europes-forgotten-men-header

By this point, the 2016-17 season is ramping up into full gear. Title races are beginning to formulate across Europe, while it is becoming evident which clubs are going to struggle to stay afloat in their respective divisions.

There have been spectacular goals, thrilling matches and wonderful skills; underdog success stories, bitter rivalries and managerial mastery.

But amid all the excitement, several top-level players have seen their careers stall, almost becoming forgotten about. Some previously heralded talents are now struggling to make matchday squads, let alone earn valuable game minutes.

Morgan Schneiderlin

Morgan Schneiderlin joined Manchester United from Southampton last summer in a £25 million move. The switch to Old Trafford was meant to be the Frenchman’s shot at the big time; it was supposed to signal his arrival among the elite.

But, instead, the 26-year-old former Saint has struggled to make any discernible impact in Manchester and rarely even enters the conversation over who should start for the Red Devils on a weekly basis.

Schneiderlin was signed by Louis van Gaal to sure up United’s midfield last season. Having impressed with Southampton on their rise from League One to the Premier League, becoming a full France international in the process, the former Strasbourg player was expected to add a degree of physicality and drive to the 20-time champions’.

He made a total of 29 Premier League appearances in his maiden Old Trafford campaign, but failed to truly influence games in the way he had at St. Mary’s Stadium.

This term, under José Mourinho, the 15-cap Les Bleus player has made just one league appearance – as a late substitute in the opening day win over Bournemouth – and frequently misses out on making the 18-man matchday squad.

If Schneiderlin has any hope of resurrecting his flagging United career, he needs to take full advantage of the few minutes he is afforded by stamping his authority on games as he is capable of. If not, a move away from Manchester could soon be on the cards.

Isco

Real Madrid midfielder Isco has found regular first-team football hard to come by since Zinedine Zidane took over at the Bernabéu in January.

The 2012 Goldon Boy award winner has found it hard to displace the impeccable pairing of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the Madrid midfield, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are understandably preferred in the wide attacking roles.

But just as talk of a possible January transfer away from the Spanish capital began to pick up speed – Tottenham Hotspur were thought to be readying a £30 million bid – Isco completed his first full 90 minutes since April in Los Blancos’ 6-1 victory over Real Betis.

The gifted midfielder scored twice and generally performed to the level of his early Real Madrid career, forcing Zidane to once again consider the former Malaga man as a genuine regular.

With Modric injured, Isco started again last weekend as Madrid edged out Athletic Club 2-1 at the Bernabéu. His seventh-minute assist for Karim Benzema to open the scoring means that the 24-year-old has now set up more goals that any Madrid player since 2013.

Isco’s lack of playing time had seen him miss out of Spain’s Euro 2016 squad, but with the player apparently recovering form, La Roja coach Julen Lopetegui will be counting on him for the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure is arguably one of the greatest and most important players in Manchester City’s history. Signed from Barcelona in 2010, he was the driving force behind their 2011-12 Premier League title win. Two years later, he scored 20 league goals to wrap up another championship success for the Citizens.

But since that phenomenal campaign, in which he was crowned the club’s player of the year, Toure’s influence has steadily faded.

Since Pep Guardiola took the reins at the Etihad this summer, the Ivory Coast midfielder has not played a single minute of Premier League football.

The 33-year-old’s only appearance this term came in the Champions League qualifier defeat of Steaua Bucharest.

The former Monaco star was linked with a summer move to Internazionale, but no such switch materialised. After a fallout with Guardiola over criticism of the coach from the player’s agent, there appears no way back for Toure at City, and a January transfer may be the only solution to get his career up and running again.

Cesc Fabregas

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has only started one Premier League game this season under new manager Antonio Conte.

Fabregas moved to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2014, signing from Barcelona in a €33 million deal. The former Arsenal man was a key figure in José Mourinho’s title winning side that season, scoring three goals and registering an impressive tally of 18 assists in 34 appearances.

He was unable to replicate this kind of form last season, though, as Chelsea failed to mount a serious defence of their Premier League crown.

Conte’s recent switch to a 3-4-3 formation has seen the Italian coach opt for the more physically imposing and tactically disciplined pairing of N’Golo Kanté and Nemanja Matic in central midfield, with Fabregas on the sidelines.

At 29, Fabregas still has plenty of miles left on his clock at the highest level. But with no natural position within Chelsea’s new system, a move away from Stamford Bridge may be required.

In what would be the surprise switch of the January transfer window, Manchester City are reportedly eying a £20 million move for Fabregas, with Pep Guardiola keen to reunite with the midfielder he signed for Barcelona in 2011.

About the author – Ryan Baldi

Ryan is a Midlands based freelance sports writer specialising in European football. He has been fascinated with the continental game ever since he was presented with his first football kit at the age of 7 whilst on holiday in Spain – a Barcelona shirt with ‘Romario 10’ printed on the back. A contributor to numerous footballing websites, Ryan has also covered martial arts for local and national print publications.

Twitter:  @RyanBaldiEFB

PLAY SOCCER MANAGER NOW

Share this article:

Giampiero-Ventura

Italy delivered the first truly stunning performance of Euro 2016, upsetting the odds to secure a well-worked 2-0 victory over Belgium on Group E’s opening night. Few, including Italian pundits and fans, saw the result coming. Antonio Conte had selected an ageing squad with little by way of star names but, despite widespread criticism of his squad choices, his tactics were perfect.

He then led the Azzurri to another win, this time over Sweden in their second game, to ensure progress as group winners. A much changed team lost to Ireland in the final group game. The Azzurri then outclassed Spain in the last sixteen before losing to World Champions Germany on penalties.

Italy’s performance in this summer’s championships has been better than expected, Conte is no longer the national team head coach; now that Italy’s tournament is over, he will move to London to take charge of Chelsea. His replacement will be Giampiero Ventura.

The 68-year-old’s name is not one that many outside of Italy will recognise, but he is hugely experienced and highly thought of in his home country. In short, there are plenty of reasons for the Azzurri to be excited about the future under Ventura’s auspices.

Tactical continuity in the post-Conte era

Perhaps the primary positive regarding Ventura’s appointment is that he is likely to build on a number of the tactical themes laid down by Conte. This is because the two coaches, whilst having vastly different levels of experience, are of a similar mindset.

Ventura, like Conte, is flexible when it comes to the basic shape he opts to utilise, something former Azzurri boss Cesare Prandelli commented on last October in an interview with Calciomercato, saying: “I love those coaches who can adapt their principles to the qualities of the players they have at their disposal, and it’s why I believe that the best coach in Italy today is Giampiero Ventura.”

Ventura also has similar preferences to the incumbent Italy coach; both men have experimented with a rather unique 4-2-4 shape in the past, but have settled more recently on the 3-5-2. This is the system in which Italy have operated at Euro 2016, and it is the system Ventura has used to good effect with Torino in the past three seasons.

He has organised the Granata side to circulate the ball effectively in the build-up between the three defenders and one defensive midfielder, while the outer central midfielders push up to support attacks as well as to apply pressure to opposition full-backs. The two wing-backs have often included one on the opposite side to their favoured foot, allowing them to drive inward and create overloads, while up front Ventura has tended to opt for one physical centre forward to lead the line, while another striker whirs behind and beyond.

This setup is extremely similar to that which Conte has used with Italy this summer. Consequently, the players should be well versed in Ventura’s principal tactical layout when he takes charge later this year.

Azzurri’s exciting future

One aspect of Ventura’s management that will particularly excite Italian football fans is his proclivity for blooding young players and giving opportunities to the untested. With Torino he was responsible for rejuvenating the careers of Matteo Darmian, Alessio Cerci and Ciro Immobile, all of whom went on to earn call-ups to the Azzurri and moves to Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund respectively.

He also worked wonders to turn around Kamil Glik’s fortunes; the Pole led his country’s defensive line expertly at Euro 2016. Additionally, the likes of Davide Zappacosta and Marco Benassi earned call-ups to Italy’s pre-Euro training camp having developed under Ventura’s tutelage.

This faith in youngsters and undervalued players is something that should allow the former Torino coach to instigate a change in Italy’s selection policy. While Conte has been conservative with his call-ups, Ventura may begin to mine the Azzurri’s youthful riches that Conte claims do not exist.

That talent pool includes 17-year-old Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, 21-year-old centre-backs Daniele Rugani and Alessio Romagnoli, 24-year-old regista Jorginho and 21-year-old forward Domenico Berardi, among others.

How Ventura’s Italy might line up at the 2018 World Cup

With such promise at his disposal, it is enticing to consider who may start for Italy should they qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia under Ventura’s guidance. He is known for his adaptability, which means that, while the 3-5-2 is popular right now, he could be open to changing that in order to maximise the qualities of his players.

Conte has occasionally opted for a 4-3-3 shape during his stint in charge and Ventura would be wise to do the same; this system allows Italy to make use of the high quantity of good wingers and inside forwards available at present.

38-year-old goalkeeping icon Gianluigi Buffon has confirmed that he will retire after the 2018 World Cup, meaning he is likely to keep his place between the sticks. In front of him, time is running out for the 35-year-old Andrea Barzagli and 32-year-old Giorgio Chiellini, though the latter could continue his partnership with Leonardo Bonucci going forward, with Rugani and Romagnoli as able deputies.

Alessandro Florenzi is, at 25 years old, maturing into a fine attack-minded full-back. His energy, tenacity and crossing capability make him a good long-term option for the right-back spot, though he will face competition from Darmian, who is only one year older. The Manchester United man could also compete for the left-back berth, though Bologna’s 22-year-old Adam Masina has shown real potential in this position.

Marco Verratti may have missed out on Euro 2016 through injury but at 23 he remains integral to his country’s footballing future, while Claudio Marchisio, still only 30, can also play a part going forward. Jorginho can be the deep-lying playmaker Italy are in need of as Andrea Pirlo settles into his late-30s, perhaps entertaining thoughts of retirement, while Benassi and Juventus’ Stefano Sturaro could inject dynamism in midfield.

On either side of the front three, Ventura will have a wealth of options to pick from, including Berardi, Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Insigne, Stephan El Shaarawy and Giacomo Bonaventura. All are under the age of 26. And, up front, he may choose to call on Andrea Belotti, with the 22-year-old showing mobility, positional awareness and improved finishing in his debut season with Torino.

On the back of some good opening displays at Euro 2016, Italy’s present situation is good. But, with Ventura in charge and a talented crop of young stars making their way through the ranks, the future could be exceptional.

About the author – Blair Newman

Blair is a freelance football writer with experience of working for some well known publications, including FourFourTwo, Squawka and Bleacher Report. His main passions are Italian football and football tactics, and he also takes a keen interest in major European leagues and international football in general.

twitter: @TheBlairNewman

PLAY SOCCER MANAGER NOW

Share this article:

Crumbling-Italian-Foobtall

Juventus’ unrepentant dominance of Italian football continued this season as the Turin giants stormed to their fifth straight Scudetto. Despite only picking up 15 points from their first 11 league games, Juve won the title at a canter and have only conceded six Serie A goals in 2016, a sensational defensive achievement.

The concern for Italian football is this, their 2015/16 Scudetto may well be the closest they have been pushed since the first of the five – when AC Milan were still considered genuine title challengers. As much as Juventus should be applauded for this, the fact they have changed managers, lost players and failed to compete significantly in Europe reflects badly on the rest of Serie A. When Allegri replaced Conte it was considered as the chance for Napoli, Roma and Internazionale to push the door open. Unfortunately, the door was only left ajar briefly and the Turin giants have resumed their monopolisation of the Scudetto. Losing Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez has not even dampened Juventus’ assault on Italian football.

Juventus’ Champions League final appearance last season was a sign that Allegri might finally be converting their Serie A dominance into European success, but a succession of tough draws have meant that this five year winning streak is yet to be rewarded with the ultimate prize in European football. Italian football is not what it was in the 90s, players do not clamour for a move to the top clubs and the corruption scandal is still hanging over the country’s game. As good as Juve are, the fact that they have faced no regular, head-to-head competitor over this period of time is a damning reflection of the weakness of the league.

Whilst the national team continues to fluctuate in their performances, Serie A is slipping out of contention and is firmly behind the Bundesliga, Premier League and La Liga when it comes to the European footballing hierarchy. It speaks volumes that a side as unstoppably dominant as Juventus are struggling to keep their stars; with Dybala and Paul Pogba both consistently linked with moves to other clubs of the European elite.

You have to trawl back to 2011/12 to find the last time a team other than Juventus made the quarter-finals of the Champions League – when AC Milan were eliminated by Barcelona. Two Italian sides made the Europa League semis in 2014/15, but both were defeated. Their European struggles show how far Italian football has slipped off the pace and this is just being extenuated by the dominance of the Old Lady. Players who may already be sceptical of a move to Serie A are just going to be further deterred when they realise that even a move to Napoli or Roma does not mean you will even come close to the title.

Under Antonio Conte records regularly tumbled for Juve. In 2011-12 they became the first Serie A side to complete a league season unbeaten whilst their 2013-14 Scudetto saw them accumulate the most points ever, 102. Success for a club on such a scale is usually met with plaudits, met with adulation and even European dominance. Seldom are their rivals questioned, or the league brought in to question. There is no reason to change anything just to stop one team winning, but such a prolonged period of significant trophy-collecting is going to rapidly damage Italian football as a whole. Their rivals clearly must take some blame. Both Inter and AC Milan have stumbled into the ‘sleeping giant’ category, as Napoli have seen their brilliant squad of 2011-13 picked apart and age rapidly, even the prolific Gonzalo Higuain can’t carry Partenopei towards a substantial title challenge.

It might take a disappointing Euros this summer – after their group elimination in at the 2014 Brazil World Cup – to awaken Italian football. There is not always a correlation between a strong national league and a formidable national team, but it often helps. The current Juventus squad only features a smattering of Italians, it is a matter of time until we see the impact this has on Antonio Conte’s fate at Euro 2016.

Five consecutive Scudettos is astonishing, it is the sort of achievement that would have made a team go down in the history books. However, the failings in Europe and weaknesses of Juve’s opponents somewhat undermine their domestic achievements. It may take a mass exodus of the Old Lady’s stars to reignite Serie A.

About the author- Sam Cox

Sam is a writer who is a regular with Football FanCast and has featured on uMAXit, Collossus bets and Late Tackle.

twitter: @10InTheHole

PLAY SOCCER MANAGER NOW

Share this article:

The-Transfer-Plans-For-Last-Seasons-Top-Four

To varying degrees, each of the clubs from last season’s Premier League top four have experienced a disappointing 2015-16 campaign. Champions Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United have all fallen short of pre-season expectations, which means we can expect change this summer. Managerial changes have already been confirmed for Chelsea and City, with the appointments of Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola respectively. And many fans of Arsenal and United are hoping for a similar overhaul at their own clubs.

With the influx of cash generated by the new Premier League TV deal, coupled with the scorn of this season’s underachievement, we can also expect major surgery to each club’s playing staff, with no expense spared.

Champions Chelsea have fallen furthest, recovering from early season relegation form – which saw José Mourinho given his walking papers in December – just enough to clamber up to mid-table under veteran Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. Billionaire owner Roman Abramovic will not be taking his club’s failure to qualify for European competition lightly, and will likely arm his incoming Italian coach with a hefty budget to overhaul the squad.

Despite the change of manager, the Blues are being linked with a pair of familiar faces in Everton duo John Stones and Romelu Lukaku. England defender Stones was subject of Chelsea’s affection last summer under Mourinho, with Everton rejecting their £40m bid. It now seems that, despite the absence of Mourinho, Stones is still very much a wanted man at Stamford Bridge. And Lukaku, of course, will be no stranger to Chelsea fans as he previously played for the club following a £16.5m move from Anderlecht as a teenager in 2011. The big Belgian never got a fair chance in the Chelsea first-team and was shipped out on loan before being sold to Everton for £28m two seasons ago. If widespread reports are to be believed, the hard-nosed Conte wants to give Lukaku another shot, and is willing to pay £60m to do so.

With a striker and a centre-back identified as targets, that would give the impression that Diego Costa and out-of-contract captain John Terry may be surplus to requirements. Both players have plenty still to offer but with Costa’s ability to attract controversy and Terry’s advancing years, Conte may feel that the time is right to refresh things.

It is also thought that Conte will want midfield re-enforcements, and that he’ll look to the familiar surroundings of Serie A for answers. Roma pair Radja Nainggolan and Miralem Pjanic are believed to be high on his wish list.

Manchester City were runners-up, and many people’s tip to regain the Premier League trophy following a £130m investment in squad improvements. But, despite a one-year contract extension for manager Manuel Pellegrini, the former Malaga boss appeared a lame duck amid speculation that Pep Guardiola was to usurp his position next season — speculation that has since been confirmed.

City’s squad is not in an obvious state of disrepair. And aside from central defence, where almost £70m has been spent on Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi in the last two seasons, with little return – City’s is a squad that would require only a minor tweaking to get them firing again.

But Guardiola will want to shape City in his image. Despite an abundance of athletic, technically proficient midfielders, Guardiola will want to fill the centre of the park with master-passers, capable of executing his brand of attacking artistry.

For that, it seems he has earmarked Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gündogan. The 25-year-old German playmaker possesses the requisite skill on the ball and passing acumen to bring Guardiola’s City vision to life.

In addition to Gündogan, Guardiola is also likely to want a ball-playing centre-back, and a midfield pivot in the mould of his former Barcelona charge Sergio Busquets. It is believed that a tug-of-war for John Stones may ensue between City and Chelsea, although City are also known admirers of Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte, and retain their interest despite the young Frenchman breaking his ankle on international duty recently.

With Busquets not for sale, and Guardiola claiming he will not raid the Bayern team he is leaving behind, the search for an ideal pivot may prove tricky. Another Dortmund player, 20-year-old Julian Weigl, would be an ideal fit with the way he has conducted the BVB orchestra from deep this season. But Weigl is relatively inexperienced, this being his first season of top-flight football, and Dortmund will be reticent to sanction the sale of a second key midfielder in one summer.

In terms of league position, it looks like Arsenal will finish exactly where they were least season: fourth. But this season will be remembered as a huge opportunity missed for the Gunners. With the rest of the top four tripping over their shoelaces for most of the campaign, this was Arsenal’s big chance to step up and claim their first title in 12 years. But alas, despite sitting top in January, the Premier League trophy seems beyond their grasp as we approach the final stages of the season.

Planning ahead in the transfer market is key to success on Soccer Manager.

So where can Arsenal improve in order to make a real challenge next season? They finally sorted the goalkeeper position last summer by recruiting Petr Cech from Chelsea, but Wenger’s failure to sign a single outfield player until Mohamed Elneny came in in January, has cost Arsenal dearly.

They need a striker capable of 30 goals. Olivier Giroud is a solid centre-forward, and will always score his fair share, but his is not the sort of world-class option Arsenal can pin their hopes on. They were strongly linked with moves for Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuaín last summer, both of which, at the time, seemed fanciful. But following a season of off-field controversy, maybe Real Madrid would be more willing to listen to offers for their French striker this time around. And Higuaín has had a phenomenal season with Napoli, netting 30 Serie A goals, but after three seasons in Naples, maybe the Argentinian would be open to change this summer.

Arsenal also need a reliable centre-back to partner Laurent Koscielny. Per Mertesacker, though vastly experienced, can be exposed by strikers with pace, and Gabriel Paulista is a decent back-up option. Perhaps someone along the lines of Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk would represent a good option. Having had a year to acclimatise to the Premier League, the former Celtic player could add an assuredness to the Arsenal backline.

Manchester United currently sit fifth in the table, having finished fourth last season. The top four is not beyond their reach, but those already occupying the Champions League-qualifying spaces look reluctant to budge.

Whether Dutch manager Louis van Gaal is allowed to see out the final year of his contract, or whether the myriad rumours are to be believed and José Mourinho will be in charge next season, remains to be seen. But either way, United could use some squad improvements.

Despite spending £250m on incomings over the past two years, United’s squad still has holes. Daley Blind has coped admirably as a make-shift centre-back, but the former Ajax player is much better suited to a left-back or midfield role. Like Chelsea and City, United are thought to be weighing up an offer for John Stones, with the idea being that he could form a lasting partnership for club and country with Chris Smalling.

One of United’s foremost priorities this summer will be to hold on to David de Gea. The Spanish goalkeeper has developed into arguably the world’s best in his position over the last three years, and the Red Devils will have to fend off interest from Real Madrid.

A player strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford, with many European press outlets claiming a deal is already in place, is Benfica’s Renato Sanches. The 18-year-old box-to-box midfielder broke into the first-team at the Estádio da Luz earlier this season and has been a fixture ever since. Though still very raw – his short passing game needs refinement – the young Portuguese possesses the kind of energy and drive that has been lacking from United’s midfield for several years.

Whether or not United feel the need to sign a striker this summer depends how much they are willing to rely on 18-year-old Marcus Rashford next season. Rashford has been outstanding since bursting onto the scene in United’s Europa League triumph over Midtjylland in February, but it may be wise to bring in an experienced head to take some of the pressure off the still-developing Englishman. Zlatan Ibrahimovic may be the perfect solution. The 34-year-old Swede is out of contract at the end of the season and has already hinted that his future may lie in the Premier League. The main caveat being that the PSG striker does not see eye-to-eye with van Gaal, so a switch to Old Trafford would likely have to be preceded by Mourinho being appointed manager.

About the author – Ryan Baldi

Ryan is a Midlands based freelance sports writer specialising in European football. He has been fascinated with the continental game ever since he was presented with his first football kit at the age of 7 years old whilst on holiday in Spain – a Barcelona strip with ‘Romario 10’ printed in the back. A contributor to numerous footballing websites, Ryan has also covered martial arts for local and national print publications.  Ryan’s musing on European football can be found here  www.theeurofootballblog.wordpress.com and you can find him on twitter: @RyanBaldiEFB.

PLAY SOCCER MANAGER NOW

Share this article:

Italy-Tactics

Up 2-1 and with a foot in the door of qualifying for the European Championship next summer, he knew his side could not throw away this opportunity. Indeed, a win in his team’s last two matches would be enough to qualify.

He wanted to finish the job that night however.

With an interception and powerful strike by Matteo Darmian to make it 3-1 over Azerbaijan, Antonio Conte exulted like a madman, embracing his coaching staff in a huddle. Italy were through to Euro 2016. The hard part was over.

Firstly, credit has to be given to the coach for extending the Azzurri’s unbeaten record to 50 qualifying matches, which incredibly stretches back to 2006.

But when the emotional high of qualifying fades away, one can begin to analyse the past year under the ex-Juventus boss with a clear mind.

What has worried Azzurri supporters more than anything else are the tactics, selections and decisions made by Conte during the past year and his stubbornness to implement change.

Drawn in a group that included Croatia, Norway, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, and Malta, Italy finished first with 24 points.

At first glance, the country’s results seem overwhelmingly positive. However, the manner in which the matches were won has sparked some initial cause for concern among supporters.

Even with formation changes from a 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3 and now 4-4-2/4-2-4, dull, unimaginative play has characterised this current Italy side and watching their fixtures has become something of a chore.

Their style of play has lacked invention and excitement going forward and Italy have had to grind out results in nearly every game, yet to properly convince the Azzurri faithful.

A big issue Conte has failed to address is the glaring lack of creativity in attack for the Azzurri. Preferring substance over style, chances have been hard to come by and his side have been short of a couple of players to spark the attack while also linking midfield.

Over the past year creative player types like Lorenzo Insigne and Franco Vazquez have been shoved aside in place of more physical figures to Conte’s liking, without a clear indication why.

With his side struggling to create chances in open play, uninspiring displays have become the norm.

Ciro Immobile and Simone Zaza started in the first four of five qualifiers but now Graziano Pelle and Eder seem to have won the coach over, with Antonio Candreva and Stephan El Shaarawy also finding regular minutes under the 46-year-old.

Having found pairings to his liking, Conte has been stubborn to change, and has not done enough to shuffle a stale attack that is lacking invention and unpredictability.

While narrowly getting by teams of lower calibre may have been alright in the qualifying phase, the question begs what will happen come Euro 2016 when Italy face sides that will allow just a couple of chances per game such as Spain, Germany or host nation France?

Although Conte has cited the small pool of Italians available for national team selection, he has failed to call upon the country’s best players and properly integrate new attacking talent in his starting XI.

Regarding player selection, supporters have been frustrated and puzzled by the lack of consistency in Conte’s word. While the 46-year-old has claimed playing time remains the most important factor when making decisions, he has called up various players that are not recording regular minutes for their clubs and or aren’t in great form to begin with.

Additionally, various talented players that have found less minutes at their clubs won’t make Conte’s squad, using his ruling to justify their absence.

The result? It has become clear the 46-year-old seems to bend his rule for some players but not others. He’s made it clear who his favourites are while also preferring players who will be run into the ground to make up for their lower levels of skill.

In Conte’s recent call-ups for friendlies against Belgium and Romania, many in-form players have been surprisingly excluded while the 46-year-old also missed the opportunity to try out emerging talents. These include Riccardo Saponara, Jorginho, Daniele Baselli, Davide Zappacosta, and Vazquez.

These next two matches serve the primary purpose of assessing different players but unfortunately out-of-form figures in Candreva, Mattia De Sciglio, Alessio Cerci, and Simone Zaza have been called up instead.

Azzurri fans can only hope Conte can construct a starting XI over the next few months with improved attacking play and hungry new faces.

Fortunately, we’re many months away from the final deadline. All we can do is wait and see.

About the author – Matthew Amalfitano

Freelance football writer. Work published by FourFourTwo, the Independent, Betfair, beIN Sports USA, Squawka and others.

twitter: _MattFootball

PLAY SOCCER MANAGER 2016 NOW

Share this article: