Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Danny Wellbeck all very likely to start and after Cleverley's performance in the last friendly I would expect him to aswell.
Me. Can't wait for this game. I think these are the two best sides in the competition and won't be surprised at all if they meet again in the final. Looking forward to seeing Jones and Smalling at centre back together. Looking forward to see who Cleverley does against good opposition and looking forward to seeing how well Welbeck does alongside Sturridge. Of course I am excited to see De Gea for Spain and they have a few great players in Alcantara, Jeffren and Bojan. World Cup winners in Mata and Javi Martinez too. Should be a great game and I think England have a chance. Looking at the side they have some experience.
Think this could be the best game of the tournament, maybe even better football than the final. Will be interested to see how similarly the spanish U21's play to the spanish first team.
Yes well the Spanish first team, bar Capdevila is made up of just Barcelona and Real Madrid players mainly with other players on the fringe, and they are all taught to play possession football for their clubs. I mean 7 of the players that started the World Cup Final were Barcelona players. It is just like watching Barca when Spain play. But the under 21's has only 5 Barcelona players in the entire squad and ZERO Real Madrid players. So it will be good to compare both sides yeah you're right.
I can't remember where i read it, but it was an interview with a spanish coach/player/etc. but he said the reason that england where so far behind spain in football is that where england look for players who are fast/strong/other physical attributes spanish academy scouts look for players with more of a football brain at a very young age and then look to develop their strength and speed later on with gym work. So, if that is the case, i doubt that we'll se much different in terms of Spain's style of play at either level. thinking about it, i'm not sure it even exists, i could have just made it up i'm sure i read it somewhere though...
It does seem right though when you look at the different styles over the years in each league and with the national teams as well. If Messi was English at 13 years old most teams round the country would look at him and say he is too lightweight and too small and some teams would undoubtedly get rid of him. I lived in Spain for a couple of years a couple of years ago and played sunday league, and even at that level they are taught to pass and move. I couldn't keep up! The downside was that even at that level diving is a big part of the game, so much so that for a sunday league game they had ambulances on standby for every game. They actually brought the stretchers out a lot of the time too! But anyway my point is playing English sunday league and then Spanish sunday league was a massive difference. They have the ability to tire you out just by their passing. I would say Spanish football academies are light years ahead of English.
No I remember reading that as well, in quite a few places. I think one of the Barca youth coaches was quoted as saying it. It rings very true as well - why else did we have Gerrard and Lampard as CM for so long, when Spain have craftsmen like Xavi and Iniesta? And why did our only great technician of the last 20 years got dumped out on the left wing to make way for the big strong lads to play in the centre. Although to be fair I think it's only the Barca academy that is that pure in its focus, and success rate. Most of the other academies are not better than United's or Arsenal's. After all the only Spanish international the RM academy has produced over the last 15 years is the goalkeeper!
He's not exactly bad though is he? and apparently the scousers' aren't bad either -> http://www.offthepost.info/2011/06/...erpools-academy-rafa-benitezs-kid-collection/
If Messi did make the grade at an English club, the coaches would turn him into a one-dimensional left winger, expected only to beat his man and get crosses in. The English coaches may defend their method but it's never been successful.
The England vs Spain match has the United future defense in! If we Sign De Gea, theres also Smalling and Phil Jones in
Not all youth systems are like that but I dread to think what would have happened if a team like Stoke signed him at 14.
