Has there been a tournament so tight on knockout stages ? Of the 10 games played so far at least half must have gone to extra time at least…
I think it was @The_brisbane_lion who said to me before the 2018 World Cup…a major tournament without Italy is like a meal without wine. There’s something joyful about their football and the personality they bring to it. Great game tonight.
I was thinking about the deflected goal Switzerland conceded. I always think a dangle like that is asking for trouble. You need to have a crazy swipe so that if the connection isn’t what you intend, there’s still a good chance the ball will fly into the stand. I’d compare it to cricket. An unsure batsman tentatively wafting well outside off stump often ends up getting a little tickle on the ball to the wicketkeeper or first slip. But wildly flailing at the ball with everything you’ve got can result in the ball careering over the slip cordon to the boundary.
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If you’re going to flash, flash hard, as they say
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Exactly. I read your reply there in David “Bumble” Lloyd’s voice.
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The Italians were superb today; their high press is an absolute joy to watch and tbf to Immobile, he did that part of the game really well even though things weren’t going his way.
Jorginho’s first-touch passing is class; Barella was unbelievable and Verratti was dominant aswell. How many times did Verratti make the tackle in the Belgium final third to turn the ball back over?
Spinazzola will be a huge loss, Emerson isn’t a patch on him and a real weak link defensively.
Doku very lively for the Belgians.
I can’t see Spain beating them with how slow they play.
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Unfortunately for Englerland that flaky Belgium side was their best chance of winning a final IF they make it there, Spain but especially Italy are traditional international football super powers and the latter especially wont blink in a final against a side who will be under monumental pressure to deliver.
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Will they? Over the coin toss, is it? Italy will go about being ultra solid. They will probe but never over commit. They won’t care if England’s brainfart happens in the first 15 mins or the last or in injury time. England’s midfield in particular is streets below top quality but works through sheer weight of numbers. Maguire has a massive fuckup in him every game. Trust me, I’m a united fan, I know.
Anyway, Spain is all that counts for now. They looked annoyingly shite today. 1 up after 10 mins and tried to coast their way though. Would have been delighted to see the Swiss beat them.
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England being useless helps. Beating the dusty remains of a once good German team, being played off the park by Scotland…Italy would eat them
While the Italians needed extra time v Austria
2014?
Brazil-Chile
Germany-Algeria
Belgium-USA
Argentina-Switzerland
Greece-Costa Rica
Holland-Costa Rica
Argentina-Holland
Germany-Argentina
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There’s defo more in that Spanish team …
Italy have been consistently better. They’ve been the better team for years.
They’ve also got an incredible record against England in major tournaments.
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England have two Italian jobs in front of them.
Their motto is “we are the self preservation society”.
Actually, they better scrap that motto, because the tournament it’s based on is the 1968 European Nations Cup, which Italy won and which England lost the semi-final of to Yugoslavia.
Germany Algeria was fantastic
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They are not even playing eaxh other yet
Italy were v ordinary v Austria
Shit. He will miss most of next season with Roma so.
A real pity. He was flying
Austria stuck a couple of cloggers out there in the midfield to disrupt Italy. My man Schlager was one of them, getting his toe in everywhere, I can’t remember the name of the other lad. And disrupt them they did.
Roberto 
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