Official World Cup Matchday Thread- England v Italy

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Fifa World Cup 2014​

England v Italy

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Venue- Arena Amazonia (Manaus)
Date- Saturday 14th June
Kick Off - 11pm BST
Coverage- BBC TV, BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Sport website​

Head to Head

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Iconic Image

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Betting (from PP)

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I'm thinking a 1-1 draw here chaps.

 

I think we're going to lose if I'm honest. I was not at all impressed with our lack of cutting edge in the warm-ups

 

Heart says 1-0 to England. More in hope than anything else.

Head says a comfortable 2-0 for Italy.

 

Well, I'm not entirely pessimistic about our chances at this world cup.

Pros
1. No expectation, means no pressure. We expect them to beat Costa Rica, which in itself will be an achievement, and make it tight for the others, but getting to the next round would be massive for us.
2. The pace of the games. Genuinely, this World Cup is suited to our play. I realise we have many a pasty player whose energy will be reduced to that of a snail in a coma, but if you think of lethargic passing, very little penetration (dunno why I think of Bri and his sister here) and the occasional burst of pace, that pretty much sums up our play. Play the right players, and we could be very well suited to this tournament indeed.
3. We've shed a lot of the old failures, even if Lampard somehow found his way in.

Cons
1. We don't have the one classy passer that can get in advance positions, and either keep possession or play through passes. Croatia and Modric yesterday was a perfect example.
2. The centre-back pairing is very dodgy and will leak goals, so we have to score more than we concede.
3. Our strikers aren't prolific or effective enough as a partnership to score more than we will concede against better sides.
4. Roy is very defensive minded. We have the player personnel to play some pretty decent football, but if Roy has his way we'll defo try and Greece/Chelsea our way to the win.
5. We have no RB.
6. While we have a lot of the Liverpool players, Uruguay have Suarez, who was effectively Liverpool last season, so playing them will be a nightmare.

We can beat everyone in the group we're in. Uruguay have a **** defence and a weaker midfield than us, while Italy are so negative, it'd be easy to set up our team the same way and get a draw, so long as Balotelli is on one of the 97 days out of a 100 where he's ****. Costa Rica will be difficult to beat, but I think we'll grub them by 1 or 2.

I honestly think that's what will happen, we'll draw against Italy 0-0, with four half-chances all game, but essentially both teams rubbing up against each other awkwardly, like some kind of OAP Dirty Dancing class at the local village hall.

 

His sister doesn't call him Brian, she calls him Justin.

 

Someone's clearly swallowed a book of puns today

If you have another, please give it to Britney's sister, it might relieve the Stilton aftertaste somewhat

 

So, what's everybody's preferred England line-up for this game?

This is mine

 

------------------------Hart-------------------------
Johnson---------Cahill----Jagielka----------Baines
----------------------Gerrard-----------------------
----------Henderson---------Barkley--------------
Ox------------------Sturridge---------------Sterling

 

firstly , trust us to be on eleven ..lol

think woy has been brave and respect to him for hopefully having a go with youngsters .. love to see rooney dropped .. also lampard can only be a squad player the way he walks aboot the pitch ..

 

Sounds like Sterling may be starting, but ahead of Lallana rather than Welbeck.

 

Sterling should start on the bench IMO, and be brought on after 60/65 minutes

 

Luca Vialli is a class act.

 

Is anbody else ****ting themselves at the min? (not literally)

 

Yes. But I think that's got more to do with the warm beer and questionable pizza than nerves.

 

Part of me is optimistic with the young team Roy has picked, but i think its knowing how easily this could go the other way too. Plus so much not going to script just makes you think maybe, just maybe...and then you've got something to lose

 

Our fans in great voice.

 

Even singing their national anthem there's a classy nature to the Italians.

 

Rooney Wide Left? I thought that didn't work at all in the last game

 

Their keeper looks dodgy like.