European Under 21 Championship 2013

Andersonisgod

4-1, the score line reflects the game. Montoya wins the penalty with another lung busting run up the right flank and a bit of clever skill, Isco converts from the spot.

Turtwig

Jesus!
Italy's tackles have been rash. That's another silly penalty. (Assuming I'm right about the first one. Need to see a replay.)

Francie Barrett

If this is the future of Italian football, then they're fcuked. Spain have only really been at 50% in this game and have still won easy.

GTR63

Jernal wrote: »

Jesus!
Italy's tackles have been rash. That's another silly penalty. (Assuming I'm right about the first one. Need to see a replay.)

It was just like the first a straight run, they knock it back behind themselves and the defender sticks out his foot and trips them up. This tactic works a LOT in FIFA too.

mitosis

Francie Barrett wrote: »

If this is the future of Italian football, then they're fcuked. Spain have only really been at 50% in this game and have still won easy.

You're right, but what does that say about England, Holland et al?

Gbear

Any notion about a golden generation being the cause of the senior teams success would seem to be incorrect. There is something seriously right about how Spain are producing footballers at the moment.

This team is a cut above a very talented Italian team.

GTR63

Francie Barrett wrote: »

If this is the future of Italian football, then they're fcuked. Spain have only really been at 50% in this game and have still won easy.

Spain are comfortably ahead of them but I didn't see a lot from Holland or Germany at this either to look on fondly. Brazil and Argentina aren't even at the u20 WC next week either so its hard to see where the big challenger at this level is.

Turtwig

Italians looking like they won't finish this game with 11 players.

Rekop dog

Francie Barrett wrote: »

If this is the future of Italian football, then they're fcuked. Spain have only really been at 50% in this game and have still won easy.

LOl Spain do this to everyone.

The talented Italian youngsters De Sciglio, Balo and El Shaarawy are with the senior squad as would a lot of those Spanish lads if they weren't from a country with an endless amount of quality depth. But in relative terms with the normal countries Italy's future is quite bright.

Francie Barrett

Borini!

Jax Teller

Good strike

Turtwig

Great Goal!
C'mon. Just two more.
Other teams have done it.

GTR63

1 big advantage going forward for Spain is that they are so skint the clubs have no choice but to work with the youngsters. Unlike in England where even the rubbish teams rely on the money.

Francie Barrett

That fellow was fast!

titan18

GTR63 wrote: »

Spain are comfortably ahead of them but I didn't see a lot from Holland or Germany at this either to look on fondly. Brazil and Argentina aren't even at the u20 WC next week either so its hard to see where the big challenger at this level is.

Ya, just a lot of players those countries have are playing with the senior sides.

Gbear

Doesn't seem like one of the requisites for being a ref is being able to count.

Andersonisgod

Completely deserved, it's been a great tournament for Spain. On a different level to every other team, deploying the brand of football that has led to domination of world football. The potential in that Spanish squad is frightening, the quality in depth in Spanish options has never been seen before. Those who predicted the death of tiki taka and the end of Spain's era of dominance may want to revise their views, tiki taka is alive and well, none more so than in Thiago Alcantara, the heartbeat of the Spanish side, the maestro that makes it all tick and the best player at the tournament. This side have been a credit to Spain and the style a homage to football as it should be.