Is Jack Jebb unfit or something? He's been used terribly during this campaign. Seems like we've missed a few sitters today but still we don't deserve to qualify. Still we have talent in this group and after the style of play we operated against Georgia I don't think that should be rewarded with a finals place. We've qualified enough with this type of stuff and failed at the main tournament. It will also dampen expectations and hype from the likes of Brooking. We all know how much he drags up the 1993 groups success.
No doubt it's been poor. I was thinking about whether we really missed Devante Cole most because of Peacock's style? He doesn't seem to change the style even if the players are different. I can understand playing wide players and someone like Hope last year but not this year, especially so much. The style has been similar even after losing Cole and not really having a similar replacement. I guess this group was never going to be clinical though to eek through games continuously because the evidence was there in past games.
I've long had concerns on the goal scoring front. Losing 4-0 makes me wonder what the commitment to closing down and the like was like. For me it's a pity we didn't somehow manage to squeeze through to the finals. We have a lot of good players missing because of injuries that presumably would have been fit for May. Good to see Joe Rothwell getting a start today after his serious injury - I feared the worst. The tenacious Ben Pearson scored the opener in the the 2-1 win against Newcastle.
I think the two quick goals in the second half just killed us off and maybe they just chased the game. We've only scored three times or more in a game three times this season (Faroes, Finland and Latvia).
i think this crew is more a handful of individual talents versus a cohesive unit (if that makes sense?)
Ryan Inniss has been on the bench for palace the last two games. Can't be many 16 year old centre backs that close to the first team.
Rekik played two game for us this season at 16. Now at Pompey on loan. Can't think of too many. I know Sam Magri was on the bench for Pompey but don't know how old he is.
I can't remember the last time we didn't qualify? I can recall the Sturridge group not making it. Was wondering again about our goals threat next season - anyone know how many Mason Bennett got at u18 level this season?
I asked Mason and he says he doesn't know The last time we failed to qualify for the main tournament was the 1991 age group. We ended up bottom of our elite group after drawing with France and Israel and losing to Russia. Our squad for those qualifiers for anyone that is interested is below - Wesley Foderingham (Fulham), Declan Rudd (Norwich City) Ben Gordon (Chelsea), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Chris Solly (Charlton), Kyle Bartley (Arsenal), Luke O'Neill (Leicester City) Jack Rodwell (Everton), Jacob Mellis (Chelsea), Matty James (Manchester United), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), John Bostock (Crystal Palace), Dean Parrett, (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Mutch (Birmingham City), Cameron Stewart (Manchester United). Ryan Donaldson (Newcastle), Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Harry Forrester (Aston Villa).
We had the tallies worked out in the PL Academy thread 6-8 weeks ago so it won't be too hard to work out, Bennett was their top scorer at the time.
He had 7 on that list - https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=25073019&postcount=502 Scored four against Middlesbrough and one each in another two games. So that makes 13. Can't find the scorers in a few of their games though.
Yeah. I meant 2007 anyway? I could vaguely recall not making it another time since the Sturridge group. We've done well qualifying in recent times of course. The pain of not doing so this time has returned - I've got a bit of today's Georgia v Germany game on - 0-0 with 30 minutes to go.
Not many doing well on the first team scene there in the top two divisions (Solly promoted now): Wesley Foderingham (Fulham), Declan Rudd (Norwich City) Ben Gordon (Chelsea), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Chris Solly (Charlton), Kyle Bartley (Arsenal), Luke O'Neill (Leicester City) Jack Rodwell (Everton), Jacob Mellis (Chelsea), Matty James (Manchester United), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), John Bostock (Crystal Palace), Dean Parrett, (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Mutch (Birmingham City), Cameron Stewart (Manchester United). Ryan Donaldson (Newcastle), Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Harry Forrester (Aston Villa).
Holland, who we beat in the first qualifying group won the final on pens against the Germans after drawing 1-1.