Luciano Spalletti saw a ‘decent’ game from Italy in their 1-1 draw with North Macedonia, but admits they ‘could have done more’ and will make changes in the next EURO 2024 qualifier against Ukraine.
It was a dismal debut for the new coach who only took the job nine days ago, as Roberto Mancini resigned suddenly on August 13.
Ciro Immobile had scored the first goal of this new era, nodding in the rebound when Nicolò Barella’s volley came off the crossbar, but Gianluigi Donnarumma could do nothing on the ferocious Enis Bardhi free kick.
“The suffering was when the game got messy and we were not ready to recreate the defensive solidity, so the clearances were often recaptured by their midfielders,” Spalletti told RAI Sport and Sky Sport Italia.
“However, the team played a decent game that we can work on. We didn’t allow them much and we lacked the patience to make the right passes, when we had the time and space to do so.
“The only element we have is to study this game and try to find improvements, to work on the concepts that did not work well enough, and rewatching the video will be just as valuable as a training session.
“We could’ve done better with quality, as they were defending with five, so we could’ve split them easier. That was also inevitable with the state of the pitch, as it is not possible to pass with quality on that turf.”
Spalletti said that he did not sleep very much last night, as it was ahead of his debut on the Azzurri bench.
“I always sleep little. It’s natural there are emotions, because this game is not played in a stadium, it is all of Italy, Italians all over the world, who are in front of their televisions with us. I hope they saw and can judge us.”
This result, and Ukraine’s 1-1 draw with England this evening, make it an increasingly tight and complicated group.
England have 13 points from five games, Ukraine are on seven from four matches, Italy have four points in only three fixtures and North Macedonia have four points from four games.
The next encounter is on Tuesday at San Siro when Italy host Ukraine.
“We will also have to change a few players for the next game, because the pitch took its toll on them. I also had to take off some of the players who were on yellow cards and hoped to add more firepower with Raspadori. Unfortunately they scored the equaliser so late in the day, we didn’t have much time to react.”
Zero game plan from Italy.
No push on or incentive to get a second goal…I can’t remember q decent chance.
Zero link up play between midfielder and attack.
Players who shouldn’t be in the Italian squad: Cristante, Tonali, Politano, Dimarco, Zaniolo.
Dein, care to elaborate on why those 4? I would agree that Cristante has no place there, I mean he isn’t good enough for roma so how could he be in the Azzuri? The other 4 are all ok for me, as long as Politano is not starting nor Zaniolo (there is better in both positions).
Yet again Zaniolo proves decisive. His ignorant foul led to the tying goal. He doesn’t belong in the Italy set up. Wasteful talent that still has a lot of maturing to do. That being said, we could have easily been burnt by Tonali’s foul as well. Until we start to bury our chances, we will still have negative results trying to play back and slim defend leads regardless of the opposition. The team is too fragile at this point to pull this off. This isn’t 1960’s catennacio!
Starting Cristante and Immobile should be enough to tell you why Italy lack quality.
Guys
Italy aren’t producing strikers
We don’t have a decent number 9 in decades now .
This is why we are not scoring goals !
We also need a decent 10 , who can provide , as these are the combinations we had in past with del piero or baggio at time .
We can’t keep relying on Immobile , he is finished .
We need to start nurturing young players or we won’t make next World Cup either!
We need to get back to winning ways
In past these games against these minows line Macedonia , ( no disrespect ) we use to thrash . Shows where Italy is now , we need to start producing players and give youngsters a go in Italy for next level as we did in past
Listen if that’s the best we have in seria a and around the world were in trouble. We dont have a striker and to make immobile captain its.enberrising.no number 10.we score 1 goal.and we sit back
Crap
I give it another 2 or 3 games and there will be people here screaming for Mancini to return.
In the meantime we have “the pitch took it’s toll on some of the players”!!!!!
Burky, my reason for liking Tonali – he doesn’t influence games enough; he doesn’t work hard enough and get himself into space around the box, maybe for squad but not 11. During the Euro U21 loss against Norway, he didn’t live up to expectations or influence the game. So that told me a lot. However, he has potential and is young and the Premier League should improve him but bench for now.
Politano and Zaniolo have been tried and have never really delivered. Berardi is better than either.
Dimarco good going forward but against fast good wingers will be found out defensively. Bench maybe.
Frattesi instead of Tonali.
That’s my take on things
Not liking