UEFA Euro 2020

Italy have been the stand out team at the tournament but were there for the taking. Not really a surprise they came out tops heading into penalties with Pickford and Donnarumma between the sticks. Pickford did himself proud though, even if he is a liability. England still aren’t playing to this teams potential, they lack balls and were made to pay for it at the World Cup and within this tournament. Only reason we got though to the final stages within both competitions with such defensive football is due to easy draws. We have a young squad though and will learn from this. Are there any examples in history where subs to take penalties have paid off?

Cowardly from Southgate to give Sancho and Rashford 0 minutes and expect them to take the penalties, and then Saka who has had little to no experience in high level pressure situations. Sancho and Saka i believe are just 20 and 19

Then again maybe Sterling and Grealish who are more experienced maybe did not fancy it?

Id of had them both take penalties before Saka.

I dont understand this giant weight on England when it comes to Pens. I told my friend before the KO. I think England will win but if it goes to Pens they'll lose. Is it just expected now?

Secondly,   Southgate knows more about Football than I'll ever know. But, I'm an American sitting in Youngstown Ohio and I never would of put the weight an entire nation on the shoulders of 2 kids who are 19 and 21. Especially the last taker. Hes 19 for gods sake. Why didn't Sterling take it or why didn't Kane go last?

Coz he has no balls to take a pen, but he is good at going down

Certainly agree with the latter.

Cant argue based on the second half performance of Italy that sadly Southgate played right into their hands. If Sothgate kept same formation and pressed high again I'm sure we could of got that second goal to kill the game.

Yep. Simple fact is Southgate made no attempt to win that game.

Bizarre but at least he's taken responsibility for it. That's real leadership so credit to him on that.

Kane not one touch in their 18yd box 

Italy deserved winners, I still maintain it wasn't the tournament of the best quality but they were still the best team. Dominated the teams that let them and dug deep in the last two.

Only a few weeks before the stuff that actually matters starts though!

Yeah on a whole they were the best team. Just feel sick because Southgate never kept the high press in second half. Our flanks became none existent and Italy then took control.

A stronger manager would of took that lazy tw*t Kane off and get Calvert-Lewin on who would of caused the Italian centre-backs more problems.

Typical grey England management!

A stronger manager would of took that lazy tw*t Kane off and get Calvert-Lewin on who would of caused the Italian centre-backs more problems.

Typical grey England management!

Southgate simply doesn't like change, with that bench he has just doesn't make sense. So annoying and frustrating. He isn't up for it.

I'm speechless that Sterling and Hendo didn't take a pen. Just speechless! Hendo is a f***in' assassin. He eats pressure and then pisses goals. Sako is a kid who for whatever reason was made to take a pen kick in the most important moment in English Football since 1966. Hes 19. 1 quick moment and his career is forever changed now because of poor managerial decisions.

Kane not one touch in their 18yd box 

Been woeful all tournament.

Southgate what a F***ing bottle job.

Too scared to go and win it - outrageous really when you think of the fire power he had to call upon but left them all sitting on the bench.

His tactics are outdated these days.

England bottled it and the reason was because they are led by a defensive passive grey manager - won’t get a better chance to win a tournament

Italy by far the better team and deserved winners.

Sad times when they make an 18 year old take the 5th pen. Sterling not fancy it?

Didn’t take long for England fans to start racially abuse their own players 🙄 19 year old lad their target

I'm speechless that Sterling and Hendo didn't take a pen

He took Hendo off in the 118th minute for Rashford.

Imagine having that array of attacking talent at your disposal and making those changes so late

2 penalty specialists fu**ed it!!

wow

Gutted for Jordan

Imagine having that array of attacking talent at your disposal and making those changes so late

Kane did nothing after half an hour. He started the game brilliantly but in the second half he had become a liability. Falling down, making the wrong pass, refusing to pass, generally getting turned inside out. It's not the first game of this type where he has gone missing (Spurs fans can vouch for that when they lost to us in Madrid two years ago). It's what prevents him from being a top top player in my mind.

But at the same time, while all that talent went squandered and unused, it might not have made a difference. Italy's defence, especially that classic pairing at centre back, were phenomenal from Shaw's goal onwards.

If you're going to hippoty hoppiity about with a penalty you better score it.

There was however no need for England to play like that V Italy when man for man we have the stronger squad. 30% of the ball in the first 90 mins and 1 shot on target in 120.

If Italy had have lost it would have been a injustice as they approached the game looking to win it. It was the worst thing England did score early because like Croatia 3 years ago we just sit back and dig ourselves a trench we cut escape from.

All the talk of training on small pitches and a new England philosophy with the City lads, Mount, Rice, Grealish, Hendo who can all receive a pass and we go and do that. It looked like players who didn't want to play in tight areas under pressure to me and that is why England lost.

Rice and Phillips as a midfield duo no need to say any more.

He took Hendo off in the 118th minute for Rashford.

Yeah I know he was subbed off but my point is, why? Hendo is the Liverpool captain who won 4 Trophies in a 12 month span. He would of buried his PK. Instead they put it all on a 19yr old. I dont understand the rationalization of that decision.

Yeah I know he was subbed off but my point is, why? Hendo is the Liverpool captain who won 4 Trophies in a 12 month span. He would of buried his PK. Instead they put it all on a 19yr old. I dont understand the rationalization of that decision.

I'd love to see the stats on these last minute subs to take pens. Just seems like a huge extra amount of pressure bringing a player on just to take one kick. Does it normally work out? I doubt it.