I‘m not Spanish but if you’re talking about a single group of players then that Spanish era team was one of the very best.
Semi-Finals: Italy vs Spain | England vs Denmark
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
That Spain midfield is sensational. If they can find a striker in the next year or so they will be right up there in the world cup.
IT’S COMING ROME PORCO DIOOOOO 
I think we can beat italy but I reckon playimg at 'home' could be worse than playing at a neutral venue, especially for this specific England team. The amount of pressure on them will be through the roof.
It will be the biggest game of every single one of their careers.
Spain deserved to go out. Already won 2 shootouts against Croatia and Swiss. Now they couldn't even get a win again to save themselves another shootout.
Beautiful game. Two wonderful teams. Delighted for Italy especially Chiellini - great character. Spain were wonderful too, sorry to see them depart. Best match I’ve seen in a long while. Will be hard, I suspect, to overcome Italy in the final.
Oh has he? Sorry, I didn't realise he suffered with it. I thought you were using it as a figure of speech. Hopefully he doesn't take it too hard.
I actually googled this. Feck sake.
Another great game (tempo died in extra time) this has been one of the most exciting tournaments ive had the pleasure to watch.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Thats the tactic set by Mancini i guess, letting Spain to have more possesion and chances only to be countered with fast counter attacking football. At the start of this tournament i made a point in the newbie forum of how this italian team is the best Italian team in decade but they lack quality strikers to win it, i simply dont rate Immobile and Bellotti at all, not only theyre poor finishers they also bad at linking up play something players like Morata and Olmo are good at.
Olmo was very good. He should be moving to a bigger club very soon. Can’t believe he’s Spanish as his name sounds so Croatian
I can't believe people blame Spain for this instead of the teams they faced
Sure Mancini saw how Kyle Walker played v Germany. That'd be one route if he plays the same ..
.. that's assuming England get to the final
If England win tomorrow it'll be a toss up come Sunday. Italy were good tonight and looked comfortable throughout bar patches in the first half, but without Spinazzola going forward they did look lacking. On the flip side England look very good going forward but Rice and Phillips in midfield, like you said, is a concern. What England have going for them is home advantage, Wembley will be absolutely rocking, and this could very well play a big role in the outcome of this hypothetical game.Yep, wouldn't trust Walker to keep him under wraps. Italy's midfield isn't going to get bossed the way it did today by the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice. I'd tip the Italians to see it through. But thats irrelevant because Denmark are winning the whole thing
And as for Denmark, as much as I want them to beat Italy in the final if they beat England tomorrow to complete their fairytale, I don't think they stand a chance.
That’s where my like for them stems from tooFor me it's all because of Chiellini. The pure hatred for conceding goals feels like its been lost from modern defenders.
Who cares about goals when you can head it out for a corner
Spain played great throughout. Nice to see unity through sport. Sorry to Spanish fans- all those I ever met are great people.
Their defence lacks too in fairness 6 goals conceded. In 2012 They conceded 1.
Odd that he played there as well. Don't think family are Croatian?
Never get out of my sit because of this bunch so I can’t rate them that much. I prefer a good spectacle, players doing their stuff. All this stats football and possession stuff is a bore to me. That is why Pelé was the best, he tried so many new things, and people understood it…that’s why everyone love Ronaldinho. At the end of the day that is why you want to see a game, to see something out of ordinary.
Sure, but as long as you hit the corner the keeper can't get there.
Great game of football between two very good but flawed teams. Good job by the referee too, set the tone and the players adjusted.
Sure but those days are basically gone.
Love this Italian team. A mixture of throwback defending and modern attacking.
From England's POV (if they get through...) it's interesting that a false 9 caused Italys absolutely iconic centre backs some issues. They didn't like being pulled up the pitch and with better final deliveries and finishing they would've lost.
Still, take nothing away from the Italians. All my pre tournament bets involve Italy to win so I'm delighted.
From England's POV (if they get through...) it's interesting that a false 9 caused Italys absolutely iconic centre backs some issues. They didn't like being pulled up the pitch and with better final deliveries and finishing they would've lost.
Still, take nothing away from the Italians. All my pre tournament bets involve Italy to win so I'm delighted.
Agree entirely. He is sensational
I still put france of 98-00 Brazil of 98-02 above that Spain champion era in past three decades. Those two teams were efficient Brazil 02 just too good to watch too.
I wonder who Spain’s 5th taker would be if it went to that stage. Jordi Alba? Pau Torres?
Emerson did pretty well to fill in for Spinnazola. He had some incisive driving runs and even rattled the crossbar at one point. Spain's command of the ball in midfield pretty much prevented any consistent attacks down the flanks for Italy. I don't think Spinnazola would have been able to do much better against this Spanish side.
Thanks
yes, we played great(except Thiago). I always liked Italy so good for them and good for Morata.At the end he won't be hatedLook forward to the runners up trophy game tomorrow.
My moneys on Denmark
My moneys on Denmark
Brilliant
Oh Morata
Ma che cazz'...
If you were set to kick your penalty like that and lose your sleep over it for weeks, what was the point of inflicting us forty minutes of cramps and swearing? A lose-lose proposition, that seems to me.
At this rate, England will just have to wait for us to call 911 ten minutes into the second half of the final.
Anyway, Spain was way more deserving than us both sides of their equalizer.
Whatevs, 2008 is vindicated.
Ma che cazz'...
If you were set to kick your penalty like that and lose your sleep over it for weeks, what was the point of inflicting us forty minutes of cramps and swearing? A lose-lose proposition, that seems to me.
At this rate, England will just have to wait for us to call 911 ten minutes into the second half of the final.
Anyway, Spain was way more deserving than us both sides of their equalizer.
Whatevs, 2008 is vindicated.
I don’t care about England the same way I care about United. I can be more objective rather than the doom & gloom 8 years of Woodward has given me
It's not as straight forward as this. Italy are playing wonderful football. I want England to win for United players but god you guys ard going to be insufferable if it happens.
Prime David Villa in that Spain side and Spain win 2-0 and easily beat England\Denmark.
If England played Spain or Italy tonight they would have been killed.....the arrogance of Ferdinand to dismiss both sides
Sure, football is more and more about team cohesion, physical capabilities, tactical awareness, control…but you see some good stuff from time to time, Rashford does it, but every time it doesn’t go off he gets abused…
neither side scared me tonightIf England played Spain or Italy tonight they would have been killed.....the arrogance of Ferdinand to dismiss both sides
You wasn’t playing them that’s why