Euro: SF: Italy v Spain, 7/6/2021

N o o d l e s

Registered User
Jul 17, 2010
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South Shore
This Spain team is going to be excellent. Rodri should be in soon starting for Busquets and Ramos back in the CB pairing will make them even stronger. The lack of a quality ST is very concerning though. Aspas is 33 but should be there in Qatar. That was ridiculous.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
45,300
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Morata was so bad in the last game he got subbed almost immediately after halftime. He also didn't score against Sweden despite having a ton of chances and missed a ton of chances against Poland too. Not only that but when a team knows their forward isn't clinical it disrupts their play massively. So, goal or not, him being shit did affect the team.

When you play #9 for Spain, given how many chances you get, you should score more. And then on top of all that he misses a penalty. They also finished second and wound up playing Italy because he is shit. I think these are fair criticisms.

You have to ask what would they spain be like had Fati be healthy. Ah well.

Congrats Italy. Spain were the better team for long periods, but couldn't score the another goal. Olmo and Pedri had great games.

Italy's game deteriorated significantly after Verratti was taken off, and Spain finally started to break through the middle. There was a lot of space in front of Bonucci&Chiellini, as other midfielders couldn't track back enough. Also Dommarumma started to make more mistakes here and there, and unnecessarily delayed kicking the ball, which could have backfired.

Of course this wasn't solely because Verratti left, Spain made personnel and tactic changes as well, and players were getting tired, but it's still too bad for Italy that Verratti isn't in full shape after his injury.

But Spain showed that Italy could be beaten. Can't rule out Denmark and especially England winning the final.

Italy looked second best way before the Verratti sub. Spain should've won this game but its the same story with them a lack of goals.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
45,300
9,465
This Spain team is going to be excellent. Rodri should be in soon starting for Busquets and Ramos back in the CB pairing will make them even stronger. The lack of a quality ST is very concerning though. Aspas is 33 but should be there in Qatar. That was ridiculous.
Fati will be their main goal scoring threat and I think Ramos is done at the NT level.
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
60,373
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w/ Renly's Peach
It's not just the english rags who get obnoxious around tournaments...or are the BBC & Athletic's coverage also handled by the sun?
 

KirkAlbuquerque

#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Mar 12, 2014
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This game was a key example of why penalty kicks suck at deciding games. I'm a fan of Italy but I have to feel for Spain. They outclassed Italy most of the game. But just like hockey if you dont capitalize on your chances than what good is it outchancing/possessing the other team. Italy has struggled in every knockout game so far but they find a way to win. Chiese looks like a hell of a player. Immobile has struggled the last few games to score so hopefully he gets one next game.
Just gotta win one more game on Sunday !
Italy definitely didn’t struggle vs Belgium. Wouldn’t say they struggled against Spain either , they had a ton of useless possession
 

East Coast Bias

Registered User
Feb 28, 2014
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It’s not just Morata being the issue for Spain though. That whole team couldn’t finish. They had like 5 xG per game. They created tons and tons of chances but could not score.

Pedri played 66 full matches for club and country this season if what I read today was correct. At 18. Lovely. Surely that won’t catch up to Him.
 

les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,261
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Wisconsin
Olmo is really good, why didn't we sign him. Dynamite

Don’t ask me… I had him pegged in the line up before his german move. We went with Trincao!

I kept saying we should have and I’m not a fan of signing guys who leave. Still could actually.

Not sure they went with Trincao. I imagine it was more an issue of Olmo being sold during the Winter window.

It’s not just Morata being the issue for Spain though. That whole team couldn’t finish. They had like 5 xG per game. They created tons and tons of chances but could not score.

Pedri played 66 full matches for club and country this season if what I read today was correct. At 18. Lovely. Surely that won’t catch up to Him.

Well Spain did score 5 twice.

Pedri still has the Olympics to come…
 

Moncherry

Registered User
Feb 5, 2010
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Italy definitely didn’t struggle vs Belgium. Wouldn’t say they struggled against Spain either , they had a ton of useless possession

People just get wet over possession %. Their scoring chances were about even .

They didn't dominate in terms of pure scoring chances, but Spain dictated the play of the game from start to finish. Italy's midfield and attack were non-existent, don't know how you can say they didn't struggle there. It was easily Italy's worst game of the tournament, and despite Spain's largely toothless play in the final third, the scoring chances were not even.
 

Tmu84

- Tmuussoni
Feb 2, 2011
393
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Funland
...funny how that wasn't most people's reaction during the match :laugh:

I think Italy played really well first 70 minutes and very structured game. Their defence did great job. Even though Spain had most of the Possession, that didn't really accomplish anything. The dangerous scoring changes was rather even for both teams up to that point.

Spain then made some tactical changes after 70 min mark which definetely caused trouble to Italy and the equaliser was the result. Most likely the high possession of Spain came back to bite Italy in extra time, because Italy was visibly more gassed out.

In extra time, Spain was better in the first half and Italy was better on the second half. So certainly not an undeserved win for Italy in my opinion.
 
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S E P H

Cloud IX
Mar 5, 2010
30,992
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Toruń, PL
That was absolutely brilliant game to watch! Sucks it had to go to penalties, but I've already accepted that fate for many times now and in the future for amazing football matches like this one heading to this rubbish. That was the first match of the entire tournament that Italy looked second best compared to their opponent. I have to give Spain a lot of credit in terms of talent, I don't think that squad ever comes to the strongest they could've brought, but the players somehow got this far. Pedri is simply unbelievable as a player, he absolutely deserved to make the team and start in the semis'. Hate that Barca/Real get the best of the best in terms of Spanish talent, but he's going to be brilliant for them. However, I thought Olmo was the best player for them tonight. Just so many creative passes that lead to chances, but them losing has to do with Luis Enrique being one of the biggest frauds out there. Morata should've never come close to making this squad if you're a Spaniard, terrible selection and he lets them down again.

Chiesa was brilliant and Donnarumma's play that lead to his goal was simply brilliant. I don't think he was a need for PSG, but that's as good of a get you can get for them. Really looking forward to the final regardless of who Italy plays, but it was nice to see teams actually challenge each other offensively instead having to rely on defensive formations and setups to slow the play as much as possible.
 
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PizzaAndPucks

New Jersey Angels diehard
Nov 29, 2018
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Italy definitely didn’t struggle vs Belgium. Wouldn’t say they struggled against Spain either , they had a ton of useless possession
Italy deff earned their win against Belgium. Belgium came very close to leveling the game in the 2nd half. Italy has bent but have not broke so far this Euro Cup. The game against Austria was a close one. Just when we were up 2-0 Austria than made it a close game with the late goal. Mancini has this team playing excellent football. I'm not expecting the wins to be like the group stage where Italy outclassed their group. The competition is getting bigger every match. Just gotta win 1 more game.
 
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Eisen

Registered User
Sep 30, 2009
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Duesseldorf
Roberto and Dino had torn Dortmund apart a year before in the UEFA Cup final.
Freund and Chappi were out. Dortmund played Sippel.... They were not the favourites going into that match. Plus, the other side had Kohler, there was no chance for Dortmund.
 

Dr Pepper

Registered User
Dec 9, 2005
70,601
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Sunny Etobicoke
I had my doubts, watching most of the game and listening to extra time + penalties on my drive home. Spain controlled play most of the time but Italy just kept brushing them back successfully.

Knew they'd tie it up eventually and I'm glad they couldn't get that second goal before penalties.

What a cheeky pen from Jorginho to win it, too. :yo:
 
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Habs 4 Life

No Excuses
Mar 30, 2005
41,027
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Italy definitely didn’t struggle vs Belgium. Wouldn’t say they struggled against Spain either , they had a ton of useless possession

They did, but it also took the ball away fom them which is kind of the way the Italians have been playing great soccer since Mancini took over. Against Belgium, they had a lot more possession and created more chances
 

KirkAlbuquerque

#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Mar 12, 2014
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They did, but it also took the ball away fom them which is kind of the way the Italians have been playing great soccer since Mancini took over. Against Belgium, they had a lot more possession and created more chances
true, Spain was definitely their toughest opponent yet. Hoping for a Denmark win today, Italy - Denmark final
 
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KirkAlbuquerque

#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Mar 12, 2014
32,849
38,009
New York
Italy deff earned their win against Belgium. Belgium came very close to leveling the game in the 2nd half. Italy has bent but have not broke so far this Euro Cup. The game against Austria was a close one. Just when we were up 2-0 Austria than made it a close game with the late goal. Mancini has this team playing excellent football. I'm not expecting the wins to be like the group stage where Italy outclassed their group. The competition is getting bigger every match. Just gotta win 1 more game.

They carried the play vs Belgium in the first half, stupid penalty right before halftime made it more tense than it needed to be, then they lost Spinnazola and kind of got discombobulated.
 

buddahsmoka1

Registered User
Nov 15, 2006
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They did, but it also took the ball away fom them which is kind of the way the Italians have been playing great soccer since Mancini took over. Against Belgium, they had a lot more possession and created more chances

Yeah, Spain kind of reversed the tables that game - they went with the high press that Italy has been running the entire tournament. Italy didn't have a solution, and I don't know why, yesterday in particular, our play in the middle of the field was abysmal. There was such little support from Verratti and Jorginho for our defensive line on both sides of the ball. We kept trying to pass over the middle of the pitch instead. I hope that England isn't able to exploit this because it resulted in so many lost possessions.
 
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