ranga wrote:

that's cool and all, but you still don't know what you're talking about. they have not always played like that, under capello there was a phase they attempted to replicate spain's tika-tika style, under sven they built play from the back and attacked the flank while looking to set up their midfielders for that crucial ball. the fact that you think a footballing nation such as england has always played a single style is ridiculous.

sure, its easy for you to say 'oh gosh they shouldve started carroll because since they didnt they lost'. but the fact that you think he should have played instead of 'washed up' rooney in retrospect, eliminates the iota of credibility you had. rooney and welbeck have a fantastic partnership in man utd, carroll has not proved himself domestically nor internationally, let alone let him lead the attacking line with another inexperienced striker.

Every country has a certain thing they are good at, with Italy it is defence, with Germany it is keeping possession and one thing England is known for is their ability and strength in being able to send air balls into their opponents zone and getting goals out of it. Weather it be from the flank or from the middle.

Sure every country is well versed in all areas of the game (that's a taken)but there are things they are better at than other things. I am simply pointing out their strength. Rooney needs to retire, if you knew anything about manchester united like you claim you do, you would know a lot of the fans feel this way as well. What it simply boils down to is that when a player like Carroll who has a great career ahead of him is shining more than Rooney that's when you start him and let him shine and put Rooney on with 20 minutes left, that's when hes dangerous. England's chances of scoring would have been way higher if they saved Rooney for the last 20 minutes or so of the game. This would have hyped the team and fans up to see Rooney coming on the field with fresh legs to do his thing.

Your argument about Carroll is "inexperienced" really has no merit, lets look at Rooney who has a bunch of "experience" as a prime example, someone with such experience should obviously be able to preform some result's with all his experience (and millions of dollars salary, much mroe than Carroll), but he didn't.. sometimes it isn't all about experience it's about being in the zone and a little luck, something I feel Carroll had more of this tournament, more so than Roooney.

I know a lot about Manchester, and a lot of the fans do not feel that Rooney, their superstar striker, should retire. That is simply fabricated, not sure where you got that from. He is 26 years old, stellar domestic form, and is literally the face of English football and their best player.

I'm just saying that in retrospect it is very easy to say that Carroll could have done better, even though incredibly unlikely because he scored a measly 4 goals in the EPL this year and has 2 goals internationally. I am not saying that Rooney's experience alone is why he should have started, but the fact that he is much better, great positioning, versatile and hard-working is what gave him the nod. I believe you have the conception that Rooney is on the down and is incapable of playing, but the fact is after being banned from 2 games everyone expected him to come on and carry the team to a Euro Championship. Of course he underperformed, and as stated before by June, 30% possession.. simply lackluster; they made Italy of all teams look like Barcelona.

ranga wrote:

I know a lot about Manchester, and a lot of the fans do not feel that Rooney, their superstar striker, should retire. That is simply fabricated, not sure where you got that from. He is 26 years old, stellar domestic form, and is literally the face of English football and their best player.

I'm just saying that in retrospect it is very easy to say that Carroll could have done better, even though incredibly unlikely because he scored a measly 4 goals in the EPL this year and has 2 goals internationally. I am not saying that Rooney's experience alone is why he should have started, but the fact that he is much better, great positioning, versatile and hard-working is what gave him the nod. I believe you have the conception that Rooney is on the down and is incapable of playing, but the fact is after being banned from 2 games everyone expected him to come on and carry the team to a Euro Championship. Of course he underperformed, and as stated before by June, 30% possession.. simply lackluster; they made Italy of all teams look like Barcelona.

Italy of all teams? that's a joke right?. 4 world cups to our name, how many does England have again?

Gerard in my opinion is the face of English soccer, not some guy who goes around fucking strippers in hotel rooms:

http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_wayne-rooney-and-pals-threw-wild-parties-with-strippers-in-hotel-rooms_1434743

Italy also has Pirlo, did you see what he did to england on his penalty kick? he made a fool out of you guys lol.

Here it is again to refresh your memory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVFdA1ADstU

"Italy of all teams" lol

Once again, why do you keep saying things

I'm pretty sure no actual fan of football is entertained or supports Italy's comedia del arte on the pitch.

Comprehension skills please. Not once did I say Italy is bad, nor that England is good. The way they let Italy control the ball made them LOOK like Barcelona, a team from Spain who plays with a lot of control. You really need to learn more about the sport. And I am not talking about opinion, I am talking about fact that Wayne is the face of England.

And really, you think young famous millionaires do not fuck around? Lol, you think anyone cares? Sure Italy may have Pirlo, but don't kid yourself in thinking they are in the same league as the other quarterfinalists.

Juunee wrote:

Once again, why do you keep saying things

I'm pretty sure no actual fan of football is entertained or supports Italy's comedia del arte on the pitch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVFdA1ADstU If that's not entertaining and a display of skill and balls, I don't know what is.

ranga wrote:

Comprehension skills please. Not once did I say Italy is bad, nor that England is good. The way they let Italy control the ball made them LOOK like Barcelona, a team from Spain who plays with a lot of control. You really need to learn more about the sport. And I am not talking about opinion, I am talking about fact that Wayne is the face of England.

And really, you think young famous millionaires do not fuck around? Lol, you think anyone cares? Sure Italy may have Pirlo, but don't kid yourself in thinking they are in the same league as the other quarterfinalists.

we'll have to wait and see.

Why are we even arguing about this? England is a mediocre international team and they last won on penalty shootouts in 1996. Rooney IS the face of England, because he's Manchester United's (who are pretty much the most successful English club right now since Liverpool have fallen) superstar forward. But he was an idiot who got suspended for 2 games and couldn't get much match fitness then. Germany are on a different level than England though and the Italians will have to do much better than they did against England.

pumped up for this match

90 minutes of stalemate on the midfield. I hate watching spain

Sergio Ramos pulling a Pirlo

Fuck, I wanted to see a Portugal vs Italy finals. Lots of portugese and italians here in Toronto, big rivalry between the two. Last time Italy played Portugal a bunch of portugese people rolled through the italian part of town waving their flags and got their ass beat.

Fuck Ramos, copying Pirlo.

spain vs germany sounds like a better final

the entire team of italy's most intense and serious practice comes from their time with acting coaches where they learn to maximize the theatrics of their dives

Portugal :[

heero wrote:

the entire team of italy's most intense and serious practice comes from their time with acting coaches where they learn to maximize the theatrics of their dives

Yeah, cause diving and theatrics is why they have 4 world cups and a euro.. skills have nothing to do with it..

When you're keeping 60%+ possession because you're throwing yourself around for calls then yeah.

dopewolf wrote:

And divegrass is an art form respect it :p

super mario, absolutely playing his balls off. what a brace so far

Italy in the finals!! hell yea! June's crying and Balotelli is laughing.

forza italia.

dopewolf wrote:

Italy in the finals!! hell yea! June's crying and Balotelli is laughing.

If I'm crying it's because your favorite team is an insult to the sport

Or that I'm worried you might continue posting

if you cheer for italy or greece and you don't live in those countries fuck you

italy's really just playing improv everywhere, but instead of doing it on a new york subway, they're doing it on a soccer field

ukm wrote:

if you cheer for italy or greece and you don't live in those countries fuck you

That is easily the stupidest thing I have heard all day.

dopewolf wrote:

ukm wrote:

if you cheer for italy or greece and you don't live in those countries fuck you

That is easily the stupidest thing I have heard all day.

I suggest reading your posts out loud to yourself

Spain 2-0

SPAIN 4-0

BEST TEAM OF ALL TIME?

Wait they scored again? I watched until Spain got the third goal at like 80-ish minutes and stopped watching because it was past 4:30 in the morning lol.

Italy has always been complete trash. Anyone who roots for Italy knows nothing about soccer, their play style is so boring compared to other teams in the tournament. (Spain, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, etc.). Watching them play defense for the next 70 minutes after they scored vs Germany was embarrassing. I'm glad the best team in the world destroyed them in the finals and put on a passing clinic.