Any ENGLAND fans backing Italy today ?

I agree prices do not reflect quality of two teams, England consistently look poor against top 10 teams in competitive matches.

England vs. France.  France dominated possession in the 2nd half and England scraped a draw.
England vs. Sweden.  England had a mad 25 mins and kept losing possession and conceded twice.  Walcott scored a fluke goal.
England vs. Ukraine. Ukraine hit the woodwork, had a certain pen turned down and had the ball over the line but no goal given.
Italy vs. Spain. Italy played at least as well as Spain.

England struggle to keep possession and they play very deep when under pressure.  Italy are good at keeping possession.  Rooney looked a bit stocky and well off the pace.

In order for England to get through tonight Gerrard will need to put in another brilliant shift, England will need to keep possession better and not play so deep and Rooney will suddenly have to hit top form (which he hardly ever does for England anyway).  Italy will have to under perform (they have only conceded 4 goals in nine qualifiers and three group matches in this competition).

Obvious I really want England to win but my head says Italy so I have bet as follows:

£200 Draw or Italy
£200 Italy (Asian +0)
£ 50 Italy #2-1
£ 50 No Goal

Bet is Italy to qualify at evens. If the bet loses England go through. Bet to nothing really. Just a matter of each individual evaluating the emotional price in £s of an England loss.

Only mugs are backing Italy

Never!!!!!!

Backing against your own country

What would Churchill say?

Return Of Dawsy
24 Jun 12 12:11 Joined: 21 Jul 09 | Topic/replies: 13,794 | Blogger: Return Of Dawsy's blog
Only mugs are backing Italy

Back in your box gimp, it is not Gay Pride today you ****t

One of the things England are great at its tactics and resilience. I can see a narrow England win here but unfortunately a German hammering in the next round.

Also your analysis doesnt include the fact that Italy, like England, have been fairly mediocre in this tournament too

stone I could not agree LESS

If tactics means 2 banks of 4 on the edge of your box then it is not exactly tactical rather than cowardly

I think they are negative in the extreme and have NO IDEA how to break teams down let alone `TRY to break teams down.

They will be found out bady tonight if Italy turn up

You can't disagree with any of the points below unless you are one eyed like daisy the twaat

England vs. France.  France dominated possession in the 2nd half and England scraped a draw.
England vs. Sweden.  England had a mad 25 mins and kept losing possession and conceded twice.  Walcott scored a fluke goal.
England vs. Ukraine. Ukraine hit the woodwork, had a certain pen turned down and had the ball over the line but no goal given.
Italy vs. Spain. Italy played at least as well as Spain.

I reckon solid back 4 working as a unit. Gerrard & Parker playing well. Then weve a set of young fast hard working wingers + 3 decent stirkers.

Its not the greatest team to watch but they can defend, counter and score. If England are a better but similar team to Ireland then Italy are going out. Without the last min goal that wouldve been a 1-0 win to the worst team in the tournament - not that impressive really.

I can see Mario scoring though and do like watching Di Natalie & Pirlo

2-1 Eng

You can make a very good case for either team winning this match to be honest, so the odds reflect that perfectly. It's a coin toss with a draw a very likely result. Italy have shown nothing to me that should worry England but on the flip side England have been far from consistent. Ukraine, for me, posed England few problems but better teams would have scored a few more against what looked a creaky defence. England's back four individually look okay, but as a unit, they look so susceptible.

With a game under his belt Rooney should be a lot better tonight

I remeber the BBC commentators saying that when England play Sweden and the Ukraine (having just watched them play each other) that England have nothing to fear.  What they din't say however is watching England play France wbhat did the other teams have to fear.  Same as today whilst Italy haven't been geat England haven't been either surely in fact a bit lucky and very dour.

Yes heres hoping the Rooney picks up the sharpness

Very very average so far.  Surely that can't win the championship of Europe.

Ask Greece or Denmark.

Darlo

Well I hope for football's sake a better team than a very very average England don't win it.

Put your Jock bitterness away eh.

DARLO

Just being honest.  I'll be HONEST and admit Scotland are awful .... about 3/10.  Would you admit though that England are perhaps about 5.5/10 whilst Germany are surely an 8.5 or even 9?

Germany are streets ahead of England from what I've seen, I'll admit. But a score of 5.5 or 8.5 on paper does not win you tournaments. 90 minutes on the pitch six times does. For what it's worth, I'd give England maybe a 7 or 8 - relative to international football, and Germany 9 or 9.5 - again relative to international football, with Spain 10. But those ratings don't win you the thing.

First no bet game of the tournament for me tonight, as an Englishman, even if i thought Italy would win i couldn't back them and sit there hoping England lost just so my bet came in. And if i backed England and they didn't win then i'd lose out twice.

So you honestly think Engalnd are about 1 'point' behind Germany and that's not you being biased?  You watch England then you see Germany pplay and there's about 1 'point' difference?  HONESTLY?

england=+£0  draw=+£0 italy=+£72

come england win a quarter final for once FFS

England vs. Ukraine. Ukraine hit the woodwork, had a certain pen turned down and had the ball over the line but no goal given.

When did they hit the woodwork and have a certain penalty turned down?

Jun 24, 2012 -- 1:51PM, Biscuit1979 wrote:

First no bet game of the tournament for me tonight, as an Englishman, even if i thought Italy would win i couldn't back them and sit there hoping England lost just so my bet came in. And if i backed England and they didn't win then i'd lose out twice.

Kind of my stance, except I smashed Italy at 3.0 and couldn't give a flying **** if England got knocked out.

Life is a game of vicissitudes Bob so I'd treat those as you wish to be treated. Surprised you're not backing Italy yourself, thought you liked making money.

Italy @ evens to qualify if they score first you can always trade out if its goes to pens its a 50/50 anyways. No brainer. Can't see it been a 0-0.

bob i want england to win not arsed bout the £72 quid thought it was a good idea to take the 3.05 on italy. 2.9 now

usually wait in games like this and see how its panning out ....seeing if i can sot certain issues.

supporting England dont come into it as money is more important than supporting a side managed by woy