Nah overrated!
Italy- Euro 2020 discussion
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Respectfully but entirely disagree.
One of the best midfielders in the world, along with DeJong.
Yeah, sure htere's plenty to be excited about with this Italy tea,. But I don't agree that you could ascribe their challenges yesterday to a low block Austrian team. In my opinion, they were were not that in the first half either, though they succeeded better in the second. In fact, I'd say a prime cause for concern from yesterday's game was that the Austrians were able to relatively successfully contest domination of the game, and did not feel compelled to play with a low block approach. I thought they looked considerably more overwhelmed and outclassed against Netherlands in the opening round than they did yesterday.
But who knows, maybe it was just a first-elimination-game wobble. They'll get exactly one chance to answer that question.
Why is that a problem suddenly in 2021? It's very normal in a lot of places to boo the opposition when they have to ball and then cheer on your own when they have it? Have I missed something? Are we even going to police that now? I don't think the Austrian's players feelings were hurt at any point.
But… folks… nobody sane in his mind had / have Italy favorites to win this, mostly because they lack individual quality when compared to other sides such France and Portugal. Organisation only won’t be enough.
All the hype comes from the general surprise in seeing them play open football, the flattering numbers under Mancini, and a nice welcome on the bigger stage after 10+ disastrous years (with the exception of a truly remarkable Euro 2016 under Conte).
That said, more potential is in the bench and Mancini now has the chance to make another leap forward against Belgium or Portugal, each posing their characteristic threat. He needs to question some of his favorites, though, while sticking to the original plan in the midfield: one ball-handler + one destroyer + one box-to-box.
All the hype comes from the general surprise in seeing them play open football, the flattering numbers under Mancini, and a nice welcome on the bigger stage after 10+ disastrous years (with the exception of a truly remarkable Euro 2016 under Conte).
That said, more potential is in the bench and Mancini now has the chance to make another leap forward against Belgium or Portugal, each posing their characteristic threat. He needs to question some of his favorites, though, while sticking to the original plan in the midfield: one ball-handler + one destroyer + one box-to-box.
I think people also need to relax with the criticism of that performance a bit, Italy dominated the first half, Austria then had a good 25 minute period to start the 2nd half, but when Mancini introduced Pessina, and Locatelli for a tired Barella, and Verratti, Italy started controlling the flow of the match again. As soon as extra time started, Italy found a different level that Austria could not keep up with.
Not to take anything away from Austria, as they ran hard and competed for the full 120 mins, but they had 1 shot on target after 90 minutes, and an xG of .45. The way people are talking, you’d think Italy was lucky not to lose this game 3 or 4-0.
Hopefully the media will let us fly under the radar again and go into the QF as underdogs.
Not to take anything away from Austria, as they ran hard and competed for the full 120 mins, but they had 1 shot on target after 90 minutes, and an xG of .45. The way people are talking, you’d think Italy was lucky not to lose this game 3 or 4-0.
Hopefully the media will let us fly under the radar again and go into the QF as underdogs.
I mentioned it in the FM thread a few weeks ago that I love Belotti on the game because he slide tackled the Bayern defence in their box to score the winning goal. Looks like he's the same in real life
Hazard's hamstring has gone, KDB went off injured...it's looking pretty good if Italy meet Belgium. Italy should dominate the midfield and if they can keep Lukaku contained then I fancy them to progress.
Looking forward to seeing how the #1 ranked team in the world does against the previously unfancied Italy.
I strongly fancy Italy now.
Hoping Mancini keeps it simple and we have a game.
Do we play at home?
I am not sure. But if De Bruyne doesn’t recover you have a great chance to reach the semifinals for sure.
Don’t worry, they aren’t the 2018 team. Of course Martinez isn’t Wilmots but still, just tell Mancini to start Chiesa and Locatelli and everything will come naturally.
Germany. Munich I think
Yes. You’re right. Thank God we won’t return to that stadium, it’s usually a shitshow for us in Germany. Now regarding Italy playing on Germany maybe Belgium will have some job to do…
Surprised Italy is such big favourites over Belgium when pre-tournament, Belgium was second favourites behind France and now Italy is second favourites behind France. Italy 2.4 to win the game and Belgium 3.1.
Belgium certainly won’t press, or run as much as Austria did last night.
We’ll have to wait and hear the news on De Bryune and Hazard, with those two fit I see it as a 50/50 matchup.
Without those 2 I’d slightly favor us.
We’ll have to wait and hear the news on De Bryune and Hazard, with those two fit I see it as a 50/50 matchup.
Without those 2 I’d slightly favor us.
Injuries (Hazard, KDB) and pretty average/decent performances for Belgium make Italy favourites. Even when Belgium have all their star players fit there's something not quite right about this 'golden generation'. Maybe squad depth or just a better manager is needed.
It's a shame Italy's attack is full of good/decent players rather than any outstanding ones otherwise they'd probably walk this tournament and the World Cup maybe. Their defence, 'keeper and midfield are fantastic even if the performance dropped off a bit against a very tough Austria. I think the semi final is where they might fall against Spain or France but they have a chance.
It's not what happened though. Austria got even better after Barella and Verratti were replaced. Italy only got better 25mn later with the 2nd set of subs (including Chiesa) when Austria didn't have decent players on their bench to make substitutions.
I think both 1/8th finals should be ignored. We were very pedestrian and Italy was underwhelming as well.
On the whole, both countries have been pretty solid though. Haven't lost a point, only conceded one goal, scored plenty. It's gonna be a toss-up.
On the whole, both countries have been pretty solid though. Haven't lost a point, only conceded one goal, scored plenty. It's gonna be a toss-up.
If De Bruyne doesn’t recover I don’t see nothing there. And beating Finland and Russia means nothing. Denmark was far better.
I don't agree Denmark were "far better". They started much better, but faded as the game went on. Also, look at how easily they thrashed Wales. That tells you a lot about Italy's group.
On the first half? Without De Bruyne? Far better. Without De Bruyne I don’t see a player with a similar influence on the pitch. It’s clear Hazard isn’t at his best, and if Mancini starts Chiesa over Berardi it will be very hard.
You had 2 more days of rest, half of your team was rested against Finland and this was the best you had on the tank?
Okay, good luck, but miracles don’t happen twice (unless you’re Santos in 2016).
A bit bitter, aren't you?
It wasn't a pretty game, but it wasn't a miracle by any stretch of the imagination. Read the international press. Gritty win, hard fought win, ...
Portugal aren't Austria, I've seen nothing nothing from Italy to make them overwhelming favorites.
50-50 game, hopefully a more exciting one than yesterday
Very bitter lad
In which universe do you live if you think Denmark was far better than us? They dominated the first half and we dominated the second half. You could argue they deserved a point but in no way were they "far better".
Beating Finland and Russia means nothing but beating Wales (destroyed by Denmark), Switzerland and a woeful Turkey side means everything and Italy are suddenly favorites or joint favorites to win the whole thing? Can't have it both ways. Fact of the matter is that Portugal is a way better side than Austria, we won and Italy struggled mightily to break Austria down.
Yesterday was definitely not the best we had on the tank yet we still won without conceding a goal. They injured our best player who makes our team tick and could (I'd say would) have played the right passes in those counter attacks in the second half. If you think it was a miracle that we won, then we just disagree. It was an evenly matched game before the goal and Portugal couldn't react to that in the second half. I usually think the Portuguese on here are very level headed but some of you come across as very sore losers after last night. I understand it might hurt but look at your own performance and you should be able to admit that you didn't do enough to deserve anything from that game. Score the first goal and vice versa I think we'd have struggled mightily to break you down.
They have got a great chance against Belgium.
Belgium were very poor last night. That was a real stodgy performance. They offered nothing through midfield, Tielemans and Witsel had no control at all and it came down to pumping it towards Lukaku in the channels, who did pretty well to turn lost causes into moments.
I expect Italy to get a firm grip of the game. But they'll need to take chances and be wary of Lukaku exposing the older legs at the back.
Belgium were very poor last night. That was a real stodgy performance. They offered nothing through midfield, Tielemans and Witsel had no control at all and it came down to pumping it towards Lukaku in the channels, who did pretty well to turn lost causes into moments.
I expect Italy to get a firm grip of the game. But they'll need to take chances and be wary of Lukaku exposing the older legs at the back.
No at all. I am just telling what I saw. No way without De Bruyne you will have the chance to win the tournament. If it’s not Italy it will be against France. Sorry but having more time of rest and performing like that wasn’t a bad day at the office. The team is miles away from the 2018 team.
Let's count the people who would've given Portugal a chance against France without Ronaldo in 2016 after he went off.
Agreed that Italy struggled to break the Austria side but Belgium still not looked like good team as a whole. I feel still Italy has lot more in the tank but it's knock out game any thing can happen and Italy is not Portugal who struggled to play as a cohesive unit. If Belgium scored first they can win the match but I will give Belgium 30% chance against Italy and Italy overwhelming favourites without kdb and hazard.
I think it's a 50/50 if they play (and we would be favorites if they could play 100% healthy which they almost certainly will not be even if they do play right now). Without both of them Italy are rightfully favorites yeah.
In the universe of the first half against Denmark. Totally outplayed. Look I am not going to repeat myself, but if you believe without your most influential player you will be able to survive a sequence of Italy and France when you basically had more days of recovery and only displayed that, I am sorry but I don’t believe it. Now if by some reason it was just a bad day and somehow you’re telling me you believe after yesterday you will dominate and smash the Italians who am I to stop your dreams. I also one day had a dream I was a very rich guy but then I woke up and had the chance to check my bank account and I discovered it was empty. Wake up, no chance.
I haven't been able to watch any Belgium game till yesterday, and I have to say I was not impressed. I don't rate Portugal's midfield and Belgium wasn't able to control that area, going by yesterday, Italy should dominate in the middle of the park, as they still look like the most cohesive unit as a team.
If Chiellini is fit, I don't even see how lumping it up to Lukaku is going to work for them as they resorted to that too often for my liking.
Although anything can happen in a knock out tie, but I'd be disappointed if we lost to this Belgium team.
If Chiellini is fit, I don't even see how lumping it up to Lukaku is going to work for them as they resorted to that too often for my liking.
Although anything can happen in a knock out tie, but I'd be disappointed if we lost to this Belgium team.
Oh come on, that wasn’t even a miracle, that was something related with a paranormal event of sequences. Now I see a lot of Belgium posters are saying the guy is bitter. No, I couldn’t care less, but if I was on your situation I would be very worried for the rest of the tournament. But ok, if it makes everyone of you happy I wish a good recovery to De Bruyne, just don’t ask me to lie, Belgium absolutely has no chance to win the tournament. But keep believing, you won’t have to pay more taxes for that, if fecking Eder scored one goal one day on his life from outside the area on Stade de France, then everything is possible.
I think Italy will win this tournament pretty easily. They will dominate every team they play certainly. Their game intelligence is just really high for a national team, it’s almost like prime Spain. Perhaps Germany comes close to them or France can catch them on the counter, but I think the Italian will have enough.
Then you should've said Denmark was far better in the first half, because a full game consists of two halves and they told a different story.
Not for one second do I believe we will dominate and smash the Italians. But I do believe we have a chance to win the tournament yes. Why should I not? Italy needed ET against an average side. France couldn't get past Hungary, drew against the team we just eliminated. Spain didn't look convincing, Germany almost lost to Hungary, England look far from convicing. Belgium are not the best team in the world but no country has looked almighty in this tournament so far. Far stranger things have happened than Belgium going all the way. It's unlikely and the road to the final is tough but it's not as impossible or set in stone as you make it out to be. There's a reason we're a top 3 favorite at the booking too I'd guess (France 5.00, Italy 5.80 and Belgium 6.10 as far as I can tell right now).
You could've won it on another night yesterday, both our teams are not far apart imo. Alas.
Yes still with them I will say 45-55 in favour of Italy. They played mostly as good cohesive unit. Austria is not bad especially that game against italy they played out of their skin. Matches not played on paper
so in knockouts anything can happen.
Belgium too not bad as they were two three misplaced passes away from winning two or three goals. I won't say Belgium have no chance but Italy too good for Belgium at this stage with the way they play.
Nobody gave Czechs the chance against Dutch but we all knew how it finished.Any way good luck for Belgium.
Did you miss the game 2 days ago when they struggled against Austria?
Ok. Don’t want to monopolise the topic because after all this should be about Italy and not what ifs yesterday or next Friday.
Situation is this, and I am damn serious about that and I am trying to forget the result or what could have happened.
Reality is I expected much more from Belgium, seriously. I know there are some reasons for that, Witsel lack of rhythm, Hazard last 18 months have been terrible, even De Bruyne recovering and then having to leave at the halftime.
Then you have a advantage the temptation is let’s defend that, the problem is with 5 minutes of play if Jota hadn’t done a terrible Euro we probably would have been leading, add to that a few on the second half against a anarchyc offensive structure, believe me, nothing of that was trained previously, we finished the competition with a different midfield than the one who started, if you had that difficulty against a anarchic team, unable to press with more days off rest, how do you believe against a much better worked team regarding their offensive dynamic the things will flow?
If De Bruyne doesn’t recover? I would say to you, if we had won yesterday for me Italy was favourite, we rely on the instinct of individual players to solve problems, not saying that happens with Belgium, but clearly a lot of things simply didn’t looked ok.
Maybe only Vermaelen or Vertonghen defending on a low block were the positive notes yesterday, but the problem is collectively the italians are less predictable than us when they attack. And they press better and higher.
But ok, things can change and if I am wrong I will be the first to admit it and won’t make provocative quotes if I am right. After all there’s a poster here, guess it’s @Leeuw who supports the same club who has a connection with both countries. It’s nothing personal, and probably I am taking wrong conclusions based in 1 match…