Italy bank on flying full-backs and Luca Toni
power
Up for grabs: Luca Toni's height will be key
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Italy struggled to get through to today's
quarter-final after disappointing against Holland and Romania. But
after beating France there are signs they can trouble Spain,
particularly with their direct style. They may not be as pleasing
on the eye or technically proficient but they will pose problems
for the Spanish.
Italy's reliance on Luca Toni
Coach Roberto Donadoni's game plan is based around the
physical presence of centre-forward Luca Toni. Since his regular
inclusion, Italy have transformed themselves into a very direct
team with little of the fluid passing associated with the AC Milan
side of recent years. Whether they are hitting balls out of
defence, aiming set plays towards him or crossing from deep areas,
he is the focal point of all their attacking play.
Toni has been criticised for poor finishing at this
tournament, and having seen him play only sporadically prior to
Euro 2008, I felt he was cumbersome and short on quality.
However, I think he has been unfairly judged because,
although he has squandered chances, he has shown himself to be more
mobile, intelligent and technically gifted than I gave him credit
for. Indeed, not only does he hold up play when the ball is hit
towards him, but he also has the mobility to run behind defenders.
Yet his main strength is getting his head to crosses. He may not
have scored in this tournament yet, but most of Italy's goal
attempts have come as a direct result of his aerial prowess. With
Spain's centre-backs not being dominant headers of the ball, expect
Italy to use Toni even more.
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All three goals Spain have conceded have come from poor
defending following crosses or being outmuscled by a big
centre-forward.
Who will supply Toni with crosses?
As in the World Cup two years ago, the full-backs are a
key element in Italy's attack. Italy do not play with width in
midfield or up front and therefore more reliance is put on the
full-backs getting forward at every opportunity.
With Christian Panucci playing at centre-half,
following injuries to other defenders, Donadoni has been forced to
pair Fabio Grosso and Gianluca Zambrotta in the full-back
positions. Both are better attacking players than they are
defenders and their ability to get forward at pace will cause the
Spaniards difficulties.
Spain, like Italy, have not played with wingers in the
tournament and that will suit Grosso and Zambrotta, because their
path forward will not be blocked until they get into more advanced
areas.
Combine that with Toni's ability in the air and Italy's
obsession with crossing the ball as early as possible and we could
see both sides reaching double figures for attempted crosses,
albeit from deeper positions.
Who will partner Toni up front?
Alessandro Del Piero, Antonio Di Natale, Mauro
Camoranesi and Simone Perrotta have all tried to give Toni support
from withdrawn positions. But in the last game and late on against
Romania, it was Antonio Cassano who had the greatest effect.
There is a trend for the second centre-forward to play
in a semi-wide position, and that is how Cassano plays for
Sampdoria and Italy. He is unpredictable both in the quality of his
play and his on-pitch behaviour, yet he has the ability to unlock
defences with sublime passing angles and exceptional ball
manipulation.
He will constantly pick up the ball 10 yards in from
the left flank, cut infield on to his favoured right foot and
either cross delicately for Toni or reverse balls back into the
area he has vacated for the overlapping Grosso. However, he doesn't
always put himself in scoring positions, and if he is included
there will be a greater onus on Perrotta to feed off Toni's
knock-downs.
How will Italy cope without suspended pair
Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso?
Gattuso is not as much of a loss as Pirlo. While
Gattuso's energy can be replicated, Pirlo's vision and technical
ability cannot. Statistics show that Pirlo's passing success rate
is extremely high, but the more remarkable fact is that a good
percentage of those have been long passes towards Toni.
While many other players hit hopeful balls to their big
centre-forward, Pirlo passes with precision and guile. I expect
Daniele De Rossi and Massimo Ambrosini to occupy the holding
midfield positions, with Perrotta playing further forward.
All three will give Italy stability and energy but none
can open up defences with imagination. That is why the full-backs
plus forwards Cassano and Toni are key to breaking down Spanish
resistance.
