that horn-honking thing is really shit. I hate it

szczeweeeeeeeee wrote:


Two of Italy's best chances in the first half came from Pirlo's passes, the one where Terry blocked Balotelli's attempted chip, and his lovely floated cross which I think Abate knocked down at the far post for Balotelli, which Lescott cleared over the bar.

Agree that Welbeck was unlucky to be taken off. As others have noted, he was winning a lot of headers and is more mobile than Carroll.

Horn-honking is something I really fancy, when the time is right.

England managers keep getting suckered by the myth of the big man up front: Hateley, Heskey, Crouch, Carroll

Bootleg Mark Chapman wrote:


Sure, but I seem to recall England having two decent chances through Milner in the first half, one of which was a delightful cross from the right.

I'm just saying Pirlo seemed to have very little time or space in the first half. It changed in the second half but from the 60th minute onwards he had loads of time and space. The attitude amongst the Italians at the bar I was watching it in certainly changed at that point.

Agree with tractorello, Hodgson has made a series of correct decision throughout the tournament, but made two stinkers last night. I thought Milner was having a good game and he would have kept producing the defensive cover along with a decent cross every 20 minutes until midnight if necessary.

Crouch is one of England's all-time top scorers, though. Number 17, according to a random site I just checked. Ahead of Gerrard (and Beckham) and just behind Lampard.

I didn't get the impression that Pirlo was ever much contained. He was immense, and the cucchiaio seemed to be the perfect comment on how little trouble he had had throughout.

Italy had a terrible World Cup, which one could blame on Lippi's retaining too many older players, but I think Pirlo's absence has to be the main asterisk there. Last night he was in a class of his own.

The rigidity of England's shape and formation was an asset at times during this tournament, it was of little use when it came to getting on top of Pirlo.

He doesn't play in a fixed midfield position, he flits about to wherever the space is. For England to hit him whenever he was in possession would have required breaking the formational shape and I think that is a cardinal error in a Hodgson team.

So he was influential from the off and while we all thought he would tire, it actually became easier when Milner went off. England has a waning and half fit midfield duo against an Italian quartet.

Have to disagree on Wellbeck, I though after he missed that good first half chance from the Rooney back heel he was pretty anonymous.

On paper there was logic in the subs. England were getting hemmed in with no real out at all. Italy don't like pact players running at them (Walcott) and they looked uncertain at times when the ball was in the air in their box (Carroll).

The problem was that the players were not good enough. Walcott has had his good England game, his next one is not due for another 3 years. Carroll needs service, the only good crosser of the ball was Gerrard who was stuck defending his back line and had no energy to surge into crossing positions on the right.

Walcott did fine when he was given the ball.

The problem was that when he as on Hart kicked it to Carroll who lost it, or mamanged to lay it off ito Young or Rooney who lost it. On the three occasions Walcott was given the ball England looked like creating something.

Brunislaw wrote:


It's the subtle differences in how suspended players take part in the celebtrations.

Various player ratings from the broadsheets.

Telegraph / Independent / Guardian / Times


Hart 6 / 7 / 6.7 / 6
Johnson 7 / 7 / 6.5 / 7
Terry 8 / 7 / 6.7 / 8
Lescott 6 / 7 / 6.3 / 7
Cole 7 / 6 / 5.8 / 6
Milner 5 / 6 / 4.5 / 6
Gerrard 6 / 7 / 5.9 / 6
Parker 7 / 6 / 5.2 / 6
Young 4 / 4 / 3.1 / 5
Rooney 5 / 6 / 3.8 / 5
Wellbeck 6 / 6 / 4.9 / 5

and....

Pirlo 9 / 8 / 8.9 / 8

Ashley Young's European Championships by The Guardian ratings:

v France. 5.7. Only Milner scored lower
v Sweden 4.3. Lowest
v Ukraine 5.3. Only Milner scored lower
v Italy 3.1. Lowest

Of course, Terry was only one of our suspended players to get into his kit for the celebrations.

Anyway

So over the last couple of days we've had the Gazzetta Dello Sport depicting Balotelli as King Kong, a friend of mine challenging people in a bar over calling the same player 'nigger', and on coming home last night finding out that other in other flats near ours were very audibly monkey-chanting England's black players during the penalty shoot outs.

I hope Italy get fisted 5-0 by Germany, I really do. I've fucking had it up to here with the constant casual, vocal racism in this country. It is incessant.

Just out of interest how many people post on the Guardian's football articles because looking at the comments under the recent articles about England they seem to be extremely critical even more critical than normal

Bryan, I can't tell if those pictures are photoshopped or not, but my opinion is that it's pathetic to care either way.

Just out of interest how many people post on the Guardian's football articles because looking at the comments under the recent articles about England they seem to be extremely critical even more critical than normal

Er Liquidatore wrote:


Were they wearing Fred Perry and Stone Island whilst they were at it? Only that's twice I've heard Italians described as "casually" racist here in the last couple of days (the other being ursus in re: the Balotelli cartoon), and it doesn't sound particularly casual to me..

dalliance wrote:


Then again, the Guardian ratings gave a total of 78 to England for last night against 76 for Italy.

Brunislaw wrote:


I've seen mention that Pirlo said post-match it was a deliberate attempt to demoralise the English. Anyone see the actual quote/interview?