England win the Fête

England U21 2 v Mexico U21 1
Tournoi Maurice Revello, Final

Played at Stade Francis-Turcan, Martigues

Saturday 9 June 2018

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50 French Beer Ticks

Another Young Lions trophy. We'll actually trophies, plural. This is a famous old football tournament. The 46th version. But, it can get a bit village fête at times. At some games, they have a ceremonial kick off. Two local wigs that are big ship out to the middle & have a pretend kick off. The trophy ceremony had a feeling of everyone gets summat.

Lewis Cook got 2nd best player of the Tournament.
Freddie Woodman got the best goalkeeper of the Tournament.
Eddie Nketiah won goal of the Tournament.

On the night, Trophies picked up by other teams Inc fair play, breakthrough player, golden boot, third best player, best player plus others I'll have forgotten.

Look. Mexico ended up with Golden Boot & Best Player. They looked good. The group game between these two had finished nil nil. Tonight, they scored a great flowing move plus tap in goal inside a minute. England had it all to do. It wasn't dour. But it was ground out. It needed a Mexican Keeper howler for one of the goals. On balance, because of their flair, I felt Mexico were just about the best team on the night. But, England got back in it, got ahead, stayed in it. Won it.

671/1390

Ask Aidy

England U21 0 v Mexico U21 0
Tournoi Maurice Revello, Group A

Played at Stade D’Honneur, Salon

Tuesday 29 May 2018

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That's a disappointing result. You have to top the group to guarantee you're in the Semis. You need to be bang at it in all three group games. It was pretty Even Steven. I'll say Mexico shaved it. England had their bright moments. But, I'm struggling to remember them troubling the Mexican Keeper. That was a much changed England team. Alright, I don't know what Boothroyd considers his best XI. Any sense says this Mexico game was likely to be the toughest in the group. So, rotate by all means, but get it together to play your best mob in this 'un - surely.

Yet. To me. For eg. Leaving Abraham out. Weakens.

Anyway. I don't know why I'm speculating. Let us emphasise (again) how great these smaller tournaments are. I didn't need to speculate. As I could have just asked the England Manager, Aidy Boothroyd, behind the stand before kick off. You know. When he spoke to me. As in, he said Hello There, as we silently & sheepishly walked past him. Nice fella.

Despite my moaning, Nketiah (Arsenal) was very lively early on. Running at the El Tri defenders. Leaving men for dead. They're having to haul him down. At times, he was coming deep & showing for the ball. He really caught the eye in patches. But, I felt the others were pedestrian at times. OK in possession. But, little incisive stuff. Nothing hurting.

In the first half, Mexico were pissing on us at corners. I counted three good headers they got on. I felt they'd be disappointed not to have got one to count. England's defending was sort of desperate but sort of competent. Emphasising there was no oommpphh. Just going through the motions.

At one stage, the Short Arse number 7 for Mexico thought he'd been lumped. So went forehead to forehead with Esri Konza (Charlton). To get it all going, 7 has had to stand on tiptoes & Konza has had to stoop. You get the picture. He's feisty, this Mexican - better look him up. Uriel Antuna, played one game for Santos Laguna back in The Old Country. Then he was sold to The City Football Group. Effectively, he's a Man City player. (He was immediately loaned to Groningen in The Netherlands - he's made 10 Eredivisie starts for them). Modern Football will always find you in the end.

Once we'd walked part of Grand Randonnee 2013 to get back to the gaff, I contemplated my day with;

Brasserie La Bouquine, Triple Pan (Belgium Triple) from a bottle at 8%. That is rescued by a nice big abv burn. Gives it body & oommpphh. A bit of spice. Some orange. But, lacks gentle balance - all clash.

668/1379