2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Starts on the 5th June in Israel. Only 8 teams are in it, so it will all be over in a fortnight. Very simple format, 2 groups of 4, with the top 2 from each group going through to the Semi-Finals. The groups are:

Spoiler:

The schedule (all times BST):

Spoiler:

Squad Lists
BBC's Preview

From an England perspective, it does look like a good squad. Butland, Caulker, Henderson, Rose, Zaha, Shelvey, and Wickham are all names that jump out at you. England are once more led by the experienced Stuart Pearce, who has led England in this tournament in 2007 (lost on penalties in the semis), 2009 (tonked in the final by Germany), and 2011 (knocked out in the groups). Hopes are high, but England haven't triumphed in this tournament since 1984.

All games for UK viewers are live on Sky Sports with commentary of England games on Radio Five Live.

[NickisBHAFC]

I was playing tennis tonight, so missed the game

How did we play?
Deserve to lose 1-0?
Who was our best player?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

How did we play? - CRAP
Deserve to lose 1-0? - Deserved to lose by more
Who was our best player? - Redmond by a country mile

[mystiroakey]

How did we play?- Ok

Deserve to lose 1-0?- they were better and deserved the win but we did score a perfectly good goal that was disallowed

best player? Redmond by a long way..

[NickisBHAFC]

Cheers Olly

So basically there playing like our first team at every major tournament

Glad to see Redmond played well, got big potential that lad and has a cracking attitude to the game, unlike another under 21 winger in the squad.

[NickisBHAFC]

Mysti report seems a bit more nicer!

I saw on twitter that there was something dodgy about the decision to reward our goal out!

[mystiroakey]

Dawson did well as well.

By the way. Redmond was good. infact very good.. With him and zaha on the pitch(you know that ronaldo to come that you hate) We could steal wins of anyone.. But without a clinical striker we may have to rely on zahas trickery in the box to win pens!!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Yeah Dawson did a solid job

Butland had a very flakey game. Should've saved the goal, flapped at a cross, poor clearances. Not what Stoke fans would have wanted to see

[Crimey]

As I said before, think the side is unfortunate in that it doesn't really have a lot of quality to pick from in the striker department. Winger-wise, the side is really strong with the likes of Sterling and McManaman not even making the trip due to injury there is a really strong group of players who can play on the flanks.

I'd start Zaha as the main forward, with Ince and Redmond either side, and all three can be a bit more fluid. I think Henderson is a good option in the centre, he's usually quite good at keeping the ball and not trying anything stupid, but Shelvey was poor tonight and has looked low on confidence for a few months and I'm not convinced that Lowe is that good. Chalobah might be a better option to partner Henderson in the centre.

Defensive wise, on paper they look good. Dawson and Caulker are too good young centre backs, Clyne is a very talented right back but Robinson is the weak link, coming from a Liverpool fan, I'm not sure he's developed as well as people hoped, a lack of first team football and then a relegation battle with Wolves is probably that problem. Butland looked poor tonight, but in general is usually quite solid.

All in all, on paper the side looks good bar up front, but tonight it was very much an England performance, too nervous on the ball, no real dynamism bar a few sparks from Redmond. Think it's a shame the side couldn't even get a draw, as the nerves might get even worse.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Danny Rose will come back into LB Crimey, suspended tonight. That makes the defence very good in my opinion.

I agree would have Chalobah starting over Lowe in the DM role. Henderson and Shelvey will do well enough, Shelvey poor tonight, but hopefully will turn it round. McEachran isn't really that good imo.

I'd like to see Zaha/Ince/Redmond as the front three but highly doubt it will happen.

[Crimey]

Danny Rose will come back into LB Crimey, suspended tonight. That makes the defence very good in my opinion.

I agree would have Chalobah starting over Lowe in the DM role. Henderson and Shelvey will do well enough, Shelvey poor tonight, but hopefully will turn it round. McEachran isn't really that good imo.

I'd like to see Zaha/Ince/Redmond as the front three but highly doubt it will happen.

Didn't know whether he was injured or not. He's a good left back, expect to see him usurp Assou-Ekotto this year at Spurs. Then you're left with a very good back four, and five is Butland can improve a bit.

I think Shelvey was poor, but he's still the best option in that role, as is Henderson.

I swear Zaha has been used as a forward by Pearce in the past?

[Duty281]

I was playing tennis tonight, so missed the game

How did we play?
Deserve to lose 1-0?
Who was our best player?

How did we play? The old-fashioned England way - pride in the shirt, through the channels, get stuck in, take no prisoners, 'hoof it, spirit of Dunkirk, bacon 'n' egg sandwich, no surrender.

In all seriousness, we played the way every England team seems to play. Start each half pressing up the pitch, then sink gradually deeper and struggle to keep the ball. I can't recall us having a single clear-cut chance, which says it all really. Funnily enough, it was Italy playing the outdated 4-4-2 and us playing the more modern 4-2-3-1. Didn't help much.

Deserve to lose 1-0? On balance, yes.

Best player? Redmond by a mile, only one with attacking inspiration.

[Duty281]

Stuart Pearce has been refreshingly honest in his outlook after the game:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22792505
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22797497

Good on him, I say.

[Ent]

On paper Spain seem to have quite a side.

[mystiroakey]

I think saying it was that poor is kind of saying we are so much better than that..

Without Zaha, Ince and rose - we just arnt' that' good compared to italys team. We still could have easily knicked the draw. I think he is bigging those players up a bit to much. Time to settle for what we are , which is a pretty good team.

We are the only team to have qualified for the last 4 tournies..

I understand He expects. But that is typical english hyperboyle from pearce

[Duty281]

The Germans lost 3-2 to the Dutch last night, maybe their youth structure isn't all powerful.

[Duty281]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22811070

Only Henri Lansbury is out for England tomorrow against Norway, Zaha, Ince and Rose are all cleared to play. Victory is essential.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Darren Fletcher ‏@DFletcherSport
England: Butland, Smith, Caulker, Dawson, Rose, Chalobah, Lowe, Henderson, Redmond, Ince, Zaha - 5 changes from the side beaten by Italy

Adam Smith at RB for Clyne, he impressed me when I saw the U21's. Looks like Pearce has been reading this thread, with Zaha seemingly starting up top...

[Duty281]

Five changes in all:

Ince, Zaha, Smith, Rose, Chalobah all in.
Clyne, Robinson, Shelvey, Sordell, Wickham all out.

Ince, Zaha, and Rose are quality. We kept the ball a lot better when Chalobah came off the bench against Italy so that's a good change as well.

Must win game = Come on England!

[Crimey]

Think I'd rather have seen Lowe out for Chalobah.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Shame Ravel isnt there, think he'd be playing lovely alongside Chalobah.

Butland underwhelms me

[Guest]

Disaster.

[NickisBHAFC]

Letting there country down, there all too egotistic and think there better than they are. When there just an embarrassment.

[Guest]

Glen Hoddle is seriously threatening to grow a mullet.

[GSC]

Might be time to swap out Pearce.

[Crimey]

Embarrassing really, and questions must be asked as to why some people who were eligible for the U21s were used in senior, meaningless friendlies.

[NickisBHAFC]

Yeah never really rated Pearce tbh. Phil Neville or Gary Neville would be perfect for the job IMO.

[Guest]

I agree. Pearce has stagnated in the role.

Even Duty couldn't put any gloss on this performance.

[GSC]

The point of U21 coach to be bringing players into the senior team, and England haven't brought players through like Germany did.

Time for the PL and FA to have a long look at how they can get more English youth into the PL.

[Guest]

I actually felt (hideous I know) that Pearce was being groomed for the seniors job.

Looks ridiculous now.

[GSC]

That said, I think Pearce has a future as a manager, but U21 manager is a fairly specialised role.

[NickisBHAFC]

I think there are too many foreign players in the prem personally.

[Duty281]

That was a calamity. We actually had the lions share of the ball, albeit with little tempo, and created most of the chances. Good Norwegian defending, kept us mostly at bay. England's defence was awful, particularly the middle pair of Caulker and Dawson. Butland doesn't really impress either. Time for Pearce to go I think, he's taken the U21s forward, and then back. Draw a line under it.

Cheer up, the U20 World Cup is around the corner and England are sharing a group with Iraq, Chile, and Egypt so I'm thinking we might win a game or two.

[Colan (niner)]

Ffs, I lost money on that game. I was looking forward to England getting put out later, but not now! Italy better do the business now and DeGale too tonight!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Embarrassing really, and questions must be asked as to why some people who were eligible for the U21s were used in senior, meaningless friendlies.

Here lies part of the problem. We don't give our best youngsters tournament experience at a young age, and then when they get older we wonder why we never turn up in a tournament situations

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'd also add that Butland would worry me if I'm a Stoke fan, seeming as he has been purchased to replace Begovic (who is pretty much gonna go)

He's got a lot of potential, but he's very raw at the moment. Maybe he'll play behind Sorenson for a season?

[mystiroakey]

3-1

oh dear!

Well played Norway.. that couldnt have been a quicker exit for England...

Sad performnace..

[Crimey]

Germany have just been knocked out of the group stages as well, which puts England's "failure" into perspective I suppose.

But with Spain and Netherlands in their group and only losing both their games through late goals shows that there is big difference between the two.

[mystiroakey]

I didnt watch the Norway game and it clearly must have been a shocking display by us.. However the doom and gloom surronding the performance isnt really justified for me.. Is football really life and death to people in this country?


By the way how did Zaha play dudes?

[Ent]

I didnt watch the Norway game and it clearly must have been a shocking display by us.. However the doom and gloom surronding the performance isnt really justified for me.. Is football really life and death to people in this country?


By the way how did Zaha play dudes?

It's the national sport, people love it and want to see their country doing well.

England have been the worst performing team in the tournament bar Russia at a stretch and even they put some nice moves together.

Zaha didn't get much of a kick from what I saw, got stuck up fromt on his own.

[mystiroakey]

I love it as well Ent . However you and others are going to a hyperbole extreme. As is allways the case with football in this country..

[mystiroakey]

Thanks for the zaha feedback..

I said he shouldn't play up front as he won't see enough of the ball. He is needed on the wing for England . He is the creator and then can cut inside..

[NickisBHAFC]

Yeah i had no idea why Zaha was upfront tbh. He has been making some full backs in the Championship look silly this season and he also played a big part in feeding Murray a lot of his 30 goals (by winning countless of penalty's but impersonating Tom Daley)

But all joking a side it was a strange decision.

What i can't understand is. Look at Itally under 21's the keeper throws and passes it out from the back and they play football. We just kicked it long and it got us no where. What is the point in that? We have some talented lads, and have the ability to play the ball out from the back. I just didn't understand what our pattern of play was and what Pearce was looking for his players to do.

[mystiroakey]

I think it was simply the lack of striker options we had avaliable. So due to zahas finishing he was shoved up the middle on his own..

I suppose if redmond didnt play so well v italy on the right then he may have played there. However Zaha is almost just as effective on the left..

I would have stuck Ince in the middle to be honest. He has strength and ball control to do that job and with zaha on a wing we would have created a lot more IMO

[Ent]

Last chance to see England's young guns- 0-0 with Israel at the moment

[Ent]

1-0 to Israel.

England been poor second half after a good first half creating some clear cut chances.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Look devoid of confidence, which makes them look devoid of ability

[Ent]

I'd say they've been the worst team in the tournament.

Wisdom was good, zaha had a good first half - other than that terrible.

Wickham was very poor, no threat in behind, poor positioning for crosses etc etc

Shelvey was abysmal in every facet and kept shooting from highly difficult positions when he could have passed to others on good positions.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We could have a team of Butland; Walker Jones Caulker Rose; Morrison* Rodwell Wilshere; Ox Welbeck Zaha. Now I know injury barred a couple of them but they would never have been allowed to go fit anyway.


*who I honestly prefer to Henderson and Shelvey but thats a loose pick

[NickisBHAFC]

Wow are Under 21's are crap.

Seriously though, if this is our future. God help us.

[Duty281]

Played 3, lost 3. All our best U21s not present. Not much more to add.

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