EDS/Academy Games

[Wonderwall]

Hopefully with an option to recall as wright is out of contract again

[Ted Hughes]

Ps - rumours that Angus Gunn is going on a season long loan to Aberdeen. A season on loan somewhere physical for him would be great.

And the u18s played today. Lost 3-1 to Villa. Insanely young team though and loads of u15s. Wilcox said it was a good performance apparently considering everything.

I like the look of Gunn a lot ... Hope he isn't going to aberdeen to play backup to some washed up keeper from eastern europe.

Same. If he goes as first choice then great. First team football more or less anywhere competitive will be good for him.

He is there because his name is Angus. It was too much for them to resist.

[twosips]

Ps - rumours that Angus Gunn is going on a season long loan to Aberdeen. A season on loan somewhere physical for him would be great.

And the u18s played today. Lost 3-1 to Villa. Insanely young team though and loads of u15s. Wilcox said it was a good performance apparently considering everything.

I like the look of Gunn a lot ... Hope he isn't going to aberdeen to play backup to some washed up keeper from eastern europe.

Same. If he goes as first choice then great. First team football more or less anywhere competitive will be good for him.

He is there because his name is Angus. It was too much for them to resist.

Ha. Excellent.

"Where's the most Scottish place we can send him?"
"Aberdeen's pretty Scottish"
"Do it"
"But boss..they're shit and"
"DO IT"
"Sigh. Yes boss"

[twosips]

Spoke to the club today. Hoping to sort out an interview with someone from the academy...should be very interesting if I can.

[Plain Speaking]

I find it strange we seem to be entering underage teams in many matches. Is this trying to accelerate development of particularly talented players, or because squads have a shortage of players at certain ages?

We seem predictable at corners and goal kicks, always going short. I like us being able to do this, if circumstances allow, but every time? (Is there an aversion for traditional English corners throughout the club?)

[Ted Hughes]

I find it strange we seem to be entering underage teams in many matches. Is this trying to accelerate development of particularly talented players, or because squads have a shortage of players at certain ages?

We seem predictable at corners and goal kicks, always going short. I like us being able to do this, if circumstances allow, but every time? (Is there an aversion for traditional English corners throughout the club?)

Yes we have exceptional players at every age group & it is in order to test players in games when they are out of their depth, so that they learn to play their football in adversity. If they play against teams their own age, they fucking trounce most of them.

Re corners, they don't only take short corners so it's not relevant, but they do tend to be smaller than their opponents a lot of the time, so kicking the ball for them to head out, is probably viewed as pointless.

[iwasthere2012]

I find it strange we seem to be entering underage teams in many matches. Is this trying to accelerate development of particularly talented players, or because squads have a shortage of players at certain ages?

We seem predictable at corners and goal kicks, always going short. I like us being able to do this, if circumstances allow, but every time? (Is there an aversion for traditional English corners throughout the club?)

Yes we have exceptional players at every age group & it is in order to test players in games when they are out of their depth, so that they learn to play their football in adversity. If they play against teams their own age, they fucking trounce most of them.

Re corners, they don't only take short corners so it's not relevant, but they do tend to be smaller than their opponents a lot of the time, so kicking the ball for them to head out, is probably viewed as pointless.

That was far more civil than I was expecting, Ted.

[Plain Speaking]

U21s City V United is on Sky's MUTV. Anyone know anywhere else we can watch it? It would be good if was live streamed like the Southampton v City match!
edit: found one from BM: http://cricfree.sx/mutv-live-stream

[Plain Speaking]

City equaliser 1-1

[Plain Speaking]

2-1 City

[Plain Speaking]

3-1 City Nacho

[freshie]

I hope he gets some game time tomorrow

[Plain Speaking]

I hope he gets some game time tomorrow

Superb prospect for next year's first team.

[freshie]

I hope he gets some game time tomorrow

Superb prospect for next year's first team.

Very excited about this lad

[kinkylola]

any clips of the goals?

[DoomMerchant]

I hope he gets some game time tomorrow

After playing today?

Sure...why the fuck not risk injury to a kid for nothing.

He shouldn't have played today. Should have played tomorrow.

Cheers

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Nacho's first goal is one to watch. Absolute beauty.

Our second was a well worked routine from a corner....yes a corner and the third wasn't bad either.

[twosips]

I'm out but if anyone wants a match report to read i did one here earlier. We were great.

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.co.uk ... c-u21.html

Kelechi's goals here. What a talent.

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... eat-united

[Plain Speaking]

I'm out but if anyone wants a match report to read i did one here earlier. We were great.

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.co.uk ... c-u21.html

Kelechi's goals here. What a talent.

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... eat-united

Excellent report and blog. Thank you!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I'm out but if anyone wants a match report to read i did one here earlier. We were great.

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.co.uk ... c-u21.html

Kelechi's goals here. What a talent.

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... eat-united

Quality report as ever. It is sad for me that Pozo is struggling so much given how he started maybe 3 years ago. His injuries haven't helped but it's more than that as he does seem so easy to bundle off the ball. Often it feels like he must have been fouled but it's just strength against him and the ball is taken off him all too easily. When he receives the ball his control just isn't good enough or clever enough. He seems to take the ball too close to his feet ( i know that sounds like a good thing) and the defender who gets tight to him as they do just sticks a leg through and wins the ball. Iheanacho has enough strength and nous to be able to hold off a defender up his backside.

For me the 2 things that stood out in the 2nd half were Pozo going off which allowed Nemane to enter the game and Barker to go wide left as usual.Not that Nemane did anything special but he gave the side better balance as you said. But the suggestion made to me was that in the 2nd half we at least had 11 men instead of 10 as Pozo had been that poor.

The 2nd thing was Cameron Humphreys. Not only is developing into an excellent center back and yes he is still only 16 which is amazing but it seemed to me he was bringing the ball out from defence with such a calm authority it was starting to create little pockets of space. Scum defenders were having to think about him coming through and this gave Iheanacho,Ntcham and Barker opportunities to really get on the ball.

Iheanacho really made the most of it in the 2nd half and we saw the talent the lad has. Plus he is a really confident lad as was clear when he tried a shot from inside his own half with the keeper off his line.The guy oozes quality and that first goal was a peach. Great to see the creative corner routine work for the 2nd goal and then that 3rd goal which I just watched again and that first touch from Iheanacho was sublime. To cushion the long ball like that on the volley showed great skill and then he turned alongside Ntcham and took over before a great curling finish into the far corner.

A well deserved win. As for Utd I just didn't see anything there. Quite physical and well drilled but once City got in front and they had to come out and play they didn't really have anything. They probably only got into City's box once in the first half but they were one up. Later as they needed to score and tried a bit but they still didn't really trouble Angus Gunn.

And finally a mention again for Pablo Maffeo. Not sure he put a foot wrong today in another top performance although there were times in the last 20 minutes or so he was nowhere near his full back position as he roamed forward. Just love watching him play and get him into the first team squad would be my call along with Iheanacho.