The U21 thing is a great idea. Will really help youth development in England, the previous reserve competitions don't do much for youth IMO. You can play 3 players over the age of 21 and 1 GK over the age of 21. Given that, this might see the keepers stay a bit sharper and the youth team actually play players in position, filling in the 'gaps' with senior players who didn't make the first team that week. My understanding is that the following players are eligible as U21: 22 August 1991 - FEDERICO MACHEDA (ST) RES 12 September 1991 - SCOTT WOOTTON (CB) RES 5 October 1991 - DAVIDE PETRUCCI (MF) RES 13 January 1992 - MARNICK VERMIJL (RB/LB) RES 14 January 1992 - ROBBIE BRADY (LB/LW) RES 15 January 1992 - JOSH KING (ST/LW) RES 21 February 1992 - PHIL JONES (RB/CB/MF) 20 November 1992 - FREDERIC VESELI (RB/CB) RES 15 December 1992 - JESSE LINGARD (LW/ST) RES 30 December 1992 - RYAN TUNNICLIFFE (MF/RB) RES 11 January 1993 - MICHAEL KEANE (CB/RB) RES 11 January 1993 - WILL KEANE (ST) RES 13 January 1993 - TOM THORPE (MF/CB/RB) RES 4 February 1993 - LUKE GIVERIN (LB) RES 9 March 1993 - LARNELL COLE (RW/MF) RES 25 March 1993 - SAM JOHNSTONE (GK) RES 22 August 1993 - MICHELE FORNASIER (CB/RB) RES 7 November 1993 - REECE JAMES (LB) RES 13 January 1994 - TOM LAWRENCE (ST) RES 15 February 1994 - LUKE McCULLOUGH (CB) RES 16 February 1994 - CHARNI EKANGAMENE (MF/LB) RES 11 March 1994 - AGNALDO (MF) RES 23 March 1994 - NICK POWELL (MF/ST) 2 April 1994 - TYLER BLACKETT (LB/CB) RES 14 April 1994 - GYLIANO VAN VELZEN (LW/ST) RES 27 August 1994 - LUKE HENDRIE (MF/RB) RES Loanees: 11 August 1993 - SEAN McGINTY (CB/LB) (On loan at Oxford United) 5 August 1993 - GLADSTONY (Estevan Paulino Da Silva) (MF) RES (On loan at FC Twente) 21 January 1993 - JOHN COFIE (ST) (On loan at Sheffield United) 1 November 1991 - REECE BROWN (MF/CB/RB) (On loan at Coventry City) Anyone want to have a go at putting together a likely XII?
----------------------King(*) Lingard---------------------------------------Cole ---------------Tunnicliffe---Petrucci -----------------------Thorpe Blackett----------------------------------------Vermijl ----------------Wootton------Keane -----------------------Johnstone (*)Will Keane will play when he becomes fit again.
Very nice, cheers for that. How long is Will Keane out for? What about Powell? Do you think Tunnicliffe and Petrucci are ahead of him?
I think Keane is out until next spring, which is a massive blow. As for Powell it's not that I think Tunnicliffe and Petrucci are ahead of him, it's just that I don't really consider him to be a Reserves player. Yeah he'll play for the Reserves a bit this season but I think he'll get first team games as well.
If we play 433 in the U21 league, I think we'll see some of Powell there. More to the point I think is that Petrucci should be able to hold a midfield 3 with Powell and Tunnicliffe as his partners if he has much of a shot at making the first team as a CM in his current incarnation (holding midfielder). That said, I like the looks of Thorpe too. Only seen him 3 or 4 times iirc but he's looked damned good. Our U21 will be stacked though... Reece Brown should get a look in too.
Do you think Petrucci can develop into a Pirlo type player for us? I've been thinking about it lately.
Fair enough, given he's age though I am assuming he'll get a fair few games at this level to keep up match fitness/sharpness. Assuming you mean role? Or overall quality? Desperately one of he's types. One more question. Does the U21 competition mean that there will no longer be a reserve competition?
Role. I made the comparison because: 1) They're both Italian 2) They started out as attacking midfielders 3) They're highly skilled technically 4) They both have a great shot on them The Under-21 competition replaced the Reserve league.
I'm not the best person to ask. Personally I think Petrucci is overrated around these parts. It would be fantastic if he turned into a Pirlo mkII but I'd settle for a more mobile/daring Carrick.
I can't wait for the Give A Young Player A Real Chance to Play before They Get Pissed Off And Leave League to start so we just might be able to keep talent on the books.
@AdamSMarshall #mufc at Peterborough: Johnstone; Vermijl, Fornasier, Thorpe, Blackett; Cole, Tunnicliffe, Petrucci, Powell, Lingard; Macheda. subs at Peterborough: Sutherland, Veseli, King, Gladstony, Agnaldo, James links: http://t.co/tMHVa56V game is live at 2:45PM
John Cofie has gone off to a very good start at Sheffield United. Was on fire in their friendlies, and has scored a couple of crackers for them in the league now. Particularly today's goal was a cracker it seems. League one but good signs. Reckon he can be a Lower level premier league player.
Going off how Sir Alex used him in pre season and the fact that we drew Newcastle, more chances of that not happening tbh. Tunnicliffe and Powell are probably ahead of him. Don't know who will be interested, but a loan move could work for him if we can find a right team. Does Twente have a Quality AM?
Why is he talking out of his backside? The NextGen is under-19s, who said anything about having to play Reserves? Someone give this man a PR book (or a couple brain cells).
I think that he means that the players for us who would be playing in the Next Gen, are part of our reserves.
I dont know. He says it may benefit Barca, but not us, but clearly you are not buying that. In my opinion I would not put our u16's in that competition. I think they may get beaten badly and that doesnt bode well. Of course thats just my assumption.
If Im looking at the list right [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_United_F.C._Reserves_and_Academy#Current_Academy_players ] The best players in that age group will probably playing in the u21's this season eventually. Again, just a guess on my part, but maybe the rest are already on a program that the club thinks will benefit them better than playing against other kids. Maybe they already ahve tournements and games scheduled, and dont want them to over do it? I watched some hilights of the Next Gen series, its a good idea in theory, but I think it may be better if we wait for that competition [or the one fro Uefa] to be fully legit, and not in the testing early stages.
He wants United's youth players to get used to playing against British players (technically poor, stupid, big, foul a lot, claimed to be hardworking). Barcelona want their youth players to be good at football.