England v Italy Euro 2020 Final

[outwoodclaret]

Well you’ve had a fabulous holiday. The bags are packed, you’ve waved goodbye and the taxi is booked. All that remains is that final journey home. It is coming home isn’t it? There is nothing to stop you on the way to the airport except for a road block manned by Captain Chiellini and his boys in blue. Just put on “Sweet Caroline” and relax. What can possibly go wrong?

Well let’s consider Italy first. They are on an unbeaten run of 33 games with a current winning streak of 14 matches. Roberto Mancini and his orchestra won all their group fixtures before disposing of Austria, Belgium and Spain in the knockout stages. They have Donnarumma in the nets. Chiellini and his sparring partner Bonucci in defence -a partnership that reminds me of Gentile and Scirea in the 1982 World Cup Final. A midfield bristling with the talent of Locatelli, Jorginho and Verratti. Up front the more than mobile Immobile, the diminutive Insigne and the predatory Chiesa. Can they be beaten? Spain as to be expected pushed them all the way in a thrilling semi-final but Austria also took them to extra time losing narrowly 2-1.

Can England now do in front of a raucous Wembley what both Spain and Belgium failed to do? I think we can all but name the England line-up now. Ten places are certain just as it was for our opening group game v Croatia. Who gets that final shirt? Saka? Sancho? England expects that every man will do his duty. Italy will be favourites and rightly so. This is by no means England’s greatest team but they have battled their way to the final without ever reaching the heights.

Will this be 1966 again or 1066? A nation awaits.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Super pre-match appraisal outwood.

Buckle in, tighten your belts, because this promises to be one heck of a roller coaster ride.

[outwoodclaret]

Tbh BT as if the Italians aren’t going to be hard enough to beat (and I was thinking Boudicca and a few of her wheeled chariots wouldn’t come amiss) when I wrote the original article I typed road block as a single word. This is what appeared ro*******. FFS.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Some of these banned words mystify me outwood.

Why a-d-b-lock?

[ClaretinBudapest]

England 1 Italy 3

[The Bedlington Terrier]

England 1 Italy 3

England 3 v Italy 0.

[sinkov]

Cracking preview Outwood, worthy of the final. You said Italy would be favourites, I would have thought so too, but they're not. To win the thing England are 4/5, Italy 1/1. At those prices my money would be going on Italy, but as it's already on Italy @ 11/1, I'm having a small bet on England just to cover my stake and make it a free bet on Italy.

[outwoodclaret]

Cracking preview Outwood, worthy of the final. You said Italy would be favourites, I would have thought so too, but they're not. To win the thing England are 4/5, Italy 1/1. At those prices my money would be going on Italy, but as it's already on Italy @ 11/1, I'm having a small bet on England just to cover my stake and make it a free bet on Italy.

On their form in this tournament Italy would be odds on in my book sinkov but I am no betting man. I am English though through and through and could almost wish for Henry V to be in that changing room before battle commences crying “God for Harry, England and St George!”.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I'm going with, "“God for Harry Slabhead, England and St George!”.

[outwoodclaret]

I'm going with, "“God for Harry Slabhead, England and St George!”.

I was thinking Captain Harry Kane BT but any Harry scoring will do. If only we had a Tom or Dick to call on as well, eh what?