Italy v Sweden

[navypie]

The booing during Sweden's national anthem was the worse I ever heard , you could see the look of disbelieve on the players faces . If that happened at an England game we would be labelled a disgrace and threatened with being thrown out of whatever competition but nothing will be done to the Italians. Come on Sweden !

[Carlton_Pie]

The booing during Sweden's national anthem was the worse I ever heard , you could see the look of disbelieve on the players faces . If that happened at an England game we would be labelled a disgrace and threatened with being thrown out of whatever competition but nothing will be done to the Italians. Come on Sweden !

Very tense first half.

I reckon Sweden have got this, Italy look short of quality and are becoming frustrated.

[navypie]

2 nailed on pens for Sweden , the ref bottled it !

[jackal2]

The booing during Sweden's national anthem was the worse I ever heard , you could see the look of disbelieve on the players faces . If that happened at an England game we would be labelled a disgrace and threatened with being thrown out of whatever competition but nothing will be done to the Italians. Come on Sweden !

I'm always embarrassed by the England fans doing it, and it's no more acceptable from the Italians. Cheer and boo as much as you like during the game itself, but disrespecting the national anthems betrays a basic lack of class. It demeans only the perpetrators.

On the wider subject of the qualifiers, is it just me who is finding the refereeing of some of these games inept to the point of being suspicious? As an Englishman I've got no bias towards any of the other nations, but in both of Northern Ireland's games against Switzerland, and in three halves of Italy versus Sweden I've seen so far, there seems to have been an extraordinary number of key decisions not going for Northern Ireland and Sweden.

I don't usually go in for conspiracy theories, but it does seem to me that the comparatively illustrious nations are getting the lions' share of the decisions. Perhaps it's my imagination, but we do know that FIFA is, to put it very politely, not exactly squeaky clean when it comes to behind the scenes influence and commercial considerations. Even before the games started, there was the rather dubious practice of seeding certain teams for the play-offs, based on the ever-contentious FIFA ranking system, which seems unnecessary and unfair when all 2nd-placed teams have surely earned equal right to benefit (or not) from the luck of the draw.

[navypie]

I'm always embarrassed by the England fans doing it, and it's no more acceptable from the Italians. Cheer and boo as much as you like during the game itself, but disrespecting the national anthems betrays a basic lack of class. It demeans only the perpetrators.

On the wider subject of the qualifiers, is it just me who is finding the refereeing of some of these games inept to the point of being suspicious? As an Englishman I've got no bias towards any of the other nations, but in both of Northern Ireland's games against Switzerland, and in three halves of Italy versus Sweden I've seen so far, there seems to have been an extraordinary number of key decisions not going for Northern Ireland and Sweden.

I don't usually go in for conspiracy theories, but it does seem to me that the comparatively illustrious nations are getting the lions' share of the decisions. Perhaps it's my imagination, but we do know that FIFA is, to put it very politely, not exactly squeaky clean when it comes to behind the scenes influence and commercial considerations. Even before the games started, there was the rather dubious practice of seeding certain teams for the play-offs, based on the ever-contentious FIFA ranking system, which seems unnecessary and unfair when all 2nd-placed teams have surely earned equal right to benefit (or not) from the luck of the draw.

Spot on.

[jackal2]

All of that said, though, I do think Sweden are paying Italy far too much respect and bringing more pressure on themselves than necessary. This really isn't a great Italy team at all, especially up front. The Swedes seem to have the English football disease of winning the ball back and then hitting an early ball to give it away again, when all they need to do is keep possession. Not every ball needs to be a forward ball or a blasted clearance, especially if you're already 1-0 up. Just get possession and treasure it, including playing 5 or 10 yard backwards and sideways passes if necessary. Even less technically gifted players should be capable of that.

[navypie]

Bakersfield won't be a happy place tonight

[Notts78]

Tactics spot on.

Why take risks playing from the back? If Sweden we're playing Brazil I would agree that the best way to counter Brazil is by keeping the ball, but Italy look ordinary up front and Sweden backed themselves to keep a clean sheet by forcing Italy to break them down rather than a mistake from 'over playing'.

[jackal2]

Tactics spot on.

Why take risks playing from the back? If Sweden we're playing Brazil I would agree that the best way to counter Brazil is by keeping the ball, but Italy look ordinary up front and Sweden backed themselves to keep a clean sheet by forcing Italy to break them down rather than a mistake from 'over playing'.

Who said anything about "over playing"? What I'm talking about is not just booting the ball upfield to nobody in the last 10 minutes and giving your opponent an automatic opportunity to launch another attack, when actually you're not being pressed and there's a safe pass on to a team-mate five yards away. That's not "overplaying", it's just simple, basic football.

You're right in one sense. Italy were so inept going forward that they still couldn't take advantage of multiple extra and unnecessary chances to attack, but better teams and forwards would have done. It doesn't make the tactics right.

Next summer I'm sure the likes of England and Sweden will stick to the huff-and-puff style that's seemingly imprinted on their DNA, and I'm sure they will be knackered after three games and will go out to the first decent team they play. Meanwhile, a team that knows how to control possession will conserve their energy best and win the World Cup.

[Steward]

The booing during Sweden's national anthem was the worse I ever heard , you could see the look of disbelieve on the players faces . If that happened at an England game we would be labelled a disgrace and threatened with being thrown out of whatever competition but nothing will be done to the Italians. Come on Sweden !

To be honest there's no need for National Anthems, who respects their oppnents Anthem. Sweden got their own back in the best way possible.