No penalties this time.

Yeah, no AET, no pens for the duration -- finish it up in 90+ minutes. I'll stick w/ Italy 1-0, but hope England win it.

He really is a weird one, Balotelli.
You don't know what he gives a shit about. Football or fireworks.

Without making fun of it now, I'm dead serious, I've sometimes wondered if he doesn't have Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
And it makes me wonder if some other players may have it.
You know, players we post about on here, writing about them as if they're insane, we speak of them as they're insane, and it could be "simple" as that, they have ADHD, they can't help it.

This tournament alone, Balotelli scored a fantastic goal against Ireland, the one where a team mate forces his hand over Balotelli's face as if to prevent him to say something he will regret.

Then there's the Italian coach, after one of the group games being pissed off at Balotelli and saying that the bloke simply doesn't give a shit about tactical instructions, he does what he wants like there is no coach.

And of course this from the Italian camp. All of the players doing push-up's, except Balotelli. He doesn't really look like he gives a fuck.

Pietro Paolo Virdis wrote:


At least Balotelli is making the best use of the blue mat. Dunno what its purpose is otherwise.

Not quite sure why there's so much focus on one Italian player who's not even played for half of Italy's gametime so far. I guess it's tabloid values, what with Balotelli's exploits...

At least Balotelli is making the best use of the blue mat. Dunno what its purpose is otherwise.

To prevent manly sweat from despoiling the blushing turf.

Apparently they were doing yoga, not pushups.

He may very well have ADHD.

I would figure Balotelli was picked because of this match. His strength is fighting off defenders and laying off passes will be the one thing that can break England.

From an Italian and AEB viewpoint, I'd prefer to see Balotelli sit this one out. I think Italy can win without him and there's too big a danger of him being sent off.

I've had a short ponder and decided that Italy, while fielding one of the humbler lineups in recent years, look superior in every way to this England side. Am I missing anything?

I'm mostly worried about the absence of Chiellini.

Even if you ignore the personnel, you can draw an inference from the strength of the group games. Italy gave Spain a much tougher game than did France, who outplayed England for long periods. It was harder to come second in Italy's group than to win England's group. Etc.

If Italy can get Di Natale in between the "two banks of four" and Pirlo escape Rooneys attentions theyll rip us to shreds.
If they start with Ballotelli its an even game which means ET for me, even penalties.

"Primordial"...Forza Italia!

Gazzetta's "cartoon" today:



Every time I think that I've discovered a ne plus ultra example of casual racism in Italy, they manage to out-do themselves.

It's very odd how infrequently England and Italy have met. This will only be their third meeting in a finals tournament, and one of the previous two was a third-place playoff.

So really, we've only met in a proper finals game once before, when Tardelli's goal gave them a 1-0 win in the finals of 1980. And before that, our only other competitive games were in the qualifiers for the 1978 World Cup. We've played both Argentina and Brazil more often than Italy over the years.

Only now did I notice there already was a QF4 thread started

Of course it's "only now". I don't believe you.

Good for you

Rogin you forgot the qualifiers for the 98 workd cup which saw England go to Italy and secure a 00 draw. Possibly Englands best performance for 20 years.

A game England with Ince and batty in centrqal midfield largely controlled.

At least this game looks more of a contest on paper than the last three non-events which pitched good v bad, with bad way too bad to ever threaten an upset.

I don't know at all where I think this will go. Italy at their best have looked a better team than England, but they have faded in the last half hour and looked quite poor. England have been a more consistent ho-hum all the way.

I think the later the game goes undecided then the more chance England will have of outrunning them. Italy need a good and decisive first half I reckon.