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Extended Clip - Euro 2024: Spain vs Italy Preview, Lineups, Team News, Predictions (Ep. 428)
1.7k Plays4 months ago
After a good comeback win against Albania where Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori all starred, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese preview the Azzurri's second group stage match of EURO 2024 in Spain Vs Italy.
This is an extended clip from this weeks free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google podcasts.
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Transcript
Key Tactical Considerations for Spain vs Italy
00:00:05
Speaker
This preview, Spain vs Italy, on Thursday, um some key questions ahead of this game. right and I'm going to run down each one and then we can discuss each one. so First of all, Do Italy stick with the 4-2-3-1 system? See, i called it I called it in our preview. I said, I will not surprise me if Italy had played a back four. And they did play a back four. But obviously, it was it was ah it was a hybrid system, of course. But it was always going to be a hybrid system with Spelletti. It's the way he plays. He doesn't have set positions. Build up in a three. you know As I said before, defenders moving into midfield. and Blah, blah, blah.
00:00:41
Speaker
what Do we stick with a 4-2-3-1? Or do we move back to more, let's say, three classic centre backs?
Italy's Defensive Strategy
00:00:49
Speaker
I don't know, with Bongiorno coming in, for example? Yes, yes for me as a no-brainer, when you see how Spain play and you see you know that they're going to have the majority of the possession, um I want to see a more classic 3-5-1-1 with Bongiorno in the centre of defence. um I'll probably rest Calafiori for this one, put Bastoni to the left, um and either start Darmian or Mancini to the right, or play Calafiori to the left and Bastoni to the right. um But regardless, Cambiazzo to the right, DiMarco to the left, I want to see, you know, Barella, Pellegrini, Giorgino, and Scamaca up front, and then either have Fratese or even play
00:01:36
Speaker
you know, play Cristante, Jorginho Barilla, and then Pellegrini in the number 10 behind Skamaka, because I think that's going to be key. You're going to need players who can control the ball when you win it from Spain. um And you're going to need pace to attack, whether you do it with Cambias or Bela Nova down the right, or if you have, you know, if you put Cambias on the left and Bela Nova on the right, because Cambias is such an intelligent player that he can You can invert, you can do whatever, you can play easily play in many positions. I want to see a more traditional three, five, one, one against Spain, because again, this is not a game that Italy need to win. And it's a game that Spain don't need to win. In fact, yeah I think both of them just need one point um and they're through. probably And then in almost certainly yeah and in the final game, then Italy will play a Croatia who has to win or draw to get through.
00:02:30
Speaker
And Spain are playing Albania, who they're going to thrash even with their third team and they'll win the group. Like, do you know what I mean? Like I want, I want a little bit of, you know, not biscotto, but use your brains here a little bit. Um, as an Italy don't need to win this game. They had to beat Albania. That's it. That's what they had to do. Now that against Spain, they don't need to win. They just need to draw. and and And I think that I think Spain butetti doesn't really do pragmatism, does he? He he tries to win. and yeah So I don't think ah yeah I mean, it's an
Spain's Press and Italy's Response
00:03:01
Speaker
interesting one. It's a difficult one to know because looking at this from a tactical point of view, Spain
00:03:07
Speaker
their pressing was in the first half was absolutely magnificent against Croatia. Croatia couldn't, couldn't even with their brilliant midfield that Croatia have, they just couldn't they couldn't get out. You know, Spain were just smothering them, getting the taking the ball off them and in that first half. And you know, so Italy are going to need, it's not going to be like the Albania game, in that as brilliant as both Calipari and Bastoni were and are, um you know, that the Albania press, let's be honest, to put it nicely, their their press was pathetic.
00:03:42
Speaker
It was it was half-assed. It was neither one thing or the other. It wasn't a press, but it wasn't sitting back either. It was kind of not not one or the other. And that made it so easy for for Italy to kind of play out as good as their patterns were, as good as everything was set up. It was it was quite, you know, for for a Spoletti team that's going to be well trained, it was quite easy for them to play out. It's not going to be easy against Spain. They're going to be pressed the hell out of. And that is where you need press breakers. And obviously Bastone is fantastic at breaking the press. So is so is kind of furious. Bonjour. No, I don't know that all have to be good at it, but they do have to be able to get out. um It might be a case of and Spoletti actually hinted at this in his post-match press conference that they actually have to be more direct ah in this game. And maybe they have to miss out the midfield. Maybe they have to go over the top, do some balls. Absolutely. And I actually think we'll come to Spain's weaknesses in a bit, but I actually think that's what that's ah for me. That's probably Spain's biggest weakness is that ball over the top, potentially. So switching the play, switching the play so.
00:04:40
Speaker
I but don't want to sit on the fence. I'm not sure what I would do because at the moment, it's too early right now to to to know what Italy's levels will be. We'll know through the training, what what how they're training, what what it's going to be. At the moment, the papers are saying it's going to be the same lineup, but it's too early for us to say whether they'll keep an unchange unchanged team.
Midfield Battle and Tactical Adjustments
00:05:00
Speaker
um No, I think it would be it would be crazy. I would make one i would make two or three changes. What else? would Would you make any changes in the midfield or the attack? I would actually think Kiesa as a number 10 behind Skamaka is a good way to go here. um our you know The reason why I said Cristante Georgiño Barreles is because I wanna give that extra cover in front of in in front of the defense centrally because that's where Spain kind of ah usually swarm teams. The problem I think Croatia game was the midfield, Croatia's midfield was overrun by five players.
00:05:39
Speaker
because Morata dropped in. um But the problem was that the defense was ball-watching. The Croatian defense did not help out at all. They were completely static. um And they don't have any wide players to help out either. So but it just it it made Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic completely just outnumbered and overrun. But this is this is a different Spain to the to the Spain of Luis Enrique. this oh no and know This is a much more direct one. Spain actually had less possession in this game than than croat and Croatia, which is incredible. But having still said that, though, despite the fact that this is a this is a Spain team that is more direct,
00:06:15
Speaker
It's still a Spain team that I think had had gone 130 odd games. I can't remember how many games it had been. It's some insane number of games and that they've got that they'd gone with having more possession than the opposition. It was is absolutely mad stat that they had. and and so you know And I think they had more possession ah percentage possession ah than anyone else in the qualifiers in in Europe. So it's still a team that, you know, despite this game, it's still a team that is fantastic on the ball. No, they are. The midfield is very special. Like with Roger, Roger is the best, best center midfielder in the world. For me, it's not even the best defensive midfielder in the world. It's not even a it's not even close. He's just he's just ah he's just a monster of winning the ball.
00:06:58
Speaker
yeah and And then Pedri is looking great. Fabian Ruiz, I thought, scored a brilliant goal where he was in this game. But also Spain's attack is so dangerous. I mean, Yamal, I mean, we have to talk about Yamal. This guy is a phenomenon. He's 16 years old. 16 years old and he and he plays like he played in that game. i mean He was absolutely magnificent against the a top player as well in Guardia. Caused him all kinds of trouble. Wow, 16 years old. I mean, how do we what do we, how do we defend him? Because he's going to be up one on one against... Oh, you cut out. Oh, you cut out. You don't let them play balls to him for where he can go for pace and one on one. You cut out that passing lane and that's a team effort. um The same thing goes on the other wing. Like this is what I'm saying. Italy have to defend as a unit. This this is a test of defending as a unit um and whether or not they're ready as a team, an actual team, because they're not going to have too much possession and they're going to be
00:08:02
Speaker
under lots of pressure, but they need to work for one another. They need to help each
Defending Against Spain's Attacks
00:08:06
Speaker
other out. They need to move in order to help one another out. ah Completely opposite to what Croatia did where they were, they were static. and And especially the defense and the attack, it just did not help out the midfield at all. But so, so that's what I want to see. And that's why I want, you know, that like, like Spaletti alluded to, and you were talking about earlier, that's why I think Kiesa and Skamaka would be perfect because if you got Skamaka up front, he can win the ball, he can play off him. And then Kiesa on 1v1s for pace. So that's what you want to be there. That's a good place to be. um And that's why I want to see Belanorva as well, because he's very, very fast. um And if he has space to attack, he can he can hurt you.
00:08:52
Speaker
um and and and And so that's that's why I wanna see a bit of a change. but if we're looking Not too many, just three, two or three changes. If we're looking at um what gives us a cause for optimism in this game, I mean, first of all, Spain are probably gonna play the same team. The only possibility is whether La Porte is is past fit. He's struggling to be fit for this game. He might make it, he might not make it. And he would probably take the place of Nacho in this game. who doesn't feel with confidence, if I'm perfectly honest with you, I hope that joke i hope in Nacho plays. I think the centre-back positions, that is where we can get at Spain. Lenormand and Nacho, if he plays. La Porte is stronger, but I have to be honest, I've not watched any of him in the last year because he's played in Saudi Arabia. um I think we can get at their centre-backs because if you watch the the Spain versus Croatia, as brilliant as Spain were in the first half, and I think they did take their foot off the gas,
00:09:47
Speaker
um I think they did take their foot up a guess. So a lot of, pretty much most of Croatia's chance creation came in that second half when Spain were 3-0 up. Actually, I disagree with that. I think the biggest chances that Croatia had... But if you look at the number... No, but I'm looking at the game. I'm talking about the first half. After Spain scored their first goal, Croatia had two mega chances. But as we spoke about in our preview, the quality of the attack is just not good enough. They missed so many poor finishes and decisive moments. I think the problem that you see with both Croatia and Spain, like I sent you on WhatsApp after that game.
00:10:22
Speaker
look they are There are holes defensively in both of these teams for Italy to take. I agree there. I agree there. I mean, what I'm saying what i'm saying is that most the the vast majority of the of the chances came in the second half. ah yeah know they did But they did create some chances in the in the first half as well. I mean, they could not score to save their lives. And this is what we were talking about in our preview about how as good as that midfield is and as good as they create chances, the quality up front that Croatia have is just not... I think Croatia had an XG of over 2 in this game, of course yeah what of course there was a penalty which which which would account a lot, but they still over, I think it was something like 2.4 XG, I mean, you know, whether you're free and in luck or not free and in luck, I mean, that's still that's still quite a lot. That's high. That's high, yeah. So, so I mean,
00:11:06
Speaker
I think... Even if you remove the 0.8 or whatever the penalty is. Yeah, there was... I mean, if you look at the extreme, most of it was the second half, but they did, like you said, they did have at least one big chance in the first half. Number one was crazy. That was quite good. And, you know, so Italy, there are chances here for Italy, especially with the way that Italy played, the way that Spoletti played. And Simon, I'm sorry, but he does, I mean, you know, to use a prim face, he does have a mistake in him. Like, Simon has a mistake in him. He does. And he for the penalty, for example, that was he created that chance for Croatia. And, you know, no, i he does. i My thing is try him with shots, test him from the outside, because I think there's put him under pressure, not so much with maybe just diagonals or cross among the pressure. Yeah. Chuck Shelton famous under the put the goalkeeper under pressure, because I think if you you know should pepper him with shots,
00:12:04
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's he does have a mistake in it. I mean, he he is a good keeper. Don't get me wrong. But we have seen time and time again in important games. he can make absolute howlers, unforced ones. And also Kukorela left that actually played really, really well in this game. And I think he's also quite important in terms of the way he inverts and the way that he is tactically like in terms of joining in with the midfield and everything. I actually think he's he's actually, he doesn't get enough credit for that. But if we're talking strictly defensively,
00:12:34
Speaker
I mean, I've watched a lot of them in the Premier League. I mean, this guy, he's not a good defender. And they take that the centre backs as well. You know, I think that, you know, I think that what obviously going the other way, Spain are fantastic. They could blow you away easily before you've even had a chance.
Impact of Refereeing Decisions
00:12:51
Speaker
So, you know, yeah, the beginning of the opening 10, 15 minutes of that game is going to be very, very key. Italy cannot gift another goal in the opening minute. What is the shame is that rorie rogerrie could have well should have been sent off. um Once you give the penalty, that has to be a red. I mean, he he he he doesn't play the ball. He plays for the man. ah it should be a It should be a red card. The question is whether it was a penalty or not. And um and I see the debate there. some Some might say it was a penalty. Some might say it wasn't a penalty. But once you give that penalty, that has to be a red card for Roger and is our good old friend
00:13:26
Speaker
the dustbin man for a heart, ah Michael Oliver. and No surprise at all that he didn't give a didn't give a red card for that. he actually In September last year, he was paid to go to the the UAE by the owners of Manchester City. um so who who were there oh my god you would then yes yes they would then see they might they would then Man City were on the payroll in the league that have ties to them and of course he's the referee here so he's not going to send off a Manchester City player oh here we go just like all of his performances were Manchester City playing and and your yeah
00:14:03
Speaker
think I don't know where I'm coming from there. But so he should have been sent off for me. And and that would have been a massive, massive bloke but for Spain. This guy is this guy is class. I'm sorry. Like, I mean, he is fantastic he gets away with so many niggly fouls like he's like, well, it's a little bit like what Keleene used to do used to get away with them too. Because like, it's it's one thing about bending the rules and not breaking them. and I think he knows how to do it. It was like Mark van Baumel, Sergio Busquets, you know, Thiago Mozzo, like one of these kind of players that used to just do so many of these Nicholas Alves, he never gave him the rules without breaking them. And and and that's that's intelligence. I think that's a skill, to be honest with you. I know people talk about, you know, the dark arts and it's not dark arts. I think that's a skill to understand that you to know where the
00:14:50
Speaker
where you break the the the laws of the game for a foul but you stand you just bend them you go them that to me is a skill and I think the best players in the world know where that limit goes yeah um and I think he was and I think that he's very very good at that and I think that's part of the reason why he's such a pain in the butt to play. He is. He is. He's he's a magnificent player. um Just a quick, quick note on Croatia.
Croatia's Tactical Lessons
00:15:16
Speaker
Having watched them in that Portugal game, we expected a lot more from them. We were both a little bit scared. We were like, wow, these they still look like they've got it. But they see this is that so i mean I don't want to say to myself, we've still got a player. They suddenly looked old in this game. Old. They looked old. What disappointed me was how naive they were. You just don't expect that. i mean If you look at the first goal that Spain scored in this game, both fullbacks, Guevardiol and Stanisic, were basically playing as right and left wingers, way higher up the pitch and Croatia didn't even have barely had but they didn't even really have good possession of the ball at the time. It was kind of like an open duel.
00:15:50
Speaker
at the time and they charged up the pitch and they would look completely open at the back. And you could fit a London bus through the centre of the, through the centre for, for Morata to score. I mean, the naivety I thought was insane. I just don't, you just don't expect that from such an old and experienced Croatia team. No, it was one of those days where they just had a shit day. I mean, you just got to, sometimes players have that. I think it was just one of those days because nothing worked. and They didn't press as a unit. There was no structure. They just, and, and, and you know, Brozovic and Modric aren't getting any younger, so... And the attacker's just not good enough to... It's really not. And this is what I meant. Like, there are people coming at me saying, you know, at us saying, oh, what do you score? X amount of goals in the Bundesliga. Yeah, I saw that. A few people say, no, but Gudemir scored... Well, I'm sorry, but, you know, with all due respect, like, there are levels to, you know, there are levels to different leagues and some leagues are easier to score in than others. And that's just how it is.
00:16:49
Speaker
um when you know they They don't have the attack that they used to have, once upon a time. It's as simple as that. And and above all, the fact that they're playing Guardiola to the left, on the like they have problems wide. Croatia have problems wide. To be fair, to come back from the Man City play, Pei Kvadi are a left-back as well. That's a different kind of left-back. Personally, I would play him at centre-back. I would always play my strongest player. It's not exactly and play him a classic full-back at Man City, Izzy. I mean, they play a different style. Well, I would personally, I'd always play my strongest centre back, my strongest defender at centre back, especially for my centre back to Pong Vecic and the upper lad they got. So, super sick. I'm wondering, since you've got Perisic on the bench, why not just go to a back three and have, you know, play him as a wingback?
00:17:37
Speaker
you know Possibly, possibly. He did all right actually when he come on in Paris. Yeah. He did it did decent. Yeah. Okay. Well, this is a physical specimen Paris. I know he's not, I know he's getting a bit on a bit, but that like the way that he takes care of himself, the way that he can. Yeah. I mean, not just that even before that. I mean, after buying Munich, when he started going into this fitness cult, that lots of people get into and I called it cult because ah jokingly, like, the way he eats, the way he takes care of his body, the way, like he barely has an ounce of fat on his body. I mean, Bastonio, I remember Iinta was talking about, they asked him about Perisic and he said, yeah, I can't eat like he does. Like in order to look like Perisic and have that kind of those numbers and that for those fitness levels, you have to live and eat like he does and I can't do that. Like he he he literally has dedicated his life to being this fitness guy. And that's why he looks as good as he does. And so I'm thinking,
00:18:34
Speaker
given that you have problems in wide areas, why not play a back three, use pairs such as the wing back, um because at least you've mitigated the weaknesses you've got on the in the wide areas, which Croatia do have a problem, they really, really do.
Looking Ahead: Croatia vs Albania
00:18:49
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. um We hope they play like that against us, it didn't match day three. Yeah, I think I feel bad for Albania. Well, first of all, that game, the the the fans, I mean, um' it's such a shame they're not playing that game in 100,000-seater stadium, because the Croatian fans and the Albanian fans, like that like that the the sound and the like the the atmosphere is gonna be mad. um And I wish you could have as many people as possible at that game, because the i mean it was the Albanian fans in this game and the Croatian fans against Spain, like they were so many and they were so loud. And it's a part of, like it's Balkan football culture,
00:19:30
Speaker
is is cool when it's like we were like in turn oh that's another thing that it really did well actually was quiet in the quieting in there that that really really loud crowd and chiesa said they couldn't even hear yeah i know they couldn't even hear split that's what i'm saying croatia against albina is kind of be like it's going to be the best game for fans i think like in terms of atmosphere at the stadium it's going to be absolutely crazy i hope i'm not sure are they playing it but i hope they i wish they would have played it in berlin or something like the biggest stadium because it would be mental the atmosphere And, and, but I do feel bad. Like I do feel that Croatia are going to make Albania pay. I think they're going to go into that game, pissed off. And I think they're going to make Albania pay. yeah you Yeah, you'd expect a reaction from, from them. That's for sure.