I don't know about you, but I was really looking forward to the bright and refreshing Under 21 European Championships, held this year, in Israel. I can find that the senior side become slightly dull. They are of course not helped by the forced, tiring and non competitive friendlies. The Under 21's can be a really interesting change. Viewing potential stars of the future, gazing in to the crystal ball of English football.
Topping their qualification group, with only one defeat from eight games, England's hopes were high going in to the tournament.
Drawn with Norway, Israel and Italy, it looked on paper to be a group England could qualify from. Group B, looked to be well avoided. Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Russia all paired together. It seemed that England would reach the semi finals relatively comfortably.
Stuart Pearce has been England Under 21 Manager now for six years, and has had a very mixed time during this period. His highlight during those six years will be reaching the final in 2009, only to be brushed aside 4-0 by a German side that included Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira. Who now play for Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid respectively.
This tournament must be one of the lowest points in Pearce's reign. A squad dripping with star reputations, who failed to register a point, or even score from open play.
I look at the squad Pearce selected, and I do have sympathy for him. Particularly when it comes to strikers. As natural strikers go, Pearce had Aston Villa's Nathan Delfouneso, who spent last season on loan at Championship side Blackpool. Marvin Sordell, again of the Championship, who registered just 4 league goals in 22 appearances. Connor Wickham also got the nod. Easilly the most gifted of the three, Wickham shot to fame with a £8m move from Ipswich Town to Premeir League Sunderland in the summer of 2011. Despite being still just 20 years of age, Wickham has managed just one league goal in 26 appearances since singing. Wickham also had a Championship loan stint at Sheffield Wednesday last season, bagging just the one goal in his six appearances.
This lack of fire power does concern me, in qualification, Craig Dawson, the West Bromwich Albion centre half topped the goal scoring charts, netting an impressive five goals in the nine appearances during the campaign.
With Pearce's hands tied, he resulted to Manchester United's £15m man Wilfried Zaha playing as a lone striker. Where there is no doubt Zaha has some sparkling qualities in his game, he is no centre forward. A youngster who has made his name by mesmerizing Championship defenders on the flanks. He has the pace and trickery sure. He can even finish at times. But leading the line is a tough job, it's something that needs a natural goal scorer in that position. You can only get away with square pegs in round holes for so long.
The stand out name you look at who's missing is PFA Young Player of the Year nominee Danny Welbeck. He is clearly the best striker Pearce would have at his disposal. Injured regardless, it still doesn't fill me with confidence. Forgetting Webeck's great header in the Bernabeau against Real Madrid, he has struggled for goals. Granted, Sir Alex mainly played him as a wide striker, when he did play, he didn't do enough.
Zaha has been forced to play out of position
Is there hope further down when it comes to strikers? For me, no. In the Under 20's the stand out name is Harry Kane of Spurs. Who failed to flourish during a loan spell at Norwich City. Before being farmed out to.....yep you've guessed it, a Championship club in Leicester City.
Chris Long and Alex Pritchard are unknown quantities to me personally, but the other striker, Luke Williams of (this is getting silly now) Championship Middlesborough, I have seen play. He seems bright, and full of energy, but appears to lack star quality, and, goals - which is obviously a problem.
Pearce may have had a host of absentees (McMannaman, Townsend, Sterling, Shaw, Wilshere, Jones, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rodwell and Walker to name but a few) but not many of those would have solved this crucial issue. It seems England could offer all the service in the world to a grateful front man. The quality we posess on the wings, and in the number ten position is actually fabulous. But if there's nobody on the end of your cross/pass then it's pretty pointless.
Will Pearce continue, will he leave? His contract is up, and I could see him walking away. Regardless of who comes in, it seems it's the lack of fire power, that for me is holding us back.
Tom,
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