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Showing posts with label Semifinals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Semifinals. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

EURO 2012: ITALY v GERMANY: Semi-Finals Preview


Welcome to the Semifinals of EURO 2012. Did we really expect to be here and in the running for this European Championship. Many felt this tournament would be a warm-up to our WORLD CUP 2014 effort. Surely, after a dismal WORLD CUP 2010 in South Africa, a semifinal birth in this tournament was not in the cards. Yet, here we are; and we've looked bloody good getting here.

If our match against England should serve as a single purpose; that purpose must be to motivate the troops. Although we needed the dreaded shootout to win our match; the Azzurri were sexy in that game. We dominated possession, dominated chances on goal and had the wind decided to blow just a degree off it's path during the Quarterfinal match; we could have easily won the match well within the 90 minutes.

Come what may, perhaps we needed to go through that nerve-racking match in order to build a mental discipline required for this match. Only time will tell... and we are just a few short hours from finding out.

Germany 
With Joachim Low at the helm, the Germans have seen a remarkable renaissance in the last 8 years. Following their successful hosting of the WORLD CUP in 2006; the German's left that tournament with a third place overall result. From there, they made it all the way to the Finals at EURO 2008 only to be beaten by a rising Spain. In the 2010 WORLD CUP, it was again Low who helmed the team to another third place result.

Germany are the youngest team at this tournament and they feature such rising stars like Ozil, Müller, Khedira and Schweinsteiger.  Up front they are guided by their beacon point man Mario Gomez; who reminds me of a Luca Toni with talent. Their ever ready skipper Lahm has been credited in some circles as the gold standard for full backs in the game today.

Low has this team playing some very organized, free flowing football. Although I feel their weaknesses will be down the middle; this is a team that is really thirsty for success. If they are to take the leap from perennial bridesmaid to European Champions they will first and foremost need to overcome the Azzurri.

Italy
The Azzurri arrive into tomorrow's semifinal with a bit of an injury case on their shoulders. Abate and DeRossi needed to be shipped off the pitch against England due to muscle strain and there may be a chance both will be unfit to play in tomorrow's crucial final. Regardless, the Italians arrive into tomorrow's match with little or no pressure to perform. For some reason, despite some of us knowing the kind of potential this team was capable of producing; the general media in Italy and abroad seemed to have written off the Azzurri far before this tournament go underway.

With that lack of pressure and expectation to under perform Italy has met their challenges and exceeded expectations. Yet despite their fantastic performances; pundits have continued to hesitate in labelling the Azzurri contenders.  Let the pressure to perform be placed squarely on the shoulders of the Germans for tomorrow's match.

Our strengths have without a doubt been in the centre of the park. Pirlo and De Rossi have been absolutely methodical in their approach to the game. They have outplayed (except for certain stretches of certain games) their counterparts in Spain, Croatia, Ireland and England thus far in the tournament. Let's not forget, prior to the Quarterfinals against England just four short days ago; it was Steven Gerrard who people were heralding as having an incredible tournament. Suddenly his name has been supplanted by that of Andrea Pirlo. Joachim Low obviously realizes this and will be willing to apply extra pressure to the Italian maestro to help reduce his effect on the game.

That's where De Rossi will come in. He's been a tiger in breaking up plays and disrupting the opposing team's movement down the centre of the pitch. This has forced teams to resort to making runs down the wings; where to they have met their matches in the form of Balzaretti on the left and Abate on the right. Both, especially Balzaretti have been vital to the Azzurri's success down the flanks.

The Azzurri's medical ward did, for a change, bring forth some good news with the return of Chiellini. Such a monster at centre back will be vital against thwarting off the arial challenges that Gomez and Klose represent. I want to note that Barzagli and Bonucci did play well against the English; but the addition of Chiellini brings with it another element to our back line.

In attack, I don't want to harp on either of the strikers; they have played incredibly well. Against Germany, a team who will play far more open then the English did; we should have an easier time up front. I hope that Cassano does a little less touches and takes a few more shots. In the meantime, his partner Balotelli; must keep his head down and focus; it's apparent that when he gets himself into these glorious positions; he tends to over think his next step. Instead, he only needs to get his head down and let one rip. I'm sure if he can get a quick goal in tomorrow's match, he will follow it up with a few more.

Tomorrow's SemiFinal
The Semifinal tomorrow will feature two teams that have a long history in Europe. I find that when Germany and Italy meet in a match of significance that there is little point to rehash the fact that Italy have never lost to Germany in a competitive match. It's of little value to call on teams of the past to try and find some clarity in the present. Precedents are set every day; what we can and should take from the Azzurri teams that beat Germany in the past is their unwavering commitment to win. In 1982 Italy didn't decide to take the lead and rest on its laurels; instead they pressed and Marco Tardelli scored a screamer... Then in 2006; Lippi and Co didn't try to take the game to penalties; instead he applied pressure; made the right substitutions in bringing on Del Piero and co; and pressed; only to be rewarded with two late goals propelling them onto a WORLD CUP Triumph. This must be the same frame of mind tomorrow. We are not there to give ourselves a pat on the back; instead we are there to beat the Germans and to go into the Final of the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. We are there to make history and become a team of destiny like we were in 1982 and 2006.

Ask yourself was Marco Tardelli the same person before he scored that historic goal in Madrid? Who was Grosso before he scored that oh so late goal in Dortmund to send the Azzurri to the WORLD CUP Finals... Tomorrow, there is an opening for the next Tardelli and Grosso... Who will it be.

FORZA ITALIA and FORZA AZZURRI