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Destrado wrote:I think it's unfair to only look at Ronaldo. I'm guessing people who say that only see the highlights of the game - it's not like we don't have Nani, Pepe, Coentrão, Bruno Alves, who are good players, others like Raúl Meireles who although tired is still a competent and threatning player.

I mean, this isn't Barça, it's not a one man team; he is the player you hear most about, but then again it's like saying Italy is Bolatelli and England is Rooney.

To be fair, England is Rooney.

d-usa wrote:

Destrado wrote:I think it's unfair to only look at Ronaldo. I'm guessing people who say that only see the highlights of the game - it's not like we don't have Nani, Pepe, Coentrão, Bruno Alves, who are good players, others like Raúl Meireles who although tired is still a competent and threatning player.

I mean, this isn't Barça, it's not a one man team; he is the player you hear most about, but then again it's like saying Italy is Bolatelli and England is Rooney.

To be fair, England is Rooney.

England is Alex Oxlade Chamberlain! soon

In all seriousness though, we have a world class keeper, one of the best all round midfielders in the world in Gerrard, the defence is pretty good (cole,lescott,terry,johnson is a good back line), and this great load of youngsters coming through in AOC, Wilshere, Welbeck, Carroll, Sturidge and the likes of Young, Milner and Parker are pretty good players too. The only players from Portugal who would get in the team are Ronaldo and Pepe, and if Cole was injured then Coentrao.

I disagree about Milner and Parker. Milner has always seemed useless to me most of the time he gets the ball. Parker just doesn't really seem to bring much to the team (so it seems to me). They are the players I swear the most at when watching England play.

Azza007 wrote:I disagree about Milner and Parker. Milner has always seemed useless to me most of the time he gets the ball. Parker just doesn't really seem to bring much to the team (so it seems to me). They are the players I swear the most at when watching England play.

I would much rather see Theo, Adam Johnson or the Ox ahead of Milner but he's a very Hodgson-esqe type of player and does get about a bit (his stats are shocking though), at least it's not Downing. I don't really see who could take Parker's place though, Carrick is too static and Barry is a bit cack.

like saying Italy is Balotelli

Italy is Pirlo, has been for years.

Albatross wrote:

dæl wrote:

PhantomViper wrote:

I love your spirit! You haven't won a game against us in the past 14 years and finished behind us on every single international competition since 2002, but you still think you're the better team!

I would say that I would love to take you up on that game, but unfortunately, you are going to loose against Italy and we are going to get stomped by Spain, so neither team will be present on that desired Portugal vs England Euro Championship final.

This is a very different England team, we play very much as a team under Roy and I think we'd be able to nullify the threat of Portugal (or 'Ronaldo' as he's normally known ). England should get through tonight, Hodgson will know how to go about beating the Italians, and we have much better players, while their best two defenders (Chielinni and Bochetti) wont be playing.

Yeah, I'm not buying Portugal as world-beaters either. They're a one-man team, and fairly average, defensively. Sure, Ronaldo is god at the moment, easily the tournament's best player, but if he doesn't turn up on the night (as has sometimes been the case in big games), Portugal don't compensate very well, IMO.

So you need to be a "world beater" in order to beat England? Don't think so. Anyone who think England have looked better than Portugal in this tournament must have been watching something else as far as I'm concerned.

Glorioski wrote:
So you need to be a "world beater" in order to beat England? Don't think so. Anyone who think England have looked better than Portugal in this tournament must have been watching something else as far as I'm concerned.

Looking "better" does not win you games, ask Bayern Munich, or the mighty Arsenal.

Well, its 1 hour to go, so good luck to you Brits, even though I won't keep my hopes up, I hope you beat Italy. I can't stand the way that they play!

I haven't really been keeping up to date with the Euro, but my friend asked me to come to the pub to watch the match tonight, and I couldn't really say no...

Being in a pub, I'll probably either end up toasting a victory or drowning my sorrows Probably the latter, but I hope it's the former

Been reading this thread since the beginning, and as usual the English are sure that this time - this time will be different

Tonight's match has the most evenly matched teams of all the quarter finals, but I think Italy will win in the end. Might take more than 90 minutes, though.

This match has been so frustrating to watch. Young needs to be off. Milner and Parker have once again been useless, as has Rooney. Also the pitch looks really slippery from the watering they gave at half time and I assume before match start. Not impressed England, Hart and the defence have kept us in this.

This match has given me several mild heart attacks.

To be honest I've enjoyed it. At least England have been giving it a good go.

To be honest, I think I would prefer the Italians to win now, because the Germans will absolutely fething hammer England.

I close defeat by Italy is way better than getting dicked 5-0 by the Jerries and being mocked endlessly by them for the next 6 months. I just got back from Munich and I love the Germans craic, but the fethers love taking the piss out of us about football.

With that in mind I'm going to root for the Italians!

Belissimo!

Oh yeah i'm enjoying it but as Elton said to David...it's just too tight!

I don't understand how neither side has scored yet. been so many chances.

Looking forward to Italy next.

Well done Italy, Young should have scored that, and there should have been some in game penalties for England. England done well to hang on to penalties. I reckon hart should get MoM.

Well, now we don't have to lose to Germany, so i'm happy.

Fair play to Italy, on the balance of it they deserved the win. Hopefully this side can mature into something good for Brazil. Young and Rooney were absolutely shocking and we gave Pirlo far too much time on the ball.

dæl wrote:Fair play to Italy, on the balance of it they deserved the win. Hopefully this side can mature into something good for Brazil. Young and Rooney were absolutely shocking and we gave Pirlo far too much time on the ball.

On the balance!?

They 100% deserved it, unreservedly! If England went through it would have been a travesty.

Im not a man who likes to sugar the pill, and I think our pragmatic "England are gak anyway" attitude makes us look far more adult than our ridiculous whinging Scottish neighbours.

I wish the Italians luck, and I am very pleased England didn't progress to get humiliated by our infinitely superior German pals!

Refs were giving Italy BS free kicks late. Diamanti is a dick. But Italy was the better side. Lots more control. England had almost no good coordination aggressively, and their passing got worse and worse as the game went on.

England should have let Ukraine go through. Better than portugal? Every team n the quarter finals would have beaten todays team.

dæl wrote:

Glorioski wrote:
So you need to be a "world beater" in order to beat England? Don't think so. Anyone who think England have looked better than Portugal in this tournament must have been watching something else as far as I'm concerned.

Looking "better" does not win you games, ask Bayern Munich, or the mighty Arsenal.

Bayern Munich are a much better side than you seem to believe and the "mighty" arsenal haven't won anything worthwhile since opal fruit days.

I believe it was quite a fair match and could have gone either way, and both teams deserved to win. Whilst Italy played better football, they did dive several times so its swings and roundabouts really. But at least we don't have to get destroyed by Germany...enjoy that Italy.

daveking wrote: Whilst Italy played better football, they did dive several times so its swings and roundabouts really..

In fairness so did Ashley Young as usual.

I still don't understand why Milner, Henderson, and Parker where all taken ahead of Michael Carrick.


But Pirlo's penalty and overall performance was brilliant

England's performance tapered throughout the match from encouraging to abysmal, but as time went by it was just all Italy.
Time to drop off the passengers on the route to Brazil.

I have one thing to say: Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

May the fleas of a thousand camels fall upon the Italians!!!

Glorioski wrote:since opal fruit days.

Oh my days, Opal Fruits days. I remember the days when snickers was known as opal fruits.

Pretty sure you mean Marathon dael.....

Revenent Reiko wrote:Pretty sure you mean Marathon dael.....

Its a quote from a comedy called phoneshop, you should give it a watch.

dæl wrote:

Revenent Reiko wrote:Pretty sure you mean Marathon dael.....

Its a quote from a comedy called phoneshop, you should give it a watch.

Really? I do watch it, and definitely dont remember the quote....time to re-watch both series!

also, my bad

'A OWL?'