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European U21 Championship


Guest SwissMagpie

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Guest Triglett

The Huddlestone claim is far-fetched, but not unbelievable. Anyone going by purely this current U21 tournament will obviously be far from impressed by his lack of game time, but then you can point to the fact that he was probably Peter Taylor's favourite player before Pearce came in - he's a very unique player in terms of his position and skills set, and that obviously means that some managers won't fancy him, but in a way that also improves his chances. There are plenty of undistinguishable box to box midfielders out there with a decent scoring record - take Jenas, for example. Then there's a plethora of players who can run around like headless chickens and pass it off as 'English spirit'...Parker anyone? How many quality English playmakers are out there?

 

He's still got so much more improving to do before he can even be considered for the senior side, but he's only just turned 20. He was a regular first teamer at Derby in the Championship at the age of 16/17. I think he'll be capped within the next 3 or 4 years, which is no stretch of the imagination, especially considering the amount of average players who have played for England.

 

It's no more biased a view point than yours of Taylor being able to waltz into the England squad ahead of the likes of even Dawson TBH.

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Guest Knightrider

Huddlestone has fantastic technique and vision but because he's slow and doesn't play at a high tempo he'll always be overlooked for a Parker or even a Jenas who is athletic, quick and can, err run about a lot. With most other nations, they'd find room for such a ball player.

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No centre backs will push the current lot out of the squad for a good while yet. As long as Terry, Ferdinand, Woodgate, Carragher and King all stay fit then they will be mainstays for the next couple of years. In a couple of years though i expect Taylor to have developed quite a bit. He is definitely capable of overtaking Brown, Dawson and Upson in the pecking order. Its just we have so much quality there that he's not gonna get his chance for a good while yet. I think he will go on to be a much better defender than Brown, Dawson, Lescott and Upson in a few years though. We have to remember he was robbed nearly a whole season in 05/06 as well. He's still learning. Definitely got the potential to be an international defender though, no doubts about that.

 

This. Brown is never consistent and tough enough to make it to the top. Upson just not good enough. Dawson simply an older version of Taylor. I don't know if Taylor will overtake Lescott soon. If Lescott is still being played as left back in the coming seasons then Taylor could overtake him easily. If not it is hard to call. Taylor, however will simply be better than Brown, Upson and Dawson whom I think have reached their full potential.

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Huddlestone has fantastic technique and vision but because he's slow and doesn't play at a high tempo he'll always be overlooked for a Parker or even a Jenas who is athletic, quick and can, err run about a lot. With most other nations, they'd find room for such a ball player.

 

So Huddlestone is a water carrier then? I don't think there is much space for water carrier in a modern team, unless the team is too star studded and need someone inferior to co ordinate other stars. It is nice to see a composed and skillful English player for a change, but I don't think that the technical side of Huddlestone is really outstanding that he could be afforded a place in the top team. Deschamp does the dirty work. Riquelme's vision, passing range and ball retaining skills are outstanding enough to more than compensate his lack of pace and other physical attributes. Fabregas is a class above Huddlestone.

 

Huddlestone does not offer anything outstanding. Unless he improves dramatically over the next few years he will always be a useless but nice looking cuddly player to me.

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I think Taylor is miles off a full cap, partly because he's not really that proven a player, and partly because he plays in a position where we have plenty of options.

 

I don't think Upson is ahead of anyone, tbh. Lescott I think is a quality prospect, and he could well become the first native Klingon speaker to represent England.

 

EDIT I think Ashley Young will have a fantastic season next year and at the end of the season, could well be looking at getting into the full squad. Whether that's going to be too late given the impending EC, I don't know.

 

I think Young could too, more because of his ability to play down the left than anything else, saying that playing well at club level hasn't done Barry's prospects much good.

 

Also Carson will be in there too as a squad player.

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SSN's talking up Taylor like a war hero!

 

;D

 

Good on the lad for carrying on, going for an x-ray apparently, i'd be very surprised if anything major is wrong though.

 

 

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No centre backs will push the current lot out of the squad for a good while yet. As long as Terry, Ferdinand, Woodgate, Carragher and King all stay fit then they will be mainstays for the next couple of years. In a couple of years though i expect Taylor to have developed quite a bit. He is definitely capable of overtaking Brown, Dawson and Upson in the pecking order. Its just we have so much quality there that he's not gonna get his chance for a good while yet. I think he will go on to be a much better defender than Brown, Dawson, Lescott and Upson in a few years though. We have to remember he was robbed nearly a whole season in 05/06 as well. He's still learning. Definitely got the potential to be an international defender though, no doubts about that.

 

This. Brown is never consistent and tough enough to make it to the top. Upson just not good enough. Dawson simply an older version of Taylor. I don't know if Taylor will overtake Lescott soon. If Lescott is still being played as left back in the coming seasons then Taylor could overtake him easily. If not it is hard to call. Taylor, however will simply be better than Brown, Upson and Dawson whom I think have reached their full potential.

 

Easy as consistenly performing in the EPL?

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The Huddlestone claim is far-fetched, but not unbelievable. Anyone going by purely this current U21 tournament will obviously be far from impressed by his lack of game time, but then you can point to the fact that he was probably Peter Taylor's favourite player before Pearce came in - he's a very unique player in terms of his position and skills set, and that obviously means that some managers won't fancy him, but in a way that also improves his chances. There are plenty of undistinguishable box to box midfielders out there with a decent scoring record - take Jenas, for example. Then there's a plethora of players who can run around like headless chickens and pass it off as 'English spirit'...Parker anyone? How many quality English playmakers are out there?

 

He's still got so much more improving to do before he can even be considered for the senior side, but he's only just turned 20. He was a regular first teamer at Derby in the Championship at the age of 16/17. I think he'll be capped within the next 3 or 4 years, which is no stretch of the imagination, especially considering the amount of average players who have played for England.

 

It's no more biased a view point than yours of Taylor being able to waltz into the England squad ahead of the likes of even Dawson TBH.

 

Huddlestone has to be in a 4-3-3 to be most effective I think otherwise he will find it hard to get into any team. He needs to have a strong ball winner and a goal scoring midfielder alongside him, which will allow him to be a playmaker, which is his strength. He would indeed develop into something quite extraordinary if he was used this way but I don't think Tottenham will be playing this way (i.e. in a 4-3-3) anytime soon with the strikers they have which is a shame.

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Guest kingdawson

The Huddlestone claim is far-fetched, but not unbelievable. Anyone going by purely this current U21 tournament will obviously be far from impressed by his lack of game time, but then you can point to the fact that he was probably Peter Taylor's favourite player before Pearce came in - he's a very unique player in terms of his position and skills set, and that obviously means that some managers won't fancy him, but in a way that also improves his chances. There are plenty of undistinguishable box to box midfielders out there with a decent scoring record - take Jenas, for example. Then there's a plethora of players who can run around like headless chickens and pass it off as 'English spirit'...Parker anyone? How many quality English playmakers are out there?

 

He's still got so much more improving to do before he can even be considered for the senior side, but he's only just turned 20. He was a regular first teamer at Derby in the Championship at the age of 16/17. I think he'll be capped within the next 3 or 4 years, which is no stretch of the imagination, especially considering the amount of average players who have played for England.

 

It's no more biased a view point than yours of Taylor being able to waltz into the England squad ahead of the likes of even Dawson TBH.

 

Huddlestone has to be in a 4-3-3 to be most effective I think otherwise he will find it hard to get into any team. He needs to have a strong ball winner and a goal scoring midfielder alongside him, which will allow him to be a playmaker, which is his strength. He would indeed develop into something quite extraordinary if he was used this way but I don't think Tottenham will be playing this way (i.e. in a 4-3-3) anytime soon with the strikers they have which is a shame.

 

I hate to admit it but you actually do make a lot of sense most of the time :thup: :thup:

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Tournament's not over you know.. ;)

 

Anyway, it's pens between Italy and Portugal for an Olympic ticket, and Portugal have just missed one: 3-2 Italy

 

Eh?

 

Yes siree.. I believe it's because England have already qualified (as a part of the UK team for the Olympics) and there were 4 places for the Olympics to be won in this tournament, hence once you qualified for the semi's a match between the two numbers 3 needed to be played to determine who gets to go to China.. I am happy it's Italy personnally.. Have a thing against Portuguese footballers after the last WC, dunno why... ;)

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This tournament was also acting as qualifying for the Olympics...semi-finalists go to China - But cos England got thru and we can't send a team, two 3rd place teams play off for our place.

 

Oh right. Weird.

 

Why can't we send a team like?

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This tournament was also acting as qualifying for the Olympics...semi-finalists go to China - But cos England got thru and we can't send a team, two 3rd place teams play off for our place.

 

Oh right. Weird.

 

Why can't we send a team like?

 

Was just about to ask the same thing.

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This tournament was also acting as qualifying for the Olympics...semi-finalists go to China - But cos England got thru and we can't send a team, two 3rd place teams play off for our place.

 

Oh right. Weird.

 

Why can't we send a team like?

 

See above. I think you're already there..?

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Just having a wee look at Wiki...Looks like we don't enter teams because we have seperate Football Associations here for each of the home nations even tho we're all technically the same country (Britain), and there has been a fear that if we try and enter the Olympics together we'd lose our right to have seperate teams...apparently they're gonna let us off for 2012 tho...even tho the SFA don't want to  :idiot2:

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