Five things learned from Italy’s games with Estonia and Israel

Dreams of direct qualification may have all but gone, but Italy secured the next best thing with the World Cup play-offs in the bag. Giancarlo Rinaldi weighs up the successes and failures of Rino Gattuso’s latest games in charge. 

Hands up who wanted to suffer a little more? Not happy with putting Azzurri fans through the torment of the group stages, it looks like another phase awaits to decide whether they can book their ticket for next summer’s party. Catching Norway always looked a long-shot, but what did clashes with Estonia and Israel teach us about this Italy squad and its prospects?

Rino Gattuso can be thankful for the work of one of his predecessors, Roberto Mancini, in plucking out Mateo Retegui to boost his goalscoring threat. Despite having one penalty saved, he bounced back with a goal from open play against Estonia and then followed it up with a converted penalty and an absolute beauty against Israel. A record of nearly a goal every other game in his appearances for La Nazionale confirms that he might not have been needed by Argentina, but he has become a vital cog in this Azzurri machine.

It was not just the Retegui show over the two games, as there was a lovely strike from Moise Kean as well before he had to limp off and then a first strike – hopefully of many – for Francesco Pio Esposito. With Jack Raspadori providing another option and – whisper it – Francesco Camarda starting to score regularly already with the Under 21s, it looks like the national team could have a few regular sources of goals in the years to come.

Although things might be going well at the opposite end of the park, the same could not be said for the rearguard. Although it was definitely less leaky than in the previous international break, there were still some worrying moments across both matches. The cherry on that particularly unpalatable cake was a blunder by Gigio Donnarumma that made the win over Estonia just a little less comfortable than it should have been. There were signs of improvement, but all the same, plenty of work to be done. Better teams would definitely convert the chances which were spurned over the two October games.

They had finished on the outside of the previous regime, but both Gianluca Mancini and Manuel Locatelli showed they still had something to offer to their country. The Roma defender managed to keep composed and a little less hot-headed than we are used to and showed he could be a useful addition at the back with some well-timed interventions and pinched a goal up front as well. The Juve man might not be to everyone’s taste, but he has a range of passing which not that many can provide at the heart of this Italy side. A mention, too, for the often previously ignored Riccardo Orsolini, who put in an eye-catching display against Estonia.

For those who thought this might just be about guts and determination, the new Italy boss has shown a more measured approach, which has brought him four wins out of four. That is a pretty unusual start to any national team manager’s career and he was pleased to have come up with a tactical solution which avoided the crazy goal feast the last time his country met Israel. It will always be about heart first and foremost but he is clearly keen to show a more thoughtful side, which might surprise some of his critics. He will need to ally both passion and precision if he hopes to steer his troops to where they all want to be – the World Cup.