Azzurri Welcome Georgia With a Whole Lotta Attackers

By: Martha | October 12th, 2007

Oh ho ho, we love to train. No matter who ultimately fills the positions, it’s safe to assume to Azzurri will go out in a 4-3-3 against Georgia tomorrow, this time without any whining from Alex Del Piero about having to play out wide. Instead of Ale, the supporting players behind Luca Toni are likely to be Antonio Di Natale (Or, as Google likes to call him, “Antonio Of Been born”) and, despite his poor domestic form, Donadoni’s beloved Fabio Quagliarella. Vincenzo Iaquinta, who might have been preferred had he been healthy, is sick and not training, so looks unlikely to figure in the match.

Based on that training session, the midfield will be made up of the eminently reliable trio of Daniele De Rossi (or Massimo Ambrosini, since Donadoni somehow seems impossible to play a game without him on the pitch), Rino Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, while poor, broken Alberto Aquilani watches from his couch, day-dreaming about magical thigh treatments and being healthy for more than a month or two in a row. The back line during the last training session, meanwhile, was made up of Massimo Oddo, Daniele Bonera, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, who has been declared fit for the match. It’s thought, though, that Lyon’s Fabio Grosso has a good chance to beat out Chiellini for the start on the left, while Christian Panucci, despite been 400 years old a not a regular centerback for anyone, might be preferred over Bonera to replace the suspended Fabio Cannavaro.

When the Azzurri traveled to Georgia last fall — with Canna and a guy named Sandro Nesta in the middle of the back — the result was a comfortable 3-1 win, but Italy had all kinds of trouble with the home team’s offside trap, the match was tied at 1-1 until Jaba Kankava was sent off about an hour in. That said, though, Kakha Kaladze’s team (don’t even pretend you know the names of any of their other players) are second-bottom of the table, having taken only one point off teams that aren’t the Faroe Islands, and if Italy don’t take a full three points from this one they’ve got no business even thinking about going to the Euros.

[Chris' usual angry preview is here.]

Also: Anyone in London know if it’s going to be on TV (I’ve got RAI1 and RAI2), or of a bar in the city that’ll show the match? Help!

Some Related Serie A Posts:

Category: Azzurri, Rumors & News, Serie A

« Napoli Supporters Will Never, Ever See an Away Game Again | Home | Azzurrini Stay Perfect, Set a Good Example for the Big Kids »

sofia

"his beloved quagliarella" we all know who donadoni favours and even if iaquinta were healthy i think he still wouldnt have put him on instead of quagliarella....
Marco

Wow Martha... your latest comment in the other thread was from Germany... now you're in London?
Martha

Muddia, I know you were crying, but I'm pleased to hear it wouldn't normally stop you from commenting. Clearly the only solution is a new computer.
Martha

Thank you, Ian and Francesco, I should be able to work out one of those things.

And Chris, I was sure I put an indignant in this post. Dammit. That means I'll have to come up with two for tomorrow, then.
chris

"he’s shown up when called"

You're in the wrong year. This isn't 2002 anymore.
Francesco

Martha, if you have RAI 1 they will definitely be showing it. They show all the Italy games.
Ian DeArdo

Martha,
Try Bar Italia Uno:

91 Charlotte Street
London, W1T 4PX
020 7637 5326

They show pretty much every Italian and Italy based match.

As for the snarky comment about Del Piero, although he may be past it, at least he's shown up when called. I can think of a certain cretin from Rome who went AWOL about 2 minutes before the opening ceremony for WC2006.
Joe

Muddia Dome, nice to encounter a fellow Cub fan. This year was at least much less painful than 2003. I still don't think I'm over Dusty Baker and Gonzales' dropped double play ball.

The game is on GolTV. if you go to goltv.tv you can get the listing for it. It'll also be on RAI international. I much prefer the RAI broadcast but may just record that one and watch it on Gol if my nine year old wants to watch the game with me. Try as I might, I can't get my family to want to understand un cazzo di italiano.
Muddia Dome

Is this game on Fox or Gol? Guessing unlikely. Martha, I know yer overseas and all, but for some reason I am unable to post on your page from my cpu. Just in case you've been wondering where I've been. It wasn't solely crying over my beloved Cub.
Joe

Ah, no Iaquinta. Man, that is perfect. He adds nothing but hair product and more offsides whining..and it's not like he can do it better than Pippo anyways.

It won't happen but I really am hoping Montolivo gets some time tomorrow. Really worried about that back line. No Zambrotta, Canna and Matrix just can't be a good thing at this point.
chris

That's three posts today without dropping an "indignant."

I'm impressed.