Italy v England

Come on England.

UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifier (Channel 4)

19:45  Italy v England

England: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Phillips, Bellingham, Saka, Grealish, Kane.

Subs: Ramsdale, Forster, Trippier, Henderson, Dier, Chilwell, James, Guehi, Gallagher, Foden, Maddison, Toney.

Not a team I would’ve gone with. Would’ve started ramsdale in goal and also trippier over shaw

Expecting dropped points tonight but would like to be wrong. Better to get the tough fixture out the way first.

Our national anthem went well ffs.

Get in!

What a player Kane is, superb link/hold up play.
I'd almost go as far as to say "Tayloresque".

A bit soft? Not sure I’d moan about that if it wasn’t given.

Get in, 0-2 England.

England much too good for Italy. I think I last said that about 50 years ago.

The most entertainment I’ve had from an England qualifier in many years

That's some 45 minutes from England. I worry about Maguire but he always seems to do it for England
Saka and bellingham are going to be in this team for a long time all being well

Grealish. WTF?

Instep and it's 3-0.

Quoted from LH

A bit soft? Not sure I’d moan about that if it wasn’t given.

Really? Can't see how it was anything other than a penalty.

Very good from England so far.

Harry Kane now England's all-time record goalscorer (54)

Well done Harry, you deserve it.

Normal service resumed

Maguire showing why Manure don’t pick him.

Tough 30 minutes now.

Grealish miss coming back to bite.

Must say I think the ref is having a good game, not falling for all the diving,from both teams, also allowing tackles.

Grealish and Pickford have had poor evenings. The rest look good.

What a joke sending off that is.

Phew

FT....Italy 1-2 England

Great start to our Euro campaign.

Great result, had to dig deep, Kane outstanding tonight

Well, it wasn't pretty, but any away win in Italy is some achievement.

That was so like the 3-2 in Spain in the Nations League. A first half performance that made you think we are the best team in the world, but 2nd half really underwhelming but gritty. I’ll take that!

The ref's mother was born in Venice and he thinks his dad was born in Rome - they have never met since he was conceived after a drunken one night encounter at the back of Pizzeria Pappagone  

That’s a huge result from an opponent that could have made it very different. On the first half I really don’t think we’re far off winning something and we’ve got a young enough set of players to have a few goes at it too. Second half 😱

Everything right first half, everything second half.

If the ref books a player for not taking a throw in quickly enough, then FFS don't give him any reason to book another for time wasting. Basics. Thought the ref had a good game, it's not his fault our players are brain dead.

Quoted from mimma

Everything right first half, everything wrong second half.

If the ref books a player for not taking a throw in quickly enough, then FFS don't give him any reason to book another for time wasting. Basics. Thought the ref had a good game, it's not his fault our players are brain dead.

To be fair though the 2nd half was poor from an England perspective but they got the job done with a rare win for any side in Italy.

Good result!

The referee was a bit too eager with his bookings for time wasting. Heaven only knows what he would have made of the Crocombe Cramp! Shaw very unfortunate to pick up a red in that situation, but the referee should have stopped the game when it was clear Maguire was injured (in their defence, I don't think our players had seen he was down when we played on).

Bellingham started brilliantly but really struggled in the second half and looked to be struggling with his fitness for much of the game.

Hopefully, Kane can remain fit for a few more years yet because we don't half rely on him for so much. A really classy player.

Worse Italian team since Julius Caesar was in charge

Great first half and Grealish should have put us 3-0 up
Second half struggle with bookings and tiredness. My worry with Southgate is that he is so slow to respond at key moments in games that has cost England in the past. Again last night they were losing the midfield battle in 2nd half and should have brought on fresh legs earlier. We’ve got the basics of a very good side and we defended well with ten men to see it through

The second half showed me exactly why Southgate won’t win us a major tournament. Killed all our momentum by deciding to sit on it, much like we did in the Euros final. Luckily Italy are garbage.

Quoted from pontoonlew

The second half showed me exactly why Southgate won’t win us a major tournament. Killed all our momentum by deciding to sit on it, much like we did in the Euros final. Luckily Italy are garbage.

I can't believe that in reality that game replicated the final of the Euro's in that we allowed an average Italy side back into it, they only won the euros because we let them, or it feels that way anyway.

In hindsight, the red card probably saved us. It forced Southgate to change tactics and go 5 at the back and once we did that, Italy never got a sniff. I thought Connor Gallagher was superb for his brief cameo, his energy for that last part played dividends.

Or maybe Italy just upped their game in the second half, which happens in games.

They haven't been beaten in a Euro qualifier for over 40 games, so to criticise England for their second half performance is missing the point that we beat Italy on their own patch for the first time in over 60 years.

The manner of the victory doesn't really matter. We scored more goals in our purple patch in the game than they did.

England ran out 2-1 winners. But the real legacy of this game is to enhance the stereotype that Italians really do know how to dress.

Southgate looked like he was trying too hard. His navy suit was alright. Decently cut, but, just alright.  His zip polo shirt worn half undone made him look scruffy. But, worse than that was his suit and trainer combination. I don’t dispute that this can be a good look but it didn’t work on Southgate last night. Primarily because his trainers were just too big and clunky. They should be slimmer and more streamlined. A gazelle or Stan smith in an all white leather colour way would have been a better option. To me, it looked like a schoolboy trying to rebel at school by wearing trainers with his uniform

Manchini in the other dugout absolutely nailed the managerial look. His navy suit was impeccably tailored, cut close to the body with perfect cuff length and a perfect break at the ankle. His smart, polished shoes an excellent accompaniment. Paired with a simple white shirt and striped tie was perfection.
His back room staff had the same but with a navy belted mac (incidentally quite a British jacket) over the top which had the embossed Italy badge on the arm. Much better than our lot in tracksuits.

The Italians absolutely schooled us in the style stakes last night and if points were awarded for that then we’d be already struggling to qualify.

Quoted from darren9

England ran out 2-1 winners. But the real legacy of this game is to enhance the stereotype that Italians really do know how to dress.

Southgate looked like he was trying too hard. His navy suit was alright. Decently cut, but, just alright.  His zip polo shirt worn half undone made him look scruffy. But, worse than that was his suit and trainer combination. I don’t dispute that this can be a good look but it didn’t work on Southgate last night. Primarily because his trainers were just too big and clunky. They should be slimmer and more streamlined. A gazelle or Stan smith in an all white leather colour way would have been a better option. To me, it looked like a schoolboy trying to rebel at school by wearing trainers with his uniform

Manchini in the other dugout absolutely nailed the managerial look. His navy suit was impeccably tailored, cut close to the body with perfect cuff length and a perfect break at the ankle. His smart, polished shoes an excellent accompaniment. Paired with a simple white shirt and striped tie was perfection.
His back room staff had the same but with a navy belted mac (incidentally quite a British jacket) over the top which had the embossed Italy badge on the arm. Much better than our lot in tracksuits.

The Italians absolutely schooled us in the style stakes last night and if points were awarded for that then we’d be already struggling to qualify.

Yeah, but when did a sharp suit get you three points on a saturday?

Luckily for Southgate it doesn’t. Hurst has improved in the style stakes though. He’s ditched his touchline tracksuits and gone for smart trousers and knitwear.

Quoted from darren9

Manchini in the other dugout absolutely nailed the managerial look. His navy suit was impeccably tailored, cut close to the body with perfect cuff length and a perfect break at the ankle. His smart, polished shoes an excellent accompaniment.

You say Manchini. I say Mancini.
You say Maher. I say Maaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhh…
…Let’s call the EFL Trophy off.

Funnily enough, if it was ‘Manchini’, it would be pronounced ‘Mankini’ which really is a fashion abomination that not even the Italian bench could pull off.