Daniele De Rossi's return from suspension for the World Cup qualifier with Bulgaria tomorrow will only give Italy another defensive option in midfield and do little to help their quest for creativity.

Saturday's 2-0 win in Georgia came courtesy of two own goals from AC Milan defender Kakha Kaladze and, discounting his double calamity, the European Group Eight leaders have not scored in four games.

Playmaker Andrea Pirlo is suffering an alarming dip in form while the world champions lack a player who can burst from midfield to aid the strikers.

However, coach Marcello Lippi is concentrating on qualifying for South Africa next year rather than panicking about form.

"I'm absolutely not worried about goals because what counts is that we get it in the net whatever way," he said.

A win over the East Europeans in Turin would send Italy four points clear at the top and leave them needing just a point away to second-placed Ireland in October to go through.

De Rossi would be the obvious candidate to come back in tomorrow given his bustling approach, which may give Italy some extra bite even if the goal threat is still missing.

Italian media, shocked at defeats by Egypt and Brazil at June's Confederations Cup, have rattled World Cup winner Lippi for the first time with their constant questions about why Sampdoria's Antonio Cassano is not in the squad.

Asked who had been Italy's "fantasy player" against Georgia in the absence of the creative Cassano, an honest Lippi replied with the name of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio hopes to shake off a thigh injury in time for tomorrow but he has not yet established himself as the box-to-box player Italy need.

(China Daily September 8, 2009)