🤔 New Italy XI: Who is a guaranteed starter?

Football Italia

New Italy XI: Who Is a Guaranteed Starter?

On the Football Italia Show, Adam Summerton and Lorenzo Bettoni discuss Italy’s emerging XI. They see Donnarumma, Bastoni, Scalvini, Calafiori, Kayode and Tonali as the safer starting bets, with both wide roles still open and Esposito as the preferred centre forward; the broader point is that Italy should build a strong team rather than wait for world-class individuals.

✅ Subscribe To The Channel for More Videos: / / footballitalia ✅ Important Links: 👉 Website: https://football-italia.net/ 🔥 TNT Sports commentator Adam Summerton joins Lorenzo Bettoni in the latest episode of the Football Italia Show to examine Italy's XI going forward, highlight the players expected to have a guaranteed starting spot in the medium-to-long term, and discuss the roles up for grabs. DON'T FORGET that you can join the conversation with your comments and thoughts and by answering the polls in this video! ✅ Stay Connected With Us: 👉Instagram: / @gazzettafootballitalia 👉 (X)Twitter: https://x.com/footballitalia

Transcript

Welcome back to the Football Italia channel. Uh it's the last video of the international break and I will discuss today with a very special guest uh which players have a guaranteed spot in the Italy squad and uh which other roles, which other position are up for grabs. Let's find out. [music] As I told you, special guest today, it's Adam Summerton. Ciao, Adam. Hi. How you doing, Lorenzo? Nice to see you. >> All good. All good. Nice to see you, too. Thanks for coming on. It's always nice when you have you uh here on the Football Italia channel. We had the very first video today talking about Manchini actually more than a month before he was appointed. It was the very first show here on the Football Italia channel. >> Uh lot of things have happened in the meantime. We were together during the Pil Maldini crisis. We followed everything together with you. Today we focus on the first four games of the second Manchini era because I think we've got some important signals coming from the Aduri coming from the system that Manini wants to use and the players that would rely on. So let's start taking a look at the option that Manchini has and what we've learned in terms of in terms of lineup um in the last four games. We can skip the goalkeeper, right? >> I think so. Yeah, [laughter] >> it's a shame because we got a lot of options, but we can skip the golf. >> Isn't it amazing that they've gone Italy from one generational talent in Buffon almost seamlessly to another in in Don Roma? I mean, that doesn't that's not it's pretty rare, isn't it, to go from two to go from one goalkeeper of that caliber to another. It's amazing really. So, they've been quite fortunate in that respect. But yeah, he uh particularly the first half against Belgium, he was very busy, wasn't he? But yeah, just a wonderful talent. Yeah. >> Yeah. One of really one of the best players in the break. Always feels like it's it's even a bit underrated sometimes. We take it for granted, but top goalkeeper, one of the best in the world, if not the best, [music] one of the biggest talking point. I think we go with the defense. Um I have noted down two names Bastoni and Calafiori as those who I will see playing regularly and having a regular spot um in the 11 of the duri going forward. Do do you agree with that? Do you see any other uh player in here who is going to have a guaranteed spot? you know, just just to talk about Bastoni quickly with all the sort of, if I can put it, PR problems he's had, you know, over the last six months and how it uh went for him in the in the final international under Gatuzo. Is wasn't it nice to see that sort of it looked like the the weight of the world had come off his shoulders really? And I think you could say that with quite a lot of the Italy players. What Manchini's done in this block of internationals, particularly since the first half against Belgium, is he seems to have worked done a lot of work both as a tactician, but also as a almost like a psychologist really to to get freedom of that anxiety. Um, make them play with more freedom and I think he's been a big symbol of that actually, Baston, the way that he's played and he's looked like the player that we know that he is as well. Um, so I think that's great and I agree with you that I think he should be um a nailed on place in the uh 11 really whether it's a back four or or a back three. I mean it's going to be predominant you would think about four under Manchini but and I really like Scalini alongside him. I'm so glad that Scalini is is keeping his fitness now because I think that Italy have got an absolutely wonderful talent. I mean, I've been saying this for for a long long time um about Scalvini and it's been such a shame that he's had the injuries that he's had, but I think they have an exceptional talent in Scalvini. I mean, I I think now that I've seen I'd seen enough really at club level to suggest that Kaye could nail down that right back spot and now I've seen him playing in the senior side, um it just underlines and confirms that to me. I love the way that he provided that width as well. And in that 4-33 system that Manini likes to play, obviously normally it would be the the wingers providing the width, but the the way he was quite pragmatic in so many ways during this set of internationals was that he got the width, didn't he, from the full backs um in in many aspects. So I really like the way that Coyote played. Pstra is another option at right back. I mean, if you think with those two, they could have the right back position nailed tab for like a decade or more, couldn't they with just those two alone. I mean, Pstra could play on the left as well. So, um, yeah, I mean, Califf Fury could play in central defense, too. So, this is the thing as well, Lorenzo. I don't know about you, but what's really struck me is how quickly suddenly we look at Italy and think there's loads of options. There's there's so many options with young players being given a chance. There's under 21s who could come through. It's uh it's really exciting for me the Italy squad right now. >> Yeah. [snorts] And talking about Bastoni, you remember there were doubt. So when he was able to play uh in a four-man defense rather than in a three-man defense where he spent uh >> practically all his career um with um with Inter and I think the answers that he gave besides uh what you rightly said about the you know coming back to play for Italy national team again after months of criticism after all that's gone through um on and off the pitch um especially after that red card um against Bosnia and on the one side he showed great personality. It's something we discussed yesterday on the fact that new leaders are starting to emerge in this team which Italy also need. uh but also the technical side of things where he showed that there is actually hey an excellent option the best option Italy still have even with the full defense and I agree with you based on what we see we saw in this break probably the uh best performances defensively came with Scandin rather than with um than with Manchini of Roma yet there are a few options Italy have um think about for example Javan Leone of Liverpool who we've been waiting to I mean he he's resumed training these days uh after his his knee injury last season so there are options that Italy can have based on what we saw I think Scalvini is slightly safer option than Manchini and then is interesting what Manchini the coach said regarding and did regarding center backs because Scopola for example started the first game against Belgium and then didn't feature again two um center backs Gillardi and Kuadio were given the first collapse were pulled up and were potential debutants but they didn't actually uh played even for a minute. So Manchini has trusted a limited numbers number of center backs but there are many who are um and I'm thinking especially of of Javanni Leoni who are will be pushing to to get their spots and to get their their opportunity because still think there's lots to baston vacant but Scalvin is the best place for now um to feel that and regarding Kyod and Pestra it's something that emerged on Italian media even after the first game against Tuki. I think it's clear now that Kyote if Palestra is not around, Kyod has to be the starter for international team. I think now it's clear to everybody. Um last March it was Pstra's time because Kayod remain home and uh and and Pstra was given his debut uh with with Gatuzo in charge. I still think that there was room for both of them [laughter] and uh it both could have made the team in uh in March. It didn't happen unfortunately. It went another way, but uh it's two strong options and perhaps um in some games where you have to be maybe sometimes more defensive, you could still have room to play both of them, one as a right winger and and one as a right back. They're both roles that covered in their career. >> Um especially because this is something we'll discuss later on. >> We're desperate for wingers. But let's go with the midfield. Now in here, I see just one [snorts] uh fixed spot. Let's let's call it this way. The number six with Sandro Tonali, which wasn't guaranteed when they um when the break began. But I think that those matches have shown that Roberto Manini feels Tonali is the safer man, is the most is the safest option for the number six row. What do you think? Yes, I think he he seems to feel that. Obviously, you lose some of his ability going forward, which is disappointing because I think that, you know, he's he's such an all round player for me. He can play in so many different roles and I do think that he can be an asset further forward too. But what you've got with the players that they have available in the midfield roles right now is is um so many options, so much adaptability. I I think you you look at you've mentioned Tali, you've got Bella vastly experienced. Fatas he's had a dream start to the season. You know he's he's he's looking absolutely full of confidence and he's been played in the right way now and it's really showing. Credit to Gutuso by the way for that with what he's doing with him at Latio and you know these midfielders over the years over the decades who we've seen who've got that ability to time their runs to time their position get their positioning right on the edge of the box to be a threat going forward. they can be worth their weight and gold and I think his sort of rejuvenation has been really good to see. Fajoli a player that I really like that move to Furentina has been fantastic for him. He provides another option. He can provide versatility as well. You've got Richi who's another option who's of course at Ko now. So we'll see how that goes for him. Romano has come from well not come from nowhere but come from Switzerland. you know, obviously he he'd sort of switched allegiance to play for Italy and I think, you know, he I think he said something like this was the choice of my heart or something like that, saying how much he wanted to play for Italy. Uh he's having a great start to the season with Calgary there having a great start as a team. Uh Manduraga is another option. Dumbia, I think, has impressed people with what they've seen with predominantly, I think, you know, coming from the bench, but we've seen glimpses, haven't we, of what he could be capable of, what he could offer even as a starter as well. There's there's so many options in that midfield for Manini. And I think that's that's so exciting. It's about getting the right blend, I think, because you've got different midfielders with different skill sets. Uh and and it's how he gets the right blend and and when he'll settle on what is sort of his his starting um three because that's and you could say that across the side as well because I think he's it clearly a lot of experimenting going on naturally for Manchini and we've seen a pragmatism from him as well that I've really liked. you know, he talked about the team growing up across the course of this uh international break, which was another phrase from him that I really liked. And and he talked about I think he was asked, you know, who who are the players who've really stood out for you and he said, "No, no one player, it's the group." And he he was really big on that that he he's seen a lot from the group in terms of maturity and development and that they can become a very strong team. So yeah, right across the I mean just to go briefly rewind to the defense as well, Lorenzo, I have to say at left back the left side of the defense as well. I mean I talked about how you've got Pst and Kaye who could be you know sort out that right hand side for a decade. Well you look at left back more options Rieri Bartasagi people are not talking great one. Demarco, I know he's more a wing back, but he could play left back as well. The Sera um player of the MVP last season. You've got Cal Fury can play left back. And again, all of those players give you different options. It gives a coach so many different weapons and ways of playing. And that for me is what really exciting about seeing this current group of that Manchini has picked, looking at the under21s, even some players who who've not featured at all and just thinking, wow, he's he's he's got a luxury of options in terms of how he wants to play. Now, people would say, well, what's missing? What what's the type of players that are missing? You've still got to look at maybe those sort of perhaps wide players who can go one-on-one and and who who are established in the side. I think we look at there are certainly options in that respect. Some of them in the under 21s you think they could make a real push to get in. But right here, right now, maybe that is something that's a little bit lacking in terms of of forwards. Um but I I think that's coming and and I think it's really encouraging all in all um in terms of where Italy find themselves right now and and kudos to to Manini for the way that he's handled particularly how he handled it after the terrible first half against Belgium. Um because you know if they'd lost again straight after that we all know what the reaction would have been uh with another bad performance but they reacted really well and and credit to him for that. >> You mentioned DeMarco Kafuri the left back position. Now you forced me to make the difficult question. Would you would you drop Demarco was last season's best player in Syria? Best player overall. Would you drop him for Cali if just one of them could play at left back? Who would you start? I personally think they could still play with DeMarco play higher up the pitch. But if you have to choose between Cal Fury or DeMarco, >> it's Califury for me. Um I I I think he's developed into a quite outstanding talent. I I really do think this is somebody who is going to be considered, if not already, one of the, you know, best defenders in Europe. I I really do believe. I mean, at the club that he's at, he's just won the Premier League. Um, credit to him as well for the way that he's reacted to the serious injury that he had early on in his career and really rebuilt himself, rebuilt his reputation as a player. Um, obviously Bologna were were great for him. It was lovely that he got his first senior international goal there, wasn't it? Um, and now at Arsenal, as I say, I love what I loved as well about the way that Italy played was the the sort of the positional interchanging that you saw as well, that pragmatism, the they've got a good spine, too, that needs mentioning too. But Califury, I watch when I watch him play for Arsenal, that always fascinates me. You know, the way that he's happy to go into central midfield. I mean, at some points watching him play for Arsenal, he'll end up almost in a center forward position. He can he can pop up on the left wing. He can do the job as a defender, as a left back. He can do the job as a center back on the left hand side of the defense if you need him to. So, he's incredibly versatile. He must be a coach's dream. He really must. But I I I think my back four at the moment and and as I say, because there's so many choices this this can change with form and injuries, etc. But I would be looking at a donor rum in goal, Califury left back, Bastoni, Scalvini, and Kayodi. That would be my defense right now. But I do agree with you that DeMarco could perhaps play as maybe a left winger. Who knows? And he's a great option at um at left back still as well depending on how they want to play. And it just keeps underlining what I'm saying here is suddenly you look at this Italy squad and uh this the future's really bright. I'm really excited actually about this Italy squad going forward. You know it people will say well where's the worldass players? And that's kind of the easy throwaway line these days about Italy. But again, I love the way that Manchini sort of the way that he looked at that was like, well, if we haven't got lots of world-class players, let's build a world-class team. And I love hearing that. I think too many times we even at club level as well, people focus too much on individuals when all the great sides, they are a team first and foremost. Uh, and that's really something that Manini seems to have hammered home both publicly and it would seem to the players as well during this international break. And I do believe that whilst you know we're talking about worldclass players um yeah I mean you could argue that there is a der of worldclass players but there's some very very good players that Italy can call upon right now. >> You mentioned two things that um I actually wanted to mention as well. So um potential issues in terms of attackers, potential issues in terms of wingers and attacking midfielders, but also the future and the possible options which were not seen in the previous break. Uh now um the Italy under 21 have qualified for the under21 Euros which we played in 2027. Great 6 to win over Poland. But uh besides the win, besides Shard Greg goal, um the under21 side is showing some of those players who could potentially help and will help the national team uh going forward. And this is something that we saw in in June as well partially with uh Civia Baldini taking charge of the senior team for for those two games against Greek Greece and Switz and Luxembourg. Um I'm talking about playoso talking about Alfajis who doing really really well with with Milan Mati Liberali who he's a como is not getting much playing time but we under 21 is doing always great things Samuel was a talking point he didn't get any minute under Manini at a senior level during the break but he's a player we can rely on because really those that we have I think probably the the attacking player that I like the most during in this break. He only lasted for 45 minutes was Jako Moraspador against Turkey because I think he embodied really well the role of what Manchini wants to see right now. A right winger who is also an attacking midfielder removes a lot across the field and links up um midfield and attacker. All the others I like Sebosto I like Kambiagi at times but I didn't see that consistently that makes me think all right this guy is going to be a starter 100% in the future. I still do I still see right wing and left wing wing position as very much vacant. >> Yeah. No, I think that's fair. They're the two positions in the side where you look at it and think this there's a a wealth of options and who will be the right one is hard to say right now. But Cece is somebody who I think who really deserves a mention. The start that he's made um in Sria this season has been impressive. I think he's got a fantastic attitude um and he's scoring goals. he's having impact uh is is delivering both for club and country obviously country under 21 level and you know what had the games for in terms of qualification not been so important for the under 21s I think we probably would have seen more of them perhaps given a chance somebody like CISA I tell you somebody that I think has got a really high ceiling in the under21s Lorenzo is uh Crystal Palace's honest aren this is a really good player and this is another person another player who can offer you different options I love his physicality and I think that he'll thrive in the Premier League because of his physicality. I mean, he just knocks people off the board. You're sort of saying to yourself, hang on a minute, this guy's 18. I mean, he just doesn't look 18 in any way, does he? In terms of the way that he plays, his physicality, his confidence, his self-confidence. That's another thing with Cece as well. He's got that real self-confidence about him. He believes he should be there, you know, and and he believes he should be playing in in the Milan first team. and Aanor clearly believes he should be playing in the Premier League. And seeing that expression and that personality from