Luciano Spalletti says he’d be surprised if his players feared not to qualify for Euro 2024 and insists the Azzurri must continue pressing high despite a 3-1 loss against England.
Spalletti lost his first game as Italy’s coach against England on Tuesday and was asked by reporters if he fears not qualifying for the Euros.
“I’d be surprised if my players feared it. We have the quality to face all opponents. This result does not mean we can’t play the brand of football we want,” he said at a post-match press conference.
“We know that situations like the ones of the third goal are not the norm and we know we did the right thing. We have to improve, but we want to continue pressing high, force the opponents to play long balls and defend these long balls in the right way without conceding as we did tonight. Otherwise, we need to change immediately, go backwards and talk about something different and it won’t happen.
“Of course, in some moments, we have to study and understand who will press and when, but that’s what we want to do. Press, tackle hard and have intensity throughout the game.”
I hope he learns from this game. His lineup was bizarre to say the least and we didn’t press England well enough and had no real answers to their press in the second half. Also, we had a distinct lack of physicality and pace in the team – apart from Udogie who was excellent in the main.
Look at the quality first. Italy have 5 players not even starters at their respective clubs: Raspadori, Frattesi , El Sharawy, Kean, Scamacca. Nothing much to talk about.
I didn’t think it was a terrible performance, I do think that England were ultra physical and the referee was lenient with them particularly the last of the summer wine Pirlo, who should have seen red in the first 8 minutes. On the whole we weren’t 2 goals worse. Certainly lots of work to be done especially physcologically, I believe we have the players to do well but we are 2 -3 years behind England developmentally
THIS ITALY IS NOT THE SAME ITALY THAT WENT 3O ODD MATCHES UNBEATEN AND WINNING EURO 2020, AS WE DO NOT PRESS OUR OPPONETS AS WE DID IN EURO 2020. ENGLAND HAVE IMPROVED EVERYTIME WE HAVE PLAYED THEM, SO IT WAS NO SHOCK TO ME WE LOST 3-1.WE NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT MIDFIELD PLAYERS AND A OUTSTANDING GOAL SCORER, AS WE DO NOT HAVE ONE AND ENGLAND DO IN KANE AND LOOK WHAT HE AND RASHFORD DID TO DID TO US LAST NIGHT.I HOPE WE CAN STIIL QUALIFY AND MAKE SOME CAN OF DEFENCE OF THE TITLE WE WON IN GERMANY NEXT YEAR, AS WE ARE STILL WORK IN PROGRESS.ENGLAND HAVE TO BE ONE OF THE BIG GUNS TO WIN IT NEXT YEAR IN MY MIND, AS I NOT SO SURE ABOUT US , IF WE MAKE IT.
I live in Canada and did not see the game.
I have seen the players in the past getting discouraged when things don’t go their way.
Physically and tactically I strongly believe they are ready. Spalletti has to work on their spirit and readiness of mind and nothing will stop Italia.
Forza Italia, there is the world cup next
No italians in seria A very simple.
It’s easy to forget, but the team which won the Euro still had Bonucci and Chiellini, a defensive pair that had been one of the world’s best over the last 15 years. It also had Verrati in relatively good shape, and Chiesa in top-shape, Spinazzola on fire until the 1/4th .
This team, right here, what does it have? Players that are subs in their own clubs and others that are average at best. And then we have Tonali, the one who was supposed to be (one of) the leader of this generation. Well…
Sorry for the negativity, but I guess writing this heps ventilate the frustration a bit ^^’
I thought Spalletti was the wrong choice from day 1. One good year does not make a good manager. Italy should have gone for someone like Dionisi for example a bright forward thinking young manager. Spalletti thinks he is clever and a bit of a maverick but in reality he is an intransigent fool who thinks that only he is right.
Cannot understand making 8 changes for the England game together with playing Scalvini with virtually no experience against one of the best strikers in world football. Not to mention players that are not even guaranteed a starting place in their own teams playing for Italy and one of the biggest travesties in playing Cristante in a playmaker role with Locatelli on the bench. Aaaahh