Liverpool u18 0 Chelsea u18 1 (Aug 19 2006)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL U18 0 Chelsea U18 1

Report by Dave Usher at the Academy

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-1 Venue - The Academy Date - Sat 19 Aug 2006 Star Man - Robbie Threlfall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A solitary first half strike by Chelsea’s impressive left winger Scott Sinclair condemned Liverpool under 18’s to defeat in their opening game of the season at the Academy. The reds were second best for most of the game and can have few complaints about the result, although skipper Jay Spearing came desperately close to grabbing an equaliser right on the final whistle.

John Owens named a strong side containing five of Gary Ablett’s new look reserve squad. Dave Roberts, Stephen Darby, Robbie Threlfall, Ryan Flynn and Craig Lindfield all started, along with centre half Laurence Gaughan (pictured right), a player signed from Sheffield United as an u15 a year ago and who missed all of last season with a back injury. The young reds had not long returned from a pre-season tournament in Spain, in which they had been beaten by Barcelona but drawn with AC Milan, Real Madrid and Boca Juniors.

John Owens rather surprisingly opted to play a 4-5-1 formation with Lindfield as a lone striker. It didn’t work, as Lindfield spent more ro less the entire game chasing after defenders or trying to win flick ons. The young striker worked as tirelessly as always, but he didn’t get any kind of service and had no sight of goal all game.

Chelsea started brightly, and were especially dangerous down the flanks. On the right Miroslav Stoch was bright and inventive, but it was Sinclair on the left who really caught the eye. Chelsea should have gone in front in the first minute but Cummings put a free header over the bar. With 15 minutes gone left back Michael Burns missed a header which allowed Stoch a run on goal. Threlfall came across to cover and just about managed to get something on the winger’s shot which diverted the ball inches wide.

After that Liverpool eventually began to settle a little, and for the next ten or fifteen minutes enjoyed their best spell of the half. Flynn’s clever turn in midfield opened up space and he advanced goalwards before hitting a powerful shot from 25 yards which was just the wrong side of the post.

Then Barnett won the ball in the Chelsea half which allowed Barratt to cut inside and fizz a shot narrowly over the bar with the keeper beaten. It was all long range stuff however, as the reds couldn’t find any space in the Chelsea penalty area where Lindfield was constantly outnumbered.

With 29 minutes gone, Chelsea went in front with a superbly worked goal on the counter attack. Stoch collected the ball on the edge of his own area and went forward before hitting a sweeping ball over tot he left wing, where Sinclair raced past Ben Parsonage before curling a beautiful shot into the far corner of the net.

Whenever Sinclair had the ball he looked as though he’d make something happen, and had he not been up against someone as dogged and determined as Darby he’d probably have ran riot. Sinclair caused lots of problems, but Darby actually acquitted himself pretty well and managed to limit the damage somewhat.

Two minutes before the break Chelsea left back Ryan Bertrand burst forward past three challenges and seemed certain to score until a last ditch challenge by Threlfall denied him what would have been a wonder goal.

The reds had the final goal attempt of the half when Spearing’s persistence created a shooting opportunity for Barnett, but his 20 yard curler was a couple of yards off target.

Chelsea could have doubled their lead two minutes after the break, when Sinclair forced his way to the byline and tried to cross the ball in. Darby did well to get a boot on it but the ball looped up in the air and was met on the back post by Bridcutt, who’s header crashed back off the woodwork.

As the hour mark approached John Owens made his first change, withdrawing Parsonage and sending on Lee Woodward. I had hoped that would mean more support for Lindfield, but Woodward simply slotted into the right sided berth vacated by Parsonage.

With 25 minutes remaining Sinclair set off on another exciting run which took him away from several defenders, but this time his finish didn’t match that of the first half and the ball went just wide of the far post.

Two minutes later, Lindfield finally had a strike partner as Ryan Wignall came on for Barnett, but nothing really changed and Chelsea looked very comfortable. Spearing and Woodward both brought comfortable saves out of Rhys Taylor in the visitor’s goal, but other than that Chelsea’s backline were untroubled.

Finally, with seconds remaining Lindfield sent over a cross which Barratt nodded back across goal. Spearing’s initial effort was blocked and the ball looped into the air. The reds’ skipper challenged for the loose ball with the Chelsea centre half, and despite giving away several inches in height Spearing won the header and sent the ball over the keeper’s head, only to see him reach behind and claw the ball off the line. The final whistle followed immediately after as Spearing cursed his luck.

The little skipper was one of the bright spots in as disappointing performance. He didn’t have a great game by any means, but he kept going and stuck to his task well. Laurence Gaughan had a decent game at centre back and did very little wrong, but the star man for me was Threlfall, who made several key interventions which helped keep the score down to just the one.

Overall not a good performance, but Chelsea looked a good side and have some very good players. In addition to Sinclair and Stoch, Michael Woods in midfield played very well. He’s one of the lads they nicked from Leeds, and although he looks a useful prospect, I think Ken Bates may be pushing his luck a bit if he thinks he should be getting £34m for Woods and the other lad!

Liverpool can take consolation from the fact they won’t be playing against this calibre of opposition every week, but hopefully next time Lindfield won’t be left as isolated as he was today. I really hate that 4-5-1 formation, it only works if you’ve got fantastic wingers or a brilliant player who can play in the hole. If you don’t have those kind of players, then it surely has to be 4-4-2?


Team: Roberts; Darby, Gaughan, Threlfall, Burns; Parsonage (Woodward), Spearing, Flynn, Barnett (Wignall), Barratt; Lindfield: