EDS/Academy Games

[nottsblue]

What time is the Cit v Spurs game tonight.

Think it's 7:00pm. It's 0-0 at half time

We are now winning 2-0

Is it on any station?

Doubt it. I'm getting updates from Betfair!

[Wonderwall]

What time is the Cit v Spurs game tonight.

Think it's 7:00pm. It's 0-0 at half time

We are now winning 2-0

Is it on any station?

Doubt it. I'm getting updates from Betfair!

It's live on facebook fellas

[Wonderwall]

Sancho with the 1st and fernandes with the second. Good game

[Wonderwall]

Bollocks 2-1 now. It was coming

[iwasthere2012]

Just getting updates on OS.
Have to bring young lad training now.
Good to hear Sancho and Fernandes scored.
I'll keep getting updates.

WW. Would appreciate a brief run down after the game.

[iwasthere2012]

Shit. 2-2.

[Wonderwall]

Tbh the facebook live feed is so bad it's really difficult to give any analysis

It's 2-2 now. Gunn was going mad for offside after a goalmouth scramble but it was given.

I can honestly say that I will never watch another Facebook game. The stupid comments and likes floating around ruin it. It's for 10 yr olds.

[Wonderwall]

Full time 2-2 fuck you Facebook. No more games on there please

[Justified logic]

Tbh the facebook live feed is so bad it's really difficult to give any analysis

It's 2-2 now. Gunn was going mad for offside after a goalmouth scramble but it was given.

I can honestly say that I will never watch another Facebook game. The stupid comments and likes floating around ruin it. It's for 10 yr olds.

Appeal was for handball I think.

[dazby]

You know you can swipe away the comments right?

[Wonderwall]

You know you can swipe away the comments right?

Not on my phone I couldn't

[iwasthere2012]

Anyone know what the age profiles were for both teams.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Not a great performance v Spurs tonight and a draw was arguably all we deserved. I think both teams defensively were poor tonight and it could easily have been 4.4 with the chances missed.

I can't get my head around the teams we put out for games at this level. Maybe players are missing injured or maybe it's a question of giving players experience in different positions but the set up never seems right. Two good solid experienced center backs in Tosin and Humphreys but Oliver ( a center half) at right back and Francis ( a center half ) at left back. Ok they can both do a job if needed but Duheaney ( a proper right back) was playing the wide right midfield role.

I feel for Oliver in the full back role as he isn't that quick and easily beaten by a half decent winger. Diallo was holding midfield. Not sure about him and certainly when Spurs attacked centrally I not sure he was much use in giving protection. One way or another Spurs got seriously dangerous balls across out 6 yard box. Gunn made some great saves,some just missed attackers, but 2 went in and it wasn't really a surprise.

Attacking wise we had some great moments but again I wonder why Fernandez is used so often as a number 10 when he seems so much more effective playing from the right wing ( where we were playing a full back!). It's not that he is useless as a 10 but he just seems easier to mark and thus less effective for the team. Sancho had one of his least effective games but I don't think it was helped when he was moved to the right rather than the left where he is most effective.

Onto the 18's game tomorrow and hopefully we will keep their great run going ( without Sancho I assume after tonight

[Justified logic]

Anyone know what the age profiles were for both teams.

Have a look on the Soccerway site. uk.soccerway.com I think, can't check for the exact URL or page just now as it's late and I'm on the bloody iPad.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Not a great performance v Spurs tonight and a draw was arguably all we deserved. I think both teams defensively were poor tonight and it could easily have been 4.4 with the chances missed.

I can't get my head around the teams we put out for games at this level. Maybe players are missing injured or maybe it's a question of giving players experience in different positions but the set up never seems right. Two good solid experienced center backs in Tosin and Humphreys but Oliver ( a center half) at right back and Francis ( a center half ) at left back. Ok they can both do a job if needed but Duheaney ( a proper right back) was playing the wide right midfield role.

I feel for Oliver in the full back role as he isn't that quick and easily beaten by a half decent winger. Diallo was holding midfield. Not sure about him and certainly when Spurs attacked centrally I not sure he was much use in giving protection. One way or another Spurs got seriously dangerous balls across out 6 yard box. Gunn made some great saves,some just missed attackers, but 2 went in and it wasn't really a surprise.

Attacking wise we had some great moments but again I wonder why Fernandez is used so often as a number 10 when he seems so much more effective playing from the right wing ( where we were playing a full back!). It's not that he is useless as a 10 but he just seems easier to mark and thus less effective for the team. Sancho had one of his least effective games but I don't think it was helped when he was moved to the right rather than the left where he is most effective.

Onto the 18's game tomorrow and hopefully we will keep their great run going ( without Sancho I assume after tonight

Excellent post Mr H; many thanks for that and the positional analysis it contains.

I'm just musing but, with regard to your comments about playing two centre-backs in the full back positions, albeit in a back four, I wonder if this is more to see how they would possibly cope with operating in a back three formation, where a bit of mobility and covering in wide positions is required ??

On the other hand, it could just be a furtherance of the policy of getting players to feel comfortable in whatever position they're asked to play.

I wouldn't mind knowing what your thoughts were though, having had time to ponder further.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Not a great performance v Spurs tonight and a draw was arguably all we deserved. I think both teams defensively were poor tonight and it could easily have been 4.4 with the chances missed.

I can't get my head around the teams we put out for games at this level. Maybe players are missing injured or maybe it's a question of giving players experience in different positions but the set up never seems right. Two good solid experienced center backs in Tosin and Humphreys but Oliver ( a center half) at right back and Francis ( a center half ) at left back. Ok they can both do a job if needed but Duheaney ( a proper right back) was playing the wide right midfield role.

I feel for Oliver in the full back role as he isn't that quick and easily beaten by a half decent winger. Diallo was holding midfield. Not sure about him and certainly when Spurs attacked centrally I not sure he was much use in giving protection. One way or another Spurs got seriously dangerous balls across out 6 yard box. Gunn made some great saves,some just missed attackers, but 2 went in and it wasn't really a surprise.

Attacking wise we had some great moments but again I wonder why Fernandez is used so often as a number 10 when he seems so much more effective playing from the right wing ( where we were playing a full back!). It's not that he is useless as a 10 but he just seems easier to mark and thus less effective for the team. Sancho had one of his least effective games but I don't think it was helped when he was moved to the right rather than the left where he is most effective.

Onto the 18's game tomorrow and hopefully we will keep their great run going ( without Sancho I assume after tonight

Excellent post Mr H; many thanks for that and the positional analysis it contains.

I'm just musing but, with regard to your comments about playing two centre-backs in the full back positions, albeit in a back four, I wonder if this is more to see how they would possibly cope with operating in a back three formation, where a bit of mobility and covering in wide positions is required ??

On the other hand, it could just be a furtherance of the policy of getting players to feel comfortable in whatever position they're asked to play.

I wouldn't mind knowing what your thoughts were though, having had time to ponder further.

Playing people in different positions for experience is definitely part of the plans but I wouldn't necessarily say it's specific to playing a back 3. Last night looking at the players on the bench ( especially defensively) I am guessing there were not many options to start with but still I am left wondering about Duheaney in front of the right back when he is a much better right back.

It does lead me to think our objective for the under 23's is not focussed on winning the league, nice though that would obviously be. I personally am not convinced by Simon Davies as manager but it does seem to me we chop and change the team all the time rather than pick the "best side". Lots of players need games, add that to playing in different positions and it's no surprise there is inconsistency in team performances.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

So the 18's played Sunderland this morning and it was clear we were a miles better team very quickly in the game. Missing Sancho and Ed Francis who played on Friday there was even more youth around the team than there normally is.

An early goal always helps and that came from a neat finish from Gonzalez after good work from Poveda and Frimpong. Poveda especially was having a good day.There has been plenty of talk about Diaz and Sancho and their skills on the ball but Ian Carlo Poveda is another of that type of player and with Sancho missing today it was his turn to turn it on. He gave the full back a hell of a hard time. Aided and abetted by Frimpong the left back who also loved to attack and had a cracking game.

Frimpong is quick too and did some excellent work on the defensive side of his game against a right winger who might have been a threat ( he would have ripped Kolarov apart!) We totally dominated the game and it was Gonzalez again tapping in a cross from Poveda after good work including Foden. A quiet game today for Foden which is very unusual. He was ok but not stand out and did miss a couple of chances.

For the under 23's I struggled to find a MotM worthy of the award ( probably Gunn for his top saves) but today, even though the team were not at their best) I thought there were a number of candidates. Gonzalez for 2 goals and being a constant threat all game. Poveda for his wonderful dribbling and attacking and helping create the 2 goals.

Frimpong for all parts of his game. He must be a young 16 but has a great engine, can defend ( yes a full back that can defend) and is very tenacious. Matt Smith played right back today and like Frimpong was excellent in all his game. Tom Dele-Bashiru was a powerhouse in the middle , getting closer to his best and Iker Pozo was really really good in his sitting midfield role.

Pozo doesnt always get the plaudits with so much quality around but is seriously intelligent in midfield. Mostly plays it simple but sees things well and starts so many attacks off. He is growing on me match after match.

Latibeaudierre got injured in the first half and missed the 2nd half.His place was taken by Nathaniel Ogbeta. Looked good to me and he will be another 16 year old. Foden and Gonzalez also went off and we saw Taylor Richards and Henri Ogunby replace them. It did affect our rythym a bit but both players looked good to me.

[Justified logic]

Just had a look at the ages of the players. City were a good year younger, with only one 18 year old in the starting lineup. Of the three subs used, Ogbeta and Ogunby are both 15(!) and Richards 16.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Not a great performance v Spurs tonight and a draw was arguably all we deserved. I think both teams defensively were poor tonight and it could easily have been 4.4 with the chances missed.

I can't get my head around the teams we put out for games at this level. Maybe players are missing injured or maybe it's a question of giving players experience in different positions but the set up never seems right. Two good solid experienced center backs in Tosin and Humphreys but Oliver ( a center half) at right back and Francis ( a center half ) at left back. Ok they can both do a job if needed but Duheaney ( a proper right back) was playing the wide right midfield role.

I feel for Oliver in the full back role as he isn't that quick and easily beaten by a half decent winger. Diallo was holding midfield. Not sure about him and certainly when Spurs attacked centrally I not sure he was much use in giving protection. One way or another Spurs got seriously dangerous balls across out 6 yard box. Gunn made some great saves,some just missed attackers, but 2 went in and it wasn't really a surprise.

Attacking wise we had some great moments but again I wonder why Fernandez is used so often as a number 10 when he seems so much more effective playing from the right wing ( where we were playing a full back!). It's not that he is useless as a 10 but he just seems easier to mark and thus less effective for the team. Sancho had one of his least effective games but I don't think it was helped when he was moved to the right rather than the left where he is most effective.

Onto the 18's game tomorrow and hopefully we will keep their great run going ( without Sancho I assume after tonight

Excellent post Mr H; many thanks for that and the positional analysis it contains.

I'm just musing but, with regard to your comments about playing two centre-backs in the full back positions, albeit in a back four, I wonder if this is more to see how they would possibly cope with operating in a back three formation, where a bit of mobility and covering in wide positions is required ??

On the other hand, it could just be a furtherance of the policy of getting players to feel comfortable in whatever position they're asked to play.

I wouldn't mind knowing what your thoughts were though, having had time to ponder further.

Playing people in different positions for experience is definitely part of the plans but I wouldn't necessarily say it's specific to playing a back 3. Last night looking at the players on the bench ( especially defensively) I am guessing there were not many options to start with but still I am left wondering about Duheaney in front of the right back when he is a much better right back.

It does lead me to think our objective for the under 23's is not focussed on winning the league, nice though that would obviously be. I personally am not convinced by Simon Davies as manager but it does seem to me we chop and change the team all the time rather than pick the "best side". Lots of players need games, add that to playing in different positions and it's no surprise there is inconsistency in team performances.

Thanks Mr H. for taking the time to reply.

I think we all greatly appreciate your insight into this fascinating aspect of our City. I know that I certainly do.

Thanks again.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Just read Sunderland's own report on the 18's game which included this line "City's expensively assembled side"

Classic