I'm impressed. There has been some beautiful passages of play. Sorry but the Conte haters need to eat shit.
To be fair I always thought we'd top the group. I was really optimistic and thought our Azzurri could do it. I even said we can win the whole thing and i voted that in the other thread. Anything is possible for gli azzurri
He would have had to pay a lot more money to see the high powered Swiss and German teams kick the ball around for 90+ minutes.
Haha si, Conte must think the rest of Italia can afford a hair transplant and a trip to France to have a nice nap in the Stadium.
I don't like the approach to today's game. It's the same old Italy, win or not. We played a side who after two games hasn't managed a shot on goal. And we didn't attack them. We played not to lose, instead of too win. We did the same shit vs Uruguay and we got a red card and we were ********ed. That's what happens when you play scared. Shit can happen and it did. Had we did that vs a side that had a bit more in them we could have got punished and then it goes down to the last game. There, you could lose again. Go after the team like they're prey and we are the hunters. That Swedish team is ********ing shit. Put them to the sword. A last minute goal doesn't change the fact we were negative and shit for the whole game. In the first game were brilliant and conte got the tactics and game plan spot on. Outstanding. Today, is was back to the old crap style of playing scared and playing " safe " which btw cost us in 2002 vs Korea, 2004 vs Sweden late on and against Uruguay in 2014. I'm Glad to see us through and I'm Surprised that we have won our first two games, something we have not did since euro 2000 ( so many similarities to that cup ) and have been proven wrong by Italy, but we have to scrap this shit safe style of play at times. We are better than that. Were ********ing italy and have won 4 world cups. Were not ********ing Norway, though at times our long ball resembles them.
Haha cretin, good one. The goal was a long ball, Zaza threw himself at it and won and Eder made a nice run and finsh, hardly a beautiful "Passage" of play. You are a big man arent you, started to sling out the name calling on an internet forum. Why dont you go write Bernie Sanders a letter about it.
there were plenty. those long range passes to switch the play hitting Candreva and Florenzi were Montolivoesque.
Yes, the approach doesn't always work. But you can say that for any national team. Not a heck of a lot of teams have had better results in major tournaments in this era than Italy.
Same here! Those beautiful passages! Great play after great play. If you squinted your eyes a little, it was like watching Pele pass to Rivelino, Tostao, bing boom pass to Carlos Alberto up to Jairzinho!!!! Incredible!! Eat shit you doubters
It was a throw, not a long ball. Eder's control (emerging from a pack of 4 players) and his curled finish into the corner was immense. And Zaza's winning that off balance header played straight into Eder's path. Why are we even arguing about this?
Here's the issue with some of you select few so-called experts: you think your ideas are certain and the only way to play. You're miserable when you win. And actually happy, in a justified manner, when we lose. Its misguided ego and itd usually inherited by those who are lazy and have a narrow focus. Anyone who understands the game on a tactical level, and not just from a casual standpoint, will agree that Conte was brilliant tactically. Pelle, Eder and Candreva all lacked that touch today. If they didn't, and if Pelle and Eder actually made their runs in, this would have been a comfortable victory. But hate away. You'll do it anyways unless we lose. Then you'll all say 'we told you so..'. But you didnt. Conte = 6 points, 3 goals for, 0 conceded. Bravo to that start. I'm done arguing with fools who don't have a clue about the game. Keep playing FIFA in Nonna Maria's basement or something. Ciao.
This Italy is no doubt the greatest in my life time. You would agree if you had half the Soccer iq I did lol
You're wrong if you think that Prandelli's side against Costa Rica and Conte's side today approached the match in the same manner. They have completely different styles. While our style play is not pretty, it's effective. The same can't be said of Prandelli's Italy. They didn't defend well as a unit. There was no accountability. There was no real identity to that side. You're also failing to appreciate that this side is technically limited. Despite that, we are on full points having faced a Beligium side that was ranked #2 in the world. I think most of us would have been happy if we had 4 points after two games. We're already qualified. To continue to criticize this team under these circumstances is simply unfair, and it shows how naive our supporters can be. This is not Brazil 1970. This whole, "this is Italy, Four World Cups," nonsense fails to recognize our current reality. We have a world class backline, good defensive MF players, and other hard-working, but technically limited players. We are doing exceptionally well given our limitations.
You know the game on a tactical level do you? Who did you play for? Or was it a Serie B team you managed? Who says you understand anything more than anyone else? You do, because why, you play Football Manager?
Well, you could always rely on the proven footy experts in the media who are all saying Italy is playing brilliant tactically.
I never mentioned Costa Rica. I mentioned Uruguay, where we employed the same tactics as today. Don't put words in my mouth. And the way we played vs Belgium, that was the Italy 4 World Cup style.