England v Italy THE FINAL

[mickd1961]

Southgate for me was not brave enough! You invite pressure - you get hurt! Anyone would bet on us NOT getting through on penalties!

The best side won!!! Away too!!

You've beat me to it mate.

Timid management in that second half allied to terrible substitutions and terrible timing of the substitutions.

The BBC pundits etc say "we'll learn" but we didn't learn from the Croatia World Cup semi final, when you have your opponent in trouble you put your foot firmly on their throat.

Declan Rice was the best player on the pitch yet we took him off and replaced him with Henderson who was awful.

Saka was dreadful when he came on and then we give him the penalty......absolutely f king clueless game management by Southgate.

Rashford.........he took a longer runner than Bob Willis, I though he was trying to stamp out a small camp fire as he approached the ball.

Sancho........why wasn't he brought infer Mount at half time FFS........Mount gave it away more than Andy Johnson used to for us!


For me, I'd have been leaving Trippier and Walker on to take penalties rather than throw on two lads a nano second from the end with absolutely no feel for the game.


I like Southgate as a bloke but tonight he cost us, we had the winning formula at the start as our football proved but his timidity went through the team like Covid.

Declan Rice and Phillips were immense.

Grealish and Sterling hiding during penalties.........this will be remembered.

[kettering_baggie]

Bringing players on right at the end of extra time just to take the penalties is a big mistake, they don’t have time to get into the game and be properly warmed up. When Pickford temporarily reprieved England, it should have been an experienced player to take that kick, shocking management by Southgate. As for Rashford’s penalty, with a stuttering ‘run up’ like that he doesn’t deserve to score, dreadful. Kane and Maguire showed how to take a spot kick, the others didn’t take note and were awful.

[DaveP67 is back!]

We should have won, we have the players sadly most of them didn't make the pitch in time!

[regis80]

It is as if we have a plan for the penalties yet not one to win a game. Ffs southgate, stop trying to be too smart and stop being so negative. We really missed the chance due to the stupidity of Southgate. Should have made subs early on. Italy make substitutions to try and win the game.. Southgate?.. no reaction to those italian subs that worked for them. useless.

[Barrera]

I think our problem is centre midfield. Philips and Rice ran their socks off and generally both did really well. But we don’t have that calm midfield maestro who can put his foot on the ball and control play ...picking out raking passes or just keeping the ball ticking over. Someone like Verratti ... we don’t seem to have this type of player. Grealish, Sako, Sancho and Foden are all great attackers in the final third but quite similar in many respects ...

Despite the despair ....I am actually positive about Qatar .... Southgate does need to learn from mistakes though ... and get over his conservative and overly cautious mindset ...it’s something which has dogged England teams in many sports over the years ... we have strong Plan A but no Plan B.

But overall am proud of the team for what they have done over the past month ....

[mickd1961]

I think our problem is centre midfield. Philips and Rice ran their socks off and generally both did really well. But we don’t have that calm midfield maestro who can put his foot on the ball and control play ...picking out raking passes or just keeping the ball ticking over. Someone like Verratti ... we don’t seem to have this type of player. Grealish, Sako, Sancho and Foden are all great attackers in the final third but quite similar in many respects ...

Despite the despair ....I am actually positive about Qatar .... Southgate does need to learn from mistakes though ... and get over his conservative and overly cautious mindset ...it’s something which has dogged England teams in many sports over the years ... we have strong Plan A but no Plan B.

But overall am proud of the team for what they have done over the past month ....

We do have "that player" mate, his name is Jude Bellingham.


Kane ends up playing too deep in helping the three behind him, he needs to be the number 9 not the number 10.


Mount doesn't do it for me and neither does Saka at the moment, Foden, Sterling and Sancho are the best players to play behind Kane but they need to find a formation that allows Bellingham into the midfield with Rice and Phillips.

[WBA1955]

Big night tonight at 8pm as we visit Bangladesh for the final programme of 'Our Wild Adventures' featuring Tigers on BBC2...But then again I'll probably brave it and watch the BBC coverage of the Final instead, rather than ITV as Im not too keen on splatterface

Snack of choice - Crisps
Drink of choice - White wine

C'mon England!!

I saw this post about our wild adventures Phil and decided to start watching it on iPlayer.
The photography is superb.
We have come a long way since Armand and Michaela Denis.

[BaggieBlood]

I don't know who the pundit was on itv, as I didn't want to risk it after listening to that massive t wat splatterhisfsce during the Denmark semi.

What an absolute no nothing bell end.

[BaggieBlood]

Southgate listening to a no mark like Graham Jones says it all for me, a limited manager taking advice from a limited no mark.

Big positive was Philips, he is immense. I'm glad Leeds rejected the scum's bids for him when they went up. Stones, Pickford and Rice were good too and Walker was his usual 8/9 out of 10. Kane wasn't at his peak and Sterling was the best of the forwards.

I honestly don't see why so much fuss is made about Sancho (I don't watch German football) and think Foden should have played more.

[DaveP67 is back!]

‘He’s gorra gew Franksie!’
Seriously tho we have such talent we need to play more on the front foot and trust in the kids..