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England 1-2 Italy: Five talking points from the World Cup Group D match England 1-2 Italy: Five talking points from the World Cup Group D match
(2 months later)
1) Sterling looked at home on the biggest stage1) Sterling looked at home on the biggest stage
Every World Cup there is a young player who takes the tournament with storm – and this time it could be Raheem Sterling. His was a wonderfully exuberant performance and he looked so utterly calm, so utterly at home at the biggest stage of the world. From just the third minute he skipped past Gabriel Paletta and unleashed a shot that hit the side-netting. Even the BBC thought it was in, changing the scoreline in the top left to ENG 1-0 ITA. And that was just the beginning. He started the move for England’s equaliser with a brilliantly weighted through-ball and continued to trouble Italy’s experienced midfielders throughout the game. It was not only his technique which stood out, though. He was everywhere, one second turning Andrea Pirlo inside out and the next subjecting Marco Verratti to a crunching tackle. One second he was setting up Gerrard for an inviting chance, the next chasing back to his own half to halt a late Italy chance (for which he was booked). A complete performance and one of the best of the World Cup so far.Every World Cup there is a young player who takes the tournament with storm – and this time it could be Raheem Sterling. His was a wonderfully exuberant performance and he looked so utterly calm, so utterly at home at the biggest stage of the world. From just the third minute he skipped past Gabriel Paletta and unleashed a shot that hit the side-netting. Even the BBC thought it was in, changing the scoreline in the top left to ENG 1-0 ITA. And that was just the beginning. He started the move for England’s equaliser with a brilliantly weighted through-ball and continued to trouble Italy’s experienced midfielders throughout the game. It was not only his technique which stood out, though. He was everywhere, one second turning Andrea Pirlo inside out and the next subjecting Marco Verratti to a crunching tackle. One second he was setting up Gerrard for an inviting chance, the next chasing back to his own half to halt a late Italy chance (for which he was booked). A complete performance and one of the best of the World Cup so far.
2) The Rooney debate will rage on2) The Rooney debate will rage on
Wayne Rooney was not dropped and yet in a sense, he still was. Roy Hodgson opted for Raheem Sterling centrally and moved the Manchester United forward out to the left, where he struggled. Rooney will have been quietly furious but such is his professionalism that he worked tirelessly for the team and set up England’s goal. But the remaining impression is of a player who has lost his spark, especially on the international scene. If Arjen Robben seems to get quicker for every year (he is 30 now), that is certainly not the case with Rooney, who is two years younger at 28. He looks more lethargic every season and if he is not going to play centrally up front or as the No10, he should not be in the team. Hodgson, who said he disagreed with the notion that Rooney had looked “uncomfortable”, has a tough decision to make before the Uruguay game. Wayne Rooney was not dropped and yet in a sense, he still was. Roy Hodgson opted for Raheem Sterling centrally and moved the Manchester United forward out to the left, where he struggled. Rooney will have been quietly furious but such is his professionalism that he worked tirelessly for the team and set up England’s goal. But the remaining impression is of a player who has lost his spark, especially on the international scene. If Arjen Robben seems to get quicker for every year (he is 30 now), that is certainly not the case with Rooney, who is two years younger at 28. He looks more lethargic every season and if he is not going to play centrally up front or as the No10, he should not be in the team. Hodgson, who said he disagreed with the notion that Rooney had looked “uncomfortable”, has a tough decision to make before the Uruguay game.
3) Prandelli is a magician3) Prandelli is a magician
Italy did not have a good build-up, by any stretch of the imagination. Two weeks ago they lost their key midfielder Riccardo Montolivo to a broken leg. Cesare Prandelli then lost another player for the England game, the first-choice left-back Mattia De Sciglio, and finally, on the day, he was forced to deal with the absence of his captain, Gianluigi Buffon, who had suffered an ankle injury the day before. Italy did not have a good build-up, by any stretch of the imagination. Two weeks ago they lost their key midfielder Riccardo Montolivo to a broken leg. Cesare Prandelli then lost another player for the England game, the first-choice left-back Mattia De Sciglio, and finally, on the day, he was forced to deal with the absence of his captain, Gianluigi Buffon, who had suffered an ankle injury the day before.
Did he panic? Of course he did not. Prandelli said recently that he had a dream of winning the World Cup using seven different formations in seven games and if his injury problems continue then he may have to. Here, though, his team acted as if this was a first-choice selection, full of confidence and endeavour. The left-back position is not Giorgio Chiellini’s favourite but he rarely looked in trouble. On the right, the Matteo Darmian-Antonio Candreva partnership was behind many of their best chances throughout the game and was just more evidence of the Italian coach’s fantastic tactical flexibility. Darmian made his Italy debut two weeks ago.Did he panic? Of course he did not. Prandelli said recently that he had a dream of winning the World Cup using seven different formations in seven games and if his injury problems continue then he may have to. Here, though, his team acted as if this was a first-choice selection, full of confidence and endeavour. The left-back position is not Giorgio Chiellini’s favourite but he rarely looked in trouble. On the right, the Matteo Darmian-Antonio Candreva partnership was behind many of their best chances throughout the game and was just more evidence of the Italian coach’s fantastic tactical flexibility. Darmian made his Italy debut two weeks ago.
4) England should have had a penalty4) England should have had a penalty
Perhaps lost in the helter-skelter nature of the game was the fact that England should have had a penalty in the second half. Italy were 2-1 up in the 56th minute when Steven Gerrard broke into the Italian penalty area and was bundled over by Paletta, the Argentinian-born defender who was once a team-mate of the England captain at Liverpool. It was not the worst challenge ever seen in a World Cup (there is always Benjamin Massing to lean back on) but it was a clear foul. Paletta, who did not have a good game, did not touch the ball but clearly shoulder-charged Gerrard. The only mystery was why Gerrard did not appeal more energetically.Perhaps lost in the helter-skelter nature of the game was the fact that England should have had a penalty in the second half. Italy were 2-1 up in the 56th minute when Steven Gerrard broke into the Italian penalty area and was bundled over by Paletta, the Argentinian-born defender who was once a team-mate of the England captain at Liverpool. It was not the worst challenge ever seen in a World Cup (there is always Benjamin Massing to lean back on) but it was a clear foul. Paletta, who did not have a good game, did not touch the ball but clearly shoulder-charged Gerrard. The only mystery was why Gerrard did not appeal more energetically.
5) How far will the Italian team spirit take them?5) How far will the Italian team spirit take them?
This Italian team does not have an abundance of brilliant players. Mario Balotelli? Tick. Andrea Pirlo? Tick. Gianluigi Buffon? Tick. And that’s about it. Still, the game against England showed why they can go far at this World Cup. There is a togetherness there that has not always been case in Italian teams. On the morning of the game, Mario Balotelli, tweeted to an expectant nation: “Whatever team you support, today only the blue Azzurri team matters. Leave hate, jealousy and contempt to one side and we will stay united ALL of us.”This Italian team does not have an abundance of brilliant players. Mario Balotelli? Tick. Andrea Pirlo? Tick. Gianluigi Buffon? Tick. And that’s about it. Still, the game against England showed why they can go far at this World Cup. There is a togetherness there that has not always been case in Italian teams. On the morning of the game, Mario Balotelli, tweeted to an expectant nation: “Whatever team you support, today only the blue Azzurri team matters. Leave hate, jealousy and contempt to one side and we will stay united ALL of us.”
It seemed to set the tone and the team were certainly united, and you could see at the final whistle what it mean to the players. There was hugging, there was shouting, there were high-fives and a big embrace between Georgio Chiellini and Mario Balotelli, who on the face of it could not be more different. One is a Juve player and the other a Milan player. One is a defender and the other a striker. One is a brute and the other a newly-engaged bad boy. Yet they played in harmony and celebrated in harmony. And there was even a smile from Balotelli. If he is that happy, who knows what can happen this summer. It seemed to set the tone and the team were certainly united, and you could see at the final whistle what it mean to the players. There was hugging, there was shouting, there were high-fives and a big embrace between Georgio Chiellini and Mario Balotelli, who on the face of it could not be more different. One is a Juve player and the other a Milan player. One is a defender and the other a striker. One is a brute and the other a newly-engaged bad boy. Yet they played in harmony and celebrated in harmony. And there was even a smile from Balotelli. If he is that happy, who knows what can happen this summer.