OT- Euro Quarterfinals - Italy vs England

Submitted by AVPBCI on

Head to head: As historic as the two teams are in nature, England and Italy have surprisingly little history between them. They have played six times competitively, with the Italians winning four times to England’s once.

Yellow cards: Ashley Young, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Ashley Cole and Steven Gerrard are one caution away from suspension for England. Christian Maggio, Leonardo Bonucci, Thiago Motta, Riccardo Montolivo, Gianluigi Buffon, Fredrico Balzaretti, Daniele De Rossi, and, no surprise, Mario Balotelli face the same predicament for Italy.

A thigh injury to defensive anchor Giorgio Chiellini means Italy will be vulnerable defensively. The possible absence of Thiago Motta, who is doubtful after straining a hamstring, would disrupt Italy’s attacking flow. Bonucci and Riccardo Montolivo are expected to fill in.

Roy Hodgson and England will name a standard 4-4-2 / 4-4-1-1 formation, and although there’s a chance that a more direct winger could start on the flanks, it’s probable that he’ll stick with the starting XI that overcame Ukraine in the final group game.

Cesare Prandelli’s formation for Italy is much less clear. Having used a 3-5-2 for Italy’s opening two games against Spain and Croatia, he switched to a 4-4-2 diamond for the win over Ireland.

 

Gli Azzurri , Forza Italia

http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee512/zonal_marking/england-italy.jpg

 

Wolverine In Iowa

June 24th, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^

An England-Germany semi-final would be just great!  I'm already knocked out of my pool, thanks to the choke job by Holland and France not getting to the semi's.  Of course, I still have Spain and 'Schland left, but it's not matter now.

So, go Rooney!  Go England!

Yeoman

June 24th, 2012 at 1:26 PM ^

England has never beaten a major footballing nation in a knockout round of a major tournament away from England. Their knockout wins in World Cups (not counting '66): Paraguay (86), Belgium and Cameroon (90), Denmark (02), Ecuador (06).  Their knockout wins in European championships (not counting '96):  .

AVPBCI

June 24th, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^

I hope Italy wins ! Huge supporter

 

I have to admit i can't stand the EPL

watching Spain dismantle France gave me some hope for today's game.

 

Italy is due to breakout and put some goals in.

swan flu

June 24th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^

If France hadn't been such a joke in South Africa, these two teams would've competed for most embarrassing team at the WC.

I think Italy will redeem themselves at the expense of England. Though I think it would be a different result if Jack Wilshere were healthy.

AVPBCI

June 24th, 2012 at 1:42 PM ^

WcC 06 - red card

I was so pissed at WC 10.

De Rossi to me is the biggest weakness on this italian team

He sucked against new zealand and slovakia

as for this euro , i am waiting for his bonehead moment to come.

Bonucci needs to step it up today unlike his unspirited play against Ireland or it could be a long day.

 

PurpleStuff

June 24th, 2012 at 1:52 PM ^

A lot of people have slept on this England team, but they really lack most of the problems that have doomed previous sides.  Joe Hart is actually excellent in goal (and unlikely to roll the ball into his own net a'la Green or Robinson).  They have a healthy group of talented strikers (no Heskey or even Crouch up on his own).  And Lampard is out so they aren't faced with the selection problem he always causes (can't play in a 4-4-2, but the team doesn't really have the personnel or style to play in another formation).

Should be a fun, wide-open game.  All that being said, can't wait to see the English in tears again.

Yeoman

June 24th, 2012 at 1:54 PM ^

England's is the same as against Ukraine; Italy has Barzagli in for the injured Chiellini and Montolivo replaces Thiago Motta (hamstring strain). Balotelli is in and DiNatale out as expected.

HKBlue

June 24th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

drinking Leffe listening to NWA Straight Outta Compton at Players in Wanchai. Anyone wanna join me? Like Italy in this one. Pirlo too much quality.

Fhshockey112002

June 24th, 2012 at 2:14 PM ^

Mostly because Balotelli is a complete idiot, and I only use "idiot" trying to keep the board civil.  The guy really is all that is wrong with sports.

Edit: Also didn't like that Italy took Guiseppe Rossi from the USNT.

Chippewa Blue

June 24th, 2012 at 2:09 PM ^

Can't stand watching Italian soccer. One of the worst teams when it comes to flopping and the such. Was so happy to watch the U.S. beat them on the road a few months ago. Hopefully Three Lions take it to them today

AVPBCI

June 24th, 2012 at 2:12 PM ^

I hope all the epl nut huggers get bit today

Gli Azzurri, Forza Italia

 

for some reason, i am predicting this comes down to a 1-1 game and goes to Penalty kicks to determine the Winner

Italy wins on PK's 5-4

AVPBCI

June 24th, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^

i like that prediction Yeoman, except i would reverse the minutes and goal scorers

I'd love to see a 2-0 win.

If i was gonna predict goals

Italy - Cassano

England - Rooney

PK Miss - Garrard

Yeoman

June 24th, 2012 at 2:28 PM ^

Balotelli will surely have been taken off by the 89th minute. Italy's been using their strikers to press, which means they tire (Germany has this issue too). Neither Cassano nor Balotelli have gone a full ninety yet, have they?  And anyway, if you don't need more goals why would you risk the likelihood if him doing something stupid and getting sent off?

Of course, Pirlo might be off by then too. He's barely match fit, if at all.

swan flu

June 24th, 2012 at 2:32 PM ^

Italy 1

England 0

 

Di Natale scores as a sub, the rest of the game will involve lots of turnovers from midfielders playing kick-and-run. 

flysociety3

June 24th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^

Giovinco has been getting out-bodied whenever he's in... he's a little spark-plug, but he has been pushed around.. (albeit in very limited time)

Cassano and Di Natale have played well in all games, really.... Di Natale would have scored against Croatia if not for a blown offsides call...

The loss of Giorgio Chiellini could be big, but Barzagli is not bad either....

 

Forza Azzurri

turtleboy

June 24th, 2012 at 3:29 PM ^

I cannot stand Italian football. The league is the dirtiest rigged cheating league, even at the national team level, players dive even more than in Spain, most of the matches are boring, and the fans (all of the fans) in seria a universally boo the entire match. After the World Cup in Germany I feel Italy basically deserves to lose all the time.

Witz57

June 24th, 2012 at 3:32 PM ^

Pardon my ignorance, this is the first UEFA game I've ever watched and I'm pretty interested. I'm kind of confused about the composition of the teams. Are these teams the equivalent of national teams you'd send to the World Cup or Olympics, or are they each country's league champion, or are the rosters composed in some other third way? I know these leagues are run totally differently than American sports but is there any rough equivalent to explain how these rosters would be composed?

Fhshockey112002

June 24th, 2012 at 4:07 PM ^

DeRossi just did a all too fimiliar total flop on a corner.  Not only was he NOT fouled he was pulling John Terry's shirt before flinging himself to the ground... GOD I HATE ITALIAN SOCCER

MichiganManOf1961

June 24th, 2012 at 4:09 PM ^

The Italians must have picked the wrong shoes; they seem to fall down very easily, at almost every touch.

~Herm

htownwolverine

June 24th, 2012 at 4:19 PM ^

I think Classical Historians need to study Italian football for the reason why the Romans used slaves for the Coliseum gladiator battles.

One would also think that with the amount of hair gel per sq. in. of noggin on the the Italian side that most defenders would slide off of every Italian player so there would be no contact.

On the other hand their spectators are quite remarkable with a Brazil-Italy a sight to behold.