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I feel terrible now
Scotland's coastal railways with Julie Walters is looking good on Ch4
I'm no expert but it looks like God football from England so far?
I just hope they can keep the refs cards in his pocket.
I wouldn't say that Italy's defence is shite exactly. As long as the game is in front of them, they are almost unbreakable. It's when it isn't the 70 year old combined centre half's struggle.
England clearly think Emerson is beatable and isn't going to get help form Insigne. If Spinazzola was fit, would that goal have happened?
’m no expert but it looks like God football from England so far?
You'd think he'd be with t'other lot, given where the Pope lives.
Now we need a bit of gamesmanship, get at Jorginho and Verrati, wink and laugh at them and they will snap.
Mancini has put a coat on, not sure if that is a good omen or a bad one.
Now we need a bit of gamesmanship, get at Jorginho and Verrati, wink and laugh at them and they will snap.
You'll never beat Italy at the gamesmanship. Better not to try. Play your own game and leave that shit to them. It's like sledging the Aussies at cricket. A pointless distraction.
^^ True. Concentrate on not letting them wind you up. That will wind them up.
Someone needs to have a word with Trippier - they are getting to him.
Big difference between Spain and England - when Spain won the ball back they broke the quick Italian press with a couple of quick passes. England want to take their time.
You'd think Trippier and Walker would know that.
59% possession for Italy? Did I just read that right!?
Kane's been the key for me so far, Chiellini has been following and Kane's taking him into places he really doesn't want to be. The Italian's are getting back and covering spaces behind and so far they've pretty much cut everything out but I don't like relying on that as a defensive tactic, something will drop to a forward eventually if we keep making runs in there.
As I typed that looks like Bonnucci's going to see if he has more luck
What do England have to do to get a free kick out of Kuipers? I know from watching him his eye suits the Italians better but jaysus.
Edit 4 minutes? Were there 8 subs I missed?
Someone needs to have a word with Trippier – they are getting to him.
Agreed. Play your own game and let the scoreboard do the talking.
How many pairs of glasses does Linekar have?
Also, I wonder if Klinsman declined to pundit for this on account of the English pundits being insufferable...
Easy to have a pop at Italy's gamesmanship but Kane and Sterling are not adverse to a minimal contact tumble either.
Kane’s been the key for me so far, Chiellini has been following and Kane’s taking him into places he really doesn’t want to be.
Yeah, he has done a superb job of finding that perfect space where they don't know whether to stick or twist. Couple of times Bonucci has gone with him, panicked and dropped off to the stability of the back 4, leaving Kane in space. The Italian mids are possession based, they aren't really going to do the dirty work.
Other than Shaw and Trippier, obviously, Walker has impressed again. His overlap that drew the defence further out to that side and gave Trippier the one on one time and space to find the cross. Gamble, cos he's not playing fullback.
Easy to have a pop at Italy’s gamesmanship but Kane and Sterling are not adverse to a minimal contact tumble either.
It's not so much that as the trash talking and niggly stuff.
Kane and Sterling are not adverse to a minimal contact tumble either.
True but they have both been pretty comprehensively mugged at times and not a whistle. Kuipers doesn't seem to mind all-in wrestling with elbows up but God forbid you brush socks with someone.
"It's a game of two halves" etc
“It’s a game of two halves” etc
If we are lucky. If not, it's a game of 4 halves. Plus pens, possibly.
Run. At. Bonucci.
Is anyone watching this on ITV?
You were all too relaxed there weren't you?
FFS
That's been coming for 20 minutes. Needed to make some changes to change the flow. Southgate perhaps a little slow, reluctant to act in haste?
You were all too relaxed there weren’t you?
Mate, I haven't sat down or dropped my heart rate below 200 since 1:57
Is anyone watching this on ITV?
My gran waiting for coronation street
Its like the World Cup semi v Croatia this.
England have adopted the full 'Rabbits in Headlights' ethos of the mid 2000s now.
Italian acting has started ...
It's mad how the game can flip around so much isn't it. England are clinging on now having looked very comfortable in the first half.
Can't see Chiesa ever being to play again.
Wow I take that back, he's really injured. Boy. Wolf
Yes, England didn't have answer to the Italian pressure. Also the fouling by rotation to prevent them from changing the tempo and direction.
It's a carbon copy of the Spain game.
They won't let you break on you quickly, they just foul you. If you can't attack them quick, they will keep you in front of them.
Spain created some chances by quick passing and changing the point if attack. Also by pressing one area of the pitch when the Italians had the ball.
England are playing a defacto 4-4-2/4-5-2. Too easy for the Italian midfield.
England to score in the first 5 mins, then 80 mins of terrifying end to end, then Italy score in the 90th minute and again in the first minute of extra time, then England fall to pieces.
Apart from the timing, pretty much spot on.
England out on penalties..
Thats a red for me.
Outrageous foul that. Not sure how he's still on.
Outrageous foul, definitely deserved a red
Edit: jinx!
Time to get Grealish and Sancho on, no point having such quality on the bench if you don't give them time to change the game, Sterling and Mount have run out of steam.
So what happened in the missing minute?
Time to get Grealish and Sancho on, no point having such quality on the bench if you don’t give them time to change the game,
This
Need to get the initiative back. Italy offered v little in the first half.
England have never been able to keep possession against really good teams, even more so when trying to keep onto a lead. Can’t pass, can’t move. Same old England.
Southgate needs to grow some balls and change it.
Yeah, the rules don't really anticipate that. Which they really should, it happens often enough. You could argue it's excessive force or brutality but it's not the "approved definition"
That must be the superior technical ability Mancini was talking up against England's physicality.
Mounts now ineffective going forward or defending. Agree he needs to come off and Grealish on.
England have never been able to keep possession against really good teams
Didn't look that way in the first half to me.
England have never been able to keep possession against really good teams,
No one can, that's what makes them good. It's like Man City. Spain couldn't do it against this team and they are much better at short quick passes in tight spaces.
Gotta be honest, it's a massive gamble, but I'd be thinking Calvert Lewin. Straight down the middle, big, fast and 2 centre half's on a yellow....
There's a lot of 'prison tat's' on the Italian team.
Agree Mount needs to come off (he'll probably score now).
Why are we not making changes our subs have made all the difference in other games?
Sterling too tired to take advantage there.
And it's starting to get too often that Italy are allowed to muscle us of the ball, but not the other way around.
Sterling's touch has always been a bit iffy, Got it stuck in his feet. Not canny enough either, the old Ronaldo cross foot back heel would have put his foot right in front of a sliding Chielini.....
Gamecraft, guile, cunning. Just don't have it.
And it’s starting to get too often that Italy are allowed to muscle us of the ball, but not the other way around.
It's how we do it. We bump, they grab and nibble
Watch the Copa for instance, you'll see how different referring leads to a totally different game, different types of teams winning because of it.
Didn’t look that way in the first half to me.
Not really. England got an early goal, Italy were a bit rocked because they’re not used to going a goal down. We had 3-4 moments of moving the ball down the wing but failed to take advantage. The more the half went on, the more the Italians took control.
England got the early goal and changed, great wide players, but they narrowed it down and played back, they barely put a foot in before Italy make it to the halfway line, no real pressing, which the Italians have done well and what's pushed them.
Still 15 minutes, would have liked to see Sancho given a run with his ability out wide, but Rashford on now who is quick and doesn't mind doing the wide role.
Not really. England got an early goal, Italy were a bit rocked because
The first half England were much better, both in and out of possession. The had more of the ball. The were much better at stopping Emerson and Verrati and Jorginho from playing the ball. Italy got frustrated. They adjusted at half time, England didn't, or couldn't counter.
bad challenge wheres var in this match
Surely we've had red cards for less than that?
He's done that on purpose imo. Then pretended to be injured.
That was a nailed on red. Studs up, over the ball. Ridiculous. Too late to do any good.
That is a red card challenge. I didn't think you could lunge in any more studs up?
Italy should be down to 9 men...
As a Welsh fan I have to agree with the English here. Italy lucky to have 11 men.
How is Sancho only getting 2 mins what's the point? Pens?
Then pretended to be injured.
Gamecraft, guile, cunning. Hope to plant the seed of doubt in the refs mind. Course in Kuipers case, your have to find it first. I've never rated him as a ref. This game reminds me why. It's not if you foul with him, it's how that determines if he calls it
Saka has been so poor, should have had Sancho on . He does leave things a while with the subs.
Gamecraft, guile, cunning. Hope to plant the seed of doubt in the refs mind.
Isn't that why we have VAR?
Agreed re Saka. He looked v promising in his first game but hasn't done much since really.
Pens - we're doomed
England new strip to feature detachable collars? Half the Italian team on yellow. And penalties. Ah well.
Knew it.
Oh jeez 😖
Saka has been so poor, should have had Sancho on .
Saka is a more assured defender than Sancho. I think Southgate was thinking that Saka does offer the threat to get behind but would be better able to stop Emerson/Insigne. If course when you see what they got away with defending him, it's not entirely a surprise that he's been a bit ineffective.
Donnarumma or Pickford? Hmmmm…
Pickford looks tiny in comparison!
Good call on getting the penalty takers on and making sure Henderson gets nowhere near one
Still got my fiver bet on at 5/1 that Engerland go out on penalties, but at this point I’d rather lose it. I’ve lost all the rest of my bets
Isn’t that why we have VAR?
No. You want the ref to make the decision in the field. As long as he isn't too wrong, you get away with it. If he gave a red there, VAR wouldn't overturn. So it's still about the ref,
For all that England can be a bit divey the Italians have been scummy and the ref has let them. At least England kept their cool.
Difficult to see us winning this.
Still got my fiver bet on at 5/1
Never mind you, what's the wife got?