Euro 2020

[ForeignLegion]

I think he meant "they're better than us"

[Notts78]

One thing Southgate said after the match struck me as odd - that Italy are "a little bit further ahead of us in their development".

That's not really true. They failed to qualify for the 2018 WC and had to completely reinvent the team and the style of play. Didn't we make it to the semis in 2018? How can they be further ahead in their development than us?

I think he meant that is as good as Italy can be. As a young squad still learning he believes England can still be better. The fact that we lost on penalties would suggest that it won’t be long until we are better than Italy.
The squad we have could compete for the next 6-8 years. Italy will lose arguably 2 of the best CB’s in world football within 2 years. Any ideas who could replace them?
We have players like Grealish, Foden, Sancho, Sako and Mount who have a handful of caps now but come the next Euros I guarantee they will further along in their development. Along with many in the current squad.
The emergence of players like Grealish, Foden and Sako has thrown a positive spanner in the works. How do we get the best out of these players? Southgate was never going to let them all loose without being certain that the system would still work defensively. Another development point.
The beauty of this England squad is it can get better. Time will tell as to whether it will and to what level.

[countygump]

Did Southgate, ''get it wrong''?



https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/foot...?ocid=winp2jun

[Another one]

Did Southgate, ''get it wrong''?

Of all the people who know what a lottery penalties are and the years of heartbreak when they go wrong he should have thrown everything at it to get a second and third goal in normal time so as not to go there. It should have been full on attack mode after that first goal knowing there was time left to get a goal back if the Italians scored.

Easy said now I know but I was impressed with England this tournament, right up until about halfway through the first half. Bringing young subs on for the penalties was a mistake, the pressure must have been immense. Better someone who has just fought for 120 minutes and has their eye in.

Anyroad, I read somewhere Euro 2020 was just a stepping stone to the World Cup and it certainly looks like they are on track so I have more hope than I have ever had before. And the time zone will mean I won't have to have beer and pickled onions for breakfast when we make it to that particular final.

[upthemaggies]

If penalty shoot outs are a lottery and not based on skill, does that mean penalties in normal time are also a lottery? What about one on one situations or any attempt on goal? It's the same thing after all, a good or bad strike (or something in-between) with the keeper having to make a judgement as to where to position himself and when to dive/rush out.

Players miss practically open goals on occasion, goalkeepers fumble easy shots and concede. Isn't the whole game a lottery if it's down to chance and not played by robots?

[BigFatPie]

If penalty shoot outs are a lottery and not based on skill, does that mean penalties in normal time are also a lottery? What about one on one situations or any attempt on goal? It's the same thing after all, a good or bad strike (or something in-between) with the keeper having to make a judgement as to where to position himself and when to dive/rush out.

Players miss practically open goals on occasion, goalkeepers fumble easy shots and concede. Isn't the whole game a lottery if it's down to chance and not played by robots?

Penalties are a lottery in the same way that the playoffs are a lottery.

i.e. Not at all.

[Davy500]

I think he meant that is as good as Italy can be. As a young squad still learning he believes England can still be better. The fact that we lost on penalties would suggest that it won’t be long until we are better than Italy.
The squad we have could compete for the next 6-8 years. Italy will lose arguably 2 of the best CB’s in world football within 2 years. Any ideas who could replace them?
We have players like Grealish, Foden, Sancho, Sako and Mount who have a handful of caps now but come the next Euros I guarantee they will further along in their development. Along with many in the current squad.
The emergence of players like Grealish, Foden and Sako has thrown a positive spanner in the works. How do we get the best out of these players? Southgate was never going to let them all loose without being certain that the system would still work defensively. Another development point.
The beauty of this England squad is it can get better. Time will tell as to whether it will and to what level.

Was nothing between the 2 sides
In the end it came down to Rashford clowning around, then hitting the post, he should have just buried it, nothing to do with how much Italy were better than us. In hindsight, and during the game, the most disappointing thing was England never went for the throat, after the tide started to change, after Machino made changes, Southgate should have made immediate changes himself to combat this, but unbelievably did nothing at all
If Rashford scores its 3-2 to us with 2 penelties left, the pressure is all then on Italy, because if they miss, we only have to score , also as roy keanne rightly said, the older players should have took more responsibility , with the kind of attitude that i am taking it no matter what ( remember hughes against bradford, picking the ball up straight away )

[Davy500]

At the end of the day its done, we did well to reach the final, but must learn from these lessons
It is twice now we have become undone in the same circumstances, 1st against croatia, now Italy, taking the lead and then ultimately being knocked out, because of defensive tactics, against the best teams in the later stages of a competition, i would say its virtually impossible to hold a 1-0 lead for nearly 90 minutes

[laddo]

Italy deserved winners for me on the night.

[drillerpie]

Penalties are a lottery in the same way that the playoffs are a lottery.

i.e. Not at all.

Spot on.