National team to be protected, Gattuso’s mistakes in Moldova-Italy

It took Moldova 88 minutes (at times deadly boring) to score a goal, only to double the score in injury time. A huge effort. Both of Italy’s goals came from substitutions: in the first case, Dimarco’s cross was decisive (which placed the assist for Mancini who was resurrected after Gasperini’s treatment), in the second the cross was from Politano for the goal of Pio Esposito (a boy who always finds a way to make his weight felt up front), both substitutes. And Retegui also convinced more than Scamacca who started from the start. These are all data that underline Rino Gattuso’s basic error: lost in calculations of opportunism, of useless turnovers (also because they involve players used to playing every three days in club teams), of savings which at this point – with qualification passing, as expected, through the playoffs – make no sense, the strongest team entered later. This way we take an unnecessary risk.

It is better, in fact, to remember where we come from. Because this fragile Italy, which came out with bandaids after the painful dismissal of Spalletti, needs one thing above all: to continue to grow protected from controversy, to work on its self-esteem in view of what is the only objective that matters, to get through the playoffs to finally return to the World Cup. Gattuso tries after the match, pretending to be satisfied with his team’s performance, claiming that he expected to encounter these difficulties and taking it out on the fans who protested (wrong, partly because the public always has the right to protest and partly because this only risks creating alibis, paradoxical for someone who has never looked for alibis). But for 88 minutes it was as if we had gone looking for them instead, because the risk of being a fool (not entirely avoided even in this way) seemed real. A draw against Moldova (who had lost 5-0 at home against Norway) would have been an unsustainable price for this Italy, who need to boost their confidence whenever they can. This above all will be needed, in addition to a Gattusian character and a superior general level, to get through the playoffs. If we are the ones seen for a long time in Chisinau we risk facing another fatal disappointment, whoever our opponent may be.

For this reason, last night it would have been better to attack the match with the best on the pitch and secure the victory, rather than remain bogged down for a long time in a difficult game with serious difficulties in finding the goal and then launch into that final and desperate attack, which is in any case the best news of yesterday evening, certainly the least happy of the Gattuso era.

Our superior quality was no consolation, nor was our ball possession completely sterile for very long stretches. Up to a certain point, so is Gattuso’s fifth consecutive victory (a feat that only Fabbri and Vicini had previously managed), but at least it allows us to stem the rising wave of insecurities and reject the terrible idea that the Gattuso effect has already run out. It’s not like that, but we can’t even allow ourselves to doubt: the thing about this national team is that you will have to sweat every inch of the pitch, you can’t afford to underestimate anyone or even do too many experiments, we’re no longer what we used to be, now Haaland has it with the others, they travel to America with full spirits and in first class, we are in third class and, as in the song, it costs us pain and fear, sweat from the hatch and the smell of the dead sea. Gattuso is not afraid of situations uncomfortable, fortunately. On Sunday against Norway we will play only for pride and that’s no small thing: finding ourselves level at 21 points at the top of the group would be another blow to our self-esteem. Then we will be where we have long known that we are destined to find ourselves: in front of the mirror and our ghosts, in front of a life-or-death clash, which for many reasons we truly cannot afford to make mistakes.

So let’s all protect Italy which is on a global mission, okay. Italy should put itself in a position to protect itself, however, which is always better.