Italy v England ......Score Predictions

Spain were all over Italy, if it wasn't for the poor touches and leaning back when shooting then Italy would have got stuffed.
2-0 England

Agreed.  If Spain had had a good Championship level striker then Italy would have been beaten.  Italy have lost their best player.  They have great experience at CB, 2 have combined ages of over 70.  Great experience.  

It also means that having played extra time last Tuesday, they will not relish someone like Saka running at them.  At 19, Saka is young enough to be Chiellini’s son.  Also have Sterling, and maybe Rashford, Sancho and/or Grealish running at both of them.

I can imagine facing Grealish would be the last straw.  Instincts to stop him at ant cost.  Twisted blood.  Giving away a penalty.  Kane to score.  England 1 Italy 0 in 90 mins.

Hoddle said that in his view Italy had peaked too early,  let us hope so.  

0 - 0 after 90 mins & extra time.
Ingerlund win on pens.

1-1 and Italy to nick it in extra time I fear and then me be in a bad mood for weeks. I'm more nervous about sunday than I have been for a football match ever

Quoted from jaygy

1-1 and Italy to nick it in extra time I fear and then me be in a bad mood for weeks. I'm more nervous about sunday than I have been for a football match ever

You think you’re nervous! You should have been a fly on the u bend during the run up to Burnley vs Grimsby (2003).

My (now) wife had never been to a live footy match before and I was the only person east of the Pennines she had ever met. We had only been courting a few months. Heavy petting still existed and didn’t just involve lifting the beagle into the back of the car.

I didn’t want her to enjoy it so much she would want to go to another match.

But then I didn’t want her to think Grimsby folk were savages and I couldn’t be trusted to go to another match without her.

I couldn’t shït straight on the train over to Lancashire.

We’re still together. She’s never been to another match. She lets me pet her on my birthday which, like John Tondeur, only happens once every four years. ***


*** for the avoidance of doubt I don’t let JT pet me. Although sometimes we run a deep bath and listen to his commentary

I think it’s a pretty evenly matched final and it’s good that the best two teams in the tournament are in the final. My initial reaction yesterday was to be worried by the Italians, but actually, apart from their first 2 group games, they’ve been winning games by a single goal much like england. They’ll clearly dominate the midfield, but Sterling running at their defence is a tantalising prospect.

It’s so tight but I’ll go for a nerve-wracking 2-0 England, with an Arnold moment in added time. Maguire and Sterling.

I’m going to change my prediction to ….

England 1 Italy 0 (Stones)

England 0. -  Italy 2.    in 90 mins + time added on.

Italy are a great side , 33 unbeaten. But both Belgium and Spain would have beaten them if not for missing absolute sitters, and the Austrians gave them a hell of a game.

I think, in the heart of their defence, they are vulnerable to pace -  which we have in abundance.

So we can do it. It will be tough, and it will depend on whether lady luck smiles on us.

England 2 Italy 0

Kane (pen)
Sterling

Last chance, this thread will be locked at kick-off until I give out the result.

Probably tomorrow