The Azzurrini (U21) Thread (18 Viewers)

Hængebøffer

Senior Member
Jun 4, 2009
25,185
Yup, didnt expected it. We had some luck on the road to the semi finals, hopefully we'll win it now. Today allowing Mali who played with 10 men after 20 minutes to score 2 goals after a 2 goal lead. To many crosses that didnt reached the strikers. Plizzari saved a penalty again. Not really impressed as I was with the U17 team.
I was banned so I couldn’t reply. But I found it very amusing that you were so wrong about the team not going far.
 

Buy on AliExpress.com

Gigiventus

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2017
3,130
Let me guess, you haven't watched a game of the competition or youth football in general? since Messi was a youth player Argentina haven't done anything at this level. They were not better than Mali, had already lost to south corea in the tournament, and didn't win the sudamericano this year. They are a good team but clearly not a favorite.

joke of a post.

- - - Updated - - -

Maybe that's what it is. South American and African teams focus on U20 and then U23 level, it creates a false impression on U20 international football.
Yes in europe the Euro U21 is the top youth tournament, not the U20 WC. The rest of the world cares more about it and finally europe is warming up to it. The U20 WC is a lot of fun to see the prospects we don't get to follow in our leagues here.
 
Last edited:

Bianconero81

Ageing Veteran
Jan 26, 2009
39,070
This Italy team has been rather poor tho. Scamacca has been underwhelming, and they've had to rely on Plizzari's heroics on one end and Pinamonti's goal-scoring prowess at the other end. Frattesi has been a pleasant surprise. Other than that, they've been nothing special.
 

Gigiventus

Senior Member
Mar 3, 2017
3,130
Poor is too strong a word to describe a team that won the group in 2 matches and is in the semifinals. It's definitely not a spectacular team and worse than the last 2 U21 teams, but still good. Qualifying for the tournament is difficult, even more difficult to make it all this way. This squad went to the final of the eurocup last year, but lost Kean, Zaniolo and Tonali to a premature graduation, yet they still make it.
 

JuveJay

Senior Signor
Moderator
Mar 6, 2007
72,078
Depends what you think is more important. Winning games as a team at youth level or bringing through better individual players, even if they don't go as far as the better team/group.

There's something to be said about both and often they go hand in hand, but Italy's strength over the years was winning games even when struggling, even when they had many world class individuals. I think it's something that has been lost a little over the more recent generation, excluding Conte's (a specialist in this respect) Azzurri in 2012.

I think in general the youth sector has been doing good work for a few years and you are now seeing it filter through the levels and reach the first team. A similar thing has happened with England, but for England they have to generate a mentality they have never had. The French are similar.
 

Barese

Junior Member
May 9, 2019
80
No final, to much luck down the road. Again a match against a team playing with 1 player less because of a red card, again nothing really impressing.

Final Ukraine - South Korea.
 

s4tch

Senior Member
Mar 23, 2015
27,864
Very strange refereeing in this Ireland v Italy match

Kean got a straight red for the same thing an Ireland player did in the first half

Basically a push to the chest

ref was a jerk. still, that was completely unnecessary from kean. boy has to learn how to remain calma
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 17)