Final: Italy vs England

smi11ie

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We were hated just as much when we were shit so I'm not going to lose any sleep over us getting even more when we finally reach a final.
It is true that England are probably the most hated nation in the world, but be honest, you wouldn't want it any other way.
 

DWelbz19

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I used to support England against almost any other team in the world, but today I really hope Italy has was it takes to beat them properly.

This hole, booing during national anthems, harrassing other fans, including children, this aggressive approach to supporting your team, and the diving in the penalty area is awfull.

England used to be a lot more likeable.
:lol:
 

El Zoido

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I used to support England against almost any other team in the world, but today I really hope Italy has was it takes to beat them properly.

This hole, booing during national anthems, harrassing other fans, including children, this aggressive approach to supporting your team, and the diving in the penalty area is awfull.

England used to be a lot more likeable.
I’m English and a lot of our fans do my head in. I hate to get all “not all England fans are like that” but, erm, not all England fans are like that. In fact, I think the majority aren’t.

Also, the players themselves are a really likeable bunch imo, that goes for pretty much all of them. The manager, too. It’d be a great redemption story for Gareth.
 

Random Task

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I used to support England against almost any other team in the world, but today I really hope Italy has was it takes to beat them properly.

This hole, booing during national anthems, harrassing other fans, including children, this aggressive approach to supporting your team, and the diving in the penalty area is awfull.

England used to be a lot more likeable.
How can you be one of the haters with a great name like Steamboat Willy. It's so sad.
 

Sancho7

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I used to support England against almost any other team in the world, but today I really hope Italy has was it takes to beat them properly.

This hole, booing during national anthems, harrassing other fans, including children, this aggressive approach to supporting your team, and the diving in the penalty area is awfull.

England used to be a lot more likeable.
There's no one worse than Italians for booing national anthems, Buffon once clapped through Sweden's national anthem due to the booing, it's all panto. Italians are also renowned for their dark arts and unsportsmanship like behavour, aswell as racism issues in football, I'm not saying England don't and we are saints, but my point is you are trying to paint a picture that England are the bad guys in this game and who are your trying to kid with that?

I can't believe the excuses people here are making and all around the web to show why they don't want England to win, just say you don't want England to win rather than trying to look for faults and reasons why you don't want them to win when you wouldn't want them to anyway.

It's not like it makes a difference who you/i or anyone else here is cheering for on the TV tonight, its going to have no bearing what so ever on what is going to happen, what will be will be.
 
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TrustInOle

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Come on England! :devil: Absolutely bricking it now! Shut the haters out, what they wouldn't give to be in our position!
 
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Intriguing to see how England do against Italy - a far better opponent than the other countries they've faced so far. Italy on a crazy 30+ unbeaten run.

I'm going 2-1 Italy. Immobile brace and Kane pen
 

Dante

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I used to support England against almost any other team in the world, but today I really hope Italy has was it takes to beat them properly.

This hole, booing during national anthems, harrassing other fans, including children, this aggressive approach to supporting your team, and the diving in the penalty area is awfull.

England used to be a lot more likeable.
Nationalist karaoke isn't an important or sensitive topic in England, hence the boos at the anthems. It's not intended to be hurtful.

However, now that it's been talked about in the media for the last few days, England fans will be more aware of the offense it causes. I'd expect the boos to be much reduced, if not completely absent today.
 

Buchan

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However, now that it's been talked about in the media for the last few days, England fans will be more aware of the offense it causes. I'd expect the boos to be much reduced, if not completely absent today.
On the contrary, now that they know the offence it causes, the Neanderthals in the stadium are going to double down and boo even louder, IMO.
 

Idxomer

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Sancho or Sterling on the right for me tonight.

Saka has done well, but the left side of the Italian defence is their to be exploited tonight.
I think Sterling has been England's best option on the right while only starting one game from there.
 

Sweet Square

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Nationalist karaoke isn't an important or sensitive topic in England, hence the boos at the anthems. It's not intended to be hurtful.

However, now that it's been talked about in the media for the last few days, England fans will be more aware of the offense it causes. I'd expect the boos to be much reduced, if not completely absent today.
:lol:
 

buchansleftleg

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Everyone is expecting Southgate to be careful, and stay quite defensive for 70 minutes and hope Italy run out of gas.

But for me that approach only works if Mancini stays with his high press approach.

Southgate should go for it from the start with an attacking line-up that can hold onto the ball and then get the Italian defence turning and exposed for lack of pace.

Id go with Sancho rather than Saka as his ball retention is better.

It would be nice to play more expansive football given it is the final.
 
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Dan-Utd

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Should be a good game, will probably finish 3-2 to either team.

One concern I have from the Denmark game is that with 9 minutes to go we started to head towards the corner flag, the concerning part is that on 2 occasions there were literally only 2 Denmark defenders and rather than try to kill the game off we ran the ball into the corner.

My point being a better opponent with quality all over the pitch could have ended up equalising because we didn't take those opportunities and then we would have been shocked and probably lost.

I'm all for running into the corners but not when there is a genuine goal scoring opportunity opening up.

Here's hoping it comes home but Italy have some very experienced winning heads in their squad and even if we lose I think this young England squad will benefit from that experience and actually win something sooner or later.
 

Ibn Battuta

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I don't know. I'd expect Southgate to go 3-5-2 and England to focus on neutralising the Italian midfield. Then it'll be for the wing backs to carry whatever isn't handled through long passes, and make the difference. Defensive lines and forward lines are about even, or perhaps slightly in England's favor. With Spinazzola out, England has much better wing backs than Italy though.

But who knows, perhaps Mancini does something unexpected.
It is pretty much 99% much certain Mancini won’t do anything unexpected. He doesn’t have the players to do much different.


Everyone is expecting Southgate to be careful, and stay quite defensive for 70 minutes and hope Italy run out of gas.

But for me that approach only works if Mancini stays with his high press approach.

Southgate should go for it feom the start with an attacking line-up that can hold onto the ball and then get the Italian defence turning and exposed for lack of pace.

Id go with Sancho rather than Saka as his ball retention is better.

Iy would be nice to play more expansive football given it is the final.
Completely agree. Go for it. It is the statistically most sensible approach. The Italians are maybe better suited for the wait and hope for a chance tactic than England. England can win even if they go down a goal, for Italy that would be catastrophic with the counter attacking pace England has.
 

Siezard

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In my opinion, there's no point playing defensive against a team which is good defensively. England needs to attack head-on! Just go all out and don't let the italians rest. You have 5+1 subs: make use of them! Go all out and attack and score goals like crazy. Don't play slow like the Brazilians and only wake up after conceding one goal.




Rashford is the very player that can affect that Italian backline because he offers pace and threat from different angles and can drag those CB out more than Saka could from the right.
Rasford - Kane - Sterling
Angles, movement, shots and pace.
This is true. But Southgate is not seen as one making big changes to the line-up.

Tonight we will see whether Southgate chokes as often as Ole.
 

firstkuyttouch

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Nationalist karaoke isn't an important or sensitive topic in England, hence the boos at the anthems. It's not intended to be hurtful.

However, now that it's been talked about in the media for the last few days, England fans will be more aware of the offense it causes. I'd expect the boos to be much reduced, if not completely absent today.
Hahahaha now that England fans are more aware I expect a sharp uptick in the volume of the booing
 

IncyWincySpider

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3-5-2? Okay, keep it tight and hope to nick something, I guess. If we don't nick something or if we go behind we have the firepower ready to come on.
 

TrustInJanuzaj

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I mean surely no one can be shocked. If there is one thing we know about Southgate it is that he will pick the most negative team he can to nullify each opponent we meet. So far it’s been pretty boring but effective and now we have to hope one last time that negative football wins us the trophy.
 

shamans

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Footballs coming home! Today is my proudest day as an English man. It's crazy how they put you in jail for being a proud English citizen nowadays. Finally everyone can respect England where they belong!
 

Classical Mechanic

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3 5 2? Is he bottling it?
It’s what he did against a Germany to nullify their wing backs which is also Italy’s main attacking outlet. Wing backs allow you to create 2v1 situations against a back four (see Germany v Portugal for an example of this having a devastating effect) so the simple way to counter it is to match their formation so those overloads can’t happen. You can see it as a sign of respect to the quality of their players as we didn’t do the same against Denmark.