U18s vs Stoke

[Pidge]

Fulton

Burke

Whelan

Heaton

Maguire

Rossiter

Brannagan

O'Hanlon

Kent

Wilson

Trickett-Smith

 

Live on LFCTV now, Trickett-Smith and O'Hanlon looking bright.

[alles ist gut]

Bit of a let-off there for us...

[Pidge]

1-0 Stoke

 

Rossiter tripping a man in the box, Panenka pen beats Fulton.

[sir roger]

Surely Panenka is over 18 ?

[paulmacca10]

I don't think his first name is 'Surely'.

[alles ist gut]

Maguire off injured.

[alles ist gut]

And now 2-0 after 30 seconds of the 2nd half.

[alles ist gut]

Harry Wilson! What a strike!

[Pidge]

Clear handball by Stoke (it wouldn't be Stoke if they didn't get away with at least one a game), ball goes down the other end and the defence is exposed again.

 

1-4. For most of the game we've had a defence of Midfielder-Right back-CB-Winger and it's shown. I don't particularly rate Heaton either, seems to rely on his size (which isn't such a factor at this level) and isn't too clever positionally. I think Rafferty was a much better defender.

 

Further forwards the u16s have been outmuscled inside and the lack of a real striker is stark.

 

and now Wilson taken out through on goal and the ref doesn't even give a FK, ridiculous decision. What is it with Stoke?

[alles ist gut]

I don't think that Heaton gets a game if 2 of Jones/Brewitt/Cleary are available.

[therevivalist]

Wilson and Trickster, the rest are just company. And get that Stoke goalie.

[William Morris]

I think everyone agrees it's a sensible thing when teams at every level play in the style of the 1st team, thus ensuring a seamless progression for those deemed good enough.

But when Stoke do it it just seems like child abuse (for both teams in a way.) A team full of giants who welly long diagonals at every opportunity and are very physical, though tbf I wouldn't say dirty. Sad thing is, a good few of them look as if they are well capable of playing decent football if allowed.

Saying that, me sitting here criticising them when they've just hammered us looks like sour grapes doesn't it?

I suppose I could argue that this sort of football isn't going to go away in this country, so it was a good example of just what they'll have to get used to at some stage or other and learn to adapt to it if they are to make it.

[Guest San Don]

I think everyone agrees it's a sensible thing when teams at every level play in the style of the 1st team, thus ensuring a seamless progression for those deemed good enough.

But when Stoke do it it just seems like child abuse (for both teams in a way.) A team full of giants who welly long diagonals at every opportunity and are very physical, though tbf I wouldn't say dirty. Sad thing is, a good few of them look as if they are well capable of playing decent football if allowed.

Saying that, me sitting here criticising them when they've just hammered us looks like sour grapes doesn't it?

I suppose I could argue that this sort of football isn't going to go away in this country, so it was a good example of just what they'll have to get used to at some stage or other and learn to adapt to it if they are to make it.

 

stoke were a bigger team than us. Im not sure if some of their players were also a bit older given the birthday cut off point for the U18's.

 

We shot ourselves in the foot at the start of the second half conceeding an early and sloppy second goal. It was a difficult task made a lot harder from then on.

 

I didnt think stoke were overtly physical or played the long ball either. They played some good stuff but they just looked so much bigger than us. Plus we did have a depleted squad (only 4 subs).

[William Morris]

There were lots of long balls, even that thing with the goalie taking the ball outside his area before hitting the same long diagonal that the defenders were hitting. I accept it happened less the longer the game went on though.

You might have a point about them not necessarily being overly physical, but because, as you say, they were all so much bigger than our lads, it's hard to tell the difference between being physical and just taking advantage of the extra muscle.

Sour grapes or not, they are still a fucking plague on the game at every level as far as I'm concerned.

 

Going back to the earlier point about all teams at every level playing in the same style as the first team, and I'm talking regardless of whether it's in the style of Barcelona or Wimbledon.

I've already aid it makes sense and I'm definitely in favour, but there are disadvantages unless you know your manager is going to be here long term. Teams that change their manager every 5 minutes will have a potential new philosophy with each manager, resulting in a rip it up and start again attitude with each appointment.

Which will be no good for anyone.

But it is another argument in favour of managerial stability I suppose, though not one many clubs would be likely to take notice of if they thought the circumstances demanded change.