Italy v England

[Bozza]

Harry Kane looks set to be given his first start in the friendly in Turin tonight.

If he doesn't score with his first touch and/or go on to score a hat-trick, I shall be booing loudly at my television screen, and not just because it will be sodding ITV.

 

[GT49er]

Hopefully he'll be such a disaster that Tottenham off-load him to us for a couple of million!

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

can't ever recall us winning over there,but I do remember the New York game when we was 2-0 down but scored 3 times in 8 minutes,it was played on a baseball pitch

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Speaking of ITV, I was led to believe that Andy Townsend and his never ending stream of inanities had been binned off for good. When does that happen then? I noticed he was still in situ for the last game, and presumably will be again tonight. And in all honesty, Clive, I'll be disappointed with that. When's he bloody well going?

 

[Bold Seagull]

can't ever recall us winning over there,but I do remember the New York game when we was 2-0 down but scored 3 times in 8 minutes,it was played on a baseball pitch

In 1997 never did a 0-0 ever feel any less than a win. Full of hope back then. Brilliant in Euro '96, the MU kids all breaking into the team, quality at the back...seems an [after]lifetime ago.

 

[halbpro]

Torn between watching this and watching WrestleMania.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

can't ever recall us winning over there,but I do remember the New York game when we was 2-0 down but scored 3 times in 8 minutes,it was played on a baseball pitch

Then there was that vaguely heroic 0-0 draw in Rome when Ince finished the game covered in blood. That was one of England's better showings, even if they didn't win.

 

[Stat Brother]

Torn between watching this and watching WrestleMania.

Torn between watching this and watching Homes Under The Hammer.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

Then there was that vaguely heroic 0-0 draw in Rome when Ince finished the game covered in blood. That was one of England's better showings, even if they didn't win.

wasn't Peter Taylor the 2nd, manager that night?

not a bad midfield eh!

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Was having pasta tonight. But I put my footdown We had French so wee veal vin

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Then there was that vaguely heroic 0-0 draw in Rome when Ince finished the game covered in blood. That was one of England's better showings, even if they didn't win.

So much so, two television personalities included in that popular song in '96. Now what was it called...

 

[pasty]

can't ever recall us winning over there,but I do remember the New York game when we was 2-0 down but scored 3 times in 8 minutes,it was played on a baseball pitch

We've not won in Italy since the 60's I think I heard on sky earlier. Missed the actual date and can't be @rsed to look it up.

Edit: Taking Italia '90 into consideration, and before the pedants get involved, I will rephrase that. We have not beaten Italy in Italy since the 60's.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Was having pasta tonight. But I put my footdown We had French so wee veal vin

Why are you speaking German?

 

[Sheebo]

can't ever recall us winning over there,but I do remember the New York game when we was 2-0 down but scored 3 times in 8 minutes,it was played on a baseball pitch

We did win there - 0-0 in 97

 

[Lady Whistledown]

So much so, two television personalities included in that popular song in '96. Now what was it called...

Ah yes, I remember it well...

 

[Sheebo]

Then there was that vaguely heroic 0-0 draw in Rome when Ince finished the game covered in blood. That was one of England's better showings, even if they didn't win.

Agreed. There's been loads of good showings in qualifying (wally brolly aside) since then. Our problem is we don't take that form into major tournos!

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Why are you speaking German?

I thought it was foreign sounding

 

[Sheebo]

Not happy wih that team though. Jones CM! Smalling! Delph! I know it's a friendly but even so..

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Agreed. There's been loads of good showings in qualifying (wally brolly aside) since then. Our problem is we don't take that form into major tournos!

Perhaps that's because we then have to play good teams, who are peaking at just the right time. It feels as though sides like Italy rarely peak in qualifying: they seem to do the minimum needed to get themselves to the finals and save their best form for when it really matters.

England on the other hand have tended to get excited about a qualifying campaign in which they beat someone like Luxembourg and Georgia, and then generally flop against the first decent opponents they play in the finals. Unless it's Holland.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Italy are pretty poor, this is a good chance to get a big scalp