Red's U20 World Cup Scouting

The U20 World Cup started today with group A's matches. It kicked off with a 3-1 France win over Ghana, and Spain are currently leading the USA by 3 goals to 0 at half time.

The glaringly obvious thing to take from the first game was how poor Ghana's defence are. The first goal was a completely unmarked header from a throw in. PSG's Jean-Christophe Bahebeck beat a flimsy offside trap to score the highlighting goal of the match, a brilliant curving left footed shot into the corner. He looks impressive and PSG have loaned him out the last two seasons to teams much weaker than ourselves, he's in theory not beyond our reach for a loan deal.

Spain are terrifying. Half of their U20 side could easily make the first team of virtually any other national team in the world. My man love for Gerard Deulofeu knows no limits, his beautiful chipped ball right to Jese's feet for the first goal wewill be one of the best you see all tournament, and he scored the second himself in sublime fashion. He's now starting games for Barcelona's first team though, so he is probably out of our grasp. Jese doesn't have to do an awful lot with Suso and Deulofeu giving him such brilliant passes, but he is clearly a clinical finisher in the box. Id have any of Spain's side, but try are all also far too good.

Deulofeu scores again. Two goals and one assist so far in Spain's 4-0 presumed win. The USA are massively outclassed but you can't take anything from Deulofeu.

The best three teams in the world?

Spain
Spain U -21
Spain U -20

Annoyingly you're probably right. There's been a lot made of Germany rising in world football, but at youth levels you could fit a jumbo jet in the class divide. Brazil, if they get their often sloppy act together, are one of the few teams that can give Spain a go.

England playing tonight against Iraq.
Peter Taylor is a decent coach but they're in a tough group with Chile (who qualified from South America ahead of Brazil and Argentina) and African champions Egypt.