Euro 2012 - Match discussion thread

Sport
1061

Pizza Hut will be happy.

1062

Let Henderson take one.

1063

Fuck you

1064

Hart is looking at a printout from TFK website. Well done Rocko

1065

Very strange alright.

1066

Balotelli would be my bet for it.

England will do a Chelsea on this. Vastly outclassed, but will struggle through.

1067

Which station should I watch this on?

What did Buffon head off to do there I wonder? Quick piss?

1068

I switched around the Italian players to fuck it up for him.

1069

One more time to save me flicking pages:

Infostrada have put together some cheat sheets for tonightā€™s game if it goes to penalties. Hope it does now just so I can make use of this analysis and sound knowledgeable when talking to Mrs Rocko.

http://infostradalivā€¦sheet-for-italy

http://infostradalivā€¦eet-for-england

England

  1. Wayne Rooney

Experienced penalty taker who probably has etched in his mind already where he will strike if it comes to this. More often than not, he will shoot to his left. Dive to your right, knowing that you will be playing the percentages correctly.

  1. Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard is 76% lifetime on spot kicks, but since 2007 is 85%, making him a legitimate expert. Remarkably, he missed his last penalty, in the 2012 Carling Cup final. He is a no-nonsense taker that will go to his left most of the time. Dive to your right and hope for the best. Your teammate Morgan De Sanctis faced him in a 2010 Europa League match.

  1. John Terry

Whatever John Terry does from now on in terms of spot kicks, he will always be remembered for the one he missed after slipping in the 2008 Champions League final. He will take responsibility in a shootout and aim for the bottom right corner. So dive to your left.

  1. Ashley Young

With an arch in his run-up, he will suggest that he will go to his right, which is your left. Goalkeepers that will not take the bait, will be able to make an easy save.

  1. Ashley Cole

Ashley Coleā€™s official penalties have all come in shootouts. He has scored four and missed one. If you move early, he can adjust to beat you. If you wait long enough he will go sharply to the bottom right corner, which is easier for him as a left-footed player.

  1. James Milner

Milner, a right-footed player has the confidence and the sense of direction to put it in the top right corner. Try distracting him and making him change his mind at the last moment.

  1. Stewart Downing

Stewart Downing is a penalty taker that is all over the place. He has put it wide twice when aiming high, so safely assume that he will go low. We expect him to go left bottom, so go to your right.

  1. Theo Walcott

Dive to your right, Gianluigi.

Italy

  1. Antonio Di Natale
    Italyā€™s most experienced penalty taker in their current squad is Antonio Di Natale. Back home, he is remembered for a vital miss in the Euro 2008 quarterfinal shootout against Spain, when he chose his less favoured bottom right corner. We expect him to look for redemption and opt for the bottom left corner. He strikes with great force, so try to get an early step on him. And dive to your right.
  2. Daniele De Rossi
    De Rossi has not taken a penalty since August 2008. His preference is shooting towards the top left corner and he has also had his most success there. If his shot is on target, it will take a special dive to your right to make the save. With him, there is always the chance that his shot is off target as well.
  3. Antonio Cassano
    He is a rare breed, being a taker that does not include the goalkeeperā€™s actions in his decision making, however neither shows a strong preference for one of the corners. Just dive to your right as Fernando Muslera does here and you will be right more often than not.
  4. Andrea Pirlo
    Accurate right-footed taker that has a propensity for shooting towards the bottom left corner. Forget about the odd one he puts up top. If he takes one like this, it will be almost impossible to save anyway.
  5. Mario Balotelli
    He has never missed any of his nine penalties in official matches and we feel because it is a) he is a very strong taker and b) he is seldom seriously challenged. He will let the goalkeeper decide where he goes. Fake a dive to your right and then go to your left. But postpone your fake to sell it credibly to him.
  6. Sebastian Giovinco
    He will not engage the goalkeeper and he will put it low. Has no clear preference. Probably best to dive to your left.
  7. Alessandro Diamanti
    Maybe better to ask Rob Green about the season he spent with Diamanti at West Ham and Rob must have faced him many times at practice. Our research shows that Diamanti is a left-footed taker with a preference for his bottom right corner (your left).
  8. Thiago Motta
    Not an experienced penalty taker, but could step up here. We suspect he will slot it bottom left, so dive to your right.
1070

Rooney will miss, no question

1071

Stevie G
Wazzaroon
Cashley
Hendo
JT

1072

Come on England! Come on Joe ā€¦

1073

Good luck Englandā€¦

1074

I honestly think we came as close to beating Italy as England did. They will be poxed if they get through this.

1075

Hart mind games. Hart also said heā€™d take a penalty if asked.

1076

Mario!!!

1077

Super Mario :clap:

Super peno :clap:

1078

The balls on Balotelli

1079

Mario doesnā€™t miss penā€™s. Simps.

1080

excellent penalty from the big man. glad to be wrong