Deadbat
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I braved the cold this morning (and it was freezing) to watch the Academy derbies so thought I would give some brief summaries. It was bitterly cold and with a gale blowing and some light rain second half it did not make it the most pleasant of conditions. I always forget how cold it it up there!
Decent crowd there with a mixture of the red and white and blue and white; many Wednesday fans were there on the way to walking down to Hillsborough for their first team game in the afternoon.
United were training on the 1st team training pitches when we arrived with Done and Clarke both training hard. Not sure Done will be out that long and fancy Clarke to be on the bench tomorrow. After they finished many were peering through the window of the first team building to watch. I saw Fleck, Ramsdale, Jake Wright sr, Done, Whiteman and Wilder/Knill.
I remember a few years ago you could go in there and get a butty/coffee etc but now it is sealed off completely for the first team and you have to trudge all the way down to the main Academy building to get anything to eat/drink.
As is often case, the 16's played on one pitch at the same time as the u18's.
I tried to watch both but probably missed stuff by doing that. I did focus more on the u18 game.
In the u16 games, United kicked up the slope and after being under the cosh early broke out and scored two well worked and made goals and got contol but just before the break the very small United keeper *suppose could only be 15* made a mistake and it was 2-1. After half time Wednesday started to dominate and scored a leveller and then had a few other chances and looked the likely winner but United did start to get back into it. With a few minutes left a great run down the left saw a super cross begging to be converted and it was at the far post. The United players went berserk and piled on top of each other. The final whistle went soon after. The captain a midfielder looked a decent player and a few others showed some neat touches. The game was quite even though overall.
In the u18 game, not sure who played (the lovely mods on this forum posted the following as the team: so guessing it is right)
GK Perryman, RB Charlesworth, CB Cummings, CB Graham, LB Cantrill, RW Greaves, CM Slater, CM Gilmour, LW Mallon, FW Burton, FW Hallam
United lost this game 2-0. It was a daft scoreline. I cannot recall Wednesday having more than two shots on goal. United who may have been feeling things from the game in the week that went extra time in the youth cup controlled the game but were poor in the final third and when they did get into good areas the finishing was really dire. The lad Hallam who has been banging them in for fun miskicked twice right in front of goal after good work from the best player on the field by a mile, lad called Mallon who looks a really good prospect.
We kicked down the hill first half and had most of the play and missed the two chances above and had a lot off corners/set plays that came to nothing. Wednesday were not in it until they had one appeal for a penalty when Graham made a bad foul but was adjudged outside the box and the United centre back got booked. Not long after they scored. It was a great goal as Hirst came off his man picked it up, turned and hit a great shot into the top corner from long range that beat the keeper all ends up.
Second half United again had most of the play. Hallam drew a save from a free kick and then had another one on one deflected wide. A few others scrambles came to nothing as United seemed shot shy in front of goal. Wednesday broke with about 15 minutes left and a cross from the right saw Hirst scored from close range. That was it game over really. United threw Cummings up top and had a few more half chances but the Wednesday defence played well and saw out the win.
Wednesday are right up there in the league too (was United's first defeat for 10 games and only second of the season) and do seem to have improved things at Academy level. They had some decent athletes and had two big lads at the back and also the very tall son of David Hirst; George who of course was the difference in the game. i have seen him three times before and not been impressed at all. I have to be honest and day he scored a great goal today and got the second but again he looked very clumsy (bambi on ice) and lacks pace, touch and awareness despite the goals which sounds ridiculous but maybe I don't know anything as he has been involved in the Weds u23s and also England representative throughout the age groups. The blond lad at the back was outstanding and the keeper had a good game too. They also had a decent fair haired lad in midfield that could run with the ball.
In terms of United we probably had the better players (not sure on respective ages in comparison- know we have a fair few of course playing for the u23's anyway) over the game and had more of the game. In that sense the result is not a massive concern.
Not going to rate players as not too sure who was who without a sheet (why dont they do those anymore - even some junior football teams can produce these!)
GK Perryman was a bit dithering and twice left through balls to his defence. He had no chance on the goal. His kicking was poor, he kicked it out twice but the wind did not help. One kick from a player he tried to float down the line and it ended up going out on the other side of the field!
RB Charlesworth had a bit of a mare I thought. Wednesday attacked down this side a lot and he was indecisive in his defending and they isolated the taller Hirst on him.
CB Cummings was solid. Great athlete and decent on the ball. He did lost his man a few times and he seemed to have Hirst and crucially lost him twice.
CB Graham is another lad who is similair in appearance (dont mean that in a racist way - he is tall and of similiar build aswell as having similiar hair!) but he struggled at times and his positional play let him down.
LB Cantrill was solid enough. He actually got forward well to support Mallon and put a few decent balls in. He lost his man though in build up to second.
RW Greaves did not really threaten much as we went more down the left
CM Slater is captain I believe normally - not sure if he was today - he is a tidy player who was busy and looks to get on the ball and pass it. Game did become scrappy in the wind and sometimes midfield was bypassed.
CM Gilmour. Thought he was quiet. Saw him last season and impressed me but he was not that influential today.
LW Mallon. Our best player by a long way. Put 2 or 3 great crosses in, good on the ball, tricky, skilful and inventive. He looks a bit languid on the ball but is quick over a few yards and decent with both feet although predominantly left footed. One to watch. Any relation of former Blade Ryan? (know that was asked on another post)
FW Burton is very slight and quite small. He ran around a lot but did not really threaten too much as the two big lads swallowed up most of the balls.
FW Hallam has been scoring a lot in the youth/u23 games but today had one of those days. He is lively and gets down the channels but missed two good chances with air shots at the ball when well placed. He then had another effort deflected wide and screwed another one off target. Decent free kick and corner taker - had one free kick saved.
Overall, despite the result and I am sure Wednesday crowing, I was not too despondent. United had as many, if not more talents on show on that game alone and played the better football and had more of the game and more chances. Despite me not being impressed wth Hirst, he put the ball in the net. If Hallam had been on his game, we could have been the winners of course so it is fine margins.
It is enjoyable going up there and great to see two games (free of charge) with some decent stuff. I always feel the slopes and the wind up there do not help games (could they not level the pitches out - would it cost that much to do that? - the slope really spoils an excellent playing surface) but teams/players generally do well despite these factors.
Apologies if I got any of the names/facts wrong. I was struggling to feel my fingers for much of the second half and my concentration started to waver towards getting a hot drink when I got back home!
Decent crowd there with a mixture of the red and white and blue and white; many Wednesday fans were there on the way to walking down to Hillsborough for their first team game in the afternoon.
United were training on the 1st team training pitches when we arrived with Done and Clarke both training hard. Not sure Done will be out that long and fancy Clarke to be on the bench tomorrow. After they finished many were peering through the window of the first team building to watch. I saw Fleck, Ramsdale, Jake Wright sr, Done, Whiteman and Wilder/Knill.
I remember a few years ago you could go in there and get a butty/coffee etc but now it is sealed off completely for the first team and you have to trudge all the way down to the main Academy building to get anything to eat/drink.
As is often case, the 16's played on one pitch at the same time as the u18's.
I tried to watch both but probably missed stuff by doing that. I did focus more on the u18 game.
In the u16 games, United kicked up the slope and after being under the cosh early broke out and scored two well worked and made goals and got contol but just before the break the very small United keeper *suppose could only be 15* made a mistake and it was 2-1. After half time Wednesday started to dominate and scored a leveller and then had a few other chances and looked the likely winner but United did start to get back into it. With a few minutes left a great run down the left saw a super cross begging to be converted and it was at the far post. The United players went berserk and piled on top of each other. The final whistle went soon after. The captain a midfielder looked a decent player and a few others showed some neat touches. The game was quite even though overall.
In the u18 game, not sure who played (the lovely mods on this forum posted the following as the team: so guessing it is right)
GK Perryman, RB Charlesworth, CB Cummings, CB Graham, LB Cantrill, RW Greaves, CM Slater, CM Gilmour, LW Mallon, FW Burton, FW Hallam
United lost this game 2-0. It was a daft scoreline. I cannot recall Wednesday having more than two shots on goal. United who may have been feeling things from the game in the week that went extra time in the youth cup controlled the game but were poor in the final third and when they did get into good areas the finishing was really dire. The lad Hallam who has been banging them in for fun miskicked twice right in front of goal after good work from the best player on the field by a mile, lad called Mallon who looks a really good prospect.
We kicked down the hill first half and had most of the play and missed the two chances above and had a lot off corners/set plays that came to nothing. Wednesday were not in it until they had one appeal for a penalty when Graham made a bad foul but was adjudged outside the box and the United centre back got booked. Not long after they scored. It was a great goal as Hirst came off his man picked it up, turned and hit a great shot into the top corner from long range that beat the keeper all ends up.
Second half United again had most of the play. Hallam drew a save from a free kick and then had another one on one deflected wide. A few others scrambles came to nothing as United seemed shot shy in front of goal. Wednesday broke with about 15 minutes left and a cross from the right saw Hirst scored from close range. That was it game over really. United threw Cummings up top and had a few more half chances but the Wednesday defence played well and saw out the win.
Wednesday are right up there in the league too (was United's first defeat for 10 games and only second of the season) and do seem to have improved things at Academy level. They had some decent athletes and had two big lads at the back and also the very tall son of David Hirst; George who of course was the difference in the game. i have seen him three times before and not been impressed at all. I have to be honest and day he scored a great goal today and got the second but again he looked very clumsy (bambi on ice) and lacks pace, touch and awareness despite the goals which sounds ridiculous but maybe I don't know anything as he has been involved in the Weds u23s and also England representative throughout the age groups. The blond lad at the back was outstanding and the keeper had a good game too. They also had a decent fair haired lad in midfield that could run with the ball.
In terms of United we probably had the better players (not sure on respective ages in comparison- know we have a fair few of course playing for the u23's anyway) over the game and had more of the game. In that sense the result is not a massive concern.
Not going to rate players as not too sure who was who without a sheet (why dont they do those anymore - even some junior football teams can produce these!)
GK Perryman was a bit dithering and twice left through balls to his defence. He had no chance on the goal. His kicking was poor, he kicked it out twice but the wind did not help. One kick from a player he tried to float down the line and it ended up going out on the other side of the field!
RB Charlesworth had a bit of a mare I thought. Wednesday attacked down this side a lot and he was indecisive in his defending and they isolated the taller Hirst on him.
CB Cummings was solid. Great athlete and decent on the ball. He did lost his man a few times and he seemed to have Hirst and crucially lost him twice.
CB Graham is another lad who is similair in appearance (dont mean that in a racist way - he is tall and of similiar build aswell as having similiar hair!) but he struggled at times and his positional play let him down.
LB Cantrill was solid enough. He actually got forward well to support Mallon and put a few decent balls in. He lost his man though in build up to second.
RW Greaves did not really threaten much as we went more down the left
CM Slater is captain I believe normally - not sure if he was today - he is a tidy player who was busy and looks to get on the ball and pass it. Game did become scrappy in the wind and sometimes midfield was bypassed.
CM Gilmour. Thought he was quiet. Saw him last season and impressed me but he was not that influential today.
LW Mallon. Our best player by a long way. Put 2 or 3 great crosses in, good on the ball, tricky, skilful and inventive. He looks a bit languid on the ball but is quick over a few yards and decent with both feet although predominantly left footed. One to watch. Any relation of former Blade Ryan? (know that was asked on another post)
FW Burton is very slight and quite small. He ran around a lot but did not really threaten too much as the two big lads swallowed up most of the balls.
FW Hallam has been scoring a lot in the youth/u23 games but today had one of those days. He is lively and gets down the channels but missed two good chances with air shots at the ball when well placed. He then had another effort deflected wide and screwed another one off target. Decent free kick and corner taker - had one free kick saved.
Overall, despite the result and I am sure Wednesday crowing, I was not too despondent. United had as many, if not more talents on show on that game alone and played the better football and had more of the game and more chances. Despite me not being impressed wth Hirst, he put the ball in the net. If Hallam had been on his game, we could have been the winners of course so it is fine margins.
It is enjoyable going up there and great to see two games (free of charge) with some decent stuff. I always feel the slopes and the wind up there do not help games (could they not level the pitches out - would it cost that much to do that? - the slope really spoils an excellent playing surface) but teams/players generally do well despite these factors.
Apologies if I got any of the names/facts wrong. I was struggling to feel my fingers for much of the second half and my concentration started to waver towards getting a hot drink when I got back home!
