[Football] Italy V England Final.

[Mancgull]

I can’t believe that Southgate made two subs in the final couple of minutes to then expect them both to score penalties. Both missed. Their fault or the decision to put them on at that stage? In my opinion, a poor management decision. A 19 year old to take the decisive penalty. Again, poor management and decision making.
At full time Italy were spent and we should have taken off Sterling and gone for the win. We played it safe as is the Southgate way. Our best chance of winning a major tournament in 50 years and we didn’t go for it at the right time. Of course the wimp will keep his job and told he’s making good progress until we wilt under the sun in Qatar. Such a waste of a talented squad in my opinion and yet the FA will support Southgate and say he’s doing a good job. I’m sorry but I think his tactical decisions went a long way to lose us this final.

 

[maresfield seagull]

Grealish may well have said he's ready for a penalty but it's not his choice. If 6 said they'd take one then one is going to miss out, at least for the first phase.

I can't stand Grealish the man but he's still probably the best midfielder we have in this country.

I think he might have been 6 th in the pecking order
Purely guess work from the body language pre pens starting

 

[Milano]

Apparently Kane didn't touch the ball once in the box....

Utter fraud of a player, £150m is absolutely hilarious

 

[London Irish]

Strange game - Italy the better team but they should have gone down to 10 with that awful studs tackle on Grealish.

I’d say generally the inability to find a prominent role for Grealish was Southgate’s biggest demerit in a tournament he obviously did really well in. Grealish just does stuff no other England player can. It worked against Germany who were not at their best but it backfired against the other team who could give England a real game

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

Fair play to Italy.
We looked absolutely impenetrable,best defensive set up I have ever seen with England with always an threat of counter attacking if they lost possession.
But Italy really did work hard to pass their way to a shooting opportunity.
Best toe to toe battling final I've seen since I don't know when.

 

[Stuart Munday]

I know I’m annoyed tonight but the two late subs are probably the worst substitutions we have ever made in English history, I’m convinced if Italy had kicked the ball around for the last minute and they didn’t come on we would have won the shootout.

 

[frisbee]

Right. Hard to put words to this. I’m 23 years old and this was my first ever final, watched with my Dad’s first ever England final (he has watched us in the cup before). I am absolutely miserable, genuinely inconsolable and I truly believe it’s not our teams fault. Not Saka, Sancho or Rashford. Maybe we blame the manager, but this is most certainly not on 19 year old Bukayo Saka’s shoulders - he is a fantastic player and should be proud.

I am genuinely devastated. Maybe we win next year at the World Cup or maybe I never see a win just like my family, but myGod am I proud of this lot. I’ll decide if i’m angry at Southgate in the morning. For now I am beyond proud!! Well done boys,I believe in you, I am proud to support you and be English. Well done!!

 

[Acker79]

https://youtu.be/1oaMRk56tzo

A'ight
It’s an old song
It's an old tale from way back when
It's an old song
(spoken)
And that is how it ends
(sung)
That’s how it goes

Don't ask why, brother, don't ask how
He could have come so close
The song was written long ago
(spoken)
And that is how it goes

(sung)
It's a sad song
It's a sad tale
(spoken)
It's a tragedy
(sung)
It's a sad song
(spoken)
But we sing it anyway

'Cause here’s the thing
To know how it ends
And still begin to sing it again
As if it might turn out this time
I learned that from a friend of mine

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

Kane was excellent tonight.
I really can't see why people are putting the boot in on him.

 

[1066familyman]

How do you know that's what happened.

Because all of these people criticising on t'internet have full unfettered access to training sessions, the dressing room and team talks. Silly.

 

[Deadly Danson]

I know I’m annoyed tonight but the two late subs are probably the worst substitutions we have ever made in English history, I’m convinced if Italy had kicked the ball around for the last minute and they didn’t come on we would have won the shootout.

And had we still lost EVERYONE would have been asking why on earth we didn't bring on 2 penalty takers when we had the chance. Can't win either way.

 

[Milano]

Kane was excellent tonight.
I really can't see why people are putting the boot in on him.

I have literally no idea which game you were watching.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Kane was excellent tonight.
I really can't see why people are putting the boot in on him.

He really, really wasn’t.

Won a few headers but very few touches, not one shot in the whole match and just over 50% passing accuracy. The opposite of excellent.

 

[Albion100]

And had we still lost EVERYONE would have been asking why on earth we didn't bring on 2 penalty takers when we had the chance. Can't win either way.

I doubt we would have been saying bring on 2 players that have not have even kicked the ball in the game.

 

[Beach Hut]

Kane was excellent tonight.
I really can't see why people are putting the boot in on him.

Because we live in a blame culture society of toxic negativity

 

[Mancgull]

He's got an awful lot right this tournament and he got the first 45 minutes right here. But Mancini sussed him and he was unable to react to their changes. They nullified our creative players with Sterling and Mount hardly getting a kick in the second half and us becoming far to happy to defend.

But bringing on Saka was a poor decision. The poor kid looked scared rigid and was absolutely hopeless. Whoever's idea it was to stick him on fifth pen needs shooting. You could see he was distraught. And, while we're at it, don't bring Sancho on just to take a pen, Bring on his pace. Give Italy something to worry about.

In other words, I agree with you.

Grrrrr.

Agree, shocking decisions and shows up Southgate as out of his depth. Appalling decision to let a young lad take the 5th penalty. He should be sacked for that alone, but on top of that bringing on two players with a minute to go to take penalties when at least one of them should have been on with 20 minutes to go for Sterling who was knackered or Kane . Poor, poor decisions which could well have cost us the match.
He needs to hold his hands up and admit the poor decisions but I’ll be waiting a long time.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Oh well

 

[Albion100]

Kane was excellent tonight.
I really can't see why people are putting the boot in on him.

Do you really think he was excellent tonight? We must have been watching a different game. I don't blame him for the loss but he wasn't very good as he hasn't been for a while now.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Grealish may well have said he's ready for a penalty but it's not his choice. If 6 said they'd take one then one is going to miss out, at least for the first phase.

I can't stand Grealish the man but he's still probably the best midfielder we have in this country.

Really? You think 6 players stick their hand up and Southgate picks a 19 year old over Grealish??

I doubt it,

 

[Bry Nylon]

Kane was excellent tonight.
I really can't see why people are putting the boot in on him.

I wouldn't put the boot in on him but I think he was far from excellent. I thought he was mostly anonymous and lost the battle with the Italina defence and looked a yard of the pace. All of that happens of course, but for me his biggest failing tonight was a lack of leadership. We really had no leader out there tonight and the team looked lost as the game wore on, especially with Maguire and Pickford just continually pumping the ball up to nobody, only to see it come straight back.

Kane might not have had a great game so far as the ball is concerned but I still feel he could have shown way more leadership.