there's a lot of misconception around the success of junior sides. as that lengthy nytimes ajax piece explains, it's far better to have 2 potentially great players in a crappy u-17 team than 6 or 7 who'll eke out careers in the championship.
Regarding the 'athletic, intelligent (hmmmm, Johnson? Rio?) and fairly skilful defenders', one of the real problems I can see is that there are none of these coming through. Three of England's current leading centre-halves - Terry, Ferdinand, King - are very comfortable on the ball, but I don't think any of the younger ones are in the slightest.
naturally i did caveat glen johnson who is prone to catalepsy in defence. if rodwell is developed into a cb as moyes wishes then add another to that list.
File lack of ball-playing centre half alongside lack of first-rate goalkeeper, deep-lying passing defensive midfielder and mobile poacher and I really think England are going to struggle to qualify for the next two tournaments.
dunno about mobile poacher, bojan looks amazing but it's difficult to see where he fits into a 4-3-3, or even 4-2-3-1. so little 4-4-2 at the highest level. huddlestone shd be played in a 4-3-3 and if tottenham get a rly good forward he may get his wish next to modric and palacios.
― nakhchivan, Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:10 (fourteen years ago) link
I just assume most of these youth players will be the same as they've always been in the past: kids who are big and skillful for their age but end up vanishing as adults once their developmental advantage has gone bye-bye.
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:11 (fourteen years ago) link
One of the Everton under-17s is apparently called Jasper Johns. Good target man, I hear.
― Stevie T, Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:14 (fourteen years ago) link
^^^^otm.
Huddlestone next to a shield like Rodwell or Cattermole, with an inventive attacking midfielder in front of him (Wilshere?) would be terrific to watch imo.
― samuel :D (a hoy hoy), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:15 (fourteen years ago) link
Wow
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:19 (fourteen years ago) link
huddlestone shd be played in a 4-3-3 and if tottenham get a rly good forward he may get his wish next to modric and palacios.
451, iirc tbh, based around Pav
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:21 (fourteen years ago) link
x-post
No one from Chelsea/Man United/Spurs/Arsenal at all.
Think this is wrong, Chelsea had two players in the team, McEachren and a 15-year-old called Chalobah, and William Keane def plays for United.
http://www.uefa.com/under17/matches/season=2010/round=15345/match=2002343/index.html
― Pete W, Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:27 (fourteen years ago) link
1 youth player per annum graduating to stay first team = fielding an entire team of homegrowns ranging from age 30-19.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:29 (fourteen years ago) link
I was basing that on Wikipedia, so it could well be wrong.
― Vulvuzela (Matt DC), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:30 (fourteen years ago) link
really, what huddlestone needs is a tough tackling yet mobile player behind him, and a player who makes the late runs into the box and can take a pot shot too to stretch the defence/midfield.
zokora, jenas are prob good bets.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Take it to the Tottenham thread dudes.
― Pete W, Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:33 (fourteen years ago) link
Or do a diagram, one or the other.
^ |<- Cattermole -> Huddlestone / | \ / | \ | | |
^ |<- Cattermole ->
Huddlestone / | \ / | \ | | |
-> runs/screening/rough nasty sweaty work- wonderful elegant killer balls
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:38 (fourteen years ago) link
- Profit
― Vulvuzela (Matt DC), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:47 (fourteen years ago) link
ya profit sheesh
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:52 (fourteen years ago) link
I think what i'm tryin to say there is that cattermole and huddlestone should comandeer a spider legged spaceship for maximum effect
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:53 (fourteen years ago) link
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aRIdDrwDIgs/SuFflCWmJGI/AAAAAAAADJk/N5BVE634MBM/s320/parliament_mothership_connection-1.jpg
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 11:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Germany skipper Philipp Lahm has delivered a withering put-down to England by claiming his side "now have to beat a big team".
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:39 (fourteen years ago) link
I don't even think the Germans are trying to zing at this point, just speaking truth.
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Worse again, I think Beckenbauer is trying to fuckin help ye
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah, I thought Beckenbauer sounded more disappointed and concerned than anything.
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:43 (fourteen years ago) link
Those Germans really dig that 'measured by the strength of yr enemies' shit imo
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Not unlike English pundits expressing concern for the plight of Scottish football
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:48 (fourteen years ago) link
English pundits like Hansen and Lawro you mean?
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Get fucked are you getting away with palming Lawro off on us.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:54 (fourteen years ago) link
srs line in the sand shit right there
lololololol
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:57 (fourteen years ago) link
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/78981510.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF87892155F29F61288AC1CA45CED72E9EA92363790556070386E3A220EF5264B1D9A9B9
nope, it checks out
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:57 (fourteen years ago) link
have you seen the news lately? anyone can get an irish passport, sure.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:00 (fourteen years ago) link
http://scottdouglas.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/tony-cascarino.gif
"Ah begob 'tis the wearin' of the green"
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:01 (fourteen years ago) link
Has Alan Hansen ever spoken about Scottish football? Lawro has, occasionally, sure he's a terrible man for the pontificatin'
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:01 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm pondering now if Hansen's ever had occasion to broach the subject.
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:02 (fourteen years ago) link
xxp swear to fuck i have that exact jpg just ready to paste
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:03 (fourteen years ago) link
1st up on GIS innit
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:04 (fourteen years ago) link
This is the pity of Scotland not qualifying for major tournaments, now that media is more hysterically Anglocentric than it's ever been (IMO), I wonder how they'd handle it, Hansen would have to do some research on Scottish players for a start
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:04 (fourteen years ago) link
Fingers crossed that we're on our way back to the 70s, with Scotland qualifying and England not qualifying, oh what fun!
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:06 (fourteen years ago) link
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2008/12/5/1228491824927/Tony-Cascarino-001.jpg
was gonna go with this xp, being garotted for defiling the green by true son o' the soil
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:06 (fourteen years ago) link
xxp re hansen having to do some 'research' -would he fuck, going on the level of research demonstrated this past couple of years.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:07 (fourteen years ago) link
HE'S RESEARCHED SOME OFF-LICENCES, AMIRITE??
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:07 (fourteen years ago) link
*slouch* *sneer* *pick up expenses*
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:08 (fourteen years ago) link
I can imagine the reaction you'd get asking townsend to come spend a few hours sweating on the bog with you
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:09 (fourteen years ago) link
I can't imagine, amidst all this WC shockah fallout, that England still won't absolutely cruise to qualificiation for the Euros, btw.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:11 (fourteen years ago) link
btw I still think if Argentina win the World Cup under Maradonna this year, Gazza should get a shot as England manager.
― voodoo sailor (ken c), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:11 (fourteen years ago) link
Fuck that, If Maradona wins the WC for Argentina, the FA should be targetting him
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I dunno man, Wales will be up for it and that Montenegro team must have 30 or 40 professionals to choose from.
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I would just like to see Maradona try and snog Stuart Pearce tbh
― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Once you've faced the might of Slovenia you can have few fears
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:15 (fourteen years ago) link
Fuck that, If Maradona wins the WC for Argentina, the FA should be targetting him― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:12 (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
Nah surely it's time for an english manager now? After a swede, a dutch and an italian??
― voodoo sailor (ken c), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Has anybody suggested Shearer yet?
― It's a rest day, WE WANT TO SHOP (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:20 (fourteen years ago) link
I suppose if you take the position that the Malvinas are British territory, it's not that far of a leap to getting Diego on board tbh.
― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 13:21 (fourteen years ago) link