wow, so after all that england top the group.



England obviously have to improve alot, but come on, even the most pessimistic must admit we have a better chance of progressing to the semi than if we were to play reigning champions spain?

Italy are obviously no mugs, but im starting to fancy our chances here.

Amazing how much better Gerrard plays without the carthorse known as Lampard alongside him.

another assist today as well, you have to say he's been england's best player so far.

Anyone else feel we can do the italians?

I don't think it's the lack of a Lampard, I think Roy has made him realise he's not Maradona. He's playing far deeper than he usually would and he's been superb so far.

The Liverpool fans on here can criticise him all they like, but he's done more in a month than most England managers have done in their entire spell as manager. He's tactically sound and recognises the weaknesses in the team well and reacts to them. He was always a better manager than KKK and is doing a fantastic job.

Italy in the next round look beatable. They aren't great defensively, don't have a settled lineup and seem to lack that individual brilliance and solidity Italian teams have always had. Obviously though they still have more than enough quality in Pirlo alone to destroy this England squad, but there is no man I'd rather be in charge now than Roy. We at least have a chance. But please Roy, please, Oxlade Chamberlain over Milner. He's been truly appalling so far and hasn't got involved in any capacity in any of the games we've played so far. He has no touch, a poor engine and very little quality about him.

Funny as well to be on the right side of a clearly wrong goal line decision tonight. After that, don't be surprised to see Platini rush the new technology in before the Quarters, he will be livid about that.

Before the competition began, I'd have seen England getting to the quarter finals as an achievement in itself. Now that we have made it and are playing a very average Italy team next, lets give it a shot. Just start with Walcott instead of Milner.

I agree. Italy so far haven't played with an out and out fullbacks and their team lacks pace overall.

We have the players to really exploit them.

Maggio? Balzaretti?

IMO, Italy will be a completely different test to what England have faced so far. As I said before, they're quite a defensive side but they know how to play and attack with intent. Cassano's always lively, Balotelli is unpredictable and Pirlo is far better than anything we have. They have great industry, great tactical awareness and superb support from their full backs/wide players. If England sit and defend, Italy will move the ball well and ask a fair amount of questions of England's defence. If England attack, they should be able to take what England throw at them as they play with three at the back and Marchisio and Motta offer great industry to compliment Pirlo.

I like the Italians, I think their biggest weakness is up front. Balotelli is too inconsistent and stupidly erratic, but he's pretty much their only option.

If we play Walcott or the Ox on the right, Glen Johnson will be the recipient of football sodomy.

If king kenny was in charge you'd be lauding our chances.

WTF has King Kenny got to do with anything? He's the most talked about manager at these championships and he's not even got a job!

Mention where I've brought Kenny up once? Mention where I even talk about Roy in the last comment? You just don't like that I've made you look a complete tw*t because you're talking about an Italian national side you've not even watched.

You must admit roys shown himself to be shrewd operator so far for england, and not in fact the devil himself as many liverpool fans would have us believe.

England have their flaws, but personally I'm just happy to be watching a committed England side again. One that is full of team spirit and energy...and not the massive Ego's, arrogant press conferences and disappointments of the last decade.

Getting to the Quarters is a good result, if they can get to the Semi's that would be a fantastic tournament with the players we have available.

I never saw the game, I was at work tonight. If Roy does a good job with England, does it suddenly mean he was the right man to manage Liverpool? Does that mean that every Liverpool fan is wrong about him and that he is actually a great manager? Roy wasn't sacked because fans didn't like him, he was sacked for poor results, just like Kenny was, yet somehow people are of the opinion that Roy is now definitely a better manager than him. Ask any Liverpool fan, any fan that watches/watched the teams, and ask them which side they preferred, Kenny's or Roy's? Every fan would say Kenny's yet you will tell them they're all wrong because England are out of the groups?

Roy can do whatever he wants in his career, he was never the right man for Liverpool, if you think he was you are utterly thick.

Milner is in because he can, in theory, attack and defend.
And such as Walcott can only attack.
The truth is that Milner is useless at both attack and even more so at defence. He is like a cardboard cut-out that is easily by-passed in defence.
Also Young is a great attacker, but an absolutely useless wing defender.
So our attacking/defending wingers are seriously flawed when used in this way.

There is simply too much pressure heaped on our back line by these inept muppets, who offer them little protection.

Contrast Gerrard ... Captain Fantastic.

Just looked up Graham Carr in a reference book of Football league Players Records 1946-92.

b.Newcastle 25/10/44, centre half, England Youth international.

He was originally an apprentice at Northampton Town and played 85 league games from 1962-68, which was during their amazing rise and fall from Division 4 to Division 1 and back again.

Signed for York City in June 1968 and made 33 appearances.

Signed for Bradford PA in July 1969 and made 42 league appearances in what must have been the club's final season in the Football League.

I know he continued playing non-league football during the seventies for various clubs including either Dartford or Maidstone United (possibly both) and is a very experienced manager in his own right, mostly at Conference level with Nuneaton Borough and Kettering Town. I think he also managed Northampton Town for a while.

IMO: Kenny Dalglish would not even contemplate taking the England manager's job even if it was the last one on Earth for the very same reason that Sir Alex Ferguson would not want it: the prospect of a Scotsman leading out the England national team out at Hampden Park against Scotland.

Di Natale? Cassano? Borini? Giovinco? I like their forward options a lot.

Apparently Chiellini is out injured and they'll miss him. That could prompt Prandelli to drop de Rossi back into the defence

Did Mark's love child play last night? Anomynous.

They are good players, but none of them offer what Balotelli does. He holds the ball up, asks questions physically of the defence and provides a 'target' for them if they need it. Di Natale is a class player but I've never been that convinced by him when he plays for The Azzurri; he's a good option off the bench. They are all good players, Cassano is class but they definitely need that 'outlet' that Balo can be. If Balo has his head screwed on, Italy should beat England but it will be a close game. Not sure why people are being so dismissive of the Italians.

Agree to an extent, certainly about Balotelli. Think you're a tad harsh on di Natale. He's all class, but age and persistent injury mean he is restricted to a supporting role.

And no, I don't know why Italy are being so casually dismissed.

Completely agree. Milner may not be the fastest, most inventive player but they hardly had a sniff down his flank until he started to run out of steam. If we play Walcott down there we'll effectively be playing 4-2-4 which will see us get torn apart.

That would have made him 24 when he signed for BPA. Incredible! He looked about 40.

We were far from at our best yesterday but we got the result. I fancy us against the Italians.

Every report I've read about the game says that Ukraine were unlucky with the Terry clearance and now Sepp is calling for goal line technology, but nobody has mentioned that the guy was a mile offside. Why isn't Sepp criticising his officials?

Always has to be an MUFC scapegoat, even when the team are doing well.

By who?

I don't think anyone is dismissing them at all. I think people are understandably happy that England have avoided the arguably more difficult task of facing the World & European Champions.