[theo_luddite]

A couple of things (or so) to remember:

1. We were playing the best current side in world football. 30-odd games unbeaten and we're only the 4th to draw with them in 90 or 120 minutes. Do you really think anyone is gong to dominate them for 90 minutes right now let alone beat them?
2. We were all over them like a rash for 20-30 mins before Mancini managed to get them on the front foot. Something they'd been in first with pretty much every game up to the final. Spain were the only other side to keep 'em in their own half for a decent part of the matches that I saw.
3. It's not just the manager it's also the players. No side would keep that pace up against Italy.
4. How many fans were giving us a sniff of the final before Italy started it all off with a 3-0 win?
5. You can only play as well as the other side lets you. See 2 above for the rest of that one.
6. Was there really a need for wholesale England subs? No.
7. Why did we go defensive? Well pretty obvious, Italy started out like they used to, sitting back waiting to catch us on the break. Going 1 down after 2 minutes wasn't in their game plan either. They hadn't sat back quite far enough. Then eventually they moved their back 4 and everyone else a few (well many to be obvious) yards up the pitch and pressed us in our half rather then the cynical fouls in theirs. (They came later).
8. Could Southgate have made some subs earlier? Yes. Would it have changed the game? Doubtful. Why? We couldn't string two passes together or hit a long punt to anyone that was getting on the end of the ball at this stage. We can all be Mr. Hindsight and say Grealish would have done this, he would have done that. Not if he wasn't getting the ball he wouldn't. When he did we all saw what happened. They were doing anything they could get away with to take him out of the game.
9. As for penalties, they are all professional footballers. Not getting a free thump at the ball on target from that distance isn't forgivable. If the keeper saves it when it's on target - well you do know the keeper is a professional footballer too. As someone said earlier, there's an art to saving them just as much as scoring them.
10. Most of the players have known Southgate through the Under 21's and whatever age groups he used to coach in the England set-up. They believe in what he's telling them to do.
11. He maybe "lucked into the job" when Allardyce blew his chance, but you make your own luck. He's already laid the foundations
with the FA in Burton. Really, would we be having this discussion about Allardyce getting a defensive minded hoofball England side into a Euro final and drawing 1-1 with the best team in World Football? Not a snowball's chance.

Subs. Stick with him and don't tell me he isn't prepared to learn either.