The International October 'break' sees a fair few of the 1st team getting call ups. Kevin McDonald and Tom Cairney are back in favour with Scotland and let's hope that this time they don't relegate Tom to the right wing. A wee concern is the number of players off to the Africa Cup. Not so much the games but because of the travelling time involved. Senior Squad André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier Tom Cairney (Scotland) – Friendly & UEFA Nations League Cyrus Christie (Republic of Ireland - provisional squad) – UEFA Nations League & Friendly Ibrahima Cissé (Guinea) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Netherlands - provisional squad) – Friendly & UEFA Nations League Stefan Johansen (Norway) – UEFA Nations League Neeskens Kebano (Congo) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier Kevin McDonald (Scotland) – Friendly & UEFA Nations League Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia) – UEFA Nations League Jean Michaël Seri (Ivory Coast) – Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier
Tom Cairney has pulled out of the Scotland squad to face Belgium and Albania because of his ankle injury. Guess that make him very unlikely to be available for Brighton at the weekend.
Or he'll have a Giggs-like recovery, and be leaping around like a young gazelle at the weekend. Either way, I'm glad he's pulled out rather than training and playing with Scotland and making whatever he's done worse.
Regrettably, Cairney is going to be out for "a few weeks". please log in to view this image That was according to the Gaffer today. Who also said that Neeskens Kebano would be out for at least 4 weeks, while comfirming that Ream and Ayite are still not available.
Not that we want these injuries, at least we have good quality in reserve following our great work in the transfer market.
Ryan Sessegnon has been named in the England U21 squad for Euro qualifying games against Netherlands (6th September) and Latvia (11th September).
"Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Netherlands - provisional squad) – Friendly & UEFA Nations League" Mixed blessings - Tim didn't make the cut
Steven Sessegnon turned out for England U19s as they defeated the Netherlands 4-1 at St Georges Park this afternoom. And this evening Luca Ashby-Hammond is with the England U18s over in France for their first game - against Holland - in the Limoges Tournament. They take on Russia and France later in the week.
Clean sheet for Luca as England I18s win 3-0. Goalscorers were Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Faustino Anjorin (Chelsea), Arvin Appiah (Nottingham Forest)..
Ryan Sessegnon played yesterday as England U21s beat Switzerland at St Georges Park and move a step closer to the Euro U21 qualifiers. Kind of Unfortunate but the England management played him as you see in the picture - on the right wing. Same as Scotland did with Cairney last year and being out of position, they're just not as effective as they can be. [Whispers; Ryan did miss what some might call a sitter. Me I'd say it was 'cos he was on the right and on his weaker foot.]
Meanwhile this afternoon Fabio Carvalho scored in England U17's 6-0 win over Norway in the Skyrenka Cup. And Luca Ashby-Hammond sat out the U18s 3-0 defeat of Russia in their second game of the Limoges Tournament.
Back to yesterday and a Stefan Johansen double is enough to see Norway beat Cyprus 2-0. Each goal is very different but both are absolute belters.
England U17s had a 2-1 win over Portugal today - Fabio Carvalho was on the bench. That victory takes them through to the Syrenka Cup final against Belgium on Tuesday. And even better, Luca Ashby-Hammond played in England U18s 2-1 victory over France. That makes it 3 wins in 3 for the boys and winners of the Limoges Tournament.
Over the weekend: Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson’s Iceland U21s beat Estonia 5-2, and Terry Ablade featured in each of Finland U19s' friendly meetings with Greece; a 1-0 win and 0-0 draw. While Cyrus Christie for some reason playing on the right wing, turned for the Republic of Ireland's 4-1 hammering from Wales. In qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s Cameroon drew 1-1 in Comoros, Jean Michaël Seri helped Ivory Coast overcome Rwanda 2-1, while Ibrahima Cisse and Guinea defeated the Central African Republic 1-0. And yesterday: Steven Sessegnon was on the bench for England U19s 2-1 win away to Belgium. And, having in Serbia's 1-1 draw against Lithuania last Friday Aleksander Mitrovic was definitely on fire last night. He got a double in Serbia's 2--2 with Rumania. His first was a bit of a scrabble but the second ... is just WOW !!
Ryan Sessegnon came on in the second half, with the score at 1-1 in England U21s Euro qualifier away to Latvia today. The score ended 2-1 in favour of the Young Lions, who are now 8 points clear at the top of Group 4.
Elsewhere in Euro U21 games, Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson turned out for Iceland U21s but was outdone by a team mate. In a wee bit of history our young goalkeeper Marek Rodak scored Serbia U21s winner in injury time, from open play. Serbia came away 3-2 winners.
Meanwhile Fabio Carvalho played for England U17' s in their 6-2 win over Belgium in the Syrenka Cup final. please log in to view this image
Now I know where he is. Tim Fosu-Mensah didn't make the main Netherland's squad but he's playing for their U21s. Yesterday he played at CB but his side suffered a disappointing 2-1 home defeat by Scotland. Holland ended the game with 10 men and now sit fourth in the standings behind England, Scotland and Ukraine. And yesterday evening Cyrus Christie played at right wing back for 55 minutes of the Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 draw with Poland in Wroclaw.
