I really hope it’s no worse than that, since he would still be able to get ready for the beginning of next season. Unfortunately, football injuries tend to be a mystery for fans. (In the US as a general rule, concerns about gamblers getting an advantage require teams to provide the latest accurate information to the public. I’ve come to really appreciate that.) I remember hearing Sandro would be back in a week or two with what turned out to be the injury that ended his career as a top level player. A win against Italy gets England to the semifinals. A draw will as well, as long as Sweden does not beat Portugal. The injury to Pritchard makes me ambivalent. England going home, provided no one else gets hurt, suddenly looks like a decent outcome.
What a bunch of statues. The only movement was from the Italian and now the same happens again. England 0 Italy 2,
Deserve to be 2 down at half time, midfield ineffective again, defenders useless. Could really have done with Pritchard to bring on but here we are. Think I'd bring on Ward-Prowse to play down the right and Carroll on for Forster Caskey. It won'd be great defensively but we have to start scoring.
Same old story really, which is a shame. Media and agents (and us fans to some extent) big up our youth players so much when they have yet to actually achieve anything. Coast through a mediocre qualifying group but crash spectacularly as soon as we play anyone half decent. Southgate really is preparing the players for the senior team. It will a feeling of de ja vu next summer when the nations superstars of Rooney, Sterling and.... ummmm.... Phil Jones are humbled at the hands of Slovakia, Wales and Greater Wallop Under 15's.
This is awful. 3-0 to Italy now. Butland embarrassing, Stones just awful tonight and Southgate looking like Pochettio, scruffy and clueless.
Well at least Redmond got a consolation. Now Kane can get some rest before the new season. That's it, I'm out of positives.
What an awful tournament. Southgate bottled the squad selection, then got everything else wrong during it, too. The balance was poor, the defending was shambolic and the build up play was utterly aimless 99% of the time.
Even the commentary annoyed the **** out of me. "Where are England's creative players for the future? The one's with that touch, turn or little bit of something special?" Sitting on their arses at home, for the most part.
England manager Gareth Southgate, speaking to BT Sport: "I can't fault their attitude, application. They have been a tremendous group and they are hurting." I know it's not always a good idea to criticise players in public but that bunch of wealthy young lads seriously need a rocket up there arse at times. Looks like another generation of footballers who think they have made it before they have even arrived. Tactics didn't help but the basics of football were seriously lacking (Does Ings know what trapping the ball means?)
What's baffling is that England needed a win to go through, yet he picked the central midfield pairing that was anything but dynamic, as both Chalobah and Forster-Caskey tend to sit deeper. Also, after seeing the problems Ward-Prowse was causing with his free kicks in the first two games, why the hell was he sat on the bench for the entire match? Serious questions also need to be asked about some of the selections: Dier was a regular in Spurs' squad last season, something which can't be said of Keane, Moore or Targett - yet those three got into the squad, which was doubly stupid the moment Stones picked up a concussion which ruled him out of the first two games.
When a draw isn't a 100% guarantee to progress, playing for one makes as much sense as a blackjack player deciding to stick with a pair of threes.
How did Chalobah and Garbuttt play in all three games is a mystery to me-especially the former? Onamah is better than him. (As of course Wilshere and Barkley ) Redmond disappointed in this tournament but I have seen some very good performances from him so it was just so unfortunate. We sooooo missed Berahino who would have made a difference IMO.
Garbutt was garbage in the 2 games i saw. Jenkinson at RB was OK going forward but woeful at the back
Amazed Bentley at Southend hasn't had a look in for the England U21s. Just broke the clubs clean sheet record and, having seen him a number of times, he is real quality. Far better than Butland (Who I watched Southend put 4 past a year or so ago. Says everything really )
A brief note was made on BBC News this morning. Concerning the fact that between the U17s (where England are doing ok) , at the U21 level very few of those players at PL clubs are getting regular game time. Our beloved Arry has similar feelings : http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33257377
