Italy's Crushing Germany Loss Highlights Poor Decision-Making from Antonio Conte
There is nothing like a crushing defeat to generate real perspective. In this sense, Italy’s dispiriting 4-1 loss to Germany on Tuesday night could be viewed as a blessing in disguise.
It highlighted, as bluntly as possible, exactly how much work Antonio Conte has to do before the UEFA European Championship begins in June.
After topping their qualification group without truly breaking sweat, the Azzurri perhaps had some false confidence going into this international break. But if a reality check was needed after the promising 1-1 draw with Spain last Thursday, it was duly received in the Allianz Arena.
Joachim Low’s Germany outfit were, at least, one level above Conte’s side. They snuffed out attacks with ease and cut through the visitors’ midfield like a hot knife through butter. It became all too easy, too quickly, as Die Mannschaft recorded a first win over Italy since 1995.
Afterwards, the Azzurri coach spoke to Rai Sport (h/t Football Italia) about the sobering result and said:
I repeat, there was no need to act triumphant after Spain and we realise there is a gap to be bridged to the other team.
Now we’ll wait for the season to end and try to pick the best players.
To play with a high tempo and intensity, you need it in your legs. It was inevitable some would suffer the effects of Friday’s games and that too will be evaluated.
Lack of fitness isn’t a viable excuse, especially given the fact that Germany played England two days after Italy’s trip to Spain. And besides, more obviously troubling themes had emerged even before a ball was kicked.
Conte’s selection policy has been under constant scrutiny during his time in the job, and rightly so. His decision to omit Napoli livewire Lorenzo Insigne—who, according to Squawka, has been the second-best player in Serie A this season—throughout qualification led to much head-scratching.
That particular issue was rectified in the last two friendlies, with the 24-year-old winger featuring in both games, but other selections and omissions continue to puzzle.
Conte has a natural headache in some areas ahead of this summer’s tournament. In attacking midfield, for example, he will have to choose between Insigne, Giacomo Bonaventura, Stephan El Shaarawy, Sebastian Giovinco, Antonio Candreva and Federico Bernardeschi.
But while there is an abundance of talent in some areas, in others there appears a dearth only exacerbated by the coach’s choices.
Against Germany, Italy’s central midfield looked slow off the ball and cumbersome on it. Riccardo Montolivo and Thiago Motta’s lack of pace was regularly exposed; any ball played through them was an issue as neither is quick on the turn.
In such dire straits it’s a wonder why Conte didn’t turn to Jorginho, who, according to WhoScored.com, makes more passes per game than anyone else in Serie A. The Brazil-born playmaker's astute positional sense would have been invaluable under the circumstances.
Instead, Lazio’s Marco Parolo, a player who, while not quite as slow as Montolivo and Motta, is arguably less able on the ball and certainly less solid defensively, was introduced.
Italy’s back line was already missing two of the famed "BBC" trident of Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci going into the game, with the former pair unavailable because of injury.
This was compounded when Bonucci was carried off on a stretcher after sliding awkwardly in an attempt to break up another German attack.
In his place came Andrea Ranocchia, who spent much of the first half of this campaign on the outside looking in at Inter Milan. To his right was Matteo Darmian, who had failed in his marking duties for the concession of Mario Gotze’s headed goal before half-time.
It’s no surprise the Manchester United man made such mistakes; he is an attack-minded full-back by trade, yet he was chosen over the likes of Daniele Rugani, Alessio Romagnoli and Angelo Ogbonna for both friendlies in the three-man defensive line.
Worrying squad selections and substitutions aside, arguably the most concerning aspect of Italy’s Tuesday night performance was that Conte failed to adapt.
The former Juventus head coach is known as an experimental tactician, but he was unable to adjust to a German side that copied his 3-4-3 system.
He spoke about this in his post-match press conference, per Football Italia, and said:
I think Germany changed … and mirrored us, because usually (they) play with a 4-2-3-1. When you have the kind of players at their disposal who can allow you to change system from one moment to the next, it can make it one against one, a series of individual duels.
Up against a well-organised opposition utilising roughly the same shape, Italy couldn't build good possession from the back and lacked penetration in the final third.
Direct balls to Simone Zaza often seemed the only outlet, but they were rendered ineffective by the striker’s poor touch and hold-up play. As a consequence, the Azzurri’s attacks petered out time and time again.
Conte's poor decision-making had a huge impact on what was a disconcertingly tepid team performance; his squad looked underwhelming and his tactics unsure.
With less than three months to go until the start of the European Championship, he must move quickly to identify solutions.
