England

[BillyStubbsTears]

Look very impressive tonight.

Italy aren't a great side but England are making them look as leaden footed and clueless as we are at the moment.

[Spud]

A nice change from enduring Rovers games atm, attacking football, ah, lovely....

[Filo]

Playing 433, if you have willing runners and work hard it is a good formation

[Pliskin]

Anyone else still irritated by how we managed to bottle the final against these in 2021?

Such a missed opportunity given the current standard of Italian football.

[DRFC_TID_93]

Watching us lose control of this and knowing an equaliser seems inevitable. Meanwhile Southgate stands on the touchline watching it happen, while changing nothing

[Filo]

Well this ref has been itching to give a red card to England, and he got his chance

[anton123]

Very refreshing watching that tonight . 11 blokes giving everything they have for the cause , after watching donny the last few months

[drfchound]

England were outstanding first half and if Grealish had put away that chance for 3-0 then Italy would not have staged that fight back.
At 2-0 the next goal was always going to define how the rest of the game would pan out.
Italy were always going to put us under the cosh once it got back to 2-1 but credit where it is due, England fought well and saw the game out.

[Goole Rover]

Watching us lose control of this and knowing an equaliser seems inevitable. Meanwhile Southgate stands on the touchline watching it happen, while changing nothing

Well I suppose that remark will take a bit of heat off our man. Same old blame the manager.

[Drover]

Watching us lose control of this and knowing an equaliser seems inevitable. Meanwhile Southgate stands on the touchline watching it happen, while changing nothing

Well I suppose that remark will take a bit of heat off our man. Same old blame the manager.

Agreed,first England win in Italy since 1961,but hey Southgates a shit manager with good players.

[DRFC_TID_93]

Watching us lose control of this and knowing an equaliser seems inevitable. Meanwhile Southgate stands on the touchline watching it happen, while changing nothing

Well I suppose that remark will take a bit of heat off our man. Same old blame the manager.

Agreed,first England win in Italy since 1961,but hey Southgates a shit manager with good players.

I stand by what I said, could very easily have thrown that away.

Ref dishing out bookings, 3 of the back 4 on yellows, one of which then got sent off. Phillips running on fumes for the last 35 minutes, left him on. Brought on fresh legs in Foden, subbed him off after the red when taking off someone who wasn't influencing the game and tiring such as Phillips, would have made more sense.

If we'd lost that, people would have been criticising reactive rather than proactive subs, people were at 2-1, but because we hung on to it, everything is sunshine and roses.

Let's not forget despite having some quality attacking talent, we scored off 2 set pieces and outside of 2 crosses, didn't create much else of note. But yeah let's not criticise an awful second half, just because we won

[Sammy Chung was King]

The poorest Italian side I have ever seen. It wouldn’t surprise me if Italy don’t qualify for the euros, even in as poor a group as it is. It wouldn’t be a shock that Ukraine pip them for one of the spots.

We played fairly well in patches. The result was better than the performance, being that we haven’t beat them in Italy for so long.
The referee wants looking at, he was either incompetent or corrupt. No need for about three of those bookings.

Great start to the qualifiers. Kane breaking the goal record was good. Fifty four goals in eighty odd appearances, that’s some record. Forty eight of them in competitive games, only six in friendlies.
Yes he isn’t pleasing one the eye. He doesn’t glide over the pitch with fancy pirouettes but he knows where the goal is.

[EasyforDennis]

Having thought about it overnight I think all the yellow cards were probably justified. How many times do we moan about time wasting and the time it takes for a throw in.
If we had referees applying the rules in the same way it would speed up the game.
The downside would be that we would end up getting lots of yellow cards with how long it takes us to get the ball in play.   

[Goole Rover]

Watching us lose control of this and knowing an equaliser seems inevitable. Meanwhile Southgate stands on the touchline watching it happen, while changing nothing

Well I suppose that remark will take a bit of heat off our man. Same old blame the manager.

Agreed,first England win in Italy since 1961,but hey Southgates a shit manager with good players.

I think Southgate’s record speaks for itself, he’s not what you say he is he’s proved that.

[danumdon]

The poorest Italian side I have ever seen. It wouldn’t surprise me if Italy don’t qualify for the euros, even in as poor a group as it is. It wouldn’t be a shock that Ukraine pip them for one of the spots.

We played fairly well in patches. The result was better than the performance, being that we haven’t beat them in Italy for so long.
The referee wants looking at, he was either incompetent or corrupt. No need for about three of those bookings.

Great start to the qualifiers. Kane breaking the goal record was good. Fifty four goals in eighty odd appearances, that’s some record. Forty eight of them in competitive games, only six in friendlies.
Yes he isn’t pleasing one the eye. He doesn’t glide over the pitch with fancy pirouettes but he knows where the goal is.

Agreed it is one of the poorest in a long time.

The thing that stood out for me was the very tepid second half display from England, it was ods on the Italians would come out all guns blazing and to some extent they did but with little penetration, what did England do, they went into their shell and just about absorbed the pressure from a poor team.

What happens when we play teams of a better standard if we repeat that display?

If anything Southgate needs to learn to be a bit more ruthless, sitting back on a 2-0 lead when the other team then scores takes all your momentum away and leave you hanging on, England should be much better than that with the payers at their disposal.

He still looks too risk averse for me, if he fails to learn after throwing away a Euro Championship and a World Cup then when will he?

[Lesonthewest]

A nice change from enduring Rovers games atm, attacking football, ah, lovely....

Yes gave it a watch, after watching Rovers it was a refreshing change, first time I've oood & ahhhdd for long long time!!

[dickos1]

Watching us lose control of this and knowing an equaliser seems inevitable. Meanwhile Southgate stands on the touchline watching it happen, while changing nothing

Well I suppose that remark will take a bit of heat off our man. Same old blame the manager.

Agreed,first England win in Italy since 1961,but hey Southgates a shit manager with good players.

I stand by what I said, could very easily have thrown that away.

Ref dishing out bookings, 3 of the back 4 on yellows, one of which then got sent off. Phillips running on fumes for the last 35 minutes, left him on. Brought on fresh legs in Foden, subbed him off after the red when taking off someone who wasn't influencing the game and tiring such as Phillips, would have made more sense.

If we'd lost that, people would have been criticising reactive rather than proactive subs, people were at 2-1, but because we hung on to it, everything is sunshine and roses.

Let's not forget despite having some quality attacking talent, we scored off 2 set pieces and outside of 2 crosses, didn't create much else of note. But yeah let's not criticise an awful second half, just because we won

Absolutely crazy.
This is the best England side of my lifetime, by a long way, doing well in tournaments consistently, going to Spain and Italy and winning, yet people can’t wait to slag the manager off or certain players it’s unbelievable really

[since-1969]

Look very impressive tonight.

Italy aren't a great side but England are making them look as leaden footed and clueless as we are at the moment.

I thought the National Anthem went down well 

[ravenrover]

So we beat a team who didn't qualify for the last World Cup. A team beaten by Macedonia and Austria recently and suddenly we become the best thing in Europe.
1st half excellent attacking football, sharpness all over the pitch, a good high press deservedly 2 uo from 2 set pieces, I don't recollect other than Grealishs dogs dinner attempt at the end of the 1st half any other clear cut chances. 2nd half Italy push us back snatch a goal and suddenly we are hanging on. Where did the pace, intensity ,press, go? England are amongst the top teams in Europe no doubt. Will wd win a World Cup - no, will we win the Euros  (or whatever they call it) - no
Just calm down people

[dickos1]

First time we’ve won in Italy in 60 odd years, they won the euros 18 months ago.
We absolutely battered them in the first half, but they’re at home and we’re always going to come out fighting.
It was a very good performance and win

[Sammy Chung was King]

I thought Declan Rice showed why quite a few sides covet his signature on a contract.
He was everywhere breaking play up and got himself a goal to add to it.
Southgate was very fortunate in getting such a good group of players. Having said that he’s done a good job.

Part of me will always wonder, if he had been a touch more ambitious, whether we could have beaten Italy in that final.
Also the Croatia game if he had gone about things differently.

Not winning a trophy for so long as a national team has been a millstone around our players for many years. The pressures that go with that intensify from year to year.
We will never have a better chance to break this, than right now.
There isn’t a side that is dominating everything. To be honest the game as a whole lacks as many world class players as we have seen in the past.
Ronaldo and Messi are coming to the end of their illustrious careers. In the past countries had two or three real top notchers in their sides.

It seems like you’re lucky if teams have one.
I don’t feel we have any world class players in our side. Harry Kane is the nearest to being one. We a fair few very good players, just below the very best group.
We are one of five or six countries who are in with a chance when the medals get handed out at the end.
I feel the burden of trying to end this lengthy lack of success, plays a big part in us just coming up short, as we have many times.

[arkseyrover]

I'm completely mystified how anyone can have watched that match and believe that

we deserved to win
we were entertaining
we were skilful
we were playing quality opposition
we will win the competition
Southgate is a good tactician and is a high quality manager

It was absolute garbage. For Gods sake please replace Southgate before his winless trophy career continues and he turns us into a third rate footballing nation with his cautious, boring, safety first, dull, mentality.

[ravenrover]

Until I saw the name Southgate I thought this was a post on the wrong thread, about Rovers

[Padge_DRFC]

I thought Declan Rice showed why quite a few sides covet his signature on a contract.
He was everywhere breaking play up and got himself a goal to add to it.
Southgate was very fortunate in getting such a good group of players. Having said that he’s done a good job.

Part of me will always wonder, if he had been a touch more ambitious, whether we could have beaten Italy in that final.
Also the Croatia game if he had gone about things differently.

Not winning a trophy for so long as a national team has been a millstone around our players for many years. The pressures that go with that intensify from year to year.
We will never have a better chance to break this, than right now.
There isn’t a side that is dominating everything. To be honest the game as a whole lacks as many world class players as we have seen in the past.
Ronaldo and Messi are coming to the end of their illustrious careers. In the past countries had two or three real top notchers in their sides.

It seems like you’re lucky if teams have one.
I don’t feel we have any world class players in our side. Harry Kane is the nearest to being one. We a fair few very good players, just below the very best group.
We are one of five or six countries who are in with a chance when the medals get handed out at the end.
I feel the burden of trying to end this lengthy lack of success, plays a big part in us just coming up short, as we have many times.

Kane is world class. He's one of the best strikers in the world right now.

[colincramb]

I'm completely mystified how anyone can have watched that match and believe that

we deserved to win
we were entertaining
we were skilful
we were playing quality opposition
we will win the competition
Southgate is a good tactician and is a high quality manager

It was absolute garbage. For Gods sake please replace Southgate before his winless trophy career continues and he turns us into a third rate footballing nation with his cautious, boring, safety first, dull, mentality.

See, I genuinely think people just love moaning and enjoy playing the victim card. The first half we were superb and should have been 3-0 up. Away from home.

Second half Mancini had clearly put a rocket up their arse and they responded. But we dug in and got the result.

I just don’t get the constant negativity towards this team and the manager. We’ve narrowly missed out in the past 3 tournaments to doing something no England team has done for 60 years.

[dickos1]

I'm completely mystified how anyone can have watched that match and believe that

we deserved to win
we were entertaining
we were skilful
we were playing quality opposition
we will win the competition
Southgate is a good tactician and is a high quality manager

It was absolute garbage. For Gods sake please replace Southgate before his winless trophy career continues and he turns us into a third rate footballing nation with his cautious, boring, safety first, dull, mentality.

This post has to be a wind up,

[Padge_DRFC]

The first half was the best I've seen England play for a while. Grealish should have ended the game with that open goal. Second half started to show that some of the players aren't playing for their club. Some were blowing at 60 minutes. Italy were hardly going to do nothing second half too. We turned a bit into what they've done to us and were a bit streetwise too. Kane was excellent at this all game.
Never been a Southgate fan ever. England were good the other night.

[tyke1962]

What drives my frustration with England is the fact before I depart this earth I want to see us lift a major trophy , I'm bloody desperate for it and each time that doesn't happen the more frustrated I get .

I'm 61 and not in my mid 20's , time may not be on my side .

All the near misses , penalty shoot out defeats , home bloody finals after taking the lead , a penalty to tie the game up against the French and every time we feck it up .

You'd think just once we'd do it , that's all I ask just bloody once and  we wouldn't fall on our asses yet again .

The hard luck , near miss and didn't we do well or we are doing way better than we used I find nauseating .

There are only two outcomes in international tournament football , success and failure , you either go home the next day on an aircraft or you win the bloody thing and if you don't win the tournament it's failure , simple as that .

That's the nature of the beast and Gareth Southgate presumably isn't paid millions of pounds pa not to win a trophy , he's paid to win one and if he can't some other bugga gets the opportunity .

If he doesn't win in Germany next year then he's failed after four goes at it .

There is no other outcome , he's failed .

There are no trophies because you are a nice guy or it was a good effort or at least we don't lose to Iceland anymore .

He's failed and failure is failure in football .

[Bessie Red]

What drives my frustration with England is the fact before I depart this earth I want to see us lift a major trophy , I'm bloody desperate for it and each time that doesn't happen the more frustrated I get .

I'm 61 and not in my mid 20's , time may not be on my side .

All the near misses , penalty shoot out defeats , home bloody finals after taking the lead , a penalty to tie the game up against the French and every time we feck it up .

You'd think just once we'd do it , that's all I ask just bloody once and  we wouldn't fall on our asses yet again .

The hard luck , near miss and didn't we do well or we are doing way better than we used I find nauseating .

There are only two outcomes in international tournament football , success and failure , you either go home the next day on an aircraft or you win the bloody thing and if you don't win the tournament it's failure , simple as that .

That's the nature of the beast and Gareth Southgate presumably isn't paid millions of pounds pa not to win a trophy , he's paid to win one and if he can't some other bugga gets the opportunity .

If he doesn't win in Germany next year then he's failed after four goes at it .

There is no other outcome , he's failed .

There are no trophies because you are a nice guy or it was a good effort or at least we don't lose to Iceland anymore .

He's failed and failure is failure in football .

https://www.themillers.co.uk/news/2023/march/report--england-u19-v-iceland-u19/
You were saying Tyke!

[dickos1]

It can’t be as black n white as that,
Failing to do anything of any note in tournament after tournament can’t be the same as reaching finals and semi finals