Giuseppe Rossi and his exclusion continues to dominate the headlines yet Cesare Prandelli appeared perplexed, confused by the controversy and the player's reaction. "Prior to the match against Ireland I said that from a physical point of view he was fine, but I wanted to see something more from him. With complete calm, the coach continued, "I wanted to see a striker that was playing as a striker. But I did not see what I wanted to see."
Debates have slowly eased with the staunchest of critics drifting towards acceptance. It's time to forge ahead and now that the final list has been announced, we have a clearer idea on the type of shape Prandelli will deploy on the pitch.
The plan was to choose two players for each role even if their skills may differ. For example, Andrea Pirlo and Marco Verratti will provide the geometric passes while Marco Parolo and Claudio Marchisio are both there for their ability to make timely insertions forward. Yet it's entirely feasible we could see two 'same position' players both used on the pitch at the same time.
Does that mean Verratti and Pirlo will play together? A player of immense talent and remarkable creativity, Verratti confessed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic telephoned him just the other day to tell him not to worry, he would form part of Italy's 23 man squad -- and he did, realising a life-long dream.
The brilliance of the PSG midfielder is that while he is in fact a playmaking genius in the making, he's also tactically versatile. Capable of playing in several roles and alongside many types of players, he likes to dictate play but is happy to play further forward or simply act a central midfielder.
In Paris and paired with Thiago Motta, Laurent Blanc has seen his side benefit from having two players with similar traits playing alongside each other. Should the opponent close down Motta, Verratti picks up the play and provides the service. They ease the pressure off one another and ensure there is always a creative outlet in midfield that cannot be shut down.
When facing Italy, Pirlo is widely regarded as the biggest threat. The director runs the show, dictates the pace and provides the sparkle that allows Italy's attack to launch forward. As such, he is always targeted with opponents eager to man-mark him and lessen the impact he makes on the game. Should Verratti be played alongside him, he could be the alternative imaginative brain in the middle, the player Italy can turn to for service.
Some suggest they cannot play together, but while Pirlo and Verratti possess similar skills and adept at playing the same role, they are indeed different. The youngster is more tenacious, capable of pressing to win back possession, a keen tackler and one who has much more bite.
Together, they can offer the attack so much to work with, but defensively Prandelli would be running a risk if he opts to deploy them both. Verratti is still capable of conceding possession rather cheaply while Pirlo is not renown for his defensive fortitude. Attacked with vicious pace and physicality, Italy will likely suffer. Yet one is still curious to watch a deliciously technical midfield operate.
Out of possession, Italy will play a 4-1-3-2 with Daniele De Rossi acting as the man in front of the defence. However, once Italy recoup possession, the idea is to attack in a 3-5-2 shape, with De Rossi dropping into the back-line to form a line of three while the full-backs pace forward to contribute offensively and provide the width.
Evolution has recently forced Italy into a narrow tactical shape. The country has simply been unable to provide quality players in the wide area. However, whilst the current crop of full-backs are hardly Paolo Maldini in the making, both Mattia De Sciglio and Matteo Darmian boast great potential that one hopes will make the difference in Brazil.
Five years apart in age, both were raised in Milan's youth academy. Made captain of the youth side, Darmian was admired for his charisma and understanding of the sport -- he is very much a Prandelli type of player. A good head on his shoulders, he is known for his leadership qualities and tactical intelligence.
The Torino player can adapt to several roles and understands how to balance his many duties. It is this intelligence that has always made him a firm favourite with the many coaches who have crossed his path, including Carlo Sabatini, Roma's Sporting Director -- Walter Sabatini's brother.
Carlo was his coach at Padova and he watched Darmian intently, placing his faith in the player who boasted remarkable maturity for such a young age. Whenever a result was essential, the full-back was entrusted with pushing the team forward and he envisaged a fruitful career for the boy.
When Prandelli chose to test him against Ireland, the full-backs's excellent performance further supported the coach's beliefs -- he is both psychologically and tactically prepared for the battle the Azzurri are about to face. Always opening himself up to receive the ball, intensely pushing forward to offer a new dimension in attack, the player's intensity can prove key but it is his defensive awareness and excellent vision of the game that ensures defensive solidity.
Prandelli has confirmed his starting line-up against Luxembourg in the friendly match on Wednesday and while Darmian will sit this one out, Verratti and Pirlo will both play.
Alongside them will be De Rossi, Marchisio and Antonio Candreva, with Mario Balotelli up front. Questions were raised with regards to Balotelli's fitness but Prandelli insists all is well. "I've never seen him work so hard and I don't think he's ever looked so good."
In which case, an easy win should be expected to lift spirits before the journey to Brazil.