World Cup

[Sam Slater]

to top it off, the pitch for the Eng vs Italy game is being painted green in an attempt to make the surface look nice for the cameras.

They've only had since 2007 to get it right.

[cockneygeezer2009]

"They've only had since 2007 to get it right."

England have had since 1966 to "get it right". Would be brillinat if they "get it right" this time. Come on England.

[JamesW]

Sam Slater wrote:

> to top it off, the pitch for the Eng vs Italy game is being
> painted green in an attempt to make the surface look nice for
> the cameras.
>
> They've only had since 2007 to get it right.


The pitch was perfect a few months ago.

[m100]

that's sorted then all we need is a tardis

[Sam Slater]

But getting it right on the football field means competing with other nations also trying to 'get it right'. I wouldn't say this is that comparable with the groundsman of a stadium.

As for England.......they'll be lucky to get out of the group.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Well dozed off and missed Brazil and the ref v Croatia. Looking forward to Spain v Holland...

[cockneygeezer2009]

Great performance by England against Italy. Unfortunately we didn't win. However the blow was softened by Costa Rica's unbelievable win against Suarez's lot. My advice for England players (are you reading Mr Rooney) is to get more shots on target. You normally don't score if shots are off target.

[Sam Slater]

I thought England were awful. Media having an orgasm that we 'at least had a go!' but this Italy side are average, their best player is 35 and was MoM, and they'd not won in 7 games.

Pirlo showed Gerrard how to actually dictate and control a game. He was fantastic. Henderson should have stuck to Pirlo like glue and has the energy to do so. Don't know what Hodgson didn't tell him to mark him out of the game.

Sturridge, Stirling and Welbeck were our best players I thought. Rooney predictably got a lot of stick, but he ran more km than any other player according to the stats and the only one to produce a bit of real quality for the goal. Not bad for your first full game back in 2 months in that heat.

Baines had a mare. Not helped by Rooney but even when Rooney moved to the right or up front, Baines' game didn't improve. Jagielka is a decent mid-table Premier League player. Not England class.

We tried to play counter attack against Italy......king of the counter attackers. This meant giving Italy the ball which meant we had to run twice as far as the opposition and why 3 or 4 England players were suffering from cramp in the latter stages and the Italians didn't suffer. Again, we had 30odd% possession against an average side in heated conditions. We deserved to lose.

And Uruguay losing vs Costa Rica will mean they'll see the England game as a must win. That means curtains for us imho.

[JamesW]

Sam Slater wrote:

> we had to run twice as far as the opposition and why 3 or 4
> England players were suffering from cramp in the latter stages
> and the Italians didn't suffer.


FIFA stats say that England covered a total of 107.25km in the match and Italy a total of 110.46km.

This means that rather than England run twice as far as the opposition, Italy actually ran 3% further than England did.