Based on the way Italy play, not sure if they'd prefer the English players personally. Regardless, your point was that England have a WC player in nearly every position yet realistically, that's not true at all.
Italy 32 Games Unbeaten
- Thread starter 432JuanMata
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Kane isn't that big of a deal outside England, not helped by him being awful in this tournament and the last World Cup. All the talk is about Sterling and youngsters like Foden. Yet in England Kane is untouchable.
I think it's helping Italy that they don't have any stars who must always play, Mancini is able to pick whoever is in form and best fits the team. Southgate is stuck having to pick certain names whether they perform or not.
I agree on Italy, there is a great togetherness about them and spirit and the manager doesn't seem hamstrung at all. Not having to pander to certain players is a huge plus for him. Look at Belgium today shoe horning in a KDB who was supposed to be injured and could barely run or press. England not giving Kane a game off. Mancini seems to be doing as he pleases and its working a treat. If any other team left out Locatelli after his start there'd be a media inquest (even for Veratti). I think there's a togetherness in Italy on everything, the team, the staff, the media, the fans and its great to see with what they went through last year as a country.
Would like to avoid these guys, Spain kindly knock them out please? (Providing we do the business too)
I don't think it really matters, I can't see Spain scoring against that Italian defence.
The likes of Morata and Torres will be nice and snug in Bonucci and Chiellini's pockets.
Hopefully, I just think Spain will create a lot more chances than the more defensive sides they've face, Austria and even today proved that they do cough up good chances if you can get at them, especially at RB with Alba overlaps. Have to hope Morata doesn't have that 1 in 5 games where he looks like a real no.9. If Italy play like today it could be a real end to end belter and hopefully Italy score more than Spain.
Mancini's tactics are ideal for international football, but wouldn't last too long in top 4 of Premier League.
But huge credit to Mancini. He's turned them into a typical Italian war machine, almost impossible to beat. No superstars like France, just good honest technically brilliant players who know their roles inside out.
But huge credit to Mancini. He's turned them into a typical Italian war machine, almost impossible to beat. No superstars like France, just good honest technically brilliant players who know their roles inside out.
Agree - there are no standout superstars but they play very well as a team - kudos to the coaching team for the drilled discipline. I wonder how this is related in any way to the Serie A's performance as a league.
You do know he won PL with city ))
I must’ve missed the game vs Ukraine.
Kane who did nothing all tournament?
Insigne is similar to Kane actually, outside of the tournament. A top player in his position but playing for a club that arent going to win a trophy that often
I’m predicting England will beat Ukraine and Denmark will beat Czech. Not difficult to follow.
They have a class midfield but their ability to soak up pressure and their bombing FBs are the game changers.
They'll sorely miss Spinazzola but I fancy them to win the tournament now that France, Germany and Portugal are out. Spain in their actual state shouldn't be that much of a hurdle and whoever they meet in the finals have to step-up their game big time.
They'll sorely miss Spinazzola but I fancy them to win the tournament now that France, Germany and Portugal are out. Spain in their actual state shouldn't be that much of a hurdle and whoever they meet in the finals have to step-up their game big time.
Why? Italy are great to watch
Hasn't Insigne scored 20 goals or more in a season just once in his entire career? I mean he's played more games for Napoli than Kane has for Spurs and scored less than half the goals.
As for Italy, thought they looked great tonight. Really fun team to watch. If England don't win it, would love them to pick up the trophy.
They look like a proper team. Mancini has done a very good job with them no matter what happens from now on.
Unbalanced squad, but if i could pick the best 23:
Donnarumma
Tripper-Bonucci-Maguire-Shaw
Barella-Verratti
Sancho-Grealish-Sterling
Kane
Sirigu, Pickford, Chiellini, Stones, Walker, Spinazzola, Jorginho, Foden, Mount, Chiesa, Insigne, Rashford, Immobile
This is true. Their individuals are actually quite far from level they were in 2006 or 90´s. It´s not even close. But they have a great team. But they have some older good players like Chiellini and then younger ones like Barella, Chiesa and Donnarumma. They can be world class some day. And Spinazzola has peaked in older age, maybe same with Insigne. Insigne actually is a very good player. Underrated outside Italy.
But after all, nice to see Italy is back! Their situation looks better than it was 3-4 years ago. At least now they have some promising youngsters.
That wasn't my point. My point was that top 4 clubs generally don't touch Rafa Benitez or Jose Mourinho type park-the-bus managers, with a barge pole anymore. Mancini would fit into that category.
Insigne is a left sided player Kane is a striker
Insigne got 19 league goals and 7 assists from the left, same kind of numbers as Salah last season in the league
The commentator in the US said he's played attacking football with Italy.
Yeah very similar in that his loyalty has maybe held him back a little. One bad tournament doesn't make Kane not a superstar. Kane is a huge name in global football, insigne not so much though highly rated.
Insigne didn't really become first choice for Italy till he was pretty well on. Not a knock a phenomenal player but it's looking like his breakout tournie is coming when he's 30.
Personally I think Barella will be Italy's next global superstar.
Italy plays very offensive football. Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't watched their games. Mancini is not a park-the-bus manager, at least based on this Italy team.
Yeah, not at all a defensive style of play with this Italy team. Terrible post really
Can't see that poor Spanish attack creating much against the Italian defence but you never know.
In fairness to Insigne, he didn’t really fit Conte’s system, and Ventura was just a disaster of a coach for Italy.
But yeah, Barella, and Chiesa both look like that have that special quality about them.
Which according to the Gareth Southgate enthusiasts, absolutely impossible. Playing good football while winning in international football is unheard of because "you just get 2 weeks prep".
Good job, Mancini. Doing really well with a team that can be considered underdogs, while playing good football. Many teams with far more talent turning out tumescent performances.
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I'm sure this Italy team can beat Germany and Portugal as they are now, they are playing worse than Belgium. France is the true threat. But it's gone. Italy already beat a big threat, Belgium. They can beat Spain. And if they and England reach the final, Italy can surely beat the big threat of England. If Italy wins this tournament, they will have beaten more than worthy opponents in the way, and proved to be the best.
Very fun team to watch but I thought their midfield look extremely vulnerable in transitions. Verratti lack the legs to track back and Barella is often their most offensively positioned midfielder, this leaves Jorginho who isn't exactly a Kante type midfielder. Belgium breezed past their midfield several times and couldn't capitalise.
He's doing a great job. Brought young exciting players through. In general he would be considered a defensive pragmatic coach, but yes looks like he's being more attack minded with Italy than he was at City.
The best thing about this Italy team for me is that they play proper, positive, attacking football. None of that defensive/pragmatic/steal a goal on the counter sort of crap that far too many teams in international football these days play. And thus, they have my support for the rest of the tournament.
Kane would be an obvious massive upgrade on the one glaring weakness Italy has. Don't think there is that much to choose in the other individuals between England and Italy, but Kane > Immobile/Belloti.
Still, it's interesting that Ronaldo, Lewandowski, and Lukaku are out, while Immobile and Morata remain. Only Kane remains on the prolific #9 side.
We haven't played France, England or Portugal, and those are the only sides with a significant talent advantage over us
Given our opponents so far, it would have disappointing not to get this far
England would be a horrible matchup for us
Spain is 50/50, the team with the more effective pressing should win
And for all the talk about Mancini being so positive and everything, Mancini is very much a pragmatic manager. We play this way because *we have to*. We don't really have alternatives if we want to win games. This makes us predictable and allows teams to play on us, which is going to be sorely tested by Spain next(they have the same problems we do), and if we face them in the final(please no) england
Spain is 50/50, the team with the more effective pressing should win
And for all the talk about Mancini being so positive and everything, Mancini is very much a pragmatic manager. We play this way because *we have to*. We don't really have alternatives if we want to win games. This makes us predictable and allows teams to play on us, which is going to be sorely tested by Spain next(they have the same problems we do), and if we face them in the final(please no) england
Due to the England maybe. This Italy side are good to watch.
If they're doing it then they're good enough to be doing it. Individuals aren't important but the end result of the team is. And this Italian team certainly doesn't need to look upwards at teams like England and Portugal neither of whom are anything great.
Also don't know how you clubbed France with the others. They are world champions and comfortably ahead of the other two?
So then what's the point of comparing the two?Insigne is a left sided player Kane is a striker
Insigne got 19 league goals and 7 assists from the left, same kind of numbers as Salah last season in the league
Insigne's 19 goals in the league were the only goals he scored last season, which meant he played the same number of games as Salah basically and scored 12 goals less overall. And I believe his last season was one of his best ever stats wise.
They are a passionate team, if there's such a thing. Watch them sing the national anthem, they're already fired-up before a ball's been kicked. It's great to see.
Kane got 6 goals and won the golden boot.