Italy Sucks

[BDS]

World Champion Italy is struggling in the early qualifying stages of Euro 2008. They drew 1-1 at home against Lithuania, and then lost to World Cup finalist France 3-1. They play Ukraine at home, and Georgia on the road this week.

Italy obviously has talent. But another bad week would put their qualification chances disastarously in doubt.

[livius drusus]

You suck! :glare:

[Legs]

:laugh:

[Stormlight]

World Champion Italy is struggling in the early qualifying stages of Euro 2008. They drew 1-1 at home against Lithuania, and then lost to World Cup finalist France 3-1. They play Ukraine at home, and Georgia on the road this week.

Italy obviously has talent. But another bad week would put their qualification chances disastarously in doubt.

They will qualify. Trust me. :italy:

[BDS]

They will qualify. Trust me. :italy:

They always do (or almost always). Still, they already have some ground to make up. Two teams from each group qualify: most people assumed that France and Italy would make it from Group B. The pretenders are the Ukraine (which qualified for the WC, and has won its only game to date in the group) and Scotland, which is 2-0-0.

In Italy’s favor, they have far more talent than either, and Andrei Sevchenko may miss the Italy-Ukraine game this weekend with the flu.

In other action, Spain (1-0-1 after a humiliating loss to Northern Ireland, and a ho hum win over Liechtenstein) plays undefeated Sweden. Standings and groups:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/group?league=uefa.euroq&stageId=uefa.euroq.group6.2008&cc=5739

Despite the win in the World Cup, Italian football is at an all time low. Inter is 0-0-2 in Champions’ League play, Milan 1-1-0 and Roma 1-0-1. So the overall Italian record is 2-1-3, which may not seem bad until compared to the other big Club Football Countries, Spain (4-1-1) and England (7-1-0).

p.s. Traditionally, football standings are written (w-d-l), instead of the American way of (w-l-t).

[Blake]

Yes, well, duh: game-fixing scandal, decimation of most of the major Italian clubs, etc. Italy hardly "sucks," they're struggling in a year when they have huge handicaps--not surprising.

[Stormlight]

And the real question is: Will Luxembourg win for the first time in 11 years today in Slovenia? :nope:

[BDS]

Cyprus destroyed Ireland 5-2, in the most shocking of Saturday’s results.

Italy won 2-0 (against Ukraine, at home). France lost 1-0 in Scotland, which is now 3-0-0. Italy, at 1-1-1 appears to be back on track, although if Scotland continues to play this well (highly unlikely though that may be), either Italy or France (2-0-1) may miss out. By the way, each team plays twelve games, so it's still early.

[BigBlue2]

Well, the last time Italy won the World Cup (1982) they failed to qualify for the European Championships that followed (Euro '84 in France). I still expect them to qualify for Euro '08, even though Scotland is 5 points in front of them. Italy need to get a move on, though, and cannot afford to lose too many more games.

[BDS]

Yes, well, duh: game-fixing scandal, decimation of most of the major Italian clubs, etc. Italy hardly "sucks," they're struggling in a year when they have huge handicaps--not surprising.

And who is to blame for Italian "handicaps"?

With a little luck, Italy will never make it to another major final until they change their tactics, and Italian clubs will reap what they have sewn. (I noticed Juventus is up to -4 points in Serie B, with a 4-1-0 record, along with their 17 point deduction.)

The last two World Cup finals in which Italy played produced a scintilating 240 minutes of goal-free soccer -- both being decided on penalties. I believe they are the only goalless World Cup finals in history.

(By the way, Italy only "sucks" by their own very high standards, of course.)

p.s. England sucks, too.

p.p.s. Spain is 1-0-2.

[Blake]

And who is to blame for Italian "handicaps"?Italian owners and referees--not players.

With a little luck, Italy will never make it to another major final until they change their tactics, and Italian clubs will reap what they have sewn.They're going to harvest fabric?

The last two World Cup finals in which Italy played produced a scintilating 240 minutes of goal-free soccer -- both being decided on penalties. I believe they are the only goalless World Cup finals in history.Call yourself a football fan (http://home.netvigator.com/~andrewshe/wcstatistics.html)? :duh:

[BDS]

Unfortunately, Italy looks like it is back on track after a 3-1 victory over Georgia, raising its record to 2-1-1.

The referees and owners DO appear complicit in the game-fixing scandal, but if you’ve read “The Miracle of Castel di Sangro” by Joe McGinnes, you’ll be aware that the players may not be totally innocent. Game fixing and bribery were seen as a standard, ordinary occurrence by many of the players McGinnes knew – and that was in Serie B.

Now we'll see if Inter can make a comeback in the Champion's league, where they are 0-0-2. Along with Chelsea, Barca and Real Madrid, Inter has the most talented team in the world, loaded with depth and quality (including ex-Juve signings Patrick Viera and Ibrahimovic). For some reason, though, they never win anything.

(OK, they ARE reigning Serie A champs, but they didn't win the championship - they were handed it after Juventus and Milan were DQed.)