Under 21's V Wolves

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Report from the OS on tonight's game.

City EDS overcame torrid conditions and a spirited Wolves side to claim their fourth Barclays u21 Premier League win in a row at Hyde’s Ewen Fields on Friday.Adam Drury gave City the lead midway through the first-half with a sublime individual goal, before Jamie O’Hara levelled ten minutes after the break.

Albert Rusnak restored the lead after 65 minutes and second-half substitute Devante Cole added a third to give his side the three points their wholehearted and enterprising performance deserved.Patrick Vieira’s men have been steadily growing into their league campaign, winning their last three games to fire themselves into the top half of the national competition.

City were level on points with Wolves in ninth place going into the match, having played a game less, and knew that three points could see them climb up as high as sixth.It was a strong line-up named by Vieira with just two changes from the team that won their last under-21s’ league assignment 2-0 against West Brom at The Hawthorns on 15 December 2013.

John Guidetti and George Glendon were the two to miss out, with Jordy Hiwula and Seko Fofana coming into the line-up.

After his encouraging cameo in the first-team’s 6-0 dismantling of West Ham, Marcos Lopes returned to under-21 action as the right prong on a front three, with Austrian forward Sinan Bytyqi on the opposite side in support of top-scorer Hiwula who led the line.
That meant the promising partnership between Jason Denayer and Shay Facey was given another opportunity to bloom in the heart of defence, with Drury and Greg Leigh providing width on the overlap from full-back.

Meanwhile, Wolves named an experienced line-up which included ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara, as well as Icelandic international winger, Bjorn Sigurdarson.The home side made a confident start as the rain bucketed down onto turf which cut up more visibly with each passing minute.

Lopes thought he’d given City a seventh-minute lead with his powerful strike from just inside the penalty area but John Flatt made an excellent save to deny him and Rusnak couldn’t quite get there first to poke home the rebound.Ten minutes later, the Blues nearly scored one of the team goals of the season but Hiwula couldn’t quite connect with Leigh’s near-post cross on the slide after most of the XI had a touch in a patient, intricate build-up.

Wolves were struggling to get out of their own half, with their every millisecond in possession seized upon by a hungry pack of sky blue shirts.The intensity of City’s pressing and inherent desire to be on the ball was a recurring theme in the first-half, so too was the zip and accuracy of Vieira’s team’s passing and the lung-busting coverage of the flanks provided by Messrs Drury and Leigh.

A deserved opening goal was looking like a matter of time and when it finally came after 27 minutes, it was worth waiting for.
Drury’s pace and direct running was evident again as he sprinted forward with the ball from the right, played a neat one-two with Lopes, before opening up his body and curling it around Flatt just inside the Wolves box.

The visitors managed to put some pressure on the City goal with half-time approaching but O’Hara’s long range volley which clipped the top of the crossbar was as close as they came.

Leigh will probably still be wondering how he didn’t double City’s advantage inside the first minute of the second period after he skied his shot from the penalty spot following an inspired short corner routine engineered by Bytyqi and Rusnak.Missed opportunities were rued ten minutes into the second half as O’Hara levelled the score with a stunning strike from 20 yards which looped over Lawlor and into the far top corner.

However, City managed to ride out the storm of Wolves’ best period in the game and retook the lead after 65 minutes when Rusnak showed excellent composure to slot past Flatt after a goalmouth scramble.The Blues had the winning margin their play merited when Cole climbed off the bench to roll in the third after Hiwula’s close range shot was deflected into his path, meaning it didn’t matter too much when Bytyqi skied a penalty kick with two minutes to play.

City EDS aren’t in action again in the league until the 27th January when they travel across town for the Manchester derby.
In this devastating form, United won’t exactly be counting down the days…

[gillie]

Thanks for the report Doug great as usual.Iwas following the twitter reports during the game seemed one way traffic at times.

[getdressedmctavish]

A very professional account there, Doug. Could this be the start of a new career, I wonder?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

A very professional account there, Doug. Could this be the start of a new career, I wonder?

That's because it was written by a professional and not me.I am sure I said I took it from the OS :)

[Bleed_Blue]

A very professional account there, Doug. Could this be the start of a new career, I wonder?

That's because it was written by a professional and not me.I am sure I said I took it from the OS :)

Wonder how many people checked your post before finding the same on OS. This forum has been the go to for fans making us forget about the OS :)

[ant london]

Is Pozo injured again?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Is Pozo injured again?

I didn't find out anything last night but that's what I assume must have been the case. Can't see they would drop him down to the 18's today although I think he is still eligible for that age group.

Just found out he's he's off with the Spanish U19s in the next day or 2 so maybe that's all it is.

[Wonderwall]

Interesting the guidetti wasnt selected. A loan move is either imminent or he is going to travel with rhe 1st team tomorrow.

[Ted Hughes]

I recon it's probably first team squad (ish) for Guidetti, with all these games coming up. Perhaps if Serge proves his fitness, then JG will be allowed to go out.

Doug, do you think Drury has a chance ? I don't get to see enough, just avidly chase down any snippets of info or games I can see.

Obviously he's a winger converted to fullback; could he become good enough defensively ?

We have so many 'footballing' fullbacks, Drury, Greg Leigh, Angelino & the other Spanish lad, plus imo Facey is more likely to end up there & he is decent on the ball as well.

All seem to be good enough as footballers but I can't really make out which ones would actually stand a chance of becoming proper fullbacks who can also defend. Facey for me looks the part defensively.

Wih five players after two fullback positions, without factoring in the first team signings, obviously some will be going elsewhere. I think one or two may make it as general footballers & find a position (angelino for a start) But all of them look to have a bit of 'something' about them. Hutton too looks better at fullback to me; another one!

I'll be very disappointed if we have to sign fullbacks because none of them can defend! They are all potentially good enough footballers imo.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I recon it's probably first team squad (ish) for Guidetti, with all these games coming up. Perhaps if Serge proves his fitness, then JG will be allowed to go out.

Doug, do you think Drury has a chance ? I don't get to see enough, just avidly chase down any snippets of info or games I can see.

Obviously he's a winger converted to fullback; could he become good enough defensively ?

We have so many 'footballing' fullbacks, Drury, Greg Leigh, Angelino & the other Spanish lad, plus imo Facey is more likely to end up there & he is decent on the ball as well.

All seem to be good enough as footballers but I can't really make out which ones would actually stand a chance of becoming proper fullbacks who can also defend. Facey for me looks the part defensively.

Wih five players after two fullback positions, without factoring in the first team signings, obviously some will be going elsewhere. I think one or two may make it as general footballers & find a position (angelino for a start) But all of them look to have a bit of 'something' about them. Hutton too looks better at fullback to me; another one!

I'll be very disappointed if we have to sign fullbacks because none of them can defend! They are all potentially good enough footballers imo.

I wouldn't say no chance re Drury but probably not.

He's probably similar in size to Zaba and to be fair to him he also has a big heart but I doubt he could handle the physical part of top flight defending as Zaba clearly does.He isn't great in the air but I don't think I have ever seen him shirk challenge.But you never know till it's tried and I doubt he would ever get a 1st team chance at right back. Would probably have done better than Boyata at BBurn tho!

Greg is another one but perhaps not as good attacking if slightly better at defending.Angelino might well be the ace in the pack but again his real str5ength is on the ball.But he is younger and his strength and defensive capabilities will improve.

Facey for me should have been right back at BBurn instead of Dedryk.And if we do rest Zaba with Micah unavailable he must be given a chance against say WHU in the 2nd leg.Much much more of a defensive player but good enough and quick enough to be useful going forward.

His natural talents can be well used to attack from a right back position and he has always been encouraged to take players on (back to Paul Power telling him that).He's quick and very direct and seems to time his overlapping very well so the likes of Lopes and Rusnak can easily find him with clever simple passes.

I was sat with his father last night and he is glad he is getting regular games but maybe would prefer a loan to test him again and give him another chance at first team football.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Another good win again for the under 18's.4 nil away at Stoke. I heard it was a so so low key start but the first goal from the other full back,Maffeo,opened the floodgates for a 10th win in a row. Angelino assisted for one of the last 3 which were scored by substitutes Celina 2 and Boadu.

The boys are really going well.

[Ted Hughes]

Another good win again for the under 18's.4 nil away at Stoke. I heard it was a so so low key start but the first goal from the other full back,Maffeo,opened the floodgates for a 10th win in a row. Angelino assisted for one of the last 3 which were scored by substitutes Celina 2 and Boadu.

The boys are really going well.

I like the look of both those two, what little I've seen. Seems to be so many talented lads who are queueing up, & we're currently signing more! But I suppose if we are genuinely trying to build half a team from academy players, only the special ones will make it, so even 'good' players won't be good enough.

Cheers for the reply btw.

[getdressedmctavish]

A very professional account there, Doug. Could this be the start of a new career, I wonder?

That's because it was written by a professional and not me.I am sure I said I took it from the OS :)

Silly billy me,lol