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| U21 Euro Championship | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 13 2011, 03:35 PM (589 Views) | |
| Merengue | Jun 13 2011, 03:35 PM Post #1 |
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The Euro U21 championships currently going on in Denmark may be of some interest here. Not only does it provide us with some summer football but there are some pretty good young players in the tournament which also will act as Europe's qualifying tournament for enxt year's Olympic Games. There have been some surprises as traditional powers at this age level like Germany, Portugal, Italy and France are not present. The final 8, divided into two groups are: Group A Switzerland Denmark Belarus Iceland Group B Spain England Czech Republic Ukraine One round of group games have already been completed with these scores: Belarus 2-0 Iceland Switzerland 1-0 Denmark Czech Republic 2-1 Ukraine Spain 1-1 England Rosters For The Competing Teams |
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| Onslow | Jun 13 2011, 10:57 PM Post #2 |
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Danny Wellbeck got a late, late goal to give England a 1-1 draw with Spain. Spain controlled the play for most of the match but they paid for not putting England away. I have to say though that on paper at least Group B with England, Spain, Czech Republic and Ukraine looks much stronger than the other group. |
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| Simon | Jun 14 2011, 12:23 PM Post #3 |
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I watched the England-Spain game, decent match from both teams I thought. A draw was a reasonable result IMO, Spain had a bit more of it but both teams were always in it, and Spain's goal was punched into the net by the lad Herrer as well, some poor officiating there. Probably England's star man at this level is Jack Wilshere who was not released by Arsene Wenger for this tournament, but there's plenty of other talent there. England's centre-back pairing of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are both United players and did well together. Our probable new goalkeeper David de Gea was in action at the other end and and made at least one outstanding save before he was beaten by that tidy finish from Danny Welbeck - also of Manchester United, so you can see I had plenty of interest in that match! I've not seen anything of the other matches yet, no doubt we can report on this thread on any useful looking prospect for the future. |
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| valenciano | Jun 18 2011, 09:26 AM Post #4 |
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The Swiss have some players who won the U17 World Cup two years ago plus others who played their national team's recent frienldy vs England (Shaquiri and Emeghara to name two) so they look like they could be a team to watch in this competition. Ajax's rising star midfielder Christan Eriksen is the main guy on Denmark's team and another one to watch in this tourney. Ajax may keep him this coming season but I would not be surprised to see Eriksen heading to a bigger league soon. |
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| Manzanares | Jun 18 2011, 07:49 PM Post #5 |
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Switzerland and Belarus advance to the semifinals from Group A after Iceland scored 3 goals and beat hosts Denmark 3-1 in the upset of the tournament. http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=reu-euro21 Group B will be deiced on Sunday with Spain and the Czech Republic currently in the top two positions. |
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| Merengue | Jun 19 2011, 08:31 PM Post #6 |
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Spain won the group with a 3-0 win over Ukraine and the Czech Republic came from behind to defeat England 2-1 with two goals in the final 2 minutes. That enabled the Czechs to edge England out for 2nd in the group. Spain played their best game in this competition with Thiago Alcantara, Ander Herrera and Juan Mata teaming up extremely well. Damn, Thiago looked very good and unfortunately he is yet another Barcelona player. I hate saying this but he played like a slightly taller version of Xavi. Barca does not need Cesc they have Thiago serving his apprenticeship now. The names may be different, well except for World Cup winners Mata and Javi Martinez, but this team played just like the senior team, perhaps only a little quicker. There is still talent being developed in Spain which is very encouraging to see and makes me think this is a process of development and Spain's current success is not just tied into a singular talented generation, there is more talent still coming up. To me England looked like 11 individuals and not a team. The semifinals will be: Spain-Belarus Switzerland-Czech Republic |
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| Hector | Jun 20 2011, 08:10 AM Post #7 |
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Thiago Alcantara really did play well yesterday directing the team from midfield. He has a good teacher at Barcelona! With the way Montoya played at right back I would think this season Barca will bring him up to the first team to become Dani Alves' backup. if not then they should loan him out for more experience but he has shown in this competition that he is ready for first division minutes. And so has Thiago who I think could become the reserve for both Iniesta and Xavi in the coming season. |
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| Merengue | Jun 20 2011, 06:25 PM Post #8 |
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Thiago already did occasionally spell Xavi and Iniesta this past season but only made about 12 league appearances for Barcelona this past season, half of those occurring after Barcelona all but wrapped up the league title. At 20 years of age, he has a fine future ahead of him and it is this U21 tourney which he is using as his card to present himself to the world. Undoubtedly he has been watching Xavi closely as many of his moves are patterned after his. It should be interesting to see how often Barcelona can get Thiago Alcantara into their lineup in the new season. galicia probably won't like to read this but Adrian Lopez, the Deportivo striker has scored in these three games with the U21 team almost half the goals he scored in the past season at Depor! Of course his service with the U21 team is much better. |
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| Martin | Jun 20 2011, 09:00 PM Post #9 |
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You really do wonder while watching Thiago Alcantara play why Barcelona are looking at spending millions of Euros on Cesc Fabregas when there is no way Cesc will currently be able to beat either Iniesta or Xavi out of a starting job. Thiago can handle the job of backing them up for now then in a few years when Xavi is ready to hang up the boots then see if Thiago is ready to take over. If not then you can look into buying Fabregas. By the way Thiago's 18 year old brother Rafa Alcantara is also supposed to be a hot Barca prospect in midfield. Their poppa Mazinho has taught them well. |
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| Simon | Jun 21 2011, 12:19 PM Post #10 |
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That's how it looked to me in the first two matches, I didn't see the third. To be fair to them, three of their main players are Jack Wilshere, Micah Richards and Andy Carroll - each of whom has played for the senior side and none of whom is at this tournament. Welbeck and Sturridge looked handy up front but were having to operate as individuals really. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling both played really well throughout, and from a selfish point of view I accept the blessing in disguise of England's elimination as it means that they will get a longer break and a full pre-season. I think they'll both be important players for United this coming season. There was plenty of other talent in the side as well, and this is a team that is the top ranked European U21 side and who hadn't lost a game this season prior to the Czech match, so there are some decent players about. I think England are the European U17 champions as well so hopefully some of these kids can be transitioned into a competitive senior side over the next few years. Whether Capello oversees that process or not remains to be seen! The big lesson that they need to learn IMO is not to join a huge squad such as those at City or Chelsea and then spend vital years of their development atrophying on the bench. |
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| Manzanares | Jun 22 2011, 01:24 PM Post #11 |
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There almost was a monumental upset today as Belarus scored after 38 minutes and were defending very well against a Spain team which seemed to have been reading their press clippings too much and played a much more apathetic and slower game than in their previous wins over Ukraine and Czech Republic. The Belarussians were frustrating Spain until the game's final minute when Jeffren, in as a sub, crossed low and Adrian Lopez knocked it in to send the match into overtime. That deflated Belarus and Spain, who had dominated the game without creating enough good chances, finally got a better grip on the game and Adrian scored a 2nd, his 5th of the tournament (he only scored 8 last season for Deportivo) and then Jeffren added a 3rd at the end on a nice shot from distance. So Spain escape a poor game, advance to the final and have also qualified for the London Olympics. Switzelrand and Czech Republic are 0-0 in extra time in the other semifinal. That winner also will qualify for the Olympics with the loser playing Belarus to see who will be the third qualified Olympic team from Europe.
How true, these U21 players need minutes no matter which club or country they play for. On Spain's team, most are seeing regular playing time with first division clubs and while Thiago and Montoya are with Barcelona, they have each been playing a lot of minutes with Barcelona's B team which has given them the opportunity to show what they can do and are seeking the opportunity to get more minutes with the A team in the coming season. |
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| shelsoccer | Jun 22 2011, 01:50 PM Post #12 |
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Switzerland scored in extra time to advance to the final. |
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| Manzanares | Jun 24 2011, 10:41 PM Post #13 |
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A preview of Saturday's Final between Switzerland and Spain: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=reu-euro21 The Swiss have had the best defense in the tournament, Spain the best attack. Makes for an interesting contest. We have talked a lot about Spain here but this is Switzerland's team (in Spanish from the always enjoyable Julio Maldonado aka maldini at AS) http://blogs.as.com/julio_maldonado/2011/0...no-por-uno.html Shaquiri, Mehmedi, Frei and Xhaka are probably the players to watch for the Swiss but it is on defese where they have not given up a goal, where the swiss really standout. . |
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| libero | Jun 25 2011, 03:05 PM Post #14 |
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An impressive 2-0 win for Spain over Switzerland in the final. The Swiss defended pretty well but Spain's passing game was too much for them. Ander Herrera headed in a cross late in the first half for the first goal and the impressive Thiago Alcantara scored on an almost 40 yard free kick for the 2nd. As Manzanares noted, the Swiss had previously not given up a goal in the tournament! Javi Martinez and Thiago controlled the midfield vey well and players like Mata, Herrera and Muniain are excellent in the final 1/3 of the field. Spain are dominating everything now it seems and their future looks bright as many of these U21 players make their way up to the senior team. As some have already commented, Mata and Martinez already are World Cup winners. |
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| Pepe | Jun 25 2011, 03:20 PM Post #15 |
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All Spain fans are very happy with this team. Good job of coaching them too by Luis Milla, the former midfielder. They had a couple of below par games, versus England and Belarus but in each one were able to get at least a draw (and an extra time win vs belarus). The sign of a good team which can win even when not playing its best. But then this team would turn around and produce a fine demonstartion of alla round futbol such as they did in today's final. Botia of Sporting the centreback also had a fine tournament, both he and Thiago Alcantara were the players who above all else who really made a name for themselves in this competition for Spain. Others like Mata, Martinez, Ander Herrera, DeGea, etc were already pretty well known among fans of La Liga. Both Botia and Thiago Alcantara however are now players who people throughout Europe will be standing up and taking notice. By the way Belarus defeated Czech Republic 1-0 to claim the third Olympic qualifying spot. They join the two finalists Spain & Switzerland and Great Britain the host country at London 2012. Has it been decided if that will be a combined team from England, Scotland, Wales & No. Ireland? Or will it just be an England U23? |
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