Euro 2016 - Italy V Belgium 8PM RTE2 / BBC

adox

mansize wrote: »

Would 3 draws qualify us?

I'd be doubtful.

enzo roco

tigger123 wrote: »

I wouldnt describe it as cheating tbh, it's a bit cynical, but McCarthy did the exact thing against Sweden earlier. And got booked for it. You take one for the team every now and again.

And that is cheating too. Its always been done, and will forever happen. I put it on the same level as diving.

When Italy do it to Ireland. Many on here will go nuts. And I'd say they will give Ireland a lesson

mansize

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

They know what they can get away with and they thread the line. They're a fantastic tournament team.

100%

adox

Johner wrote: »

The whole Belgium team were poor Fellaini included. For people that think he played well what did he actually do? He wasn't the worst out there but he did not play well.

Certainly didn't play well but certainly wasn't their worst player.

Gotta be suspicious of people who single him out in tonight's match.

jacool

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

They know what they can get away with and they thread the line. They're a fantastic tournament team.

Fair point - can see the Germans or French sorting them out though.

adox

Love watching the Italians in tournaments. Know exactly what they are doing and leave everything out there on the pitch.

Rayne Wooney

Crazy how yesterday Belgium would have been close to favourites for a lot of people and today you could see Ireland getting a result against them on the back of that performance

sReq | uTeK

Johner wrote: »

The whole Belgium team were poor Fellaini included. For people that think he played well what did he actually do? He wasn't the worst out there but he did not play well.

I'm not saying he was world class but he was far far better than most of his team mates yet someone singled him out....it's pretty weird honestly think of he had a shaved head he'd get half the criticism

Dirty Dingus McGee

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I always enjoy watching Italy in tournaments their hard nosed no nonsense approach has to be admired.

Was just thinking the same its not a tournamet until you see thier no nonsense football, England bottle it and unfortunetly not this time some sexy dutch football

Minderbinder

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Great, so if Italy beat the Swedes next, they're guaranteed top spot.

no they're not

sReq | uTeK

jacool wrote: »

Fair point - can see the Germans or French sorting them out though.

Potentially yet. I'd say the French will get more joy out of the ref too. I just like watching the Italians:)

Panrich

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Great, so if Italy beat the Swedes next, they're guaranteed top spot, so will likely rest their key players against us.

Not if we beat Belgium.

Andre 3000

Wilmots has to take the flak here. You've one of the best CAMs in the world you stick him out right wing and play Fellaini at 10. Idiotic. De Bruyne has done a job there for City but he has always thrived down the centre. How're you supposed to play Belgium's game against a tight Italian team when your intricate ball players are casted out to the wings.

adox

adox wrote: »

I'd be doubtful.

The stats guys said pre tourni 3 0-0 draws had an 80% of qualifing

Korat

The term Golden Generation is the kiss of death it almost guarantees failure.

rob316

Didn't think it was possible but this manager is more clueless than hodgson. An absolute golden age of footballers belgium have and they play like they met each other in the car park for the first time before the game.

flas

The belgians looked seriously troubled by long diagonal balls over the top all evening against the italians,they really didn't like it...you would have to imagine John O'Shea turning around to the team tonight after watching that performance and our own today saying we can get something from the Belgians,even if it is more optimism than anything!

gormdubhgorm

I enjoyed that game great contrast in styles.
I also realise how Trappatoni thought Ireland were so inferior. Can you imagine Ireland trying to play like that soaking up pressure for most of the game and winning 2-0 the Italian way.

I also like the fact that Dunphy is flip/flopping already he tipped Belgium! This could be as funny as the last world cup where he ran out of teams to pick!

I am convinced that if you back the opposite to what Dunphy says you will come out ahead of the bookies!

adox

Deleted User wrote: »

The stats guys said pre tourni 3 0-0 draws had an 80% of qualifing

Yeah but we've already drawn 1-1. :pac:

Fair enough though. Gives me more hope so.

gormdubhgorm

Korat wrote: »

The term Golden Generation is the kiss of death it almost guarantees failure.

Especially if you dye your hair according to Dunphy!

Johner

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I enjoyed that game great contrast in styles.
I also realise how Trappatoni thought Ireland were so inferior. Can you imagine Ireland trying to play like that soaking up pressure for most of the game and winning 2-0 the Italian way.!

The Italians played great attacking football when needed though, they were very good going forward.

Jelle1880

****ing fuming.

Not because we lost, I always knew Italy would be hard to beat but the way it happened. No fight, the same old boring, **** tactics of lumping it in the box (against the best defense in Europe imo) or shooting from 20 yards at one of the best goalkeepers in history.

Lukaky is utter ****, can't control a ball or pass anything, he can fly back to Liverpool tomorrow so he can talk some more about how he's too good for Everton. And De Bruyne, what the actual **** was that.

Rayne Wooney

Along with the coach being inept Hazard being captain must not help matters either, he seems a snakey individual

Looked like he was refusing to pass De Bruyne the ball for about 10 minutes

Edward Hopper

Flemish and Walloon divide still an issue, and always will be for the Belgians imo. Poor coach and a lot of the players just don't look like they can be arsed.

Headshot

Hazard is so predictable. Always coming inside, does he have any else in his locker...

~Rebel~

Minderbinder wrote: »

no they're not

Panrich wrote: »

Not if we beat Belgium.

Ha, well I hadn't even countenanced that as a possibility to be honest!

But as I understand it, if the Italians have 6 points going into the final game, and Belgium have 3 (after a victory against us), even if the Belgians beat Sweden in the last game they still can't overtake Italy, right?

Which is great for us. And of course if we do actually beat Belgium, that's great for us too....so things are shaping up nicely.

Jelle1880

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Along with the coach being inept Hazard being captain must not help matters either, he seems a snakey individual

Looked like he was refusing to pass De Bruyne the ball for about 10 minutes

And rightly so, De Bruyne did **** all for the entire game.

gormdubhgorm

flas wrote: »

The belgians looked seriously troubled by long diagonal balls over the top all evening against the italians,they really didn't like it...you would have to imagine John O'Shea turning around to the team tonight after watching that performance and our own today saying we can get something from the Belgians,even if it is more optimism than anything!

What worries me about the Belgium game is that they will be well used to the Irish players and will know the guys to target and what to watch out for.
We can only hope that Belgium become mentally shattered and implode when Ireland play them.

NIMAN

Is that the weak Italian team that all the experts are saying we have a great chance of taking 3pts off?

rob316

Lukaku was useless I really don't get the hype around him. Origi came on and did more than lukaku did.

Edward Hopper

rob316 wrote: »

Lukaku was useless I really don't get the hype around him. Origi came on and did more than lukaku did.

https://twitter.com/ffsbarkley/status/742442032879276036?s=09

Great individuals but as a team they are pretty ordinary

Johner

rob316 wrote: »

Lukaku was useless I really don't get the hype around him. Origi came on and did more than lukaku did.

Origi was worse!

How much was Lukaku been touted for recently?

glued

RoboKlopp wrote: »

Great individuals but as a team they are pretty ordinary

Their group was terrible too. Wales are very one dimensional and will be picked apart by better sides. This is the second tournament in a row Wilmots looks lost with his tactics. The players look awful and Belgium again look undercooked and underprepared.

Credit to Italy and Conte though. On tonight's evidence points are there to be taken from Belgium.

Mec27

Edward Hopper wrote: »

Flemish and Walloon divide still an issue, and always will be for the Belgians imo. Poor coach and a lot of the players just don't look like they can be arsed.

Seems like the team is completely dominated by the Walloons, Flemish players seem minority.

Johner

glued wrote: »

Their group was terrible too. Wales are very one dimensional and will be picked apart by better sides. This is the second tournament in a row Wilmots looks lost with his tactics. The players look awful and Belgium again look undercooked and underprepared.

Credit to Italy and Conte though. On tonight's evidence points are there to be taken from Belgium.

And Belgium couldn't break Wales down in two games, failed to score against them. They badly need a change of manager, it will surely happen after the Euro's.

ERG89

Mec27 wrote: »

Seems like the team is completely dominated by the Walloons, Flemish players seem minority.

A lot of patchy players who they were hoping to hit form. Most of them haven't delivered yet on the highest level like league titles or in the Champions League. Hard to expect them to brush teams aside if they don't do it at their clubs

Not saying we'll beat them handy btw

rob316

**** me that mcgregor segment is cringey

rob316

RoboKlopp wrote: »

How much was Lukaku been touted for recently?

£65m!

Mourinho knew his limitations and got rid

breffni bogballer

Looks like johnny walters is gone:mad

fryup

Dunphy said.. it was a good result for Ireland??

gotta be kiddin, Belguim will be twice as determined to get a result now

Pudsy33

fryup wrote: »

Dunphy said.. it was a good result for Ireland??

gotta be kiddin, Belguim will be twice as determined to get a result now

Yeah but they were also ****e. I know they have better players but they looked disorganised.

corny

Thought the Italians would miss Verratti and Marchisio in terms of keeping the ball. De Rossi and Candreva really stepped up for them.

Everyone waxes lyrical about how talented the Belgians are. I didn't see it in the last WC and i don't see it know. They've a bunch of names. Some good players but some ridiculously hyped players. I think they're hyped because its unusual for Belgium to have a team. I f they were German they'd be an average German team. Too easy to blame Wilmots imo.

Mec27

Also the tournament will have a giant fall early, everybody said big teams would waltz to the euros with 24 teams and Netherlands didn't get there, so one big team will fail to advance.

Edward Hopper

Mec27 wrote: »

Seems like the team is completely dominated by the Walloons, Flemish players seem minority.

Courtois, Nainggolan, De Bruyne, Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Alderweireld. 6 Flemish players from tonight.

Mec27

Edward Hopper wrote: »

Courtois, Nainggolan, De Bruyne, Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Alderweireld. 6 flemish players from tonight.

Oh yeh, I assumed Courtois and Nainggolan were Walloons. Suppose the first 11 is pretty much split in two.

DarraghF197

corny wrote: »

Thought the Italians would miss Verratti and Marchisio in terms of keeping the ball. De Rossi and Candreva really stepped up for them.

Everyone waxes lyrical about how talented the Belgians are. I didn't see it in the last WC and i don't see it know. They've a bunch of names. Some good players but some ridiculously hyped players. I think they're hyped because its unusual for Belgium to have a team. I f they were German they'd be an average German team. Too easy to blame Wilmots imo.

In fairness their squad is very strong. They're bringing on Carrasco and Mertens off the bench for example! Germany brought on Schurrle in comparison. It seems to be they're lacking a huge amount of chemistry though. Mertens completely ignored KDB at one point when he was on the wing.

Lukaku has been off form for a few months though and they don't have a decent backup striker for him.

Edward Hopper

Mec27 wrote: »

Oh yeh, would have thought Courtois and Nainggolan(although he is from an immigrant family) were Walloons. Suppose the first 11 is pretty much split in two.

Courtois speaks French first I think so he could've been honourary Walloon!

fryup

fryup wrote: »

Dunphy said.. it was a good result for Ireland??

gotta be kiddin, Belguim will be twice as determined to get a result now

In terms of by the time we play the Italians they could be already qualified and could field a weaker team