Diamanti and Brescia relegated

[Believer]

Hope Diamanti scores the winner against the Germans!

Got a feeling that the 2 days extra rest and the gruelling game the Italians played tonight will result in an easy German win. The Germans will win the tournament IMO

[Rightback]

Not sure that I agree with the doom merchants.

In the end, the better team won. But for those who are slating England and creaming themselves over Italy, it's worth reminding yourselves that the game ended 0 v 0. Yes, Italy dominated and probably created better chances but they couldn't score. And England were not without their own chances.

I don't think we complain too much about Hodgson who I think got some fantastic performances from a weakened England side. He took chances in taking Wellbeck, The Ox, Carrol and Henderson and wasn't let down. If there is any criticism to be raised (which still strikes me as being a bit harsh when realistically we thought it would be tough to get out of the group) it is that 1) The Ox played excellently against the toughest team in our group yet hardly featured thereafter, 2) young didn't play well yet featured in every game and 3) that we put too much importance on Rooney. In tournament football I think you need to take players who can play in every game 4) we were disappointing on the wings. Personally I think it was a mistake not to take Adam Johnson.

Overall, finishing top of a very tough group was a decent achievement. We didn't deserve to beat Italy so I don't think we can complain about going out. That we took them to pens is again a positive.

I look forward to seeing what Hodgson can do.

[Aztec Hammer]

ah the good old english attitude that its the players and thats it. unfortunately this attitude continues all the way down through all youth coaches in our country and you deserve such lack of success because of it.

You know what you need to do mate. Convince all those semi pro Pirlos you know to try out for the England team. That'll work.

[Believer]

I don't think we complain too much about Hodgson who I think got some fantastic performances from a weakened England side. .

I dont disagree with much of your post but in all honesty, how was the squad weakened ? Willshere ? Yep I agree with that but Lampard ? Finished at this level IMO. Barry ? Not good enough at this level as the last World Cup proved. Who was missing that would have made a difference ?

Should have dropped Young and played Milner left and Walcott right and it might have made a difference but truth is England are just not a top 2 or 3 team.

[JonG86]

What position was he playing in?

[D C]

2nd striker. Much better than Cassano for sure.

[Yea Why Not]

How weird was that feeling when Diamanti scored the penalty. I was massively disappointed but at the same time couldn't help but laugh

But something that was even funnier..... Italy brought on West Ham reject Diamanti whilst we brought on £20 million man Henderson. The difference in class between the two was just hilarious

[IronsideNZ]

I have always loved Diamanti mainly for the man he is, he still is dying to rip his shirt again at a miss or poor cross... the man.
I was sad to see him go and his style of play is unique, always was doing something, far from conventional and always fancied a shot. I always thought he never got the chance to hit top stride at West Ham, I still wear my Diamanti Shirt but yeah he will always have his critics and I am far from blind to see that he does have his shortcomings.

Good for him I say, for me was a pretty surprise inclusion on the final squad even though he had a pretty good season just gone, hope to get to see some more of him next game.

[Up the Junction]

In the end, the better team won....

This is a thread about Diamanti, there is a whole forum dedicated to the Euros. Please use that for any discussion re: England/Championships.

viewforum.php?f=22

[Up the Junction]

Post removed.

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

One game doesn't make a concise judgement, or show complete proof, but last night, Diamanti played the role that he should have played at West Ham.
Playing as a partner to Carlton Cole, but being allowed to drop deep, link up midfield and attack and give us a bit of technical nous.
He wouldn't have needed to be 'carried', because he simply would have been a centre forward, or second striker, not some elaborate player in need of tactical accommodation.
We played Di Michele in the role, so it still bemuses me as to why Zola played Diamanti as a f*cking right and left midfielder.

He was asked to cover full backs, track back, put tackles in on the halfway line and on the egde of his own box.
This has or was NEVER his game, hence why he'd obviously struggle with the pace and the fight.
Can you imagine Di Canio being played as a right or left midfielder? You reckon he would have shown how good he was in the role?
Can you see him disciplined, tracking back, covering his full back and putting in strong 50-50 tackles against Alex Song?
Course not.

Yet Diamanti was asked to do it and judged solely on his performances as a wide midfielder.
All I've ever said is: 'Diamanti should have been allowed to play in the position he's always played in, before we pass fair judgement.'

Not what he did, or didn't do as a f*cking midfielder, then hypothesising that he wouldn't have done it as a forward.

A lot of what he did was borne out of the frustration at not being able to play his proper game up the pitch as an attacker, being able to create, being able to play in his role so that he can start to show consistency and be properly judged.
It resulted in his head going down, taking pot-shots, trying too hard to do the fancy stuff.

You reckon we'd have seen anywhere near the best of Di Canio at right or left midfield?
You reckon it would have been fair to judge Di Canio if he'd been played there?

It's always been quite simple for me and my argument:

Regardless of how good he may, or may not have been, or if he would have done the business... he was never given a proper chance to show it in his position.

Bloke is a forward, always was a forward, still is a forward and plays best as a forward.

Our manager bought him, played him in midfield. We judged him accordingly on that.

Madness.

[Paddy O'Hammer]

Tonight England played like a less crap Ireland team.

With the resources we had we could have done better.

Hope Diamanti scores the winner against the Germans!

The English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Irish really do play different football from the rest of the world.

Over here we teach the kids the Coever method, rob the best from the various academies, most managers encourage flair, skill and even get the 6/7/8 year olds to play Futsal - but then all that has to be thrown out the window when a man like Trap is in charge at the very top!

[Yea Why Not]

I said it when he was here and i'll say it again, Diamanti's best position is a free roaming role. Play a 4-4-1 formation then say to him " Play where ever the **** you want, just go and make something happen". That is what I believe he was told last night. I mean, where was he playing? I've heard people say he was being played as a 2nd striker but then he was a second half sub and still managed to cross the ball more times than anyone else on the pitch

[bubbles1966]

Italy had what felt like 95% possession from the hour mark onwards and were camped on the edge of a very tired looking England teams penalty area.

Imagining that because Italy can do that, West Ham could is precisely the stupidity that led to Diamanti's signing.

[rare as rockinghorse shat]

Zola for you...

[Aceface]

I can't understand how Brescia were allowed to sell him on (or half-sell him, whatever the arrangement was with Bologna) if they haven't paid us a bean. Shouldn't there be a transfer embargo on him at the very least, if not on transfers for the whole club if they don't pay their debts?

[HamburgHammer]

Diamanti will still affect our transfer dealings as we are still being owed money for him, so I'm writing this in this thread.
How is it actually possible that we haven't yet received a penny for him, yet he has still played for two clubs in Italy ?

Apparently we have appealed to FIFA (or UEFA, don't remember which) about the money, but they declined our appeal ???
Why isn't there a huge uproar about this throughout football ? I know it's only West Ham and not one of the big teams, but certainly it's no appropriate way to sign players from another club and not pay for them.

Can't West Ham have his playing licence suspended for the time being or something like that ? We could use this money (1.5 million I believe) to pay of debts or bring in another player. I know we haven't been very successfull with judicial reviews, court cases and so on in our recent history, but why do the Italian clubs get away with it ?

If Man U were selling Rooney to Real or Barca and didn't get their transfer money can you imagine what would happen ?
Sky Sports, Talksport and even the BBC wouldn't stop talking and lamenting about it, maybe now is a good time for the two Daves to bring this Diamanti thing back into the public eye, now that everybody in Britain actually knows who Diamanti is...

[Yea Why Not]

I can't understand how Brescia were allowed to sell him on (or half-sell him, whatever the arrangement was with Bologna) if they haven't paid us a bean.

Someone has obviously been ****ing Karen's bean

Mods: the word f l i c k i n g is being pulled up on the swear filter

[Georgee Paris]

If England were Sheffield United we would sue for 50 million or demand justice / a game against Germany for fielding an illegible player due to outstanding transfer fees and so on and so forth. I'm surprised Sheffield United aren't preparing some sort of case against us right now because of the whole debacle. We obviously sold him unfairly.

[TurnbullHammer]

Surely if we never received a fee, we haven't technically sold Diamanti?