Totally agree. England fans and media going well over board. Rio last night was cocky as feck.
Italy- Euro 2020 discussion
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What would you want then, 3-4-3? Or Bring in Locatalli aswell into the midfield and have Insigne floating off Immobile? Chiesa has to start though if fit as think he could expose the right side of England backline if that's going to be the final.
But Italian media with "Belgium vs Italy - the real final" wasn't?
I was playing that hypotethical final game into Southgate’s shoes. Would I field my usual 4-2-3-1 or get another anchor in the midfield to contrast Barella-Verratti-Jorginho more directly? Fortunately, I do not have to answer that question. Many many coaches in the past came out with awkward, unnatural setups in the final game and failed miserably.
Ah right I see it again looking at your post. I meant though how would you like to see Mancini counter the England (or indeed Danes 4-3-3) with how he sets up on final day?
Southgate isn't brave enough to play anything like that. All of the 3 would play but it won't be a 433.
It will be a 5 man defence with Rice and Philips . Mount, Sterling and Kane ahead of them.
Mancini needs to keep it simple and trust his usual system until the hour. After that, barring calamitous evenrs (a drubbing, a red card, bad injuries), he has five available changes and a deep bench to see out the game or plan for the extra time, in case.
The point was the debate on a midfield three against a midfield two, with the latter risking to be cut in half if the former keeps too much of the ball and dictates the pace. England’s 4-2-3-1 strong points are the pace bursts from the flanks and the set-pieces plays. We would be happy to control the midfield, in case, and try box-to-box incursions.
Yeah Rio was way over the top last night. England blitzed a poor Ukraine team and suddenly turned into prime Brazil. There’s being confident and then being daft. Unfortunately like the player I quoted before the lines have become wayyyyyy to blurred!!
Hopefully the ref is a bit better on Sunday.
Other than that, England has a lot of pace, and are good from set pieces. But they leave a lot of gaps in the middle of the park, very little pressure all over the park until the ball is close to their box. It’s the individual quality of players like Kane/Grealish we have to watch out for.
I think Jorginho/Verratti can really take this game over and control the tempo. England haven’t played a team as good as us, but we’ve arguably played 2 teams as good/better than them.
Will be a very interesting matchup.
Other than that, England has a lot of pace, and are good from set pieces. But they leave a lot of gaps in the middle of the park, very little pressure all over the park until the ball is close to their box. It’s the individual quality of players like Kane/Grealish we have to watch out for.
I think Jorginho/Verratti can really take this game over and control the tempo. England haven’t played a team as good as us, but we’ve arguably played 2 teams as good/better than them.
Will be a very interesting matchup.
It is going to be Kuipers, imho (the only one of the QFs referees neither involved with Italy and England nor being Italian or English like Oliver).
Our plan A will be straightforward: try early and put even more pressure on their heads, especially on Pickford. If no goal comes, just keep the ball at snails pace until the hour and then try to win the game with subs (namely, Pessina, Berardi, maybe Locatelli, even Raspadori as a magic card by Mancini against tired CBs).within the 90 minutes. In every case, stay afloat until then.
We need to be careful with our own hot heads, namely Barella and Verratti, and with awkward fouls on their quick forwards, which may lead to a number of cards. Both squads have won nothing at international level with ther current iteration, so stakes are very high. We are smarter but underdogs, they have more stamina but also more pressure.
Completely agree with that.
It was basically the problem for England in the 2012 QF, basically gave space for Pirlo to do what he wanted and same for Modric at last world cup so unless Southgate goes back to 4-3-3 and a middle trio of Rice-Henderson-Mount then I don't see anything other than Italy completely overruning England in central midfield. Dosen't mean of course it will be Italy win as likes of Immobile and Insigne could miss about four one on ones between them while Kane will probably just need two clear chances to score but would be shocked if Italy aren't at 60-40% for long spells.
Think this is a big game for Verratti. Guy's obviously a good player but his international career has never really good going with injuries and Italy having that poor spell of either going out early or not even qualifying. And also tucked away in French league so ask many football fans over here if he was on same level as say Modric and people would probably do a double take.
MOTM performance on Sunday in the final will elevate him up to that bracket as would mean Italy win the trophy I think.
This could also be a match where we see the impact of losing Spinazzola.
For one, he has the pace and acceleration to keep up with a player like Saka, but for me Kyle Walker was one of the best English players in the match against Denmark, specifically the first half. He used his pace to cover the other members of the back line and stop some genuinely good scoring chances.
Spinazzola would have kept him really occupied out there, I’m not sure Emerson will be able to do the same. So I’m hoping we can establish the right side with Chiesa early on, and keep Shaw pinned back.
For one, he has the pace and acceleration to keep up with a player like Saka, but for me Kyle Walker was one of the best English players in the match against Denmark, specifically the first half. He used his pace to cover the other members of the back line and stop some genuinely good scoring chances.
Spinazzola would have kept him really occupied out there, I’m not sure Emerson will be able to do the same. So I’m hoping we can establish the right side with Chiesa early on, and keep Shaw pinned back.
So many underrated the whole squad. Great team. Deserved winners.
Buzzing I picked these from the start, cheers for the winnings!
Donnarumma now a legend in Italian football lore?
Where do Italians rank/rate Bonucci and Chiellini in their history?
Where do Italians rank/rate Bonucci and Chiellini in their history?
Best team from start to finish. We deserved this.
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Heroes 
Deserved winners by a distance
Deserved winners by a distance
That’s crazy. After the 25 minute mark, him and Jorginho bossed the game.
The best National Teams are always the ones who have the best midfielders, and in this tournament Spain and Italy had the best combination on that department. I actually think the performance of Spain midfield against them was the most impressive thing in this tournament, but that's another conversation.
Not surprising at all. Verratti is on a different level than the overhyped, good for nothing Rice/Phillips combo. It was a genuine world class midfielder performance vs school boys.
Southgate would probably bench him. You would also get endless discussions about his height as well, as if it matters to his style, and see Italy's goal, where he won a header and headed it on goal.
Mancini takes him injured to the Euros and plays him as soon as he was half fit, for an in form Locatelli, because he is world class and a maestro.
Well done to Italy. They proved me wrong, I thought the peaked too early in the tournament and would lose as some stage. But what an achievement, to not qualify for the 2018 WC to winners of Euro 2020, fantastic. And credit to Mancini as well, brilliant manager.
Campioni! Grazie, Mancini, Grazie Ragazzi!! Redemption for many, the most of them: the serial bottlers, the finals losers, the never good enough, the mid-club perennials, the many unknown from our beloved (and so often derided) farmers league. All is forgiven now: this instalment of so-so, good, plus a few very good players have put their name on an international trophy with the National Team. Fantastico!
I feel sorry for a number of England players, especially the younger ones who did not convert their penalties. Southgate is getting many many things right and the path is ascending, but the ultimate responsibility on the pitch, when the stakes are the highest, should maybe lie upon the most experienced and the most accustomed players?
I also want to offer my commiserations to the vast number of England fans on here that treated us respectfully. It has been an entertaining and tiring month of football, and a manic Sunday for Italy in a number of sports. I am left to clean the litter from the beach of the small sea-village we were allowed to occupy for the game. It was a modest party all day long and until half an hour ago, I can assure you.
Ciao e Forza Italia, it’s coming Rome!
Redemption for many, the most of them: the serial bottlers, the finals losers, the never good enough, the mid-club perennials, the many unknown from our beloved (and so often derided) farmers league. All is forgiven now: this instalment of so-so, good, plus a few very good players have put their name on an international trophy with the National Team. Fantastico! I feel sorry for a number of England players, especially the younger ones who did not convert their penalties. Southgate is getting many many things right and the path is ascending, but the ultimate responsibility on the pitch, when the stakes are the highest, should maybe lie upon the most experienced and the most accustomed players?
I also want to offer my commiserations to the vast number of England fans on here that treated us respectfully. It has been an entertaining and tiring month of football, and a manic Sunday for Italy in a number of sports. I am left to clean the litter from the beach of the small sea-village we were allowed to occupy for the game. It was a modest party all day long and until half an hour ago, I can assure you.
Ciao e Forza Italia, it’s coming Rome!
Great side and a very likeable one to boot. Chiesa is an absolute star. Deserved winners.
The experience of those old warriors Bonucci & Chiellini was the difference in the end along with schemer Verratti too, perhaps in hindsight it would have been better for England if Spain had prevailed in that shootout the other night
As I said before the final, it was actually pretty weird to watch what I thought was the best midfield in the tournament get absolutely bossed by the Spanish. They were scarily good.
If they sort their attack out Spain are easily up there for favourites for the World Cup. Their defence is better than it showed too.
I still think Spain actually not only has the best midfield on their 11 also on the bench they absolutely have the best lot of midfielders from any NT, at least on the Euros, but I doubt Brazil and Argentina have midfielders of that quality also in South America. But make no mistake, Verrati/Jorginho/Barella are top midfielders, but for me Spain just produces the best midfielders in Europe.
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So happy for Mancini! His work at City is genuinely underrated but he again showed what a great manager he is!
Someone in this very thread said Verratti is overrated.
As much as I hoped Italy would win, I did not expect it to happen. Looked really good in the groups, thought I'll be okay with being knocked out by Belgium, but when KdB and Hazard were not fit/available, I wanted a win and nothing else. Had Spain knocked them out, I'd have taken it as a successful tournament as they'd have beaten England.
I'm really excited to see what these players can do in Qatar, hope Spinazzola is back to his best and players like Kean and Raspadori gain the required experience to replace compete with Immobile who I still think has something to offer, even though he had a below par tournament.
Excited about Zaniolo too. Not sure about Chiellini being part of the Qatar squad, but Bonucci and Bastoni should be playing all the game from here on.
The national team I support has won 2 major tournaments in my lifetime. Chuffed.
I'm really excited to see what these players can do in Qatar, hope Spinazzola is back to his best and players like Kean and Raspadori gain the required experience to replace compete with Immobile who I still think has something to offer, even though he had a below par tournament.
Excited about Zaniolo too. Not sure about Chiellini being part of the Qatar squad, but Bonucci and Bastoni should be playing all the game from here on.
The national team I support has won 2 major tournaments in my lifetime. Chuffed.
Maybe I won't dream of Trezeguet golden goal anymore.
LET ME GUESS!!!Campioni! Grazie, Mancini, Grazie Ragazzi!!
the serial bottlers: verratti? florenzi?
the final losers: chiellini bonucci
the never good enough: insigne immobile bernardeschi
the mid-club perennials: belotti berardi
the many unknown: di lorenzo pessina toloi?
thank you Roberto Mancini, the architect of this victory! totally deserved, from the beginning to the final
Yeah think England would've had a much better chance v Spain personally. Can remember England totally schooling Spain on counter attack in nations league a few years ago so getting an early goal would've been perfect v them.
Yes they'd have dominated midfield but I don't think they'd have hurt England as much as eventually Italy did and their CBs wouldn't have played the attackers as masterfully as Chellini and Bonucci did after the dodgy opening 20 minutes.
Yeah they definitely would have controlled the midfield with Busquets & Pedri but defence is nowhere near on Italy's level, so frustrating that they couldn't find a way past them in the semi final but ah well can't do anything about it now.
Chiellini is a good CB,He’s always been.
Bonucci is overrated. Imo not that good.
They’re both very lower level than italian defensive legends as facchetti, scirea, gentile, baresi, Cannavaro, maldini, nesta… anyway.