England Under 21 Discussions Thread (2002+ born) #8

At a certain point the refusal to pick left backs starts to look like some kind of bizarre plan. Quite how we have this amount of drop outs from the squad and still the likes of Brown and Burrows can't make it is beyond me. By all accounts Brown did well with the under 20's on his one call up at the end of last season too so its not like he's somehow lost in the system.

Even if you were for some reason deciding to pick only from the under 20's already named it makes absolutely no sense to promote George Earthy over Ben Chrisene who at least plays on the left. Now we will most likely end up with Bashir Humphreys ending up at left back for at least one game when we have arguably the two best left backs in the same division outside the squad, while he struggles in the championship even in his preferred position.

Truly mind boggling thought process going on. Particularly how it seems to span through multiple coaches.

The choice friendlies is also looking very bad looking at the strength of the Spanish and Dutch squads, I guess we weren't to know we'd be hit this bad by withdrawals but with 20+ players out its a bit throwing them to the wolves. I think we can just about put out a fairly half decent starting 11 still but the replacements and any further drop outs will be a struggle.

 

The potential argument doesn't even make sense at this point. In previous points maybe there hasn't been left backs of sufficient quality but we're regularly calling up people who are doing much less at club level and have much less potential overall in other positions. Oftentimes those people end up out of position covering left back, making it all the more bizarre.

Earthy being promoted is simply an odd one given he's neither a particularly big talent, much senior experience, nor plays in a position we are particularly lacking. Even outside him we have people like Humphreys called up despite doing little at club level, while we ignore plenty of left backs doing well.

The Cirkin situation is a mystery but even outside him we have a stronger depth of left back than some other positions in the squad but none of them are ever considered.

 

The Goalkeeper oddity sums this squad as well. Tickle dropped for a non senior playing Cox ans when Trafford is promoted up no replacement is brought in so now they are only two of them.

 

I'd just like the third keeper to be the third best in England, thank you. You must be seeing something in James Trafford that I'm not, because to me he still doesn't dominate his area enough or look confident on crosses. And that's in the Championship. Master those basics and then can you start handing him England call ups.

 

Archie Brown, Burrows and Cirkin are all more than good enough to be in this squad, with the lack of LB options in the seniors the reluctance to pick any of them is staggering, especially as they all have plenty of Pro/Senior football experience.

 

I honestly can’t make any sense of the selections and somehow it just makes me more annoyed the more I think about it! Just wish we could understand the thinking but there are many things going on with the FA that don’t make sense.

 

Jes Rak - Sakyi has been added to the squad according to Sheffield United.

 

‘As a result, Norwich City defender Ben Chrisene will join up with the MU21s for the first time having been with the Elite League squad in recent days. Another player stepping across from the Elite League squad is Plymouth Argyle loanee Darko Gyabi while Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, on loan at Sheffield United from Crystal Palace, has also been added to Ben Futcher's group for the first time ahead of the away matches in Spain and Netherlands.

Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney will not make that trip as the midfielder has been ruled out through injury.’

 

Beadle
Cox

Fisher
Mengi
Cresswell
Humphreys
Chrisene

Morton
Gyabi
Gray
Jobe
Miley
Earthy
McAtee

Dibling
Hutchinson
Rak-Sakyi
Delap
Scarlett
Iling-Jr
Gittens

Is this the squad for the two games now then? Anyone I've missed?

 

This mental window just keeps on going with withdrawals and additions, I have honestly lost all focus of what our actual squads look like.

 

Gittens withdrew

 

I just hope if we lose these games there won’t be a massive over reaction. Gonna be two tough games with all these squad changes.

 

It’s a chance for those selected.

 

Nobody will be watching either match anyway to cause a reaction if things go bad.

 

I don't know how good this Spain U21 side is but it would surprise me if they don't beat us.

 

Are you saying we can’t watch these games anywhere?

 

They on You tube in the UK but U21 matches on You Tube haven’t been getting many people watching them let alone two friendlies not in peak time.

 

I'm really not bothered either way. Ultimately, the third choice keeper is hardly ever going to see any game time unless it's a deliberate choice to give him a run out.

 

Stream for tomorrow:

 

Fireburn is right here. There's very little interest in our youth teams so a 4-0 defeat might make very minor ripples at worst. I remember when we played Spain in the 2017 u17 World Cup final. It didn't register in the English press much until after the game but few still really cared. In Spain half of the edition of Marca (literally half the paper) was dedicated to the final before it happened. I thought at the time that the hype and importance that the Spanish press affords to its youth teams helps, at least in part, to their overall success at all levels of the game.

 

It got a bit more coverage than that, the BBC broadcast it on BBC2. I’m not really sure overhyping at such a young age is actually helpful mind you. Seems just as likely to go to the head.