Italy - Nigeria

[Tenver]

Italy gonna feature (almost?) entirely new team. Prandelli wants to rotate. Does Prandelli and Italy even care about winning or is it more a training session? How good is Italy's "B"-team vs. Nigeria's supposedly first-team lol? Game will be in London. Info: http://www.goal.com/en/match/125671/italy-vs-nigeria/preview

Any opinions? Italy seems quite overrated atm. odds-wise imo. Nigeria with some AH looked interesting.

[vasilli07]

The so-called 'B' team will have players who are keen to impress themselves so that they will be picked for the WC.

According to Football Italia:

Italy (probable): Sirigu; Maggio, Ogbonna, Ranocchia, Pasqual; Candreva, De Rossi, Montolivo, Giaccherini; Rossi, Balotelli

[Tenver]

Yea, they might out too strong for Nigeria anyways... just seems like it would be so typical for Nigeria to beat Italy in such a thing. Probably not even worth giving Nigeria a +1 AH and hoping it at least pushes and then instead might be the rare draw. Hmm, probably Italy is the best bet afterall?

Nigeria isn't the same team anymore as earlier... ... they should be winning those games against smaller nations with a higher margin to be where they used to be 5-10 years ago...

[lucasdawg]

Nigeria probs be tired after the reccent game and wont be doing their best. taking italy here

[chidondollars]

NIGERIA to score

[Vaughany]

The so-called 'B' team will have players who are keen to impress themselves so that they will be picked for the WC.

According to Football Italia:

Italy (probable): Sirigu; Maggio, Ogbonna, Ranocchia, Pasqual; Candreva, De Rossi, Montolivo, Giaccherini; Rossi, Balotelli

Might play the over 2. Italy could score 2 or 3 alone with Candreva, Giaccherini, Rossi, and Balo. Also got two attack minded full backs in Maggio and Pasqual. Nigeria should also be able to score 1 with that Italy defense. Ogbonna and Ranocchia can be liabilities at times, especially the latter.

[frugalgambler]

Italy has not won a friendly game since 2011 (including a draw with Haiti). But I think they will tomorrow with this lineup and playing at home against Nigeria. I like the HT/FT option.

[whareouttogetme]

Stay away from this game. Italian players have no interest in playing weak teams, and Prandelli doesn't care about the win.

On paper they should win but I have watched almost every single game Italy have played and they just don't show up against weak teams.

If that is the line-up above, Ranocchia is useless and Montolivo hasn't had a good game for Italy for years

Rossi and Balo will be nice to watch together tho

[Vaughany]

Hopefully Cerci gets at least 30 mins, guy is class

[Merkel]

Stay away from this game. Italian players have no interest in playing weak teams, and Prandelli doesn't care about the win.

On paper they should win but I have watched almost every single game Italy have played and they just don't show up against weak teams.

If that is the line-up above, Ranocchia is useless and Montolivo hasn't had a good game for Italy for years

Rossi and Balo will be nice to watch together tho

Nigeria are not a weak team. Italy defense resembles Swiss cheese. Italy might not be interested, but Nigeria will be, over and bts for me today.

[richie360]

Italy has not won a friendly game since 2011 (including a draw with Haiti). But I think they will tomorrow with this lineup and playing at home against Nigeria. I like the HT/FT option.

Italy aren't at home, neutral venue.

[Marshall Tito]

BTS seems like the most sensible option really, which prompts me to think Italy wins this 2-0.

[Marshall Tito]

Why would Nigeria be interested in this game anyway? It means absolutely nothing to either team. On paper, Italy has the better squad/depth, and the match is being played in London which is more homey to the Italians than it would be for a team from the continent of Africa. Italy ML will be my play.

[whareouttogetme]

Why would Nigeria be interested in this game anyway? It means absolutely nothing to either team. On paper, Italy has the better squad/depth, and the match is being played in London which is more homey to the Italians than it would be for a team from the continent of Africa. Italy ML will be my play.

go with BTTS

wonder what the odds are on Nigeria +2

Also you're right about it not being an important game, but teams like this (Haiti, Equatorial Guinea v Spain for example) give 100% to beat big European teams

I hope Italy win, and they should, but I doubt it will be by more than 1 goal

might stick a bit on Italy 2-1 CS

[Giz]

nigeria too score past the italians???

[Merkel]

Correct. It's about the scalp, when you grow up kicking a ball in misery and poverty, playing against big soccer nations is a dream, not all Nigerian players are jaded superstars yet. There's a large Nigerian community in London, a lot of Nigerian national players play for EPL, they'll have fans out there.

[ingga]

IMO Nigeria +1... they will cover , cause they have more motivation after their u19 win world cup u17 CMIIW

[whareouttogetme]

Also, keep in mind Prandelli said this week that Italy don't get enough time to train because of fixture lists, so he has to try new tactics in games. Even if the team he puts out is completely dominating Nigeria, expect him to use all 7 subs, and expect Italy to finish with a completely different team to they one they started with

[Giz]

italy win clean sheet

[Marshall Tito]

Why is BTS +105? It was -110 last night.

[Giz]

Why is BTS +105? It was -110 last night.

because its a bad bet

you think the italians chosen wont work hard to not concede?

what is the best way to impress a italian boss?

concede none italy 4-0 italy 3-0

[Giz]

enemya will have a torrid time

[Vaughany]

Id never feel confident in a clean sheet if i had sirigu, maggio, pasqual, ranocchia, and ogbonna as my back line

[Marshall Tito]

nigeria too score past the italians???

italy win clean sheet

Make up your mind. You can't have both

[Giz]

Id never feel confident in a clean sheet if i had sirigu, maggio, pasqual, ranocchia, and ogbonna as my back line

attack is the best form of defence this back four along with attacking players will play possesstion football it will be hard for nigeria to score 1 goal

[Marshall Tito]

Nigeria barely put 2 past Ethiopia, in Nigeria, few days ago in a WC qualification match.

[Giz]

Make up your mind. You can't have both

im not having both i questioned the guys above me with nigeria to score italians??? seriously???? because everyone is on BTTS i guess good luck i have italy to win this match with clean sheet.

[Merkel]

Nigeria barely put 2 past Ethiopia, at home, few days ago.

That was a hugely important match with WC on the line. They got the 2nd leg win and kept a clean sheet and qualified.

[Marshall Tito]

Italians have bad history with Africa after what happened on the coast of Sicily many centuries ago. Motivation factor

[Giz]

theres dispute with nigeria over pay i dont think they give a flyin fk about this match unless they fixed with mafia to draw the game lol

[Giz]

Italians have bad history with Africa after what happened on the coast of Sicily many centuries ago. Motivation factor

mafia wins

[whareouttogetme]

Id never feel confident in a clean sheet if i had sirigu, maggio, pasqual, ranocchia, and ogbonna as my back line

This. Sirigu is decent but 4 mediocre defenders with no chemistry

The only way this game will end up with a clean sheet is if Italy fail to score.

[Vaughany]

Italians have bad history with Africa after what happened on the coast of Sicily many centuries ago. Motivation factor

Ha clutchinn at straws

[Marshall Tito]

Ha clutchinn at straws

Well it's true, and I don't think anyone has forgotten. Nigerians are a powerhouse though, as most African teams are (strong, fast, tall) it's really difficult to guard them especially on set piece plays. They just lack creative ability on the offensive end.

[Bet10Heinekens]

Over 2.5 goals for me