FORZA ITALIA!!!
I have to grudgingly admit... Watching that England brand yesterday make me understand what it must have felt like to be a Bayern Munich fan in the CL Final versus Chelsea.... Only, that England's use of them kinda tactics look much much worse.
At least Chelsea could string some passes together and try to make something happen when they had the ball, and at least they had a viable outlet up front in Drogba, who you always feel could make something happen in that system. England on the other hand had NOTHING.
What a tepid performance. What pain me the most is that man for man, that England team really shouldn't have to play a team like Italy in such a cowardly fashion. On paper, this Italy side doesn't have that many individually talented players outside of Pirlo, Cassano, Balotelli and De Rossi. England could have matched that with Rooney, Gerrard, Young, Wellbeck in their lineup. Yet the way England line up, you would swear they up against a Brazil, Spain or Germany.
Imagine man like Abate have the freedom of the right flanks and have Ashley Young acting like an auxillary left back. Shameful. Better they had just start with Carroll and hoof everything up to him as he was winning all the headers, then try to profit off a knock down. I woulda respect that more.
Anyway enough about that shit side.
Pirlo dread... Lets forget the rank disrespectful, "Keep calm", "STFU Hart" nature of that penalty kick in injury time to swing momentum back to Italy (Yorke did it for Man U, Zidane did it for France, Abreu did it in Copa America for Uruguay). This man is such a boss and a joy to watch in midfield. At 33 years old and still a cut above the rest with that ball in midfield pulling the strings at walking pace, flighting passed over the top and dominating the midfield. There was one particular play when he collect the ball and Parker rush in too eager and get a simple "pull and push" and end up flailing all over him. "Easy yuhself my youth".
I thought Balotelli played really well but he needs to be a bit more clinical with his finishing. He need to watch some Romario tapes, when you get a flighted ball over the top is one touch to control and then another to slap hard or lob the keeper without thinking it. However he was giving them serious problems whole game, physical presence and coming short or going deep to play it simple. It will come!.
De Rossi needs to hold a bench. This is an immensely talented player who aaalways purging Italy in tournaments dating back to the elbow against the USA. I could never understand how come a player who supposed to be one of the leaders on the side could never make the difference when it counts. Easy chance to score a big player like that supposed to finish with aplomb. No surprise that he wasn't a factor when Italy won the World Cup in 2006.
Looking forward to the Italy v Germany semi-final, a repeat of one of the best games of football i've ever seen in my life (Italy v Germany world cup semi final 2006). Pirlo issue a football lesson that game. Hope he can repeat.