Kay Murray

They finished second, but then they go and blow it to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Four years ago, they finished second to Switzerland.

And then they go and blow it against North Macedonia on Italian soil.

Now, in games that they dominated, Norway apart, those games that I mentioned, Italy absolutely dominated.

And I just wonder if it's kind of gone away from...

the Italian stereotype of how they play.

Very good defensively, very well organised, but then also, to Don's point, without the finishers that we know Italian football have produced, team after team, generation after generation, it seems.

I think I'm right in saying that in the game against North Macedonia, they outshot

North Macedonia 32-4, something ridiculous like that.

And that speaks to a lack of finishing.

You can't give Baggio or Del Piero 30 shots and not concede six.

And I guess that is where the falling comes down.

You do not have those finishers and you do not have an identity to fall back on.

Not overly surprising.

If we had this conversation earlier in the year, coming off the back of the friendlies of 2024, where the United States beat Uruguay so convincingly, maybe you see them higher up.

But it has been a very disappointing window this time around, in those two games against Portugal and Belgium, where I think Pochettino gave us a whole lot more questions than answers in the last window before the World Cup.

Added to that, with Turkey looking forward to the World Cup, with Turkey qualifying, which they were favourite to into this group, I'll say the same thing as I did when they made the draw.

In that group that includes Australia, Paraguay and Turkey, all four teams fancied themselves to go through, if not top the group.

So even as a host, as you sit right now, I'm not...

Overly confident.