Disgusting is a wild shout mate, come on. It’s tactical, it’s not disgusting.He’s a fantastic defender, a real mix of the great art of defending but can also play the ball
However that ‘foul’ on Saka was disgusting
Cries for a red card for a shirt pull on the touchline about a million yards from goal with a bunch of defenders covering? Haha. Unreal takes on here at times. Maybe some posters just taking yesterday badly or maybe just a lack of basic footballing knowledge.
It can be bothDisgusting is a wild shout mate, come on. It’s tactical, it’s not disgusting.
I wish one of our players had done that in either of the Benfica games.
Disgusting is a wild shout mate, come on. It’s tactical, it’s not disgusting.
I wish one of our players had done that in either of the Benfica games.
A disgraceful assault! He could have ripped Saka's t-shirt or something.Pretty clear that a lot of folk are still smarting that their adopted nation failed to make the final.
When has a pull back on the halfway line (out wide with players getting back) ever been deemed a red card offence. It’s as tragic as it is hilarious.
Between that and Kane’s ability to draw fouls.There’s a few times in recent season I wished our players had been street smart and taken yellow cards like that. It’s smart defending.
I have to admit that I laughed at the pull back when he was booked.
I’d probably say that the idea that Italy still play a defensive game is outdated by at least a decade.Chiellini, Bonucci, Maldini (father and son), Baresi, Costacurta, Materazzi, Canavarro, Nesta
Italians play defensive type games because they have had that quality throughout the years
Anyone who enjoys a good ol knees up will know how these guys did it
I’d probably say that the idea that Italy still play a defensive game is outdated by at least a decade.
They have excellent defenders and as such, that part of the game often gets highlights, but England have been far more defensive than any Italy side in recent memory for the majority of this tournament.
A lot of England fans are fuming at Chielini for being a durty bassa, but are quite happy that Sterling, and Kane in particular, dived at the slightest touch“Violent conduct”, “assaulted”.
Sorry but this is really funny.
A lot of England fans are fuming at Chielini for being a durty bassa, but are quite happy that Sterling, and Kane in particular dived at the slightest touch
I’d probably say that the idea that Italy still play a defensive game is outdated by at least a decade.
They have excellent defenders and as such, that part of the game often gets highlights, but England have been far more defensive than any Italy side in recent memory for the majority of this tournament.
Brilliant defensive pairing, the best of all time however would be Maldini and Baresi. Imo of course.Greatest defensive partnership of all time. They have been warriors for Juventus and Italy over the decade.
Not only did he defend like an old school defender but he was always making himself available in that second third of the field rather than just hanging back near the box.
BTW - some refs would have sent off Chiellini for violent conduct there.
It could be reasonably be described as violent conduct. It was more than just shirt pulling.As above, if it had been a red then it would been a robbery because nowhere in the rule book is it a red card. Nothing to do with it being Chiellini or to do with him being likeable, everything to do with there being nothing in the rules of the game to make that a red card offence.
He’s a fantastic defender, a real mix of the great art of defending but can also play the ball
However that ‘foul’ on Saka was disgusting
It could be reasonably be described as violent conduct. It was more than just shirt pulling.
Saka was away and if he’d whipped the pins from under him it wouldn’t have been very different to what he actually did.
For it to be a red card or has to 'violent conduct' or 'serious foul play'. It's neither of thoseCue all the Rangers da’s coming on saying it was never a red,
“I grew up on a weekly diet of watching Gregor Stevens and Toni Schumacher at the 1982 World Cup”
Sorry to enlighten you lads it’s not the 1980s very little contact is allowed these days, whether or not back in the good old days it was better and football was for proper men with long hair.
Are defenders like him a dying breed? By that I mean old fashioned centre backs who’ll do the defensive bit first and clear their lines when needed, as opposed to the modern approach where coaches want their centre backs to be able to move the ball around and play out from the back.
Some of his last ditch defending is phenomenal and reminds me of some of great centre halves Italy have been blessed with through the years. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he had gotten in Spain’s heads with his carry on before the semi final shootout when he was joking away and playfully punching Alba’s arm while the Spaniard was stood looking like a bag of nerves.
Although it was born of his own initial gaff this made me laugh. Smart foul in the end given the distance from the goal meaning it could only be a yellow.
So what if we're on the cusp of qualifying for the champions league group stages in a few weeks and the opposition have a breakaway in the last minute to potentially score and knock us out?He’s a fantastic defender, a real mix of the great art of defending but can also play the ball
However that ‘foul’ on Saka was disgusting
Not forgetting Maguire holding his face last night pretending he had been kicked. EmbarrassingMost farcical moment either side were involved with through the whole tournament was Sterling’s clear dive vs Denmark which helped them avoid penalties and the very real chance of elimination (he also had another go at cheating a penalty last night too and you could see Italians were weary of making challenges in the box because of that). That’s why I thought home advantage was unfair on Denmark and Italy, because in the Denmark game the ref clearly reacted to the noise of the fans screaming for that decision.
On a yellow, Sterling in the box near the goal and he still manages to get the ball away without giving the Swan the option of going into flight.
Fantastic, fantastic defender. I absolutely love him
YepSo what if we're on the cusp of qualifying for the champions league group stages in a few weeks and the opposition have a breakaway in the last minute to potentially score and knock us out?
I'd want any of our players to karate kick them if necessary to prevent that happening.
Yeh fair enough if it was a karate kid it would be a red card. My point was your comment on Chiellini's pull being 'disgusting' seemed to be implying it was immoral when really it is an absolutely normal incident in top level sport.Yep
And they should be sent off if they do
While they did play together (as LB and CB) I don’t think Maldini played at centre back for Italy until after Baresi retired.Brilliant defensive pairing, the best of all time however would be Maldini and Baresi. Imo of course.
you could tell what his opinion of the "penalty" from Wednesday night was with the way he was treating Sterling for the whole match, him and BonucciOn a yellow, Sterling in the box near the goal and he still manages to get the ball away without giving the Swan the option of going into flight.
Fantastic, fantastic defender. I absolutely love him
Your probably right bud, absolutely brilliant players though.While they did play together (as LB and CB) I don’t think Maldini played at centre back for Italy until after Baresi retired.
Agree. Italy has taken its classic organisation and added a bit of the Spanish midfield control, then with a bit of directness up front has found a superb formula. 30-odd games in a row proves it works and I hope they can hold it all together one more year for Qatar.I’d probably say that the idea that Italy still play a defensive game is outdated by at least a decade.
They have excellent defenders and as such, that part of the game often gets highlights, but England have been far more defensive than any Italy side in recent memory for the majority of this tournament.
Not only did he defend like an old school defender but he was always making himself available in that second third of the field rather than just hanging back near the box.
BTW - some refs would have sent off Chiellini for violent conduct there.