Colombia:

Surprised me with their ability to adapt to no Falcao. Good solid display against a shocking Greece who just cannot attack.

Uruguay:

Wrong formation - Forlan and Cavani pairing was a failure and they were absolutely horrible. Look totally lost without Suarez.

England Italy:

Cracking match, England just do not know how to win the big matches at this level, Italy sure do. It was an even game overall but Italy just had that clinical edge the big teams need. As I said, I told you Italy would win.

Not a word wrong with this really.

Italy did well, BUT, that defence... We were just asking for it and England let them off the hook

Playing the slowest CBs on the roster, moving Chiellini on the left and disrupting what is a strong Juve pairing to play Paletta of all people

Darmian was impressive, but the defence would have been much more solid had he gone for Darmian on the left and Abate on the right.

We were completely exposed for pace on the right on that goal, plus Barzagli and Paletta both moving in slow motion while Rooney crossed

Agreed. I was hoping that Prandelli switches Darmian to the left, move Chiellini to the centre, and replace Paletta with Abate. I'm very happy that Italy's future in full-backs are at least bright for a few more years to come. Hopefully De Sciglio recovers from his injury in time for the game against Costa Rica.

Prandelli should have called one between Santon and Criscito. Big mistake. Paletta was a disaster tonight. At least play Bonucci for crying out loud.

9pm for me.

I'll be up!



(x2)



+1



+1



+1

That was actually a better than average performance for our offense! Obviously, that was a bad display defensively. I guess if you wanna produce as much offensively ( ) you're gonna have to leave a few areas exposed at the back!

Unlucky dst!

...at least you still have Euro 2004.

I'm still here waiting for my country to just make it back to the big stage.

Honda !!! (Great goal too.)

Honda has been playing really well.

Awesome Goal & beautiful play overall!!!

Honda is MOM at the Half!

Losing to a fairly ordinary Italy team does not give me a lot of hope. Have about 30% chance of progression IMO.

So why can't he play for Milan?

Japan are really bad.

Yeah, Ivory Coast could be good if they actually played as a team. Even so, they are good enough for Japan.

Many reasons can be given... but it would be mostly speculation.

I see him having a much more prominent role from next season though.

Did Kagawa play?

For a while, got subbed out

He did (...until the 85th min or so)

He didn't do anything particularly special however.

Honda had a really great 1st half, but he began to fade in the 2nd, blowing hot & cold... like the rest of his team, they were pretty much lackluster in the 2nd, and eventually out played when it counted most!

I watched the whole game but don't recall hearing the name Kagawa once. He must've been so awful.

pretty entertaining game! ivory coast have always been a dynamic side but now they've made it count. hope they progress to the next round.

I won't say he was awful, but he certainly didn't have a good game.

He never really got into it to be honest, far from making an impact!

Paletta today for Italy however, that could've passed for awful!

what about chiellini? he was so frustrating to watch

I think Chiellini did well in certain situations. Like bullying Sterling off the ball every time he got near it, he eventually had to switch sides.

But his defending when England were coming at the defence was bad, he moved too centrally and left Marchisio to do all the work that the FB should. I mean this was mostly Prandelli's fault as Chiellini is just not a LB and Paletta was absolutely horrific.

Chiellini's "attacking" play was also the stuff of nightmares.

Real possibility.


This one too. People usually post during matches here, maybe it was late night for a lot of the guys here. I know, it was a 3 AM start where I am, even though a weekend, one can't rule out that some were sleeping. Or really, really indulged in the game and trying to watch it without any distractions.

That was a splendid goal by Honda last night (or should I say, this morning).

Yeah, good one!



Yeah, it's the same for me. I couldn't see the match because it was too late! (1:00 am) + I had studying to do today.
So glad that Italy won it though! Hopefully, there next match will be sooner.

So, how does everyone feel about Balo's position last night? He played as a pure CF, very rarely tracking back to get the ball and try to do everything by himself. His positioning overall was very good, that's never been his problem. If he could only be a bit less "lazy", then he can turn into a deadly striker.

Would have been a great goal as well if not for Jagielka.

He was dangerous but quite frankly against that defense I would be too.

Aw, you missed it. Well on the flip side, at least you learned something. At least, I hope so!


Quite frankly, he'd have to be a lot less lazy. The only thing I saw from him during the match was a severe lack of hustle. Even for simple passes, he was just there to give the ball back, nothing before or after. While most other players showed a lot of dynamism. Not sure how he will cope against stronger teams, really.

But at least, the goal, and to a lesser extent, the win, does guarantee that he will start the next two matches.

I thought he had a good match, and looked interested.

Didn't Prandelli recently tell him off for playing deeper? Someone did, hence tonight he stayed higher up and didn't track back and I don't begrudge that. He can't hurt defences in his own half.

He's been better, of course, but overall I'd have to give him a (slightly generous) 8/10.

Compare that with the thorough embarrassment of Rooney.

I know it was haha. Half the reason I was highlighting how bad your attack is! Colombia were pretty good but you sure made them look even better.

Greece are...terrible.

Before I crashed out Honda appeared to be in the trequartista role last night. From what people are saying he had a stormer, as well as the goal, so it seems if we want the best from him that's where we need to put him.

Not CM as X suggests, not on the wings as our managers seem to want to, but right behind the striker.

Unfortunately we already have Kaka and Taarabt in that role, albeit admittedly they mostly end up on the wings anyway.

Taarabt is gone and Kaká will most likely leave. Pippo wants to play 4-3-3, hence our signing of Menez and our interest in Iturbe. But Honda can still fit in as LCM, in a more advanced role. He'll have El Shaarawy and De Sciglio, so defensive cover won't be a problem.

http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=384r

It WILL work! I'm willing to bet whatever you like.

Best World Cup ever so far?

Those who play FIFA online will get this.

My issue with that is are we going to have 2 other good CMs/DMs to cover the spaces, retrieve the ball and press, because personally I can't see Honda doing that

Never mind just opened your link to the line-up. You have Poli there as well as De Jong, don't know if it would really work tbh

And regarding that defence, if we're keeping Mexes, I'd want him to start next to Rami ahead of Alex. But otherwise that looks like a pretty strong 11

I don't think I've seen enough World Cups to really make that judgement. But these first 3 days have certainly made up for the atrocity that was South Africa that's for sure

So, here are some remarks:

- couldn't watch the last match, didn't have the strength for it and the time for a sleepless night. How do you guys manage to watch all of it?

- Uruguay disappointed me, really bad overall. I think they are much alike to Italy, it's either their game and they go way through or they just flop majestically. They so reminded me of Italy in 2010 and many other occasions. A old and faded squad and a lack of genuine idea. But I'm sad, I kind of like them really.

- Italy was solid. Considering the weak line-up, more then just solid. Balotelli did a fine job, he still has to grow on his role as CF; yet, I don't think it will work against a better tuned defense. Paletta was appalling, just horrible play. Verratti was a let down like usual. Immobile did also very bad with that last chance. I'm not sure what to say, Italy is a though collective, but the have too many individual problems to achieve something other then a fair run (last 16 or quarters). But it will be interesting to see Uruguay and Italy play.

- Agree with X-O here. Prandelli's subs made us just weaker and more disorganized.

Well I meant I feel it's the best I've seen in my life time. Admittedly this is only the 5th World Cup I've watched.

1998 was the best WC for me, followed by 2006. But what made 1998 so special (for me) is the amount of great players that were, how to put this, spread in an almost balanced fashion. Yesterday I kept thinking - my God, England reduced to the Sterling, Baines and Jagielka players, Italy to Paletta, Darmian (who did well), Candreva.

I don't know, maybe they aren't big names but 4 of the 6 you mentioned played well yesterday. Not taking Ashley Cole is already a huge mistake, no way Italy dominate down the left if he's playing.

Maybe they played well. Look, Darmian did well, Candreva was okay. But is this something extraordinary? They did play well against each other, but the moment they get against a real team, it will get ugly. Only problem is, not many real good teams around. Yet to see one this WC.

Nothing tops 2002 for me, but this one's been pretty alright. Up until now!


I don't, and I got it. Nice one!


Half of us are actually vampires. We can endure!


The feeling is mutual, man. I just hope they can pull themselves together. Next match!

Balo did better than many other games. His goal was great, and he almost got another one towards the end of the 1st half. However, I think he is struggling to operate as a single striker. Someone commented how we were playing a 4-6-0, and I tend to agree with that view.

Balo played very well, he played like a true striker really should. Sure he may have been caught offside a dozen times, but he was making the right runs knowing that Pirlo and co. were going to make the right passes to try and find him.

I didn't think Colombia were pretty good, definitely better than Greece, no doubt about that, but I expected a more one-sided game. I don't think the score is a fair representation of the match.

Colombia don't look good at the back. Greece should've had a penalty and had 2 pretty easy chances to score. When you consider how poor Greece are going forward, and you give them these kind of chances, what's going to happen against better opposition?

I'd love Colombia to go far, but I'm not so sure if they will.

- Any match that starts at 2 or 3 in the morning and I won't watch unless it's Italy, thankfully they don't have any at that time.

- I think Uruguay are just too slow, Godin looked finished out there yesterday

- I think this is something you can always say about Italy, in 2006 it was the other way around with a very solid defence and a meh type midfield and attack. The only players I'd take from that 06 side into this one are Canna and Nesta tbh. The others we can do without imo. I think it was Prandelli's choices that weakened Italy, he had the potential on the bench to play a better and stronger side but he chose to mess with that defence and play that strange line of 4 in midfield which imo only suits Candreva. And personally the fuss about Candreva from the English is blown out of proportion. Of course he was going to look good when he and Darmian were given acres of space to run into by England, that's what Candreva is good at, running in a straight line and crossing. In the first half Hart completed this week's catching practice thanks to Candreva's continuous crossing right into his hands


I think this WC is looking so great thanks to the lost are of defending tbh.

Calm down

PS Taarabt is as gone as Rami.

I think we'll sign Rami. Taraabt I'm not sure because he's obviously keen on signing for us, but I can't see space for him in the starting line-up next season tbh