Lookman on target as England U20s make World Cup final

COYB . oops, England!

England too ponderous, allowing Italy time to easily regroup, defend and repel.

Needs quicker crisper passing and movement and some inspiration from somewhere, or we're going out.

Step up Kieran Dowell. This is your time. Please.

Solanke, well deserved!!!

That Ojo lad looks class, quality impact sub in this game, shame he's at Mordor. Kenny been quality throughout, Calvert-Lewin plays a well balanced game without standing out I think.

Game set and match

Kenny best of our lads again for me. Surely a starter next season.

Ojo done well but Kenny has been the most consistent performer today. Not put a foot wrong and I really hope we start him next season.

No doubt Solanke will get the plaudits but he's been very wasteful and that last goal was a complete fluke.

Proper modern full back. Good all down the right.

Perhaps it'll get a mention now that Solanke scored two!

I didn't see this game but in earlier matches I also thought Kenny was like Gary Neville. Small but tough as nails, vocal, and an absolute commitment to the team. Baffles me that we are flirting with this Southampton reject.

Another thing worth pointing out is that Kenny already has a Euro U17 Championship to his name plus the Premier League 2 title. They say winning is a habit and this kid is a winner.

Lookman has also done well. Started slowly in the tournament but has found his form. Dowell has been hit and miss. Calvert-Lewin steady if unspectacular. Connolly not quite there yet.

Especially in the dead rubbers at the end of last season when 7th was secured with what 3 games to go.

They'd already gone to South Korea before the dead rubbers.

Dowell looked a little lost today, as did Calvert-Lewin. Although, apart from the lad Solanke scoring two goals, I can't see much difference between him and Calvert-Lewin they certainly don't compliment each other.

England's first World Cup final for 51 years and a very rare victory over Italy. Good luck to the lads in the final.

As for Sky, didn't they have a fall-out with Eurosport a little while ago? That might explain the lack of coverage, mind you once they realise that their favourite club provided the scorer of two goals, we'll be awash with in-depth coverage from the Big Stand Brigade.

In regards to Dowell, I stick by my 'luxury player' comment, can pick a pass out, but when he's not on the ball, he's a passenger; possibly why Ronnie has not picked him more.

Lookman was very impressive and a better option than Calvert-Lewin.

Hate to say it but Ojo is one hell of a player and made the difference when he came on.

Kenny for me is the player of the tournament, been outstanding in every game and a must at right-back for the first team next season.

Dowell who (to answer Shane) has had a very good tournament to date, just not on the radar today. He is never going to be a physical player, but he has bags of skill.

Watching his replacement Ojo playing as he did for me rather begs the question why he didn't come in for the suspended Onomah as they play similar games. Onomah's actual replacement today, is a run-of-the-mill holding midfielder, whereas the likes of Onomah and Ojo are better on the ball and running at and committing players.

Kenny is going to be a MONSTER footballer. Great at both ends of the park, fantastic engine to get up and down the pitch as he does, crisp, accurate and disguised passing, and already an old head on young shoulders. He is very cute in his game play.

Calvert-Lewin had probably his best game of the tournament so far and showed really good hold up and link up play against a packed Italian defence.

Lookman also grew into the game, always showing for the ball and demonstrating quickness of feet and thought in some of his plays. He and Calvert-Lewin combined well for the all-important 2nd goal.

Should be a cracking final.

Stick by what I say about Kenny. Gary Neville is probably the best right back I've witnessed in living 'memory' (disclaimer, can't remember much due to being a fiend and don't watch foreign togger much). But I think he's something special.

Hope I'm right (as we all hope for all Everton players) noted.

I hope they get some game time next season, especially Jonjoe in Coleman's absence. We'd rather see a local lad do well than a cheap journeyman transfer right?

Calvert-Lewin looks like he has great physical tools (pace, athletic ability), but not great football skills or football intelligence.

Why Jonjoe wasn't put in the first team when Seamus broke his leg only Koeman knows, Lookman is a natural footballer who in time can do the job that the Brazilian Coutino does for Liverpool.

Has anyone got any links for today's goals, Please.

How proud to see our lads in a semi AND perform so well. Love that big lad, Lookman! Kenny so cool.

Always happy to oblige!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrdCEWYyrkQ

Go with the player in the best form.

It's competition for places that Everton has long lacked.

Do you think that the likes of Chelsea or Man City or Man Utd worry about such things? Who the hell cares. We should have two quality players at every position, because the competition above us certainly do.

Pity he never played that role alongside Lukaku. Kenny and Lookman are ready for the first team but we still need a proven striker to replace Lukaku. These kids are really surprising me and are like a shot in the arm.

The BBC finally cottoned on to the tournament the other day and posted an article about this possible 'golden generation'. It makes for great reading as it points out the sizeable Everton connection and links to a video of Unsy discussing the kids he threw in against Norwich (Davies, Dowell and Kenny).

Football being as it is, you don't always get what you deserve but there is no doubt there is something different about these young English lads, they are winners. I hope they cement their place in history come the final.

The performance from our lads is another testament to the great work Unsy and Sheeds are doing at the academy. Excellent stuff!

Jay, do you think that link you gave me will show the final?

Looking forward to the final.

Lookman had the crowd excited every time he got the ball, and Calvert-Lewin had a good second half. Dowell was replaced by Ojo from Liverpool, he looked a good player, strong and could carry or pass.

I know it's a step up from Under-20s but I think all our players will be in the first team squad come next season. Not every week but certainly Kenny and Lookman wouldn't look out of place.

Dunno mate, but if not, I'll post a link on the matchday thread I presume TW will put up on the day, OK?

And Ian @ 80. Yes, unfortunately Liam was injured ahead of the final Premier League 2 game of the season against Liverpool. He appeared on the presentation podium on crutches, otherwise I'm sure he would have made it SIX Everton players out in Korea.

And don't forget, the FA and the club agreed not to take the 18-year-old Tom Davies and give him a summer break.

Great to hear Lookman doing so well as I was worried he had fallen back a bit since joining us.

Yes Everton need more leaders, strong in the mind and strong in the tackle, but one of the reasons I support Everton is because we usually have a touch of class and don't need to cheat to win – when we have a team good enough.

Leave all the shenanigans to those over the way and we'll continue to be the club we are, I want Everton to be better than them not a carbon copy of them.

To be fair, it was Solanke that has been scoring the goals the past two matches and it was Ojo that changed that match today.

Not to say our youngsters didn't also play a major part, but that headline is more than fair. I'm only surprised they didn't focus on Ojo.

There was a Jeff Steling thing about his walk for Prostate Cancer with Phil Thompson, Lawrenson etc on the other day. They announced Jeff would be passing through the city visiting both football grounds, "Liverpool and Anfield".

To think that we have so many young Everton lads in the England Under 20 set-up is a good sign for the future.

We have already seen what Lookman can do when he has played at senior level, I think we are so lucky to have him.

The puzzling bit, is why he seemed to be overlooked in the run in to the season, or as an unused sub. Hope to see the lads rewarded with senior game time, this coming season.

Also, in his current position with Everton he has some defensive duties and is prone to losing it in dangerous positions. That's just a learning process of knowing when you can try something and when not. If he played as a No 10, that might not happen as much as he'd likely be further up the pitch most of the time and not have many defensive responsibilities...

In general, he already has a very good similar understanding with Dowell, although Dowell of course doesn't quite do defending bit quite so much.

Would be interesting to see the two working interchangeably down the line in a few months time :-(

Coleman is a defender who gets forward with his quickness. Can we please put attacking players in attack and not have two right-backs occupying the right side of the pitch.

I am a firm believer in bringing them on in the last stages of a game we have already won and therefore gradually exposing them to the speed, skill and physicality of the Premier League.

Otherwise, we are in danger of destroying their confidence before they are even established.

Dowell is not going to be a Premier League player and our front two have skills which may develop into something really good but not for a couple of seasons. They also need to bulk up.

As someone who rarely gets to see Everton on TV, let alone in the flesh (living in Italy), it was nice that RAI Sport decided to show the game live during my lunch break. I also have a soft spot for the youngsters as one of the Everton U23 team is a distant cousin of mine even though I have never met him (Charsley).

The technical commentator on RAI (name I didn't get) worked with the Italian U20 structure and was well versed in knowing both the Italian team and the English opposition. Like their English opponents most of the Italian U20 play in the equivalent of the Premier 2 – the Primavera or in Serie B (Championship) often sent out on loan by the bigger clubs. The better youngsters like Donnarumma were playing with the full Italian side (which beat Uraguay 3-0 last night in Nice).

Italy definitely regarded England as the favourites and came out strong as they felt that getting a goal ahead and then operating on the counter they could wear England down. This was proved to be right when Italy went ahead within the first few minutes and then dominated much of the first half. The goal was well manufactured by Italy's standard but poor defending by England's centre halves.

This commentator explained certain technical elements (those relevant to the Everton players being as follows):

• The English players are not used to the Italian system of double marking – one player makes the tackle and another nearby is available to pick up the stray ball which results from the tackle or if the tackle is lost make a second tackle – the four Everton players on the park were all frustrated when they got the ball only to lose it after either the first or second tackle.

• The most technically gifted players in the English starting XI were Dowell and Lookman, and explained at how they hold the ball and generate space for a pass, even though Cook of Bournemouth is the teams playmaker.

• England were playing with players not in their favoured positions:-

o Dowell was meant to cover the right flank in front of Kenny but he is an inside right and not an outside right (winger). This also created space for opportunities for Italy when Kenny went forward to act as a winger as there was a hole behind him to exploit. He noted too that the tactical switch with Ojo in the second half was decisive as it also gave Kenny more freedom.

o Lookman and the Tottenham full-back Walker-Peters are not naturally left footed, so they try to move inside instead of taking the Italian fullback on the outside. Italy realised that by double marking inside rather than out they were able to frustrate England down the left flank for much of the game.

• Calvert-Lewin works very hard as a forward to wear down central defenders, but he largely works on his own. He showed an example in the first half where Calvert-Lewin operated alone but Orsolini and Favilli were working as a pair in trying to test the defenders in front of them. Italians normally have ball playing centre halves, they know in England this is not a requirement (unless you are John Stones).

He also pointed out that Calvin-Lewin wins a lot of balls in the air and tries to drop them near by so he can make a second pass or movement however with double marking he was often passing to the second defender and getting frustrated with himself. He felt the English strikers didn't play as a pair.

All the Everton players will have come out of that wiser for having been tested by a well-drilled Italian style team. It will serve them well in the future when they play in Europe.

As I said keep posting them in, I was put wise in a nice relaxed way.

Dave (#109) is not an awkward bugger (normally), Aidan – he just can't spell!

Calvert-Lewin looked isolated and frustrated in 1st half, but led the line well in 2nd and caused a lot of problems to their defence... and the Italians know a thing or two about defending. 7/10

Kenny was excellent. Great game going forward. He made the right runs at the right times, and linked up well. Great energy and always available for a pass. Had a relatively easy day, defence-wise. 8.5/10

Lookman looked the class act on the park today (special mention to Ojo, who oozed confidence and was very effective). Always looking to get involved, and continued to grow in comfort and confidence on ball as game went on. Fans loved him. 9/10

Dowell looked bit off the boil today, but it was a difficult 1st half after the early goal, with the Italians sitting back and trying to counter. They paid the price those tactics in the end. 5/10 though he's had an excellent tournament.

I've been impressed with the standard of quite a few teams, and it should be a cracking final.

COYB

David, when Seamus broke into the first team he started out as a wing back, and successfully, too. I remember he ran Spurs' left side ragged in one of his earlier starts yet he's often criticised on here for being defensively wanting.

I mentioned the Coleman/Kenny potential on post 73 and Brian Cleveland also thinks it has potential in his post this evening. It's not so much a 'square peg, round hole' situation as trying something that appears to some as being worth considering. Kenny would be more at home at right-back than Holgate has been. And that's no slight against Holgate.

Dowell and Clavert-Lewin played okay but not as impacting as in previous games. The team looked balanced and played well so happy to see young EFC players making history.

Best player in the the tournament in my view for England, is Jonjoe Kenny – desire, will, spirit, class and guts.

I would agree with the assessment of many that he is the best option for that position of the current squad, better than alternatives such as Holgate, Browning, Davies or Pennington. To me the problem isn't Kenny but the help and assistance he is going to need down the right flank (as shown in today's game). I would be inclined to play him either with a proper right sided midfielder who can also help in defending in front of him or in a Juventus style back three with wing backs.

Until they came unstuck and wilted in the second half against Real, Juventus had operated the standard BBC (Barzagli – right centre half, Bonucci – as the deepest player in the middle the ‘sweeper and Chellini as the left centre half) back line with Alex Sandro as left wing back and Dani Alves as right wing back with a great deal of success – league and cup double and Champions League final. The wing backs could move forward knowing that a centre half could fill in when needed or drop back if he took the ball forward.

Koeman played around with 3 centre backs until the left footed Funes Mori got injured. I think it will work work but not with two defensive midfielders in front of the backline – 2 of Gana, Schneiderlin and Barry, otherwise the team would lose some attacking options and if he I could be critical of Koeman's first season it would be that the team didn't have enough creativity in the final third, another reason to have Kenny flying down the right. He reminds me a bit of Gary Stevens in how he likes to power forward and make a decisive pass.

You don't play a wing back with another right-back on the pitch at the same time. I want us to play with a wing back, but it would be idiotic to push that player up as a right midfielder and have another right-back behind him. The benefit of having a wing back is having a defender that can add numbers in attack.

Their attacking players are quick and athletic – particularly Cordova (19) and Penaranda (7) – who somewhat bizarrely is a Watford player. Their captain and central midfielder Yangel Herrera (8) is also a very good player, so much so he is one of Manchester City's number of foreign youth imports.

Kenny is going to have an interesting time against the bleach-blond Penaranda, who is very lively, prone to some cute touches, and not afraid to be direct when he has to be.

Coleman had Hibbert behind him for several games as well as playing as a wing back on occasion and my point was seeing if Coleman and Kenny could replicate a Pienaar - Baines combo.

I don't recall Pienaar being referred to as a wing back, or Baines either. They were just seen as a perfect left sided combination. There's no need to label them as "wing back" or anything else if it works.

It's a damn sight better than playing Barkley or Calvert-Lewin as a winger.

This boy is unique and a real find – I think he will get a lot more game time this year his close control is excellent and he's a little bag of tricks... I can't wait to see him!

I presume you reference the Venezuelan squad numbers, rather than their ages.

If not, they start them young and have some extremely talented and well-developed 'yoof'!!!

Hopefully Ronald Koeman has been taking note of this and he will be promoted to the first team next season. Holgate has at times looked like a fish out of water at right back. We could have a perfect replacement for Seamus and his marauding runs if we give Kenny his chance.

Personally, I think the days of Coleman as a "wing back" are gone with the passing of time. While I know we have a love affair with Coleman on this site I doubt he would be the answer for us as a "wing back". Looking forward, we need to raise the bar somewhat. As an attacking full back, he still has plenty to offer even if he does run into dead ends from time to time.

As I mentioned earlier, choose one of Kenny or Coleman. It's nice to have them both.

It was the ideal opportunity to give him and Kenny more game time but Negative Ron would rather bring a useless 34 year old on instead, even though a few weeks later he's been shown the door!

I'm really worried about Koeman's negative tactics, like being 1-0 up against Watford at home and instead of going for more, he brings on Gareth fucking Barry again just to sit on the one goal, which let Watford back into the game and only their poor finishing let us off the hook.

Fair enough if it was a vital game but surely in the circumstances, we shouldn't be looking to just hang on against the likes of Watford?

Thanks for that, it beats trying to find a dodgy stream. BBC2 begins its coverage at 10:50 tomorrow morning.

The only game time Kone 'stole' off Lookman was the loss to Chelsea when he came on as sub whilst Lookman was on the bench. In the two games prior to that, Lookman made an appearance off the bench.

In a nutshell, I don't think he'll be that pissed off.

Colin (#130), it can't be a draw it's a cup final so a team has got lift the cup. Be a man and get off the fence, even if you have got to cook your own dinner!!!

EPG (or, for the Luddites amongst us, Electronic Programming Guide) is the modern way to find out what's going on in this technological age mate.

But yes, it is on Beeb 2 tomorrow.

Thanks for the confirmation that the game is on BBC 2, I appreciate that.

Colin (#137) if Venezuela score, will you pretend you are happy,? Honest answer, Colin.

Brent (#140) I haven't seen a rattle at Goodison since God knows when. I'm in the same stand as yourself, the Upper Bullens. If you shout out too loud you are well noticed, and I've been well noticed, especially when Paul Gerrard was in goal and the first 18 months of Fellaini's career at Everton, but you know the score in the Upper Bullens.