European U21 Championships

[yerotsluap]

10/06/07
1.44 Holland v Israel 6.50 Draw 3.60 Won 1-0
1.40 Portugal v Belgium 7.50 Draw 3.80 Drew 0-0
11/06/07
5.00 Czech Republic v England 1.61 Draw 3.40 Drew 0-0
6.00 Serbia v Italy 1.50 Draw 3.60 Lost 1-0


Englands hopes of winning the tournament have to have been affected by the withdrawal of David Bentley. As it was for fatigue and not an injury Englands squad is reduced to just 22 rather than the 23 it should be

[yerotsluap]

England were absolutely terrible so negative that it looked like they were playing for the draw from the start. Obviously being watching the senior side too closely that same lack of passion and creativity was very evident

[MattR]

Yes, just watched as well. It's obviously an England manager thing with substitutions as well. Richardson and Milner were about the only two creating things so he left Young on (9 million? ) and replaced them with Routledge (I run very fast but I can't play football) and Lita. Nugent did ok I thought. Could really have done with Bentley.

[yerotsluap]

I thought that Nugent was one of the few bright spots on the day and also thought that Cahill had a good game but had completely forgotten reo coker was on the pitch until the last 5 minutes and was distinctly unimpressed by Huddlestone and onuoha

[bigmazey]

I'm now staying away from bets in this champion asd they are too unpredictable.

[Win2Win]

Pearce is not, and never should be a manager of anything. He has no idea of strategy.

[scoobydoo]

I layed England 1-0 and then they get pen at the end....but then I realised it was England playing in a competition in the summer....only one outcome really....thanks Leroy...owe you one!

[yerotsluap]

Pearce is not, and never should be a manager of anything. He has no idea of strategy.

The way Pearce was talking before the game there was never any chance they were going to attack and go for it. There were far too many players who had anonymous games. As I said before I forgot that Reo Coker was playing until the last 5 minutes thats something usually reserved for Frank Lampard in an England shirt. In the time since Bentley pulled out of the squad Pearce has been bleating on about what an important tournament this is well it didn't look like it yesterday

[yerotsluap]

10/06/07
1.44 Holland v Israel 6.50 Draw 3.60 Won 1-0
1.40 Portugal v Belgium 7.50 Draw 3.80 Drew 0-0
11/06/07
5.00 Czech Republic v England 1.61 Draw 3.40 Drew 0-0
6.00 Serbia v Italy 1.50 Draw 3.60 Lost 1-0


Englands hopes of winning the tournament have to have been affected by the withdrawal of David Bentley. As it was for fatigue and not an injury Englands squad is reduced to just 22 rather than the 23 it should be

1/4
25%
-2.56pts

[scoobydoo]

I was listening to the match on the radio and Chris Waddle was not too praising of Englands team (when is he ever!)...sounded like not enough creativity in the middle of the pitch. & now with Serbia beating Italy.... going to make it tough to qualify now. If they lose to Italy...they can probably pack their cases....Bentley will be wishing he had gone now as it wouldnt have interfered with his holiday maybe after all??

[Win2Win]

....why don't Lennon, Rooney, etc play....we miss the best players out, so how the hell can we be taking it serious?

[Jonny2621]

It was woeful frankly, a complete lack of invention and guile. Tubby Huddlestone (he has to be the most overweight pro footballer since Titi Camara), was impersonating Ray Wilkins and poor old Nugent must have thought the team didn't like him anymore he got so little service. Once again, tactically and technically our players looked short of requirements.

Why Pearce played one up front was bewildering as the Czechs offered very little threat and we were strong favourites.

I love Pearce and will never forget the passion he showed as a player for England and also for a short while at West Ham. As a player he is a legend imho but as a manager i really blieve he lacks the tactical nous to succeed as a manager, as Man City's lack of goals this season showed.

I wont be running for the TV set to watch the next match that's for sure.

[scoobydoo]

Thats it though Jonny...tactically and technically..at most levels we are left wanting. Waddle said that Reo Cokers first touch was awful....he was basically saying he is just the typical modern day premiership player....very fit...box to box but not good enough technically. I really dont know what we can do as we never seem to close that gap and has been said, they were not supposed to cause us many problems.But anyone who can pass and move causes us trouble these days! They had lost their last 3 matches I think. Czechs had best chances didnt they?

[Jonny2621]

Thats it though Jonny...tactically and technically..at most levels we are left wanting. Waddle said that Reo Cokers first touch was awful....he was basically saying he is just the typical modern day premiership player....very fit...box to box but not good enough technically. I really dont know what we can do as we never seem to close that gap and has been said, they were not supposed to cause us many problems.But anyone who can pass and move causes us trouble these days! They had lost their last 3 matches I think. Czechs had best chances didnt they?

Summer Reo-Coker up perfectly, will run for 90 minutes (if he is in the mood) and tackles well but his first touch IS woeful. Yet he is somehow Captain of the Under 21s and worth £7-9m. He and his agent are convinced he should be playing in the Champions League !

Mark Noble, he of the avatar, is a far better all round player and plays his heart out every game. If Choker is worth £7m, god knows what Noble will be worth next season

Yes, the Czechs could have won it but they were gifted possession so often . We should have been able to grasp the game and kill them off. Time for a rethink with the team I think

[MattR]

Summer Reo-Coker up perfectly, will run for 90 minutes (if he is in the mood) and tackles well but his first touch IS woeful. Yet he is somehow Captain of the Under 21s and worth £7-9m. He and his agent are convinced he should be playing in the Champions League !

Maybe he meant Championship :D


All these other teams seem to pass and move with pace where as we seem pedestrian when passing which isn't often. Most of the time we just hit long balls into the channels

Huddlestone is a frustrating player, he looks like he could be a very good player, he has good control and passing but he reminds me a bit of Carrick in that he seems to let the game pass him by and only get involved if it comes to him. Where as someone like Fabregas who has the technique, control and passing, takes things by the scruff of the neck and runs the game. And you're right Jonny, he's a bit on the big side!

[yerotsluap]

Tubby Huddlestone (he has to be the most overweight pro footballer since Titi Camara), was impersonating Ray Wilkins

I was talking to my dad about him during the game and my dad said hes turning into a modern day Jan Molby. He is praised by the 'experts' as a brilliant passer of the ball but whenevr I've seen him he just looks slow and ponderous on the ball

[sparkyminer]

I was talking to my dad about him during the game and my dad said hes turning into a modern day Jan Molby. He is praised by the 'experts' as a brilliant passer of the ball but whenevr I've seen him he just looks slow and ponderous on the ball

Slight difference though Paul. I remember Jan Molby as being a decent player.:)

[yerotsluap]

13/06/07
3.60 Israel U21 v Belgium U21 1.90 Draw 3.20 Belgium win 1-0
2.05 Holland U21 v Portugal U21 3.10 Draw 3.30 Lost 2-1

[yerotsluap]

The scottish ref is making a meal of the belgium israel game. 2 early yellow cards to send off one of the belgian central midfielders now hes just shown a yellow and a red to vanden borre the only trouble being he hadn't shown him a previous yellow. What is it about british refs at major tournaments???

[MattR]

Is that what he's done now? I turned it off at half time, he totally ruined the game. The sending off was a joke.

[yerotsluap]

yep british refs gone from one extreme to another. Poll 3 yellow cards and a red card this joker one yellow = 1 red. Belgium just about deserved their win and probably would have won comfortably had it not been for the name collecting of the ref in the end he booked just the 11 I think

[MattR]

You would have thought a scottish ref would have let things go as well. Glad Belgium won, thought they started well and played well the other night too. Let's hope for a few goals in the next one to get this tournament kick started.

[yerotsluap]

cant see portugal playing as badly as they did the other night and will be interested to see how nani looks against quite a decent dutch side

[yerotsluap]

The Dutch lad Drenthe looks a top player

[yerotsluap]

Good second goal for the dutch. The last 20 minutes or so of this game has really picked up both teams are wanting to go forward and create things, lets just hope stuart pearce is watching

[yerotsluap]

cracking free kick from the portuguese

[yerotsluap]

13/06/07
3.60 Israel U21 v Belgium U21 1.90 Draw 3.20 Belgium win 1-0
2.05 Holland U21 v Portugal U21 3.10 Draw 3.30 Lost 2-1

0/2
1/6 Overall
16.66%
-4.56pts

[yerotsluap]

16/06/07
7.50 Israel U21 v Portugal U21 1.44 Draw 3.75 Won 4-0
2.50 Holland U21 v Belgium U21 4.33 Draw 2.10 Drew 2-2

17/06/07
1.44 England U21 v Serbia U21 6.00 Draw 3.80 England won 2-0
1.50 Italy U21 v Czech Rep U21 5.50 Draw 3.75 Won 3-1

[yerotsluap]

2/4
3/10 Overall
30%
-5.62pts

[yerotsluap]

20/06/07
2.26 Holland v England 3.80 Draw 3.35 Drew 1-1
3.25 Belgium v Serbia 2.56 Draw 3.25 Lost 2-0