EURO 2012 BETTING PICK - ENGLAND V ITALY

Euro 2012

2012-06-24 - England vs Italy

A Sports Betting Pick by Cruiser

Match Preview :

England will take on Italy to see who gets the right to face Germany in the semi-finals. England topped Group D to reach this stage, preserving Roy Hodgson's unbeaten record with four wins and a draw taken from five games he has been in charge. No doubt Hodgson's strategy is based on making his side as difficult to beat as possible, with greater emphasis placed on the need to be solid at the back and defend as a team.

Meanwhile Italy's strategy is very much the same and it has been suggested that the two sides will cancel each other out, with the fear of losing set to outweigh the desire to attack. Past meetings between the two countries suggest it will be a tight affair, with all but one of the last nine encounters having ended a draw or been settled by the odd goal. England have come out as winners in just one of those meetings.

The Three Lions' record in quarter-final clashes is also not the best, having lost seven out of 10, and they are looking to change that and enter a major semi-final for the first time in 16 years. Italy will be hoping to pile more misery on the Three Lions and in Cesare Prandelli they boast a coach who is yet to taste defeat in 13 competitive matches in charge of the Azzurri.

Team News :

England Team News :
Hodgson is expected to keep faith with those who have served England well. All 23 members of the squad are fit and in contention for a starting berth, but it is likely that the same starting eleven which started the Three Lions' final group game against Ukraine will start in Kiev.

That could only mean James Milner's abilities going backwards will once again be favoured over Theo Walcott's going forward. And Danny Welbeck will get the nod ahead of Andy Carroll in the battle to partner Wayne Rooney up front. Captain Steven Gerrard is among those one caution away from missing a possible semi-final date through suspension, with Ashley Cole, Ashley Young, Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also a card away from being suspended.

Italy Team News :
Italy have nine players who risked missing the semi-final if they qualify and gets booked. That means striker Mario Balotelli, captain Gianluigi Buffon and combative midfielder Daniele De Rossi aware that they must avoid a booking.

However, it remains to be seen whether Balotelli will be offered the opportunity to line up against a number of his Manchester City colleagues from the start, with Prandelli announcing that he will not name his team until an hour before the start. It is expected that Thiago Motta will start after overcomign a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Giorgio Chiellini is still nursing a thigh problem, though, and his place is expected to go to Juventus team-mate Leonardo Bonucci.

Possible lineups

England : Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Young, Rooney, Welbeck.

Italy: Buffon, Abate, Bonucci, Barzagli, Balzaretti, Marchisio, Pirlo, De Rossi, Motta, Cassano, Balotelli.

Predictions :

Take England on level ball not to lose this match.

The Pick :

BEST BETTING TIP :

Take England to win here.