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My heart is saying home after all of the disappointments in my lifetime I vaguely remember 1966 but I had only just turned six years old in May of that year so did'nt really know what it was all about 1970 I remember crying as I filled in my World cup wall chart in my bedroom after we went out to Germany that was the first disappointment and then every major competition that England were in well we all know the history. My head is saying Rome I just think Bobby Manc is too clever for Southgate and his squad is better I hope I am wrong.

We will win and win comfortably. Our pace up front will scare the Italians shitless

nottsblue wrote:We will win and win comfortably. Our pace up front will scare the Italians shitless

Agree with this. Thought Spain passed them to death and wore them out , lost on penalties.
We have pace to burn and as long as we can stay in the game, our bench wins it.

Such a close call. I always start at 50/50 and then try and work out the pro’s and con’s. Mancini is far the better tactician and has some real experience throughout the squad. They have some good players going forward but don’t have a prolific striker to turn to. Also, there’s also a question mark with regard to fitness, especially with the CBs.

From our perspective our strengths lie in the squad, their age, technical ability, age, depth, which enables and already good team not to lose any of its punch when changes are needed. Southgate is not as technically competent as Mancini but he does have something about him with regard to this bunch of players. When you trust the manager then that goes a long way to giving them confidence to perform. Oh, and home advantage, that might be crucial.

All in all I am going head and heart for an England win. It’s close though in my mind and if I was a betting man it will be a low scoring, cagey event which I put at 53/47 in our favour.

Ps. I was born in ‘71 and don’t really remember anything of the England team during that decade. For me, my recollections kick in, in the 80s, especially the ‘82 finals where we did really well in the groups. I remember my pullout wall chart and following the scores. A weird one for me was some sort of 2nd group phase where we dropped out and probably when I gave up following the scores. Better things to do in those days

We have the players to unlock that defence , it is not as good as some make out , quick passing and pace.

From collecting the Esso figures in 1970 being six years old and playing football with my dad in our back yard , hooked with England , but over recent years it has waned.

Have been a bit pissed with Southgate because we have so much talent that is not being utilised , however he has done what no other England manager has done in my lifetime and got us to a final of a major tournament.

So maybe that 6 yr old boy can cheer again.

COME ON ENGLAND.

I was just 15 when we won the World Cup in 1966, I left school the week after to start an engineering course at Ashton college. I remember West Germany as they were then, scoring first, Haller, if I remember correctly Wolstenholme the commentator said not to worry because the team that scores first does not always win, how right he was.
Fifty five years on - I will be 70 next week - and we are in a major final for the first time since 1966, Mancini is a far superior manager, we all know that, but England in my opinion have a stronger squad. The Italian centre backs are both in mid thirties and may be suspect against pace and also will tire towards the end of the game.
I suspect Slouthgate will be cautious and pick a compact team, hoping to put more forwards on as the Italian defence tires, that is why I believe we will win the game, it will be close, and I am going 3-2 to England, maybe after extra time.

If we play this with the intensity of a Premier League game and run at the ageing central defenders we should do alright. Mancini knows all about the Premier league though, so they'll probably be expecting it. But not many of them will have experienced it.

this is one game when tackles need to go in at the build up to a chance and not in and around the area to allow them to dive around.
Phillips can do this but i don't think Mount is good enough for this .He needs to start Phil.