Azzurri Special: Cesare Prandelli must drop Marco Borriello against Serbia
The Italians were held to a disappointing goalless draw by a spirited Northern Ireland outfit in Belfast. Many would call the result a complete disappointment and they have every reason to believe so as the four-time World Champions should have made easy
work against such oppositions. A defence constituting of Aaron Hughes, Jonathan Evans, Stephen Craigan and Gareth McAuley has no household names. Manchester United’s Jonathan Evans might beg to differ but he is no star in all honesty.
The Italians, after their disastrous World Cup campaign, look to put the disappointment behind them. With the players that Prandelli has to his disposal, the Italians can mount a genuine title challenge. Unfortunately, Prandelli’s new look Italy has been
far from convincing. Victories in the opening two group matches might sound rosy but it was the genius of Antonio Cassano that won them the fixtures.
The biggest problem with the current Azzurri team is the lack of prolificacy in front of the goal. Prandelli needs to teach his side how to finish off their chances. The Italians have been unable to replace the class of Christian Vieri ever since the former
Inter man lost his groove. Luca Toni, Alberto Gilardino and Vincenzo Iaquinta have all been given the chance to prove their International pedigree but it always ended in disappointment. Marco Borriello on Sunday night was no different. The bulky Roma man is
capable of the beautiful and the ugly in equal measures. Where wonder volley against Cluj in the Champions League was the epitome of perfect technique, his pathetic finishing on Friday night was an example of poor marksmanship. The forward huffed and puffed
the entire night but failed in front of the goal. The fact the AC Milan let go of the striker earlier this summer should make it clear enough that Borriello is not world class and certainly not Azzurri material.
Giampaolo Pazzini; on the bench Friday night, with his inspired performances against Werder Bremen earlier in the season, made it clear that he is indeed the only player close to being a Christian Vieri. The forward with his lethal finishing and sublime
aerial ability is a handful for any defence. Just why Pazzini didn’t start ahead of Borriello is anyone’s guess. Against a highly talented Serbian outfit, the Italian attack would be up against Nemanja Vidić and Branislav Ivanović. Vidic is already considered
one of the best in the world while Ivanovic is not far off and his versatility at the back is always an asset. The slow and cumbersome Borriello would be a walk in the park for Vidic in particular. Many would still remember the ease with which Borriello was
handled by a Vidic-led Manchester United defence last year when Milan faced the English side. It is very unlikely that Borriello would deliver the goods this time around. Pazzini, with his far superior intelligence, would be a nuisance.
Borriello has just 5 caps to his name despite turning 28 - a fact that bears testimony to his international shortcomings. If Prandelli wants Borriello to lead the Azzurri line in Poland and Ukraine 2012, the Italians have a genuine source of concern. The
Pazzini-Cassano partnership at Sampdoria is one of the best striking duos in Italian football. Prandelli must use the same combination with the Italian national team. Continuous rotation of the strikers would result in nothing but loss of confidence. As it
so happens, Pazzini is the type of player hose game is fuelled by confidence. The striker might misfire in the beginning, but Prandelli’s continuous trust will bring out the best in the Sampdoria Ace and at just 26 years of age, his best is yet to come.
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