UEFA EURO U21 Championships

I thought the English team looked very good, but the Azzurrini squad is better than the cretin in South Africa right now. All in all, theyre both better than Germany.

England's got a lot of experience for an U21 side, people like Milner, Agbonlahor, Richards, Noble, Cattermole have been first team regulars in the Prem for 2/3 seasons or more. And others like Hart, Johnson, Onouha, Muamba, Walcott have fair amount of playing time too.

Not sure it would be the same for Italy or Spain (although I don't know?)

That's why i fancied England to win the tournament. All of the players are pretty much regularish in the best league in the world. They should be above bit part players in other countries.

In a way the Under 21 squad has benefitted from the the age maturiity of the senior squad. a lot of England's best players are in their prime years now - players like Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, Ferdinand, Cole and Terry.

There hasn't been a need to promote any of the Under 21 players and they've managed to build an understanding.

L-r d wrote:That's why i fancied England to win the tournament. All of the players are pretty much regularish in the best league in the world. They should be above bit part players in other countries.

do you really believe this matters really, when none of this is playing in the top4 clubs, and we all know the rest of the league is utterly shit (just look at the uefa cup, your teams fail in every aspect)

Özil wrote:

L-r d wrote:That's why i fancied England to win the tournament. All of the players are pretty much regularish in the best league in the world. They should be above bit part players in other countries.

do you really believe this matters really, when none of this is playing in the top4 clubs, and we all know the rest of the league is utterly shit (just look at the uefa cup, your teams fail in every aspect)

Aston Villa bowed out of the tournament to concentrate on the league.

Everton were unlucky to draw a very good Standard Liege side - and that also coincided with some severe attacking related injuries.

Man City got the the quarters and went out to a German team RELEGATED from the CL

Spurs, like Aston Villa decided to bow out of the tournament early to concentrate on the league.

Portsmouth went out, but then again, Portsmouth after Harry left were shit - their form after he left was relegation form.

Simply put, EPL at all levels>>>>>>>>>>>>Bundesliga.

Özil wrote:

L-r d wrote:That's why i fancied England to win the tournament. All of the players are pretty much regularish in the best league in the world. They should be above bit part players in other countries.

do you really believe this matters really, when none of this is playing in the top4 clubs, and we all know the rest of the league is utterly shit (just look at the uefa cup, your teams fail in every aspect)

Yes of course it matters. They reguarly play against the best players and the best defences and such in the world. Do you think Hamburg Wolfsberg Bremen are superior to tottenham villa everton city i dont think so.

i LOLed the whole game, because mancity were tactial inept in both legs

astonvilla, tottenham,

hahaha what have they ever done in europe?


you have world class players and coaches in the top4 clubs, but the rest is tactial and from players miles behind

Özil wrote:i LOLed the whole game, because mancity were tactial inept in both legs

astonvilla, tottenham

hahaha what have they ever done?


you have world class players and coaches in the top4 leagues, but the rest is tactial and from players miles behind

Aston Villa won the old skool Champions League in the 1980s

Hamburg were incredibly lucky to go through. Man Citeh completely pwned them in the home leg and could easily have won the game 5-1.

There's still a reasonable gap between the big four and rest. Its about the same size gap as between the EPL big four and the top Bundesliga clubs, so read into that what you will

the point is, only because your top 4 teams dominate europe makes not the rest of the league better, they will never have a chance to even get into the cl or get out in the uefa cup early

for the rest of the league thats 8 games for each club, from overall 38, they will learn to loose, nothing more

You only have to look at the players of the mid-range EPL clubs to realise that there is some damn good quality there though.

Look at Pompey - they've sold Diarra for £18m and Johnson is about to go for £17m. They also had Defoe who I think moved for £10m+ and I'm sure Krankjar would fetch a tiday packet too.

And they were in a relagation battle! Those are some top quality players.

Blackburn too have Roque Santa Cruz who, although not a first team regular, was a very highly regarded talent in his time at Bayern.

You´ll only find regulars from the better clubs in Germany in the team facing England on Monday.
Players from Werder, Hamburg, Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim,Stuttgart etc. can beat regulars from Bolton Wigan or Middlesborogh, of course.
But they can beat us, too.

While our team lacks a decent striker it is full of first class and very technical midfielders. That´s what England really lack. Noble, Milner, Cattermole, Muamba are hard working players without flair.
Your strikers are much better than ours, though.

The defence and the keeper are good on both sides.
All in all I don´t see a big difference between England and Germany.

The 11 starting yesterday were 3 Man City, 2 Villa, 1 Arsenal, 1 West Ham, 1 Bolton, 1 Wigan, 1 Boro, 1 Portsmouth.

Mancienne of Chelsea would've been there ahead of Portsmouth's Cranie if he hadn't been sent off, and Walcott is generally ahead of Johnson of Boro. Muamba plays at Bolton but is an Arsenal product; overall it's a top half PL team, not made up of relegation candidates as you imply.

Otherwise, I agree with your assessment of midfield, that is the weakness of the side.

That's partly because we have Pearce as manager though. You could put out a more flairy midfield if you wanted but its Peace's style to press high up the pitch and then use our pace in attack to strike on the counter attack.

What would you pick as a flairy midfield? I'm not sure there is that many around (at least not without raiding the untried regions of top 4 reserve teams, where there may be talent but little experience)

Adam Johnson is a flair player

debaser wrote:What would you pick as a flairy midfield? I'm not sure there is that many around (at least not without raiding the untried regions of top 4 reserve teams, where there may be talent but little experience)

Is huddlestone still able to play?

If so...

Walcott----Huddlestone--Noble---Wilshere

Tweedle wrote:

debaser wrote:What would you pick as a flairy midfield? I'm not sure there is that many around (at least not without raiding the untried regions of top 4 reserve teams, where there may be talent but little experience)

Is huddlestone still able to play?

If so...

Walcott----Huddlestone--Noble---Wilshere

Who?

Who you going to put it instead?

Kazenga Lua Lua?

you dont have spezial kids like kroos, özil and marin

the future looks bright

Ray Parlour wrote:Who you going to put it instead?

Kazenga Lua Lua?

I would probably pick someone that has actually played some senior games.

Özil wrote:you dont have spezial kids like kroos, özil and marin

the future looks bright

Real Madrid are desperate to sign Adam Johnson. Haven't heard of any of those three being linked with Madrid

Özil wrote:you dont have spezial kids like kroos, özil and marin

the future looks bright

Their future sadly not, most likely to play in the Bundesliga for the rest of their lives

Kimbo wrote:

Ray Parlour wrote:Who you going to put it instead?

Kazenga Lua Lua?

I would probably pick someone that has actually played some senior games.

Like??

What is that Wolves winger called again?

Kightly?

Ray Parlour wrote:

Kimbo wrote:

Ray Parlour wrote:Who you going to put it instead?

Kazenga Lua Lua?

I would probably pick someone that has actually played some senior games.

Like??

Adam Johnson has been mentioned, i haven't seen him myself but Andrew Driver is supposed to be good, there's that Victor Moses. There's plenty of players out there, we don't need to pick youth team players.

These players haven't even played at premiership level bar Johnson which I mentioned.


Not trying to hype up Wilshere but he has played in Carling Cup games against Premier opposition and alos against Real Madrid...granted it wasn't a competitive game but still. I can see where Tweeds is coming from.

Going back to the actual point I don't actually think England can field a flair midfield.

Ray Parlour wrote:These players haven't even played at premiership level bar Johnson which I mentioned.


Not trying to hype up Wilshere but he has played in Carling Cup games against Premier opposition and alos against Real Madrid...granted it wasn't a competitive game but still. I can see where Tweeds is coming from.

Going back to the actual point I don't actually think England can field a flair midfield.

You clearly are trying to hype him, and you're not the first.

No I'm not. The guy is going to hyped regardless because he is a good player. I'd rather everyone left him alone to be honest. Don't want another Theo situation.