Italy’s Striker Dilemma: Who Should Lead the Attack in World Cup Playoff?

Gennaro Gattuso wasn’t handed the easiest of tasks when he succeeded Luciano Spalletti as Italy manager. The Azzurri had just been thumped 3-0 in Oslo by Erling Haaland’s rampant Norway, while they’d also struggled to put away minnows Moldova in Reggio Emilia.

They would improve under the former World Cup winning midfielder and the goals started flowing more freely, but a 4-1 home drubbing by Haaland and Co. once again at San Siro — Italy’s worst home defeat in over 70 years — consigned...