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Post by channonite on Jul 7, 2021 7:05:25 GMT
So, Italy held their nerve and made the Final of the delayed Euro tournament. We find out the other finalist tonight, will it be England? Will we survive the hype during the day? If we do make the final, just imagine what the rest of the week will be like!
Last night's game was one of the best games of football that I have seen for years. In the first 90 minutes. In Extra Time the tension was ratcheted up several notches and as for the penalty shoot-out!! The edge of my seat was relieved when it was all over...
Whoever wins tonight will be up against it with that Italian side. Good to see Mancini doing well, always liked him.
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Post by saintsfan73 on Jul 7, 2021 8:12:05 GMT
Just watched the very good Terry Venables / Euro 96 documentary on Sky. Brought back a lot of memories of our last Euro semi a quarter of a century (ffs) ago. Funny to see a lot of the filming for the bits of Euro 96 that was used were taken outside the team Hotel in Burnham Beeches which is somewhat run down now. 25 years ago I had not-long started my first post uni job and remember the day well as I was working in Wimbledon and was anxious to get the train back home in time for kick-off. Our record in major semi-finals in my lifetime has been 2 losses on penalties and the loss to Croatia at the last WC. Hopefully we can do better this time! Never really understand Saints fans who are ambivalent to international football, you would think we would like it more supporting a team that never has a chance of winning anything!  |
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Post by spot51 on Jul 7, 2021 9:50:16 GMT
Mornimg Scummers
Good to see some old friendships reunited at Wembley last night, particularly that between Luis Enrique and Assistant Italy coach, Daniele de Rossi. De Rossi was still playing for Roma when Enrique arrived from Barcelona for his first coaching job outside Catalonia. Enrique had played alongside Pep Guardiola for Barca, succeeding him as club captain and following his career path to manage the Spanish giants. Barcelona's style (which morphed into the "tika-taka" so successful for Spain) had been developed whilst Johann Cruyff had been manager and both players had developed their own management approach from this base.
Luis Enrique spent just one season at Roma, returning to Spain with Celta before landing the top job at Camp Nou, but had already made a huge impression on De Rossi. The Italian had a typically long playing career (19 years) but working with Enrique inspired him to want to become a coach too, and was set on the "if we have the ball, you can't hurt us" approach to game management. He only recently began doing his coaching badges but was headhunted by Mancini to join his staff for the Euros. Mancini had already developed his own preferred style at Inter which he was able to enhance when Manchester City provided the budget to buy anyone he liked. With great players he was able to play a more expansive game and back at Inter he applied this to the Italian game.
Italy's failure to reach the last world cup saw Mancini given the job of rebuilding the Azzurri. He mostly surrounded himself with old mates from Sampdoria but once qualification for Euro 2020 was achieved he refreshed his coaches and came across De Rossi whose career at Roma and for Italy saw him labelled "the complete midfielder". De Rossi brought his understanding of the Spanish game to the party allowing a hybrid of Spanish style attacking and proper Italian defending to be developed. Mancini had made Italy good but his side's performances in these Euros shook the football world and their procession to the semi-finals was hugely impressive. Against Spain, De Rossi knew exactly how Spain would dominate possession and Italy would need all their traditional strengths of chasing, harrying and defending in depth. The loss of Spinazzola made their task somewhat harder and despite Emerson's efforts to support Insigne the Napoli captain was less able to cut inside as much as he liked. Still, their hit on the break approach worked once and their defending failed just once.
Felt really sorry for Moreno missing his penalty as it was nailed on Jorginhio would score his. Good to see Italy's crusty centre backs and Juventus team mates console him at the end. His manager was proud of how far Spain had come: “We have played a great Euros,” said Luis Enrique afterwards. “After nine years of crossing the desert, Spain are back. We are not going home sad — not at all — but knowing we were among the best teams.”
Is there another match tonight?
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Post by saintsfan73 on Jul 7, 2021 9:54:12 GMT
Mornimg Scummers Good to see some old friendships reunited at Wembley last night, particularly that between Luis Enrique and Assistant Italy coach, Daniele de Rossi. De Rossi was still playing for Roma when Enrique arrived from Barcelona for his first coaching job outside Catalonia. Enrique had played alongside Pep Guardiola for Barca, succeeding him as club captain and following his career path to manage the Spanish giants. Barcelona's style (which morphed into the "tika-taka" so successful for Spain) had been developed whilst Johann Cruyff had been manager and both players had developed their own management approach from this base. Luis Enrique spent just one season at Roma, returning to Spain with Celta before landing the top job at Camp Nou, but had already made a huge impression on De Rossi. The Italian had a typically long playing career (19 years) but working with Enrique inspired him to want to become a coach too, and was set on the "if we have the ball, you can't hurt us" approach to game management. He only recently began doing his coaching badges but was headhunted by Mancini to join his staff for the Euros. Mancini had already developed his own preferred style at Inter which he was able to enhance when Manchester City provided the budget to buy anyone he liked. With great players he was able to play a more expansive game and back at Inter he applied this to the Italian game. Italy's failure to reach the last world cup saw Mancini given the job of rebuilding the Azzurri. He mostly surrounded himself with old mates from Sampdoria but once qualification for Euro 2020 was achieved he refreshed his coaches and came across De Rossi whose career at Roma and for Italy saw him labelled "the complete midfielder". De Rossi brought his understanding of the Spanish game to the party allowing a hybrid of Spanish style attacking and proper Italian defending to be developed. Mancini had made Italy good but his side's performances in these Euros shook the football world and their procession to the semi-finals was hugely impressive. Against Spain, De Rossi knew exactly how Spain would dominate possession and Italy would need all their traditional strengths of chasing, harrying and defending in depth. The loss of Spinazzola made their task somewhat harder and despite Emerson's efforts to support Insigne the Napoli captain was less able to cut inside as much as he liked. Still, their hit on the break approach worked once and their defending failed just once. Felt really sorry for Moreno missing his penalty as it was nailed on Jorginhio would score his. Good to see Italy's crusty centre backs and Juventus team mates console him at the end. Is there another match tonight? Not for Scotland. |
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Post by Furry Frank The Combat Wombat on Jul 7, 2021 11:41:30 GMT
Morning
Enjoyed the Italy-Spain game; felt a bit sorry for Spain as they probably deserved the win on the basis of trying to win it in extra time, but knew the moment Morata stepped up he was going to miss.. funny player, clearly has some talent but somehow is missing the temprament.
Doubt I'll enjoy tonight's game so much...but at least if we lose I get some money back on the sweepstake (guaranteed to get my stake back if Denmark lose, but get £30 if they lose the final and £80 in the unlikely event they sweep Italy aside). I'm not really a gambling man (I only joined the sweepstake as they were short on numbers at the time and I felt sorry for the organiser!), so it'd be a nice surprise to win something.
Meanwhile, building stuff continues.. actually manage to cook and wash up a whole meal in the kitchen last night (albeit still partly on the camping stove), so that's a step forward.
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