Sunday

Wizaard

Wizaard

Well-known member
For me, the biggest worry is that we turn up delighted to be in a Final, whereas Italy know what it's like.

It's an old cliche, but cliches are there because they're true. We need to play the game, not the occasion. I'm sure Gareth will be saying exactly the same to the players.

Looking forward to the anguished posts when the team is announced, followed three hours later by the euphoria of a tournament win. 🤣
 
My worst thing is I'm at a wedding that's already been postponed 2 times due to covid so don't know if I will get to see the game 😥
 
It's a massive game. The biggest thing for me right now regarding the game is that Rice and Phillips have to be much better than they were last night. They've got to get closer to their midfield and players like Insigne running at our defence. We are too good a tem to not create chances of our own but we have to be better defensively in midfield.
 
There were a few who were maybe scoring 6 out of 10 last night, Rice and Phillips amongst them, if we want to beat Italy at least 9 or 10 of our players have to be at the level Walker and Sterling were at.
 
I thought Phillips had a very good spell in the second half. I worry that the Italian midfield is both functional and gifted. It's very, very good. Ours is good, maybe very good but I'm not sure it's very, very good. I also don't really see that changing whatever combination of centre mids you pick.

In conclusion, late call up for Andy Carroll and Gary Madine, bypass the midfield. Use the wingers (our wide players are a real strength) Win it with Charles Hughes football manual basically. Take a leaf out of Stan Cullis's book and water the pitch so it's like a bog.

Then burn a hungary 1953 shirt on the pitch and reclaim the empire.
 
td53 said:
I thought Phillips had a very good spell in the second half. I worry that the Italian midfield is both functional and gifted. It's very, very good. Ours is good, maybe very good but I'm not sure it's very, very good. I also don't really see that changing whatever combination of centre mids you pick.

In conclusion, late call up for Andy Carroll and Gary Madine, bypass the midfield. Use the wingers (our wide players are a real strength) Win it with Charles Hughes football manual basically. Take a leaf out of Stan Cullis's book and water the pitch so it's like a bog.

Then burn a hungary 1953 shirt on the pitch and reclaim the empire.
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Yes, let's do it for Stanley Matthews, Gordon Richards, Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay and Eric Bell for getting injured in the Cup Final.
 
The last England manager to win a major tournament was 46 at the time, albeit looking a lot older.

Gareth is 4 years older so therefore wiser. Can't see us losing.
 
20togo said:
It's a massive game. The biggest thing for me right now regarding the game is that Rice and Phillips have to be much better than they were last night. They've got to get closer to their midfield and players like Insigne running at our defence. We are too good a tem to not create chances of our own but we have to be better defensively in midfield.
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I wasn't fan of Phillips or Rice pre-tournament (and Southgate obviously) but they all won me over.
Phillips is clearly super-fit and whilst he did lose a few 50/50s and mis-placed a few passes his energy levels never dropped. He will be a nuisance.
Rice is really an extra defender that let's both Shaw and Walker get forward. Last night he did get forward a lot more and not every pass was a square ball.
At the end of the day they are 2 pieces in Gareth's jigsaw. Hopefully the formula will see us through because we won't get anything different for at least 60 minutes.
And then of course there's Pickford.
 
Insider said:
I wasn't fan of Phillips or Rice pre-tournament (and Southgate obviously) but they all won me over.
Phillips is clearly super-fit and whilst he did lose a few 50/50s and mis-placed a few passes his energy levels never dropped. He will be a nuisance.
Rice is really an extra defender that let's both Shaw and Walker get forward. Last night he did get forward a lot more and not every pass was a square ball.
At the end of the day they are 2 pieces in Gareth's jigsaw. Hopefully the formula will see us through because we won't get anything different for at least 60 minutes.
And then of course there's Pickford.
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yep, decent post. I just worry because neither of them are a Kante or a Fernandinho. Denmark got through and past those two way too easily for my liking last night and Italy are a level up from them. But as you say, they are two pieces in Gareths jigsaw. They need to be on top of their game on sunday.

As for Pickford, I don't know if the occasion got to him because he looked so hyped up but generally he hasn't done much wrong all tournament.
 
I'm less up for it than the rest of you - being half English/Scots - but, from my seat in the last two games England look really good. They'll be a match for Italy but whether they can keep their self-control under the pressure of Italian 'game management' is a real poser.
 
20togo said:
yep, decent post. I just worry because neither of them are a Kante or a Fernandinho. Denmark got through and past those two way too easily for my liking last night and Italy are a level up from them. But as you say, they are two pieces in Gareths jigsaw. They need to be on top of their game on sunday.

As for Pickford, I don't know if the occasion got to him because he looked so hyped up but generally he hasn't done much wrong all tournament.
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Pickford has made some excellent saves. He just needs a "Hamlet" before kick off.
I'ii be having a large brandy.
 
As long as we don’t put 5 at the back leaving Rice & Phillips agaisnt 3 Italy central mids we’ve got a chance. I’d keep things the same, with Mount on Jorginho to help disrupt their build up, leaving rice & Phillips agaisnt Veratti and the other midfielder.

I’d maybe swap out Saka, but I know Gareth likes those pacey, get-in-behind wingers to play to allow Kane to drop deep and find the wingers in behind (e.g. first goal yesterday).
 
jta8 said:
As long as we don’t put 5 at the back leaving Rice & Phillips agaisnt 3 Italy central mids we’ve got a chance. I’d keep things the same, with Mount on Jorginho to help disrupt their build up, leaving rice & Phillips agaisnt Veratti and the other midfielder.

I’d maybe swap out Saka, but I know Gareth likes those pacey, get-in-behind wingers to play to allow Kane to drop deep and find the wingers in behind (e.g. first goal yesterday).
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Interesting.👍 For me, Jorginho hasn't really stood out in this tournament. I think they've far more dangerous threats like Barella[?] and especially Insigne. And I don't want to tempt fate but is Immobile anything special? Not for me. We just have to find a way to cope with their very high tempo..
 
Trust in Southgate and his team, Italy are good but very beatable. Wembley will be an absolute cauldron of passion and emotion, if we get off to a good start and settle I'm sure the lads will do us proud.
 
20togo said:
Interesting.👍 For me, Jorginho hasn't really stood out in this tournament. I think they've far more dangerous threats like Barella[?] and especially Insigne. And I don't want to tempt fate but is Immobile anything special? Not for me. We just have to find a way to cope with their very high tempo..
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Clue is in the name for me with Immobile.

Others look better.
 
Wizaard said:
For me, the biggest worry is that we turn up delighted to be in a Final, whereas Italy know what it's like.
It's an old cliche, but cliches are there because they're true. We need to play the game, not the occasion. I'm sure Gareth will be saying exactly the same to the players.
Looking forward to the anguished posts when the team is announced, followed three hours later by the euphoria of a tournament win. 🤣
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Italy didn't even qualify for the last world cup and the present players have no knowledge of what it's like to be in a final. So we have the two best, young, inexperienced squads of players in the tournament. That's how it should be.
 
Tangojoe said:
Italy didn't even qualify for the last world cup and the present players have no knowledge of what it's like to be in a final. So we have the two best, young, inexperienced squads of players in the tournament. That's how it should be.
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And Ciellini🤣
 
20togo said:
Interesting.👍 For me, Jorginho hasn't really stood out in this tournament. I think they've far more dangerous threats like Barella[?] and especially Insigne. And I don't want to tempt fate but is Immobile anything special? Not for me. We just have to find a way to cope with their very high tempo..
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He doesn’t particularly stand out but Jorginho is one of their most important players. Take him out the game and it’s ours
 
(As you know cause I bump it 😁) I said way back when, this tournament was winable because every team looked beatable.

But I did say Italy looked good.

One thing in our favour is that some of these lads have been junior tournament finals as well as senior club finals.

I'm sure the Italians will think they can win it because they have a good history of winning things, but our lot haven't reached top gear yet and if they do, they are a match for anybody.

Come on England!
 
It’s 50/50 for me. And that’s the mindset I’ll have at 8pm Sunday and reevaluate from there on in.
I’m positive but also throwing shades of self-preservation in there too.

Too hard to call for me.

But, c’mon England ⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The national euphoria if we win this will be immeasurable 🥳
 
I completely agree that these sort of mentality things exist and as Blackpool fans we should be more aware than most.

Cultures can exist within clubs and a winning mentality in finals is definitely one, look at clubs who have lost more play-offs than we've had participations (NOBBERS) yet we're the most successful club in play-off history. Italy's history will be a psychological bonus, they've been there and done that so many times before at the World Cup and the Euros, that takes away a kind of pressure that they NEED to win this final - it'll just be another trophy to add to their long list of 'em.

Just how much that will help them on the night, no idea. There are reasons they can look at us as opponents with an edge, there will be 53,000 reasons in Wembley on Sunday night for a start!
 
I quoted that we had a 60% chance of beating Germany and think the statistics are similar again.
The main reason is the home advantage will give us that extra 10%.
 
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