Translated from the famous football data website whoscored.com by James Horncastle
<b>Lorenzo Insigne only played about 15 minutes in his final group game against Ireland, but that didn't stop him from being named Italy's best player of the match by Sport Milano. </b>This was Insigne's first european appearance, and his performance after playing on the pitch made everyone shine. "When he almost broke the goal, his performance told us that Italy was still king."
All this happened after Insigne came on the pitch. In the 75th minute, Insigne replaced Immobile and in just two minutes did what the team had been struggling to accomplish in the first 42 minutes – the shot. He got the ball in the opposing half, burst into the opposing line from the right, followed by a backward kick to hit the goal, and the ball hit the goal post. That moment was reminiscent of the 1990 Fifaith World Cup match roberto Baggio playing for Italy against Czechoslovakia. The only difference was that Insigne's shot didn't go in.
It wasn't long before Ireland scored a deadlocking goal to win their first group stage. And the shot that Insigne almost scored could only be silently reduced to a supporting role. In this match, Italy set a record for the highest single foul 40 and the lowest single pass record of 695. And Insigne also created a little sparkle for the team's poor performance. The 24-year-old striker seized a glimmer of a chance to make the only Italian shot in the game that posed a threat to the opposing goal. He needs more opportunities to pick up the ball and hopes to score a goal for the rest of his time. In the final 16 minutes of the game he touched the ball only four times less than Simeone Zaza, who played the full game.
Italy had secured the top spot in the group before the match. Conte made changes to the starting line-up, with eight rotating to the starting line-up, but Insigne was not among them. <b>At this point, the level of the entire team is basically clear. In Conte's eyes, Insigne was only the fifth choice for his forward position. </b>Pele and Eder were undoubtedly the first choices for the strike partner, while Zaza and Immobile were the second. In Lyon, Insigne was replaced by Immobile in the second pair.
<b>In Europe's five major leagues, Insigne became the first player to achieve a "double-double" result with 12 goals and 10 assists. </b>However, with such results, why can't he be at the top of the Italian team that lacks technical ability?
Basically it can be said that this is a tactic. There was actually some misunderstanding between Conte and Insigne. In the qualifying match against Azerbaijan in October, Insigne said he was unable to play due to a knee injury, but he appeared in serie A Napoli against Fiorentina. Conte questioned him and did not call him into the squad on the international day that followed.
What is closer to the truth, however, is because of the composition of the Italian squad. Insigne is higher and wider, suitable for the 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 Diamond formation, but not for the 3-5-2 formation, he is not a winger. Insigne did not have, a strong body and enough endurance to be up to the position. It was a waste to have him join the 3-5-2 formation. Not only will this drain his physical strength and insight, but it will prevent him from penetrating his opponent's defenses to score goals.
Conte is well aware that the most capable player in the team right now is the winger, and in order to get a clearer picture of the team, he tried another formation at the friendly match in March to make the team look as capable, deceptive and unpredictable as possible. The 3-4-3 line-up gave the team a taste of sweetness. Obviously, the combination of Insigne, Zaza and Candreva performed better than the combination of Pele and Eder. Unfortunately, however, after Munich's 4-1 defeat to Germany, it cast a shadow over the squad.
I remember the friendly match in March that is still very memorable. Italy almost beat Spain in the second half. Yes, Spain! In that game, Insigne also came off the bench. He replaced Eder and changed the whole game. De Gea struggled to hold the goal for a while before Italy formed another attack, as Signe's tackle broke through the Manchester United goalkeeper's ten-finger mark. Although Spain then equalised, Insigne nearly scored another goal before the final whistle.
The Marca newspaper praised Insigne. When he was in Naples, people compared him to Mahrez. If Insigne is a Spaniard, it's not hard to imagine him starting in Monday's match between Italy and Spain. <b>Although Conte called him a "surprise," Conte was still thinking about how to use Insigne in his mind. "He's a 'trump card' that I only play at a certain time," he told Sky Italia. </b>For example, when the game goes into extra time, or the distance between the midfield and the defenders becomes larger, just as Ireland desperately bet on the last group game.
To limit Insignia is to underestimate him. If I'm sure I'm going to use a 3-5-2 formation, I'd rather see Insigne partner Pele. Conte wanted his forward lines to work together – which is why Eder's goal came from Zaza's assist. Perhaps Insigne's style of play explains Conte's reluctance to use him. This would leave Pellet alone. Even so, it's a shame that players like him have to be reduced to substitutes. Liberate Insignia! Liberation Miracle!