Youth Team/Cup

[alles ist gut]

Job done.

 

Five games in, we've conceded ONE goal - to Reiss Nelson, who scores against everyone.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Just looking through that lineup and then our youth teams in general - we really don't have any top defensive prospects on their way through, do we?

 

I mean, unless you count Alexander-Arnold, but I mean more in the centre.  Behind Gomez it's pretty thin when you look out a few years.  And granted, centre backs develop a bit slower so it can be a bit hard to tell which are going to go places when they're teenagers, but there isn't a Woodburn or a Brewster, or even an Ejaria or Wilson, where you think "yeah, I can see him being a part of the first team in a few years."

 

Maybe Masterson at a stretch, but you can see why we're still out scouting young centre backs and taking players like Perr Schuurs on trial.  Not sure why we didn't get that one done when he was in for a trial in May.  He's now played almost 30 games for Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch 2nd division at 17 and looks the absolute business on youtube:

 

 

Would love to see him here at Liverpool, obviously one for the future but considering how hard it's been to find good centre backs you'd think the best youth ones would be a top priority right about now.  Looks for all the world like he has the potential to turn into another VVD-type.

Could be a shrewd Purrschuurs.

[Trumo]

Perr Schuurs? Sounds like a Cilla Black cover of that All Saints song.

[Allan]

Offal Match Report

 

A first-half double from Harry Wilson ensured Liverpool U23s maintained their 100 per cent start to the Premier League 2 season with a 2-0 win over West Ham United on Monday.

 

Neil Critchley’s side travelled to Dagenham looking to record a fifth consecutive league victory - and they duly did just that in impressive fashion, despite the absence of the likes of Danny Ings, Ben Woodburn and Marko Grujic ahead of the first team’s game at Leicester City on Tuesday.

 

Wilson struck twice in the opening 21 minutes at the Chigwell Construction Stadium - his first a low drive from the edge of the area and his second a neat finish to round off a delightful team move - before Kamil Grabara made a brilliant penalty save to preserve Liverpool’s lead before the break.

 

Herbie Kane and the lively Rhian Brewster both went close to extending the young Reds’ advantage and West Ham goalkeeper Nathan Trott made two excellent stops to prevent Wilson from completing his hat-trick in the second half.

 

But that mattered little, as Liverpool - who play Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Friday evening - continued their perfect opening to the campaign.

 

The visitors took the game to their hosts right from the first whistle and Ovie Ejaria forced the Hammers' 'keeper into a save with just 11 seconds on the clock.

 

Brewster raced onto Matty Virtue’s lofted throughball and unselfishly pulled back to the onrushing Ejaria, whose low shot was palmed away by Trott.

 

But the young Reds didn’t have to wait long to open the scoring through Wilson.

 

Trott initially made a fine save to deny Brewster but, after Ejaria and Cameron Brannagan kept the ball alive from Wilson’s corner, the young Welshman cut in on his left foot and rifled a shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

 

And nine minutes later, Wilson had his second when he finished coolly after linking up with Brewster to devastating effect as part of a sweeping Liverpool move.

 

West Ham were offered a route back into the game almost immediately when Conor Masterson conceded a penalty, but Grabara kept Liverpool’s two-goal lead intact with a stunning save low to his right from Toni Martinez’s spot-kick.

 

Critchley’s team could have taken full advantage of that reprieve in first-half stoppage time, but Kane blazed over the bar after being set up by Wilson.

 

Liverpool twice went close to extending their advantage early in the second half, with Brewster flashing a powerful left-footed drive narrowly wide and Wilson being denied his third by Trott’s fingertip save after an eye-catching dribble.

 

And Trott again got down well to thwart another Wilson attempt and then made sprawling save to claw away substitute Yan Dhanda’s effort in stoppage time as the young Reds eased to a comfortable win.

 

Liverpool: Grabara, Whelan, Phillips, Masterson, Johnston (Juanma), Virtue, Brannagan (Dhanda), Kane, Ejaria, Wilson, Brewster (Adekanye).

 

Unused subs: Kelleher, Jones.

[moof]

Has Wilson been injured? Bit disappointed he's not going to be involved tomorrow

[Ronnie Whelan]

Just looking through that lineup and then our youth teams in general - we really don't have any top defensive prospects on their way through, do we?

 

I mean, unless you count Alexander-Arnold, but I mean more in the centre. Behind Gomez it's pretty thin when you look out a few years. And granted, centre backs develop a bit slower so it can be a bit hard to tell which are going to go places when they're teenagers, but there isn't a Woodburn or a Brewster, or even an Ejaria or Wilson, where you think "yeah, I can see him being a part of the first team in a few years."

 

Maybe Masterson at a stretch, but you can see why we're still out scouting young centre backs and taking players like Perr Schuurs on trial. Not sure why we didn't get that one done when he was in for a trial in May. He's now played almost 30 games for Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch 2nd division at 17 and looks the absolute business on youtube:

 

 

Would love to see him here at Liverpool, obviously one for the future but considering how hard it's been to find good centre backs you'd think the best youth ones would be a top priority right about now. Looks for all the world like he has the potential to turn into another VVD-type.

I think with centre halves they learn more about playing in the lower leagues than the u23 league. Masterson for example is potentially very good. However,send him on loan to a Wycombe or chesterfield where he has to deal with men coming with their dark arts and tricks in the game. At u23 level,he is up against a lot of technically good players like Woodburn but great defenders can deal with all types of strikers.

 

My friend is a coach at a decent level and he made the point that younger players don't have the concentration that they used to. Maybe,that's another problem.

[Allan]

 

 

Has Wilson been injured? Bit disappointed he's not going to be involved tomorrow

Yep. Had an achilles injury. Tonight was only his second appearance of the season so far.

 

If we can get past Leicester tomorrow, then I'd like to think that Harry would come into consideration for the 4th round tie.

[Allan]

Both the 18s and the 23s are in action this evening.

 

The 18s play in the mini mini derby at The Academy, kick off at 19:00, with live coverage on the offal from 18:30.

 

The 23s host Spurs at Anfield. Kick off at 19:00, with just live text coverage on the offal.

[Allan]

23s lineup:

 

Kelleher, Virtue, Whelan, Phillips, Jones, Grujic, Wilson, Woodburn, Brewster, Ejaria, Markovic.

 

Substitutes: Masterson, Atherton, Dhanda, Johnston, Brannagan.

[Allan]

18s lineup:

 

Grabara, Coyle, Lewis, R. Williams, Glennon, Dixon-Bonner, Tagseth, Longstaff, Millar, Jones, Camacho.

 

Subs: B. Williams, Raitanen, Hunter, Sharif, McAuley.

[Allan]

GOAL!!! LFC U23s lead within 26 seconds! Harry Wilson is the man with the opener, taking advantage of hesitant defending to pounce on a loose ball with a looping header over the goalkeeper and into the net.

[Allan]

23s update:

GOAL!!! 2-0 to the young Reds! It's Harry Wilson again. Lloyd Jones sends a long ball through to Lazar Markovic, who gets into the area and holds the ball up before squaring to the Welshman for a finish across the goalkeeper.

[Allan]

23s update:

 

Spurs pull a goal back from the penalty spot. 2-1.

 

GOAL: Tottenham halve the deficit from the penalty spot, Marcus Edwards clipping an unstoppable spot-kick into the net at the Kop end, despite the protests of the Reds about the decision. 2-1 to Liverpool now.

[Allan]

23s update:

 

Spurs are level. 2-2.

 

GOAL: It's 2-2 at Anfield. The Reds fail to clear their lines from a Spurs corner and Christian Maghoma capitalises on time and freedom to swerve in a fine curler. All square.

[Em City]

Sounds like they're ready for the first team.

[Allan]

18s update:

 

Liverpool 0 Everton 1

 

The away side counter, and get a touch of luck as the ball falls to their number 10 who gets away in the box and pokes the ball past Grabara.

[Allan]

#EvertonU18s take the lead against #LFCU18s pic.twitter.com/1wx0IFxBUk

— 1892 (@_1892__) September 22, 2017

[Allan]

23s update:

 

GOAL!!! Hat-trick for Harry Wilson! The Reds are back in front and it's that man again - the No.7 with a clinical finish into the far corner from the right hand side to complete his treble in 45 minutes.

[Allan]

18s update:

 

Half time - Liverpool 0 Everton 1

 

The away side with the only goal of the game so far, just moments after a half shout for a penalty at the other end. (Would have been soft if given, in my opinion).

 

We've been the better side, but haven't really tested their keeper. Camacho and Millar are making good runs up top and are looking lively, just the final pass letting them down so far.

[Allan]

23s update:

 

HALF-TIME: And that's all for the first half at Anfield, and quite an opening 45 minutes it has been. Liverpool lead by the odd goal in five courtesy of a Harry Wilson hat-trick.

[moof]

Can we take him off at half time and use him against Leicester? Love me some Harry Wilson.

[Allan]

Can we take him off at half time and use him against Leicester? Love me some Harry Wilson.

 

Makes the league cup defeat that touch more frustrating, as Wilson would have been a shoe in for the 4th round game.

[Allan]

23s update:

 

Brewster makes it 4-2.

 

GOAL!!! 4-2 Liverpool! Their cushion is restored through a piece of Rhian Brewster magic, the striker racing onto Lloyd Jones' latest inviting long pass and nonchalantly lofting the ball up, over the 'keeper and in. At the Kop end, too.

[Allan]

18s update:

 

McAuley on for Longstaff.

[moof]

Makes the league cup defeat that touch more frustrating, as Wilson would have been a shoe in for the 4th round game.

Yep. Surely, if he keeps banging them in for the u/23s then he'll get his chance at some point, you'd think?

 

Then again, I thought the same last season but he didn't get a sniff.