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I saw it.


Italy and France are continuing the form that saw they only just scrape out of Scotland's group.


Thought Italy were a trifle unfortunate - going a goal behind to a dodgy goal and then getting knifed twice on the break - but once ahead Holland gave an object lesson. Big Luca didn't really bring his shooting boots either, did he?

It was a cracker of a game - the Dutch seemed to keep putting on substitutes, each one more dazzling than the previous guy. Italy are notorious for "cold-starting" tournaments, but they now have an uphill task to get beyond the group stage. France v Italy looks like it might now be quite..er.. tense!


Currently feeling quite smug though as I backed the Dutch before the start to win the thing >:D<....early days I know! It could turn out to be like the '74 World Cup where the Dutch played all the dazzling and amazing football only to lose out in the final to (West) German efficiency..

Not be an annoying pedant but this thing about Italy "cold starting" was put to bed by the ITV commentators last night.


I would have thought this was fairly accurate but apparently in their last 15 opening matches of a big tournament (up until last night) they had won 10, drawn 4 and lost just one (to Ireland in USA '94). So really, they do quite well.


The French looked equally dreadful against the negative Romanians.

>>Not be an annoying pedant but this thing about Italy "cold starting" was put to bed by the ITV commentators last night.


I would have thought this was fairly accurate but apparently in their last 15 opening matches of a big tournament (up until last night) they had won 10, drawn 4 and lost just one (to Ireland in USA '94). So really, they do quite well. >>


I don't think the "cold starting" theory is any less valid despite the bare statistics. The thing is Italy tend to play better as tournaments progress - so they might have indeed won many first games but rather less convincingly then they win finals and semi finals. Against a team of real quality like the present Dutch outfit they lost - although admittedly without playing especially badly...


Anyway some of us remember North Korea v Italy in 1966! >:D<

*drapes St George flag around shoulders and adopts best Alf Garnett voice*


It's not that we (that's me and you know, all the other English) hate the Spanish on their own. We hate everyone equally. Frogs, Krauts, Eye-tais (sp?), Turks, all of 'em.


But since we ain't got no one to support - we'll pick one country at random to give our best wishes to. And since Spain are as good at penalties as we are...this year it's you. You should feel privileged guv'nor.

I mean in a football sense. I'm not convinced the English have much against the Spanish in a wider sense.


It is ironic for an English/liverpool fan to pick another chronically underperforming team. I mean you could actually stand a chance of supporting a winner if you go for Germany or Italy. (but not France, not this time)


As wholly impressive as Holland were last night, they'll still screw it all up.

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