EDS/Academy Games

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Great win last night for the 18's away at Reading in the youth cup. It looked like a tough challenge as reading are going very well in the Southern section of the 18's leagues but City treated it seriously by including Brahim Diaz, Lucas Nmecha and Duhaney, all dont normally play for the 18's as they have moved up to the 23's now already.

Turned out quite easy as we won 4 nil with first half goals from Brahim and Phil Foden and then 2 from Nmecha in the 2nd half. Next round is either Palace or Liverpool. No diubt City would like to win this cip after being runners up to Cheslea twice.

Just seen the highlights of the away draw at the swamp.Two good runs by Sancho getting our goals for Diaz and Foden ( again!) both to equalize after being behind. The 2nd scum goal had plenty of luck about it but fortunately they missed a penalty that was a total joke decision anyway. The ref thought there was some sort of contact but out keeper ( who was booked) was miles away from the diving scum bag. Justive served as the kick went miles over.

[nottsblue]

Under 23s 5-0 up away at Derby in Premier League Cup

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Excellent win 5.1 in the end and an interesting team it looked like too. Some of the regulars like Horsfield, Humphreys,Tosin and Angelino at the back with Ian lawlor in goal so an experienced back line. Will Patching anchoring the midfield with Diaz and Fernandez with him.Luke Bolton right wing, Isaac Buckley left wing ( never seen him start left before I don't think) and Joe Hardy as the striker.

Joe has been the one to miss out in 18's games this season as Gonzales has been starting in most league games since his international clearance so it's good to se him start at 23's level and even better that he got the first goal. Then Isaac Buckley Rickets took over with a hat trick and a customary one from Brahim for good measure. Quite a few names not involved which I hope isn't down to injury but more giving others a chance in a cup we don't care much about.

Full report
https://www.mancity.com/en/news/eds...- ... 1992616485

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Here is the OS official report
Manchester City’s U18s made it fifteen matches unbeaten in the Premier League with a 5-2 victory over Stoke City at the City Football Academy on Wednesday.
Ian Carlo Poveda, Jadon Sancho, Lorenzo Gonzalez, Phil Foden and Joe Hardy were all on the scoresheet as Lee Carsley's youngsters overcame their physical opponents to end the year on a high.
Having spent much of the opening 15 minutes camped out on the edge of Stoke’s box, Phil Foden’s sweeping ball out to the left for Jadon Sancho opened up the visitors.
Sancho took the ball in his stride and delivered a perfect cross for Poveda to tap home at the far post.

Stoke striker Jordan Greenidge had the next chance as he fired a volley at goal from close range, only to be denied by the reflex save of Pawel Sokol.
City doubled their lead on the hour mark as Sancho cut inside and fired an effort that was deflected over Allen and into the goal.
It was 3-0 just a few minutes later as Swiss striker Gonzalez picked his spot and coolly slotted underneath Allen.
Phil Foden made it four within moments as he weaved through Stoke’s midfield and fired into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Stoke replied with two goals of their own almost immediately as Lasse Sorensen converted a penalty box scramble and Krisztofer Szereto sent Sokol the wrong way from the spot after Latibeaudiere was adjudged to have fouled in the area.
Despite this, Stoke rarely threatened to get back in to the match and Joe Hardy sealed the victory with a drilled strike in the 88th minute.
What it means...

Lee Carsley's side have 37 points from their opening fifteen games in the U18 Premier League and remain unbeaten.

What a miserable dull rainy morning but all brightened up by the 18's today even though it was fer from one of their best performances. They even had to put the floodlights on it was so dark!

As ever Stoke were a much more physically imposing side with a black Peter Crouch up top and 4 Ryan Shawcrosses along the back line! For quite a while I was feeling this was going to be a really tough game till we won the ball back fairly high up, a quick pass to Foden who superbly let the ball run across him to make a pass to set Sancho clear and all Poveda had to do was tap the cross in.

1 nil at half time but not without the odd alarm. Every set piece was a worry but there was really only one major scare just on half time where the keeper pulled off a great save.

A bit more open in the 2nd half but still tight and then suddenly it was 4 nil! Winning balls and breaking quickly was the key but the icing for me was Phil Foden's goal. Beating players in a crowded area and the firing home from the edge of the box. The lad is superb to watch...... just 16!

Stoke got a deserved goal back and then another from a total joke of a penalty. Latibeaudierre chasing back basically knocked the ball out quite cleanly and the bozo ref pointed to the spot.Embarrassing.

Gonzalez who scored the 2nd went off for Hardy who then scored. Hardy scored the first for the under 23's a few days earlier but didn't start to day. Same for Luke Bolton who was Motm for the 23's but only a sub appearance today. We have some real talent at this age group and every one of today's team is still eligible to play U 18's next season. Scary

[Moonchesteri]

the U23's are currently playing the rags away, 0-0 at ht and one of them has been sent off. few decent saves from their keeper has kept them in it. a very young team from our side

[Moonchesteri]

nice run to the box from Fernandez and pull back which Diaz slotted home. 1-0 City

[iwasthere2012]

Watching it on Sportsdevil. 2-1 to City st the moment.
I feel dirty watching MUTV.
It's the same style of commentary we're used to though.

[iwasthere2012]

3-1. Fernandes robs the United No.2 on the edge of the box and drills it into the bottom right corner.
Quite clinical finishing.

[iwasthere2012]

Jadon Sancho very unfortunate to see his shot come off the post when it looked destined for the bottom right corner, after a lovely one two down the left that opened up the United defense.
This sixteen year old always impresses me every time I see him play.
Terrific skill and lightning quick.

[iwasthere2012]

Ended a comfortable 3-1.
Only saw the last 35 minutes.
Diaz, Buckley-Ricketts and Fernandes the scorers.
Diaz looks very skilful and tricky but was muscled off the ball a few times by the bigger United players.
Sancho looks a really exciting prospect.
United didn't look that bad in fairness to them but City used the extra man well and were quite economical.
Like the look of Fernandes too. That's the first time I've had s look at him.
He set up the first for Diaz and made the third himself. He put it away very well too.
The kid knows how to score.

I've just seen the sending off now. It looks like United must be teaching them to tackle by watching videos of Rojo.
Two tackles in a row, the second s two footed lunge. Ref had to send him off. Even Sammy McIroy says so.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Ended a comfortable 3-1.
Only saw the last 35 minutes.
Diaz, Buckley-Ricketts and Fernandes the scorers.
Diaz looks very skilful and tricky but was muscled off the ball a few times by the bigger United players.
Sancho looks a really exciting prospect.
United didn't look that bad in fairness to them but City used the extra man well and were quite economical.
Like the look of Fernandes too. That's the first time I've had s look at him.
He set up the first for Diaz and made the third himself. He put it away very well too.
The kid knows how to score.

I've just seen the sending off now. It looks like United must be teaching them to tackle by watching videos of Rojo.
Two tackles in a row, the second s two footed lunge. Ref had to send him off. Even Sammy McIroy says so.

Two footed tackles courtesy of Rojo's acrobatics, elbows by Fellaini's example and cheating and diving expertise via Ashley Young's snide ways.......and there's always Scholes when you need that little something extra in the fouling Department.

All under the guidance of Mourinho........

With all this expert tuition they're getting, the young Scummers are going to be world class in these aspects of the game; and we're supposed to be the ones who are ruining football.

[iwasthere2012]

Ended a comfortable 3-1.
Only saw the last 35 minutes.
Diaz, Buckley-Ricketts and Fernandes the scorers.
Diaz looks very skilful and tricky but was muscled off the ball a few times by the bigger United players.
Sancho looks a really exciting prospect.
United didn't look that bad in fairness to them but City used the extra man well and were quite economical.
Like the look of Fernandes too. That's the first time I've had s look at him.
He set up the first for Diaz and made the third himself. He put it away very well too.
The kid knows how to score.

I've just seen the sending off now. It looks like United must be teaching them to tackle by watching videos of Rojo.
Two tackles in a row, the second s two footed lunge. Ref had to send him off. Even Sammy McIroy says so.

Two footed tackles courtesy of Rojo's acrobatics, elbows by Fellaini's example and cheating and diving expertise via Ashley Young's snide ways.......and there's always Scholes when you need that little something extra in the fouling Department.

All under the guidance of Mourinho........

With all this expert tuition they're getting, the young Scummers are going to be world class in these aspects of the game; and we're supposed to be the ones who are ruining football.

In fairness MC, they didn't make much of it. In Nicky Butt's interview he just said it was s definite red and they had to reshuffle after thirteen minutes.
Playing with ten against City is difficult.

[Justified logic]

Only saw the last 15 minutes or so. Saw the ref call back play for a foul on us when we had a good attack going and also, after another foul, saw the ref not allow a quick free kick that would have given us a great run in on goal. What was the rest of the referee's game like?

[iwasthere2012]

Only saw the last 15 minutes or so. Saw the ref call back play for a foul on us when we had a good attack going and also, after another foul, saw the ref not allow a quick free kick that would have given us a great run in on goal. What was the rest of the referee's game like?

I saw the same, but gathered from the commentary that the ref seemed to be playing it by the book all the way to the final whistle. They remarked on the fact that at least he was consistent.
I think he was under observation. Being assessed or something.
That's how it sounded.

[Justified logic]

Only saw the last 15 minutes or so. Saw the ref call back play for a foul on us when we had a good attack going and also, after another foul, saw the ref not allow a quick free kick that would have given us a great run in on goal. What was the rest of the referee's game like?

I saw the same, but gathered from the commentary that the ref seemed to be playing it by the book all the way to the final whistle. They remarked on the fact that at least he was consistent.
I think he was under observation. Being assessed or something.
That's how it sounded.

Ta

[Wonderwall]

The refs at reserve and youth games tend to ref it differently to the prem. They let a lot more go and tackles which are cards in the prem go unpunished a lot of the time.

[iwasthere2012]

The refs at reserve and youth games tend to ref it differently to the prem. They let a lot more go and tackles which are cards in the prem go unpunished a lot of the time.

Which is why it was even more remarkable that the United lad got a straight red.
It was a red, but I've also observed refs being far more lenient or tolerant in youth games I've seen.

It was MUTVI was watching on, so wasn't sure if it was Rag bias or not in the commentary, but they seemed to indicate that there was an assessor in the stand.

Is that possible/normal?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Didn't see the games( gutted) but a most notable poiny was the age difference between the 2 teams. As I understand it our average age was 18 and a bit compared to their 21 +. At those ages that's a massive difference and it does serve to underline the quality we have coming through.

Speaking to a red before the game and he fely City were bound to win as they have so many players out on loan which weakens their team so much at this age group. I decided not to follow that one through as I would guess we have twice as many elible under 23's on loan at least and much better ones as well.

[Justified logic]

Didn't see the games( gutted) but a most notable poiny was the age difference between the 2 teams. As I understand it our average age was 18 and a bit compared to their 21 +. At those ages that's a massive difference and it does serve to underline the quality we have coming through.

Speaking to a red before the game and he fely City were bound to win as they have so many players out on loan which weakens their team so much at this age group. I decided not to follow that one through as I would guess we have twice as many elible under 23's on loan at least and much better ones as well.

From the year ages on Soccerway I'd say it was closer than that; more like 19- and 20+ - about an average 1.5 to 2 years difference. Still a massive at that age.

[iwasthere2012]

Didn't see the games( gutted) but a most notable poiny was the age difference between the 2 teams. As I understand it our average age was 18 and a bit compared to their 21 +. At those ages that's a massive difference and it does serve to underline the quality we have coming through.

Speaking to a red before the game and he fely City were bound to win as they have so many players out on loan which weakens their team so much at this age group. I decided not to follow that one through as I would guess we have twice as many elible under 23's on loan at least and much better ones as well.

Like I said earlier Doug, I only caught about 35 minutes of it.
We were a man up and 1-2 to the good.
United, to their credit, did still try to get back in the game but we were comfortable enough and dangerous on the break.
We still have a bit of a panic in defence at times, similar to the first team.
Noticeable was the absence of diving into challenges, but this also led to standing off a bit too much around the box.
A minor complaint, and Angus looked very assured in goal. He dealt with anything I saw, comfortably.
We hit them quite a few times on the break and Sancho in particular, was a menace as was Fernandes.
Diaz was buzzing but as you say above, the United team were older and bigger.
Quite a few times he worked magic to get himself into the box only to be leveraged off the ball. He is very tricky though and a delight to watch. Took his goal beautifully placing it calmly into the bottom left after a run and pull back by Fernandes.
Ricketts-Buckley looked sharp also.

Sancho is only 16 though and for me each time I see him I can't help feeling that if this guy doesn't make it with us, then we are failing somewhere at Academy level.

If anyone on here saw the whole game I'd love to hear an opinion. Is the half hour or so I saw a true reflection of the full ninety, because I really do think for a bunch of 16-19 year olds to be second in the U23 league is a brilliant achievement. Probably a truer reflection of the talent we have than our U14-16's hammering teams.