EDS/Academy Games

[iwasthere2012]

And immediately up the other end.
Gonzales with a tremendous shot hits the inside of the post but bounces out.

It would have been spectacular.

[iwasthere2012]

Gonzales again on the counter. None of them can handle his speed.
Nearly put us two up again after holding of the last defender and going round the keeper just have it ricochet back into keepers arms off a defender who had got back on the line.

[Tokyo Blue]

Chelsea have bought themselves a penalty with a dive over Coveney who was covering.
I don't believe it was a penalty. .....

And Muric has saved it.
Justice.

No, neither do I, mate. It is, however, very good preparation for what they will get in our first team.

Good game. We have got some class young players here.

[iwasthere2012]

Bobby Duncan coming on for Gonzalez who had a great game.

[iwasthere2012]

Taylor-Richards coming on for 'Garre'(The Argie) who has taken a few hefty knocks.

[iwasthere2012]

Final change.
Pozo off (the Spanish kid I mentioned earlier) and another kid I've never seen before on.

Ogbeta?

[iwasthere2012]

City seal the deal with another breakaway right at the death.
Duncan played through the centre. His shot parried and Taylor-Richards taps it in.

[mr_nool]

Great watch! Love these Facebook streams.

[iwasthere2012]

An excellent 2-0 for City and tbh we did it the way you would see Chelsea first team do us.
Chelsea dominated the possession second half again, but apart from the penalty which Muric saved, none of the shots they had on him really troubled him at all.

We restricted them to shots from outside of the box. Muric dominated his area. I really like this keeper.
Frimpong got a few roastings down their left wing early on but the kid stuck at it and grew as the half went on.
I thought Wilson on our left was brilliant. They got no joy there at all.
And on the break, we'll we were unlucky not to have put the game to bed earlier.
We looked far more likely to get a second than they did a first. At least that's the confidence I had in the performance.
We were not bullied and indeed left our mark on a strong physical team, that had no little skill in them individually and collectively.

This is the kind of win I've been wanting to see for a while. When it was really put up to them, they stood up and were counted and were organised and maintained full concentration.
Gonzalez gave their whole defence nightmares. None of them could live with his pace and none of them could muscle him off it either.
When Dele Bashiru looked to tire in the second half up stepped that lad Foden again who always looked like he would pick their lock. He nearly scored after a great pickup of the ball in the centre circle and he just drove straight through leaving three in his wake. I thought he was going to slide a ball through to Duncan and probably should have, but his deflected shot spun away from the keeper, who just managed to scramble after it.

We had the better chances, both halves, for all their possession. It augers well, considering the players we were missing and I'm really looking forward to the FAYouth Cup final now.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

3 games from Friday night to beating Hull at the Etihad but this game against Chelsea was my pick of the bunch.

IWT has said plenty to agree with. A word about Pozo who he hadn't seen before. He is the brother of the last Pozo we had and his position is defensive midfield player. He isn't one of the crunching tackle variety but reads the game excellently and performs the role superbly. Passes well and has the quality to bring the ball forward as well.I thought he had a really good game today but I cannot say I have ever seen him do anything else. His problem is that we have a few others that can play the same role and do it very very well also ( Matt Smith who has been magnificent for us all season. Diallo who was in that role for the EDS on Friday and Jacob Davenport who was given the full back role on Friday). End result is that Pozo doesn't get that much game time despite being excellent.

Great to have my first look at 2 players today. Ben Garre the Argentinian superstar that so many clubs were after finally got his clearance to play. I think he is more a midfield player but started today as a a winger. Looks quality and learned a lot today about the physicality of our game. Has an excellent first touch and uses the ball well. Good little debut.

Then Bobby Duncan. Hard for the lad today a) because he was replacing Gonzalez who was having an absolute blinder and b) it was against the strongest side possible. For me did alright and will be chuffed with his part in the goal with a great shot after the pass from Foden.

Wasn't Muric outstanding! Wow.
No way it was a penalty.
Covenay shouldn't have been booked.
So many candidates for MotM but a top top team performance.

[iwasthere2012]

Pick of the day for me also, Doug.

It really will be a shame on City if 2-3 of these lads don't become regulars in the squad at least.

They showed what skill, pace and application can do. You don't need to be bigger than your opponents if you have all that and the belief and organisation to go with it.

I really hope this is the future.

[craigmcfc]

Doug, were you sat next to the guy from Norway and in front of Steven (Twosips) at the Under 18s game today?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Doug, were you sat next to the guy from Norway and in front of Steven (Twosips) at the Under 18s game today?

I most certainly was that old bald guy:)

[craigmcfc]

Doug, were you sat next to the guy from Norway and in front of Steven (Twosips) at the Under 18s game today?

I most certainly was that old bald guy:)

Bloody hell, I wish I'd known. Just worked it out from the Norwegian lads tweets that mentioned you and Steven. I noticed him turn round talking to Steven and I had a look around for you at times. I was sat on the seat on the opposite side of him to you!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Doug, were you sat next to the guy from Norway and in front of Steven (Twosips) at the Under 18s game today?

I most certainly was that old bald guy:)

Bloody hell, I wish I'd known. Just worked it out from the Norwegian lads tweets that mentioned you and Steven. I noticed him turn round talking to Steven and I had a look around for you at times. I was sat on the seat on the opposite side of him to you!

Well next time you must shout at me that's my deaf side

[craigmcfc]

Under 18s have just lost 4-3 at Arsenal

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Under 18s have just lost 4-3 at Arsenal

Sounds like a great game if you don't mind defensive frailties. Strong attacking team we had out too and with Matt Smith in holding midfield, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Foden with him we should have had high hopes of a victory and especially so after taking the lead.

Really only missing Latibeaudierre and Duhaney in defence from what arguably is our strongest team but I guess you can't win all the time and this will be some kind of wake up call. And Muric saved a penalty as well ( another one)

Will look forward to seeing the highlights of this when they come out.

[johnny crossan]

Under 18s have just lost 4-3 at Arsenal

Sounds like a great game if you don't mind defensive frailties. Strong attacking team we had out too and with Matt Smith in holding midfield, Tom Dele-Bashiru and Foden with him we should have had high hopes of a victory and especially so after taking the lead.

Really only missing Latibeaudierre and Duhaney in defence from what arguably is our strongest team but I guess you can't win all the time and this will be some kind of wake up call. And Muric saved a penalty as well ( another one)

Will look forward to seeing the highlights of this when they come out.

Losing will also be a valuable learning experience as you say, hopefully they won't need another lesson

[Douglas Higginbottom]

went to watch the 18's play Reading this morning and saw an enjoyable game on a bright sunny day albeit with a strong wind. We started with only 2 of our best under 18's so plenty being given opportunities. Ed Francis and Matt Smith being the 2 altho Tyreke Wilson might be considered a 3rd!

As ever Reading bigger and stronger but an early goal helped settle things. Great play on the right from Taylor Richards, slipped a nice pass to Gonzalez who finished well first time.. Reading got more and more into the game and equalised with a great curler from the edge of the box easily beating keeper Sokol ( he's another big keeper!) Even game from then but we scored again thru Richards who finished with a powerful shot after a pass by Rabbi Matondo ( Rabbi is a really fast winger we just signed)

Still fairly even into the 2nd half but we scored again I think thru Ogbeta. Center half but had made a surging run and was still up there when Gonzalez played the perfect cross from inside the box. Then 3.2 as reading scored from the edge of the box, after poor defending on our part but the final goal in a 4.2 win was a blinder from Richards. Thumped in from the edge of the box with his left peg. Foden has some competition from this lad as he has plenty of quality and a great shot on him.

Luke Bolton was played as a full back today which was an interesting experiment. A mixed game but worth trying again I think. Good to see Latibeaudierre come on for 20 minutes at the end. Bobby Duncan also on for the last bit and I think he will have learned a lot. I don't think anything he did came off against big strong center backs but that what he has to get used to.

Ben Garre ( Argentinian superstar!) had a mare today for me. But lots of quality in him so more time needed to see how he develops but today wasn't a good day. Felix Nmecha came on in midfield and didn't do much but boy does he look like his brother.

[Justified logic]

Match scorers here: http://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2017/05 ... y/2424604/

R. Matondo credited with the third goal.