2011 UEFA European Under-21 Tournament

[Scott]

But he has, Pearce has played him this season and every man and his dog knows what Josh brings to the side. My opinion was if he couldnt get Wilshere then he needed Josh.

no, He needed Clev and Wickham in the side tonight,

 

[CtPauley]

Surely it shouldnt matter, if he is good enough for the side then he deserves to be in it. Fabrice Muamba hardly plays for Bolton but he is in the side? Ryan Bertrand has played one game in the last 6months at club level!!

Muamba played around 40 games last season...

Also, with Gibbs out injured, who else would you pick at left back?

 

[CJACKO11]

no, He needed Clev and Wickham in the side tonight,

Im not disagreeing with either. But i also think McEachran would bring so much to the side as would the 2 you mentioned especially tonight.

 

[GodCubed]

Ah but that doesn't always work out badly, if you can get Wickham as a Nat Lofthouse type of player and Welbeck/Sturridge like Jimmy Greaves we could be onto something!

I'm being far too optimistic, aren't him?

In a word? Yes.

But he has, Pearce has played him this season and every man and his dog knows what Josh brings to the side. My opinion was if he couldnt get Wilshere then he needed Josh.

Actually agree. We needed some kind of vision and technique in the middle of the park, and McEachran would be perfect. He's looked at home at U21 level, and he provides the passing and creativity we've been lacking in the centre of the park. Comfortable playing deep in a double pivot by the looks of things too.

 

[Donnelly1]

I personally wanted to see Albrighton in the side.
I think it could be a Switzerland v Spain final. Munian and Mata looked really good today and Shaqiri looks like a star in the making

 

[Joss]

Oh come now. Jones has plenty of pace, Lansbury was arguably our best player and Welb- yeah, Welbeck was ****.

Stopped watching after an hour, but Lansbury almost made an immediate impact. Looked quality against Norway, and had a fruitful loan at Norwich. His directness and running from deep is exactly what this side needs - he has more vision and technical ability than fecking Rodwell.

TBH - I'd drop Rodwell, then:

Fielding

Kelly - Smalling - Jones - Bertrand

Muamba - Lansbury/Cleverley

Albrighton - Sturridge/Lansbury - Sinclair

Welbeck/Sturridge​

Lansbury's comfortable in the more advanced position, and Sturridge could play as a lone striker and drop back/drift in a fairly free role. (Usually) Fairly clinical, proved himself at Bolton and isn't coming into the tournament on the back of a 2 month injury-leave. That allows for Cleverley's range of passing in a deeper position, whilst also offering an attacking threat (Lansbury has a tendency to play too many holly-wood balls, something that could be cut out if he's pushed further up the pitch) and have Muamba to actually sit in front of the back 4 and do his job. Something Rodwell plainly can't do.

I don't actually know who plays at RB... Mancienne if Kelly's injured or whatnot.

Actually agree. We needed some kind of vision and technique in the middle of the park, and McEachran would be perfect. He's looked at home at U21 level, and he provides the passing and creativity we've been lacking in the centre of the park. Comfortable playing deep in a double pivot by the looks of things too.

But he's had next to no competitive football. Needs a loan IMO --> He's small and pretty skinny. I fear he'd just be out-muscled by players who, in some cases, are 3+ years older than him. Big gap between 21 and 18 in football. You're physically stronger, more experienced. Maybe he should have given him a place in the squad, but I think he'd be right to leave out of the team.

What we really need is for England to sharpen the **** up, and not play long-ball every game.

 

[Donnelly1]

Stopped watching after an hour, but Lansbury almost made an immediate impact. Looked quality against Norway, and had a fruitful loan at Norwich. His directness and running from deep is exactly what this side needs - he has more vision and technical ability than fecking Rodwell.

TBH - I'd drop Rodwell, then:

Fielding

Kelly - Smalling - Jones - Bertrand

Muamba - Lansbury/Cleverley

Albrighton - Sturridge/Lansbury - Sinclair

Welbeck/Sturridge​

Lansbury's comfortable in the more advanced position, and Sturridge could play as a lone striker and drop back/drift in a fairly free role. (Usually) Fairly clinical, proved himself at Bolton and isn't coming into the tournament on the back of a 2 month injury-leave. That allows for Cleverley's range of passing in a deeper position, whilst also offering an attacking threat (Lansbury has a tendency to play too many holly-wood balls, something that could be cut out if he's pushed further up the pitch) and have Muamba to actually sit in front of the back 4 and do his job. Something Rodwell plainly can't do.

I don't actually know who plays at RB... Mancienne if Kelly's injured or whatnot.



But he's had next to no competitive football. Needs a loan IMO --> He's small and pretty skinny. I fear he'd just be out-muscled by players who, in some cases, are 3+ years older than him. Big gap between 21 and 18 in football. You're physically stronger, more experienced. Maybe he should have given him a place in the squad, but I think he'd be right to leave out of the team.

What we really need is for England to sharpen the **** up, and not play long-ball every game.

I'd keep Rodwell in the side. Drop Welbeck. And Kyle Walker isn't bad at right back. And about McEachran, some would even be 5 years older (23 year olds)

 

[Jak]

so England have to win otherwise they won't progress. Nothing new there then....

 

[Donnelly1]

so England have to win otherwise they won't progress. Nothing new there then....

well qualifying with a game to spare is just no fun

 

[ChrisBird]

But he's had next to no competitive football. Needs a loan IMO --> He's small and pretty skinny. I fear he'd just be out-muscled by players who, in some cases, are 3+ years older than him. Big gap between 21 and 18 in football. You're physically stronger, more experienced. Maybe he should have given him a place in the squad, but I think he'd be right to leave out of the team.

He's skinny not small - 5'10, which is above average height. And he's actually quite strong if you would have watched anything of him, despite his size. His size wouldn't have even mattered against Spain as they are a small side (bar Martinez and maybe a couple of others), and he was much needed (or somebody similar to him). As for tonight as long as he would have had a physical player next to him, then I don't think he would have struggled at all. And if McEachran would've played then I strongly believe we wouldn't have played long-balls all throughout the game, as Josh would drop deep to pick up the ball, and try to play nice simple football on the floor.

 

[CJACKO11]

Stopped watching after an hour, but Lansbury almost made an immediate impact. Looked quality against Norway, and had a fruitful loan at Norwich. His directness and running from deep is exactly what this side needs - he has more vision and technical ability than fecking Rodwell.

TBH - I'd drop Rodwell, then:

Fielding​

Kelly - Smalling - Jones - Bertrand​

Muamba - Lansbury/Cleverley​

Albrighton - Sturridge/Lansbury - Sinclair​

Welbeck/Sturridge​

Lansbury's comfortable in the more advanced position, and Sturridge could play as a lone striker and drop back/drift in a fairly free role. (Usually) Fairly clinical, proved himself at Bolton and isn't coming into the tournament on the back of a 2 month injury-leave. That allows for Cleverley's range of passing in a deeper position, whilst also offering an attacking threat (Lansbury has a tendency to play too many holly-wood balls, something that could be cut out if he's pushed further up the pitch) and have Muamba to actually sit in front of the back 4 and do his job. Something Rodwell plainly can't do.

I don't actually know who plays at RB... Mancienne if Kelly's injured or whatnot.



But he's had next to no competitive football. Needs a loan IMO --> He's small and pretty skinny. I fear he'd just be out-muscled by players who, in some cases, are 3+ years older than him. Big gap between 21 and 18 in football. You're physically stronger, more experienced. Maybe he should have given him a place in the squad, but I think he'd be right to leave out of the team.

What we really need is for England to sharpen the **** up, and not play long-ball every game.

Have you not seen him play??? He glides past players, he dosent give them the chance to out muscle him because he is too quick.

 

[fozzyliverpool]

I think the team should've been
FIELDING
WALKER. SMALLING. JONES. BERTRAND
HENDERSON. MANCIENNE RODWELL
SINCLAIR. STURRIDGE. LANSBURY

Walker, Smalling and Sturride are gonna be great players!

 

[Joss]

Have you not seen him play??? He glides past players, he dosent give them the chance to out muscle him because he is too quick.

You still need to be strong at this level. He's a good player, with a great future but he's too young IMO. Wilshere improved his physical strength - yes, he likes to dribble past players and use his low centre of gravity, but he can also hold players off. I've not seen that in McEachran at a competitive level. I'm not talking 10 sub appearances with Chelsea 7-0 up, or Reserve level football - the PL and International Football; even U21 level, is different.

 

[TheBeardOfZeus]

Team should be:

Fielding
Walker - Smalling - Jones - Rose
Henderson - Cleverly - Rodwell - Sinclair
Sturridge - Welbeck

 

[CJACKO11]

You still need to be strong at this level. He's a good player, with a great future but he's too young IMO. Wilshere improved his physical strength - yes, he likes to dribble past players and use his low centre of gravity, but he can also hold players off. I've not seen that in McEachran at a competitive level. I'm not talking 10 sub appearances with Chelsea 7-0 up, or Reserve level football - the PL and International Football; even U21 level, is different.

You might not have seen it but i have. The lad featured in 6 CL games this season started in the away game at Marseille and was our best player without a dout. He should have been given the chance and i think Pearce has missed a massive trick here.

 

[Donnelly1]

well everbody else is saying who'd they play so i will to:

Fielding
Walker - Smalling - Jones - Betrand
Rodwell - Muamba
Albrighton - Henderson - Lansbury/Cleverly
Sturridge

 

[Shay Given]

Stopped watching after an hour.


I don't actually know who plays at RB... Mancienne if Kelly's injured or whatnot.

Your telling Pierce how to do his job even though you didnt watch the match and dont know the team?

 

[Lee]

I think all the talk of who should have played is pointless. It's not the players, it's the way we play that's the problem.

 

[GodCubed]

You still need to be strong at this level. He's a good player, with a great future but he's too young IMO. Wilshere improved his physical strength - yes, he likes to dribble past players and use his low centre of gravity, but he can also hold players off. I've not seen that in McEachran at a competitive level. I'm not talking 10 sub appearances with Chelsea 7-0 up, or Reserve level football - the PL and International Football; even U21 level, is different.

How many times have you seen him play again? Every time I've watched him, he's found ways of circumventing his apparently dimished physical strength. He's strong in the style of Arshavin or Messi, he just seems to bounce off people. Perhaps he needs to improve his strength a little more, but honestly I think we shouldn't be worrying about that. We have physical strength in spades. What we don't have is finesse and vision in the centre of the park, which is what he would supply.

Bit of a moot point seeing as he isn't in the squad, of course...

 

[Scott]

How many times have you seen him play again? Every time I've watched him, he's found ways of circumventing his apparently dimished physical strength. He's strong in the style of Arshavin or Messi, he just seems to bounce off people. Perhaps he needs to improve his strength a little more, but honestly I think we shouldn't be worrying about that. We have physical strength in spades. What we don't have is finesse and vision in the centre of the park, which is what he would supply.

I think the debate about him will go on forever, like a certain other Chelsea starlet( Michael woods<)) i think he has had 5 months of limited action, does that really warrant a place in this side, compared to others... If he really was that good, he would be here. But the fact remiains, Henderson, Clev, Rodwell, Muamba are all better.