Find your identity. After the painful draw in Sofia Cesare Prandelli launched a strong and clear diktat, which goes far beyond today's match against Malta. Hoping (and confident) that the Azzurri will bring back our smiles, let's try to analyze Mister Cesare's "new Italy", just at the beginning of the journey towards Brazil 2014.
Yes, because the European Championship marked the end of a first cycle, that of reconstruction after the rubble of the Lippi-bis; the balance was more than positive (but the defeat against Spain still doesn't go down), but now phase two begins, the most difficult one. Because between now and 2014 Prandelli will no longer be able to appeal to the country's patience, not after such a brilliant European Championship, not after more than two years of work, not on the path that leads to the most important football tournament in the world. The coach is perfectly aware that he has reached the halfway point, as demonstrated by the call-ups for these first two official matches. Compared to the expedition to Poland and Ukraine, there are 10 new faces, among which the Juventus player Giovinco, the AC Milan player Pazzini, the Roman players Osvaldo and Destro and the Neapolitan Insigne stand out. Not to forget the "Parisian" Verratti, the only real alternative to Andrea Pirlo. There are obviously just as many exclusions for so many innovations, and if for Balotelli it was an obligatory choice (the attacker underwent surgery to reduce his short-sightedness), this was not the case for Antonio Cassano.
The first real turning point in the new course is precisely the exclusion of the Inter player: someone says it was agreed, we understand that certain attitudes they had at the European Championship (artfully covered up by Casa Azzurri) have left their mark. For the first time in his career, the identity card does not play in Fantantonio's favor: his 30 years weigh heavily, even more if compared to Giovinco's 25 and Insigne's 21, young, strong players with their heads on their shoulders . On balance, the attack is undoubtedly the department that presents the most innovations, but in perspective, defense and midfield will also undergo various changes. The Turin player Ogbonna could enter the blue circuit on a permanent basis, as well as the Cagliari Astori, and who knows that even for the very young De Sciglio (Milan player born in '92) the doors of Coverciano may not open. In the middle of the field, however, all eyes are on Verratti, a more unique than rare case of an Italian overpaid by a foreign club without a single presence in Serie A. Ancelotti, however, speaks very well of him, as do Leonardo and Zeman, people who understand football in short: who knows if Italy hasn't really found an alternative to Pirlo!
Then evaluate the game system with which Prandelli will work: 4-3-1-2 (as in the previous two years and, probably, tonight) or 3-5-2 (as at the start of Euro 2012 and in Sofia)? The feeling is that Cesare will choose not to choose, because tactical flexibility will have to become the greatest quality of this "new Italy".
