EDS/Academy Games

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Brennan is right they were excellent, but all were. Leicester were no mugs tonight as a team. Very well organised, hard working, tough & of course with it being a two legged affair, they just stayed in formation when City scored.

The way City managed the game was a credit to them all. Leicester look like they could be a nightmare at set pieces if they manage to get the ball off us occasionally at their place so it's a big thing getting the 3rd I think.

Just great football. A bit special.

I am still purring! Free kicks/corners could still be a worry as Leicester do have 2 massive center backs plus one or two other monsters but if we play well in the 2nd leg we will beat them anyway. In their defensive roles those big goons couldn't really handle what we were playing.

A trip to Leicester for the 2nd leg sounds like a good idea.

[Two's Kompany]

I agree with Ted and Doug.
Angelino was excellent and with Barker they are a constant threat down our left. They clearly have a great understanding and when one goes the other hangs back a little.
I thought Bryan was immense and the look he gave their guy when he got a knock over his eye when jumping for the ball, said he was the enforcer.
The person who also caught my eye was Celina. What an eye for a pass he has and he looks so comfortable on the ball.
Like everyone else has said we were top notch all over the pitch, but the desire and the intensity to win the ball back was the most pleasing aspect for me.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Anyone think yet that Barker deserves a run-out as a sub in the first team towards the end of the season?

[iwasthere2012]

Really makes great reading. Only getting round to it now as it all hotted up in the Chavs game in the end.
Really love to see this team become the core of City in 5 years time.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I see a couple of people have tweeted suggesting both Ambrose and Barker were not at their best tonight which I think is a bit unfair even if I can understand the comment.

Barker at times terrorised their full back and with Angelino supporting on that side we had a major threat and that's how the first goal came. Yes Barker overran the ball a couple of times when taking a man on and didn't have his best shooting boots on but his head never dropped and he kept being a threat. he also worked hard off the ball and at times did the team thing as Angelino ( as he does) was bombing forward looking for another goal.

Ambrose was up against a goliath but was still winning the ball in the air. He constantly put their last man under pressure even when it was the keeper to rush them into giving the ball away. He made excellent runs and caused problems all night up front and still found some time to be deep in midfield to win balls back. Yes it wasn't quite his night in the final third but it was his effort blocked for Nemane to score the first. He is invaluable in the number 9 role for this team.

[Goaters 103]

Really positive performance tonight from the young lads and I left mightily impressed, and would echo Ted and Dougs thoughts.

I suggested it wasn't Barker and Ambrose's nights in terms of having high expectations for them. The ball didn't quite run for them and on another night they both might have bagged a brace. That said they were both still excellent - Ambrose ability to roll his marker on the half-turn is a genuine skill, and Barker has zero conscience. If something doesn't work, he doesn't get discouraged and goes straight back at his defender.

Thought Kean Bryan was MOTM , an absolute rock in midfield who I don't think gave it away once and provided a fulcrum for us to build attacks and regain possession. He looks like a man now and has genuine football nous and an appreciation of the game beyond his years.

I was also impressed by both full-backs Maffeo and Angelino. Both can retain possession comfortably in tight areas, have great touch on the ball and offered attacking outlets all night.

Kudos to Celina and the other players who came over to the crowd at the end - my 9 year old son had his pic taken with him and it topped off a great night. I'd thoroughly recommend any Blue to make the effort to watch these lads, it's worth it.

[twosips]

Simply fantastic that. I fucking love our u18 team.

Performances like that are why I watch football. Had the pleasure of being right near the touchline in the second half to witness Angelino up close and he's some player. His potential ability far, far outweighs Kolarov's or Clichy's in my opinion. Best i've ever seen him play; he was skinning his opponent all night and still bombing forward in the dying minutes and honestly reckon he could have kept running about for another hour without getting tired. He can cross a ball too!

Barker was good - he was a threat all night and I was really impressed with his understanding of the 'game'. Lost count of the amount of times I saw him and Angelino switching places, covering each other or playing little one twos or through balls to each other. That's a proper partnership that and one that should be in our first team in a couple of years time.

Bryan was basically Gareth Barry tonight but more athletic. Proper leader stuff. Celina and Boadu are both brilliantly talented footballers too.

The maturity of that team is outstanding - they just make the right decisions time and time again. It's also weird to watch a team get beat 3-0 and still think that they're a good team. Leicester clearly were a good team - they were physical, organised and committed. City were just too fucking good....did Leicester even have a single shot? Seriously? I don't think they had one shot all game. Mental. All our defenders absolutely bossed em about. Tosin looks like a young Vinnie (at his best, obviously...) at times.

I swear some of the lads already look stronger than they looked two/three months ago too. Leicester were a big team and seeing the likes of Maffeo and Angelino comfortably holding off lads five inches bigger than them was very impressive. I really don't think these will struggle physically eventually cos they've got the right desire. None of them are wimps.

Credit to Wilcox - he was on the touchline all night barking orders at every player. He's thorough and he knows what he's doing.

[Dameerto]

How old is Bryan by the way? He really impressed me in that televised match the other week where I thought he was man of the match. If he keeps it up and stays hungry he might get a call from the boss.

[twosips]

I'd guess 18.

Edit - Yep.

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kean-bry ... ler/214928

[twosips]

Was just reading this. It's interesting that Pozo is still 18 yet not included in these teams.

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchest ... rein/41593

Also didn't realise that Cameron Humphreys is so young.

[Goaters 103]

As an aside, how bloody huge were those two Leicester centre halves last night/ Jesus, they looked like cavemen.

Set pieces may be where their threat comes from in the return leg.

[Ted Hughes]

As an asie, how bloody huge were those two Leicester centre halves last night/ Jesus, they looked like cavemen.

Set pieces may be where their threat comes from in the return leg.

If we get past this, then the impression I got from from the recent game I saw; Spurs are basically the same thing, but possibly a bit more pressing & quicker on the break. Perhaps more like Leicester played 2nd half than first; occasionally going forward before re forming the 9. Spurs were at home though!
They looked enormous v Chelsea & coached to fuck. All lined up in walls. I expect them to win v Chelsea but y never know I suppose.

It's a waste of fucking time imo, playing like that. It gets the coach a badge of honour, if he wins a cup, that's all. It's supposed to be about producing players; footballers. It's not supposed to be about avoiding defeat & hoping to nick a competition. There is a fair bit of it in the Premier League.

Sure, you want to win stuff, but imagine Wilcox/Vieira lined City up like that ? What do the players learn ? How to stand in two lines & move across ? So if one of them one day manages to play for Tony Pulis, they will be well drilled ? What would our team line up be ? Half the creative players dropped ? More big lads coming through ? Exactly that. And then we question why there are few quality English footballers, & loads of runners. Well duh!

What City are doing at this level is fantastic, win lose or draw. And it's not freedom without responsibility for these creative players, it's the opposite. They have to work their bollocks off to play this way & most of the creative players have to do it moreso than they would in a jogging, boring, 4-6 formation.

Our first team often can't/won't do it, but PSG did it with ten men last night. Mourinho is more of a jogging, boring, coach & his tactics & his team, got their arses kicked by a side playing football & working hard. That's how City will play in the future, but probably better.

[Goaters 103]

As an asie, how bloody huge were those two Leicester centre halves last night/ Jesus, they looked like cavemen.

Set pieces may be where their threat comes from in the return leg.

If we get past this, then the impression I got from from the recent game I saw; Spurs are basically the same thing, but possibly a bit more pressing & quicker on the break. Perhaps more like Leicester played 2nd half than first; occasionally going forward before re forming the 9. Spurs were at home though!
They looked enormous v Chelsea & coached to fuck. All lined up in walls. I expect them to win v Chelsea but y never know I suppose.

It's a waste of fucking time imo, playing like that. It gets the coach a badge of honour, if he wins a cup, that's all. It's supposed to be about producing players; footballers. It's not supposed to be about avoiding defeat & hoping to nick a competition. There is a fair bit of it in the Premier League.

Sure, you want to win stuff, but imagine Wilcox/Vieira lined City up like that ? What do the players learn ? How to stand in two lines & move across ? So if one of them one day manages to play for Tony Pulis, they will be well drilled ? What would our team line up be ? Half the creative players dropped ? More big lads coming through ? Exactly that. And then we question why there are few quality English footballers, & loads of runners. Well duh!

What City are doing at this level is fantastic, win lose or draw. And it's not freedom without responsibility for these creative players, it's the opposite. They have to work their bollocks off to play this way & most of the creative players have to do it moreso than they would in a jogging, boring, 4-6 formation.

Our first team often can't/won't do it, but PSG did it with ten men last night. Mourinho is more of a jogging, boring, coach & his tactics & his team, got their arses kicked by a side playing football & working hard. That's how City will play in the future, but probably better.

Some great points Ted and I agree wholeheartedly. City look like they have been taught well technically; yes Barker, Celina and Nemane are flair players with license to attack and do their thing in the right areas, but it was noticeable how hard they worked to get the ball back when it was in Leicesters possession.

The movement off the ball, and the willingness of young players to accept the ball in tight areas, display good control, and move it on was a joy to watch. Their was no cynicism it what we did at all - that was saved for that Leicester number 4 with the shit hair who tried to yank Celina to the floor - and we simply outfootballed a side who looked stronger and bigger physically but frankly couldn't live with the pace and movement the City lads had.

Very pleasing to see, and kids being coached not necessarily with a win at all costs attitude, but rather how to play the bloody game properly.

[twosips]

The cry-baby with the big hair is considered one of Leicester's brightest prospects too.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football ... -wonderkid

Tabloids linking him to Chelsea/Barca/United etc and he didn't even look half the player that some of our kids were. Make of that what you will.

[Goaters 103]

The cry-baby with the big hair is considered one of Leicester's brightest prospects too.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football ... -wonderkid

Tabloids linking him to Chelsea/Barca/United etc and he didn't even look half the player that some of our kids were. Make of that what you will.

He did OK as destructive sort in terms of being sat in front of their back 4 most of the night, but he never stood out in terms of a natural ability. Maybe he had a bad night playing against a good side, hence why he threw his toys out.

[Ted Hughes]

The cry-baby with the big hair is considered one of Leicester's brightest prospects too.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football ... -wonderkid

Tabloids linking him to Chelsea/Barca/United etc and he didn't even look half the player that some of our kids were. Make of that what you will.

He did OK as destructive sort in terms of being sat in front of their back 4 most of the night, but he never stood out in terms of a natural ability. Maybe he had a bad night playing against a good side, hence why he threw his toys out.

Possibly.

I thought he did well defensively, but they put him under some serious pressure & he was struggling to get out !

[twosips]

He didn't look anywhere near as comfortable on the ball in tight spaces as our lot did.

[Goaters 103]

He didn't look anywhere near as comfortable on the ball in tight spaces as our lot did.

This.

Both of our full-backs looked more comfortable on the ball under pressure than he did.

[Goaters 103]

He didn't look anywhere near as comfortable on the ball in tight spaces as our lot did.

This.

Both of our full-backs looked more comfortable on the ball under pressure than he did.

[twosips]

He didn't look anywhere near as comfortable on the ball in tight spaces as our lot did.

This.

Both of our full-backs looked more comfortable on the ball under pressure than he did.

There was one moment in the first half where Maffeo was surrounded by two and he pirouetted between the two of em, did a little drag back and played a nice simple pass to Humphreys. It was excellent. Kinda thing you'd expect from Nasri. Angelino was doing that all game too. You'd never see that from our current fullbacks (and that isn't a criticism as such)