Youth Competitions

[Juve]

Absolute pathetic performance, but it continued the Italian trend of bottling finals this week,

 

[les Habs]

At least Rodriguez got the winner. Was he even getting minutes in this tournament?

 

[luiginb]

Watching the euros u-19 that just started today. Pio Esposito is starting for Italy after going all the way to the finals in the u20. Kid basically has no summer break.

Canadian Koleosho also playing for Italy

 

[bluesfan94]

Watching the euros u-19 that just started today. Pio Esposito is starting for Italy after going all the way to the finals in the u20. Kid basically has no summer break.

Canadian Koleosho also playing for Italy

**American

 

[luiginb]

Watching Iceland-Spain at the u19 euros to see more of Fresneda who's been linked with us a lot lately. Haven't really seen anything special from him, and unfortunately the player who stood out is Ilias who we've just lost to Villarreal.

 

[luiginb]

Portugal absolutely killing Norway in the first u19 euro semifinal, up 3-0 after 30 minutes, and 5-0 now close to the end. Hugo Felix might end up even better than his brother, as he has that mean streak and work rate his more famous sibling sorely lacks. Anyway Benfica are going to make bank again.

 

[luiginb]

Second semifinal starts now, Spain vs Italy, which could've easily been the final. I have Spain as favorites, but this is a potential great matchup.

 

[luiginb]

Spain not finding a way to match Italy's physicality so far. 3 great chances for the Italians so far with the Spanish goalkeeper being their best player.

 

[luiginb]

Italy very unlucky to not be a couple up at half time, but it's still 0-0.

 

[luiginb]

Italy win deservedly, 3-2. They're facing Portugal in the final, who beat them 5-1 in the group stage, but they look like a different team now.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Watching Iceland-Spain at the u19 euros to see more of Fresneda who's been linked with us a lot lately. Haven't really seen anything special from him, and unfortunately the player who stood out is Ilias who we've just lost to Villarreal.

Fresneda just switched agents. That usually means a player is discontent with their situation. Supposedly wants to stay in Spain after there were a lot of stories saying he was a done deal to sign with us for many months. May just be spin, but our media was saying that we passed on him.

I've read up on him a good bit this year, and I never seemed to see many compliment his ability. It was almost entirely that he's a starting RB in La Liga at 18, which is cool, but that can't be it. Have to be good. Don't know much on him, but seems like his true ability is very much a question.

 

[Incubajerks]

Bravi ragazzi!

 

[gary69]

Rijkhoff scored the winner in the youth CL for Dortmund against PSG. Nice control and volley goal. PSG went for tough tackling in the added time, having a player sent off too.

 

[HajdukSplit]

UEFA will allow the Russia U17 national team to compete in official competitions on both men's and women's sides

 

[luiginb]

UEFA will allow the Russia U17 national team to compete in official competitions on both men's and women's sides

You know what, I agree with this. Screw Russia, but let the kids play.

 

[gary69]

UEFA will allow the Russia U17 national team to compete in official competitions on both men's and women's sides

Sweden's FA (which hosts the U-17 women finals next year) has announced that they will not allow the Russian team to enter the country should they qualify.

England and some other countries have also stated that they refuse to play against Russian teams at any age group despite UEFA's decision.

 

[cgf]

Mostly the same squad that won the euros, as Brunner did in fact get nominated. Probably gunna start:

Brunner - Moerstedt/Ramsak - Herrmann
Darvich - Ouédraogo
Harchaoui/Osawe
Kabar - Jeltsch - Dal - da Silva Moreira
Schmitt
​

Maybe the HSV kid that Citeh bought (Alfa-Ruprecht) will take Herrmann's spot, because I don't rate Herrmann's decision making at all. Great tools but the toolbox just isn't there (yet?).

 

[cgf]

Ouedraogo will be reassessed tomorrow to see if he'll recover in time to be a factor at this tourney. Would be a bummer if he had to miss this tourney too.

 

[cgf]

Ouedraogo will travel with the team, but he might not be fit enough to play even if we make the knockouts.

 

[KlausJopling]

US Roster for the U-17 World Cup. GK, Kochen from Barcelona missing out due to injury. Not many of these guys have started to break in to pro teams, the two that did weren't called up. Akinmboni, from DC United the coach doesnt seem to rate. Barajas from Charleston decided to go with Mexico for now. No one who looks like a star a youth levels (Pulisic, Reyna types) so I don't have high hopes. Watched the team during the CONCACAF U17 tournament and there were some standouts, for me Soma and Figuero, but its always hard to gauge US team in CONCACAF tournaments since they essentially rotate the entire team each game.

 

[HeHateMeFrisbee]

Mikey Moore bagged a hattrick against Croatia today for England. Really excited for his future with Spurs.

 

[bluesfan94]

US Roster for the U-17 World Cup. GK, Kochen from Barcelona missing out due to injury. Not many of these guys have started to break in to pro teams, the two that did weren't called up. Akinmboni, from DC United the coach doesnt seem to rate. Barajas from Charleston decided to go with Mexico for now. No one who looks like a star a youth levels (Pulisic, Reyna types) so I don't have high hopes. Watched the team during the CONCACAF U17 tournament and there were some standouts, for me Soma and Figuero, but its always hard to gauge US team in CONCACAF tournaments since they essentially rotate the entire team each game.

Figueroa looks the goods, sadly. I also think the defense should be very strong. I've heard good things about Berchimas, too.

I would also note that Corcoran has been playing on the senior team in Birmingham for two seasons.

 

[bluesfan94]

Mikey Moore bagged a hattrick against Croatia today for England. Really excited for his future with Spurs.

It's weird that they're having Euro qualifiers now given that the u-17 WC starts on Saturday.

The Arsenal fan in me is required to point out that Moore didn't make the A squad (and no one from Tottenham did).

 

[cgf]

After day 1 went mostly as expected...hosts Indonesia getting a draw against Ecuador was the biggest surprise as Spain posted a comfortable 2-0 win over Canada, Mali took care of Uzbekistan 3-0, and Morocco won 2-0 over Panama...it was an eventful day 2 at the U17 WM.

While England was blasting 10 goals past New Caledonia, Japan beat a good Polish team 1-0, but then things got really wild with both SA giants losing...Brazil falling 2-3 to Iran after having gone up 2-0 in the first half, and Argentina losing 1-2 to Senegal.

Youth football is crazy because players are less consistent, keepers are much worse, and physical development can make such a big difference, but both Brazil & Argentina losing their opening matches should be a warning sign for us & France that we can't just sleepwalk to another rematch in the final.

 

[cgf]

It's weird that they're having Euro qualifiers now given that the u-17 WC starts on Saturday.

The Arsenal fan in me is required to point out that Moore didn't make the A squad (and no one from Tottenham did).

They're different age groups even though both groups are playing for their nation's "U17" team. This World Cup is being contested by the 2006ers who qualified last year, the Euro qualis are being played by the 2007-born kids.