England Under 21's....

[scoobydoo]

beat Spain 2-0 and are in the semi-finals after a last group game against Germany to come. & the weird thing was, they didnt look outclassed, seem technically inferior..in fact they deserved it! So what I want to know is...are all the Spanish players playing for the full side? :)

[Mattw07]

I didnt see it tonight, was it a good game? they didnt look that great the other day against finland.

[jonahjones]

So what I want to know is...are all the Spanish players playing for the full side? :)

:D

Thought England played very well indeed against a strong Spanish side who have not now scored in either of their two games!

Bojan, Javier Martinez, Raul Garcia, Nacho Monreal and Diego Capel, to name but a few, have bags of first-team experience.

And we missed a penalty!

Walcott's contribution to the second goal was quality.

[vegyjones]

Are we still playing a goalie up front to give the others a chance?

[scoobydoo]

:D

Walcott's contribution to the second goal was quality.

Yes his speed was too much for Spain and Pearce got it exactly right. Thought Cattermole and Millner were very good as well, Millner looks good enough to step up I think.

[MattR]

I think Milner's a really good player with and generally a good crosser of a ball. I still don't quite see what Agbonlahor's got though apart from pace. In that vein having seen him play quite a bit for Barcelona I don't think Bojan is as good as he is supposed to be either.

[John]

Didn't see the game. :(

Milner has looked impressive from what I've seen of him so far.

Walcott looked very strong against Andorra. Okay, I know it was Andorra, and I know we won 6-0 and everything... but you've got to give the lad credit, haven't you? :)

[scoobydoo]

I think Milner's a really good player with and generally a good crosser of a ball. I still don't quite see what Agbonlahor's got though apart from pace. In that vein having seen him play quite a bit for Barcelona I don't think Bojan is as good as he is supposed to be either.

Millner is a class player, good job he got away from the Toon. :D I am not sure about Bojan either...jury is out for me. Agbonlahor was getting booed from Villa fans wasn't he at the end of last season? He certainly didn't look same player as at the start of 08/09 season.

The thing that has always got me about our U21 teams is when you look at the players playing tonight, how many could you see playing for England in the coming years? Micah Richards, Gibbs, Millner, Walcott obviously...help me out here??? :) Maybe it has always been like this hasn't it?

[MattR]

Actually I think it probably has always been like that. I guess those that really shine like Rooney etc kind of bypass the U21 or play a few games then move up. Milner's certainly done his probation - what is it 44 caps now? I don't think there are many others that you've missed that are likely to get into the full team. When you look at them who do you have? Cranie can't even get in our team, Noble is ok but no more than that, Muamba, don't think so, Wenger let him go for a good reason. Cattermole is ok but can be very reckless with his tackling and I don't know how he hasn't badly injured someone yet. Campbell? Don't really think so. Hart? Possibly but he needs to move to play as he won't dislodge Given any time soon.

[jonahjones]

England and Stuart Pearce in penalty shoot-out winning shocker!!!

England did their best to throw it away after blowing a 3-0 lead and then having a man sent-off in extra-time.

However, progression comes at a price with Gabby Agbonlahor, Fraizer Campbell and Joe Hart all suspended for the final which will be against either Germany or Italy.

[MattR]

Joe Hart was asking for that. What a stupid way to miss a final :splapme Missed the first half, how were we 3-0 up? On the second half display I can't think how!

[scoobydoo]

Typical England really, they were pants in the 2nd half. You sometimes wonder how Walcott gets all the hype on tonights performance. I don't think we have an out and out striker now do we....shame Hart can't play as he could've gone up front! :)

[MattR]

I wonder if all the hype goes to their head. Micah Richards is another one who looks a shadow of the player he looked destined to be and Walcott for all his brilliance against Croatia (and that was the best part of a year ago now!) has still never played consistently well and often goes missing. In many ways a typical winger I suppose. If he doesn't get the better of his full back then he's fairly innocuous.

[jonahjones]

A humiliating 4-0 defeat in the final against Germany of all countries. :(

[scoobydoo]

A humiliating 4-0 defeat in the final against Germany of all countries. :(

Yeah I expected them to get beat tonight after all the suspensions in the semis...shocked it was 4-0 though.

[MattR]

NIce to know that the young England players are ready to move seamlessly into the full team and continue our tournament traditions! I wonder whether Pearce thinks back on the group game now and whether had we played a full team we could have put Germany out?