...::[The Footy Desk]::...

[saintdave]

He wasn't f*cked around he just wasn't ready at the time for the Premiership level. He was so effective in the FA Cup final because he has pace and as we know the Arsenal team from them had bags of it. He was loaned out for experience and is now a regular.

[norniron]

What about the when he was in the team but not getting a chance during the change of manger i.e harry redknapp (a tube who either dislikes northern ireland players are doesnt have an eye for young talent) for a example i thank your current manager for giving him a chance to prove himself which he has also done with others like bale who have since left

[Andyzoot]

Dave, was that Arsenal 3rd Kit you found the one with Blue and Black stripes? As it seems that is a fake.

 

Personally I hope Arsenal never have a striped shirt.

[saintdave]

I'll re-host the picture -

 

 

It's navy blue and red stripes, looks cool IMO.

[Andyzoot]

Hmm, it's interesting. Two completely different strips to our previous ones. This is the first time we've had a hooped shirt as far as I know. Can't say I truly like it but it may grow on me just as our Redcurrant one did.

[AndyGanteks]

U21 Championship Fixture 2 Group B

 

 

 

England-Italy                  2-2Nugent     24minLita       26min                      35min     Chiellini                      69min     Aquilani

 

 

 

Italy came from two goals down to keep alive their hopes of qualification with a 2-2 draw against England in UEFA European Under-21 Championship Group B as a Gelredome crowd of 17,000 were treated to a thrilling encounter.

 

Aquilani equaliser

England had looked to be cruising when David Nugent and Leroy Lita scored two goals in as many minutes midway through the first half but the Azzurrini responded perfectly. Ten minutes before the interval Giorgio Chiellini pulled one back and Italy threw caution to the wind as the second period wore on, eventually getting their reward midway through the half when Alberto Aquilani's raking drive crept in.

 

Elimination

Some of the Azzurrini squad had stood on the halfway line before the match, watching events unfold in Nijmegen as Serbia beat the Czech Republic to go through to the last four – a result that ensured one of these sides would be returning home after Sunday. Goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano, in the team as No1 Gianluca Curci was injured, began determined it should not be his, pulling off a stunning reflex save to bat away Steven Taylor's close-range header on ten minutes. He was grateful for some profligate shooting from Lita midway through the opening half, however, as the England No16 squandered two gilt-edged chances.

 

Chances aplenty

First Mark Noble, one of three changes to the England lineup held by the Czechs, sent him clear with a sumptuous through-ball. With Viviano slipping, the Reading FC man needed only to side-foot in, yet he somehow contrived to slot wide. Having missed a penalty on Monday he must have questioned his luck, a feeling that merely grew when he fired against the crossbar moments later after the Italy keeper fumbled. It sparked a frenetic spell. James Milner delivered an inviting ball across goal while at the other end, it took a brilliant Taylor block to deny Giampaolo Pazzini.

 

Lita relief

The Italy striker scored a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw between these countries in March, and goals appeared on the cards again. Ashley Young sent the ball just wide on the counterattack before Nugent finally broke the deadlock on 24 minutes, diving low to head in Leighton Baines's arcing centre. Two minutes later Lita added a second, hammering in after being put through by Young. It was not the end of the drama. Aquilani grazed the crossbar with a fizzing long-range shot though the Italians' first goal owed much to good fortune as a deflected corner cannoned off Raffaele Palladino and Chiellini and into the net.

 

Italian initiative

The Italy left-back almost turned provider immediately, crossing for Pazzini whose header was clawed away by Carson, who was the busier keeper thereafter. He kept out another Pazzini threat before half-time and, after the restart, dived low to save Riccardo Montolivo's rasping drive. By then Pierluigi Casiraghi had made a double change, bringing on Marco Motta and Giuseppe Rossi, and the latter drilled an attempt just over on 55 minutes as Italy piled forward. Their equaliser eventually came on 69 minutes - Aquilani's low strike just beating Carson - and although Young twice went close to restoring England's lead, his efforts were saved and a late yellow card rules him out of Sunday's game against Serbia.

 

 

 

Czech Republic-Serbia                           0-1                              90+3min  Jankovic

 

 

 

A last-gasp goal from Boško Jankoviæ earned victory against the Czech Republic and sent Serbia into the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship as the winners of Group B.

 

Healthy prospects

The sign welcoming visitors to Nijmegen bills it as "City of health", and having beaten Italy here on Monday, Serbia's prospects of reaching the last four of this tournament for the third finals running certainly appeared rosy. The Czechs shared a goalless draw with England in their opening fixture and looked to have held on for another point here, but three minutes into added time, Antonio Rukavina set Milan Smiljaniæ free down the right and Jankoviæ got ahead of Michal Kadlec to head his side through. The result, coupled with England's 2-2 draw against Italy in tonight's late game, ensures Miroslav Djukiæ's side will finish first in the section and play the Group A runners-up in Arnhem next Wednesday in the last four.

 

Set-piece threat

Djukiæ had promised his team would go for the win and Smiljaniæ duly threatened within the first two minutes, although at the other end two right-wing corners from Tomáš Jirsák might have led to a Czech Republic goal as first Michal Papadopulos and then Milan Kopic sent headers narrowly off target. In a lively opening 45 minutes, Dejan Milovanoviæ's whipped free-kick from the left caused problems for Zdenìk Zlámal, before the Czech goalkeeper raced off his line to deny Dragan Mrdja after Stefan Baboviæ's pass had split the defence.

 

Kahriman called upon

With the Czech Republic midfield deprived of Daniel Koláø and Luboš Hušek due to an ankle injury and sickness respectively, Zlámal's opposite number Damir Kahriman had been largely a spectator but he was in the thick of the action as the half drew to a close, foiling Martin Fillo and Jirsák. The Serbia keeper then carefully gathered Jirsák's free-kick from the corner of the box, although he was rooted to the spot as Jiøí Kladrubský's shot deflected just over in added time.

 

Kladrubský denied

Mrdja made way for Djordje Rakiæ at half-time and Serbia began to look more dangerous, Rukavina bursting forward and laying a clever ball back to Smiljaniæ, who blazed over. Jankoviæ also tried his luck from distance but the best chance came in the opposite area. Again Jirsák was the architect, finding Kladrubský inside the box and he worked space with a clever turn before unleashing an effort that Kahriman palmed away with an outstretched hand.

 

Jankoviæ trickery

Papadopulos volleyed Josef Kaufman's header too high before Serbia substitute Dušan Basta narrowly failed to find the target with an angled volley. Jankoviæ and Rakiæ both tested Zlámal, who seemed to have earned his side a point only for Jankoviæ to beat him in the final seconds. Serbia will win the group with victory in their final fixture against England on Sunday, when the Czechs, who can still progress, take on Italy, although Fillo will be suspended for that game having picked up an early yellow card here.

 

 

 

Standings after 2 fixtures

 

 

 

Group A1. Netherlands  2  0  0  3:1   6(throught)2. Belgium      1  1  0  1:0   43. Portugal     0  1  1  1:2   14. Israel       0  0  2  0:2   0(out)

 

 

 

Group B1. Serbia            2 0 0  2:0   6(throught as first)2. England           0 2 0  2:3   23. Italy             0 1 1  2:3   14. Czech Rep.        0 1 1  0:1   1

 

 

Final fixtures:

 

 

Group ABelgium-Netherlands           16/06/07  20:45Israel-Portugal               16/06/07  20:45Group B Italy-Czech Republic            17/06/07  20:45England-Serbia                  17/06/07  20:45

 

 

 

Highlights of U21 championship up to date

 

Highlights

Edited June 15, 2007 by AndySerb

[monkeyman237]

Lol, Liverpool and Chelsea on the 2nd week, lets hope it's a draw and we move to the top of the pack. Yet we need to play ManC away that week too.

[Waddy]

Im getting so bored with the lack of transfers...anywhere really.

 

Atleast we have the final day in the Spanish league tomorrow, Hope Madrid do it for Beckham, great to see him go out on a high.

 

 

 

[Seddo]

This has got to be the most boring and deadest transfer market ever in the Premiership's history.

 

I wake up and go to a sports page and i want to see a huge ass transfer deal.

 

Oh and if Scott Carson plays for the England U21's tonight then he'll brake Jaimie Carragher's and Gareth Barry's record of most capped U21 player, Carson will move one head to 29 caps.

[Waddy]

Well we better pull out a result tonight, or thats it.

 

Pearce will be acked for the second time this season, bet he feels great!

[Seddo]

Doesn't England's international future look great, the current team's sh*t and the U21 team is sh*t, i can't wait for the upcoming years.

 

Has anyone ever been sacked twice in one season before, if he does get sacked he'll probally find iit hard to get a new job, what team would hire a manager that's been sacked twice in one season.

[AndyGanteks]

Dont worry my fellow Brits,my Serbia will play with combined squad tonight and will 99% let England win(by a minimal 1-0 or 2-1 result).And No ,England has awesome players,but they have terrible coach(steve mclaren)who cant get good players to squad and make chemistry in team good.About U21 there are players that have solid potential:Reo-cocker,Lita maybe,there's Carson.James Milner....Average now,but they all have the hidden potential!!

 

BTW-Sevilla will win the title!!!!

[Waddy]

I cant see why Wayne Rooney didnt want to play for the under 21's.

He does jack sh*t for the senior squad.

 

Im gona watch Madrid anyway.

[MyMothersMySister]

I cant see why Wayne Rooney didnt want to play for the under 21's.

He does jack sh*t for the senior squad.

Celebrity weddings and a long summer vacation. That's why n00b.

[saintdave]

The whole Under-21 tournament squad selection and organisation is a farce. Players that qualify are considered unavailable (Rooney), some wish not to be selected (Bentley) and some don’t get the necessary information confirming their call up and miss the whole tournament (Agbonlahor).

[Crokey]

This has got to be the most boring and deadest transfer market ever in the Premiership's history.

Wait till the start of August then it will be silly season. Or wait till someone pulls their finger out their arse at City then there'll be a few deals going on, plus the Spanish season hasn't finished yet so...

 

As for Sackings, I can't remember his name but someone got sacked three times from Dundee United, Hamilton and the Airdrie in the same season, I'm effed if I can remember his name though

[AndyGanteks]

About the u21 i also dont like the fact that some players at the age of 23 play for the so called u21 squad.They should rename it to U23 tournament then!!

[AndyGanteks]

England lead 1-0....Italy lead 1-0.who will go throught.....England because Serbia is letting them defeat them.It is going to be a big winn for england 100%

[Seddo]

England lead 1-0....Italy lead 1-0.who will go throught.....England because Serbia is letting them defeat them.It is going to be a big winn for england 100%

Lol, just because England is beating Serbia, doesn't mean t mean Serbia are letting them win. I'm pretty sure that's illegal in the FIFA rules as well.

 

Real Madrid losing, Barcelona winning and Sevilla are drawing, it's getting pretty tense.

[saintdave]

I've been watching the Real Madrid v Mallorca game, and they are deservedly losing. They seemed to start the game thinking Mallorca would let them win as they had nothing to play for but good for Mallorca they are out there trying to win the match.

 

I want Barcelona to win it anyway, still a far superior team to Real Madrid.

[Waddy]

I've been watching the Real Madrid v Mallorca game, and they are deservedly losing. They seemed to start the game thinking Mallorca would let them win as they had nothing to play for but good for Mallorca they are out there trying to win the match.

 

I want Barcelona to win it anyway, still a far superior team to Real Madrid.

Thats not what the table says Dave, and the table never lies.

 

Cant believe you would rather have Barca win and Becks not get a medal?

 

You should be hanged. TREASON!

 

Anyway, Madrid won. so..ha.

[Andyzoot]

What happened to Goal Difference? BBC says Barcelona have a far superior goal difference.

 

Bloody Spaniards, always doing things differently. Reyes wins La Liga and now there's the question of whether he's staying or not. I don't think Arsene Wenger wants to keep Baptista.

[Seddo]

 

Anyway, Madrid won. so..ha.

I thought you were joking at first, just went onto Sky Sports now to double check, Madrid's second goal came in the 81st minute that was a close one, couldn't of left it any later (well they could of but you know what i mean. )

 

Lol at Barcelona winning 5-1 they must of thought the title was theirs, but i guess Madrid had other plans, Beckham's first trophy in Spain.

 

England U21's won 2-0 as well and now their into the Semi finals.

 

 

What happened to Goal Difference? BBC says Barcelona have a far superior goal difference.

In Spain it goes by head to head victories not goal difference and Madrid have beaten Barcelona and drawn against them.

 

[AndyGanteks]

In Spain is indeed the head to head.real has something like 66-40

and Barca has 72-28 or 38 i think

 

Anyways about the U21 game,Serbia did let England.

 

The plan was to let them score early and then to peacfully attack and miss chances until the end of the game,but to play good football just to showcase reserve team players to europe's managers.Beacuse then england would base more on Counter attacks and Serbia would have control.

The second goal was a fluke and a total non-fair-play by those who are for fair-play most-England.I'm shocked and dissapointed by the referee(and players of england ) as well as in the 90'th minute when Huddlestone got a undeserved red card.No wonder Serbia fans booed rasisticly(althought i didnt hear then all stations reported that they did)

 

Anyways

Serbia-Belgium

England-Netherlands

 

My predictions"

 

S-B 2:1

E-N 1:1 N wind on P

 

 

[Seddo]

For the second goal, who had the ball and decided to kick the ball out and play as normal, the Serbia goalkeeper, as soon as England got the ball then they all started moaning about their player being down and when we scored you moaned even more, it was your own fault for playing knowingly that your man was down.

 

And then your fans racially abused our English black players whic is disgraceful, Serbia deserve to get kicked out of the championships for that,a nd the same goes for all Internation games i think FIFA needs to change it's rules.

[AndyGanteks]

whatever...

[Waddy]

whatever...

Dont just 'whatever' it.

 

Its a serious issue. We are in 2007, racism should be stamped out in football.

You fans, and players were a disgrace, to have to resort to racism because you lost.

Should be banned from International football.

 

Dicks.

[AndyGanteks]

whatever...  

Dont just 'whatever' it.

 

Its a serious issue. We are in 2007, racism should be stamped out in football.

You fans, and players were a disgrace, to have to resort to racism because you lost.

Should be banned from International football.

 

Dicks.

We didnt lost,we lost on ..PURPOSE''..We in Serbia stopped being racist.It is our people that live there(holland) being racist from early 90's when high crsyis was present here and they still boo to black people because they havent been a long at our refreshed country that is getting forward every day.A group 0f 20,30 people who are jurks doesnt represent the 10 million Serbs in the world.I ,when came to US(3 yrs ago) met one guy Felix and his son Cortney.They had such a funny ''gangsta accent'' and i enjoyed playing basketball with them,they were funny and this is a perfect example of Serbs not being RACISTS.

 

Anways in the name of my country i appologize for this thing and hope it wont happen again.

Now England appologize for non-fairplay!!!!

 

 

 

[Andyzoot]

Andyserb, you talk some sh*t and I'm not talking about your piss poor grammar.

 

Why would Serbia let a goal in and lessen their chances of winning. If England did beat you it would have not meant much to you in the tournament but it would have been a moral victory for England which could be vital if Serbia are to face England in the final.

 

I am not going to blame Serbia for the fan's treatment of Onuoha during the game, you just have to face up to the fact that some supporters are dicks. However it's digusting to find that Justin Hoyte was a target for racial abuse in the tunnel after the game by the Serbian players. Not only that but Matt Derbyshire was spat on by a Serbian player. There needs to be disciplinary action over that. I wouldn't say kick them out of the competition, I believe that could be over the top but the Serbians who were involved should be banned from the rest of the tournament.

[AndyGanteks]

 

Andyserb, you talk some sh*t and I'm not talking about your piss poor grammar.

 

Why would Serbia let a goal in and lessen their chances of winning. If England did beat you it would have not meant much to you in the tournament but it would have been a moral victory for England which could be vital if Serbia are to face England in the final.

 

I am not going to blame Serbia for the fan's treatment of Onuoha during the game, you just have to face up to the fact that some supporters are dicks. However it's digusting to find that Justin Hoyte was a target for racial abuse in the tunnel after the game by the Serbian players. Not only that but Matt Derbyshire was spat on by a Serbian player. There needs to be disciplinary action over that. I wouldn't say kick them out of the competition, I believe that could be over the top but the Serbians who were involved should be banned from the rest of the tournament.

Because we didnt want Italy to go throught...cheesh... everybody talks about it in Serbia.Why wont you belive me.We played with second team and we let england score early then attack through the game so other players get spotted by Euro mamagers.That was the game

plan,because otherwise,england would attack throuight the game,we woudnt create much chances and the game would finish 0-0.We are the ones that did you favor because you are not a stronger side in u21 then Italy so we let a weaker tem into semis.

Now i really hope we meet in Final to prove my theory and beat England

 

edit:just download some of these videos and see how good are fans are(thats red star fans but it is quite the same)

Videos/

Edited June 18, 2007 by AndySerb