We win. Positives would be Nketiah and Dasilva who have stood up and deserve a mention for U21 squads in future. A few of the other new options didn't really get enough time to impress. The likes of Clarke-Salter and Fry have always been reliable at this level. Some options have struggled. I don't think Cook has had a particurlarly good tournament and a few others like Abraham have been a bit hit and miss.
There are so many U19 prospects who've already surpassed the U21 bunch now, Nketiah showed that, Mount's there too, Sancho, Sessegnon, and Brereton's probably there now too. If they learn from this tournament that the start of next season will be the time to get them all involved, they might have a chance of doing well at the Euros, Boothroyd be damned.
Fair enough, I would accept the point that that particular strategy isn't a part of DNA. I do think there is a lineage to that strategy though that Southgate has made clear, and I'm pretty sure Boothroyd is trying to copy it in a half-arsed way.
Wow a pull ball by Nketiah bit of cool-headed quality. Our defender, for the goal against, (was it Fry?) just stood like a plank, with the ball touching his foot on the way to the scorer. What a shocking miss by Abraham..
It’s a recurring theme at youth level. So many times we lose the ball because he’s not aware of his surroundings or just a poor first touch under pressure.
So we won, didn't see the game unfortunately but by judging from reading the comments above, it was a typical Boothroyd awful performance? I never really rated this Tournament truth be told even though it is good experience which is fair enough but only Mexico we're good opponents that I saw. The worst thing is though that we will be stuck with Boothroyd for quite some time yet unless some Club can be brainwashed into thinking he's a top manager due to two Toulon Tournament wins.
Just watched the highlights and find it difficult to express my somewhat displeasure at our first goal scored as no doubt someone will tell me a goal is a goal which I guess is fair enough and yes they all count, even if their keeper had a bad moment but for me at development level, just launching the ball in from a throw in ( yes I've moaned about this before ) anywhere around the penalty area just feels like a throwback to dinosaur tactics. I'm sorry I feel like this but I just expect us to be more creative.
I think, tbh, baz, if we win the tournie it seems a bit churlish to complain. I understand your complaints and all that but, tbf I dare say the supporters of the other sides could whinge about their tactics as well. Put it like this, if Gaweth makes a similar balls-up of tactics and we win the WC I don't think we'll complain, will we
Very generous to Brereton. I might not even have him in a full strength U19s squad, let alone the U21s.
It was mostly that he's scored goals at senior level, which seems to be an automatic trigger to get you in at U21 level. Admittedly, I'd forgotten Calvert-Lewin existed, so it's hard for him to get into a squad where he, Solanke, Abraham, and possibly now Nketiah are competing for a CF spot.
Far different to use specific tactics at youth level than at senior level. It's all about development and replicating the best possible scenarios for players to succeed at senior level.
Agreed. For me we just seem to make such heavy weather of what look to be, frankly, rather ordinary sides. I was just making the point that we may not have played well but we won, nevertheless. That has to be a positive in some respects. At the very least it shows we've got a range of good young players.
England U21's win Toulon Tournament... Linesmen are rewarded with a baking tray each pic.twitter.com/MhFwEFgKeb— bob mortimer (@RealBobMortimer) June 9, 2018