot of people are hating on them tho.

Well i can understand it. I mean if you win thanx to a fake penalty (it wasn't Grosso's fault tho. Blame the ref) at 93' against the Cindarella team people will hate on you. But that's the WC, man. We knew Hiddink, we knew they were great doing quick counter-attack, we knew we had 90' at disposition to score, and we didn't want them to score. We played better the first 45', then Materazzi was sent off early in the 2nd half (it wasn't a red card, if you ask me) and we had to defend the result. No matter what, tired as fuck, Lippi didn't replace our strikers with defenders, but he wanted us to try to win, he added Totti in the mix, and we scored. You can't hate on us. For sure we ain't a funny team to watch, like Brazil, Holland, Portugal, Argentina. We're a team who only cares to win, and not about doing a great show. But if we're into a 27 consecutive games without loosing streak it means we can play, somehow. Do you agree? Then i accept people being mad for the penalty, or people supporting Australia. I like them too. But..

[Javier]

Italy are a defensively-solid team, they still managed to mount more attacks than Australia.

I don't mind Italy, I don't actually support them - it seems like a lot of people are hating on them tho.

Well i can understand it. I mean if you win thanx to a fake penalty (it wasn't Grosso's fault tho. Blame the ref) at 93' against the Cindarella team people will hate on you. But that's the WC, man. We knew Hiddink, we knew they were great doing quick counter-attack, we knew we had 90' at disposition to score, and we didn't want them to score. We played better the first 45', then Materazzi was sent off early in the 2nd half (it wasn't a red card, if you ask me) and we had to defend the result. No matter what, tired as fuck, Lippi didn't replace our strikers with defenders, but he wanted us to try to win, he added Totti in the mix, and we scored. You can't hate on us. For sure we ain't a funny team to watch, like Brazil, Holland, Portugal, Argentina. We're a team who only cares to win, and not about doing a great show. But if we're into a 27 consecutive games without loosing streak it means we can play, somehow. Do you agree? Then i accept people being mad for the penalty, or people supporting Australia. I like them too. But..

The reason the ref made that decision was thanks to the acting of Grosso though.  I wanted Italy to pass, but Grosso really didn't need to dive like that. 

[Bomb-AŽ]

fuck being pretty...win win win

thank god materazzi won't be playing the next game....he makes me real nervous...prolly wont see del piero again either



peace

[Antonio_]

Italy are a defensively-solid team, they still managed to mount more attacks than Australia.

I don't mind Italy, I don't actually support them - it seems like a lot of people are hating on them tho.

Well i can understand it. I mean if you win thanx to a fake penalty (it wasn't Grosso's fault tho. Blame the ref) at 93' against the Cindarella team people will hate on you. But that's the WC, man. We knew Hiddink, we knew they were great doing quick counter-attack, we knew we had 90' at disposition to score, and we didn't want them to score. We played better the first 45', then Materazzi was sent off early in the 2nd half (it wasn't a red card, if you ask me) and we had to defend the result. No matter what, tired as fuck, Lippi didn't replace our strikers with defenders, but he wanted us to try to win, he added Totti in the mix, and we scored. You can't hate on us. For sure we ain't a funny team to watch, like Brazil, Holland, Portugal, Argentina. We're a team who only cares to win, and not about doing a great show. But if we're into a 27 consecutive games without loosing streak it means we can play, somehow. Do you agree? Then i accept people being mad for the penalty, or people supporting Australia. I like them too. But..

The reason the ref made that decision was thanks to the acting of Grosso though.  I wanted Italy to pass, but Grosso really didn't need to dive like that. 

IMO he didn't dive. He just didn't stay up, if you know what i mean (like Iaquinta did against USA, even if the defender was pulling his shirt hard). But the defender touched him. You can say he was lying on the grass and that he didn't want to make a foul and i agree. But there was a contact. Anyway it wasn't a penalty, that's safe.

[Antonio_]

prolly wont see del piero again either

He played a good game IMO. In the 1st half he made all the assists to Toni & Gilardino. He was playing on the midfield, so he didn't had chances to score himself, but tactically he was great. And Lippi appreciated that. I hope he'll play as a striker the next game, cause that's where he plays best.

[Intriago33]

I actually agree, I think Del Piero was an improvement over Totti.

Personally, I would still prefer to go four across the middle and play with more width.
I think Gilardino and Toni would benefit more from crosses from the likes of Camoranesi.

[Antonio_]

I actually agree, I think Del Piero was an improvement over Totti.

Personally, I would still prefer to go four across the middle and play with more width.
I think Gilardino and Toni would benefit more from crosses from the likes of Camoranesi.

True that.

[ωεεźγ ғ]

Aussies play with tons of heart, you can't hate that about them. But its Italy, they're on a whole dif level. Just wait a couple of years, when Australia can enjoy some offensive depth and build themselves up to the level of these other soccer nations. The heart they play w/ will get them far