Have ‘morally reprehensible’ Italy peaked too early?

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Italy v Belgium
I enjoyed both games of football last night but in particularly the Italy v Belgium game with so much attacking intent on both sides.

What I do not understand is how Italy get away with so much, I guess I would call it cheating. It gets called gamesmanship or the dark arts but it amounts to the same thing. It was highlighted perfectly by the BBC commentators at half time and full time in relation to Immobile where, as ex-pros, they were all laughing and joking about his antics. Would this be the reaction if the game was against England? I suspect not.

Many years ago, John Nicholson wrote an excellent article about a mate of his (probably a bass player or a drummer) who got away with things because of who he was and John likened this to Italian Football and the then Italian president Berlusconi. By John’s reasoning, Italy and their president got away with things that other countries/presidents couldn’t because it was expected of them. This still seems to be the case and they have almost become a parody of themselves.

I have no affiliation with Spain but I do hope that they get past this highly skilful but morally reprehensible Italian team.
Gwarrior (LCFC)

Italy peaking
Anything can happen in the semi against Spain, and I’m sure the best team will win, but is there anybody out there who still thinks Italy peaked too early?
Dario (gutted for Spinazzola, he’s been immense)

Club team
Italy play like a really well drilled club team despite playing a very different game to the Italy I’ve always known (apart from excellent game management/dark arts).

How does an international team do that?
Aidan, Lfc (Based on my 1 game experience of watching Doku, and limited football knowledge, I confidently suggest Liverpool should sign him)

Quick Euro thoughts…
– Spain’s Pedri is an absolute talent, could easily see him becoming the talisman of Barcelona once Lionel Messi does leave

– Switzerland did themselves proud and a few of their team put themselves forward for a potential summer move, Yan Sommer anyone?

– Italy could just win this whole thing, really impressive blend of old style Italy and new style

– Ciro Immobile with the finest acting since Luis Suarez against Norwich

– Is Roberto Martinez actually a good manager because I just can’t tell

– Jeremy Doku is going to be yet another player Rennes make an insane profit on in a short space of time
Mikey, CFC

Chip on England’s shoulder…
I used to wonder why so many people dislike England during International tournaments. I now understand because I’ve joined the queue.

It’s so frustrating and annoying to hear the English media seemingly proclaim England the best team in the world because of one victory…ONE VICTORY…against a team you all claimed were no longer the force they use to be.

Suddenly, every other team has a deficit and only England is going from strength to strength…

Really?…REALLY!!!

The worst thing is you have been playing the worst football this tournament has seen(Yes it’s the worst. If you have the best attack in the tournament like you claim, you shouldn’t be parking your team’s aeroplane on the pitch).
Nelson (I can’t wait for Ukraine to give you guys a thorough trashing so things can go back to normal.) Lagos.

KDB
When the pressure is on in the biggest games, the great players stand up and make a difference.

Not for the first time, Kevin De Bruyne was nowhere to be seen when playing on the big stage.
Jamie, Eire

Dropping Sterling…
First off, let me begin by saying I am not a fan of Raheem Sterling. He wouldn’t be on my fantasy team and I can’t understand why Southgate likes him so much.

However, he is the leading goal scorer for England in the tournament and seems to be on a hot patch.

How does dropping him make any sense?

What other team would drop their leading goal scorer going into an important game?

I would drop Kane, who let’s be honest has been woeful. Was not his goal also a tap-in? Yet the bias media celebrated the goal like it was some magical work of art. For Spurs yes he is magic, for England he has been below par.

This same media is debating whether to start Grealish, he is England’s best player. He changed the last game as soon as he came on.

I do think England will have enough for Ukraine, but Denmark will be a tough battle and could be the end of the road for England.
Christian Gooner – Toronto

Sterling right of reply…
Enjoyed the replies to my Sterling email, less so the comments baselessly calling me part of the ‘Brexit/boo the knee crew’ and suggesting my analysis of some relative weaknesses of a footballer is based on ‘hatred’ – inaccurate, weird and offensive, ‘Luxongo’ et al. Sterling is a very impressive man on and off the pitch and has suffered deplorable abuse of all kinds – but it doesn’t make him (or anyone else) above fair criticism of his standard of play, nor does it mean anyone criticising his play should be associated with that abuse. Still, it’s useful to know how people must feel when they are ‘no-platformed’.

Anyway – some perfectly reasonable opposing opinions (and it’s ok to disagree – I think?), but I have to take issue with Rob saying ‘ You simply cannot choose “whatabouts” over “reality”’. It seems he’s essentially saying that if you win, no one should ask: ‘what if we changed this, would we be better?’. A main point of my email was that if you rest on your laurels and don’t go through that exercise, eventually you are likely to come unstuck, just as we did in 2018. If you go through it and the answer is ‘no, we’d be no better’ then fine, but don’t stick your fingers in your ears and sing la-la-la at the process.

I like John G’s comparison to Linker and Greaves because Sterling has obviously done well to be in a position to score his goals. There’s plenty of merit in that view if the idea is that Sterling and Kane are an old fashioned front two with Sterling as the poacher, but is that really the way people think we’re playing and the main role people expect Sterling to play? The other problem is that in 1990 Lineker played in an XI with Beardsley, Waddle, Platt and Gascoigne. Not quite the seven defensive players we deployed in the last 16. If it wasn’t already a long email, I would have said yesterday that I’m more (but not completely) in favour of playing Sterling if we revert to an attacking four for the rest of the tournament, but in a 5-2-3 there is pressure on Sterling to create and, as Derek points out, we create a ‘paucity’ of chances with him as one of our attackers, with a number of promising scenarios breaking down as a result of his decision making and/or poor touch (something that’s pretty hard to prove or disprove with stats).

Anyway, assuming Southgate persists with Sterling, obviously I hope I am proved wrong – it’s just that there’s a difference between what I hope and what I think.
Shappo

The real ambition in the tournament
With the hands of time ticking inevitably towards another great sadly leaving the game, it’s clear that one man at the Euros is seizing the world stage to show that he’s ready to take over.

In a match filled with stars, only one has stepped up to make it about them. No hesitation, confidence in spades – he’s stolen the show.

Michael Oliver is clearly the next Mike Dean.
Ryan, Bermuda (a normal human being would err on the side of a yellow and go to VAR, but never Oliver or the great Deano. Own those game-ruining mistakes I say!)

Time for a Sin Bin?
Football is an evolving sport. VAR is becoming less intrusive as we get used to it. But for me it is the acceptance of constant fouls that now needs addressed. Trips, pushes, niggles that stop the game and often stop real attacking opportunities, but are not bookable until about ten have been let go.

So time for a 10 minute sin bin. A punishment that will impact on the game, give the perps a real disadvantage, and stop them doing it.

The evidence is there from rugby. The ref warns then bins. It would make football a better game.
Tim

Haaland dreams…
Imagine this: Haaland stays put in Dortmund this season.  His goals output next season drops with Sancho’s departure. (Haaland’s father reportedly went “F**k…” upon hearing confirmation of Sancho’s transfer to Man U”.) Man U goes on a deeper run in CL say semi-finals…

What are chances Haaland joins Man U next summer -to re-unite with the man that assisted the most for his goals, and with the man who coached him in the youth ranks?  Many ifs, but one can dream…
Lionel, Singapore

Salzburg is in Germany?
Hi there,

I’m not taking issue with Lee’s general point about the BuLi being a less physical league , but Takumi Minamino signed for Liverpool from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg.

Austria hasn’t been a part of Germany since, well, some unpleasantness that is rarely discussed in the British tabloids, and certainly hasn’t been mentioned at all recently…
Dara O’Reilly, London

Souey
Anyone who doesn’t have a man crush on Graeme Souness is made of stone.
BB