Euro: QF: Germany vs. Italy, 7/2/2016

Live in the Now

Registered User
Dec 17, 2005
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Can't wait for this game, the most anticipated of the tournament so far and for me the most anticipated possibility of all of them. Anyway, I have no idea what will happen. I think the player gap now is bigger than it has ever been before, but Italy knows how to get the results and is very organized, arguably as much as ever even though their tactics are very pragmatic.
 

WhiskeySeven*

Expect the expected
Jun 17, 2007
25,154
770
Incredibly excited for this match. I've been a lifelong supporter of Germany - despite not being remotely German - but I have a lot of respect for the current Italian side. I like their gamesmanship, I like their heart, I like their tactical nous, I like their edge.

Germany need to be pragmatic and on their A-game, Italy need to be bold in midfield and decisive. Even if it ends up in a Guardiola/Löw offensive 2-2-6 (aka "the U") formation against two banks of five Italian defenders, it should be a cracker.
 

yoplait

Registered User
May 4, 2011
757
16
De Rossi and Candreva injured and Motta suspended will hurt.
Hopefully we can pull this off.
 

void

Registered User
Jan 5, 2006
27,459
1,685
Any chance Candreva comes back or is he out for the tournament?
 

Replacement*

Checked out
Apr 15, 2005
48,856
2
Hiking
Voting with my heart, hoping Germany can pull it off. Although I'm not sure quite how.

Both teams should actually have trouble scoring in this game but something tells me it won't conform to form charts.

My theory is that Germany will push pace all game looking to tire Italy. They should be able to run Italy ragged. That however will require not getting behind. If I'm Germany I really try to play Italy tight all day and take time and space away. Keep forcing turnovers. Germany should be better at a highly paced game. A methodical game would of course favor Italy.
 

Deficient Mode

Registered User
Mar 25, 2011
60,348
2,397
History means little. This generation of German players don't have a mental block against Italians.

Germany will win in regulation. The team has noticeably improved with each successive match. The fullback controversy has been settled resoundingly in a way that it wasn't at the World Cup. The fluid interchange in buildup between Kroos, Boateng, and Hummels has been fantastic all tournament. The play in the final third has improved a lot. Draxler's performance last match was a revelation. He has been mightily inconsistent at club level - so I'm hesitant to expect him to reproduce last match's performance - but this German buildup will provide him with plenty of opportunities to break down the opposition defense if his dribbling is half as successful as it was vs. Slovakia.

Conte is a better manager than Löw, but I don't think Jogi will have no answer at all to the 3-5-2 like Del Bosque. Susceptibility to counters is a slight concern, but Spain had already shown a severe weakness in this area vs. Croatia, whereas Germany have done a better job at suppressing counters all tournament, including against Poland, one of the best counterattacking teams in the whole bracket.
 

Deutschland Dangler

Registered User
Jun 17, 2014
4,182
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I don't even dislike the Italian squad anymore, that's how bad things have become.
I just hope Löw doesn't **** this thing up.
 

Evilo

Registered User
Mar 17, 2002
61,958
8,526
France
50/50 game IMO.
Definately doable for this italian team.
However, if Germany goes through, I believe they win the whole thing.
If Italy goes and through and if they meet France in the semis, they will lose.
 

serp

Registered User
Jan 17, 2016
20,545
12,391
Everything must end at some point right ? I mean prior to 2014 Germany hadn't beaten Brazil in a tournament game either so now its time to get Italy out of our heads .
 

WhiskeySeven*

Expect the expected
Jun 17, 2007
25,154
770
History means little. This generation of German players don't have a mental block against Italians.

Germany will win in regulation. The team has noticeably improved with each successive match. The fullback controversy has been settled resoundingly in a way that it wasn't at the World Cup. The fluid interchange in buildup between Kroos, Boateng, and Hummels has been fantastic all tournament. The play in the final third has improved a lot. Draxler's performance last match was a revelation. He has been mightily inconsistent at club level - so I'm hesitant to expect him to reproduce last match's performance - but this German buildup will provide him with plenty of opportunities to break down the opposition defense if his dribbling is half as successful as it was vs. Slovakia.

Conte is a better manager than Löw, but I don't think Jogi will have no answer at all to the 3-5-2 like Del Bosque. Susceptibility to counters is a slight concern, but Spain had already shown a severe weakness in this area vs. Croatia, whereas Germany have done a better job at suppressing counters all tournament, including against Poland, one of the best counterattacking teams in the whole bracket.

I'm most assured by the fact that the Italian forwards are not exactly world-beaters. Eder is just not that good, and while Pelle plays with guile and cunning, he shouldn't give Hummels or Boateng any trouble.
 

Cassano

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Aug 31, 2013
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I'm most assured by the fact that the Italian forwards are not exactly world-beaters. Eder is just not that good, and while Pelle plays with guile and cunning, he shouldn't give Hummels or Boateng any trouble.
Pelle is similar to Giroud. Giroud has had good games vs. both in the past.
 

Bon Esprit

Registered User
Jan 24, 2004
4,856
438
I don't care if Germany play Italy, Spain or France. If you want to win it all, you at some point of the tournament play very good opponents. That's the way it goes.
 

W75

Wegistewed Usew
Oct 22, 2011
8,765
380
Winland
Two strongest teams in tournament so far. I used to not like Italy, that has changed completely during the recent years. Now visited there too, in the north.

Gigi Buffon has a chance to join the club of the greatest Italian goalies. Dino Zoff, Walter Zenga..

I feel its their year. Iceland and Italy, show us the way. Stay strong and united.
 

Suiteness

Registered User
Mar 14, 2003
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Time to Rebuild
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It's interesting that Italy has now gone back to it's roots and finding great success so far in this tournament. Italy/Sweden was one of the worst football matches I had seen in ages, with Italy being quite simply incapable of setting any sort of offensive rhythm in the match. A huge contrast to the way schooled England so badly at the last World cup.

Prandelli tried to make Italy a build it from the back, ball playing team and the results were so-so at best (Reaching the final in 2012 but getting destroyed once there) and the pitiful WC two years ago.

Make no mistakes, this Italian team is built to take down better teams. I don't know if they can handle Germany but there is zero doubt in my mind that they would defeat France.
 

Moncherry

Registered User
Feb 5, 2010
5,845
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I'm most assured by the fact that the Italian forwards are not exactly world-beaters. Eder is just not that good, and while Pelle plays with guile and cunning, he shouldn't give Hummels or Boateng any trouble.

This is probably the weakest Italian squad in a very long time but that still hasn't stopped them from performing at the level they did against Belgium and Spain. We likely won't see Italy having the lion's share of chances and meaningful possession, but they are still the best team defensively and possess a strong resolve and tactical superiority due to Conte's fantastic work. This is the one game where having a stronger squad offers little advantage for Germany.
 

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