Why Italy’s striker problems could be over

Italy’s striker problem has been quite a major topic of discussion in Serie A and in the country since Ciro Immobile started fading away.

It was the classic international football debate – similar to Brazil’s striker problem. The Azzurri tried to solve it by drafting Matteo Retegui in from Argentina. While the ex-Atalanta player has played a role in solving the problem, the recognition for the need has now made sure that strikers are not an issue for Italy anymore.

Retegui combined beautifully with strike partner Moise Kean in games against Estonia and Israel, as Rino Gattuso used an effective 4-4-2 setup that brought the most out of the two players.

The Fiorentina player scored in each of the games, marking his rise to prominence in the last 12 months and Giacomo Raspadori, now at Atletico Madrid, also made a mark by carrying forward his strong form from the end of last season at Napoli.

Davide Frattesi isn’t really a striker but his goalscoring record for Italy is sensational, as he dons a typical box crasher role which suits him quite well.

Beyond these options, Italy now also have Lorenzo Lucca, who has risen to fame in the last few months and a move to Napoli has definitely played a role in escalating his profile. How he performs under Antonio Conte remains to be seen, but the ex-Udinese man does add something fresh to Italy’s attacking setup with his ability to get to crosses.

Gianluca Scamacca is very much around. He is still probably Italy’s most complete and technically blessed striker, but there is always the fitness question mark around him. When fit, the Atalanta player can do everything.

Gattuso’s usage of two strikers will definitely help the likes of Frattesi and Raspadori and open up space for a tall and short striker pairing upfront. It will be old-school but in international football, there is little time to impose complex systems. That is why the new setup could work well and can help in leaving Italy’s striker problems behind.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

Giacomo Raspadori Davide Frattesi Lorenzo Lucca Serie A Italy Ciro Immobile Matteo Retegui Moise Kean

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