11 Jul 2021 23:36:44
No difference between ole and southgate, both can have messi and Ronaldo in their team and still play boring football and choke it.

1.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 00:08:03
Thats not fair to Southgate. He didn't have a Messi or Ronaldo to call on and in truth England's midfield was not good enough. Italy were the better team.

2.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 00:13:15
How does England loosing become a stick to beat Oli with?

3.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 00:18:21
Obi, that’s the thing to do on here.

4.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 08:02:18
So in the last 50 years England have managed two semi finals and one final in major tournaments.
In the last five years England have been in a semi final and a final, Southgate is probably only behind Ramsey in terms England managers at the moment.
England with a fully fit striker and a more experienced Jude Bellingham in the middle will be a real threat in the future.

5.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 08:43:44
If the three players had scored, there wouldn't have been a word about Sterling or Grealish stepping up. Italy were clearly the better team and deserved to win. England lacked guile and creativity in centre midfield. Italy were just too cute for them. Abuse of these young players totaly and utterly reprehensible.

6.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 09:26:47
Italy were the better team? Stamping and pulling come into that at all?

7.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 09:56:48
Red Whiskey, are you suggesting Italy weren’t the better side? They were all over England from mid first half all the way through and should have won before penslties.

8.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 10:36:47
You have got to play to win a final but Southgate went out not to lose. It was just like watching most united games this season.
Safety first shortish approach got them very close but not over the line.
Good job by Southgate and the players throughout the tournament but just failed. Really fine margins as a neutral i just felt when push came to shove they were too Conservative.
Finals are won by being aggressive usually. But not losing was the priority. Italy were the better team.
As for the play acting both teams were at it. Harry clutching his face when nobody near him and sterling likewise.
There should be no sour grapes just failed I think the players should be proud of themselves.

9.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 10:54:02
Italy took charge and Southgate didn’t respond, or appeared not to. Subs were far too late, no change in shape, it just felt like we were hoping to hang on. Once Italy equalised significant changes were needed if we wanted to force a win but they didn’t come.

Starting with 5 defenders and 2 holding midfielders says it all really.

10.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 11:46:02
Goals change games and unfortunately our early goal was always going to lead to us getting deeper and deeper and hoping not to concede. Once we did the momentum was all with Italy, we have seen it multiple times with united this season, once a team equalises they generally go on to win, so we did well to not lose it. The changes we made for extra time actually gave us a bit more of a foot hold but just wasn’t enough.

Bellingham, Foden, Greenwood in a couple of years added to that team could make a difference, it’s a young side with a lot of quality so we could be at the start of something better, sometimes a team has to lose a final to go and win one, let’s hope that’s the case.

11.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 15:36:24
Gds2 your goal not have led to you falling deeper and deeper. That's a negative mindset. It should have inspired you to go for a 2nd and kill the game. But beecher of the cautious approach you did indeed try and defend a 1 nil for 70 mins.
Fine margins it could have worked but it didn't.
Best form of defence is attack sometimes.

12.) 12 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 17:03:15
Before the tournament I felt that this tournament was slightly too soon for this very young team. They exceeded my expectation with the maturity and performance. I expect them to develop and grow over the next few years, many are several years away from the likely peak in their career.

The experience should serve this team well as will the pain of losing. There was some naivity at times which experience should help with.

The perfect example was Chellini on Saka. A foul yes, cheating, some may say. For me in the situation it was a brilliant bit of defending from an old pro. He did at that moment exactly what his team needed.

Jorginho after 15 minutes when Italy were under seige went down and take an age on the pitch to be treated. In that time in straight away stopped Englands momentum and gave Mancini time to short his team out, to sort out how to deal with our WB by someone other than Verratti and Barella and stop their Midfield being overrun.

Overall I am extremely proud of England the staff their manager and the way they have held themselves throughout this tournament and over the last few years. I think Southgate is an absolutely gem of a human being and I hope he and the team continue to develop because this team has something about it and a chance to grow and the opportunity to achieve sporting immortality over the next 2 to 3 tournaments.

I don't begrudge Italy the win as I think they earned it and there were some lessons for everyone involved in England football that if they learn from them could give us a chance at something special.

13.) 14 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 17:06:10
Pathetic display on and off the pitch from England. They played the occasion instead of playing Italy. The Italians are a very good team but England had more than enough in that squad to do damage to them.

Rice was the only player that done well. Everyone else was poor for England. Kane trying to drop deep and be the main man but being completely nullified, Sterling done his usual disappearing act he's known for. Even after getting joy very early on pushing their full backs forward, they didn't do it again to any affect.

BBC hailing them brave lions. None of that tonight was brave. It was the complete opposite. I seen cowards on that pitch tonight and a coward on the touchline.

14.) 14 Jul 2021
12 Jul 2021 17:22:08
In hindsight England were over cautious a keeper five defenders and two pretty defensive midfielders that's eight of the team .
Its hard not to think a braver coach may have sensed a kill and would also not have left changes so long when it was becoming pretty apparent Italy were taking control .
It reminded me a lot of the Croatia game in the world Cup semi final a bright start but the back three becoming a back five .