England

[roverandout]

Semi finals.  I thought the ref was shocking but second half we just hit aimless balls.  We got rather fortunate 

[philipl]

Watched parts of both halves against Portugal- we won 1-0.

Total English domination first half but remarkably unproductive in terms of chances created.

Portugal on top second half- we would have serious problems if the Portuguese weren't a team of midgets. They hit the bar and England totally incapable of maintaining any possession. 

[roverandout]

3 minutes ago, philipl said:

Watched parts of both halves against Portugal- we won 1-0.

Total English domination first half but remarkably unproductive in terms of chances created.

Portugal on top second half- we would have serious problems if the Portuguese weren't a team of midgets. They hit the bar and England totally incapable of maintaining any possession. 

It's an English disease.  We had the same problems against Italy and Croatia.  We score early than eventually start conceding possession.  We need to be more confident in our ability 

[Oldgregg86]

What channel is this on and when do we play next ?

[Mattyblue]

Israel on Wednesday.

No channel here has bothered buying the rights. On the UEFA website.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Mattyblue

[CA1Rover]

8 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

What channel is this on and when do we play next ?

5pm Wednesday.

 

There is a chance someone will pick it up now, BBC fav I would say - be surprised if they don't get it if we make the Final at least.

[AllRoverAsia]

U21

England lead Israel 1-0 at HT

Gibbs-White penalty. He had earlier missed the goal with a penalty 

England the better team so far.

England playing in the all red kit, looks good.

Edited July 5, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[AllRoverAsia]

57 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

U21

England lead Israel 1-0 at HT

Gibbs-White penalty. He had earlier missed the goal with a penalty 

England the better team so far.

England playing in the all red kit, looks good.

2-0

Palmer

3-0

Archer

Edited July 5, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[roverandout]

Strong under 21 side

[AllRoverAsia]

The BBC are negotiating rights to show the Euro u21 final

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12271229/BBC-make-late-offer-UEFA-televise-Englands-21-European-Championship-final-vs-Spain.html

Edit: I've just seen that it's now on Channel 4

https://talksport.com/football/1491019/channel-4-england-euro-u21-final-spain-tv/#:~:text=The European Under-21 Championship,of their last seven tournaments.

Edited July 7, 2023 by AllRoverAsia

[Exiled_Rover]

There's a lot of very bored looking Spanish girlfriends in the stands for this U21 Final: "Fancy a weekend break to Georgia, honey?" LOL!

Also Kane had better be immortal because they're playing Gibbs-White and Smith-Rowe upfront. Where have all the big, athletic strikers in England gone?!

[roversfan99]

The constant reduction in average ages in senior football combined with the flexibility of allowing players who are 21 at the start of qualifying to still be eligible nearly 2 years later (ie at 23) has almost weirdly made this age group feel redundant, at least from an England perspective.

Under age teams are obviously intended to be a pathway to senior football. You look through this England side, are the likes of Max Aarons and James Garner ever going to make it at senior level? Probably not. There is a chance for players at centre back so Colwill surely has a good chance but even then, Southgate loves Maguire so much regardless of how bad he is, so its even tough for him. And the likes of Gordon, Jones, Gibbs-White and Smith Rowe, only Gibbs-White is likely to play regular at senior level in the immediate future (that doesn't seem to matter to Southgate, but still) and they are all up against it with better talents already regularly playing at senior level despite either not being older (Foden, Saka, Bellingham etc) or players in their prime years in Grealish, Rashford, Sterling, Maddison etc.

[Oldgregg86]

1-0 to England at half time 

Curtis jones I think 

[roverandout]

19 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

There's a lot of very bored looking Spanish girlfriends in the stands for this U21 Final: "Fancy a weekend break to Georgia, honey?" LOL!

Also Kane had better be immortal because they're playing Gibbs-White and Smith-Rowe upfront. Where have all the big, athletic strikers in England gone?!

Cameron Archer has already scored 2 goals off the bench this tournament 

[roverandout]

10 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

The constant reduction in average ages in senior football combined with the flexibility of allowing players who are 21 at the start of qualifying to still be eligible nearly 2 years later (ie at 23) has almost weirdly made this age group feel redundant, at least from an England perspective.

Under age teams are obviously intended to be a pathway to senior football. You look through this England side, are the likes of Max Aarons and James Garner ever going to make it at senior level? Probably not. There is a chance for players at centre back so Colwill surely has a good chance but even then, Southgate loves Maguire so much regardless of how bad he is, so its even tough for him. And the likes of Gordon, Jones, Gibbs-White and Smith Rowe, only Gibbs-White is likely to play regular at senior level in the immediate future (that doesn't seem to matter to Southgate, but still) and they are all up against it with better talents already regularly playing at senior level despite either not being older (Foden, Saka, Bellingham etc) or players in their prime years in Grealish, Rashford, Sterling, Maddison etc.

Every nation in this tournament has majority overage players.  Unlike England a lot of other nations have a few players with senior caps. England only have one. The production line Is still there

[Exiled_Rover]

Colwill is leagues above this level - what a classy CB. 

[roversfan99]

13 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Every nation in this tournament has majority overage players.  Unlike England a lot of other nations have a few players with senior caps. England only have one. The production line Is still there

I know, the main point was at the actual age group and how I feel that its importance has perhaps waned with senior teams now getting younger and younger. A number of years ago, these players would look up and see a much older average age of senior side so more of a pathway was there.

I am not convinced that many of this team will get many/any caps at senior level. Max Aarons and James Garner will do well to get any. Emile Smith Rowe, probably needs to move club as he will barely play for Arsenal, Curtis Jones, unlikely to play much for Liverpool with their 2 new signings, Gibbs-White, good player but nothing special, Gordon talented but again nothing special. None of these come close to the attacking players we have, not many would, but the key thing is many of those players at senior level are also young. Cole Palmer maybe has the best chance just because of his age.

There obviously is a lack of quality at centre back, allowing for when Southgate goes and hopefully Maguire will finally drop out of the squad. Colwill is a good player, showed that at Brighton, Harwood-Bellis more uncertain. Hopefully Trafford crashes and burns at Burnley.

[roverandout]

9 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I know, the main point was at the actual age group and how I feel that its importance has perhaps waned with senior teams now getting younger and younger. A number of years ago, these players would look up and see a much older average age of senior side so more of a pathway was there.

I am not convinced that many of this team will get many/any caps at senior level. Max Aarons and James Garner will do well to get any. Emile Smith Rowe, probably needs to move club as he will barely play for Arsenal, Curtis Jones, unlikely to play much for Liverpool with their 2 new signings, Gibbs-White, good player but nothing special, Gordon talented but again nothing special. None of these come close to the attacking players we have, not many would, but the key thing is many of those players at senior level are also young. Cole Palmer maybe has the best chance just because of his age.

There obviously is a lack of quality at centre back, allowing for when Southgate goes and hopefully Maguire will finally drop out of the squad. Colwill is a good player, showed that at Brighton, Harwood-Bellis more uncertain. Hopefully Trafford crashes and burns at Burnley.

Hopefully Trafford is a superb signing for Burnley.  I also think madueke will make it 

[Exiled_Rover]

13 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I know, the main point was at the actual age group and how I feel that its importance has perhaps waned with senior teams now getting younger and younger. A number of years ago, these players would look up and see a much older average age of senior side so more of a pathway was there.

I am not convinced that many of this team will get many/any caps at senior level. Max Aarons and James Garner will do well to get any. Emile Smith Rowe, probably needs to move club as he will barely play for Arsenal, Curtis Jones, unlikely to play much for Liverpool with their 2 new signings, Gibbs-White, good player but nothing special, Gordon talented but again nothing special. None of these come close to the attacking players we have, not many would, but the key thing is many of those players at senior level are also young. Cole Palmer maybe has the best chance just because of his age.

There obviously is a lack of quality at centre back, allowing for when Southgate goes and hopefully Maguire will finally drop out of the squad. Colwill is a good player, showed that at Brighton, Harwood-Bellis more uncertain. Hopefully Trafford crashes and burns at Burnley.

I won't go point for point, but the nations that compete for titles have strength in depth. We've got PL starters in our U21s - I don't see a problem here. 

[roversfan99]

11 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Hopefully Trafford is a superb signing for Burnley.  I also think madueke will make it 

You hope that a Burnley player is superb? Can't fathom that.

6 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I won't go point for point, but the nations that compete for titles have strength in depth. We've got PL starters in our U21s - I don't see a problem here. 

It's not a problem, my point wasn't specific to England, it was more than I feel like the under 21 age group has probably reduced in importance with senior teams tending to be younger than ever and with a few of these being up to the age of 23.

A lot of these attacking England players (Smith-Rowe, Palmer, Gordon, Jones) aren't regulars. Talented players, maybe some need moves elsewhere. Of course the fact that I think some of these players will struggle for senior caps is mainly a positive reflection on the strength in depth we have already in and around the senior squad.

[roverandout]

3 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

You hope that a Burnley player is superb? Can't fathom that.

It's not a problem, my point wasn't specific to England, it was more than I feel like the under 21 age group has probably reduced in importance with senior teams tending to be younger than ever and with a few of these being up to the age of 23.

A lot of these attacking England players (Smith-Rowe, Palmer, Gordon, Jones) aren't regulars. Talented players, maybe some need moves elsewhere. Of course the fact that I think some of these players will struggle for senior caps is mainly a positive reflection on the strength in depth we have already in and around the senior squad.

Because he's the next England keeper long term

[roversfan99]

1 minute ago, roverandout said:

Because he's the next England keeper long term

Say they signed Harwood-Bellis back and a couple of the other players on show tonight, would you want them to do well in general?

[Exiled_Rover]

Never a penalty in a million years.

VAR is absolutely fucking awful. 

[roversfan99]

Colwill kicked the bottom of Ruiz's boot, foul surely.

Doesn't matter anyway.

[Exiled_Rover]

This ref is an absolute clown.