A brilliant free kick ruins Luciano’s debut.
The Macedonians chained the Italians
Spalletti unexpectedly took charge of the Italian national team, because Mancini left to coach Saudi Arabia. Roberto survived the death of his friends Mihailovich and Vialli and also looked for ways to get Italian football out of the systemic crisis. Mancini was offered to supervise all national teams and the player training system in the country. But a few days later the sheikhs arrived with a suitcase full of money. Mancini decided that it was enough to win Euro 2020, let Italy become a problem for another head.
Spalletti’s bald head attracted several criticisms, but in the first match against Italy Luciano did not correct Mancini’s mistake. The Italians did not fly to the World Cup in Qatar due to elimination by North Macedonia in the play-offs. A goal in the 92nd minute sends the favorites to the sofa. The same Macedonians then failed to overcome Portugal in the final of the qualifying tournament, losing 2:0 after a brace from Bruno Fernandes. But a modest team took part in Euro 2020, North Macedonia is more dangerous than before.
Even without Pandev – the famous striker of many Italian clubs ended his career two years ago – they retain the ability to drink the blood of opponents in home games. He beat England 7:0 away, but Spalletti’s team struggled at home. We chose a wide game with three central defenders. Italy played “4-3-3”, without Pellegrini and Chiesa. Important players have left the team due to injuries. The favorites failed to slip between the lines and find loopholes in the tight defense. There were opportunities, Tonali hit the post and before Immobile’s goal there was a shot off the crossbar. But Italy only had three shots on target in an hour and a half. And if you lead 0:1, be prepared for a surprise.
For Spalletti it is important to preserve his winning cards
The “Team” knows how to work on set pieces in front of the opponent’s goal, which helped them win Euro 2020. The Italian national team has an invisible assistant. We are talking about Gianni Vio, who has never coached the Italian national team. But the former banker has written a book of rules that Serie A managers like. Not only did Sarri work with corners and free kicks at Napoli, but also Spalletti. Yesterday in Skopje the Italians almost surprised their opponents several times in interesting corner plays.
Ironically, the set piece gave hope for a minimal victory: Bardi executed the free kick perfectly, sending the ball into the far corner under the post. Donnarumma scolded himself after the missed goal, but the goalkeeper played correctly. The shot was perfect. At the end of the match, where the tired teams failed to create many clear chances, North Macedonia equalized the score. Although not immediately, but in the future Italy Spalletti will use the developments of Vio.
Until this summer Gianni worked as a technical development coach at Tottenham. Spalletti has a historic headquarters, but also uses external ideas. Napoli played a lively game last season, but with 17 Serie A goals scored from set pieces, not counting 8 from penalties. It is important that Spalletti brings a modern approach to Italy’s game with vertical play and speed at club level. For now it is difficult for them without Chiesa and Pellegrini, without a strong pair at the center of defense and without understanding what football the new coach will offer.
Key matches against Ukraine
In June Italy came third in the League of Nations. No one thought they would lose their coach before the end of the summer. Mancini was called a traitor in Italy not because he chose the money, but because of the moment of his departure. He left on the eve of the decisive matches of the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Roberto could have left after being eliminated from the qualifiers world Cup-2022. In this case we would have time to elect a new coach. But they will get out of it, because it is a shame to give weakness to the Italian squad. At the Donnarumma gate. Considering his age, only 24 years old, he is potentially the best goalkeeper on the planet. His peer Bastogne, recent Champions League finalist, plays in defense together with DiMarco on the left wing. Unless Roma’s Spinazzola can get into better shape than his rival in a year.
On the right is Di Lorenzo, captain of champion Napoli. At the center of the defense there are no Chiellini and Bonucci, but you can pair Romagnoli from Lazio and Bastoni, or wait for the progress of the young Atalanta Scalvini. The 19-year-old defender is one of the most talented in his position in the world. There are no problems with the class of the three midfielders: Tonali, Pellegrini and Barella have become football stars. But which of them will play in the carrying area in Pirlo style? Andrea is winning world Cup-2006 there were Gattuso and Perotta, role reversal. But Gennaro and Simone were better destroyers than the younger guys.
The fate of Spalletti’s Italy depends on nuances and little things. There are players you can play well with. Gnonto from Leeds at 19 in a strong team. In the future, a new coach could find an external approach, as he did with Kvaratskhelia. At the center of the attack is the new captain of the Italian national team. Immobile, 33, couldn’t wait to end his national team career, to make way for Raspadori and Retegui. But Spalletti convinced Ciro. Luciano explained that Immobile would be the captain because he was respected in the locker room. But it is also important that the attacker is understood by his teammates. Lazio’s Zaccagni was the starter yesterday, but on the other flank Mattia didn’t play better than Politano.
But the main problem is the time factor. The day before yesterday there was a draw in North Macedonia, the day after tomorrow at San Siro there is the match against Ukraine. Unlike Milevski’s team, Rebrov’s team did not lose to the English 7:0, but drew. upsetting the favorite. For Italy the Ukrainians are convenient opponents, the favorite has six wins and two draws. But it is enough to find the gaps in Donnarumma’s defense that the Macedonians did not reveal to see not Spalletti becoming champion with Napoli, but the other one foolishly eliminated from the Champions League by Milan. The Italian national team has a clear task: to beat the Ukrainians twice in the preliminary round. But while their opponents are tied in terms of points dropped, more interesting things are yet to come.
