Soccer Tactics

Italian Marcelo Lippi has faced a number of soccer pundit jokes this season due to the age of his team.  The Italian team is undoubtedly old, with 30-year old Vincenzo Iaquinta, 31 year-old Andrea Pirlo, 32 year olds Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Guttuso, and Antonio Di Natale, 33 year-olds Mauro Camoranesi and Gianluca Zambrotta, and 36-year old Fabio Cannavaro all likely to have to be replaced by Lippi or Azzuri’s next manager by the Brazilian World Cup in 2014.

Lorenzo De Silvestri    Defender     (Fiorentina)    Aged 22
De Silvestri, a former full back for Lazio, is slightly over six feet tall.  Since his move to Fiorentina in 2009, De Silvestri has rediscovered his best form that saw him represent Italy at every age range from Under 16 through to the U21 side. De Silvestri’s power as a fullback may end up earning him a position on the national team in place of Zambrotta.

Davide Santon        Defender    (Inter)        Aged 19
Santon, who played for Inter in 28 games and Azzuri in five, has set himself apart as an excellent defender with an ability to play either flank with ease. Santon’s energy is boundless; his energy on the pitch has earned him a comparison to Paolo Maldini by Italian head coach Marcelo Lippi. We can expect to see the immensely talented Santon in the Italy’s next few squads for major finals events.

Mario Balotelli        (Striker)    (Inter)        Aged 19
  Mario Batelli, though prone to fights and poor sportsmanship, may be one of the best attackers or wingers wearing the Italy soccer kit in upcoming games.  Batelli’s run-ins with both fans and management only serve to distract from his excellent record: the player scored twenty goals in 59 games and notched 6 and 16 for the U21 Italian set. Batelli is sure to see the Euro 2012 qualifiers, when the Italian team will be looking for a new strike force.

Federico Macheda    (Striker)    (Man Utd)    Aged 18
A fiercely underrated player that has yet to regularly make the first team at Old Trafford, Macheda is set to have a great next season and catch they eye of Azzuri management. The striker’s strength and intelligence make him a force to be reckoned with, especially in terms of goal scoring. His particular talent is scoring with his back to the goal, and he has been capped at U21 for Italy; if Macheda makes a difference in the first team for United, he should end up with a spot on the Italian national squad.

Antonio Candreva    (Midfielder)    Udinese    Aged 23
Candreva just may be the only replacement for Italy’s great Andrea Pirlo. The Udinese midfielder, who is being touted as making his loan move during last season to Juventus more permanent, is versatile enough to play anywhere in midfield but seems to excel in the holding, creative role so favoured by Pirlo.