Paolo ...... during the Italian game yesterday they shut down Romania. OOOOHHHHHHHH .... ROMANIA!!!

They were lucky to beat Sweden and Turkey. Now they play the hosts (very unmannerly hosts) who are a very confident well oiled machine. Italy has NOT ben playing very well. If Italy plays on their heels, like they did yesterday, or against Sweden or Turkey and let Holland run the game ..... bye bye Italy. It is one thing to let Sweden or Turkey or Romania control the game. You let this Dutch team control the game, and your Italians could end up like Yugo (especially if they start Del Piero).

Woody_007's Fearless Prediction

Holland 3 - Italy 1

KLUIVERT IS A SENSATIONAL STRIKER!!!

WAY BETTER THAN THOSE OVERATED W*ANKERS INZAGHI AND DEL PIERO!!!

AND RAUL DIDN'T MANAGE TO SCORE AGAINT YUGOSLAVIA, SO WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT NY STRIKER CAN SCORE THAT MANY GOALS PAST YUGOSLAV'S DEFENSE.

ORANJE IS JUST WAY BETTER THAN THAT HOPELESS
AZURRI TEAM, ITALY WILL NEVER WIN EURO 2000!!!

The only way that Italy will have ANY chance is trying to impose an attacking game from the 1st miunte. I hate that Conte is out but for this game it could be an advantage: di Biagio is a good playmaker, he and Albertini plus Fiore must pass the ball, and most importantly get Zambrotta involved in the offense!!! He played right-wing-forward when he was younger, now Zoff uses him as a wing-back.
It makes no sense going into this game trying to defend. It must be full-court offense! I'd rather go down 5-2 than 3-0!

U actually think its gonna be easy for Holland to go through Maldini-nesta-Cannavaro-Iuliano ,if so ,you people dont know soccer at all .And of course Toldo.Just because Holland beat Yugoslavia ,it doesnt mean that its going to an offensive game against italy ,Rijkaard even said after the game that they will play more cautious football versus Italy than they did against Yugoslavia.

One day you fans will realise that the defence is rarely at fault for a score like that. It is almost always the midfield that causes poor team defence. Yugoslavia's problem is their midfield. Holland are not as good as they appear. Having said that, why is it that fans always seem to know the obvious and the coaches do not. Sinisa never has and never will be a wingback. If they want him to play so badly they should try to develop him as a sweeper, in the Sammer style (with less defence responsibilities).

I could be wrong...........

And we're in for a beating Thursday I guess...

Anyone can score on that terrible defense of Yugoslavia .Italy's defense is a 100 percent better than Yugoslavia's Defense .

You're plain stupid. Seen that 1-0? Stopping the ball while running and beating the keeper.

GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL

Got it punk? This kid is incredible, and also if the Yugoslavian defense was awful (12 goals in 4 games), Kluivert had a top-match.
But you'll never give up your sheer ignorance towards Pat.

If you saw Kluivert's first goal ,you would notice that 3 defensemen were out of their posisition and so was the goalie ,that is called a huge mistake ,Italy rarely lets someone go in the box unnoticed and if an opponent does ,theres always a backup of defensemen who will take the ball away .