Lets not overrate these teams. Italy are better than us, but not by much. People will make the would Cleverley get in their squad argument, but would Giaccherini get in ours? Uruguay didn't even automatically qualify. They've three good strikers, one of whom is past it. Their defence is okay but Lugano is well past his best, whilst Godin & Caceres are no world beaters. Their midfield is nothing special either, I'd say we have more options in ours and we've hardly got a great midfield. I don't think Costa Rica will prove nearly as tough as people think, we could/should hit them for 4/5/6. That's not an English fan underestimating Johnny foreigner but rather someone who's looked at their squad. They're poor and should be whipping boys. If we had a half decent manager I'd fancy us to comfortably go through, possibly top but at least second. As it happens, we don't and we might struggle, although I expect us still finish second.
Right on. We couldn't have hoped for much better than Uruguay and Costa Coffee from their respective pots. We just got stung a bit with Italy.
Actually we are having a little giggle too....at this so- called Cricket team you have out here. It cannot bat, cannot bowl and cannot catch!
Well what do you expect when facing Australia - Hitting things and running away, it's the criminal mentality. Aren't you an ex-pat anyways? What are you doing?
The Giaccherini point is moot. He didnt get in the Juve team yet still made the national side under Prandelli, who simply rates him. Everyone asked the question why and then the world ****ed over him at the Confederations Cup. Remember the reaction when Sunlan signed him? People were saying signing of the summer. Check my posts at the time, I said he was ****e. Another point - why is everyone focussing on Suarez, Cavani and Balotelli? A fully recovered and capocannoniere Giuseppe Rossi is the man to be wary of.
Nah, we're definitely better than we were at the last Euros. In that tournament we had loads of injuries and had to play Gerrard and Parker every game who obviously needed a rest but the alternative was Henderson so we just stuck with them. English media love Balotelli because he's so easy to have heard of. They did the same thing in the last Euros in the build-up to Italy. Constantly hyped him up and asked whether we'd be able to contain him while the Italian media were insisting Pirlo was the real threat. Balotelli of course had a **** game and Pirlo ripped us a new one.
Not for the players, it's gonna be bloody murder. I agree with you though btw. I wasn't looking forward to staying up until 4am. Afraid those days are long gone.
You know something thats weird. in every world cup that i've watched since 1990 i'm sure italy have always played on my birthday (14th June)
Since I'm bored ****less I thought I would have a look. 1990 - Italy 1-0 USA 1994 - nope 1998 - nope 2002 - nope 2006 - nope 2010 - Italy 1-1 Paraguay 2014 - England vs Italy So between 1990 and 2010 you are just imagining.
It was probably just a ploy to drop his birthday in. He knew. Probably expects us to have a whip around in june now. Well I'm not falling for it spanner.
Born in England I have citizenship of 3 countries and have been a citizen of Australia for the past 40 years. Sporting loyalty is mixed. Australia in all sports except Rugby League(England) and Union(South Africa). Balanced by my husband who supports England at cricket,football,league and union but he took out Aus citizenship 20 years after me.
