England – Italy Prediction & Picks (27.03.2018)

While numerous nations played their first matches in the international break on Friday and Saturday, the second test follows at the beginning of the week. On Tuesday evening, the Wembley Stadium in London will be an absolute classic: The English national team will welcome Italy. While the “Three Lions” have to prepare for such a dress rehearsal for the upcoming World Cup in Russia, the friendlies for the Italians are just a showcase before they have to watch the other nations in the finals in the summer. After all, the Squadra Azzurra in such high-profile test matches with good performances show that you are wrongly not at the World Cup here. In the first attempt on Friday, the project failed but with a 0-2 defeat against Argentina. How is the showdown with the Englishmen going?

England:

Gareth Southgate has been in office in England since September 2016. He was initially hired as an interim coach for Sam Allardyce, who had been released because of a revelation scandal after a short term. Two months later, Southgate rose to the new head coach. The coach likes to play in the 3-4-3 system, even though he does not always have the right players for the squad like against Holland. The “Three Lions” are playing defensively stable under the coach, but rather downright offensive. With this tactic, the English national football team could win on Friday, after all, 1-0 in Amsterdam. It was the first success against Oranje since the European Championship 1996.

In the offensive is currently missing in all corners of the injured Harry Kane. In qualifying, the “Three Lions” in Group F had prevailed as the table first. Against Slovakia, Scotland, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta they survived the qualification undefeated and only with three goals conceded. However, they played in Slovenia and Scotland “only” draw. England have been unbeaten in seven internationals (five wins, two draws), and they have not had to concede a goal for five internationals.

At the World Cup, England will face Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G. It seems as if the English want to prevent further embarrassment at the World Cup. In the 2014 World Cup, England lost to Costa Rica in the group stage after a 0-0 draw and Iceland in the last 16 of the European Championship.

Italy:

The Italian national team is facing difficult times. After beating the Swedes in the play-offs for the World Cup in Russia, the hour zero was proclaimed in Italy. For the first time since 1958, the Italians will not be present at a World Cup finals. The whole country fell into shock. National coach Giampiero Ventura, of course, resigned from his post following the embarrassing failure of the four-time world champion in qualifying. His successor was, if only intermittently, U21 coach Luigi Di Biagio.

He celebrated his debut as a new Italy coach in the friendly against Argentina. But the Italian Football Association is looking for a great solution: Names like Roberto Mancini, Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti and Claudio Ranieri should be in the selection. Goalkeeper legend Buffon returned to the goal in the friendly on Friday. The keeper after the play-off against Sweden had actually announced his retirement from the national team. Milan’s shooting star Patrick Cutrone also made his debut for the Azzurri in the match. In the first half, the Italians played brash and punchy, but disappointed on the offensive. It was not until the second half that the Blues were able to create some good chances but all of them were taken.

The Argentines showed better in the 75th and 85th minutes, so that the Squadra Azzurra lost 2-0 with 0: 2. Now, the Italians at the Webley Stadium get the next chance to show the world that they can do it better and actually have to be present at every World Cup. In qualifying, the Italians landed in Group G in second place. In ten group matches, they had suffered only one defeat: 0: 3 in Spain. There were also two draws: at home against Spain and Macedonia. Also, the four-time world champion had conceded only eight goals. But as the Spaniards won the group confidently and solved the direct ticket, Italy had to play-offs and the disaster took its course. In the games against Sweden, the weaknesses of the Italians were revealed mercilessly. The team consists only of individualists. In defense and midfield gape big holes. The offensive is too harmless.