Possibly one of our worst ever results at any level when you consider the advantages we should have at the youngest age groups.
Yeah it’s just inexcusable really isn’t it! I mean, my first thought is complacency because I can’t think the players we have aren’t not good enough to beat Lithuania.
All over. They need someone else for the League B due to its affect on next year’s group as well. Obviously loads of absences but not the best sign for this cohort and we simply can’t afford weak cohorts with our flawed pathway.
As mentioned, the stats might not be 100% accurate but according to the UEFA website we had 7 shots to their 8. How can that even happen?
I think we are heading in general to a a weak point in talent. Which with how hard it is for players to come through could eventually cause major issues for the seniors as well in a decade or so.
The two teams who don’t progress to League A (Where qualifying for the Euros happens) go into League B where they can win the chance to be promoted to League A for next year’s cohort.
We only had one attempt on target against Scotland who played a low block. The coaches need to look at themselves and ask these questions. The approach has not looked like working for two games.
🚨 England are OUT of #U17EURO qualifying after defeat to Lithuania. They will not be at the final tournament. Inexcusable pic.twitter.com/orZ3TegIim— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) October 31, 2025 England are OUT of #U17EURO qualifying after a second defeat in four days. It's the first time since 2022 that #ENGU17 have failed to reach the final tournament. Major disappointment. pic.twitter.com/RcOzVRg1Ai— youthhawk (@youthhawk) October 31, 2025
If you are going to root through what went wrong surely a starting point is the preparation for these qualifiers. Eboue, Farkas, Samba and Widdop all started the friendly games and didn’t make this squad. That is the whole midfield. Then we look like our players have just met each other on the day of the match.
When we went out in 2022 after a 0-2 defeat by Luxembourg we had O'Reilly and Mainoo starting, Archie Gray was also on the bench. That group also flopped badly in the U19 qualifying in 2024 going out in elite qualifying in a group with Austria, Wales and Montenegro drawing all games 0-0! That team had Hinshelwood, Bellingham and Gray in midfield. It's fair to say that 2005 wasn't a vintage year for English football but Mainoo helped us to a major tournament final and O'Reilly has recently become a senior international, maybe a couple of others can follow.
that is unbelievably bad. there's quality there. but too often the mentality is dreadful. so many of them think they've already made it at age 14 or 15 because of bull5hit social media hype. see the circus surrounding some of the 2010s.
I think it is all down to preparation, tactical approach and coaching. That display against Scotland happens too often to be blamed on a group of specific players. How many times at youth level have we seen this type of slow passive passing style with disgraceful off the ball play? It would still be visible at U21 level if it was not for Carsley and his team. I still can’t fathom why we are starting players in both games of the last meet up that aren’t going to play qualifiers? That is dreadful preparation.
Another really frustrating aspect of this is the whole Premier League 5-step process that has meant Lawrie, Wilkinson, Hardy, Greenwood-Mensah & Ebho, all players that would've probably been in the squad, haven't played at all this season & spent months training alone. I get the Prem have to do their due diligence with these transfers but it's taken such a long time & immediately puts these kids at a disadvantage and is now affecting England too. Of course the squad we've taken should be more than good enough to beat Lithuania (and Scotland) but these problems all add up..
Yeah, It has been an avalanche of issues that have troubled the squad. Kavuma-McQueen was probably the most likely to pull something out of the bag but he gets injured early on. In past squads we have been pretty awful in games but a brief piece of individual brilliance has got us out of danger. I think they might gloss over this and use the easier excuses.
It depends who actually cares at the FA to make changes. Rather than writing it off as just one of those things.