Re: I don’t like football
The better team won.
England lucky to get penalties. Italy are clearly in a different class.
England lost cohesion after about 20 minutes.
In my opinion, overall tournament top three positions on points as follows:
1. Italy
2. Spain
3. England
So England can be very proud of themselves.
The aged Italy team looked a bit tired for the last 20 minutes of extra time. Yet they were still able to play at least as good as England.
Italy clearly dominated for 75% of the game.
In my opinion, the crucial difference overall was that Italy played 1- or 2-touch football, whilst England played 3- or 4-touch football, and even expected time to think about where they were going to pass the ball next.
The better team won.
England have great potential. At times England can play such fast, incisive football which any opposition will find impossible to predict. England really can be undefendable at times. But they need to practice faster possession football.
England may perhaps have done better by following Jurgen Klinsman's advice at half time - to go for the throat - to get the second goal. But then again, I doubt that Italy would have allowed them to do this.
Once it went to penalties, Italy became clear favourites. Not because of luck, or nerves, or psychology, or anything like that. All you needed to do to understand this was look at the height of Jordan Pickford compared to the Italian keeper.