congrats to Italy, but the result is BAD for soccer.................

I have to admire the fighting spirit the Italians showed and the fact that they won, because in the end that's what its all about...winning! But, I hate to see a side prevail by packing the box with all their players and not even trying to attack. Especially a side with such naturally gifted and creative players as Italy. I had hoped that the type of attacking creative soccer teams like Portugal and Holland displayed would win out over "Dark ages" soccer. I hope the days when defenses ruled and 0-0 or 1-0 scores were the norm do not come back. That was sooooooooooooooooo boring and unappealing. I guess we can all see that it is effective though.

Congrats to Italy, but please do something interesting in the final.

I love defense ,especially seeing Maldini causing trouble to strikers or Nesta covering Kluivert so well .Whjat is special with Italy's defense is that theyhave patience ,many teams cant do that like Italy .Cannavaro is also a great tackler .The whole line of defense held very well for 130 minutes .

What are you talking about not trying to attack, did you happen to notice Delvecchio who had probably 3 break-away opportunities and one awesome almost goal? It bugs me that people see just because a team has no posession they are playing bad. Italy still had some of the best scoring chances in the game!

Oh yeah and I wished those BBC announcers would shut up about how Italy ruined soccer, those people ruined the game for me by getting me pissed off at their ignorance, just because they don't play dumb-arse defense like England, they ruin soccer??!!! screw them BBC people.

Actually, during the "dark ages" of soccer, the attack was dominant...teams using 2 defenders 5 midfielders, and 3 forwards would not have been too uncommon during the dark ages...

Perhaps, Italy might not be a good prospect for television, but they are a great benefit for the football community...it really does take skill (total skill) to defend with less-than-a-full-team against the attacking-likes of Holland...

you missed his point completely, even if it was somewhat melodramatic. I think he was lamenting the fact that Zoff has a team that matches Holland equally, man for man, and yet he and his team decides (FROM THE KICKOFF!) that they aren't good enough to play credible football.

A win is a win, but to suggest ITALY WON BECAUSE OF DEFENCE is disingenuous. Holland missed a penalty and had one saved, struck the post during play, and probably ought to have benefitted from at least one other player being sent off. Italy did nothing special, actually, I think you are too elated for your team to realise that Italy were poor. Containing Kluivert in a pocket defence is no miracle, in fact, that was what Holland EXPECTED, it would have been virtually impossible to isolate Kluivert in a six man, 18 yard zone. His role was to play with his back to goal and open space for the midfielders.

Italy needs to obtain answers for their coaches elementary error to isolate Zambrotta against two excellent flankers (Zenden & Giovanni).

Nevertheless, its always difficult to defend for a protracted period as they have, so hats off...............but Del Piero continues to disappoint


I could be wrong

The defense was solid whether u like it or not .How many teams other than maybe france can play defense wothout conceiding a goal in 130 minutes with 1 man down ?You think its easy for the defenders to always stay back and defend .The defender have to concentrate and think quickly cause he knows that one mistake can cost his team the match .Physically the defenders get very tired and for the italian defenders to resist 130 minutes is something that shows you that they have hearts and will do anything .You take all this for granted ,but i would like to see you in Nesta's shoes or Maldini and the tremendous pain and suffering they went throught to stop kluivert and company .

or the tremendous pain the post felt wen kluivert struck it - Holland beat Holland .. Italy played their own game well.

5 missed penalties out of 6 - Holland gave the game to Italy.. Italy did not take the game by the balls.

First of all ,the shot from bergkamp to hit the post was before Zambrotta got sent off in wich they put everyone in a defensive role .Yes ,Holland did have a few chances ,but they had many blue shirts in front of them wich made it impossible for the opponents to go through .On open play ,holland didnt have much chances ,even when they got to shoot at the goalkeeper ,their were no way they could of scored since the goalkeeper was cutting all the angle because of his phisicall presence .And yes the defense was solid even if they looked tired at the end .Against Yugoslavia ,Holland were all over Yugoslavia's defense and with Italy ,they just had the ball and lost it quickly and they would clear it .Holland had probably 2 or 3 chances of really scoring ,but most of their chances were really restricted cause the defense and the goalie restricted them of space ,btw we had better chances than Holland,we had 3 breakaways from Delvecchio ,but he aint no Christian Vieri unfortunately .The biggest chances for Holland were not from open play but from those 2 pk and yet they didnt score and they werent fluke cause Toldo made the right decision in the first one and Kluivert hit the post wich should be his fault .Anyways ,both team played very well ,this game truly deserve to be played in the penalty shootout cause they both played equal except with different tactics .

For probably the first time ever I'm going to say, I AGREE with Antithesis
Paulo, if you think the defence was solid then that's your opinion. Mine is that Bergkamp struck the post when he slipped between that solid defence, two penalties conceded, Seedorf doing a move similar to bergie and he sent his shot wide, nope, sorry, if that's your version of solid then you have another thing coming.
Truth of the matter is, given the big share of possession, two penalties, playing a side down to 10 men, Holland beat Holland.

Can we all play a quick game. The game is called, find the real Polishpower, cause the person using his nick is an imposter. He's no longer neutral, no longer the wisdom in sometimes plain stupid topics, it just ain't him I tell you !

You are wrong when say Italy don't play well but our CALCIO (Football, SOccer....) is so........ Do yuo understand?
During the year Zoff have no time to prepare an offensive team and well he uses the CATENACCIO and the CONTROPIEDE.
WE are MAESTRI in this but in final will be an other thing....... I'm sure that Totti and Del Piero will play together since the 1st minute