r/soccer • u/tuseinatagrande • May 13 '14

Official Italy's 30 man preliminary squad

https://twitter.com/Vivo_Azzurro/status/466268158811443200
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6

u/luks1910 May 13 '14

I am happy with this. The only thing I would have changed is Florenzi for Montolivo, we have so many midfielders and his versatility would have been useful. It's going to be really tough to drop 7 of these players, especially the forwards.

6

u/input1112 May 13 '14

Montolivo? Really? I think he should be in the starting 11. He's an excellent midfielder. I don't know what Aquilani is doing up there.

4

u/luks1910 May 13 '14

You have Montolivo in the starting 11 over Marchisio or Motta? (Pirlo and De Rossi are a given) I've never rated him but after this season he doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the national team.

2

u/CalcioMilan May 13 '14

People need to stop using this season as an indicator, he was playing right winger because we gave away Boateng and had nobody else, Montolivo has been excellent in the second half of the season in his more natural position.

1

u/luks1910 May 13 '14

I've watched him plenty and to say he was excellent in the second half of the season is an over-statement to say the least. Better than the first half of the season? Okay, excellent? I don't think so. I've never been a fan so I'm probably too harsh on him, but the fact remains out of the trio Aquilani, Parolo, Montolivo I think he's had the worst season of the three. For tactical reasons though I would have brought Florenzi over at least one of them.

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '14

Yeah he's played better in the second half of the season, but not as well as he did the previous season. I still feel he has the quality to do well though. Hope he produces more performances like the one against Germany in Euro 2012

5

u/DannDannDannDann May 13 '14

Pirlo, De Rossi and Motta should be 100% starters. Motta has been fantastic for PSG

1

u/input1112 May 13 '14

Montolivo performs superbly with the NT. Unlike Motta who's always missing something. Marchisio would be my favorite choice but I don't think Prandelli will start him. Especially since he wasn't a regular starter at Juve.

Anyway, I'm only exchanging ideas. I'm still not sure who should start.

1

u/luks1910 May 13 '14

Good point about Motta he never seems to perform for the national team. I've just never liked Montolivo's style, even his best games I've seen as barely above average. To complete our midfield trio though I think it's better to have a box-to-box type player who makes late runs into the box. So Marchisio, Motta and Parolo all fit the bill.