You look dull, you look tired, you'll go a long way

Paddy Agnew highlights the problems facing Marcello Lippi

Seconds after Italy had drawn 1-1 with Switzerland in a World Cup warm-up last week, Italy coach Marcello Lippi faced the TV cameras on the touchline to explain a less-than-exhilarating performance. Lippi made some obvious observations - this was only a friendly; they were playing at home and took it more seriously than us; what matters is to be in top form halfway through the World Cup finals and not now, etc, etc.

Lippi seemed pretty relaxed and certainly did not give the impression of a coach who has just seen his best-laid World Cup plans go up the creek, without a paddle.

At only one moment did the Italy coach get annoyed. That came when the interviewer asked him a question related to the corruption investigation currently rocking Italian football.

As Italy prepare for their opening Group E game against Ghana in Hanover next Monday, the least one could say is that preparations have not gone smoothly. Even without the "Footballgate" scandal, Lippi already had plenty of problems to consider.

In the end, ironically, "Footballgate" may be the least of Lippi's problems. Indeed, it is arguable the only impact the scandal may have on Italy's performances in Germany will be a positive one.

Given the climate of suspicion and conspiracy back in Italy, the "Azzurri" may be only too happy to prove a point or two by playing out of their socks. It is also true that once the tournament is up and running, football on the pitch will dominate media analysis, relegating the scandal to a second-place, domestic issue.

Yet, what sort of football will Lippi's Italy play and with precisely what line-up? Based on the evidence of last week's two friendlies, a 1-1 draw with Switzerland and a 0-0 draw with Ukraine, Italy have not the proverbial snowball's chance of winning the World Cup. They looked tired, dull and pedestrian in both games.

History, of course, teaches us to pay little or no attention to pre-World Cup warm-up games, especially where Italy are concerned. For a start, prior to the 1982 World Cup, Italy drew 1-1 unimpressively with Switzerland - and we all know how that story ended.

More worrying than last week's friendly form is the fitness of one or two key players. For a start, what do we make of Francesco Totti, who broke his left leg and damaged ankle ligaments on February 19th?

Totti's first full competitive game since the injury came in last week's draw with Switzerland. For almost the entire first half, he was out of it, rarely able to get on the ball, looking slow, unfit and bewildered. He did little better when coming on in the second half against Ukraine on Friday.

As of now, Totti looks most unlikely to start against Ghana. In his absence, the playmaking, creative responsibilities will be shared by two men, Alessandro Del Piero and Andrea Pirlo. The Juventus striker will nominally line up on the left of midfield, being free to move in behind the twin strike force of Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino.

Milan's Pirlo, on the other hand, will prompt from a deep, central-midfield position.

Problem is that Del Piero, with all due respect, still looks like yesterday's man while Pirlo has been out of form for three months now.

Two equally serious problems concern the temporary loss to injury of left back Gianluca Zambrotta and the fitness of central defender Alessandro Nesta. Even if Zambrotta has been arguably Italy's best player over the last two seasons, Lippi still has a pretty useful replacement in Fabio Grosso. The same, however, cannot be said of Nesta, whose first-choice replacement is Marco Materazzi.

With Totti and Zambrotta out, with Nesta doubtful and with question marks about key players such as Del Piero and Pirlo, Italy could have done without having to start against an in-form Ghana side (3-1 winners last Sunday against South Korea). It could be that Ghanaians such as Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Sully Muntari and Asamoah Gyan will put even more spanners in the Italian works. As we said, Italy's "Footballgate" could be the least of Marcello Lippi's problems.