Italy to play 4-4-2 against Ghana?

As the countdown to the Ghana game continues, Italy boss Marcello Lippi tested two systems in training today ? one with Francesco Totti and one without.

Although the Roma captain?s fitness levels are improving, there are still doubts as to whether he?ll be ready to start their World Cup opener on June 12 after his three months on the sidelines with a fractured ankle.

This afternoon the Azzurri Coach oversaw a game between ranks that experimented the two most likely alternatives for the Ghana clash.

In the first line-up, he used a four-man midfield with Mauro Camoranesi on the right, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Gennaro Gattuso taking up the left flank. Luca Toni partnered Alberto Gilardino in the 4-4-2.

This, with defenders Massimo Oddo, Marco Materazzi, Fabio Cannavaro and Fabio Grosso, will probably be the starting 11 against Ghana.

In the second half of this training session, Lippi maintained the same defence, but switched to a three-man midfield ? Camoranesi, De Rossi and Simone Perrotta ? with Totti in the hole behind Gilardino and Toni.