[Jack Sparrow]

Yes...now he can no longer hide behind how since England are #8 in the world a QF appearance is success.

[acid911]

I'm still waiting for your response, acid.

For some reason I missed your earlier post. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) Don't believe I have words to say about the video. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif) Bad defending is bad defending, after all. Even the best can mistakes every once in a while, and Silva isn't the best anyway, at least not yet. Even though he pockets Messi now, this one was embarrassing on so many levels.

Still, after the riches I was treated to in the 90s and early 2000s guys like Messi and CRON have a long way to go before I put them at that level. Having said that, playing in a weak league (at least in the case of the Argentinean), plus falling footballing standards overall sure isn't helping their case. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) That's all I have for now.

You can say it's not their fault, they have to make do with what they have, but that'll be that, then. And then we have PSG and other big clubs splashing (or should I say spraying) cash left and right for mediocre and unproven players. At least, some of their recent buys are severely inflated, to the tune of double at least. But that's football these days!

[acid911]

Oh, and grateful as I am, sometimes I do wish I was not spoiled by the rich, rich standards of moons gone by. In football, in films, in music (Justin Beiber, anyone?!), in video games, in life itself. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Maybe if I weren't chances are I'd enjoy everything like most other people. Wouldn't that be good, eh?!

Yup, that'd be a fun life to have. Not knowing what came before, and discovering all the new stuff, all the new players, all the new things. As I said, like normal people do. I see young folks (teenagers, mostly) all the time going over the moon over something (which I usually consider mediocre or below average), and I can't help but let lose a little smirk, an insolent smile even that lasts a smidgen of a second that only I myself feel.

It's not exactly living in the past, no sir, not at all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/goodheart.gif) I just expect great things from the new generation, my generation. As long as humankind as a whole improves itself - even by an inch - each passing generation I'd be happy. It'll be job very well done.

I'm just idealistic that way. Not a grumpy old man (not that at 26 I'm old), who disapproves of everything new. No! I'm just a spoiled young guy that has the highest of hope in everything I see, in every color of life. And anytime that glass shatters, that hope crashes do I feel a little sad. Every time. I guess that's the inherent problem with idealists. Still I'm not the type to give up, not this easily at least. But:

Dracula vs Twilight in books? Lord of the Rings vs Harry Potter? The Hunger Games a blatant ripoff of Battle Royale? Casablanca, Godfather, Lawerance of Arabia, It's a Wonderful Life vs Transformers 2, New Year's Eve, Sex and the City 2, Smurfs? Eh! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Presley, U2, Jackson, Cash vs Beiber and Cyrus?! Blah!

Same when it comes to football, yes, it's nothing like it was a decade, two, three decades back. And the blame doesn't lie at the feet of the greatest players of today - it's the average ones who decided to become below average and earn a good buck without paying a cent of tax, while making no effort to improve. This is not the game I followed when I was a kid.

Maybe things will change, maybe they won't - but my dreams are already turning into nightmares!

[kurtsimonw]

You have a problem with that? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

#3 in the World suggests you are a WC SF team. We aren't even a Euro SF team. England are #8-#10. A Euro QF and WC Ro16/QF (dependant on who we play in Ro16) is our level, which #8-#10 would suggest.

[X-Offender]

Acerbi, De Sciglio, Abate, Nocerino and El Shaarawy were called up by Prandelli for Italy's friendly against England.

Full list: Andrea Consigli (Atalanta), Mattia Perin (Pescara), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain); Ignazio Abate (Milan), Francesco Acerbi (Milan), Davide Astori (Cagliari), Federico Balzaretti (Roma), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Daniele Gastaldello (Sampdoria), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (Torino), Federico Peluso (Atalanta); Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Antonio Nocerino (Milan), Andrea Poli (Sampdoria), Ezequiel Schelotto (Atalanta), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain); Mario Barwuha Balotelli (Manchester City), Mattia Destro (Roma), Stephan El Sharawy (Milan), Manolo Gabbiadini (Atalanta).

[Fillipo Simone]

Seems like a rejuvenated Italy.

[milanbuf88]

Prandelli is working out the next generation to start and get a read on which guys are ready to step up and contribute for qualifiers and 2014. I'd love to see El Shaarawy and De Sciglio prove themselves at the national level. That experience could be huge for us going forward.

[Fillipo Simone]

Yep, agree on that.

[kurtsimonw]

Jake Livermore is in the England squad. If he pulls out, it'll probably be me or Ash.

[Jack Bauer]

Italy's lineup: Sirigu; Abate, Ogbonna, Astori, Balzaretti; Nocerino, Aquilani, De Rossi; Diamanti; El Shaarawy, Destro.

[Fillipo Simone]

Is it played today or tomorrow?

[Jack Bauer]

Tomorrow but the line-up was released early.

[kurtsimonw]

It's pretty much a B International. What a stupid time for a friendly.

[X-Offender]

It's pretty much a B International. What a stupid time for a friendly.

+1

[Fillipo Simone]

It's pretty much a B International. What a stupid time for a friendly.

Agreed.