News: Youth Will Be Served - Academy, Reserves & Loans News 2012/13 [R]

Januzaj was annoying the last 40 minutes of the game. No urgency from him.

 

Wow.

 

You defend like we did, that's what happens. Shame to see them go out.

 

I suppose it is good that they lost. Losing at home in a cup match and getting embarrassed will do more to motivate them than any other tournament result, bar winning the whole damn thing.

 

We're out? At the first hurdle? At home?

 

Yup. Should be motivating, as alot of playing time for these kids just dropped a decent amount.

 

Must-win game for Under-21s

Alexander Büttner is set for a run-out at Under-21 level as United look for a victory at Aston Villa that should ensure qualification for the elite phase of the competition.
Anything less than three points in the final group game will be insufficient but the Dutch left-back's inclusion as an over-aged player should provide some additional experience while Scott Wootton and Nick Powell also feature after starting in the last Champions League tie against CFR Cluj.
Italians Davide Petrucci and top scorer Federico Macheda are likely to be key figures as the Reds bid to avenge a 1-0 home reverse to the Villans.
The match is exclusively live on MUTV with kick-off at 7pm.
Squad: Jonny Sutherland, Pierluigi Gollini; Marnick Vermijl, Tom Thorpe, Scott Wootton, Michele Fornasier, Alexander Buttner, Sean McGinty, Frederic Veseli; Larnell Cole, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Davide Petrucci, Nick Powell; Federico Macheda, Bebe, Tom Lawrence.

 

Lineup:
Sutherland

Vermijl
Thorpe
Wootton
Buttner

Larnell Cole
Tunnicliffe
Petrucci
Powell (as an AM I am guessing)
Bebe (or left wing or uptop)

Macheda

 

Halftime update:

Aston Villa started very well, pressing up and retaining the ball. We got into the game around the 15 minutes, but still no chances and very tight spaces between the teams. Aston Villa was awarded best academy in England, and some of their game players were playing and you could see their quality on the ball. Paul Lambert was up in the stands watching, and the nice thing was when he came down to the coaching area instructing the reserves coach on the play. At least the manager is involved and as we saw this season Villa have been using a lot of their academy players because of Lambert's philosophy.

Anyway, the game was tight not many chances. Bebe started on the left, he couldn't do much, but then went to the right and still he was tight marked by 2 players. We had a header from a corner that was dangerous, a free kick taken by Petrucci that was very close to be tucked in, and a couple of own chanced by the Villa defenders that their keeper had to save.

The bright spots in the game was Vermijl on the right flank coming in and using his pace and making dangerous runs at the end of the first half. Tunnicliffe tenacity along with his skill has helped the middle a lot, I like his bursting runs with the ball from one half to the other. Lastly, the bright spot in the game where it allowed us to have the ball and use it better was when Larnell Cole left his right flank came into the middle and played the deep lying role almost, and playing short passes with Tunnicliffe, Powell and Petrucci. And at this point Petrucci was a little bit more forward. You saw a lot of fluidity from the middle when Cole came in and it helped us keep the ball while creating space and spreading it to Vermijl.

Powell has been disappointing, he has been on the ball, but has not done much he is tight marked quickly, and sometimes he gets in the way of things, where he always wants to be involved instead of picking his moments.

A disappointing half, hopefully we keep get better as we did at the end of that half.

This year the under 18's and the reserves have been disappointing, I don't know if because they have not been getting chances in the first team their level of motivation and their hunger has dropped especially the reserves where they have won everything last year.

 

Oh Bebe Bebe!

 

BEBE!!!! beautiful finish 1-0

 

BEBEBEBEBEEE

 

were thru

 

Much better second half I thought, we showed better concentration and we really took the game to them, we needed the win to keep going in the tournament. I think if you noticed, when we played a diamond in the middle with Larnell, Petrucci, Tunnicliffe and Powell we kept the ball better and that helped a lot.

 

Jeff, Im not quite sure that if we lost, we would be out completely. :I think there is another tournement for those who dont make the Elite Group stages. The winner of that one can then go on to the playoffs at the end and still win the U21 title. Im not 100% sure on that, but I think thats the case.

Also, the big guns are in this elitle group stage. It actually seem like most of the big guns were already in our u21 group.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012–13_Professional_Development_League_1

 

Lost 3-1 to Sporting Lisbon in the nexilons cup today.

 

http://www.redcafe.net/f40/adnan-januzaj-320963/index7.html

Some gifs on CAF.

 

The u18s have been fantastic this season jeffo.

 

They just lost to Sporting.

Anyway, considering they are a young squad, then yes, they have room to develop. But we had the crop that won the youth FA cup, I think we really messed up on that one, and I don't think this crop is as good as them. I still have to see Pereira and Mitchell (sp).

 

The defenders are the weakness in this team, plus they are not physically the best.

We competed well with Sporting for the first 45 minutes, but tired in the second half which might be due to the travel and not being used to the heat. Just looked knackered after 50 minutes.

Also, remember this team didn't have Januzaj and Perreira. And also that Nick Powell/Henriquez among others are also eligible for this tourney but not playing...........

Liverpool on the other hand have the likes of Yesil playing and i am not sure but Sporting would have some players closer to first team playing too.

 

Sporting has a decent history of giving youth players a go, no ?

You rely on their own academy more than the likes of Porto and Benfica.

And anyways, that wasn't really the point i was making.

 

This new crop are a bit on the smaller side. They could benefit from a bit more "tiki-taka" and a little less forcing of things.