Match #51: THE FINAL England 1-1 (P) Italy (8pm, Sunday 11th July)

[WCpete]

The toughest test awaits; the exciting thing is that the two you name might in fact end up dominating even the Italians.

As you suggest; a wonderful learning curve, but one that comes with the added irritation of making him/them more desirable as signings to even the very biggest clubs.

Ho hum - that's football for you, I suppose.

You raise them the best you can, and when you let them go you hope they go on to live a great life. And you hope that when they come visit they don't kill you.

[e17]

Rice and Phillips have been brilliant, IMO.

The way that they work together has been nothing short of world class.

Can't wait to see them in the final.

Phillips especially last night was sensational

['stone hammer]

For me, Rice has been solid and functional. This isn't a criticism, but I don't think he's been outstanding because he hasn't really been tested for the most part. He's done all the dirty work, taking one for the team in order to let others run the show. However, against Italy, I think and hope he'll really get to shine. We all know he's got it, I think this tournament hasn't the best of Declan Rice, but what he has done, he's done it well and has been a vital part in keeping those clean sheets.

Phillips on the other hand has been outstanding and has been given a much more open role, and he has delivered. He got a bit of stick for having a couple of wild shots yesterday, but I'm glad he had the confidence to try it.

[prophet:marginal]

If he had notched, in those dying moments against the sweaties, he would have moved up a level in national affections.

He plays predictably because he is at the centre of a wheel that takes in all but the most furthest forward, in terms of players who can trust that, if they need to, they can find him and the team will keep the ball.

He is the central component to any form of possession-based football. An Enabler-In-Chief, if you will.

My feel is that he and Soucek inter-change in a more reliable manner, than Declan and Phillips. It's almost as if they are used in parallel in the England set up. And, to make that work, Declan is more closely connected to his CB's and Phillips is, but to the likes of Mount and a deeper Kane.

It's worked famously, to date and I have to say I didn't expect this from Southgate. Fashioning Phillips into an undroppable international was brilliant coaching.

['stone hammer]

Nicely put

[Chicken Run Supreme]

Rice plays that role in a team that never gets the headlines but when he isn’t in the team, then everyone realises how pivotal he is, not unlike Carrick.

[Jonah]

Still feeling the effects of Wednesday night, 8 hours of work left til the weekend buildup and the nerves are kicking in already.

[GentlemanJim]

I have a very poor record predicting results at this tournament, so in that spirit I say Italy will win 2-0. That said, unfortunately Italy doing well was one of the very few things I got right so far (along with England winning the group; admittedly that was not exactly a daring prediction to make). Thought Italy would make it to the final before the tournament started, and expected them to beat France. Love the fact that the France-being-in-the-final thing didn't happen, for so many reasons.

[Georgee Paris]

5-0 England.

[Puff Daddy]

Italy have an advantage in, they have been in finals many more times than us. To date, they too, are unbeaten in this tournament and just like us, have a number of young players, who have not experienced anything quite like this. Where, I think, they have a critical edge, is those two old boys at the back, who's lack of pace is more than made up for by their speed of thought and huge experiene on the biggest stages of all. They will, once again be relishing this challenge.

[E15Iron]

Midfield wins this. Whoever comes on top from Rice - Phillips and Veratti - Jorginho. Their full backs are not going to push on as they do not want their 2 CB's exposed to any pace or turning.

We need to get balls through to Sterling, Saka. This is a game that I wish we had Vardy or even Big Mik available! Kane has many great attributes, most of them will play into their 2 CB's hands.

Only way we win, is by turning them.

[bonzosbeard]

Odds for Rice hat-trick?

Wouldn't that round the weekend off nicely. Even if he scores the only goal and it won the game we would be annoying all our rivals fans for years with West Ham won the Euros. :lol:

[Jonah]

Where, I think, they have a critical edge, is those two old boys at the back, who's lack of pace is more than made up for by their speed of thought and huge experiene on the biggest stages of all.

On the flipside, I want to see our young dynamic forwards ripping them a new one, sending them off to the retirement home.

[S-H]

Just Given all my guys Monday off.

[Puff Daddy]

On the flipside, I want to see our young dynamic forwards ripping them a new one, sending them off to the retirement home.

I think the only one who could seriously test them, will be Sterling. They should be too cute for Saka and definitely Grealish. Kane will take his usual tumbles in an effort to gain an advantage, but Mancini will be aware of this.

[prophet:marginal]

Way I see it, Mancini has 8 able and willing runners, 2x CBs and a GK.

They won't play anything close to a high line, but people are right, Sterling and Saka need to stretch their defence across the trident of our attacking play.


Would a 4-3-3 be a sacrilege?

[Baron Von Marlon]

Still feeling the effects of Wednesday night, 8 hours of work left til the weekend buildup and the nerves are kicking in already.

I can't concentrate, have been like this all week.

[DrVenk]

History out of the window. A one-off, winner takes all match. We have the quality, no doubt. If we can maintain our solid defence, then we just need a bit of belief and quality up front.

What an antidote this is to the last 18 months. Moyes' boys got us through the pandemic and now England can signal the end of the nightmare with some much needed success.

Pub in Essex for this. And I can't wait.

[ironilunga]

England has a second eleven that is very similar in quality to the first eleven.

After a marathon of a tournament Southgate could play a blinder by introducing fresh legs. I’d hate for us to run out of steam on Sunday like Denmark did on Wednesday.
With the exceptions of perhaps Kane, Sterling, Pickford and Shaw I think there is an opportunity to make some changes.

Sako looks like his race has been run and I think Sancho or Foden should start. Reece James could come in at RB, Mings let nobody down at CB and I would have a low threshold for Henderson coming in for Rice or Phillips if either are tiring.

Energy could be a key factor in a game between two evenly matched sides.

[Danny's Dyer Acting]

Italy have an advantage in, they have been in finals many more times than us. To date, they too, are unbeaten in this tournament and just like us, have a number of young players, who have not experienced anything quite like this. Where, I think, they have a critical edge, is those two old boys at the back, who's lack of pace is more than made up for by their speed of thought and huge experiene on the biggest stages of all. They will, once again be relishing this challenge.

Chiellimi and Bonucci are the only ones with international final experience.

I'll take a punt but I'd say the England squad may have more CL/EL final experince than the Italians (haven't checked that).