Neil

Rodwell needs to a) stop getting injured and b) improve quite a bit Richards is better than them both IMO. Does anyone have an actual reason as to where Richards was? What's he done to Hodgson?

The bottom line for me is that he didn't look fit.

Got off lightly, as you'd expect.

Cruel once more to go out on penalties but obviously, the fair result in terms of the game. Thought we started well and with purpose more than anything. We actually got at the Italians and I thought we were the better team for the first 20-25 mins. Quickly after that though we did our usual thing of getting deeper and deeper and obviously this encouraged Italy. Pirlo got on the ball more and of course if he's afforded the time and space he was last night he is going to run the show (from a footballing POV he was outstanding last night, arguably performance of the tournament so far). Thought Young, Milner and Johnson were awful, Rooney didn't look fully fit and Parker was moved all around the place by the smarter Italian movement and possession. Terry and Lescott for the most part were good, Gerrard has been our best player this tournament comfortably, and that's as someone who shall we say isn't Gerrard's biggest fan. One big positive was giving the likes of Carroll and Welbeck some tournament experience, I think there is promise there. But, as per usual, too many players didn't perform and surprise surprise, we got knocked out. Of course, fully advocate analysis at a grass roots level but we've known this for many years.

Pata :lol:

That or he beats the shit out of one of his Man City team mates. Don't think you can get the odds on that.

Balotelli scoring does have that romanticism element; of the apparently mental bloke who gets castigated for being a dick actually scoring the goal that puts England out.

Sneaky. I've had it as public all this time under the assumption others would be doing the same. Apparently though everyone's too scared to do that so fuck it, it's war.

Would be very, very amused if Parker outshines Pirlo.

Come on England you fuckers.

I'm not sure what other recognition you want him to get? He's astonishingly good, but Messi and R9 both outshine him.

Hopefully Andy Townsend is taken hostage in his Tactics Truck.

This is the bottom line. Spain yet again win against a team who had near zero intention of attacking. Did well to score twice.

Also, I've never really seen the fuss over Ribery. It's not just tonight, he so often just doesn't do much in a match and is not, for me, one of the best attacking players in Europe like he's seemingly mooted to be.

One of the worst tournament performances I've ever seen. Completely and utterly spineless. Spain probably couldn't believe their luck at how easy that was.

My thoughts too. I see a list of players but I see no formations, I see no arrows going everywhere, I SEE NOTHING

This is the smart bet.

GET INVOLVED Mike Parker on Twitter: "Is it a wind up that Malouda, Cabaye and Koscielny are starting for France? Do they want to win? Spain must be over the moon!"

Gonna be a massive onus on Benzema and Ribery to sort shit out upfront. Which is odd, because Benzema has been dropping incredibly deep.

Hopefully the guilty party will at least get booked.

In terms of not playing, I wonder where "axed" stands in relation to getting "hauled off".

For those who fancy Spain and England, both to win (90 mins) is 9/2 on PP's latest offer.

Hope this lives up to the quality of players on show. Just think France will be defensive and Spain will find it hard to break them down. Early Spain goal would be good, I guess.

Well, yes, but having 15 selections means you've got a good chance at least 1 will fuck up.

Would lean towards under 2.5 tonight as opposed to over. Lots of talented players on show but have a feeling there won't be loads of good chances. Can easily see ET.