[EURO 2020 Final] ITALIA vs England (July 11th 2021) (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mark
- Start date
Both penalty taker subs missing was just ridiculous, but he made the subs so late that they didn't even touch the ball before the pens. Shame that Saka got hung out to dry and became the fall guy, because he's an 18 year old player with a big future. Where was Shaw, Stones, etc? That penalty after the Jorginho miss was crucial and also would have swung momentum.
Italy obviously deserved it though, they were the team in control, but lacking a cutting edge. Christ, they just need one good striker and then to throw on Immobile or Belotti at the end. But other NTs will say the same about a certain position.
I think Southgate misused his subs. I call him pragmatic, but I'll say it for what it is - it's negative. He thinks if the team is tough to beat then there is an array of attacking options at the other end, and England will nick a goal with a bit of individual quality, and credit to him it worked for the most part, but they looked scared and too defensive after 25 mins. Italian players are used to playing against lines of defenders in many games over a season, it was nothing new for them.
As usual Chiesa was an absolute star, and his injury might well have took the game to ET, he looks dangerous running into that void between Stones and Maguire, and then later coming in from the left. What a player. Absolutely love him.
I've hated Bonucci for a couple of seasons because he needs a good team around him and can look like a clown when he is exposed, but credit to him he shone at this tournament, and had great support from midfield whenever Sterling had the ball. He's never going to be perfect but he stood out, and scored a key goal and crucial pens. Chuffed to bits to see he and Chiellini win something so important so late in their careers. It's just a shame Buffon was not still around to enjoy it, but Donnarumma is a top young keeper.
I might be biased but I think the best team in the tournament won the tournament in the end. Losing Spinazzola, who was the star of the team before injury, was a big blow to the attacking edge and space afforded, and you could see over the latter stages some players declined physically, like Barella, Verratti played through some issues, so the performances became less impressive as the semis and final arrived, but if you look at it over the tournament they came through the tough bracket and beat England in their own stadium in the final. Really impressive work by Mancini. Sometimes a national team coach just falls into place, and he has been perfect.
Italy obviously deserved it though, they were the team in control, but lacking a cutting edge. Christ, they just need one good striker and then to throw on Immobile or Belotti at the end. But other NTs will say the same about a certain position.
I think Southgate misused his subs. I call him pragmatic, but I'll say it for what it is - it's negative. He thinks if the team is tough to beat then there is an array of attacking options at the other end, and England will nick a goal with a bit of individual quality, and credit to him it worked for the most part, but they looked scared and too defensive after 25 mins. Italian players are used to playing against lines of defenders in many games over a season, it was nothing new for them.
As usual Chiesa was an absolute star, and his injury might well have took the game to ET, he looks dangerous running into that void between Stones and Maguire, and then later coming in from the left. What a player. Absolutely love him.
I've hated Bonucci for a couple of seasons because he needs a good team around him and can look like a clown when he is exposed, but credit to him he shone at this tournament, and had great support from midfield whenever Sterling had the ball. He's never going to be perfect but he stood out, and scored a key goal and crucial pens. Chuffed to bits to see he and Chiellini win something so important so late in their careers. It's just a shame Buffon was not still around to enjoy it, but Donnarumma is a top young keeper.
I might be biased but I think the best team in the tournament won the tournament in the end. Losing Spinazzola, who was the star of the team before injury, was a big blow to the attacking edge and space afforded, and you could see over the latter stages some players declined physically, like Barella, Verratti played through some issues, so the performances became less impressive as the semis and final arrived, but if you look at it over the tournament they came through the tough bracket and beat England in their own stadium in the final. Really impressive work by Mancini. Sometimes a national team coach just falls into place, and he has been perfect.
