Latest / The Calcio Guys / Italy advance to EURO 2024 Round of 16 Reaction - Ep. 233 Ft. Kicks & Picks Pod

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Italy advance to EURO 2024 Round of 16 Reaction - Ep. 233 Ft. Kicks & Picks Pod · The Calcio Guys

0:01
Football taking human beings to places they hadn't imagined. Howis could see the line
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that they were there? The last sixteen had old but embraced them and with
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the last kick that matter said, can you came up with a gym and
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athany having stard into the abyss embraced each other joyfully now and embrace they're ongoing
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involvement at Euro twenty twenty four. Man move over Shakespeare. Thank you to
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Drury is the best. I remember the call from the Roman match against Barcelona.
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He just comes up with the best lines on the fly. Thank you,
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Peter Drury. Here on the coucher, guys, is just me joined
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by Nick and Sea from Kicks and Picks podcast. Unfortunately, Johnny and Idanno
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couldn't make it to night, and my voice couldn't make it either. I
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lost yesterday yelling from the Zicani goal. But you know, uh, we'll
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have fun with it, guys. As you heard Peter Drewy my favorite football
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commentator ever. We you know, we had the you know, privilege of
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listening to him on Canadian TV. I don't know if you guys get the
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world feed in the States for these broadcasters. Yeah, Fox has their own
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broadcasters unfortunately, is like who is it? Are they known guys or what
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Ian know? Ian Dark does it? NI? Yeah, pretty good?
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He gets landed Donovan with him as the color guy. But I like Ian
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Dark, he's actually but nobody's like Peter dru It comes like making those those
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calls like on in a big moment. Yeah. Yeah, it's as if
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he scripts the he scripts what he wants to say beforehand. But guys,
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how are you guys doing? Good? Man had probably the best day of
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my sporting life yesterday, and you know, I was gearing up for maybe
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the worst. Uh you know, I you know, talk to both of
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you guys just about every day. Man. You know, I've been really
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really down on the Catealy team on My expectations were low, and all it
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takes is one kick of the ball to to pretty much turn everything around.
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So it's it was a great result. At the end of the day,
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I think there's still a lot to be desired. We'll obviously get into that,
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but let's enjoy it because I think making that out of this group,
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especially you know, in an automatic qualifying place, not having to sweat out
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third, which I thought was a real possibility, I think it's a it's
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a good accomplishment and we should definitely be happy. So I know this is
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a couchul podcast, but I do want to bring a bit of hockey in
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too. We're all big hockey fans. Steve, you're an Islanders fan.
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I'm a Haves fan. But Nick, now you can say you're the only
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one of the three of us here that's seen your team win a Stanley Cup
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with the Panthers last night, you know, just comparing it to two thousand
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and six World Cup? You know, word is it right? You just
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said it's screen sport, the greatest sporting day life. How does a Stanley
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Cup field versus a World Cup? You know, growing up watching Italy and
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I don't know, I hope this makes sense. I mean, we've seen
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some great tournaments out of the team in our lifetimes. We've seen a couple
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of championships. Now, like two thousand and six. It was it was
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kind of magical and I don't want to say it was expected, but it's
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almost like Italy has that that DNA, that historic background, you know,
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like this is a team I think we always knew eventually it was going to
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do something great in our lifetimes and we were happy to see it, and
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shit, I was with Steve. We celebrated like crazy. We celebrated the
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Euros the last you know, you know, the last go around together.
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So definitely top moments. But you know, the Panthers, it's it's a
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little different just because you're grinding it out with them for eighty two games a
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season. You know, I'm a season ticket older. It's my sixth year
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of Panthers season ticket. It's so like, man, I'm there. I'm
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there forty two times a year. You know, it was there for every
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playoff game, so you almost feel a little more invested, if that makes
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sense. Obviously financially as well, very invested. So that sense of connection
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to the team, I think sets it apart just a little bit. You
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know, Listen, Soccer is always is my first love, always will be
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the ATSUITI team is going to be it. But it's different from that standpoint,
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if that makes sense. Yeah, I know, Yeah, I understand.
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If the Haves ever win the Cup in my lifetime, it'll be miles
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ahead of Italy winning the World Cup. I don't know. Yeah you agree,
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Yeah, I was gonna say, there's nothing like seeing your team win.
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I mean being invested the way you are. It's a little different,
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right, Like I've been an Eagles fan for a long time, and I
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saw them come up just short a bunch of times when we were in high
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school, right, And I got a lot of flat for that growing up
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in New York being a Philadelphia Eagles fan. And then they finally did it.
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I guess it's gotta be like sick years ago now, But it's like
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great to see your team win, but to be there when they lift the
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trophy, to see them go through that whole run has to be to another
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little So I understand why you said, like it's your greatest like sporting maybe
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moment in your life just because you were there for it. I know you
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don't have the same like long term connection as you have with like Italy that
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you know growing up watching the use we play. But yeah, it's got
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to be pretty cool. But I gotta give your wife a shout of Jackie's
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a bigger fan than you. I see it every time I see the video
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Jackie's You know, Jackie couldn't even answer me last night text her hands are
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shaking too much. So but now that's it's it's cool stuff, and as
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long as it's not the Rangers, I'm okay with it. But yeah,
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back to back to the Euros. Uh we. You know, we did
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record an episode after the Spin game, which probably a good thing because it
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probably would have been completely negative. I think, you know, all the
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Joodie fans, we're just left complaining. It was just not good game,
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right, just tactically split, he messed up. There was just I wouldn't
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say that there was no effort from the players, but they just weren't there.
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The team was in there. Spain just dominated us. Sure Spain did
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win one nothing on our own goal, but it could have been more Spain.
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You know, they all admit they weren't the best in the final third.
6:20
You know, sure you could give a shout out to Bostonian California,
6:24
California in that game. They made some good defensive stops, but it was
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just not a good game. I don't know if you guys had many expectations
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heading into Croatia game yesterday because of that. I mean, I expected Italy
6:36
to get the job done and at least get the draw. So with the
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way the match was playing itself out, I was a bit disappointed for the
6:43
most part until they got that as a Kanye goal, which was, you
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know, sort of a miracle in itself because it went, it happened.
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Who did it? Like, he hasn't been heavily involved yet, probably one
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of the last call ups to make the team, right, probably Nick Boy
6:56
or Celeni probably missed the squad at his expense. You know, it was
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expense for the Kanye to make the team. And it turns out that you
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know, these guys find their moments. And I don't want to say this
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is like a prelude to something bigger, because it's still a long way off.
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We know it's like a four game knockout to win the final now with
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this expanded tournament, but it's like you need every player to find a little
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role. I think back to six and you think of Fabio Grosso. Like
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I didn't even really realize who Fabio Grossa was before that tournament, right,
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I was just getting into Setia like a year or two before, Like,
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wasn't that familiar with that many players yet, And then like here's this guy
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Grossa who's a left back, scoring one of the biggest goals in in Italy
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history, Right, and maybe this is the Kanye goal eventually will go down
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as something of like a spark for this team to do something, because I'm
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sure we'll get into what the brackets starting to look like in a bit.
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But after Spain, I still expected Italy to do something because Croatia hasn't been
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that good. It was more because Croatia wasn't impressive. Then I was overly
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impressed in Italy. Like going back to the first match, they get that
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super quick goal, and then they bounced back pretty quickly, which was good
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to see because you know, they got sucker punched and rebounded quickly got those
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two goals. But Italy had like forty five to sixty good minutes in that
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Albania match, a match that you expect them to dominate. I didn't really
8:13
expect them to beat Spain. I was, you know, praying and they
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could keep it tight and thanks of Dona Ruma and the center backs, they
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did keep it tight and kept Spain at bay outside of an own goal,
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which was kind of fluky. And you know, you feel for Kalifiodi a
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little bit there because he did play it. He's been really good overall for
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the most part. I don't think he's all you know these memes you see
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with the aura of the Maldinia, like that's got to slow down, like
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he has had his his moments of mistakes. But just going back to Croatia,
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like Croatia got hammered by Spain, right, Like, so I thought
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this Italy side was at least goo enough to get a draw, and they
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did in the end, but I expected a little bit better. I wasn't
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thrilled with the substitutions at halftime, like taking Pellegrini off for Fretezi, I
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wasn't crazy about. I know, I'm a little biased being a Romanistareen's one
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of my favorite players, but like you take off, you finally have them
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at three cortista position in this formation you're playing, and then you pull them
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for free, who I didn't think was very good the first two matches.
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You know, some of the subs were a little you know, head scratching,
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and then I think they got a little defense at that points, right
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because Frotei's a little more box to box than Pellegrini, and you start making
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those moves and like you know, then by the time you needed the goal,
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there wasn't a lot of time to do it, and Luckily he threw
9:28
on everybody and it worked out in the end. But like I'm looking at
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Di Lorenzo, he's not playing well and like some of these guys, I
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don't know. We'll get into that selections I guess a little later. But
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going back to your question, I did expect them to get a result,
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which thankfully they did. Yes, it's interesting you look at every game and
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you could liken it to like a you've discussion, like what what's what's an
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important takeaway from the game. Is it how we played or is it the
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end result? And if you look at the end result against Albania, it's
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great because they got three points that they need, right absolutely the only result
10:03
that was ever gonna suit us. And then you look at Spain and the
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result doesn't look that bad. But if you talk about how we played,
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it was one way traffic. It was about as we expected. You know.
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I was tweeting memes from from the first time when I saw Spain play
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Croatia and we played Albania. I'm like, we're gonna have absolutely no answer
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for for Yamal and Williams. These guys are going to tear us apart,
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and that happened from minute one, so Steve mentioned Donoduma obviously immense the difference.
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So you know, what's a good takeaway from that game? I guess
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not getting embarrassed, but you know, at times it's frustrating because it's not
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even like we were playing the same sport, right, they just completely outclassed
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us. But we let and you know that that goes to the squad selection,
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that goes to Spiletti. We'll we'll get into it for sure. Yesterday,
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same thing. Right, It's just disappointing because I don't think we played
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particularly well. I mean we did. I think we outplayed Croatia, but
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Creatia has been terrible, So disappointing from that standpoint. But it's great because
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we got the one point we needed. You know, not how any of
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us drew it up, not how any of us expected it, but I
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guess ultimately the results are as good as we could have asked for through three
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games, right, a win, one goal lost to a potential tournament winner
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and the draw. Yeah, and I remember texting you at halftime saying,
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you know, not a bad half, you know, pretty solid. We
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looked like the better team in the first half. Just can't concede the first
11:37
goal because that might put us in trouble. And we end up conceding the
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first goal and it did put them in trouble for ninety seven minutes. Really
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yeah, And you know what, Nick, before the tournament, if you
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would have told me to lead, would be I'll be in into unloss been
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one nothing tai creation one one. I'd be like, yeah, that's likely
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what's going to happen. Like you said, it's the way they got there.
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You know, even yesterday during the game, Steve, you kind of
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said, uh, you're you're disappointed watching it, and I felt the same
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way. Got to a point towards the end, man, I was on
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my phone, I was on Wikipedia looking up who you know, what are
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the possibilities of the third place? What are the third place endings? Like
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can we go through? I think three points minus one goal differential should be
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going should be good enough. Looking at the the the it's four to the
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sixth best third place teams Croatia with two points, they're officially eliminated. Actually,
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but you know, I think Italy could have gone through as a third
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place. But regardless, you know, at the end of the day's at
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that's a canyon goal that that sends Italy through. Yeah. With with yesterday's
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game, even just the switch to the three five two, I don't know
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what you guys thought about that, because I feel like, you know,
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watching Italy, you know, the Albanian game was fine, but again,
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you know, no disrespect to Albinia, but it's Albania, right, It's
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not a top team. And you saw, you saw those flaws against Spain
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with the four to three three, and I feel like split he was trying
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to force the four three three, and I was a bit surprised haending into
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that into the first game, that he would even choose that formation, because
13:16
it felt like the team selection for the tournament was based on a three five
13:18
two and you know mean a Jan and Jenny we spoke about that before the
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tournament and if that's what it felt like, that's what he was going to
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go for, and then suddenly four three three because he wants to be like
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Napoly. So when he changed the three five two yesterday yesterday, I was
13:33
happy. You know. Obviously, the one thing is is Kes that doesn't
13:37
fit into the three five to two. You saw, there's a reason why
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he didn't start. He was fine, coming off the bench. But you
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know, for me, I I I'm happy Splity actually did it because it's
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so easy for coach should be stubborn and be like, no, we're going
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to go back to the four three three versus Croatia. But to make that
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change on the last game of the tournament when you need at least to draw,
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for me, that's you know, let's brief, and it paid off.
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If it didn't pay off, there'd be a lot more criticism. But
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yeah, it paid off. I don't know if you guys feel the same
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about the formation change. Yeah, And I'll say the other thing that paid
14:11
off is towards the end, he basically threw on every attacking player we had,
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you know what I mean, Like he subbed out defensive guys. But
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like that's not something you used to seeing Italy do. So I guess we
14:20
have to give Spiletti a little bit of credit for that. But I agree,
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Nico. I mean, you guys know me well enough. I can
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sit here and trash the four three three for the next two hours. I
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hate it. I think it's the worst possible formation for international football. I
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just it's very easily defended and it just doesn't work out, like you said,
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where I don't think our strikers are suited to it. You know,
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this this three five two, which I guess if we were winning or if
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we needed a draw, if we were playing that type of way, it
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could have switched to a five to three to two pretty easily. So that
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to me seemed like it was what Spiletti was looking for. But yeah,
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our attacking players, I mean, like I just feel like there's there's no
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good way to line them all up. And I don't know if what you
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guys think is is that just the lack of quality? Is that just a
15:13
Spalletti thing? I mean, I couldn't understand Raspadonti being in this game at
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all. I thought he was terrible. And you know, can we go
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to Tegi and Skamaka together? I don't know. I just there's there's something
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missing no matter what the formation is. I guess is my I thought,
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Yeah, I'm glad he made the switch because, like you said, the
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fourth three to three did not look good against Spain. I mean, no
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matter what they did against Spain, it probably have been difficult. Maybe the
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three five two would have done a little bit better in terms of just defending
15:41
Spain. I think, you know, when when I saw that formation,
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I texted Nick and I said, it puts DeMarco in his best position.
15:48
It puts Pelgreen in his best position as more of an attacking midfield er.
15:54
Like I like that aspect of it. BOSTONI plays the three man back line
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all the time at Inter. You know DeMarco, but Brella, you know,
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even Pellegrini played a lot of that. They played a lot of three
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man back line at Roma, where he was used to having three defense central
16:10
defenders back there. So if Manchini had to come in, or even bon
16:11
Jorna like, you could have played any of those guys, but Darmian played
16:15
and they'd be comfortable. So I think for the center backs it fits too,
16:17
because really only Klafioti was playing a fourmat back line consistently from like the
16:22
center backs we have at our disposal. I think it gave de Lorenzo a
16:25
little more protection because he hasn't been very good. In my opinion, I
16:29
was disappointed when I saw they took off DeMarco for Quieza. I thought maybe
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de Lorenzo should have been one that came off, just because he hasn't done
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a lot in my opinion. To me, I was even telling Nick like,
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if we're gonna play the three five two, I'd almost give Belanova a
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look like you have the cover behind him. Let him marau down the right
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flank and do what he does at Tarno a little bit and see if he
16:48
can, you know, make some magic happen from the opposite flank, because
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I think a lot of the attacking onus now when you're coming down the wings
16:55
is on DeMarco, and uh, you know, you could you could switch
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it up a little bit. But but I do think that it was a
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good switch. I do agree with Nikto like they got to find the right
17:03
combination and attack. I was high on Kamaka coming into this tournament. I
17:07
know when we were talking on kicks and picks about like, you know,
17:10
some of the fun betting props like Skamaka the leite Ilian goals had like a
17:12
really nice number, and we're like, he's coming off a great run of
17:15
form with at Alonza and he just hasn't looked that great yet, Retegg,
17:21
he was all right yesterday. I was surprised to see ross Padori start.
17:25
You mentioned Keez doesn't really fit this formation, so I think that's gonna be
17:27
the biggest issue for them, is like where did the goals come from?
17:32
You know, Georgina a little bit better yesterday than he was against Spain,
17:36
where he was just like completely a disaster. But you know, they got
17:41
to figure these things out. I think it also protects yourginia a little bit
17:44
more too. It has to be said, like he was able to do
17:45
a little bit better. You know, we'll see. I think he sticks
17:49
with it against the Swiss. I think he has to after yesterday. I
17:53
don't think he could go back to the four three three right off the bat.
18:00
Yeah, and you know what with the whole the whole striker stuff.
18:03
I think it's just it's limitation with players right now, Like like even Kisa
18:10
he you know, tried to play him as a second striker this season and
18:14
didn't work, and you know, maybe that's a limitation for him. You
18:18
know, Raspadori was okay. I did like Bretta get and Skamaka. I
18:23
like him for hold up. I'm not a huge fan of him as a
18:26
finisher unless you're gonna cross the ball in and you know, just let him
18:30
headed Inla you could bomb him from outside the box, right which is another
18:33
strength. But he's not like, yeah, I know what you're saying.
18:37
Yeah, yeah, But you know what, he did a good job in
18:41
the first two games. His hold up play was good. That's also what
18:42
he needed for four three three, right. Uh, you know yesterday he
18:47
came on as a sub, but it was pretty late. I forget exactly
18:49
what time he came on, but you know, regardless, Uh, the
18:53
two the two subs on on the wings, take out d'armienne and DeMarco,
18:59
bring on Kazan again and uh and it and it beat off Can of Fiory.
19:03
You're on pichack h salivation, vivid Zori Rich for the Skies. Unfortunately,
19:21
there was a glitter of speaker. You didn't hear the whole Peter Drew
19:23
re call. Let me let me try to play again for you guys,
19:25
because I know Steve you're a huge fan. Can of Fiory, you're pi
19:29
chack A salivation, vinodzi Rich for the Skies. Oh what a beauty.
19:45
Uh what were you guys reactions to that goal? I mean, lovely goal.
19:49
I started seeing like the del Piero like connections to the O six Gullies
19:53
scored against Germany, like similar similar style goal on the break, very very
19:59
nice from the Kanye. You know he's playing fritally now, so like a
20:03
rooform because I'm not going to reform and said, yeah, I'm playing for
20:06
Lazio. But very nice goal. And I have to give Kla Fiodi a
20:08
lot of credit on that run. He made a great run to set him
20:11
up. I mean, it's the guy was playing center back. I think
20:14
that comes back to his upbringing as a left back at Roma. Right,
20:17
he didn't really shift to center back, so he got to Bologna and you
20:18
can kind of see that full back mentality where he made that run. And
20:22
I know Mota used him a little bit as a hybrid this year. It
20:26
was a great play by him, and you know, to make that gup
20:27
busting run in the ninety eighth minute after playing a full match and make that
20:30
pass. It was a really nice play all around. It's like it took
20:34
desperation to get it out of them, like you'd love to see a play
20:37
like. And obviously Califiourdy is not going to push that hard in the middle
20:41
of the match, you know, as one of the center backs. Maybe
20:44
three man back on you Ken a little bit actually, but you know,
20:48
you want to see a little bit more of that counter attacking, like Onis,
20:51
a little bit here and there, and maybe that attacking onus, but
20:53
just just a lovely goal, lovely finished from the Kanye. I was so
20:57
I had to watch the second half of my phone in the car on the
21:00
commute home. I had my wife driving. We work in the same school.
21:03
I'm like, you're driving Monday, because I got to watch the second
21:04
half on our commute home and literally as we pulled in the driveway, he
21:07
scored and I screamed and like scared the shit. Ever, thankfully the car
21:11
was like a park ready, but it was. It was a great finish
21:14
and like at that point, you're almost like out of hope, right,
21:17
You're almost hopeless by that point that they scored, which makes even more exciting.
21:21
Yeah, it really was out of the blue, like it was last
21:23
kick of the game. They were struggling in those last minutes. Yeah,
21:29
I mean, we're lucky hearing Quebec with yesterday's It was a holiday, so
21:33
we had it off and so we got we had the opportunity to watch it
21:37
together and it was so much fun. You know, this what I this
21:41
is what I love about you. Know the Euros and just watching Italy in
21:47
general, and you know, obviously at the end of the day Italy qualifies,
21:53
but if it Kundy doesn't score there, Steve, what do you think
21:56
the reaction is on on Twitter? But lose? Yeah? I think at
22:02
that point, like you don't want to be in the position of being only
22:04
the second group to have finished and waiting to see three points get you through,
22:07
because then it's a waiting game. You see the way some of these
22:10
results went today unexpectedly, right, like Slovenia drawing England, and like there's
22:15
teams getting through that were completely unexpected, Austria winning a group with France and
22:18
the Dutch of Dutch is the four point third place team, like it would
22:22
have been we would have been sweating it out to tomorrow and we may or
22:25
may not have gotten in. And then it's like, is Faletti still around
22:30
because what's the what's the reaction from the federation after that? Right? Do
22:33
they stick with him into qualifying? It's Falletti's manager, I like, like,
22:36
you know, his time at Rome was very good. He didn't get
22:37
to win a scudetto like he did Anopoly, but he won some cop Battalias
22:41
and and had one of Roma's best seasons. They just ran into a very
22:45
good Juventust that year. I think it was Roma's highest point total ever.
22:48
So like he's a he's a very good coach, we know that. And
22:52
I was pretty excited when they hired him as the national team manager because you
22:56
know what we've been through recently in World Cup qualifying. I thought he would
22:59
get some good ideas and and things like that, and then like, wow,
23:03
it might be done before it gets started with him. So I think
23:07
the Twitter reaction would have been crazy. I think the Italian media would have
23:11
been a wreck, right, like yeah, or maybe he leaves on his
23:15
own, right like after the glory of three years ago and then Manchini failing
23:19
then to even qualify for the World Cup, like we need we need something
23:23
to build on here in a group stage exit would not have been that.
23:26
Even a third place exit and then running into like one of the favorites would
23:30
not have been ideal, right, like you run into I don't know who
23:33
the third place seems to run into, but it would have been not good
23:41
for Italian football. And you know, like it's different, like you could
23:45
compare it to the US situation where like if the US doesn't get out of
23:48
this COPA America group and maybe you know, do that, then like it's
23:52
a disappointment for the US, but like as as a US fanily, like
23:55
that would maybe mean the end of Burhalter, Maybe that's not the end of
23:56
the world. Like it's different with Italy, like you kind of I want
24:00
to see what Pileti can do with this group, like you know what I
24:03
mean, Like I don't want it to end that quickly, and you know,
24:07
thankfully one. I mean, the reality is it would have been catastrophic,
24:14
just plain and simple, right, I mean, we we talked about
24:15
it when we previewed it on our pod. I said it was going to
24:19
take four points to get out of this group. I assumed four points met
24:22
third place to be completely honest with you guys, because I didn't think Croatia
24:26
was going to go winless. But four points was the minimum. And guess
24:30
what the result is kind of all that matters here. But if we don't
24:33
get that goal, you're talking about two straight World Cups missed. You know,
24:41
a euro that sandwiched in there with a win, which is fantastic,
24:44
But if you're talking about not making it out of the group stage as defending
24:47
champs. We're laughing stock right and now yeah, exactly right, and that
24:56
started that started the downfall really right. We had like a couple good Euros
25:00
mixed in there, but like twenty ten, then it led into fourteen and
25:03
then like we have them be into the World Cup since like you know,
25:07
Italy made that final in twenty twelve and then got to moles By Span I
25:10
think mostly got heart. They had a red card whatever it was, and
25:11
like it got ugly. But then like they've kind of overachieved in the Euros
25:15
the past few times, which is kind of masked how bad they've been in
25:21
World Cup qualifying. Kind of like every two years we kind of forget that
25:23
they didn't qualify for the World Cup almost because like we just won it and
25:27
then we made a fine you know, like it kind of has massed and
25:32
if they had then not make it made out of the group here, I
25:34
think it amplifies the pressure on like the whole federation. Really yeah, and
25:40
the sorry Nick. The last thing I'll say on it is like, look
25:44
at the other teams in this tournament, nobody really looks that good Germany does.
25:48
I think Germany. You know, they have goal scoring issues like everybody
25:52
else, but nobody looks up to par France has not looked good. England
25:57
has not looked good, Portugal has not looked good. You know, Spain's
26:00
been pretty good. I guess they right, they swept the group. But
26:06
you know, we have to adjust the outlook. You know, I told
26:08
you at the top of the show, I was really pessimistic coming in,
26:11
and now it's we don't have it all figured out. We don't have the
26:15
best team on paper, but I don't know. I've seen weaker teams beat
26:22
better teams than than how we've played so far, so I'm feeling pretty positive.
26:29
Yeah. Well, it's funny. Towards the end of the game,
26:30
I was I was telling the guys I was with, I was like,
26:33
oh, all agree, would be the perfect next coach for Italy. You
26:37
know, his tactics are perfect for a seven game tournament. I was already
26:40
talking about split Yo before the end of the game. You're right, Nick,
26:44
Yeah, some of the other teams, especially like England, Like I
26:47
don't know if you guys watched the games today, zero zero for both for
26:49
both of those three PM groups of games. That's like terrible, and three
26:55
of those teams in the group are going through, so you know, just
26:59
kick them all over the the tournament. But I wanted to ask you guys,
27:03
because we did get a question from our friend Eater, who's your player
27:07
of the tournament so far? And who's your Italian Player of the tournament so
27:11
far? I feel like that's a pretty interesting question because player of the tournament
27:18
overall is pretty wide open. I wouldn't even know I would I would say
27:22
even don Aruma for both. You know, Player the tournament definitely for Italy.
27:26
I don't think the second, no question for Italy, and I haven't
27:30
watched enough of every other team to really stay somebody else for like player of
27:34
the tournament, and even just looking at like the box scores, you say,
27:37
it's wide open, like a map is not running away with anything,
27:41
like he's had a poor tournament, like Kane hasn't been bagging goals for England
27:44
or anything. Like you think of these guys that maybe would be kind of
27:47
front runners for Golden Boot or something like that. It's like that all the
27:51
memes online like own goal is heading for like Golden Boot, right, Like
27:53
there's so many own goals in this tournament, and yeah, I mean definitely
27:57
don a Rouma. I mean you, depending on how far early goes,
28:00
you can make a case for him again to be player of the tournament if
28:03
they would go far enough, because he has bailed him out even yesterday,
28:06
like on the goal, like he saves a penalty cake, how do you
28:08
give up that chance thirty five seconds later? I don't know? And then
28:12
he makes a great save and gets hung out to dry on that play,
28:15
right, like I think it was who was a de Lonenzo Calfioty nick that
28:18
we're kind of just sleeping a little bit track Modric and like you're like this
28:23
guy, like he's making great saves for you. He's just saved a penalty,
28:26
which felt like that felt like it was gonna be the end of the
28:29
match. You get this this high of him saving the penalty and then thirty
28:32
five seconds later they score and it turned the game again. But you know,
28:36
against Spain, he made eight saves. Against Albani, he he made
28:38
a couple of big saves I remember towards the end, like he is.
28:42
You know, we don't get to watch him a lot at PHG. We
28:45
know he was good at Melan but I feel like for Italy he goes to
28:48
another level. It feels like and it's a shame we haven't got to see
28:51
him in a World Cup yet, and hopefully we went to see it here
28:52
stateside in North America in two years, because he's a guy who steps it
28:56
up at big matches. Yeah, I'm really trying to think. I mean,
29:00
if you're gonna pinpoint somebody for player of the tournament so far, maybe
29:06
it's somebody for Germany. But I don't even I'm trying to think of who's
29:08
put three games together. I mean, like Russell has been good, Gonduan
29:12
has been good, Folkirk has two goals. I mean, I guess he's
29:18
he's leading the tournament probably or close to it. So maybe one of those
29:22
guys. But I'm really struggling to see somebody who stood out through three games.
29:26
Yeah, I'm looking at like average player rating on SOFA score just for
29:30
this tour, just get an idea of who's been playing really well, Like
29:33
Fabian Ruiz has a very high rating. More about Chevilli from Georgia that he
29:37
had that huge game as the goalkeeper. Oh yeah, like twenty saves or
29:41
some shit. Who were they playing that game that we had the opposite on
29:45
our check with Jack the checks. Yeah, he kept out like twenty five
29:49
goals that game and killed us. But de Bruyn is highly rated far Cruse.
29:52
I know Cruz has been getting some plaudits for Germany, but yeah,
29:56
it's hard to pick out a player so far after just the group stage or
30:00
and a couple groups aren't even done yet. Yeah no, that's true,
30:03
that's true. But even you know the last two groups, I mean group
30:10
is interesting. Romania, Belgium, Solack Ukraine all on three points. They
30:12
played tomorrow, Can we talk about it? For Romania gets a good enough
30:17
result like Belgium could be second and on the other side of the brackt from
30:19
Italy too, like the way the bracket is breaking for Italy potentially is very
30:23
favorable. Yeah yeah, yeah, I mean we could swing right into that.
30:27
So they play Switzerland on Saturday, first game of the knockout in Berlin,
30:33
which is awesome just because going back there eighteen years later. I mean,
30:37
for you fans less some less good memories losing the Champions League final there
30:41
in twenty fifteen. But regardless of for Italy it's back to the stadium where
30:47
they won the World Cup for Bouffon, he's going to be there, so
30:49
Switzerland at twelve. So on that side of the bracket it still has to
30:55
fill up. There is England, so the winner of Switzerland and Italy will
31:00
play the winner of England in a third place team from either Group D or
31:03
Group E. And then on that same side of the bracket, Austria is
31:08
playing a runner up of Group fuh and then the last matchups winner of Group
31:15
E with a third place either Group C or Group D. But it's the
31:18
other side that is all the strong teams. Spain, Germany is playing Denmark,
31:25
Portugal, and France all on the same side. This kind of reminds
31:29
me of twenty sixteen, where Portugal had the weak side they went through to
31:33
the final, France was on the strong side. That side had Italy,
31:36
Spain, Germany, France and obviously only France went through. So it's kind
31:41
of shaping up. I mean, let's start with the swisserling game before we
31:45
look at the other stuff. What do you guys think about this? You
31:48
know, how well does it Italy do versus Switzerland. I love it and
31:52
I hate it? Yeah, sorry, I mean we played we have a
31:56
recent history which isn't the best two draws and World Cup qualifying for the last
32:01
World Cup, so nothing to separate them. I'm going back. I mean,
32:06
they played them last year, they beat them three nothing that was in
32:09
the group stage, I believe if I remember correctly, hammered them and and
32:14
those are hard to you know that group stage. Italy ran through that group
32:15
stage, but those were all in Rome, those matches which kind of like
32:20
ease it I think a little bit on them. But like other than that,
32:22
the last five head to heads have all been draw It's a couple of
32:28
I mean, and this is going back a while now because before twenty one
32:30
they didn't play for a while. But it's a lot of draws. So
32:31
like the history isn't there that Italy's like dominated this opponent like they have some
32:36
European countries. But it's also not as bad as it was against like Croatia.
32:39
Like Italy against Croatia, it was a terrible record heading into the essay's
32:44
match, Like the history isn't there again some sides, I think the Swiss
32:46
will be tough, but you know, if it could have been Germany,
32:51
right, if Germany hadn't gotten what they needed last last match, Like we
32:54
could have been looking at a Germany side on our side of the bracket,
32:59
so I mean it could be a lot worse. Right, we look at
33:02
that other side of the bracket and like you could ended up there. So
33:07
the Swiss are tough. We know from qualifying that they're not going to be
33:09
easy. They qualified ahead of us to the World's cupcause of the World's Cup.
33:15
But I think, I think Italy can can win this match. I'm
33:20
going in expecting them to win this match because I, you know, still
33:23
believe in in the Yazuri to an extent. If this was maybe you know,
33:30
I can't say Spain because it couldn't have drowne Spain, but like a
33:31
Germany or something, you'd be a little less confident. But I go in
33:35
feeling pretty good, like cautiously optimistic, i'd say, I think. And
33:39
the thing with Italy historically too has been like they'll start slow in groups and
33:43
then kind of find their way in tournaments. Like twenty one was a little
33:47
different because that was like the first time we've really seen them run through a
33:50
group, and I could that I could remember, you know, even when
33:53
we were young, when they had like those dream teams like in two thousand
33:57
and two and ninety eight, like those those squads were more stacked than he
34:00
was. Sixteen that won it, and I feel like they started slower even
34:04
you know, six they had that hiccup against the US with the old goal
34:07
by z the Cardo. So I make that connection just to say, like
34:10
maybe they needed to kind of figure things out in the group stage a bit,
34:14
and they have a five day window here now in training where they can
34:17
work on some things, maybe spell out to you have some more ideas after
34:21
last match, and the Swiss don't necessarily scare you from an offensive standpoint,
34:27
which I think is good for Italy. I think it's a team that they
34:30
can play with man for man, and I think some of the players we
34:32
have around the pitch are better than what they have at certain positions. I
34:37
think it's unquestionably the best team we could have hoped for finishing second place in
34:45
our group. Like, I don't think we possibly could have gotten a more
34:49
favorable opponent. I think we are better, but the Swiss are tough,
34:53
They're they're tested. You know, they obviously know us well. One one
35:00
one we could have been playing Germany could have been playing Germany, that's right,
35:06
Switzerland one, and they got guys that that just show out you You
35:12
talked about Donodum and becoming superman. I mean Jaka is like that for Swiss.
35:16
Uh sommer is you know, I know he's getting up there in age,
35:19
he's outstanding, had a great year this year at inter and obviously is
35:23
always always always good for Switzerland. But but I think you know the other
35:29
thing too, A couple of players that play or have played in SAIDI as
35:31
so definitely gonna be some familiarity there, right for sure? Yeah? Yeah,
35:37
but man, their back line is old. Rodriguez is not young,
35:40
Shahar is not young. I think the guy that's the center back place for
35:45
man City, I don't know that he plays all that much, but you
35:47
know he's he's even twenty seven to twenty eight. So I think that's where
35:52
we have to really put them in difficulty because just down the middle they're old,
35:57
right, Freuler and Jaka good performers, but you're talking about it,
36:00
you know, combined age of sixty two sixty three. So we're gonna just
36:07
need to take the game to them, run at them heavy, utilize our
36:09
attacking players and try to make quick work of it. Yeah, it's gonna
36:16
be tough and almost and it almost feels like a trap game because Switzerland is
36:21
good Italy obviously they can go into this thinking, you know, it's it's
36:24
gonna be a breeze. They got lucky playing another second place team. You
36:30
know, it's interesting. I was just looking up. They don't have much
36:31
history these two teams in competitions. You know. Obviously it feels like they
36:37
played each other a lot because of the World Cup qualifying group and the Euros,
36:40
but before that they never played each other in the Euros and the last
36:44
time they played it a competitive match against each other was qualifying for Euro two
36:50
thousand back in nineteen ninety nine. So uh, you know, obviously all
36:54
that past really doesn't have an effect on this game, even the fact that
36:58
they played each other in the in in the World Cup qualifying. It's it's
37:02
already a different Italy from three years ago. So it's gonna be tough,
37:07
you know. Obviously, one thing I'm concerned about not having college fury due
37:12
to suspension, but I do trust that either Mancini or bon Jordano could come
37:17
in and not not expecting them to directly replace what he's brought to this team,
37:22
but at least do a good job. I think for Italy, like
37:25
you said, Nick, they just have to go out an attack. You
37:28
know, they can't be waiting to score a goal in the ninety eighth minute.
37:31
They need a goal. You know they're there, they're strikers. Still
37:35
haven't still haven't scored a goal in this tournament, so they need they need
37:40
a goal. Be nice to score early on. Uh, you know,
37:45
I feel like it'll kind of be like the Austria match three years ago where
37:51
Italy went into that game fully expecting to win, and they struggled and Astra
37:54
scored later ruled off side, but they struggled and then and then only after
37:59
making us and you know, extra time and all that did they did They
38:02
break through with those two goals from Keys and Pasina. I don't want this
38:07
to go to one hundred twenty minutes. You know, let's get this job
38:10
done in ninety minutes. But we'll see. It's got that field though,
38:15
of like a one to one that could yeah, after time kind of matchic.
38:17
I don't expect a lot of goals from either side. I could definitely
38:22
see that similar you know, circumstance where you might need to keep a clean
38:25
sheet to win this one. Yeah, yeah, exactly, and you know,
38:31
hopefully for Italy, you know, just the way this game ended versus
38:37
Croatia, at least we'll just give them some confidence because you know they were
38:43
they were struggling and even for goals after that. Who scored the second goal
38:46
against Albania was it was Burrella? Right? Yeah, so we scored the
38:51
first one Burrell, the second one that was what I think the eighteenth minute
38:53
against Albania, and they didn't score to the ninety eighth minute against Croatia.
38:58
So hopefully that gives them confidence. And you know they square early on.
39:04
Do you guys, do you guys have you know obviously besides the change a
39:08
center back, that's that that's required because this is because of this suspension,
39:13
do you think split too will goal with any other lineup changes? The center
39:21
back one is big. I didn't realize to suspended until you said it.
39:23
That's gonna be an interesting call. I'm guessing he probably goes bon Jorno,
39:30
right, I mean, like I love man Cheney playing for Roma, but
39:31
I guessing Bjorno is probably ahead him in the backing order at this point,
39:37
but we'll see. I'm telling you, I'm still not very convinced by what
39:42
de lord Enzo has done so far. I feel like he I feel like
39:45
he's gonna stick with him because of his comments before last match, but I
39:50
don't know, Like I don't know if we see Reteggy en Raspadori again together.
39:53
Maybe we do, maybe we don't. But I think that's where you
39:57
might see a change. Is one of those two. Maybe he tests he
40:00
has as one of those two strikers. He looked pretty good coming on.
40:04
I know he wasn't playing exactly there, but maybe you want to get him
40:07
on the pitch early again. Maybe you feel like you unlocked something in the
40:09
second half. Maybe he that you know, benching to start the match kind
40:13
of like kicked a little little fire in the rear end or something. But
40:17
I don't know. I could see it. I could see him replacing Pellegrine
40:21
if he pulled him at halftime, but I personally wouldn't. But you know,
40:24
again I said, I'm biased with him, but I don't think there's
40:29
a lot of changes outside that. Like I don't think Georgina goes Betella obviously
40:31
doesn't go Bostonian and Darmion are locked in if they're playing a three man back
40:36
line, I think so, Yeah, I think it's gonna be Califiorti's position,
40:39
and then maybe one of the forwards and maybe one of the midfielders.
40:45
Yeah, listen to Lorenzo. I mean, I don't recall one good thing
40:51
he's done through three games. I just a nightmare on Niga Williams. I
40:54
think so Darmian I thought actually had a really really poor game against Gratia.
41:00
That surprised me, and like, I'm decently high on him, right,
41:04
I think he gets he gets a lot of shit, but he's typically a
41:07
very dependable, reliable player. I don't think he was that. So I'm
41:14
guessing you're not going to make two changes back in defense, So you know,
41:16
I don't know that he gets pulled, but I don't know. You
41:20
know, obviously we're not in training. I'd love to understand if there's another
41:23
option there, because, like I said, I feel like he was really
41:25
poor. But yeah, for me, it's it's one of the two up
41:31
top. I personally don't like it. Hospitote, I think of the Taggy.
41:37
You know, he had a really good first half. He was all
41:38
over the place. You know, a couple of shots blocked. I think
41:42
that header that was blocked, that was like a really insane play by guardiol.
41:46
You know that that probably saves a goal or at least that shots on
41:50
target. But I just think he offers a ton, you know, just
41:54
movement. I think his instincts are good and I think if he if he
41:58
gets the ball, he makes things happen, and so I don't personally want
42:02
to pull him, but it's all kind of interchangeable right now. I mean,
42:07
I think I kind of like Kis on the bench if we're being honest
42:10
about him, and nobody's more honest about him than Nick. So I appreciate
42:15
that. I think his performances haven't been good, and not only that,
42:21
I like him as an impact player off the bench, just because he's going
42:25
to give you one hundred percent every time he's on the pitch, like the
42:30
one thing you cannot take away from him. You can debate about his skill,
42:32
his finishing, his best position in this and that this dude runs full
42:37
speed all the time, he tracks back, he wants the ball, and
42:42
that's almost more valuable to this team coming off the bench, just because of
42:45
how thin we are with attacking options off the bench, So I don't mind
42:50
that quite honestly. And you can put him in for one of the wing
42:52
backs like he did last match, right because he's done that before for his
42:57
club teams. And he will track back. Risley belts already in that sense
43:00
when he's on the pitch, like, he'll always track back, like attacking
43:04
player that'll do that. And just another point on the back line. I
43:07
think the reason why bon Jorno gets the call too is you don't have to
43:08
shift anybody along the back line because he's a left footed player. So I
43:12
think he's slots in more naturally for Calafioti as well, because if Mancini plays,
43:15
Macchini's almost got to play on the right, and then Darmian's got to
43:17
shift, and it changes a lot of things along that back line. Man,
43:22
I almost wonder do you do you start somebody like and you keep I'm
43:27
wondering if you keep Pelagani on the bench, you know, and Pelagean is
43:30
another guy, dude, where I mean, I've kind of had it up
43:34
to hear with him. His performances just aren't there. They don't match his
43:37
talent, they don't match his ability. So he's he's the most expendable in
43:42
that midfield. As far as I'm concerned, for me, I would even
43:45
do I would at least consider uh Georgino for for Julie, because that's the
43:52
change that was made around I think the eighty first minute yesterday, and I
43:55
really liked Julie came in and he really controlled the midfield. He was passing
44:00
the ball around beautifully. I don't know if Spoletti will do that from the
44:06
start. I'm really not a fan of Georginio this tournament. I don't think
44:09
Georgia is not a lot shorter leashed though right if he doesn't do it start,
44:13
I do think he's on a much shorter LEAs than we've ever seen him
44:15
on. Yeah, like you watch the game against Spain. I watched back
44:20
the highlights. This guy was an absolute passenger. Yeah, Like you could
44:23
have made him a nice popcorn with some butter and salt and he would have
44:27
had the same effect on the game. You know, he he was better
44:32
obviously against Croatia. But it's it's not Georginio from three years ago. You
44:37
know, it's almost like he's a he's a does he deserve to start because
44:42
he scored a goal versus Spain three years ago, or does you know he's
44:45
on the bench now because of his current performances and he's he's a fine player.
44:52
But with you know, as I said earlier, with the current formation,
44:57
with the three five to two, with the two winnbacks, that's not
44:59
for him. You bring him on the sub as you guys just said.
45:01
Maybe you do that with Georgino too. If if not, you know,
45:06
for Julie, for me, he's up there as that first midfielder to either
45:09
come on the pitch or at least give Splity a thought to start. I
45:15
don't think he would start in place of pelle Greene unless you really want to
45:17
go more defensive. But like like you said, Steve, like pel Greene,
45:23
you know, I think he was fine against Croatia. I was surprised
45:25
that you got subbed off in half. I wasn't. I'm not a fan
45:29
of him as a winger. He's not a winger, no, and that's
45:31
why I was surprised, Like you finally played him centrally in this match,
45:35
and then you you pull him at halftime in the Matcherini goals, and I
45:38
know there was that free kick toward the end after they were down and I
45:44
texted Nick, I'm like, oh, the spot for Pellegrini. Oh wait,
45:46
he's not on the pitch like these a your best frea kick Like Look,
45:50
his cornerkick led to a goal to open the match, right, he
45:52
ended up having to cross that score that Bostonia scored on. He's probably your
45:57
best set piece guy on this team from the right. DeMarco does it from
46:00
the left side. I think he offers other things. I think if you
46:04
have the right players around him, he can do a lot for this team.
46:07
I just I don't know. I didn't think he was that bad against
46:09
Croatia. Maybe Nick, it's kind of weird. No, I mean just
46:12
it's nothing he's bad, Like I said, just the ability that he has
46:15
that the performances don't don't add up to it. And you could argue the
46:19
same for Kiata. We have at some point you have to hold these players
46:22
to a higher standard than just being oh he was okay, Oh he was
46:25
good. You know, you're either wearing that number ten and you're not,
46:29
and you know it's it's also it's a little tough right with Georgina on the
46:34
pitch. It doesn't matter. You know, there's there's there's only so much
46:36
ball to go around, and that's like it that's kind of the weirdness of
46:40
this three five two to me. And even in ASPADARTI I think he thinks
46:45
he's a little better than he is and he wants the ball a lot.
46:46
So it's like who who you're really giving it to? Who's the guy that's
46:51
gonna take over and be the creator and be the distributor, And like Italy
46:54
doesn't play that way anymore. And it's kind of sad because you almost play
46:59
Schamaka and Reteggy together and let like Ritegi playoffs comonk maybe try it like that,
47:06
like he's like Retegy's not like your your target man number nine. Like
47:10
maybe he could play off Samak a little bit more because Kamaka is pretty good
47:14
on the ball for a big guy, Like yeah, you know, he's
47:15
good on the ball. He does a lot more than the you know,
47:19
traditional striker does. I don't know, maybe that's an option. I don't
47:21
know if it's something from the start, but I mean, if you're a
47:22
need of goals, maybe you give those two a shot together, because with
47:27
respiradorian ortech, you don't have much height in the box either if if you
47:30
got to Marco a binging crosses and things like that. You know, it's
47:34
tough in such a short tournament because there's so little margin freer for a manager,
47:37
like if this is a club season or even the Champions League right like
47:42
where it's like six group stage matches, like you could say, like,
47:45
you know what, maybe we'll give Belenova a look. He's only played one
47:47
he's only been capped for US one time. But you know, maybe you
47:50
offer some different from de Lorento and we give it a try. But in
47:52
a three match tournament and now a knockout round, like he's not going to
47:55
do it. And like I was at the match that he played at Red
47:59
Bull Arena against Ecuador. He looked good, like the first time I saw
48:01
him, you know, fort the only time he's played, and I was
48:04
like, you know, sitting there with some guys like you know, he's
48:07
got something, is you know, felling of because you know, see him
48:08
a lot for to Reno all that, you know, watch a lot of
48:09
to Reno matches probably and then like you know, he's like, uh can
48:15
do what DeMarco can do on the left a little bit, and you know,
48:16
I guess it's it's maybe too much attacking spotty feels, and so I
48:22
think that's why we're stuck with de Lorenzo, because who else plays on the
48:23
right unless he goes to Cambiaso. Cambiaso seems like the more likely one to
48:28
play because he's the one who's come off the bench. But like, I
48:31
don't think he pulls DeMarco. I know he didn't have a great match either,
48:34
but like he doesn't take a guy like that off right, like no,
48:37
And I think in terms of wing backs, like you got to start
48:40
at least a bit more conservative in that you keep your defensive wing batch in
48:45
DeMarco and Nick, I know you know you're not a big fan of the
48:49
Lorenzo, but maybe I'm in the minority. I don't think he's as bad
48:52
as everyone makes him to see. It makes him out to be. I
48:54
know, obviously got burned versus being and everything, but that was just you
48:59
know, Nico Williams talent. I don't think he made any bad mistakes h
49:05
and he was fine against Croatia. But the number is actually pretty decent against
49:08
CSA. I'm looking down. Yeah, defense is pretty decent. Yeah.
49:12
I think the issue with him is crossing. This is one thing that I
49:15
really wasn't a fan of versus Croatia, as they were crossing a lot,
49:20
especially in the first half and then but they didn't have Skamaka. So if
49:22
you come into the game planning to make all these crosses, why don't you
49:25
have your seven foot tall striker I don't know how tall against the two center
49:30
backs that are probably like six five and six four. Yeah, yeah,
49:32
exactly. And then secondly de Lorenzo. That's one thing where he really struggles
49:37
is the crossing. So if you really want to do those crosses, put
49:42
in Cambiaso and maybe look if they start Skamaka and rey Tigi together, maybe
49:49
you really want to start Cambiaso because he is, uh, he is better
49:52
offensively than De Lorenzo. Maybe maybe De Lorenzo and him are let's say equal
49:59
defensive, but you know it's still I wouldn't start like he's in Za Khanya
50:04
on the wings. And I know a lot of people were saying starts the
50:06
canyon because he scored the goal. Not yet, not yet. I think
50:09
you know, you gotta be careful. I don't know you're the Latsuo fan.
50:14
How no often has has a Kany played let's say second tricker or false
50:19
nine. No sincely been there because we've been playing the four three three true
50:25
listen. I was I was down on Za Kanye making this team because he
50:30
had a very uneven year, right, he some of its injury, but
50:35
you know his in Latzio. You know, nobody had a good year,
50:37
right, So it's tough to single him out. But in my mind,
50:42
you know, you guys know me, I'm a huge fan of Arcellini.
50:44
I thought he was more deserving just based on what he brings to the team
50:47
and based on the position he plays, because he's the only really true right
50:51
winger. But Zakanye, you know, he has that talent and I will
50:57
say he plays hard, right, he gets back when he needs to,
51:00
But is he going to give you the full ninety minutes at international level?
51:04
You know, I don't know. I think that's a tough ask. I
51:07
think I keep going back to it, but you know, we really look
51:10
at the roster up and down to really have creative impact subs. I think
51:15
it's almost more important than started. I think he fits better there. I
51:17
think he fits as a spark clug like he was the last match. I
51:21
don't think he's at that talent level to be the ninety minute guy playing position
51:23
he's not accustomed to. You're gonna do that, you might as well try
51:29
he has as a second striker. I think if you're going to go to
51:30
Cony just based on talent alone, you do need those sparks off the bench
51:36
though so important was last match. Ye And the other thing he brings to
51:40
like he definitely has the knack of a goal scorer for somebody that's a winger,
51:45
you know what I mean, like much more so than than Kios.
51:46
As much as we want Yes to be a goal scorer, let's face it
51:51
right at this point, that's not his strong suit. Yeah, No,
51:55
he has this strong suit was getting into space, running a defenders and you
51:59
know, playing fast like that, And he didn't get to do it against
52:02
Spain because they didn't have the ball enough. And you know, I think
52:06
it it has to be in the right circumstances. I think you're right there.
52:08
I think you got to get him in space and let him run out
52:10
of people. Like I see why like Roma wants him right because de also
52:15
needs someone who could take players on like Roman doesn't have that, but that's
52:19
not what they're I guess Italy needs a guy who's gonna score goals right now,
52:22
right, Yeah, maybe maybe it's Camaca, Maybe maybe it's t Tacky.
52:29
I don't care who it is. I don't care if it's a Let's,
52:30
I don't care if it's a Romanista, I don't care if it's an
52:32
interplayer square at this point, doesn't matter. They're all wearing blue right now.
52:38
So yeah, all that goes aside for these TOURMENTSI you know, I've
52:43
you have to score goals for a lot of years and it didn't do it
52:45
enough for us. But you know, you know, it's crazy today I
52:51
found I found out Italy's high school score for euros in total over their whole
52:59
career is Baltali and Cassano with three goals entire career, not one single euros
53:07
and that was in one Europe, right I think Cassano, I guess he
53:12
scored in two thousand and four of those three goals or he scored one in
53:15
twenty twelve, yeah, definitely. So yeah, so it's crazy. So
53:22
they really don't have like prolific goal scorers at these at these tournaments, like
53:25
Barrella has two you could tie it. You could tie them. And these
53:30
are traditionally short tournaments, even when you do well, because like he used
53:32
to be like three knockout games, it was a six match tournament. Yeah,
53:36
yeah, like that just speaks to like how little that they've done,
53:39
Like, and the Euros have always been, I think traditionally tougher on Italy
53:42
than the World Cup, right, this is that, like the last win
53:45
was only their second win at the Euros. Like I feel like they've always
53:47
performed better at the World Cup for whatever reason. Yeah before twy fourteen or
53:53
yeah that was free Like yeah, uh, astly guys that you know,
54:00
we talked about the group so sorry the group. The bracket, So England
54:08
is on Italy side. There is a potential ready for quarterfinals. It's tough
54:13
to say who could Italy could match up with, let's say, if we
54:15
get to the semifinals, but you know, Belgium's possibility. There's also a
54:20
possibility that England plays Netherlands in the first game. So already this quarterfinals is
54:28
as a potential to be tough, Like how far do you guys see Italy
54:31
going in Let's say the side of the bracket and in the rest of the
54:35
tournament. I mean, if they get by the Swiss and they play well
54:38
against the Swiss, there's no reason they can't beat England. The way England's
54:42
played and the history is a little bit on their side after the last Eros,
54:45
I know, the World Cup qualifying they played or was a euro qualifying
54:49
one of the qualifiers. They didn't play great against them, but they haven't
54:52
been impressive. Like you know, Garris Southgate is getting torn to shred because
54:57
he just can't use some of these talented players appropriately from everything you know.
55:01
People are saying so. But if they get through the Swiss, I could
55:07
see them beating England. Is Belgium as scary as they were during their their
55:13
deep runs and some of the storms, I don't think so. I'm not
55:15
saying Italy will beat them for sure, but I think that the path is
55:19
there with the way this tournament is shaking out for Italy to potentially reach the
55:22
final. I'm not saying they're going to do that, but I think the
55:27
potential is there just because the way the bracket is broken for them. You
55:30
know, if they were on the other side of the bracket and they had
55:31
to get by say Germany first and then possibly Spain and then possibly for like,
55:37
no way in hell they're running through those teams. I don't think back
55:38
to back to back the way they played so far. But seeing that France
55:43
is now on the other side of the bracket, because it was looking like
55:44
for sure France would be on that on our side of the bracket, probably
55:47
between them and Belgium to get to a semi final against England or maybe Lily
55:51
whatever. Now it's like it's like and I know, I get a little
55:57
excited, and maybe I'm being a little optimistic, and I know nick I
56:00
try to bring me down a notch, but I'm not saying they're going to
56:02
do. But I just think the potential is there for a run to the
56:05
final because the way the bract is shaking out, like the other side of
56:08
the bracket is gonna cannibalize itself, right, England's gonna probably rather Spain's probably
56:12
played Germany in the quarterfinals, France probably playing Portugal, and then those winner
56:16
are gonna play each other, and then it's if you get to the finals,
56:19
one off and you know, you never know what could happen. You
56:22
can go to penalty because it went like they did last time if you play
56:23
the right match. So again not saying they're going to do but the path
56:30
is there to make that run that maybe we didn't expect to be there a
56:34
couple of weeks ago. Yeah, Like I said, it's all about adjusting
56:38
expectations right as we go along, and I think now they're we're gonna positively
56:45
adjust those expectations. But it like sets us up for heartbreak almost right,
56:50
because now you're saying, oh, we made it out of the group.
56:52
Awesome. Oh look at the bracket, it's lining up in our favor the
56:55
best it possibly could. Awesome. Well, if disaster strikes and we lose
57:01
a game, now all of a sudden, we heartbroken all over again.
57:04
But you're just describing my life as a sports fan, nick right myself.
57:09
This is why we especially with like these teams. But yeah, you know,
57:15
this is why we do it. But to Steve's point, I mean,
57:19
the expectation should be to beat Switzerland, plain and simple. That I
57:23
think everybody, I hope everybody can come together and share in that opinion.
57:28
You know, it would be a massive disappointment if we lost that game.
57:31
Then you're in the quarterfinals. And if you told me before the tournament that
57:34
we were going to make the quarterfinals, like I said, I'd have been
57:37
very, very happy. But I've now adjusted those expectations because of how poor
57:42
England has been. Assuming England is going to be that opponent, they don't
57:45
look good. Uh you know they Caine has really not done much. Socca
57:51
has been their worst player, I think, quite honestly, it's not to
57:54
say they're not dangerous. They have other guys that are great that haven't seen
57:58
the field yet, but goes back to the same thing. Their defense doesn't
58:01
necessarily worry me. None of this matters if Italy doesn't figure out their own
58:06
shit. We have to start scoring goals. We have to find goals from
58:08
our forward positions, our attacking players. But there's not a team in this
58:15
tournament so far that I could convincingly say that we can't compete with in a
58:20
game to progress. Maybe Spain because they showed us how how how much better
58:27
they are, or their style of play, we don't match up to it.
58:30
Or if France gets hot over the next three matches and they could listen,
58:34
Germany looks really good and anybody could do it. But every single one
58:37
of these teams has given up goals. Every single one of these teams has
58:42
had a game where they've struggled to score. We fall into the same category,
58:46
right, because that's how we've played. But we see one of those
58:50
teams, you're in the final. Like, if we lose the final,
58:52
that's way more than we expected from this. Yeah, so I really I
58:57
think we win the next game. I hope we win the next and we
59:00
have to win the next game, and then anything could happen. Quite honestly,
59:02
let's let's enjoy the journey, let's enjoy the ride. Would we be
59:07
disappointed to lose to this particular England squad. I think we would. But
59:12
is it a no doubter or to say that we compete with them or beat
59:15
them, Not the way we're playing through three games. Yeah, for me,
59:22
I predicted quarterfinals for toly for a tournament. Now it's you know,
59:27
this Switzerland game. I obviously want them to win. I expect them to
59:31
win. But if they play England in the quarterfinals, for me, that's
59:37
already a final because it's possible ever wins that game could go to the final
59:42
out of that side of the bracket. Depends who's coming up on the other
59:45
quarter of the bracket. But to have the opportunity to beat England again would
59:50
be so amazing. And like you said, Nick, they're really not They're
59:52
not good. I've watched every single one of their games. Yep, Like,
59:57
I don't know what the heck they're doing. They're suck straight up,
1:00:00
They're they're so boring, they don't they're you know, obviously it's easy as
1:00:07
an Italian fan to to criticize England, you know, but looking back to
1:00:12
England of your twenty twenty they were a completely different team. Mind you that
1:00:15
it was pretty much a home tournament for them. They played all all their
1:00:19
games except one at Wembley. Uh so maybe they had that boost. But
1:00:25
yeah, they once scored two goals. Wasn't one an own goal? Or
1:00:32
Harry Kane had won for sure? Oh in that first game? Yeah,
1:00:37
I already forget. Yeah, you're but I know, I know Kane did
1:00:42
score. I have to look it up. Belliham scored, Belliums scored against
1:00:45
Serbia and Kane scored against Denmark. No, so two goals, I mean
1:00:51
Italy scored three. So we can't talk too much. But you know,
1:00:53
whatever. Uh. Yeah, And then guys on the other side, you
1:00:59
know, I know, star studded, But do you guys have any favorites
1:01:01
from from that side? Uh? Spain, Germany? Was it? Spain,
1:01:06
Germany, Portugal and France so far? I'm gonna say Germany is because
1:01:10
they're the home side and they've looked pretty good so far. I know Spain
1:01:14
is unbeaten and they would have run into each other potentially the quarterfinals. I
1:01:17
think whoever wins that one head to head has to be the favorite coming out
1:01:21
of that side of the bracket so far. But like I said, France
1:01:22
could get hot in the next couple of matches. They could get a third
1:01:25
place team or whatever in the next match, and all of a sudden they
1:01:29
find their way. Actually they'll be get a second place seam from group,
1:01:30
but like they could get that team might be like a Romania and then they
1:01:36
just tear them to shreds and all of a Suddeny're feeling good and they get
1:01:37
through Portugal and maybe they're they're that team. So it's hard to predict I
1:01:42
think right now from that side, just because there are really good teams there.
1:01:45
They just I think it's gonna come down to whoever finds their game the
1:01:50
fastest, and right now it seems like Spain or Germany. And it's interesting
1:01:53
that they'll be the quarterfinal matchup potentially, so you're gonna get rid of one
1:01:58
of them pretty quickly. And it's it's pretty crazy. Every team has their
1:02:01
strengths, every team has their flaws, every single one of those teams.
1:02:05
Germany's granted they put up five goals in one game, but they're not getting
1:02:09
goals from their forwards right or certainly they're starting for like Havertz for instance.
1:02:15
Yeah, and you know they had that he's been great, but you know
1:02:19
they had this game, just this last game that they drew one one,
1:02:22
right, they needed a really late goal. So they haven't been automatic,
1:02:24
is what I'm trying to say. Spain, same thing. They've won all
1:02:29
their games, but like you know, they won it based on possession and
1:02:32
wearing you down. And I think they have what four or five different goal
1:02:36
scorers. Group scared you, right, Yeah, France has really done nothing.
1:02:44
They're fortunate to be where they are, but they have the most potential
1:02:47
to turn it around and get hot. I think some of their better players
1:02:51
have been on the bench quite honestly, which is kind of weird to me.
1:02:53
And they play that four three three where like the belet has been useless,
1:02:58
so they're struggling. And then you have Portugal who's scoring a ton of
1:03:01
goals. But do you really trust Portugal's defense and goalkeeper, you know,
1:03:06
against these other teams? Right when they have that game that half that sixty
1:03:10
minutes where they don't have two goals already, is their defense going to hold
1:03:15
up? I don't really like their chances. So I'm kind of with Steve
1:03:17
in the sense that Germany seems the most complete, and I think that being
1:03:23
at home is a massive, massive advantage, But it's really anybody's game,
1:03:30
you know. It'd be tough for me to say after this group stage that
1:03:34
anybody's an absolute favorite. On that side, I think I had France tip
1:03:37
to be a lot better. I think I had Portugal tipped maybe to be
1:03:40
a little bit better. But Germany and Spain have impressed me the most so
1:03:45
far, so I think that'll do it for us guys. Obviously, you
1:03:51
guys have your Kicks and Picks podcast. Where can people find out find your
1:03:57
podcast and find you on social media? Yeah, so we have Kicks Picks
1:04:01
podcasts. We're on YouTube, Twitter, all major platforms. We've been putting
1:04:05
out daily plays if anybody's into the sports betting aspect of both the Euros and
1:04:11
Copa America on our YouTube page, so you can find us there Kicks and
1:04:15
Picks podcasts, follow us and then subscribe and you get all those picks.
1:04:18
I also write for Kizzy Toti dot com, which is a Roma site for
1:04:21
any a Roma fans out there, and we have our Across Thrown Overs podcast,
1:04:25
which is we've kind of slowed down for a couple weeks with the transfer
1:04:27
market coming to a bit of a slow down with the Euros, but we'll
1:04:30
be back in a couple of weeks getting that going again too. So that's
1:04:32
where you can find me. Yeah, before before we wrap it up,
1:04:42
is it worth putting on futures bet on Canada winning the Copa America now that
1:04:46
it looks like looking at the group at least right as long as they get
1:04:49
a result against Chile, they'll yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean obviously
1:04:53
depends Chile and Argentina they're playing right now. Zero man. Copa Maris Copa
1:04:58
America is so I'm not gonna call it ugly, but it's so fizzy man
1:05:01
particular. I think it's some way. Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's
1:05:08
a typical copa, but it's good to see. It's fun to see Canada
1:05:12
in it. But for us here on the Couch, guys, follow us
1:05:15
on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Everything the Couch guys, and
1:05:19
obviously listen to us on all your favorite podcasting platforms and obviously YouTube for our
1:05:26
video content. To Nick and Steve, thank you guys so much. This
1:05:29
was an amazing conversation. Even though my voice was half gone, even sounds
1:05:32
like Nick's voice was half gone. Uh, you know, it was an
1:05:36
absolute pleasure to talk to you guys, and I mean forts Fort for Saturday,
1:05:41
right and and enjoy the game. That's it. Thanks for having us,
1:05:45
Thank you brother, save to you. Thanks guys. Show