EDS/Academy Games

[horlock2000]

Went to the game on Friday night, which was my first this season so got a chance to see a few of last years U18s who were playing. Fully agree with Doug's report...spot on in fact.

Doug... what are your thoughts on Will Patching??

Seen him play a couple of times last season too and he doesn't seem to run?! almost makes Yaya look like a workhorse!!!

Also... Jacob Davenport... I assume he's injured as he was watching in the stands.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Went to the game on Friday night, which was my first this season so got a chance to see a few of last years U18s who were playing. Fully agree with Doug's report...spot on in fact.

Doug... what are your thoughts on Will Patching??

Seen him play a couple of times last season too and he doesn't seem to run?! almost makes Yaya look like a workhorse!!!

Also... Jacob Davenport... I assume he's injured as he was watching in the stands.

I first remember seeing Will playing at Platt Lan about 4 years ago and thinking he was a very talented footballer but quite small. He isn't small anymore and he is still a talented footballer with a lovely touch most of the time but the one thing that stands out is exactly what you identified. He doesn't seem to play with any energy or intensity. He seems to stroll around linking very well with all the quality players around him but it feels like he isn't putting it all in.

I especially noticed it yesterday against Celtic.He came on at half time as the team shape was changed and he definitely made the team play better but whenever we lost the ball he could be seen jogging gently back when a sprint was needed as Celtic broke at us. If that's the way he plays his game he needs a serious kick up the arse as he will struggle to make it at any level with that approach.

Jacob Davenport is exactly the opposite ( yes he is injured). Full of energy and commitment and whilsy he doesn't have silky skill like Will he does have an eye for a pass and would get in my team before will 100% of the time.

[horlock2000]

Thanks, Doug!

I'm in absolute agreement with you, you can see he has lovely touch and turns out of danger well, but his endeavor is atrocious. Its been the same every time I've seen him play!.

Was only asking about Davenport as every time I've seen him, hes been the best player on the park, not the biggest in stature but reads the game very very well, almost Gareth Barry-esque. Was disappointed at the start of the season (when he graduated to the EDS) to see him playing at left back?!. Hopefully (when fit) he will get his chance in the centre of the park/holding role at some point.

[Two's Kompany]

Doug, what's happening with Tom Dele-Bashiru? Another site (ahem) are making out that he may sorted out his differences. And is he one we can't afford to lose?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

There havent been any announcements from the club re Tom Dele but the signs are good that any differences have been resolved ( assuming there were some issues ) He didn't play for a while but is now back and has been training with the first team squad at least once.

I would say he is definitely one we don't want to lose. Strong box to box midfield player and a name mentioned to me as one to watch 2 years ago by non other than Jason Wilcox.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

4.1 v Blackburn for the under 18's today and they were no pushovers. An early goal for Sancho with all the work by Gonzalez to set him up for a tap in. Then a penalty by Sancho after a defender blocked a shot with his arm. Maybe lucky but we did had been laying seige on their goal at the time. In between though BBurn had come close and could easily ahve scored.

Second half was similar before BBurn scored with one of the those curling free kicks which just went in at the far post with players trying to touch it but all failing. The secind it was hit it looked in and for it cried ouy for the keeper to go for it but he just stayed in his line in the center of the goal.

BBurn went for it from there and could easily have scored again. They were bigger and stronger than us ( of course) and the ball in the air was always a danger but we also had chances and how we didn't score again I don't know. That was until the last few minutes when a sweeping break through Fodan and Dele-Bashiru set Poveda away and he scored well .Then we were pressing well and Sancho blocked a pass, broke free and scored well also completeing a hat trick.

Sancho with 3 was obviously a star man and some of his play on the ball frightened the BB defenders but I would go for Matt Smith as my MotM. Playing right back today after previous games in a box to box midfield role and then defensive midfield.The lad has great intensity in his game and is a real good all rounder.

I also liked Frimpong who came out of the 16's for my first viewing of him. Quite small but a dynamnic full back who has real pace about him and it seems he can defend a bit as well as attack.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

4.1 v Blackburn for the under 18's today and they were no pushovers. An early goal for Sancho with all the work by Gonzalez to set him up for a tap in. Then a penalty by Sancho after a defender blocked a shot with his arm. Maybe lucky but we did had been laying seige on their goal at the time. In between though BBurn had come close and could easily ahve scored.

Second half was similar before BBurn scored with one of the those curling free kicks which just went in at the far post with players trying to touch it but all failing. The secind it was hit it looked in and for it cried ouy for the keeper to go for it but he just stayed in his line in the center of the goal.

BBurn went for it from there and could easily have scored again. They were bigger and stronger than us ( of course) and the ball in the air was always a danger but we also had chances and how we didn't score again I don't know. That was until the last few minutes when a sweeping break through Fodan and Dele-Bashiru set Poveda away and he scored well .Then we were pressing well and Sancho blocked a pass, broke free and scored well also completeing a hat trick.

Sancho with 3 was obviously a star man and some of his play on the ball frightened the BB defenders but I would go for Matt Smith as my MotM. Playing right back today after previous games in a box to box midfield role and then defensive midfield.The lad has great intensity in his game and is a real good all rounder.

I also liked Frimpong who came out of the 16's for my first viewing of him. Quite small but a dynamnic full back who has real pace about him and it seems he can defend a bit as well as attack.

Thanks for that Mr.H.

After today's first team events at Leicester, your report was really appreciated and, as such, proved remarkably therapeutic.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

After the 18's game I went straight to the CFA to watch the under 21's against Reading. usual slow start from the team too with Reading looking quite good and strong with a few over age players it seemed. We had a central defensive partnership of Horsfield ( small and really a full back) and Latibeaudierre who is still 16 i think.

Reading scored early as a flick on (easy against our two) wasn't read by anybody apart from the midfield guy running from deep. He just ran through un opposed and smashed it past Obrien who did a Bravo! The whole of the first half felt uneasy and seemed like Reading were in control but on reflection we had the chances and their keeper made quite a few very good saves including an early one from Nmecha which he turned onto the bar.

At least for this one we had a srtiker rather than Diaz playing there but for some reason Diaz was right wing and Fernandez left when we all know Fernandez plays better from the right.They both threatened but we couldnt quite break through. Boadu made another appearance, just 45 minutes in his return from long injury but he didn't make much impact and was replaced by Ambrose.

The second half was similar in a way but lit up by 2 superb goals. First Fernandez cutting across the box from the right and curling one just inside the post. A bit of a signature goal from him but then Brahim copied him by doing the same from the left and his shot went in off the post. Overall we deserved it and although they still threatened a bit we held out.

Plaudits to Latibeaudierre for his performance and one great block to save a goal. For one so young he did a great job against much older oppos. Duhaney looked very good at right full back ( he does have the occasional bloomer in him but he is a real full back), Angelino at left back was mostly ok as usual. Garcia was awful in the first half giving the ball away most uncharacteristically but got back to his norm second half.

At this point it was two wins in two games with the big one 2 hours later.Oooops

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Thanks again Mr H for another informative and greatly appreciated report.

Apart from all other considerations, at times it feels as though your summaries are vital for the sanity of this forum !!

Well done to you.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Going to watch the kids is vital to my sanity for certain.

[alberfenoll]

Brahim Diaz vs Reading Goal and Skills

Watch on youtube.com

Brahim Diaz Goals and Skills

Watch on youtube.com

Aleix García vs Reading Skills and Passes

Watch on youtube.com

[Slim]

Those diagonal balls don't half remind me of someone.

Is Garcia powered by cake?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Those diagonal balls don't half remind me of someone.

Is Garcia powered by cake?

Confused? Weird that arguably his worst game for City (worst first half certainly) was used to highlight his skills. Talented player no doubt but if you were a scout watching his first half efforts you would have crossed him off your list of maybes. The good news is that he kept trying to play and did get much better and back to his normal self in the second half.

[iwasthere2012]

Those diagonal balls don't half remind me of someone.

Is Garcia powered by cake?

Confused? Weird that arguably his worst game for City (worst first half certainly) was used to highlight his skills. Talented player no doubt but if you were a scout watching his first half efforts you would have crossed him off your list of maybes. The good news is that he kept trying to play and did get much better and back to his normal self in the second half.

Also Doug, although I'm an admirer of Diaz, little in those clips would make me feel he's ready for the Premiership.

You would get the impression that he holds the ball too long and runs into blind alleys.

What are your thoughts, seeing him play in full. What's his all around game like. He is undoubtedly talented but what level do you see him at, currently.

Also, where is Angus Gunn at. Is he ready to take no. 2 spot at the moment.
How far is he from no. 1. Or can you see him reaching the level required?

[Justified logic]

Also, where is Angus Gunn at. Is he ready to take no. 2 spot at the moment.
How far is he from no. 1. Or can you see him reaching the level required?

Gunn has had precisely 90 minutes this season, in one Premier League 2 game (home to Liverpool). If I saw those other keepers coming in ahead of me in the pecking order I'd be talking with Guardiola and the U23 manager and my agent about my future.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Also, where is Angus Gunn at. Is he ready to take no. 2 spot at the moment.
How far is he from no. 1. Or can you see him reaching the level required?

Gunn has had precisely 90 minutes this season, in one Premier League 2 game (home to Liverpool). If I saw those other keepers coming in ahead of me in the pecking order I'd be talking with Guardiola and the U23 manager and my agent about my future.

I am a little confused re Gunn as I don't think he is getting enough football for his development imo. He is working with Pep which can't be a bad thing but surely playing is important.

Is he good enough? Personally I don't think he would be any worse than what we have been seeing which might not be saying a lot but he is a very good shot stopper and very good with his feet. He has been brought up on using his feet as a keeper( he started as a midfield player) and playing the ball around. I doubt we will see him in the first team for a while but personally I think he would be ok.

As for Brahim he is only small but he is incredibly tenacious. You could argue he can be knocked off the ball easily but he wins balls back surprisingly often and the one thing he will try to is make things happen in the final third when given the slightest opportunity.

Pep will love that as that's what he wants especially from his wide players and Brahim has fantastic dribbling skills. Of course at times he will take on a little too much but that's partly because the opposition teams know what he is capable of and double/treble up on him. Then the question asked is can he make use of drawing players in and I would say the answer is yes and you only have to look at some of his assists to see that.

Is he ready for the first team , maybe not quite yet but there are times when I see Sane or Sterling being hesitant or failing to take people on that I wish Brahim was out there. He is a very real talent make no mistake and I will carry on watching and enjoying his game. Often man of the match but even on his quieter games ( he has been thrust into a striker role which is not his game but I assume for the experience) he is still worth watching.

And then there is Jadon Sancho! Only 16 but what a great talent and I probably enjoy watching him even more than Brahim as I might already have said.

[iwasthere2012]

I agree about Jason Sancho. I saw him in a couple of games in the last year and thought Wow. This guy is good news.
Need to keep tabs on him.
So direct and fast and fearless. Excellent dribbling at speed. If he progresses to the first team he'll be a nightmare for opposing defenders.
You've seen a lot of him. Is this normal form for him. He's playing above his age group this year. Is he every bit as affective.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I agree about Jason Sancho. I saw him in a couple of games in the last year and thought Wow. This guy is good news.
Need to keep tabs on him.
So direct and fast and fearless. Excellent dribbling at speed. If he progresses to the first team he'll be a nightmare for opposing defenders.
You've seen a lot of him. Is this normal form for him. He's playing above his age group this year. Is he every bit as affective.

Last season he was tearing it up with the under 16's and started to be introduced to the 18's through the season. I saw what i think was his 18's debut and he scored 2 in the first 15 minutes. Occasionally he would play a half for the 16's and then come over to the 18's and maybe come on as a sub. He was a wow straightaway for me.

Now he is a regular for the 18's, playing for the 19's in the CL equivalent and already played in the 23's. In the 18's he is a star. He sets up and scores regularly and is simply great to watch and a total nightmare for defenders. A hat trick on saturday was apparently his first but it's the manner of his game and the way he can go past defenders so easily that is so good to watch. At any level I have seen him play he looks good and that includes England.

He will make it I have no doubt and it's just a question of when. We have to trust that his managers ( Lee Carsley for the 18's , jason Wilcox I think as chief academy coach and of course mainly Pep) look after him well and introduce him to the first team in the right way. For me he should be playing as a full member of thre first team squad when he is 18 so needs to make a first team debut before then.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Thanks Mr H.

A couple of terrific reads in your last two posts and some fine analysis to boot, for those on the forum who are avid to be kept in touch with details of our youngsters.

Thanks again.

[alberfenoll]

BRAHIM DIAZ VS CHELSEA SKILLS

Watch on youtube.com