[Archived] Uefa Under21 Championship

[stuwilky]

Congratulations to the Netherlands, a thoroughly enjoyable evenings entertainment. Im a bit narked that Waterman wasnt able, or told, to stay on his line, but still - what a shoot out!

Good luck in the final.

[Daremz]

Entertaining match, deserved winner. Shame Matt missed his second PK, but it isn't his fault. Hope us dutchies snatch the cup again in the final!

[LeChuck]

Im a bit narked that Waterman wasnt able, or told, to stay on his line, but still - what a shoot out!

I'm even more narked that neither our coaching staff nor our players kicked up a fuss about it, someone should have complained in the same way their manager did about Taylor trying to get out of taking a kick. All our players seemed content with Waterman's positioning so we can't complain really.

I hope the dutch go on to win it - a Holland v. Belgium final would probably create a great atmosphere as well.

[Roar of the Rover]

What was the ref playing at?? How far did there keeper come out!!!!!

[Hasta]

MATT IS A DUTCHMAN

MATT IS A DUTCHMAN

Hahaha. What a penalty-series!

To be fair I've no problem with Holland going through. If any team deserved it on the balance of play it was them although I thought there was very little in it apart fromthe last 10 minutes of normal time where we hung on.

Extra time was a bit of a mockery. With Young carrying a knock, taylor completely injured and the lad from Arsenal carried off the pitch we were playing with 8 fit men. It was worrying for Holland that, not only could they not score, but they didnt fashion a clear cut chance.

The penalty shoot-out was just ridicuolous. As mentioned, the three that the Dutch keeper saved should have been retaken as he was stood 3 yards off the line when it was kicked. UEFA need to clarify this as soon as poss as it happens now at every major tournament. Carson, like a long list of England keepers before him, was poor in the penalties. I don't know what Brads 'secret' is but not many others know it. I'd still say that if Carson had stayed big in the centre of his goal he'd have saved at least 4 of the 11. He seemed to go the wrong way for every one.

Still I hope the Dutch go on to win it now.

[Tris]

The most unsporting moment of the tournament - if not this entire season - the dutch coach running onto the pitch (he's not allowed to) to challenge the ref to overturn the 4th official - to ensure that Stephen Taylor - so badly injured he could barely walk up to the spot - had to take a penalty. He buried it in style, but that's not the point.

An awesome display of resillience from England, with the hallmarks of Stuart Pearce stamped all over it. Those on here who criticised Pearce for a few passionate coments about Bentley choosing to miss the tournament need to take the blinkers off and hang their heads in shame.

Personally I'm glad Bentley is getting some rest - but Pearce was entitled to better support from the idiot McLaren which would have seen Bents have some time off instead of being dragged around by the senior coach for no reason. Pearce is 10 times the man - and manager - that McLaren will ever be.

[blue phil]

Those on here who criticised Pearce for a few passionate coments about Bentley choosing to miss the tournament need to take the blinkers off and hang their heads in shame.

Damn right they should .

....and so too should a certain Rovers player if he managed to drag himself off his sunbed to watch his fellow Englishmen slog their guts out for well over two hours.

Well done boys anyway ; what other nation could be so resilient and sporting ? Not surprising with a man like Pearce at the helm .

[brfc fan]

What a shoot-out! That was brillliant battling quality England showed but they were eventually defeated in ANOTHER seies of pens. :ph34r:

Good effort Derbs. You nearly got us over the line. It won't be long.

[modes98]

....and so too should a certain Rovers player if he managed to drag himself off his sunbed to watch his fellow Englishmen slog their guts out for well over two hours.

Taylor did more damage than he should have by playing on when he should have come off. I'm glad Bentley wasn't out there putting his body on the line and i hope the miss doesn't do derbs any damage psychologically.

Shame england fall short once again but maybe the serbs will have learnt how to react when a player gets injured and the opposition play on....or maybe not. Good effort lads but once gain england are out.

[John]

Pearce have a lot of passion and heart but he will never be a top manager - he is best sticking to an assistant role, possibly the under 21 role suits him best.

So glad Bentley has been resting.....

[brfc fan]

So glad Bentley has been resting.....

Me too. So he's raring to go come end of July.

[grizfoot]

Really felt gutted for the boys. They showed great passion and guts to battle through extra time. Especially Taylor who could barely walk yet he was still immense in extra time and even tucked away his penalty.

England just don't win penalty shootouts. At least this time we lasted a little longer.

[brfc fan]

I feel quite sad now it's sinking in.

[den]

Thought Pearces' subs cost us the game. Why take Lita off with 2 mins to go and put ferdinand on. From then on, once they got their one goal that they needed, we were stuck with one isolated striker for the whole of extra time.

[Hasta]

Agree to a point with what your saying Den. A very negative sub like that with just 1 minute left is OK in a league game, but if you know there is the prospect of extra time it is naive on Pearce's part.

However, it was also bad luck that Taylor got injured almost immediately. Had he been fit Pearce would probably have pushed Ashley Young up with Derbs in ET.

[blue phil]

A substitution 2 minutes to go is the done thing - it winds down the clock and breaks the pattern of the game . Somebody had to go off and replacing Lita with an extra defender at a time when we was under pressure was a perfectly logical choice .

Maybe he should have saved Derbyshire for extra time as well .....

[blue phil]

So glad Bentley has been resting.....

I bet he's not .

The heroics performed tonight by the England boys won't endear Bentley's attitude to either the England fans or the team management - and don't even mention the media !

Any chance of Bentley stepping up to the first team squad depend entirely now , I'd suggest , on him making a move to a big club .

Maybe he's happy to forgoe an England career and stay loyal to little old Blackburn Rovers .

Maybe I'll win the lottery this weekend ......

[Hasta]

A substitution 2 minutes to go is the done thing - it winds down the clock and breaks the pattern of the game . Somebody had to go off and replacing Lita with an extra defender at a time when we was under pressure was a perfectly logical choice .

I disagree Phil purely due to the fact there was extra time coming up. Had we had a sub left I'd have said fair enough.

Logic says to save a sub incase circumstances change (sending off, injury) or someone is completely knackered in the extra 30 minutes.

[den]

Agree to a point with what your saying Den. A very negative sub like that with just 1 minute left is OK in a league game, but if you know there is the prospect of extra time it is naive on Pearce's part.

However, it was also bad luck that Taylor got injured almost immediately. Had he been fit Pearce would probably have pushed Ashley Young up with Derbs in ET.

MOTM in my opinion.

[blue phil]

But didn't the substitution come when we were 1-0 up ?

[LeChuck]

But didn't the substitution come when we were 1-0 up ?

Yes, it did.

Taylor got his injury in the build up to the equalising goal, there's no way he would have stayed on the pitch if the substitution was made after that.

[den]

But didn't the substitution come when we were 1-0 up ?

Yes it did Phil. With only a few minutes to go, it was a big gamble, because if Holland equalised, it left us with just one lone striker - Derbs, to play the last 30 mins on his own up front. Why take Lita off with just a couple of minutes to go?

Pearce reverting to type?

[Tris]

Yes it did Phil. With only a few minutes to go, it was a big gamble, because if Holland equalised, it left us with just one lone striker - Derbs, to play the last 30 mins on his own up front. Why take Lita off with just a couple of minutes to go?

Pearce reverting to type?

That's so one eyed Den. What do you mean reverting to type?

He made an entirely logical substitution in the face of concerted Holland pressure, seconds from victory.

His key centre half then gets injured defending a set piece.

The next phase of play sees Holland score with an overhead flick which 9/10 times goes high and wide - the injured player is hardly back on the pitch.

Had it been Hughes making that sub in the same situation no Rovers fan would be questioning it. People around here need to forget the Bentley incident and give Pearce some credit - if for no other reason because he epitomises all that is right about the game, and stands up against much that is wrong in this money addled age.

I haven't seen a performance like that one tonight from any England side since 1990, when Butcher was playing with most of his nose on his shirt. We need that passion more than once every 17 years.

[Hasta]

I haven't seen a performance like that one tonight from any England side since 1990, when Butcher was playing with most of his nose on his shirt. We need that passion more than once every 17 years.

Come on Tris. It happens nearly every other major tournament. England have to show great bulldog spirit with 10 men, backs against the wall to hang on for penalties. The last world cup is one example. France 98 is a better one. We had 10 men there for 70 minutes and actually carried a goal threat.

The substition was brave, same as when a manager makes 3 changes at half time. Unfortunately it backfired spectacularly.

Had Hughes made that substitution at Old Trafford and Cheslea had equalised in the 89th minutes I'm pretty sure we'd be having the debate then too.

However back to last night, it was only one incident in the game that didn't help us and robbed us of any attacking ability in extra time. It certainly didnt cost us a victory. Just didnt help either.

[Manc Rover]

Dunno if anyone else picked up on this but when Taylor got injured and was laid down in the box, the ball landed at Derbyshire's feet and he then gave possession straight back to the dutch by trying a little flick. He probably should have just put it out and let Taylor receive attention from the physio. This would have prevented about 4 dutch players camping in the box and would have ran the clock down. Very harsh to criticise him for this but it did show a bit of inexperience.