Italy face England in a fantastical fixture which will always garner your attention…no matter the stage. These two proud nations clash in Milan with no real impressive momentum wave – but you know that will have absolutely no effect on the competitiveness and the physical clash in store.
It’s a new-look England who will be hoping to have their voices heard once again, but they face a tricky old challenge in a tricky old city!
To Win (90 mins)
Italy 33/20
Draw 19/10
England 31/20
Italy
Italy have remained as inconsistent as ever – but that is something slowly but surely being associated with Roberto Mancini’s men. If ever there has been a side who have sat on Europe’s thrown and then also kneeling at its fit in quick succession – it is the Italian football side!
Their results are a mixed bag and so I wouldn’t blame you for your doubt. They have won just two games from their last nine, most recently losing to Germany 5-2 in June. They have never lost consecutive games under Mancini’s reign, and I don’t suppose that will start now surely.
My worry, however, is that their most often praised asset – their defensive prowess – doesn’t seem to be holding much water these days either. They have conceded 13 goals in their last handful of matches and are offering very little on the other end of the pitch.
Italy will no doubt have something to prove playing at home, but I worry that they are still a little too static and pedestrian in their approach. The occasion might actually turn out to be a cauldron of pressure and the home crowd will not settle for anything less than a performance full of merit.
PREVIEW: With club football on hold, we turn our attention to the international friendly games
England
England haven’t won a game since March this year and you get the feeling that pressure is slowly but surely mounting on Gareth Southgate. Their last four games have yielded just one goal scored and six conceded! Worrying signs for a team upbeat about their chances of bringing football back home to the Kingdom…
England now travel to Italy having won none of their last five visits, usually the fact that Italy have struggled to maintain clean sheets would have been an indicator to suggest England might finally turn the tide – but the Three Lions have failed to score in as far as the mind can recall anyway!
Harry Kane has played a role in all of England’s Nations League games and given that he has begun kicking on under the leadership of Antonio Conte – his national side might have something to look forward to.
Southgate has picked a fresh and revived squad, a selection which is clear to have been achieved purely on merit. You think of players like Ivan Toney who are now being given an opportunity after consistently registering impressive performances for Brentford in the Premier League.
It’s always interesting to see what sort of shape these national sides start taking as we get closer to the World Cup; you think already about the discussion around the English keeper…
Nevertheless, I think England needs this sort of minor reshuffle and a strong show of intent by the management team.
PREVIEW: The Nations League continues
Prediction: England Win/Draw + Under 2.5 (13/10)
I think a cagey affair is on the cards here. These two teams will be desperate to get a positive result, they haven’t managed to capture the greatest sort of preparation and time is no longer on their side to start making any serious wholesale changes.
England will be interesting to watch given the side Gareth Southgate has preferred, but I can’t see Italy really getting a positive result. Playing at home they will be pushed to get a result and take the game to their hosts…this might leave an already insecure defensive line exposed to a dangerous counter attack – surely England score at least once?
