The Juventus midfielder feels the Three Lions have been unimpressive so far at the European Championship, and is confident the Azzurri will exploit their weaknesses.
"People talk about England playing the Italian way, but that's rubbish. Only Italy can play the Italian way. And we do not care for anyone who tries to impersonate us," Pirlo stated to Sky Sports.
"Maybe they will adopt a different approach against us, but I doubt it because in some ways they are very predictable.
"I have seen some of England's games in this tournament. They have been more practical than impressive, and we are confident of beating them.
"They have weaknesses that we can exploit, particularly in midfield. They are missing some key players and I think we will have the measure of them in that area.
"They also look very nervous at times in defence and, France aside, they have not had to play against too many big nations."
― dis civilization and its contents (nakhchivan), Sunday, 24 June 2012 16:22 (eleven years ago) link
so fucking otm
Virginie Caprice predicted last night's match correctly:
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu216/le_bateau_ivre/tietenmeisjegoktspanjefrankrijkgoed.jpg
Now she predicts a 1-0 win for England:
https://p.twimg.com/AwKPTSeCIAIfUz4.jpg
So you know. She's no octopus either.
― HO WBEAUTIFUL IS THE GENTLYFALLINGBLOOD? (Le Bateau Ivre), Sunday, 24 June 2012 16:28 (eleven years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/9bAfl.png
― dis civilization and its contents (nakhchivan), Sunday, 24 June 2012 16:37 (eleven years ago) link
https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/285661_10150845781231735_992750403_n.jpg
― DX Dx DX (dan m), Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:00 (eleven years ago) link
Haha, that's awes DanM!
― HO WBEAUTIFUL IS THE GENTLYFALLINGBLOOD? (Le Bateau Ivre), Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:31 (eleven years ago) link
Who are England playing in the World In Motion video? I always had in mind it was Yugoslavia, but they don't look like Yugoslavs. Is it Uruguay?
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 17:33 (eleven years ago) link
England: Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Young, Rooney, Welbeck. Subs: Green, Kelly, Walcott, Henderson, Carroll, Baines, Jones, Jagielka, Downing, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Defoe, Butland.
Italy: Buffon, Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Balzaretti, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Rossi, Montolivo, Balotelli, Cassano. Subs: Sirigu, Maggio, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Thiago Motta, Di Natale, Giaccherini, Borini, Giovinco, Diamanti, Nocerino, De Sanctis.
Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal)
― HO WBEAUTIFUL IS THE GENTLYFALLINGBLOOD? (Le Bateau Ivre), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:04 (eleven years ago) link
I'm right looking forward to this. Nobody does this quite like England.
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:14 (eleven years ago) link
pens. probly.
― PSOD (Ste), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:20 (eleven years ago) link
Both of these teams are worldbeaters at going out of tournaments pissing and whining and crying injustice but I'm still tipping Italy here.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:36 (eleven years ago) link
It's fucking loud in that stadium by the way.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link
Either that or the BBC are economising and have been given the shit studio.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:38 (eleven years ago) link
My dad's at this, I just hope it's better than the other quarter-finals.
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:38 (eleven years ago) link
oh no lawro
― PSOD (Ste), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:46 (eleven years ago) link
ooh this could be bad
― PSOD (Ste), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link
crikey
― reflexing cozen stail (cozen), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link
wow
― irrational angst that makes me innocuously thingy (darraghmac), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link
lol
― caek, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link
Jesus, this is looking desperate already
― Nessun Biscotto (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link
A slice, according to Lawro.
― Desire is withered away from the sons of men! (aldo), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
amazing
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
fuckin hell
― reflexing cozen stail (cozen), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
oh wow another great chance, this one for enguland
― PSOD (Ste), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
best save of the tournament winner
― Ludo, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:50 (eleven years ago) link
all he has to do there is score it
― reflexing cozen stail (cozen), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:53 (eleven years ago) link
Ray Houghton just expressed surprise that wayne rooney wasn't deployed to man mark pirlo.
― irrational angst that makes me innocuously thingy (darraghmac), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:53 (eleven years ago) link
Italy looking rattled now
― Nessun Biscotto (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:58 (eleven years ago) link
both these sides are pretty bad
― caek, Sunday, 24 June 2012 18:59 (eleven years ago) link
Still can't separate Buffon and Todd Traynor.
― Desire is withered away from the sons of men! (aldo), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:04 (eleven years ago) link
How'd that happen?!
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:10 (eleven years ago) link
Mario has to do better there.
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:10 (eleven years ago) link
mario and even more so cassano looking completely off
― sonderangerbot, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:14 (eleven years ago) link
Was an excellent run & pass, nobody at fault there
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:14 (eleven years ago) link
ffs at least get them on target from there
― PSOD (Ste), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:17 (eleven years ago) link
Decent move
― Nessun Biscotto (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:17 (eleven years ago) link
Cassano's made some weird choices so far
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:18 (eleven years ago) link
Cassano really looking like pish
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:18 (eleven years ago) link
England settling for being the passive side now
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:21 (eleven years ago) link
ie have gone to shit already
― PSOD (Ste), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:21 (eleven years ago) link
italy looking like pish, tbh
― irrational angst that makes me innocuously thingy (darraghmac), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:21 (eleven years ago) link
May the least pish side win
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:23 (eleven years ago) link
cassano powering one into ashley cole's backside
― reflexing cozen stail (cozen), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:25 (eleven years ago) link
Loving this tbh
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:26 (eleven years ago) link
Is the pitch particularly slippery or are England just incapable of staying on their feet?
― Matt DC, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:27 (eleven years ago) link
Rooney's passing has been so rotten
― jacob von logflume (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:27 (eleven years ago) link
xp They should stop slamming Diamond Whites before the match.
― Jeff Goldblum is watching you, pope! (snoball), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:28 (eleven years ago) link
ashley young/rooney/gerrard joke
― irrational angst that makes me innocuously thingy (darraghmac), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:28 (eleven years ago) link
excellent stuff, another 45 like that please
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:30 (eleven years ago) link
lol at Lawro not getting/ruining the mole joke
― jacob von logflume (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 24 June 2012 19:30 (eleven years ago) link