18s vs Southampton

Could be about 5-0 already. Their keeper Dylan Moody, who incidentally is the son of England rugby legend Lewis, has made several brilliant saves.
 
Southampton make their way back into the game, Harrison makes several saves (one outstanding) before Sharpe is released on the counter his shot is saved but loops high into the air for Wheatley to bundle home
 
Sharpe's acceleration is bonkers
 
Well worked goal that.
 
Wheatley gets his 4th and United's 5th, turning into another massacre.
 
How has Wheatley looked? He generally doesn't look that impressive but always pops up with a goal which is a good trait for a striker to have.
 
Best U18-team we have had during my time as a United-fan
 
Saints pull one back, 1-5.
 
Best U18-team we have had during my time as a United-fan
Think the U18 team with Garner, Laird and Greenwood had the better individual talents but this team has talent in basically every position.
 
How has Wheatley looked? He generally doesn't look that impressive but always pops up with a goal which is a good trait for a striker to have.

I don't really rate him that highly at this point but his 3rd was a lovely finish
 
Not yet officially through but it would take a 7-goal win for Wolves or Reading to overtake us. They play on December 5th.
 
Think the U18 team with Garner, Laird and Greenwood had the better individual talents but this team has talent in basically every position.

That team, as you pointed out, had a few obvious weaknesses and depth was lacking. Nor was the team as balanced as this.

But Elanga, Greenwood, Laird (who was injured a lot), Garner and Brandon Williams really stood out in that team....but if 1-2 of those players were missing we used players like Carney, Hockenhull, Denham, McGhee and McCann who were nowhere near the same class as todays team. Fojticek, Laird, Bernard, Williams (as a central defender) and Puigmal was nowhere near the same class as we have today....
 
Yet another impressive victory from this team, and I mean that in every sense of the word. They fight for and cover each other, have some very good interplay and can seemingly rotate personnel and still produce results

A whole bunch of good performances but Amass was good going forward, Fitzgerald is really composed and competitive. Rare combo and Jack Fletcher is very classy.

A nod to Wheatley also. He did well to follow up for the first two and the third was a sign of his confidence. He does get very frustrated and this can affect his game for me. You could see he was fired up after the second goal but after a chat with Jackson he appeared refocused. Positive levels of maturity all round.
 
Yet another impressive victory from this team, and I mean that in every sense of the word. They fight for and cover each other, have some very good interplay and can seemingly rotate personnel and still produce results

A whole bunch of good performances but Amass was good going forward, Fitzgerald is really composed and competitive. Rare combo and Jack Fletcher is very classy.

A nod to Wheatley also. He did well to follow up for the first two and the third was a sign of his confidence. He does get very frustrated and this can affect his game for me. You could see he was fired up after the second goal but after a chat with Jackson he appeared refocused. Positive levels of maturity all round.
Any decent central defenders possibly coming through?

@lysglimt
 
Any decent central defenders possibly coming through?

@lysglimt
I find it a bit difficult to assess central defenders but I’m one to look for positives so see something in them all.

Kingdon the captain was has improved the most for me this season. Maybe because I rated him the lowest, but his passing and distribution better than I thought. Both him and Jackson were very solid. Jackson too is good on the ball, and covers his back line well.
The youngest of the three is Munro. Reminds me of the prototype United have had recently in the R Williams/Axel Tuenzebe mold. More athletic and less physical than the other too but also tries to play from the back. Maybe a bit cliche but the similarities are there.
 
I find it a bit difficult to assess central defenders but I’m one to look for positives so see something in them all.

Kingdon the captain was has improved the most for me this season. Maybe because I rated him the lowest, but his passing and distribution better than I thought. Both him and Jackson were very solid. Jackson too is good on the ball, and covers his back line well.
The youngest of the three is Munro. Reminds me of the prototype United have had recently in the R Williams/Axel Tuenzebe mold. More athletic and less physical than the other too but also tries to play from the back. Maybe a bit cliche but the similarities are there.
Thanks.

We’ve brought players through over the years (some more successful than others) but not many CHs, well not who have REALLY looked like could be a decent top six PL player? It’d be nice to see one come through
 
Any decent central defenders possibly coming through?

@lysglimt
Not really.

Of the oldest Will Fish is the best and doing well at Hibernian but is unlikely to make the jump to top of the Premier League. Of the next age groups Tyler Fredricson is easily the best but has been injured for over a year now and who knows how good he will come back. The others in the u21s, Bennett, Kambwala, and Aljofree are just different shades of alright to decent.

In the u18s Kingdon and Jackson are just more decently solid but not remotely stand out defenders. Munro possibly is higher calibre but at 16 he is miles away from senior football.
 
Thanks.

We’ve brought players through over the years (some more successful than others) but not many CHs, well not who have REALLY looked like could be a decent top six PL player? It’d be nice to see one come through
Yeah that’s definitely an area where I’d like us to bring bring someone through. A leader to help set the style and play of the team. No Rio’s at the moment though.
 
Glad Wheatley got his four goals today. I think he is an important focal point for the team..

His play has a lot of room for improvement but I like him,
for a big boy he's quite mobile who works hard with his running, pressing and link-up play
A good team player.
 
Not really.

Of the oldest Will Fish is the best and doing well at Hibernian but is unlikely to make the jump to top of the Premier League. Of the next age groups Tyler Fredricson is easily the best but has been injured for over a year now and who knows how good he will come back. The others in the u21s, Bennett, Kambwala, and Aljofree are just different shades of alright to decent.

In the u18s Kingdon and Jackson are just more decently solid but not remotely stand out defenders. Munro possibly is higher calibre but at 16 he is miles away from senior football.


Yeah that is pretty close to spot on - central defenders have always been a problem for us. Kambwala has the highest potential, but he has been out injured so much I have more or less given up on him. Aljofree is a classy defender - but is probably too small and not fast enough to play at the highest level. Munro has a lot of potential - but I question his ability on the ball to go all the way. He always looks a bit insecure when he is put under pressure. I kind of like Kingdon - but he is also a good solid defender, rather than a WOW-factor. And Fredricson I had almost forgotten about
 
Yeah that is pretty close to spot on - central defenders have always been a problem for us. Kambwala has the highest potential, but he has been out injured so much I have more or less given up on him. Aljofree is a classy defender - but is probably too small and not fast enough to play at the highest level. Munro has a lot of potential - but I question his ability on the ball to go all the way. He always looks a bit insecure when he is put under pressure. I kind of like Kingdon - but he is also a good solid defender, rather than a WOW-factor. And Fredricson I had almost forgotten about

Very good summary of the situation. Munro is probably the best 1v1 defender out of all of them and reads the game quite well for his age but is by far the clumsiest on the ball. Aljofree is the opposite in that he is probably the classiest on the ball but the weakest physically.
 
I actually thought Munro was pretty good on the ball. He got caught a few times but I’d expect that from a young player. Not a natural, but I wouldn’t say a weakness either.
 
I actually thought Munro was pretty good on the ball. He got caught a few times but I’d expect that from a young player. Not a natural, but I wouldn’t say a weakness either.

He reminds me a lot of Wan-Bissaka in that he looks somewhat clumsy on the ball but actually he's quite comfortable with it. Once he grows into his body more I think he'll be a bit smoother.
 
He reminds me a lot of Wan-Bissaka in that he looks somewhat clumsy on the ball but actually he's quite comfortable with it. Once he grows into his body more I think he'll be a bit smoother.
I totally can see him developing this trait for sure. He had a decent long pass too from the games I saw. As you mentioned him I get the clumsy comparison with Wan Bissaka, perceptions and that. But I see more of him in Kamason. Maybe just me.
 
Not yet officially through but it would take a 7-goal win for Wolves or Reading to overtake us. They play on December 5th.

Wolves beat Reading 3-0 today so confirmation that we're top of the group & through. The teams we could potentially face are: Leicester, West Ham, Arsenal, Villa, City, Chelsea & Crystal Palace.