Would the real Luca Toni please stand up?
Would the real Luca Toni please stand up?Scorer of 31 goals last term and 20 the campaign before, the Fiorentina marksman came into the World Cup with the tag of being Italy's great striking hope.
However, just over a fortnight into the competition and his stock has slumped.
Three starts have brought no goals and, more pertinently, he has not looked like finding the onion bag.
He was pulled off against Australia after squandering a number of decent opportunities and there has to be a doubt about Marcello Lippi keeping faith with him for the quarter final, after Francesco Totti's late penalty saw off The Socceroos.
Is it that Toni has just hit a barren patch at the wrong time, or is it a more damning assessment of the strength of defending in Serie A?
The national side have looked their usual solid selves at the back, but is there a lack of quality defenders hovering around in Italy?
A striker who has Toni's record in any top flight domestic league is certainly worthy of high praise, but he needs to start and show his true colours soon.
Alberto Gilardino and Vincenzo Iaquinta have looked little better for the Azzurri and Lippi certainly has a quandary ahead of the quarter finals.
At least Gilardino and Iaquinta have scored at the finals, as has Filippo Inzaghi, but Toni came to Germany as the premier marksman and he will hope for one more chance to show his class.
What are your views on Italy's striking options as they head into the last eight of the World Cup?
