UEFA U-21 European Championship 2011

[LoveCity]

Who is going to watch this? Before the Copa America and friendlies, this is about the best football on offer! Lots of great young players on show and a lot of it is on Sky/streams.

Kicks off with Belarus vs. Iceland tomorrow at 6pm. England's first game is against Spain on Sunday at 8:45pm. These are the two favourites to win the tournament by the way, but with Carroll and Wilshere pulled out due to club power and Micah injured, the squad is weakened some.

We made it to the final of the last one in 2009 but got hammered 4-0 by a Germany side with the likes of Neuer, Hummels, Ozil, Boateng, and Khedira in it. Adam Johnson, Nedum, Micah, and Milner were in the unfortunate England team that day but since then we've seen just how good that generation of German kids is. Yet the new crop haven't managed to qualify for this year's! Nor have France, Portugal, Belgium or Russia.

Fixtures: <a class="postlink" href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/league/_/league/uefa.euro_u21/european-under-21-championship?cc=5739" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://soccernet.espn.go.com/league/_/l ... ip?cc=5739</a>

 

[Viva Rivaldo]

I think there was already a thread on this with quite a few posts, but it's probably buried under a tonne of shite.

I'm salivating at the prospect of a United central defensive partnership. Gotta be at the very least second-favourites with Spain.

 

[WNRH]

Between England or Spain for sure, England have had the better record against Spain in the youth ages last few years.

 

[Unknown_Genius]

Yay. Since everythings all quiet on the (middle) eastern front regarding transfers, this will stop me from decending into a comatose from the boredom created by the lack of activity. I'm interested in the Swiss, they're supposed to have a very good youth development system, so I'll keep an eye on them. Spain will be favourites, I imagine.

 

[squirtyflower]

I think there was already a thread on this with quite a few posts, but it's probably buried under a tonne of shite.

I'm salivating at the prospect of a United central defensive partnership. Gotta be at the very least second-favourites with Spain.

Is that a centre back pairing scum bought?

Or is it two of their highly feted wonder kids they brought through their academy and play for the love of the shirt?

 

[Viva Rivaldo]

I think there was already a thread on this with quite a few posts, but it's probably buried under a tonne of shite.

I'm salivating at the prospect of a United central defensive partnership. Gotta be at the very least second-favourites with Spain.

Is that a centre back pairing scum bought?

Or is it two of their highly feted wonder kids they brought through their academy and play for the love of the shirt?

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

says a lot about youth football if the powerhouses of football can't get in.

who cares about iceland v belarus?

i'll watch it anyway, probably.

 

[LoveCity]

"20-year-old Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcântara said that the only two England Under-21 players whom he and his team-mates admired are Arsenal's Jack Wilshere and Manchester City's Micah Richards, both of whom Pearce has had to leave behind."

Spain trying to wind us up already, at least Thiago gave props to Micah. ;)

Hope we beat them, we'd have a better chance with Carroll, Wilshere, and Micah, but Sturridge is ruthless up front at U-21 level.

England (4-3-3, probable): Fielding; Mancienne, Smalling, Jones, Bertrand; Henderson, Muamba, Rodwell; Sturridge, Wellbeck, Rose.

Spain (4-3-3, probable): Mino (or De Gea); Azpilicueta, Montoya, Víctor Ruiz, Didac; Thiago Alâcantra, Martínez, Hererra; Mata, Bojan, Jeffrén.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

spain should kill us, they have some great youngsters.

 

[Innsbruckblue]

Don't forget about the women's world cup!