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Went to Carrow Road tonight to see the EDS, hopeful that they would repeat last seasons success when they ran out comfortable 3:0 winners.

Alas it wasn't to be. Having watched the teams walk out on to the pitch my 6 year old decided he needed the toilet, and as we returned to the stand the cheers from the majority of the 7,000 strong crowd told me that the home team had scored with just a minute gone. Josh Murphy (a player who featured prominently in their FA Youth cup winning side a couple of years ago and now a regular in the first team squad) had apparently put Norwich ahead.

So a disasterous start, but the blues got over it quickly and were soon in the ascendancy. Barkers threat down the left was clear and Norwich struggled to deal with him, unsure whether when in possession he would cut inside or use his pace on the outside.

It was therefore no surprise that Barker assisted in City's deserved equaliser on 22 mins, his perfectly weighted pass found Pozo's well timed run inside the box, with the latter steering the ball low past the despairing dive of goalkeeper Rudd and into the bottom right corner.

City began to dominate with Baker continuing to terrorise Norwich down their right, (City's left) and it was following another burst of pace into the Norwich box which saw him pushed to the floor, the referee didn't hesitate in awarding a spot kick to the blues. Sadly Pozo's penalty was saved by Rudd, something that was to be pivotal in terms of the direction of the game and crucially the outcome of the match.

The blues looked disorganised at times in defence and Norwich created several opportunities from wide areas which they didn't take. Norwich very nearly retook the lead right at the start of the second half when Josh Murphy's pace down the City right proved telling and he went close with a shot across the face of Gunn's goal . Norwich's side carried a greater physical prescence, which began to tell as the home side became more dominant, creating and squandering several chances, Gunn was also called upon to make a couple of point blank saves. Gunn looked confident and commanding for the most part and looks a decent keeper.

As the half wore on and despite several close calls, it was the visitors who came closest to a second goal late on when Nitcham hit a thunderbolt from distance that came back off the woodwork, but it was Norwich who took the spoils with a couple of minutes remaining when Loza fired in from close range after a telling break and low cross from the other Murphy down City's right side.

Gunn and Barker were the outstanding performers for the blues on the night. We showed some good touches in the middle of the park at times but were also guilty of being wasteful in posession. At the back we struggled a bit largely down to the sheer physicality of the Norwich side - they had some big bastards out there, and this was a significant factor.

Great Report, thank you

Sounded a great game. Did your lad enjoy it? Enjoyed reading the report

Thanks for the report mate, appreciated!

Norwich get a great following for their youth teams all the time, well done to them for that. Good run out for the EDS lads as well, especially when you consider the amount of EDS players we have out on loan and playing at a good level, if we took the EDS league as serious as the 1st team, we would walk it by a country mile. Great experience for the younger lads moved into the EDS squad to cover for the older loanees.

Thanks for the report.

Wonder why they seem to get so many turning up at Norwich reserve games these days ?

Ted Hughes wrote:Thanks for the report.

Wonder why they seem to get so many turning up at Norwich reserve games these days ?

Maybe its Free?

Wonderwall wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Thanks for the report.

Wonder why they seem to get so many turning up at Norwich reserve games these days ?

Maybe its Free?

Here you go Ted, full report on their site and it was Free

http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/ ... 79813.aspx

Wonderwall wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Thanks for the report.

Wonder why they seem to get so many turning up at Norwich reserve games these days ?

Maybe its Free?

Here you go Ted, full report on their site and it was Free

http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/ ... 79813.aspx

Cheers.

Even if it's free, it's still a good turn out on a Wed night. We only get about 20% of that.

Looks like we're back to playing little Maffeo at cb again.

Ted Hughes wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Thanks for the report.

Wonder why they seem to get so many turning up at Norwich reserve games these days ?

Maybe its Free?

Here you go Ted, full report on their site and it was Free

http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/ ... 79813.aspx

Cheers.

Even if it's free, it's still a good turn out on a Wed night. We only get about 20% of that.

Looks like we're back to playing little Maffeo at cb again.

Totally agree, we cant get over 1k when its free for SC holders right before a 1st team home game and we are playing the scousers.

It befuddles me!

It's probably only about 10% of that actually which is a bit naff

Ted Hughes wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Wonderwall wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Thanks for the report.

Wonder why they seem to get so many turning up at Norwich reserve games these days ?

Maybe its Free?

Here you go Ted, full report on their site and it was Free

http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/ ... 79813.aspx

Cheers.

Even if it's free, it's still a good turn out on a Wed night. We only get about 20% of that.

Looks like we're back to playing little Maffeo at cb again.

I think it being a 7:00pm KO in half term week helped to ensure a decent turn out and there were loads of kids there with parents. All in all a good PR exercise by the club , lots of money spent on food and drink and a percentage of newbies to the game will be hooked, wanting to go to other matches buy mechandise etc.

There were around 10 of us who went so a few blues in a cluster to cheer the lads on - Kippax, who many of the longer serving members will know well, organised the tickets and it was good to catch up with him and other Norwich based blues

Notts - my 6 year old lad did enjoy the game, though he's not really a football fan to any real extent and probably saw this as an opportunity to go out with his old man and stay out late. He leapt up with arms in the air when Norwich got their winner, though as a Norwich lad I guess he was backing his local team. The PR exercise worked on him, he wants a Norwich kit and and is interested in going again. He may see the light at some stage and become a blue - his 3 year old brother is very much a blue I'm pleased to say, so at least one of them should turn out ok!

To be fair, we've only just moved to the CFA whilst prior we were all over the show. Our previous locations would only have attracted locals which meant we only got a certain percentage but now it's central we may find more and more Blues, and others, interested. It should be free though, for all, as it gives the youngsters real-time experience of what to expect, but at a lower level.

Personally, as mentioned before, I don't really care for the youth as you can get involved with players that you'll never see again and I'd rather wait until better people than me give them a chance at the first squad. However, I do understand what it means to those that follow the EDS and that's why I wouldn't lose heart. They're learning their trade, it's not all about the win.

Beefymcfc wrote:To be fair, we've only just moved to the CFA whilst prior we were all over the show. Our previous locations would only have attracted locals which meant we only got a certain percentage but now it's central we may find more and more Blues, and others, interested. It should be free though, for all, as it gives the youngsters real-time experience of what to expect, but at a lower level.

Personally, as mentioned before, I don't really care for the youth as you can get involved with players that you'll never see again and I'd rather wait until better people than me give them a chance at the first squad. However, I do understand what it means to those that follow the EDS and that's why I wouldn't lose heart. They're learning their trade, it's not all about the win.

Many of City's kids are playing up a level from their age group. We had three17 year olds & an 18 year old in the back 4 last night. Three of them are fullbacks. Therefore, the central defender from the U18 is playing in the U21s & missing from that team. The central defender from the U21s, who is 19, was playing for Celtic v Inter Milan.

The rags U21s recently had two 22 year old cbs & a bunch of first team squad players including Ashley Young & Valdes. Not surprising if they & others finish above us.

Ted Hughes wrote:

Beefymcfc wrote:To be fair, we've only just moved to the CFA whilst prior we were all over the show. Our previous locations would only have attracted locals which meant we only got a certain percentage but now it's central we may find more and more Blues, and others, interested. It should be free though, for all, as it gives the youngsters real-time experience of what to expect, but at a lower level.

Personally, as mentioned before, I don't really care for the youth as you can get involved with players that you'll never see again and I'd rather wait until better people than me give them a chance at the first squad. However, I do understand what it means to those that follow the EDS and that's why I wouldn't lose heart. They're learning their trade, it's not all about the win.

Many of City's kids are playing up a level from their age group. We had three17 year olds & an 18 year old in the back 4 last night. Three of them are fullbacks. Therefore, the central defender from the U18 is playing in the U21s & missing from that team. The central defender from the U21s, who is 19, was playing for Celtic v Inter Milan.

The rags U21s recently had two 22 year old cbs & a bunch of first team squad players including Ashley Young & Valdes. Not surprising if they & others finish above us.

I quite like the idea that City do things this way and coupled with something Vieira said about how some of our loanees don't get the game time that he would like, because there is pressure on managers to get results, I think it augers well that City seem primarily to use all the under age leagues including the EDS as work experience. They don't seem to get hung up on the result. We're all hoping that some time soon the CFA will click and we'll start to see results, as in players coming into the first team and not necessarily results as in winning underage leagues.
I can't get to see the academy players except what the OS shows but take a great interest, and read enthusiastically, anything that the regulars post about seeing any of them play. I have high hopes that we will see a policy change starting next season and we will start to see this holistic approach coming to fruition over the next 3-5 years.