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Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Sad day for City that they can't cope with allowing fans in for an 18's game. The only people allowed in were family and even then only if there name was on a list. One family turned up with an extra member ( 4 years old) and they wouldn't let him in! The people on the gate ( not their fault of course) didn't really know why we couldn't go in but just that we couldn't.

Utd fans, not that many, just thought it was laughable. Hard to know what to say but just agree. So I watched the match from close to the gate I wasn't allowed through and although it was a distance away I could see enough to get a good feel of what was going on. I think Utd deserved it when they went in front. Good goal from their perspective but we just allowed their best player to run on and score. Never a good plan.

We didn't have either Sancho or Diaz so missing the magic they produce but the equaliser from Nmecha. Not sure who played the ball down the inside right channel for him to fire low and hard across the keeper. An even game after that to half time. Davenport off and Smith on was the only change I could see at half time. Utd took the lead after some passing round the back went horribly wrong. Yoo far away for me to see much but we clearly lost the ball and the next thing I see is the ball saining from their left into an empty net, with no keeper in view.

Utd hadnt been looking that good till then and for a few minutes I was really worried but we steadied it and then plenty started happening. The goal we scored came from a hopeful cross but at least one that landed in a good area. It was quite windy so easy to misjudge and the loose ball fell to Nmecha who scored easily. After that we had 3 1 on 1's.The keeper saved two. Wilson was one but I am not sure about the other and then Nmecha scraped the post with the other.

Throw in a few great breaks we had which looked like we must score but somehow the final pass was simply bad. Utd also threatened on the break on one occasion I was amazed we somehow kept it out. I was surprised at 2.1 that Utd took off their best attacking player which said a lot about their thinking. maybe 2.2 a fair result but those chances we missed in the last 20 was quite annoying.

Not as annoying though as City being unable to handle an 18's game with fans.

I've just watched extended highlights on Kodi courtesy of MUTV, Doug. Why can't City provide footage.?

Anyway their goal came through Gomez, who seemed to be a handful all game. On first look it was s really good run at the centre of our defence and a well placed shot, but seeing the replay, our defence stood off and there wasn't a tackle to be seen and thd shot was quite close to Muric, who perhaps was s little unsighted.

Our equaliser was all Nmecha who picked the ball up about 23 yards out at the left corner of their box and ran straight through the heart of them, laid off a one-two and received it back perfectly weighted from Foden and he rifled a shot into the bottom left corner.

We seemed to have the better of the half after that with Coveney hitting the woodwork twice.

Their second was nightmare stuff with us doing the stupid nonsensical triangles at the back that we see with the first team.
Muric to Coveney back to Muric who for some reason hesitates then rolls it back towards Coveney again who wasn't looking for it and was closely attended by two United players. He lunges a tackle towards the ball before the United player can get to it but lifts a perfectly placed shot high over Muric and into the net. The ball should not have been given back to him, but I really don't know what he thought he was doing belting it back at the goal.

The equaliser came with Bolton putting a really dangerous ball in from the right causing havoc and the impressive Nmecha pouncing in the six yard area to place it in the right corner.

Nmecha looked odds on to get his hatrick but skied one over the bar after great individual work having been put through by Foden another he put wide of the post again being put through by Foden and the other was an excellent save by Richardson.

United had their chances to win also hitting the post and Muric coming to the rescue with a really good double save from close range.

All in all it looked like s draw was fair enough and to be fair to MUTV the commentary was very evenhanded and the interview with the United coach, also reflected well on both teams.

iwasthere2012 wrote:

Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Sad day for City that they can't cope with allowing fans in for an 18's game. The only people allowed in were family and even then only if there name was on a list. One family turned up with an extra member ( 4 years old) and they wouldn't let him in! The people on the gate ( not their fault of course) didn't really know why we couldn't go in but just that we couldn't.

Utd fans, not that many, just thought it was laughable. Hard to know what to say but just agree. So I watched the match from close to the gate I wasn't allowed through and although it was a distance away I could see enough to get a good feel of what was going on. I think Utd deserved it when they went in front. Good goal from their perspective but we just allowed their best player to run on and score. Never a good plan.

We didn't have either Sancho or Diaz so missing the magic they produce but the equaliser from Nmecha. Not sure who played the ball down the inside right channel for him to fire low and hard across the keeper. An even game after that to half time. Davenport off and Smith on was the only change I could see at half time. Utd took the lead after some passing round the back went horribly wrong. Yoo far away for me to see much but we clearly lost the ball and the next thing I see is the ball saining from their left into an empty net, with no keeper in view.

Utd hadnt been looking that good till then and for a few minutes I was really worried but we steadied it and then plenty started happening. The goal we scored came from a hopeful cross but at least one that landed in a good area. It was quite windy so easy to misjudge and the loose ball fell to Nmecha who scored easily. After that we had 3 1 on 1's.The keeper saved two. Wilson was one but I am not sure about the other and then Nmecha scraped the post with the other.

Throw in a few great breaks we had which looked like we must score but somehow the final pass was simply bad. Utd also threatened on the break on one occasion I was amazed we somehow kept it out. I was surprised at 2.1 that Utd took off their best attacking player which said a lot about their thinking. maybe 2.2 a fair result but those chances we missed in the last 20 was quite annoying.

Not as annoying though as City being unable to handle an 18's game with fans.

I've just watched extended highlights on Kodi courtesy of MUTV, Doug. Why can't City provide footage.?

Anyway their goal came through Gomez, who seemed to be a handful all game. On first look it was s really good run at the centre of our defence and a well placed shot, but seeing the replay, our defence stood off and there wasn't a tackle to be seen and thd shot was quite close to Muric, who perhaps was s little unsighted.

Our equaliser was all Nmecha who picked the ball up about 23 yards out at the left corner of their box and ran straight through the heart of them, laid off a one-two and received it back perfectly weighted from Foden and he rifled a shot into the bottom left corner.

We seemed to have the better of the half after that with Coveney hitting the woodwork twice.

Their second was nightmare stuff with us doing the stupid nonsensical triangles at the back that we see with the first team.
Muric to Coveney back to Muric who for some reason hesitates then rolls it back towards Coveney again who wasn't looking for it and was closely attended by two United players. He lunges a tackle towards the ball before the United player can get to it but lifts a perfectly placed shot high over Muric and into the net. The ball should not have been given back to him, but I really don't know what he thought he was doing belting it back at the goal.

The equaliser came with Bolton putting a really dangerous ball in from the right causing havoc and the impressive Nmecha pouncing in the six yard area to place it in the right corner.

Nmecha looked odds on to get his hatrick but skied one over the bar after great individual work having been put through by Foden another he put wide of the post again being put through by Foden and the other was an excellent save by Richardson.

United had their chances to win also hitting the post and Muric coming to the rescue with a really good double save from close range.

All in all it looked like s draw was fair enough and to be fair to MUTV the commentary was very evenhanded and the interview with the United coach, also reflected well on both teams.

I have seen highlights now as well and it was an end to end game with real chances for both. Nmecha will be kicking himself for not getting a hat trick but it's great to see him really firing again now.

Tis sad City couldn't at least have it on facebook as it was being filmed and especially as no fans were allowed in. I am awaiting a response to an e mail about why fans were not allowed in.

Chelsea hammered Spurs in the other semi 7-1 so looks like us and them again in the final.

SWP son called up to england u16s.

He any use doug?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... -U16s.html

Dubciteh wrote:SWP son called up to england u16s.

He any use doug?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... -U16s.html

d'margio wright-phillips
devante cole
do they make these names up?

No idea re SWP young un. Might start to emerge next season or more likely the season after.

Got my tickets sorted for the Chelsea 18's game on Saturday morning.Should be a cracking game and especially interesting with the final coming soon. Seem to remember beating them 4.3 last season in this game. That after being 3.1 down and a brilliant Brahim Diaz hat trick winning the game for us.

Yeah I was at that game last season, superb comeback. Got my tickets too for Saturday morning. Love these City double header days.

EDS are one nil down at home to Derby at half-time.

1-1 Thierry Ambrose with the equaliser

3-1 Now with Mongol and nmecha scoring. Strange to see some strong U18s playing tonight with the Chelsea game tomorrow?

4-1 win in the end

craigmcfc wrote:4-1 win in the end

Talk about a game of 2 halves ! We started the game with a back 3, 2 holding (sort of) midfield players, 2 in front of them and then 3 across the top ( sort of). It was all a bit of a mess actually and we might easily have been more than 1 down at half time. A few decent bits and pieces but nothing really sustained or that suggested the players really knew what they were doing.

The back 3 included Jacob Davenport on the left side which is probably his first in that role and maybe weird as we had a center half on the bench. I guess it's all about trying systems out and within that players get different roles to experience. usually with a back 3 you can identify 2 wingbacks.Well if there were 2 it would I suppose have been Sancho and Buckley but I didn't see yhem gat back much so it wa all a dogs dinner.

Two players in particular were close to invisible and both were hooked at half time as Davies rang the changes. Diallo came on with Nmecha but more importantly we switched to a back 4. Even more importantly I though we came out with real intent and in the first minute Matt Smith crunched into two challenges which just had not been happening in the first half.

The changes changed the game totally and it was amazing we had not scored before Amrose did, pouncing on a save from a Nmecha header. Sancho had missed a one on one before that and Ambrose had one great attempt headed virtually off the line. We were now coming at them in waves with Diaz looking brilliant in a proper number 10 role and Sancho starting to scare them down the left.

Nmecha was playing wide right but he too was causing all sorts of problems.The 2nd came from a brilliant turn and break from Diaz ( not his first) and this time he got the pass right (just) for a flying Kongolo just to his right. Good finish off the bar. The 4th was Sancho cutting right across the area from the left and looking for space for a shot.The defence all moved across to stop him but he then just rolled it to Nmecha who instantly side footed it across the keeper from 12 yards. Great finish from a striker in great nick.

The 4th was another great break from Diaz, he fed Sancho in full flow, past the full back and pulled the ball back for the retreating full back to knock it into his own net.

We were really good in that 2nd half in almost every department. Maybe Tosin and Humphreys could have been better and more commanding, Davenport again showed he isn't a full back but 100% as ever. Matt Smith superb again despite some errant passing. Very pleased with Diallo when he came on and Kongolo showed much better when the system changed to sensible.

Interesting that with a big 18's game tomorrow v Chelsea 5 of tonights team ( Diaz, Smith, Sancho, Diallo and Nmecha certainly won't be playing in it. Which tells me the story that player development is more important than winning a trophy ar 18's level!

I expect a very young 18's side then against the strongest 18's out there. Wilson and Frimpong maybe as full backs. Midfield of Foden, Pozo, Dele- Bashiru, wit 3 up top of Poveda,Bolton and Gonzalez. Can't wait.

Thanks Doug.

Incidentally, this was Chelsea's team in their u23 game last night against Sunderland. Looks to my inexperienced eye that they didn't play as many of their u18s players as we did.

1 M. Beeney
2 D. Sterling
3 R. Nartey
4 T. Chalobah
5 J. Panzo
8 K. Scott Substituted
6 R. Sammutt
7 H. St Clair Substituted
11 M. Mount
10 I. Christie-Davies
9 I. Ugbo

Substitutes
14 C. Wakefield Substituted Substituted for H. St Clair 64'
12 J. Quintero Substituted for C. Wakefield 71'
15 C. Gallagher Substituted for K. Scott 86'

Today's game will be on Facebook, 11am.

What a gorgeous morning at the Academy. Love these City double header days.

1-0 City. After a slow start from us, we've started to threaten their goal more than they have ours.

Nice move and good shot from Dele Bashiru low into bottom left corner from just outside the box.

Ah, there it is. Guess it went down at halftime.

1-0 at HT.
Chelsea are strong and have had more of the possession. They've brought two decent saves out of Muric and s couple of other scrambles in our box but, TBH,
I found that half quite satisfying for s number of reasons.
1. Our back four of Wilson, Frances, Coveney and Frimpong have not been over troubled and by and large look comfortable.
2. We are causing them more trouble in their box when we break. They can't cope down thd left, with the blistering pace of Gonzales who has skinned the fullback three times and nearly set up Poveda each time. But for a mixture of bad positioning by Poveda and maybe a lack of finesse in the final ball Chelsea would be in trouble.
3. The workrate of the whole team out of possession is a glimpse of what we should be getting with our first team. They are chasing down in twos and threes and nobody is shirking their responsibility.
4. Dele Bashiru and Foden although he's been relatively quiet for him are well up to anything Chelsea have in midfield and the other midfielder (haven't got his name yet and haven't seen him before) is also doing well.

Not the usual dominating performance we're used to but very accomplished and satisfying all the same.

Two I haven't seen before actually.
One sounds like 'Garay' an Argentinian the other 'Podso',
another Spanish kid.
Both not out of place anyway.

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.