2014 FIFA World Cup: Group D (URA/CRC/ENG/ITA)

[treiz]

That Pirlo FK is absolutely stunning to watch

[Baphomet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/PCarrESPN/status/477963813539827712[/tweet]

wow

England weren't pressing at all. It was sad to see them just sitting off Italy, giving them all the time in the world to pass the ball freely. We need to be way more aggressive and show less respect to the opposition if we're to qualify.

[Next Coming]

Have Welbeck, Henderson and Sterling starting but you still don't press. I can understand if it was to save them for the 2nd half in those conditions but they didn't press all game and you took your two most fit players off on 60 minutes.

Just really awful in game management from WOY. Let Italy off the hook. A better manager and England doesn't have any troubles last night.

Are we any closer to Rooney being dropped? Not the best striker on the team and he's 5 best in the hole. Doesn't work hard enough to protect England's defensively poor FB's.

[Rasho Brezec]

I thought it was the same old England at big tournaments yesterday. Shaky defense and futile attack.

[5DOM]

England defence has been solid over the last decade. They were bad against Germany in 2010, but they were outplayed all over the pitch in that one.

[Ted Lasso]

I was gonna post the same thing earlier. They've had shaky goalkeeping, but their defence was very reliable for a long time.

[ardee]

If England had Rooney dropped and Lallana instead I think the end product would've been better....

Still, what a first half. England should've been out of sight. Sterling was this close, Sturridge had two amazing chances too, all before Marchisio's goal.

I'm quietly confident. We can beat Uruguay in the next game, they look rudderless. Costa Rica shouldn't be a problem as long as we take them seriously.

Good signs overall, this is the most exciting England team in a while, probably after the pre-2010 WC Capello team when Gerrard-Lamps-Rooney were all firing on all cylinders.

[Pharmcat]

I thought it was a foul (and therefore a penalty) when that guy checked gerrard during his run in the box....the guy made no attempt at the ball and there was no one else but goalie left after that

[Toxicity]

I thought it was a foul (and therefore a penalty) when that guy checked gerrard during his run in the box....the guy made no attempt at the ball and there was no one else but goalie left after that

Shoulder-to-shoulder contact is a legal contact so there wasn't a penalty at all...

[Doormatt]

That Pirlo FK is absolutely stunning to watch

[magik9113]

Long, lovely day. Beautiful futbol. Italia, job well done.

is de sciglio going to be ready later on? cause paletta is going to cost you guys at some point , need chiellni back there

Holy crap Paletta is a pk waiting to happen. And i cant help but think Italy would have been much more impressive if they had De Sciglio on Johnson's side

De Sciglio is questionable for the next game. If Prandelli is willing to sacrifice offense again vs Costa Rica then the least he could do is start Bonucci over Paletta.

Overall, it was lovely to see these lowly serie A players taking on the mighty premier league stars. Candreva and Darmian introduced themselves to the world quite nicely.

And lastly, the man of the match could even have been SIRIGU

[Foye]

What happened to Criscito? I mean he ain't great but certainly better than Paletta.

[Doormatt]

What happened to Criscito? I mean he ain't great but certainly better than Paletta.

Well he would've filled in at left back allowing chiellini to play in the middle which would've been ideal. Not sure why we didn't pick him up, you can add players 24 hours before the World Cup due to injury but we didn't do it. I assume it's because Prandelli only expects De Sciglio to miss one or two games at most and that we can get by with this makeshift defense till then.

Hell even taking santon would have been better. Chiellini at left back is so painful and such a waste of his talent.

[b-ball forever]

I saw Sirigu had a great game, and he might start again next game since Buffon's still dealing with injury trouble.

Wonder if starting a not 100% Buffon over Sirigu in the future would be that great of an idea. I know Sirigu has some issues when it comes to covering outside of the near goal area, but he's so good on the goal line with his reflexes that it usually doesn't matter...

[Doormatt]

Sirigu would start for almost every team, he's a quality keeper.

[Baphomet]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldc ... mself.html

[Doormatt]

**** LOL Balotelli swinging Insigne around is the best

[Rasho Brezec]

This is my favourite Balotelli story.

[treiz]

Anybody been reading the Boring Milner's twitter account having a conversation with Asda/Walmart?

It's really lol worthy

[magik9113]