Lippi makes call-ups and he’s still perplexing Italians everywhere.

By: Francesco | February 7th, 2009

Usually we get the call-ups on Sunday afternoons, but with the Italy game being Tuesday we get Marcello Lippi’s call-ups a day early. Lippi has gotten criticism from the press for his call-ups since he took over, most notably for the exclusions of Alessandro Del Piero and Antonio Cassano. Lippi said that this game would be no place to experiment and new faces should not be expected, and he was right on point. However even though I understand Lippi is trying to build a united team with familiar faces, some of the players he called up simply do not deserve to be there right now. Call-ups after the jump.

Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), Amelia (Palermo), De Sanctis (Galatasaray).

Defenders: Bonera (Milan), Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Dossena (Liverpool), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Zambrotta (Milan).

Midfielders: Aquilani (Roma), Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Pepe (Udinese), Perrotta (Roma), Pirlo (Milan).

Forwards: Di Natale (Udinese), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Iaquinta (Juventus), Quagliarella (Udinese), Rossi (Villarreal), Toni (Bayern Munich).

Nothing wrong with the goalkeeper selection, as those are the best 3 Italian goalkeepers we have, although he could’ve called up Cagliari’s Federico Marchetti as the third goalkeeper.

In defense, plain and simple Bonera and Dossena should not be there. Daniele Bonera has been injured and hasn’t even featured for Milan this month. Andrea Dossena doesn’t even play half the time at Liverpool, only making 10 appearances this season. He spends his days in the EPL warming the bench, why will he be a contender to start at left-back for the national team?

In midfield, everything makes sense until you see the names of Mauro Camoranesi and Simone Pepe. Mauro Camoranesi? Really? Yes, we all know he’s a Lippi favorite but he’s another one that has been injured and hasn’t played at all for Juve. He didn’t even get minutes in the Coppa Italia midweek. Simone Pepe will never be national team material, no matter how good a patch of form he’s going through. He’s a decent player, that’s it. He’s been inconsistent for Udinese as well, sometimes even losing his starting spot to Antonio Floro Flores or Alexis Sanchez.

Up front, the only puzzling name is that of Vincenzo Iaquinta. Another Lippi favorite, but what has he done this season to merit this call-up? Coming on as a sub and scoring a penalty against Udinese merits a national team call-up? I could do that. He hardly plays at Juve, he can’t beat out Del Piero and Amauri for a starting spot in Juve, why is he on the national team?

The second era of Lippi is confusing me more and more as it goes on. Lippi says the national team is open to everyone aged 18 to 40, but the more he says it, the less I believe him. This is just becoming the national team of Lippi man-crushes.

What does everyone think? Discuss in the comments.

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Category: Azzurri, Players, Rumors & News, Serie A

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bili joe

this is the worst italy national team ever.
JP

Yep definitely all perplexed. Lippi has his favorites and that's that. I truly believe Lippi got lucky in 2006. Don't get me wrong, ITALY did not get lucky, they were the best. Just Lippi. Smart man, but a bit of a fascist. Lippi was lucky enough to have some of his faves in their prime, and no particular beefs with any of the star players. He now scares me, no inventive ideas since he came back. Yes, Toni is now useless, Gila will never be great, Totti and Nesta now gone. But we all know his pride is bigger than his team: Baggio/Panucci/Ambrosini/Cassano... and we will probably see a very weak Italy in South Africa once they squeak in. Rossi and Montolivo are his only new hopes.
Seriously, friendlies, esp. against Brazil, are for experimentation, new blood, Giovinco etc...or tried and tested classics, Del P. Cassano, DiVaio, Not old loyalties from two tournaments ago, failures for a while now, and current serie A "stars". Udinese trio, Iaquinta..WTF?? And Dossena..I never understood how he even got the Liverpool transfer. One of the worst players I've ever seen on the NT. I seriously think they thought they were signing Dessena and looked over what they though was a misprint. Some weird Lippi shit with that him now. And to Ricci, although it sounds like yr a Roma fan, Pirlo is still Italy's main man and will be in 2010. He's only 29. We all saw what happened when Aquilani had to be put in his place in Euro QF against Spain...ummm...that's right, nothing. He's not a truly great player. Montolivo still might be though. Well...forza Italia anyways!
ricci

This might ruffle some feathers but IMO Lippi needs to start preparing for the NT without Pirlo. De Rossi should be the focal point of that midfield and I think it's better to build around him. Why not include Brighi as well? The guy has shown he cam work with with De Rossi, Aquilani and Perrotta who all got called up.

If I'm putting together a 3 man midfield on form and overall quality this season it's gotta be
Marchisio-De Rossi-Brighi from right to left.
kabir

How can Lippi call up Iaquinta rather than Del Piero? if Del Piero is preferred over Iaquinta at Juve, how can he be preferred over Del Piero for the national team? Iaquinta has like 4 goals this season, 1 from a penalty, while Del Piero is scoring countless fantastic goals. Iaquinta was great when he was at Udinese but now he can be called mediocre at best.
And Cassano? Can Lippi get over this feud they're having and just accept the fact that he is a great player? These call ups are pretty ridiculous....this is no where close to the best possible Italy line up.
MAD

Well, there is something to be said for having a big target man in the front. But I don't think that Iaquinta is that guy right now.

I am actually, well, not a fan exactly, but I can recognize that he has a skill set that is useful. But he hasn't been playing, and there is something to be said for being in shape and on form.

I also have doubts that he'll be on the team in 2010. So why not try to find someone who *will* be on the team.
alessio

I don't disagree with you on Iaquinta, MAD. Doesn't deserve it right now and his future with the Azzurri is going to be the same as it is now, a reserve/super-sub.
Renzo the peruviano

Iaquinta is a Luca Toni kind of player but worse.
MAD

The difference between Acquafresca and Iaquinta playing in a friendly now is that by summer 2010, Acquafresca could be better than Iaquinta and he could be ready to go.

Iaquinta is never going to be better than he is right now.

Plus Acquafresca is in form and playing regularly, you know like what a NT call up should be... unlike Iaquinta right now.
KJ

Miccoli anyone?

Then again, I'll be greedy and keep him with us.
alessio

Acquafresca, that's a push. But Floccari, Miccoli, they shoulda been called up before him. Especially after his erm, performance this weekend.

As far as Lippi's Fanboys in Blue goes, I don't buy it. ADP isn't there, and we all know he is probably Lippi's favorite player, period. Out of the last 15 years, Lippi has coached ADP for 10-11 of them.
Renzo the peruviano

Iaquinta is a joke. Even Acquafresca is better.

Actually, Cristiano Doni is better of a bunch of those players.
Mike

Really, who cares about who the third keeper is? Are we really gunna go through two in one match? He could have called up Giuseppe Meazza for fucks sake.
Samuel Dieudonne.

This squad is frustrating me, the backline lacks pace. the midfield apart from Pirlo and Montolivo and De rossi is decent but has some second rate players in there, and what is Lippi seriously waiting for in order to give Cassano a chance. and In attack Floccari deserved a call over Iaquinta. him and Fab-Quag's up front would of been phenomenal. well i guess you Italy fans might want to take a sigh of relief with news of Kaka's injury, im absolutely gutted he's out. I hope Diego will be a good replacement.
asem

Brighi over Perrotta
Floccari over Iaquinta
Curci over De Sanctis
Cassano over Camoranesi
Jack

Should have rather called up Giovinco rather than Iaquinta.
Sam

Fuckin Ariaduo is better than Gamberini and Boner-a.
RomaShield27

I would have called up Santa before I called up Dossena.
Nnahoj

I would have called up Davide Santon before I called up Dossena.
Nnahoj

Okay wait...so if a friendly game is not a game for experimentation, then what is?
Weston (@wpazzurri)

But still, very dissapointed at the exclusion of adp. (I'm wearing his jersey as I type this)
Weston (@wpazzurri)

I don't get it either, but hey, he won the world cup not me. He knows what he's doing.
ricci

I don't think anybody is calling for his head but let's be realistic, I haven't seen Italy play a good game since 2006. The same core of guys has been there, especially up front. We need a change. A little harsh maybe, but that's just my opinion.
Mike

Again, it's a FRIENDLY. It's not that big a deal, it's not the end of the world, no need to call for Lippi's head. Calm down.
RomaShield27

What the hell sort of squad is this? I'm sorry to say this, because the man has been a great coach for Italy in the past, for I think Lippi may have finally lost his marbles. I have some serious questions about this squad.

1) De Sanctis as the third choice 'keeper? Ok, he's not likely to even get the slightest sniff of action, but De Santis is past it, and why not include Curci, who is having a fine season with Siena? Or even Abbiati, who has been playing well, or Marchetti, or Iezzo? Someone new.

2) Dossena? That is the biggest fecking joke of the lot. I mean does Lippi even watch any of these players play, or know that some of them aren't playing any football at all? Dossena has been a sub for the 'Scum and doesn't even make the bench for them on some occasions, and now he's gonna like up against Kaka and co?

3) Bonera? How much has he played this season? Where the hell is Santacroce?

4) Camoranesi? He's clearly a Lippi favourite but the man hasn't played in months, what could he possibly offer for this friendly? He clearly still has a lot to offer but shouldn't be in this squad now.

5) Then there's the Cassano saga, which is becoming ridiculous. It is abundantly clear that he deserves a call up, everyone in Italy except for Lippi can see that. He may still be a bit of a headcase and have disciplinary problems, but so what? Italy need his talent.

5) Where the fuck is Matteo Brighi...? Does Lippi watch any feckin football at all? What exactly has Aquilani done better than Brighi lately? Its perplexing.

6) Iaquinta? Another Lippi favorite, yes, but how many starts has he made this season?

The bottom line is Lippi is afraid of youth, and afraid of change. He did say midweek he won't be selecting an experimental squad for Brazil, but no one is asking for radical changes or massive gambles, just select players on form, regardless of age or reputation.

Aside from Cassano, even Del Piero probably deserves a call. And then what about promising young players like Santacroce, De Ceglie, Criscito, Motta, or players on form like Brighi or Floccari? Its as if Lippi didn't put any thought into this at all and just found one of his old teamsheets, made a few little x's and adjustments and just ran with that.
Vittal_S

I agree too. Sergio Floccari should have been called up. As for calling up players who have been out injured fo quite some time without even having match practice is very annoying. But I guess there will never be an uproar as long as Lippi isn't losing.
ricci

disgusting call up list. The inclusion of Bonera is ridiculous. I rattle off 5-10 defenders that merit a call over him. I especially hate the call of Pepe b/c as you mentioned, he's just not a NT player.

Sergio Floccari anyone? A two footed pure athlete with a nose for goal. Exactly what the NT is missing.
Mike

It's a friendly so it doesn't matter that much, but it is a perplexing squad list. I mean I guess some teams/players might not have wanted to go and be fatigued after, which might explain some of this?