Anybody But Italy

[sunny-dave]

Up until half-time in their last match I thought that it was just possible that Italy were a side of reformed character - flair in attack and sound in defence - well worth watching.

After the half-time team talk, they reverted to type - zero attacking effort, cynical tackling in defence and some quite breathtakingly abject faux injuries and associated time-wasting. The "clutching of body parts which had made no impact with an opposing player" skills were well in evidence too.

It was a pathetic (although irritatingly effective) display of The Dark Arts - I hope against hope that the referee tonight despatches at least one of them with a Red Card for shameless unsporting behaviour.

Spain may be no Saints themselves, but I'll be rooting for them tonight.

Sombrero Dave

[Ellipsis]

Hasta la vista, bambini!

[gness]

I don't like football. Didn't know much about it until...I met Dave. :-(

[pixie374]

Actually, Italy were the only reason I accepted big matches in the first place. My stepdad always watched... and by the end of 1990, as a teenager, I was totally in love with (I think the name was) Giuseppe Giannini?
So.... calm your talk! X

[saintpeter48]

Italy are the worst of the worst at cheating, it can be nothing else but cheating, feigning injury to gain an advantage, or to get another player booked or sent off is not on, there should be retrospective punishment, players should be banned or teams thrown out of the competition for such bad and unsportsmanlike behaviour!

[ichkeria]

Any gamesmanship by Italy has been grossly over exaggerated.
They’ve been the best team in the competition so far.
It was a little harsh in Spain last night but there can only be one winner

[aelmpvw]

why isn't a player sent off for collapsing and clutching his face when nobody has been near it?