Well nothing new there then.

An average Italian team, by Italian standards, has made a poor England team look even poorer.

That was a real game, played by a real England team, one of quality players!

This comment on the BBC sports site, caught my eye

"Ashley Cole said in an interview on the BBC pre-game that he would never score a goal for England. Why did he take a pen?"

In the group stage England played mediocre or poor for most of the time when I watched, although I think elements of the media were prepared to overhype their performances possibly because of the new manager. This is an average Italian side but it completely outclassed England tonight. Hopefully Woy will now get on with building a new team because this was the swan-song for the so called 'golden generation'.

Because he scored one againt Bayern, you make yourself sound as silly as people that LOL at what just happened.

I wondered how long it be before some numpty starts on the pen takers, forget that, we got what we deserved. NOTHING.

True, but the Older players were probably overall our better players throughout,

Take note of Pirlo lol

Probably because he converted one for Chelsea in the CL final shoot-out a few weeks back, and felt that the confidence he got from that would help him to score tonight.

Spot on.

I fancied the Germans to get the better of Italy when they met in the semis at the 2006 World Cup, and it didn't turn out that way in the end. Judging by his comments after the game tonight, Klinsmann thinks it will be a difficult game for Germany against Italy in a few nights' time.

I see your point, however he supposedly said, "he would never score for England" therefore before even taking the penalty, he's has already laid down a marker saying that he would not score.

Confidence doesn't come into it, except, for the fact that he correctly confidently stated he would not score.

We simply sat off too much and got outplayed, the game was there for the taking in the first half  and we should of encouraged Gerrard to get further up the pitch and let Parker hold, but the English mentality for some reason is to come out 2nd half and sit back, I'd like a fiver for everytime we had all 11 men behind the ball.

I don't think aged played a part either because at one stage we hald Walcott, Young, Rooney & Carroll,and Welbeck when he was on before Carroll,  This is our young front young attacking players yet we hardly attacked.

So if the ball come out to him in open play from 12 yeard out you wouldn't want him to shoot?

Makes no difference any stat you say, I bet Ashley Young has scored a few penalties before and that's probably why he was left on the pitch aslong as he was tbh.

it takes a lot of nerve to take a spot kick in these situations, so well done to those who stepped up but were not good enough, but where were or why were forwards goal scorers not taking them instead of Cole you need a goal scorer who is used to staring down a keeper and putting the ball past him NOT a left full backwho doesnt score goals. this spot kick had to be scored I'm totally dumfounded. We however were second best and I dont feel too bad at going out. its only a game

There are times when I wished I did not like football, and tonight is one of them.

A hugely disappointing performance from England, but I suppose only to be expected. Hart, Lescott, Johnson, Gerrard, Parker and Terry played their hearts out thoughout the tournament, Cole was solid, but I think he is perhaps past his best now. That said, some of the distribution left a lot to be desired, and the ability to hold and play telling passes was all but zero.

The attack, well what attack. How can players who get paid very handsomly fail to grasp the basic rudiments of the game. Young was poor thoughout, Walcott did very little apart from his goal, Carroll the same, Wellbeck tried hard but lost the ball too easily, and Rooney did not seem interested in playing at all, especially tonight. Milner was neither good or bad, but its strange that when he left the field, England seemed to fall apart

As for Hodgson, tactics all wrong, substitutions all wrong, and total lack of enthusiasm and motivation, he has to go.

All in all I have enjoyed the competition so far, but only when England were not playing.

Correct on every BUT why are you another that forgets Ashley Young also missed LOL he is a forward player too,

It's like those in Moscow that remember the JT slip but forget Anelka who is a forward missed on after him

P.S Baines

If the press do turn against Roy Hodgson, they are even more idiotic than I thought. This tournament was supposed to be Capello's swansong as England boss and it was only the fall-out over John Terry losing the captaincy a few months back that was the reason for Postman Pat leaving when he did. Hodgson was only appointed 8 weeks ago IIRC. Personally, I thought the FA would probably go with a caretaker manager for this tournament and then wait until after it before appointing Capello's successor.

So did Rooney play well or not, ~I am led to believe that he was pretty poor.

I couldnt bring my self to mention ashley young I've made my feelings about him clear after previous games, I'm not criticising Cole for missing Just dont think he should be taking important kicks, and if they had 12345 list some one from the management team should have switched them around

He was poor yeah but for some reason England always resort in having him playing too deep, would love us/him to just be patient and play on the shoulder of the last man.

When you have to resort in him tracking Pirlo that tells it's own story, if we played higher up the pitch we wouldn't of had to worry about Pirlo because he would of been worried about us instead and wouldn't of had as much time on the ball as he got, For an Old player he must of felt like he was 21 again.

Should have all been done and dusted in normal time as england we're absolutely awful to be honest but same old same old (shootout loss again)