England U21 squad

[kyan]

David Bentley atm, most of the CBs are regulars at their Premiership clubs but Bentley (former Arsenal youth player) has been phenomenal at Blackburn this year and is being linked with a move to United.

He's been called up to the England "B" Squad for the next friendly.

[alansmithy14]

david bently, david nugent, tom huddlestone, and james milner to me will the the tournament for them they are all amazing players!!!

[Sven]

Sky sports are showing every game ! .

[kyan]

Pearce to name England U21 squad

Stuart Pearce will announce his 23-man England squad for the European Under-21 Championship at 1100 BST on Wednesday.

The coach named a 30-man party earlier in the month before taking the players to a week-long training camp in Spain.

There is a doubt whether Blackburn's David Bentley will play at the event having been included in the senior squad for the Brazil and Estonia games.

Rovers boss Mark Hughes believes the winger should be rested and should solely play at the higher level.

Hughes said he spoke to England manager Steve McClaren about his concerns for the 22-year-old.

Preston's David Nugent has already gained senior experience but is likely to lead the attack for the Under 21s in Holland.

Meanwhile, Pearce will be worried over the fitness of Wigan's Leighton Baines and Middlesbrough's Lee Cattermole.

Baines struggled with a hip injury towards the end of the season while Lee Cattermole has also had injury problems.

Those who may not make the final 23 include West Ham's Mark Noble, Manchester City's Michael Johnson and Everton's James Vaughan, who were all called up into the squad for the first time.

BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | Pearce to name England U21 squad

I can understand Hughes' point of view, and I understand he now seems to be a member of the senior team but he's so important to our U21s it'll be a huge blow if he doesn't travel.

[alansmithy14]

its a shame i dont get sky sports in new york but if its on from the 8th of july to the 23rd i will be able to because im gonna be in ireland

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Gabriel Agbonlahor has been omitted from England's Under-21 squad for this summer's European Championship finals.

Stuart Pearce announced his revised 23-man squad for the tournament in Holland which begins for England on 11th June.

Agbonlahor has been blackballed after Pearce revealed the Aston Villa striker went AWOL and missed his team's training camp in Spain.

David Bentley, named in Steve McClaren's senior squad for forthcoming matches against Brazil and Estonia, is included, but the move will not be welcomed by his manager at Blackburn, Mark Hughes, who is concerned his player will suffer burnout.

The full Under-21 squad:
Ben Alnwick (Tottenham), Scott Carson (Liverpool), Joe Hart (Man City); Leighton Baines (Wigan), Gary Cahill (Aston Villa), Anton Ferdinand (West Ham), Justin Hoyte (Arsenal), Nedum Onuoha (Man City), Liam Rosenior (Fulham), Steven Taylor (Newcastle), Peter Whittingham (Cardiff); David Bentley (Blackburn), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham), James Milner (Newcastle), Mark Noble (West Ham), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham), Kieran Richardson (Man Utd), Wayne Routledge (Tottenham); Matt Derbyshire (Blackburn), Leroy Lita (Reading), David Nugent (Preston), James Vaughan (Everton), Ashley Young (Aston Villa).

Source: Skysports

[kyan]

That's a very strong squad, that's encouraging, if the players are fit the team will be a lot stronger than what it was against Italy U21s, although it's a massive shame Agbonlahor isn't playing. He's Nigerian and Scottish as well I think so if Pearce ruins his England chances and he goes on to fulfill his potential....

Is this Vaughan's first call-up?

[Sven]

Yes, No Gabby Abgonglahor is a strange one, certainly mystified how Young got picked ahead of him, The squad is good enough for Semis, that's it. Manager and a decent star players (who the other teams have) from winning or even final.

[kyan]

It says in the article that Agbonlahor missed a training camp so Pearce left him out...

what's ur starting XI with that squad?

[Sven]

The most predictable one, the team Pearce most likly used against Italy,

------Carlson------

Rosneir--Cahill-Taylor--Baines

------Reo-coker --Huddlestone---

Bentley-------------------------Milner

-------Lita-----Nugent-------------

Though it could be switch into a 4-3-3, three strikers, Routledge on right ,Young on left.

It's not a bad squad, it just lacks a bit of flair? a key danger man, the best player in squad is Bentley.

What every the team I can't see it beating Italy or Holland. or Serbia for fact, they have a brillant team this year.

[kyan]

I think Hoyte's better than Rosenior, and I expect Richardson to feature pretty heavily, the position I'm least sure about is where Lita is though, I don't know if he'll partner Nugent.

and also Cahill or Ferdinand... tough choice.

I guess we don't have a playmaker, our CMs are box to box players really, but our wide players are very good at this level especially, Bentley, Milner, Richardson, Young... Although not so sure about Routledge but he's decent. I think Pearce has made a mistake in taking Routledge, another CM would have been a better choice cos we have too many wingers (especially RWs) whereas we only have 4 CMs, with Richardson included.

[Sven]

Indeed, bit spoiled for wide men , why in recent times they gone for 4-3-3, I have Cahill over Ferdiand, not last season but vcertainly this one, cm partnership isn't bad Huddlestone aI like and reo is gonna give his all for the course (unlike west ham ). Tbh I'm bit disappointed Gaby is not there, as he would start for me.

What do you think? Our group is easy, as we missed the top teams lol. So we should get through, but Semis we either gonna play Israel , Italy or Holland....

[kyan]

No we got the hard group! We're in with Italy, Czech Republic & Serbia.

I think the team has the ability to win it, they're just not as glamorous as their foreign counterparts. But i dont think they will, i think ur right semis is the limit but theyre good enough to win it (bookies' 2nd favourite)

[Sven]

Are we lol? I thought we got the death group, we ****** now then. Italy and Serbia are gonna beat us, Czech isn't exactly easy lol.

Ye the English bookies... tbh bookies are not certainly best source of messure, they certainly don't know the teams expect England very well.

I think in the end Pearce will let us down.

[kyan]

Well we drew with Italy, ok it was in our backyard, but our defence was much much weaker at the time, Lee Camp was in goal I think (and he is shit), and we didnt have Taylor or Anton Ferdinand and I dont think Hoyte either.

Who do Serbia have this year? I haven't heard of any of their players, unless that defender u signed last year (Rajtkovic?) is Serbian and plays for their U21s.