Absence of second striker will seriously compromise defending champions Italy's attacking options
Absence of second striker will seriously compromise defending champions Italy's attacking options
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This doesn't mean the azzurri will be playing a man short for the tournament but merely that they have no-one whose natural game is as a second striker.
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| Alberto Gilardino |
What this means is that Italy's attacking options will be seriously compromised, likely making them a more predictable and less effective unit.
Coach Marcello Lippi has as good as admitted as much, telling his players that they will be building from a solid defensive foundation and informing the media that his probable tactics will be one lone striker backed up by nine outfield players who "run around and defend."
It is a major concern for the reigning world champions who arrive at the tournament with a dearth of quality frontmen.
For a team who have in the past called on the likes of Gianluca Vialli, Roberto Mancini, Roberto Baggio, Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero to lead their frontline, the current squad is a horribly poor shadow of teams past.
And that is no more so in evidence than up front.
The likes of Alberto Gilardino, Antonio Di Natale, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Giampaolo Pazzini and Fabio Quagliarella would barely be fit to lace up the boots of their illustrious predecessors.
Gilardino is many people's favourite to be asked to lead the line in South Africa, a job he was also given four years ago in Germany before losing his place at the business end of matters.
But Gilardino is a player who failed at AC Milan and lost his place to a pair of teenagers before moving to Fiorentina two years ago.
Di Natale has just finished a great season for Udinese with a stunning 29 goals in 35 Serie A games to finish capocanoniere, or top goalscorer.
But this season was a one off and he's been playing in a team fighting a relegation battle. He's more of a wide player than a forward and international defences won't be vulnerable to his talents.
Iaquinta meanwhile is a big targetman but if Gilardino is picked down the middle, he is likely to play out wide and out of position where he is much less effective. He brings neither flair nor an abundancy of goals to the table.
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