European Under 21 Championship 2013

GTR63

Ah sure Italy didn't even use De Sciglio or El Sharrawy they are probably going to start out the left for the senior side next summer, only Wilshire and maybe Chamberlain would of made any impression, I bet Veratti got more touches than their midfield 3 combined.
Had to laugh at Sky saying the Italians had far more experience at the highest level bar Borini this time last year most of the Italians only really played in Serie B.

Nuri Sahin

GTR63 wrote: »

Ah sure Italy didn't even use De Sciglio or El Sharrawy they are probably going to start out the left for the senior side next summer, only Wilshire and maybe Chamberlain would of made any impression, I bet Veratti got more touches than their midfield 3 combined.
Had to laugh at Sky saying the Italians had far more experience at the highest level bar Borini this time last year most of the Italians only really played in Serie B.

Balotelli as well if I'm not mistaken, and after showing the world what he was capable of last summer at Euro 2012, he'd have tore it up easily if he was in a similar mood again this summer.

Think there was a stat on Twitter being branded about. Veratti had 120 touches or passes (can't quite remember which it was), his nearest competitor on the England team was Henderson with 40!

edit - found it, was passes

Nuri Sahin

grenache wrote: »

They were missing Zaha, Lansbury, Ince and Rose. Yes they were losses no doubt. But you would think with one of the largest playing pool in the world, England would be better than the rabble they were tonight. I really don't think having those four guys on the field would have changed much. There are too many passengers in that side - Henderson, Shelvey, etc.

Henderson shouldn't playing the holding role unless there is an emergency, and up against what Italy had in the middle of pitch, he stood no chance from the off.

Shelvey is fairly meh and a liability, so I'll give you that.

GTR63

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

Henderson shouldn't playing the holding role unless there is an emergency, and up against what Italy had in the middle of pitch, he stood no chance from the off.

Shelvey is fairly meh and a liability, so I'll give you that.

Yeah Hendo played much better 20 yards higher up the pitch for Liverpool towards the end of the Season but its needs must with the English U21's, the role he's asked to play is not something you can just give a go and do it, look at Veratti he knew exactly what he was at dropping back. Shelvey is a pure anomally at Liverpool he looks pure lost in the seniors but a nice bit too good for that level when he dropped to our U21's.

Nuri Sahin

yomtea98

That Spain team :pac:

Thecon21

Anyone have the line up for the Spain game?

Cheers!

starviewadams

Shít that this isn't on a FTA channel,bloody hate Sky!

DubDani

Netherlands against Germany should be a good game tonight. Unfortunately the Germans didn't bring any players that are more or less established or very close to the National Team.

In theory they could have brought Götze, Draxler, Gündogan, Herrmann and Schürrle.

Headshot

starviewadams wrote: »

Shít that this isn't on a FTA channel,bloody hate Sky!

people need to invest in a satellite dish setup

its free to air on 19e on a channel called sport one which btw has some german soccer matches on it sometimes

Andersonisgod

Good opening 20 minutes for Spain, in particular Thiago setting the tempo in midfield.

Nuri Sahin

Thecon21 wrote: »

Anyone have the line up for the Spain game?

Cheers!

...

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

starviewadams wrote: »

Shít that this isn't on a FTA channel,bloody hate Sky!

Plenty of streams knocking about, probably a few non-Sky ones as well.

Rekop dog

Wouldn't be surprised if this ends 0-0. Already has the same vibe as London Olympics Spain off it.

Nuri Sahin

That would have been a stunning finish. Close from Russia.

Tello did poorly just before that.

Headshot

That sums up Tello for me, he really has superb potential but in the final third he lacks quality

Francie Barrett

Thiago keeps losing the ball and exposing Spain to the counter.

Andersonisgod

Possession has been good, a couple of clever passing movements through the middle and once or twice Tello and Montoya have gotten in behind. There's certainly more to come though. Tello's had an impressive season at Barcelona but that first half was way below his regular standard. Really the half was all about Thiago, technically superb, an expansive passing range and the ability to go past a man in a tight area, impressive.

Nuri Sahin

Illarramendi has been the best player on the pitch so far, not Thiago.

Andersonisgod

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

Illarramendi has been the best player on the pitch so far, not Thiago.

I disagree. The game has flowed through Thiago, he's received the ball from deep, he's been the hub of the team from the middle of the pitch and has pass selection has been quite good for the most part. He is very much the Xavi Hernandez of this team.

GTR63

Spain are a lot like the seniors a bit blunt up top and a fairly dull watch. McClaren looks a bit like a balder Larry Saunders, where is Hey Now Hank Kingsley though.

Rekop dog

If you're not laying Spain at 1.68 now you're doing it very wrong.

Nuri Sahin

Lovely ball from Isco to Rodrigo. Latter really should have hit the target at the very least.

klose

Isco behave..

Andersonisgod

Excellent 5 minutes, Thiago and Isco particularly.

Jax Teller

Some lovely balls in behind the defence by Thiago in this second half .

Corvo

Come on Spain ye useless paella eating bastardo's

GTR63

Canales on, he looked a real star at Racing then went to Real got no playing time, then got injured. How's he doing at Valencia now I wonder?

Andersonisgod

1-0, Morata, more than deserved lead for Spain. Lovely delivery from Thiago.

Headshot

Man that was a dire match

Andersonisgod

In the end a good performance, a dominant performance. Spain's strength off the bench was also quite impressive.

I've been going on about him throughout the game but one more mention for Thiago Alcantara, the best player on the pitch, the controlling force throughout the game. The La Masia graduate got the talent, physicality, technical ability and everything else to be one of the best midfielders in the world.

Nuri Sahin

They not be from La Masia(!), but some pretty decent players on show in the Holland vs Germany game starting shortly.

Amirani

That's a very good Dutch side.

GTR63

Headshot wrote: »

Man that was a dire match

The better team won but Russia looked the worst team yet, dour and AWFUL in possession. They badly need them 3 full Internationals in the side. Looking forward to Holland now in particular.

Andersonisgod

It's a shame, given the players available to them, that the German squad isn't stronger.

GTR63

Did Germany send most of their good players over to the friendlies in the US?
How many of the dutch back 4 are near starters for the national side they were awful at the back at the last Euros.

homerjay2005

Andersonisgod wrote: »

It's a shame, given the players available to them, that the German squad isn't stronger.

who is missing, are Gotze/Reus and all that crowd eligible?

Andersonisgod

homerjay2005 wrote: »

who is missing, are Gotze/Reus and all that crowd eligible?

Reus I'm not sure of but I don't think so but Gotze, Gundogan, Kroos, Ter Stegen, Schurrle and others all miss out.

Nuri Sahin

GTR63 wrote: »

Did Germany send most of their good players over to the friendlies in the US?
How many of the dutch back 4 are near starters for the national side they were awful at the back at the last Euros.

More a B side went over to the US. The likes of Ter Stegen, Schürrle and Draxler were there, and could/should have featured in this tourney instead.

Kroos, traitor and Gündogan could have played in this as well but aren't for obvious reasons.

elefant

GTR63 wrote: »

Canales on, he looked a real star at Racing then went to Real got no playing time, then got injured. How's he doing at Valencia now I wonder?

Very good when he plays- great creative brain. He has loads of potential, but unfortunately is made of glass and is injured almost constantly.

Nuri Sahin

Good save from Leno preventing Maher from opening the scoring

Jax Teller

Hole in the keepers hands .

Nuri Sahin

Maher, 1-0

stesaurus

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

More a B side went over to the US. The likes of Ter Stegen, Schürrle and Draxler were there, and could/should have featured in this tourney instead.

Kroos, traitor and Gündogan could have played in this as well but aren't for obvious reasons.

Traitor awesome hahaha

Good goal from Maher. Where the hell did he pick up a surname like that?

Oat23

Bernd 'better than Adler' Leno. Not better there anyway :pac:

Really could force his way into the NT (3rd keeper) with a good tournament after the miserable couple of games ter Stegen has had.

Jax Teller

The Germans might as well have Jay Leno in goal he couldn't do any worse .

Headshot

Another German keeper makes a balls of a save

Nuri Sahin

Lol, Winnaldum makes it 2-0.

stesaurus

Poor German squad. Clearly missing too many.

Andersonisgod

It's really not been a good few days for German goalkeepers.

Andersonisgod

Terrible start to the second half for the Dutch.