Youth Team/Cup

[alles ist gut]

Full time, 0-1.

[Allan]

Final whistle is blown, Liverpool 0 Spurs 1. Poor second half from our perspective, never got going and only forced one save from the Spurs keeper, and that was in stoppage time.

 

Really missing a natural centre forward. Ojo and Kent are talented lads with the ball at their feet, running at fullbacks, but centre forwards they are not. Not sure who's available in the striking department from the 16s, but we surely must have someone who we can give a run?

[Pidge]

Really was a matter of having to play a lot of defenders (especially after Dhanda and O'Hanlon were withdrawn) and lacking the creativity to build a rhythm in the second half. Both and Kent and Ojo looked isolated without the two or three others they are used to playing with.

 

Should be a good experience for the lot of them really. They can't rely on always having a couple from Wilson, Sinclair or DTS alongside them.

[Allan]

Under 21s away at Fulham this afternoon. Kick off at 14:00.

 

#LFCU21s team to face Fulham: Vigouroux, Williams, Smith, Paez, Jones, Rossiter, Brannagan, Dunn, Ojo, Peterson, Teixeira.

 

#LFCU21s substitutes: Randall, Fulton, Kent, Baio, Maguire. Exclusive coverage of the clash begins on @LFCTV at 1.30pm BST.

[alles ist gut]

Under-21s vs Fulham at 2.00

 

Team : Vigouroux; Williams, Smith, Paez, Jones; Rossiter, Brannagan, Teixiera; Peterson, Ojo, Dunn.

 

Subs : Fulton, Randall, Maguire, Baio, Kent.

 

EDIT : Dynamite beat me to it while I was Googling the goalie!

[Allan]

EDIT : Dynamite beat me to it while I was Googling the goalie!

 

I'd done the very same thing. Former Spurs Under 21 keeper, obviously on trial with us at the moment. Nice to see Fulton back in the squad.

 

I forgot that this game was moved forward from an evening kick off to an afternoon kick off. Just happened to jump on the offal and seen that it is indeed now.

[beejay]

For my sins I went to see Birmingham v Bournemouth on Saturday. Quite an education really but I focused on Jordan Ibe most of the game rather than the calamitous defending (the worst player on the pitch was the full back on loan from ManU).

 

Anyway, a mixed bag of a performance - always a threat when he had the ball running at defenders but he looked lost most of the time and his work rate was poor, barely moved from the wing and didn't impose himself at all. I was a bit disappointed to be honest, he doesn't track back, can't head the ball to save his life and frankly didn't stand out from the utter dross all around him.

 

No doubt he is learning from playing regularly and will benefit more from playing with better players when he returns but he has a lot of improving to do on that performance if he is to make it at Liverpool. 

[alles ist gut]

I'd done the very same thing. Former Spurs Under 21 keeper, obviously on trial with us at the moment. Nice to see Fulton back in the squad.

Agree with you about Fulton.

 

Not entirely reassured by looking at Vigouroux's spell earlier this year at Hyde - as in Hyde, the first team relegated in any league in the country...

[Allan]

Agree with you about Fulton.

 

Not entirely reassured by looking at Vigouroux's spell earlier this year at Hyde - as in Hyde, the first team relegated in any league in the country...

 

Hard to judge a young keeper based on the stats, but shipping 30 goals in 12 games will always make people have doubts. I'm sure the defence he was playing behind were more responsible for the majority of the goals conceded...

 

He's played twice for the Spurs Under 21s this season and conceded just 2 goals.

[Allan]

For my sins I went to see Birmingham v Bournemouth on Saturday. Quite an education really but I focused on Jordan Ibe most of the game rather than the calamitous defending (the worst player on the pitch was the full back on loan from ManU).

 

Anyway, a mixed bag of a performance - always a threat when he had the ball running at defenders but he looked lost most of the time and his work rate was poor, barely moved from the wing and didn't impose himself at all. I was a bit disappointed to be honest, he doesn't track back, can't head the ball to save his life and frankly didn't stand out from the utter dross all around him.

 

No doubt he is learning from playing regularly and will benefit more from playing with better players when he returns but he has a lot of improving to do on that performance if he is to make it at Liverpool. 

 

Tough gig for Ibe, playing in a side battling against relegation. They've lost 7 of the last 10 they've played in the league. I'm sure he'll return a more mature player and will kick on next season. Talented lad.

[beejay]

Yeah, he has the tools but perhaps needs to watch Sterling and note that work rate and 100% effort also count for a lot.

[Allan]

Fulham break the deadlock. Quick free kick taken and the ball finds its way to their French striker, his effort squirts under the keeper into the back of the net. Been coming in the last 10 minutes or so.

[Allan]

Halftime, Fulham 1 Liverpool 0.

 

We've hardly got going in an attacking sense, Dunn and Peterson have been very quiet. Paez has been a little sloppy as well.

 

The keeper we have on trial has made a couple of decent saves, but should have done better with goal we conceded.

 

The game was pretty even for the first 20 minutes or so, but Fulham were the better side as the half progressed.

[alles ist gut]

Maguire on at half-time for Teixiera. Presumably Smith into midfield.

[Allan]

Maguire on for Teixeira at the break.

[Allan]

Randall on for Ojo.

[Allan]

Tactical changes as a result of the substitution, changed to a diamond in midfield. Randall at right back, Jordan Williams moves into a holding midfield role, with Smith and Rossiter the wider players of the midfield diamond. Brannagan in behind Peterson and Dunn.

[alles ist gut]

We look better after the changes, I think.

[Allan]

Kent on for Maguire.

 

Smith back to left back with Kent ahead of him.

[Allan]

Fulham double their lead with a cool placed finish from their Danish central midfielder. Against the run of play in the second half.

[Allan]

We have a penalty deep into stoppage time.

[Allan]

Dunn strokes home the penalty. Very soft penalty to award, though we probably should have had one earlier for a challenge on Dunn.

[alles ist gut]

Full time 2-1.

[Allan]

Final whistle goes, Fulham 2 Liverpool 1.

 

Much better in the second half and the lads battled until the last second. Really do lack an out and out striker. Peterson and Dunn are not centre forwards. I thought Dunn was disappointing today.

[Allan]

Under 21s take on Norwich at Anfield this evening. Kick off at 19:00.

 

Live coverage on LFC TV from 18:30.

 

Will update with team news and any stream links, closer to the time.