Under 21s today

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broomhillblade

broomhillblade

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Blades 1, Forest 1.

Blades goal a scrambled effort from Higginbotham. If he's under 21 he must have had a rough childhood! :)

One thing that caught my eye, however. There was an 'Evans' on the bench. It couldn't be.... could it?
 



I popped down with the little un.

It was really poor and United were second best throughout. Forest scored early on when the number 9 curled a free kick in from 25 yards. Willis will have been a bit disappointed with it and especially that he oddly only put 2 in the wall. After this Forest could have had more and only shot shy finishing and over play prevented more goals. One miss in the second half was a contender for miss of the season. Willis made a few decent saves as the game was on the whole quite one sided. United offered little in response with the lively Eyre having a few long range efforts but we never looked like scoring until a late scrappy effort from Higginbotham from a set play where he scrambled in as the ball got stuck under his boots and somehow tricked under the line.

United played same formation as the first team but again like the first team never really looked comfortable. We lost the ball quite often in our half attempting to pass and rarely got near the final third. We had no penetration and no attacking threat. We gave up lots of the ball in midfield and overall hardly anyone stood out. If that is the best of our development squad then it is concerning as Forest man for man were far superior and they did not have anyone I recognised and where all essentially youngsters too (Jonathan Greening was on the bench but seemed to be coaching the side opposite to Morgan for United). Weir and Carsley sat in the stand alongside Billy Davies and were chatting and very jovial throughout.

GK - Willis - Positioning was poor on the goal and he only put 2 or 3 in walls on a couple of occasions. Made some good saves although most would be expected excluding a great tip over second half.

Defence - Scarisbrick/Banton/Higginbotham/Ptak - Worryingly Higginbotham was the most comfortable of the four and defended ok. The rest were shocking. The lad alongside him Banton just kept kicking and heading it out; often under no pressure an the two full backs were giving wingers too much space and were slow and pedestrian.

Midfield - Whitehouse/Boateng/Hodder - Midfield we really poor. The lad Boateng I guess is a trialist as I have never heard of him but his touch was not the best and he looked a bit out of his depth. Hodder was never really in the game and ended up at right back when we made changes. Whitehouse was the biggest disappointment. He looked such a promising player a few years ago in the Youth Cup team captaining them but whilst others have gone on, he has had a few injuries and never really progressed. He was appalling today and constantly gave it away, never ran forwards and did not look even good at this level.

Johns/Smith - These two played wide. Smith was never in the game and like at York disappointed. Not sure he has much chance of pushing for the first team anytime soon. Johns had a few runs and is quite fast but seems a bit like a headless chicken. He never seems in control of the ball and there was no end product despite him being positive and carrying the ball forward which was more than most.

Eyre - Our best player as he at least had a few shots and tried to be positive. He is quite tricky and for a small striker he puts himself about. Like the first team he had no real support alongside him.

Subs - Khan, played wide right; believe he scored 2 vs Wednesday for the Academy at the weekend. Showed a few touhes and again at least went forward ad committed defenders.

Cockerline; a big forward who seemed a little clumsy.

Coustrain, did not have long enough to make an impact.

A few of the lads who came on at York did not play today; they actually may be more promising and from listening to some of those academy go'ers, the current u18's is better than the one we have had last few years and maybe a better crop in terms of potential. Today I saw nothing from many to suggest there will be anywhere near the first team.
 
I popped down with the little un.

It was really poor and United were second best throughout. Forest scored early on when the number 9 curled a free kick in from 25 yards. Willis will have been a bit disappointed with it and especially that he oddly only put 2 in the wall. After this Forest could have had more and only shot shy finishing and over play prevented more goals. One miss in the second half was a contender for miss of the season. Willis made a few decent saves as the game was on the whole quite one sided. United offered little in response with the lively Eyre having a few long range efforts but we never looked like scoring until a late scrappy effort from Higginbotham from a set play where he scrambled in as the ball got stuck under his boots and somehow tricked under the line.

United played same formation as the first team but again like the first team never really looked comfortable. We lost the ball quite often in our half attempting to pass and rarely got near the final third. We had no penetration and no attacking threat. We gave up lots of the ball in midfield and overall hardly anyone stood out. If that is the best of our development squad then it is concerning as Forest man for man were far superior and they did not have anyone I recognised and where all essentially youngsters too (Jonathan Greening was on the bench but seemed to be coaching the side opposite to Morgan for United). Weir and Carsley sat in the stand alongside Billy Davies and were chatting and very jovial throughout.

GK - Willis - Positioning was poor on the goal and he only put 2 or 3 in walls on a couple of occasions. Made some good saves although most would be expected excluding a great tip over second half.

Defence - Scarisbrick/Banton/Higginbotham/Ptak - Worryingly Higginbotham was the most comfortable of the four and defended ok. The rest were shocking. The lad alongside him Banton just kept kicking and heading it out; often under no pressure an the two full backs were giving wingers too much space and were slow and pedestrian.

Midfield - Whitehouse/Boateng/Hodder - Midfield we really poor. The lad Boateng I guess is a trialist as I have never heard of him but his touch was not the best and he looked a bit out of his depth. Hodder was never really in the game and ended up at right back when we made changes. Whitehouse was the biggest disappointment. He looked such a promising player a few years ago in the Youth Cup team captaining them but whilst others have gone on, he has had a few injuries and never really progressed. He was appalling today and constantly gave it away, never ran forwards and did not look even good at this level.

Johns/Smith - These two played wide. Smith was never in the game and like at York disappointed. Not sure he has much chance of pushing for the first team anytime soon. Johns had a few runs and is quite fast but seems a bit like a headless chicken. He never seems in control of the ball and there was no end product despite him being positive and carrying the ball forward which was more than most.

Eyre - Our best player as he at least had a few shots and tried to be positive. He is quite tricky and for a small striker he puts himself about. Like the first team he had no real support alongside him.

Subs - Khan, played wide right; believe he scored 2 vs Wednesday for the Academy at the weekend. Showed a few touhes and again at least went forward ad committed defenders.

Cockerline; a big forward who seemed a little clumsy.

Coustrain, did not have long enough to make an impact.

A few of the lads who came on at York did not play today; they actually may be more promising and from listening to some of those academy go'ers, the current u18's is better than the one we have had last few years and maybe a better crop in terms of potential. Today I saw nothing from many to suggest there will be anywhere near the first team.
 
broomhillblade said:
Blades 1, Forest 1.

Blades goal a scrambled effort from Higginbotham. If he's under 21 he must have had a rough childhood! :)

One thing that caught my eye, however. There was an 'Evans' on the bench. It couldn't be.... could it?
Click to expand...

Believe it is three over-aged outfield players and one over-aged goalkeeper are allowed for matches in the Under-21 League.
 
Deadbat said:
Defence - Scarisbrick/Banton/Higginbotham/Ptak - Worryingly Higginbotham was the most comfortable of the four and defended ok. The rest were shocking. The lad alongside him Banton just kept kicking and heading it out; often under no pressure an the two full backs were giving wingers too much space and were slow and pedestrian.

Midfield - Whitehouse/Boateng/Hodder - Midfield we really poor. The lad Boateng I guess is a trialist as I have never heard of him but his touch was not the best and he looked a bit out of his depth. Hodder was never really in the game and ended up at right back when we made changes. Whitehouse was the biggest disappointment. He looked such a promising player a few years ago in the Youth Cup team captaining them but whilst others have gone on, he has had a few injuries and never really progressed. He was appalling today and constantly gave it away, never ran forwards and did not look even good at this level.

Johns/Smith - These two played wide. Smith was never in the game and like at York disappointed. Not sure he has much chance of pushing for the first team anytime soon. Johns had a few runs and is quite fast but seems a bit like a headless chicken. He never seems in control of the ball and there was no end product despite him being positive and carrying the ball forward which was more than most.

Eyre - Our best player as he at least had a few shots and tried to be positive. He is quite tricky and for a small striker he puts himself about. Like the first team he had no real support alongside him.

Subs - Khan, played wide right; believe he scored 2 vs Wednesday for the Academy at the weekend. Showed a few touhes and again at least went forward ad committed defenders.

Cockerline; a big forward who seemed a little clumsy.

Coustrain, did not have long enough to make an impact.

A few of the lads who came on at York did not play today; they actually may be more promising and from listening to some of those academy go'ers, the current u18's is better than the one we have had last few years and maybe a better crop in terms of potential. Today I saw nothing from many to suggest there will be anywhere near the first team.
Click to expand...


First off, I didn't go today so I'm not going to comment on performances, but a few points...

I'm not worried that Higginbotham looked the best of the 4. The other three are all 17, and Scarisbrick isn't a right back so he's being played out of position.

Michael Boateng is a first year I believe, so he's only 16 and Hodder is a right back so it doesn't surprise me that he struggled in midfield. Jahmal Smith seems to be played out of position too because he's a centre forward and I don't think he's been up front at all in the last 6 weeks. Cockerline is only 16 too. To have 10 players who aren't even 18 in the U21 squad means they are going to struggle because most of the Forest lads will have been 18/19, and that's a big difference at those ages.

Some of the lads that played aren't even first choice for the U18s, so don't read too much into what you saw today.

PS - Ioan Evans is the lad on the bench. Captain of the U18s and Welsh U17 international.
 
Reading that back it sounds like I'm having a dig, sorry. I'm not, I just wanted to point out a few things that people who don't follow the academy closely won't know about the players.

And regarding Willis, I've said it time and time again but when you look at him now to Long at the same age he is the better of the two. I'm really looking forward to the competition between those two in a few years should we still have them both.
 
That Boateng looked very old for 16!!! Seriously. Someone near me said he was a trialist and was in his 20's!?

Seems odd that there are so many young players playing as you say when we had some like Reed and Dimaio (sp?) who played at York but were not involved today? If they are not even first choice at u18's why are they playing. Surely those that are first choice should be playing as they are seen as closer (not saying they are close to first team).

Quite a lot of those above were not even involved in many of pre season games so why are they being used now if they are so far away? In affect u21's is next level to the first team. Surprised Ironside did not play today. Likes of Kennedy also seems to have disappeared. Injured again?

Willis made some decent saves but was poor on the goal. He looks a decent size though. When Long is sold, he may be the next number 1 quicker than we know it!

I will bow to your superior knowledge of the u21's though. Just was not impressed with what I saw. Regardless of score etc; there was no one that stood out.

I guessed the sarcasm Broomhill but thought some others may not be sure of rules etc. Sorry! See Higginbotham has been saying he wont ever play for us on twitter and has no future here. Not very professional.
 
Philip Reed said:
Michael Boateng 19 signed from handsworth on non contract terms

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/handsworthfc/news/boateng-joins-the-blades-988258.html
Click to expand...


Good of United to announce anything at all. Cheers for that mate :)

Deadbat said:
That Boateng looked very old for 16!!! Seriously. Someone near me said he was a trialist and was in his 20's!?

Seems odd that there are so many young players playing as you say when we had some like Reed and Dimaio (sp?) who played at York but were not involved today? If they are not even first choice at u18's why are they playing. Surely those that are first choice should be playing as they are seen as closer (not saying they are close to first team).

Quite a lot of those above were not even involved in many of pre season games so why are they being used now if they are so far away? In affect u21's is next level to the first team. Surprised Ironside did not play today. Likes of Kennedy also seems to have disappeared. Injured again?

Willis made some decent saves but was poor on the goal. He looks a decent size though. When Long is sold, he may be the next number 1 quicker than we know it!

I will bow to your superior knowledge of the u21's though. Just was not impressed with what I saw. Regardless of score etc; there was no one that stood out.

I guessed the sarcasm Broomhill but thought some others may not be sure of rules etc. Sorry! See Higginbotham has been saying he wont ever play for us on twitter and has no future here. Not very professional.
Click to expand...

Phil has sorted the Boateng issue out at least :)

I think the U18 game against Wednesday will have had a big say in who played today. The two you mentioned, Whiteman, Evans, Paling, Kedman, Khan, Coustrain etc. will have all played on Saturday so they'll be making sure all the young lads get minutes under their belts.

I actually thought Ironside would play too, perhaps he'll be playing more for the first team than we anticipate?

Kennedy is injured again :(

There'll be lads that show more as the season goes on. Like I say, it's more about getting them minutes than standing out at the minute. Khan and McDonagh were the second years to watch this year, and obviously one of those broke his leg which is really frustrating. I'm sure we'll see plenty of Khan in the future.
 
BladeTillIDie said:
And now on love island.
Click to expand...

Perfect chance for everyone to look back at the academy of 2013 and tell me how much money we've made out of it or which players are now first teamers.

I'd love to be wrong about it being a waste of time but I'm not holding my breath.

We've probably chucked £8.4M at it as a bench mark.
 



GRUMPY BLADE said:
Perfect chance for everyone to look back at the academy of 2013 and tell me how much money we've made out of it or which players are now first teamers.

I'd love to be wrong about it being a waste of time but I'm not holding my breath.

We've probably chucked £8.4M at it as a bench mark.
Click to expand...

Well Michael Boateng has made it to Love Island, so I guess that`s one success story :)
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Perfect chance for everyone to look back at the academy of 2013 and tell me how much money we've made out of it or which players are now first teamers.

I'd love to be wrong about it being a waste of time but I'm not holding my breath.

We've probably chucked £8.4M at it as a bench mark.
Click to expand...
www.s24su.com

Outgoing? - Under 23s' to Chesterfield

It seems John Pemberton has enquired with Wilder about the availability to some of the youngsters - https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/why-chesterfields-john-pemberton-had-meeting-sheffield-united-boss-chris-wilder-1368461 Not too sure if any are ready for non league...
www.s24su.com www.s24su.com

Never had you down as a WUM, thought you were a decent poster.
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Perfect chance for everyone to look back at the academy of 2013 and tell me how much money we've made out of it or which players are now first teamers.

I'd love to be wrong about it being a waste of time but I'm not holding my breath.

We've probably chucked £8.4M at it as a bench mark.
Click to expand...
But how do you know that the loss making venture (if that's what it is) of today won't develop into the money spinner of tomorrow? The expertise developed at Shirecliffe may, if rumours are correct, soon be given a far more impressive facility in which to hone talent.
 
Blade for Sale said:
But how do you know that the loss making venture (if that's what it is) of today won't develop into the money spinner of tomorrow? The expertise developed at Shirecliffe may, if rumours are correct, soon be given a far more impressive facility in which to hone talent.
Click to expand...

Or more money not spent on the first team.
 
BushBlade said:
www.s24su.com

Outgoing? - Under 23s' to Chesterfield

It seems John Pemberton has enquired with Wilder about the availability to some of the youngsters - https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/why-chesterfields-john-pemberton-had-meeting-sheffield-united-boss-chris-wilder-1368461 Not too sure if any are ready for non league...
www.s24su.com www.s24su.com

Never had you down as a WUM, thought you were a decent poster.
Click to expand...

Not a wind up, I'd love to know how much it has generated since 2013.

Based on £1.2M a year I reckon that's about £8.4M we need to have made just to stand still.

I'd have pumped that into the first team.
 
Blade for Sale said:
But how do you know that the loss making venture (if that's what it is) of today won't develop into the money spinner of tomorrow? The expertise developed at Shirecliffe may, if rumours are correct, soon be given a far more impressive facility in which to hone talent.
Click to expand...

I don't and hope I'm wrong but I just see it as a break even venture at best.
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Or more money not spent on the first team.
Click to expand...
So imagine a world in which we didn't have an academy.

Wednesday would have pretty much every talented youngster in Sheffield, and most of them from nearby, within their grasp.

The reputation as a club capable of developing talents such as Kyle Walker, David Brooks, Aron Ramsdale, DCL evaporates overnight, and with it the goodwill of all those to whom Utd would give an opportunity (my youngest is currently at a Man Utd academy. He probably won't make it but I'm grateful for the chance, and acknowledge that it's developing him as a person as well as a player).

There may or may not be a budding Ronaldo or Bale in a Sheffield primary school, but I think we'd be pretty stupid not to be prepared should one come along.
 
Where are they now: the line up from the Forest game mentioned in the OP

Willis, Scarisbrick (Cockerline 65), Ptak, Boateng (Coustrain 81), Banton, Higginbotham, Hodder, Whitehouse, Eyre, Smith (Khan 65), Johns.

George Willis - currently Boston United's first team keeper and a coach for United at Shirecliffe. Lame to fame - I have a pair of his gloves
Kyle Scarisbrick - now at Vauxhall Motors
Elliot Ptak - last seen at Mickleover Sports in 2016/17
Michael Boateng - now on Love Island
Julian Banton - last seen at Welling United in 2016/17
Danny Higginbotham - now a pundit
Justin Hodder - don't think he's playing any more
Elliot Whitehouse - at Grimsby in League Two. Dropped into non league after his release from us but has worked his way back up
Jake Eyre - at Gresford Athletic in the Welsh second tier
Smith? - not sure; might be Ty Smith who's still at United but is out on loan at Rochdale; might be Jahmal Smith who was at Sheffield Club for a while
Jasper Johns - disappeared from football after leaving United at the end of the 2013/14 season. Arguably didn't appear before that.

Subs:
Dan Cockerline - at AFC Liverpool after a couple of seasons at Southport. Very positive bio here :)
Joel Coustrain - at Cork City in the Irish Premier League
Otis Khan - at Mansfield after spending a number of seasons at Yeovil
Owen?
Ioan Evans - at Tadcaster Albion after spending a couple of years at Gainsborough.
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Not a wind up, I'd love to know how much it has generated since 2013.

Based on £1.2M a year I reckon that's about £8.4M we need to have made just to stand still.

I'd have pumped that into the first team.
Click to expand...
And our managers would have pissed it away and Wilder wouldn’t have had Brooks, DCL and Ramsdale to sell.
 
Balham Blade said:
Where are they now: the line up from the Forest game mentioned in the OP

Willis, Scarisbrick (Cockerline 65), Ptak, Boateng (Coustrain 81), Banton, Higginbotham, Hodder, Whitehouse, Eyre, Smith (Khan 65), Johns.

George Willis - currently Boston United's first team keeper and a coach for United at Shirecliffe. Lame to fame - I have a pair of his gloves
Kyle Scarisbrick - now at Vauxhall Motors
Elliot Ptak - last seen at Mickleover Sports in 2016/17
Michael Boateng - now on Love Island
Julian Banton - last seen at Welling United in 2016/17
Danny Higginbotham - now a pundit
Justin Hodder - don't think he's playing any more
Elliot Whitehouse - at Grimsby in League Two. Dropped into non league after his release from us but has worked his way back up
Jake Eyre - at Gresford Athletic in the Welsh second tier
Smith? - not sure; might be Ty Smith who's still at United but is out on loan at Rochdale; might be Jahmal Smith who was at Sheffield Club for a while
Jasper Johns - disappeared from football after leaving United at the end of the 2013/14 season. Arguably didn't appear before that.

Subs:
Dan Cockerline - at AFC Liverpool after a couple of seasons at Southport. Very positive bio here :)
Joel Coustrain - at Cork City in the Irish Premier League
Otis Khan - at Mansfield after spending a number of seasons at Yeovil
Owen?
Ioan Evans - at Tadcaster Albion after spending a couple of years at Gainsborough.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

As much as I want to see the academy be successful the above could be argued cements by side of the argument.

Lot of money to produce them.
 
BushBlade said:
And our managers would have pissed it away and Wilder wouldn’t have had Brooks, DCL and Ramsdale to sell.
Click to expand...

Possible.

Also possible that we might have had a striker who kept us out of the 3rd division as well?
 
Balham Blade said:
Where are they now: the line up from the Forest game mentioned in the OP

Willis, Scarisbrick (Cockerline 65), Ptak, Boateng (Coustrain 81), Banton, Higginbotham, Hodder, Whitehouse, Eyre, Smith (Khan 65), Johns.

George Willis - currently Boston United's first team keeper and a coach for United at Shirecliffe. Lame to fame - I have a pair of his gloves
Kyle Scarisbrick - now at Vauxhall Motors
Elliot Ptak - last seen at Mickleover Sports in 2016/17
Michael Boateng - now on Love Island
Julian Banton - last seen at Welling United in 2016/17
Danny Higginbotham - now a pundit
Justin Hodder - don't think he's playing any more
Elliot Whitehouse - at Grimsby in League Two. Dropped into non league after his release from us but has worked his way back up
Jake Eyre - at Gresford Athletic in the Welsh second tier
Smith? - not sure; might be Ty Smith who's still at United but is out on loan at Rochdale; might be Jahmal Smith who was at Sheffield Club for a while
Jasper Johns - disappeared from football after leaving United at the end of the 2013/14 season. Arguably didn't appear before that.

Subs:
Dan Cockerline - at AFC Liverpool after a couple of seasons at Southport. Very positive bio here :)
Joel Coustrain - at Cork City in the Irish Premier League
Otis Khan - at Mansfield after spending a number of seasons at Yeovil
Owen?
Ioan Evans - at Tadcaster Albion after spending a couple of years at Gainsborough.
Click to expand...

Funny how no one has responded to the above claiming a resounding success?
 



GRUMPY BLADE said:
Yer get my drift.

We're at different ends on this one but I will point out that no one has demonstrated the value the last seven years the academy has provided, just saying.
Click to expand...
Brooks £11.5m plus add ons rising to £15m plus sell on fee.
DCL £1.75m plus add ons (and I think, a sell on fee)
Ramsdale £1m (don’t know any more details than that.
 
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