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Youth Team/Cup

old skool tom

By old skool tom,
in FF - Football Forum

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Caramac
Caramac
dave u
dave u

Some fucking sterling work over the years in this thread by these two by the way...  

Allan
Allan

It's very easy to get a little excited about attacking players at the youth levels as the coaching is focused on attacking, playing out from the back, etc... The defending isn't always the greatest at

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alles ist gut Grand Master

alles ist gut

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http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/279025-match-report-u18s-hit-five-to-beat-west-brom

 

 

Liverpool U18s kept up their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season as they twice came from behind before thrashing West Bromwich Albion 5-2 on Saturday, writes David Lynch.

An early strike from Sam Wilding put the Baggies ahead but Curtis Jones quickly pulled the Reds level before Myles Hall and Adam Lewis exchanged penalties to cap a four-goal first half. The second period saw the hosts turn on the style, with Paul Glatzel giving Liverpool the lead shortly after the break and substitute Liam Millar notching twice to put the seal on the result.

With Liam Coyle sidelined by a back injury and Edvard Tagseth still on international duty, Steven Gerrard named Elijah Dixon-Bonner and Glatzel as his starting central midfield pairing. That lack of continuity in the middle might well have contributed to what was a sloppy start by the U18s, with West Brom the quicker out of the blocks, and the visitors made it pay ater just five minutes as Rayhaan Tulloch's pull-back was tapped in from close range by Wilding.

The goal prompted a rapid response from the Reds, with Jones firing in an equaliser from the edge of the box after a one-two with Rafael Camacho just six minutes later. However, moments after Glen McAuley had come within inches of putting the hosts ahead from a Jordan Hunter cross, the hosts were behind once again.

A poor clearance from debutant goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros invited West Brom into the Liverpool box where Tulloch was brought down by Rhys Williams, with Hall finishing the subsequent spot-kick.

The end-to-end nature of the opening half hour didn't end there, though, with Gerrard's side winning a penalty of their own when George Harmon handled a Luis Longstaff cross. On this occasion, Adam Lewis stepped up to power the ball home.

In the aftermath of his penalty, Lewis' influence grew, and he could have had a hat-trick of assists from left-back before the half-time whistle. Glatzel twice almost scored from the Scouser's deliveries, while Williams also nearly benefited prior to the break. But it was Jones who came closer than any of his teammates, hitting the post after bursting past his man in the box.

The Reds started the second period in much the same way that they ended the first, and took just three minutes to get themselves ahead. Lewis' ball in behind allowed McAuley to sprint away and the Irishman picked out Jones who, despite having the freedom of the box, chose to unselfishly square for Glatzel to hammer home from a more straightforward angle.

With his side leading, Gerrard opted to shuffle his pack on the hour mark, and his decision to replace McAuley with Millar soon proved to be inspired. The Canadian's first touch of the ball saw him coolly finish off Dixon-Bonner's through-ball, and he doubled his tally shortly after, touching in a low Lewis cross.

Millar's second marked the end of the most frenetic period of the game but a more sedate procession to the full-time whistle still saw former Red Kieran Holsgrove hit the bar for West Brom after a rapid breakaway.

 

 

Liverpool U18s: Jaros, Hunter, Lewis, R. Williams, Glennon, Dixon-Bonner, Longstaff, Glatzel (Sharif, 69), McAuley (Millar, 62), Jones (Clayton, 73), Camacho. Unused subs: B.Williams, Raitanen.

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Allan Grand Master

Allan

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Thought that would be the answer thanks for that

 

The lads we have at centre back down in the 23s will have a career in football, but just not with us. (In my opinion, of course).

 

Lloyd Jones is the closest to first team football, but his level is League 1, lower Championship at a push.

 

Nat Phillips will go down the same path as Lloyd. League 1 will probably be his peak at first team level. He's an honest lad and isn't afraid to get stuck in or throw his body in the way. Very old school in his approach. He'd be my dark horse out of all the centre backs we have in the 18s/23s.

 

Conor Masterson looks to be the most promising of the centre backs we have in the 23s, but at just 19 years of age, it really is too early to tell how he might develop, though I'm hopeful that he can continue his progress and make the step into the first team squad in the next few seasons.

 

Corey Whelan is filling in at centre half tonight, though is more natural at full back. He too will likely find a club in League 1 that'll give him an opportunity to get a first team career going.

 

There's also Mich'el Parker who is too old for the 18s and has made the odd appearance for the 23s. He came to club from Arsenal around the same time as Ejaria, however from what I seen of him at the 18s level, he'll do well to be a squad player for the 23s in the near future. No idea how he'll progress beyond that.

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scudger99 Veteran

scudger99

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Thoroughly enjoyable game, causing Utd's youngsters all sort of problems at the back.  Some lovely attacking play, they just need that clinical edge to bury one or two of the good chances they are making.  Ings looks like he's enjoying himself, that's good to see.

0-1 at half time, hopefully more of the same in the 2nd half.

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Allan Grand Master

Allan

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Dyno - honest question (and it gets to the heart of this whole set up charade).

What is the point? Are we trying to break even on this whing ding? If they are going to have a career in football but not with Liverpool could we possibly use the resources more effectively?

 

Very valid question, one that I'm sure would provoke a number of answers.

 

For me, the whole Academy/youth set up is definitely worth the investment, as it not only provides these lads with a footballing education, it offers them alternative educational/employment avenues if they can't achieve what they want on the football pitch.

 

Call me old school, but I want to see players come through the system, not for the financial benefits, but for the whole journey of a player earning their passage to play first team football.

 

I watch as much of the 18s and 23s as I can, and in all honesty, I much prefer watching this level of football. It's just far more open, it's pretty much always 2 teams that genuinely just want to play football.

 

The club have been making steps toward quality over quantity, but I suppose that this process takes some time to bear fruit. Hopefully we'll start reaping the rewards sooner rather than later.

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