subject to typos or omissions...no balotelli??!!

[Gamma]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-c...888&ver=global

[Mosiah]

heh heh! Lazie screw up dis one as well?!

[Gamma]

he's good!!!

[Jangle]

I knew that they wouldn't include him. Italians are open racists.

[Mosiah]

maybe he'll rethink his other option?!?

[myYout]

Him will nevah play fi Ghana, Italy neighdah, ah fool dat. Pale will know weh fi duh wid him, Idiot.

[Me]

Why would they include Balotelli in the senior squad?

He has less goals than Quagliarella, Di Natale, Borriello, Gilardino and Pazzini.

If Antonio Cassano can't get into Italy's squad, there is no way anyone can justify a lesser talented, and just as indisciplined, Balotelli getting into the squad.

[Me]

Serie A Italian only scoring chart. If I was Miccoli, I would be quite upset about not being included.

Antonio Di Natale Udinese 28
Fabrizio Miccoli Palermo 19
Giampaolo Pazzini Sampdoria 18
Alberto Gilardino Fiorentina 15
Francesco Totti AS Roma 14
Marco Borriello AC Milan 14

[Peter R]

Interesting! all of that squad except Rossi play at home (in Italy)...

[Me]

Interesting! all of that squad except Rossi play at home (in Italy)...

Not many top Italian players leave their country and play elsewhere. Similar to the English squad and the Spanish teams (until the exodus to the EPL a couple years ago).

[Mosiah]

Is football all about stats now?!?

[Me]

Definitely not all about Stats. That is the Shola approach.

But if you want to talk about play on the field, then it is hard to justify Balotelli being in the squad given how much he gives away the ball and how little he works. And it would be hard to say why Italy's most talented forward, Cassano, and Miccoli (who was a terror against all teams this season) aren't in the squad. Both played much better than Balotelli this season. Both played better than Quagliarella (who is in the squad) this season. The stories behind them do not come with as much hype though.

[Lazie]

Definitely not all about Stats. That is the Shola approach.

But if you want to talk about play on the field, then it is hard to justify Balotelli being in the squad given how much he gives away the ball and how little he works. And it would be hard to say why Italy's most talented forward, Cassano, and Miccoli (who was a terror against all teams this season) aren't in the squad. Both played much better than Balotelli this season. Both played better than Quagliarella (who is in the squad) this season. The stories behind them do not come with as much hype though.

" Cassano, and Miccoli"

Miccoli I can agree with ... Cassano? I agree with Lippi on leaving him.

[Me]

" Cassano, and Miccoli"

Miccoli I can agree with ... Cassano? I agree with Lippi on leaving him.

I wouldn't have him in the squad because he is a madman and on his off days his bad playing throws off the entire team, but prior to him getting the news a couple months ago that he wasn't in Lippi's squad he was playing as well as anyone other forward in Serie A. when he got news he was left out, he went into one of his madman spells.

[Gamma]

are those all starters?