Thetownend.com

 Unusually for the cricket season, I'm quite looking forward to this tonight.  England have on paper what looks a decent side, consisting of mainly players with some Prem experience.....Spain carry the pressure of being Spain/Barca.

 Spanish lad Thiago, has ramped it up by dismissing England as a bunch of long ball merchants, saying only Wilshere and Micah Richards are players they rate.

 Spain have a few Barca fringe players, like Jeffren, Bojan, Fontas and Thiago and a bunch of other La Liga regulars. Will pace power and athleticism prevail over technique and tika taka?

I'll be watching. We've got better youngsters than they've been given credit for.

I don't think the future of the National side is in too bad a shape...

Is this on normal telly?

What is it? Group game? Quarter Final? Final?

Sky Sports 1 7:45pm.

First group game.

Long ball is not really true,but in comparison to the spanish it's probably a bit more so than their game. Who gives a fuck anyway? The long ball can be very effective.

Aren't the Spanish the favourites?

I can actually see us doing quite well, we have a decent squad.

I have money on 2/1 England to win today and 4/1 that the two teams meet again in the final

They are, but only after a number of players dropped out of the England squad. I read somewhere a few days ago that England are rated the no.1 U-21 team by UEFA. They were runners-up 2 years ago, beating the Spanish 2-0 in a group game, and the U-17's clinched the Euro Championship last year, beating Spain in the final.

The Germans, the holders, didn't even qualify.

Taken a keen interest in this. Note neither England nor Spain actually won their qualifying groups to get here. Also, Belarus knocked Italy out to get there so!

A good standard this tournament is looking, but the winner will be either Spain, England or Czech IMO.

3 Spanish lads to watch out for are Thiago, Mata and De Gea ;)

Joe public are wanking furiously over spain again i see.

They had loads of possession but only had 3 shots on target the same as England

Fucking handball!

england aren't looking woeful against ukraine...

How on gods great earth did Liverpool part with such a wedge of cash for one of the most boringly average players the Premiership will have seen since Geoff Thomas?

I thought we looked like a younger version of the senior team, all huff and quite simply we still have such a poor technical ability level.  Jones looked ok and Sturridge has something, but everyone else is just an athlete and littl more.

Cleverly and Sinclair have all the technical ability in the world, but they're sat on the bench behind Mancienne and Rose.

Not seen Cleverly, but Sinclair is not great.  He's ok, but with so many of our players has little regard for possession of the football and thinks as an individual.  He'll probably be a sort of Fulham regular, or maybe a team like Blackburn.  Earn a decent living out of the game, maybe get the odd sniff of and England squad but essentially spend much of his career with a reputation in our media far exceeding his ability.

The U21's play like a younger version of the senior team... which isn't great. Incapable of playing short incisive passes (unless it's backwards/sideways), and squandering possession in a heartbeat. Coaching across all youth levels needs a massive overhaul. Being strong, quick, and 'big' seems to be the only requirement of English footballers these days, with little regard for technique and proper tekkers.