U23 v Birmingham on Monday

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Ball_Sup (Phil)

Ball_Sup (Phil)

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The U23s are at home to Birmingham City at Bramall Lane today at 2pm. The U18s are at Derby on Tuesday in the 4th round of the FA Youth Cup. Derby are a Category 1 Academy (the level above us). But we've already beaten Cat 1 Middlesbrough in the last round. Cat 1 Manchester City or Cat 2 Nottingham Forest at home if we get past Derby. I mention the Youth Cup as that will impact on the U23 side which plays today. The best U18 qualified players will be held back for Tuesday. With Sam Graham & Callum Semple both back from loan, it's possible they'll line up at CB with Kean Bryan. I'd expect Eastwood to keep. Maybe, they'll need to bolster with the odd First Team, second string. Opponents Birmingham currently top the league, we're sixth of ten.
Team, goal & shenanigan updates on my Twitter
www.twitter.com/ball_sup
More considered opinions & my 74th Brewery visit of the year on the Blog in due course
www.ball-sup.blogspot.com
 



Worth mentioning that it's free for season ticket holders and U16s. £2 for non season ticket holders. Entry via the platinum suite.
 
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
The U23s are at home to Birmingham City at Bramall Lane today at 2pm. The U18s are at Derby on Tuesday in the 4th round of the FA Youth Cup. Derby are a Category 1 Academy (the level above us). But we've already beaten Cat 1 Middlesbrough in the last round. Cat 1 Manchester City or Cat 2 Nottingham Forest at home if we get past Derby. I mention the Youth Cup as that will impact on the U23 side which plays today. The best U18 qualified players will be held back for Tuesday. With Sam Graham & Callum Semple both back from loan, it's possible they'll line up at CB with Kean Bryan. I'd expect Eastwood to keep. Maybe, they'll need to bolster with the odd First Team, second string. Opponents Birmingham currently top the league, we're sixth of ten.
Team, goal & shenanigan updates on my Twitter
www.twitter.com/ball_sup
More considered opinions & my 74th Brewery visit of the year on the Blog in due course
www.ball-sup.blogspot.com
Click to expand...


Where are you sampling pre match nectar Phil.
Would love to spend an hour in your company over a pint talking bollox.
 
Bill Johnson said:
Where are you sampling pre match nectar Phil.
Would love to spend an hour in your company over a pint talking bollox.
Click to expand...
That's kind. But, as it happens, I've got some Dem Blades 2018 Annual "business" to sort out this morning. But, I'd love a sampling some other time if we can make it work...
 
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
Are you going to the Lane? Me - pale blue raincoat, dark strides, glasses, small blue rucksack - say hello - applies to all.....
Click to expand...


Yes I am Phil. Try whenever work allows to see the young guns.
I'll be wearing pink lycra with a lime green cod piece.
Topless with huge breast implants and multiple nipple piercings.
I'll look out for you.
 
DaveBassettsgoneonholiday said:
More considered opinions & my 74th Brewery visit of the year on the Blog in due course
www.ball-sup.blogspot.com
Click to expand...

:eek: Fair do's on that Phil, only 14 days in including a Bank Holiday and a couple of Sundays :D[/QUOTE]


FFS, don't tell me you lot are still using the Gregorian Calendar. We're the Carrier Bag Firm, the season ends in May, one year ends in May, the next year starts in May.....
 
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
:eek: Fair do's on that Phil, only 14 days in including a Bank Holiday and a couple of Sundays :D
Click to expand...


FFS, don't tell me you lot are still using the Gregorian Calendar. We're the Carrier Bag Firm, the season ends in May, one year ends in May, the next year starts in May.....[/QUOTE]
I was just about to post how much I admired your work BSP, not least 74 brewery visits in less than a fortnight. keep up the good work sir. 74 so far this season is still quite amazing. Always look out for your posts. I was weaned on reserve matches and the odd junior fixture before being let loose on full strength Blades matches.
 
Look forward to the report as always. Out of interest, what formation do the U23s use? Does it mirror the first team's? Or flexible depending on who's available?
 



LondonBlade89 said:
Look forward to the report as always. Out of interest, what formation do the U23s use? Does it mirror the first team's? Or flexible depending on who's available?
Click to expand...
At U23, they currently always mirror the three CB, two wingbacks, someone at the back of midfield taking it off them, two up top style of the first team. I got some Quality Travis Time at a recent game & he reminded me they do that specifically & deliberately. Even if they have to play someone out of position to do that. Any U23 who plays out of position to accommodate the system puts it on their CV as "Development Opportunity". The U18s are more likely conventional four at the back. And, more likely to be flexible & play to players strengths.
 
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
The U23s are at home to Birmingham City at Bramall Lane today at 2pm. The U18s are at Derby on Tuesday in the 4th round of the FA Youth Cup. Derby are a Category 1 Academy (the level above us). But we've already beaten Cat 1 Middlesbrough in the last round. Cat 1 Manchester City or Cat 2 Nottingham Forest at home if we get past Derby. I mention the Youth Cup as that will impact on the U23 side which plays today. The best U18 qualified players will be held back for Tuesday. With Sam Graham & Callum Semple both back from loan, it's possible they'll line up at CB with Kean Bryan. I'd expect Eastwood to keep. Maybe, they'll need to bolster with the odd First Team, second string. Opponents Birmingham currently top the league, we're sixth of ten.
Team, goal & shenanigan updates on my Twitter
www.twitter.com/ball_sup
More considered opinions & my 74th Brewery visit of the year on the Blog in due course
www.ball-sup.blogspot.com
Click to expand...
Thanks and keep notifying us of these games. Am here and wouldn't have known without your mention.
 
LoughboroBlade said:
I wonder whether the lack of clarity at the minute on the 2-team rule and whether U23 teams apply means we’re not risking playing him (assuming we’re looking at loaning him elsewhere for the rest of the season).
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U23s does not count as another club played for.
Only official first team games count.

Obviously a loan in the offing for Semple and not risking any unessesary injury.
 
Redhead said:
U23s does not count as another club played for.
Only official first team games count.

Obviously a loan in the offing for Semple and not risking any unessesary injury.
Click to expand...

This came up the other day in the Daniel Lafferty thread. There was already precedent set that U23 games were considered “official games”. Whether that has changed or not since the ruling, no idea.
 
I've recently had a lot of interesting exchanges on this Forum about the Academy, about how no Academy Lads were involved v Barnet, and other stuff. I've thought long & hard. And, today's Blog is NOT a match report from that superb battling one nil win against League Leaders Birmingham City. It's more of a thinkpiece - speculating that the rapid rise of the First Team to the top levels of the Championship means we might have passed some of our own Academy lads on the way. Recruited as 13 year olds in the Dark Days of League One, would it really be a surprise if they couldn't cut it at the top of the Championship? I rehearse our recruitment strategies. May as well sum that up as - the best we can do on the cheap. And, I pose a question

How many people would lose their shit if we paid some serious money for a young prospect who will have no realistic chance of a first team spot for 4 years, maybe more? We’re Sheffield United. We’re always arguing about money. Because there’s not enough. At the turn of the year, there were rumours that Leeds United were about to pay £400k for a 16 year old kid called Stuart McKinstry at Motherwell. That’s Leeds, a Cat 2 Academy (like us) and a top Championship side (like us). (As it happens, the latest rumours are that Premier League Southampton may hijack that deal). I'm not saying we should. But, I am saying it may be our next logical step as a top Championship side.

Luckily - balance is restored by two North of 8% Double/Imperial IPAs on a Brewery visit to Huddersfield. It's a long 'un anyway - so I couldn't squeeze the match report in. You've been warned.

What Would Binnion Do?

https://ball-sup.blogspot.com/2019/01/wwbd.html
 
bertieblade said:
How did Gomis play, heard some good things about him?
Click to expand...
He did alright. He was set up as LWB today. A bit unusual for him. Got on the end of a free kick to score the winner. So, you've got to love a lot of that. I haven't seen a deal of him (he's more often U18). tbh he hasn't stood out good or bad when I've seen him before.
 



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