U23s v Birmingham

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

A bit of a rushed report on my Blog. Fleetwood U23 away tomorrow for us, so I've had to get my finger out to get the Blog published in time. After 6.2%, 7.4% & 7.5% beers, that ain't been easy.

Upshot - Lost 2-1 - great goal from Stephen Mallon - qualification out of our hands - need Reading to get at least a point when they visit Stoke City.

http://ball-sup.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/sweating.html

Phil

 

[nopigfansintown]

Went to this. United were excellent in the first half an hour - Reed in particular impressing with some some fantastic long range, killer passes which were unfortunately not dispatched Our much taller, physically stronger opponents goal came against the run of play and seemed to galvanise them. We lost a lot of control in midfield and the game became more end to end. Today, I was really impressed with Joe Cummings. He was our only tall lad and we relied on him to win everything in the air against numerous big uns. His distribution was decent too, and he hit the bar with a late header .Mallon scored a fine long range goal and was good in possession. He definitely needs to fill out a bit though as he got barged of the ball at times.These boy are often facing older, taller, stronger men and they show fantastic battling qualities, and almost always superior technical skills.

 

[Treeton Blade]

Thought we got on top after a slow start, the goal on half time was a real kick in the teeth.

Second half, huffed and puffed, Birmingham defended well, and denied space.
Still needed a double worldie from their keeper to deny us a leveller, the follow up save from Cantrill was unreal, and Cumming looped one onto the bar.

Thought we went too direct near the end, and they saw it out easily.
A disappointing evening, Reed the pick, but even his passing got ragged in the second half.

Cummings hasn`t been offered a pro deal according to my mate at the game, I think this has been on another thread.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I've made a few updates to my original Blog report

http://ball-sup.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/sweating.html

Out of interest, those who were there, what did you make of Long's performance?

 

[Treeton Blade]

I've made a few updates to my original Blog report

http://ball-sup.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/sweating.html

Out of interest, those who were there, what did you make of Long's performance?

I thought he did well, one outstanding save second half.

Mind you there were no crosses for him to deal with

 

[larkymasher]

Watched the game last night and overall a little bit average.

The back three looked ok but certainly not what i would call solid. Cummings did play well but for what ever reason has not been given a Pro deal. I find this strange as Semple is going to be out until Christmas. Surely young Cummings was worth a 1 year deal to see how he progressed.

Reed was excellent first half and ok second. I actually thought Charlesworth was very good at RWB tonight. He put in some fine crosses and worked very hard. Another lad who is on his way out.

After that i thought the rest of the team was average last night. By no means bad but just under par a little.

My issue with the 23s is how on earth the club thinks that 5 games in 3 days is doing the lads any favours at all. The side has got into a fantastic position in 3 competitions only for us to arrange the fixtures with no possible chance of progressing in the competitions.

Leeds in the league last Friday, Birmingham last night in the Premier Cup, Fleetwood today in the Central Cup.

Why not play Fleetwood on Thursday? just to have a couple of days rest.

All three games with not one senior player involved except Reed and Long last night. It is crazy. Its poor match arrangement and it is certainly not good for 17/ 18 year olds to play so much football against, lets face it, men !!

At the last count we have Semple, Bennett, Slater, Kelly, Brooks, Graham, Gilmoor who have missed games with little knocks or in Semples case a major injury. There is only so much football they can play to be in top physical shape to perform.
I would have thought over these three games we could have had Scougall, Hussey, Wilson, McNulty all making an appearance.

 

[Baw Heid]

Second game of the three in five days exercise saw us falling short to a Birmingham team who seemed to have learned from our previous game against them. Our three Centre backs Cantrill, Cummings and Kelly had Charlesworth and Mallon pushed very high and Birmingham pushed two wingers high and we allowed them to attack us on the break in the first half. Either our wide Centre backs were not covering or the wing backs were pushing too high, a bit of both i think. Both their goals came from hard low crosses into our penalty area and I thought the first goal may have been an OG off Kelly.
We certainly had the best of the first half but I did not feel we would score. Smith and my man Jake Write seemed to lack their usual aggression and it was no surprise to me that our goal came from a wonderful strike by Stevie Mallon who had drifted into a more central midfield roll. We have been blessed with some great goals by the 23s lately and this one is well worth a look. Reed played well within himself but those of us who watch a lot of 23s games would notice a lack of his usual bite. He sits in front of the back line and is effective but when he is released forward, as in the second half against Leeds we usually show more of our fast aggressive play. Second half we changed to a more direct approach that to me does not suit our smallish team although Joe Cummings hit the bar and he deserved better. I like Cummings and if he is being released it is a surprise to me although he did slip back a bit earlier in the season but is playing well now. I do think Semple is missed at the back as he was the out we used all the time and we missed that yesterday.
George Long played OK and his loud shouting helps the young players in front of him. The opposing keeper was great coming to take crosses but we never seemed to try and block his path.
All together a disappointing night for me especially since Birmingham had nothing to win but they did play out the second half well. So its off to Fleetwood today with a young team I bet they take this game seriously. I am still bemused with our fixture dates. We could exit the two cups and be left to take the league or who knows Reading could stuff Stoke when their game is played and our 18s could play Fleetwood's reserve team off the plastic park I understand will be used tonight.

 

[Baw Heid]

Watched the game last night and overall a little bit average.

The back three looked ok but certainly not what i would call solid. Cummings did play well but for what ever reason has not been given a Pro deal. I find this strange as Semple is going to be out until Christmas. Surely young Cummings was worth a 1 year deal to see how he progressed.

Reed was excellent first half and ok second. I actually thought Charlesworth was very good at RWB tonight. He put in some fine crosses and worked very hard. Another lad who is on his way out.

After that i thought the rest of the team was average last night. By no means bad but just under par a little.

My issue with the 23s is how on earth the club thinks that 5 games in 3 days is doing the lads any favours at all. The side has got into a fantastic position in 3 competitions only for us to arrange the fixtures with no possible chance of progressing in the competitions.

Leeds in the league last Friday, Birmingham last night in the Premier Cup, Fleetwood today in the Central Cup.

Why not play Fleetwood on Thursday? just to have a couple of days rest.

All three games with not one senior player involved except Reed and Long last night. It is crazy. Its poor match arrangement and it is certainly not good for 17/ 18 year olds to play so much football against, lets face it, men !!

At the last count we have Semple, Bennett, Slater, Kelly, Brooks, Graham, Gilmoor who have missed games with little knocks or in Semples case a major injury. There is only so much football they can play to be in top physical shape to perform.
I would have thought over these three games we could have had Scougall, Hussey, Wilson, McNulty all making an appearance.

Agree 100% with your analysis of our fixture madness

 

[Treeton Blade]

Watched the game last night and overall a little bit average.

The back three looked ok but certainly not what i would call solid. Cummings did play well but for what ever reason has not been given a Pro deal. I find this strange as Semple is going to be out until Christmas. Surely young Cummings was worth a 1 year deal to see how he progressed.

Reed was excellent first half and ok second. I actually thought Charlesworth was very good at RWB tonight. He put in some fine crosses and worked very hard. Another lad who is on his way out.

After that i thought the rest of the team was average last night. By no means bad but just under par a little.

My issue with the 23s is how on earth the club thinks that 5 games in 3 days is doing the lads any favours at all. The side has got into a fantastic position in 3 competitions only for us to arrange the fixtures with no possible chance of progressing in the competitions.

Leeds in the league last Friday, Birmingham last night in the Premier Cup, Fleetwood today in the Central Cup.

Why not play Fleetwood on Thursday? just to have a couple of days rest.

All three games with not one senior player involved except Reed and Long last night. It is crazy. Its poor match arrangement and it is certainly not good for 17/ 18 year olds to play so much football against, lets face it, men !!

At the last count we have Semple, Bennett, Slater, Kelly, Brooks, Graham, Gilmoor who have missed games with little knocks or in Semples case a major injury. There is only so much football they can play to be in top physical shape to perform.
I would have thought over these three games we could have had Scougall, Hussey, Wilson, McNulty all making an appearance.

Got to say, I 100% agreed with the retained list you posted on the Leeds U23 thread.

I don`t rate Cummings at all, Charlesworth maybe a touch unlucky, the best of the released players for sure.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I have no inside info. But, my guess is that The Central League Cup is one of those competitions which has a simple "must be played by end-February" type rules. That has caught Utd & Fleetwood out. Is my guess.