Euro Final preview, from and England fan. [I Love Real Football]
I think England has about a 40-45% chance of winning. In Rome, Italy would be slightly heavier favourites but I think this will be close.
Italy has been the best team in the tournament and if they win, they will be well-deserving champions. It doesn't look like a great team on paper compared with past Italian sides. France, Germany and England at least; all have rosters of bigger name players in club football. Mancini's Italy team is an outstanding collective though. They are the only major international team to play with the cohesion of an elite club side. With less time to train the players, how do you coach an organised high press, fluid position rotation and fast passing with ball retention? It shouldn't be possible but Roberto Mancini has found a way. They play like Guardiola's Man City team or like Napoli did under Maurizio Sarri: it's beautiful to watch and a nightmare to play against.
The England team is very different. It's more of a reactive, counterattacking side; certainly in big games. Though we did show against Ukraine and Denmark that we can attack and dominate games when we have to. I would expect Southgate to go more defensive in this game, as he did against Germany. Whereas Mancini is the outstanding coach, Southgate has proven very adept (so far) in game-by-game tactics. In the early rounds, #SouthgateOut trended on Twitter whenever his teamsheets landed. Now the BBC fan poll shows that the England team most people want for the final is exactly the same as the side that Southgate himself actually picked for the last game! #Vindicated. How refreshing it is to have a coach who selected a team based on a plan, rather than just putting the biggest names on the pitch and hoping it works out. Yes; Capello, Hodgson, Eriksson and McClaren, that is aimed at you.
Having said this, Italy is a more complete and more cohesive outfit. England is a good team but Italy is (at this moment) a great one. However, if the England team loses the final, they still have had a good tournament and deserve to be genuinely considered a world power in the international game as well as the club one. Whatever most England fans think, the historic record says that this has not usually been the case. It's also a young team so I would expect this group of players to stay together and remain major tournament contenders for the next five or so years. That doesn't mean we will win a trophy but it does mean we have a chance.
Italy, by contrast, is at the absolute peak of its cycle. Most of their players are in their late twenties or older and now is absolutely the best time for them in terms of form. It's their pinnacle and a damn high pinnacle. If England loses, there is no disgrace and it's been a great tournament.
Enjoy the game.
Burnley123 馃憤
Italy has been the best team in the tournament and if they win, they will be well-deserving champions. It doesn't look like a great team on paper compared with past Italian sides. France, Germany and England at least; all have rosters of bigger name players in club football. Mancini's Italy team is an outstanding collective though. They are the only major international team to play with the cohesion of an elite club side. With less time to train the players, how do you coach an organised high press, fluid position rotation and fast passing with ball retention? It shouldn't be possible but Roberto Mancini has found a way. They play like Guardiola's Man City team or like Napoli did under Maurizio Sarri: it's beautiful to watch and a nightmare to play against.
The England team is very different. It's more of a reactive, counterattacking side; certainly in big games. Though we did show against Ukraine and Denmark that we can attack and dominate games when we have to. I would expect Southgate to go more defensive in this game, as he did against Germany. Whereas Mancini is the outstanding coach, Southgate has proven very adept (so far) in game-by-game tactics. In the early rounds, #SouthgateOut trended on Twitter whenever his teamsheets landed. Now the BBC fan poll shows that the England team most people want for the final is exactly the same as the side that Southgate himself actually picked for the last game! #Vindicated. How refreshing it is to have a coach who selected a team based on a plan, rather than just putting the biggest names on the pitch and hoping it works out. Yes; Capello, Hodgson, Eriksson and McClaren, that is aimed at you.
Having said this, Italy is a more complete and more cohesive outfit. England is a good team but Italy is (at this moment) a great one. However, if the England team loses the final, they still have had a good tournament and deserve to be genuinely considered a world power in the international game as well as the club one. Whatever most England fans think, the historic record says that this has not usually been the case. It's also a young team so I would expect this group of players to stay together and remain major tournament contenders for the next five or so years. That doesn't mean we will win a trophy but it does mean we have a chance.
Italy, by contrast, is at the absolute peak of its cycle. Most of their players are in their late twenties or older and now is absolutely the best time for them in terms of form. It's their pinnacle and a damn high pinnacle. If England loses, there is no disgrace and it's been a great tournament.
Enjoy the game.
Burnley123 馃憤
41-45, M
