FA Youth Cup 4th Round Swindon Town vs Man United 16/1/2024

They're playing us off the park.
 
I like Wheatley for some odd reason even though he hasn't really wowed this season. Feel like he has some attributes, which if he can improve upon, can be a useful striker but he has been proper shite today.

Also, Missin needs to be moved to left. Him and Amass had some good chemistry during the early parts of the season and like I said before the game, he has looked lost playing on the right.

He is slow, doesn't score goals and lacks physique - apart from that he is ok
 
Get Curley and McAllister on for Devaney and Fitzgerarld
 
It's uncharacteristic of this side

At first they lacked energy. Now in the last 20 minutes, they've just not been good enough with the ball.

I would say the only one performing to their usual standard is Amass (lb). Devaney (DM) has been better than the first 20 min or so too. Nothing to write home about though.

I'm sure it is as no team is winning many games playing like this.

The passing and play on the ball in general is absolutely horrible. Worst I've seen it from a United youth team. Usually there's at least two or three who look comfortable even on a bad day
 
Everything is "cracking" with this commentator. feck off mate.
 
Much, much better last 5 minutes.
 
Trying to figure out who has been the least awful player - but I really can't think of anyone
 
He is slow, doesn't score goals and lacks physique - apart from that he is ok
:lol:. He does score goals. He is also quite big; if he can put some muscle on can be a decent weapon in the air. Saying that, we are probably in agreement that he isn't good enough, just on different levels.
 
Don't know why we keep going down the right when every player on that side is having an absolute mare
 
Swindon are 13 points behind Plymouth U18 - just ahead of Cheltenham, in 5th place in group D of the third highest league. So basically they are like the 60th best U18 side in England

Just to give people an idea of how bad this is
 
I thought Fletcher was supposed to be highly rated as well. I'm not sure he's found a team mate with a pass or made a good decision on the ball all game
 
:lol:. He does score goals. He is also quite big; if he can put some muscle on can be a decent weapon in the air. Saying that, we are probably in agreement that he isn't good enough, just on different levels.

5 goals in 16 matches - 4 scored in 1 game. Not exactly prolific
 
Really disappointing. The players don’t have a clue how to get back into this
 
clearly they've underestimated swindon and thought they'll just show up and win

good lesson
 
This would have to be the first u18 football I watch this season! They look like they lack an individual talent
 
Reminds me of the season Greenwood single-handedly destroyed the almost unbeatable Chelsea youth-team - and then we had a shocker in the next round against Brighton (and not the Brighton-side of today)
 
Fair play to Swindon for winning but pathetic how every challenge leads to an apparent injury for them.
 
We have coaches on the bench right?

We're playing the ball to the right every single time even though we don't know what to do with it when it gets there and just run into a dead end every single time.

Players at this level need some direction surely
 
One thing I notice is that we hardly put any power on the ball when we are passing - it rolls slowly to a teammate every time. No wonder Swindon can contain us so easily....no tempo at all
 
We have coaches on the bench right?

We're playing the ball to the right every single time even though we don't know what to do with it when it gets there and just run into a dead end every single time.

Players at this level need some direction surely

They could do with it in the first team tbf....
 
Reminds me of the season Greenwood single-handedly destroyed the almost unbeatable Chelsea youth-team - and then we had a shocker in the next round against Brighton (and not the Brighton-side of today)

Brighton a slightly different proposition to Swindon tbf. To suggest anyones at Greenwoods level is insanity.
 
Brighton a slightly different proposition to Swindon tbf. To suggest anyones at Greenwoods level is insanity.
That isn't what he's suggesting at all.
 
One thing I notice is that we hardly put any power on the ball when we are passing - it rolls slowly to a teammate every time. No wonder Swindon can contain us so easily....no tempo at all
The pitch is in terrible condition, so quick passes won't cut it. Almost every quick pass has bobbled and slowed down in its path, and this has played into Swindon's hands tonight.
 
Brighton a slightly different proposition to Swindon tbf. To suggest anyones at Greenwoods level is insanity.

No but we beat the by far best team in the country - and in the next round every single player dropped their perfomance by 20%. Brighton at the time were fighting relegation to League 1 at first-team level
 
The attack just isn't good enough. This team has largely relied on the brilliance of its midfield, and when they perform like tonight it's not a surprise that they can go out like that. Compared to past u18 sides that had some brilliant attackers, it just makes it more difficult a job.
 
The pitch is in terrible condition, so quick passes won't cut it. Almost every quick pass has bobbled and slowed down in its path, and this has played into Swindon's hands tonight.

The decision making is as bad if not worse than the passing. Fletcher juat had an easy ball on through the middle, but instead cuts in to pointlessly best his man then tries a less effective, less simple ball out wide which he places directly at a Swindon player. Then 10 seconds later someone else tries to beat a Swindon player and loses the ball in their iwn half when there were 4 team mates unmarked surrounding him.

I try not to get annoyed with games at this level but even at this level there are supposed to be standards.

There's three or four who either have no footballing ability at all or have somehow had a 90 minute long meltdown
 
The attack just isn't good enough. This team has largely relied on the brilliance of its midfield, and when they perform like tonight it's not a surprise that they can go out like that. Compared to past u18 sides that had some brilliant attackers, it just makes it more difficult a job.
They're really missing Lacey.
 
The decision making is as bad if not worse than the passing. Fletcher juat had an easy ball on through the middle, but instead cuts in to pointlessly best his man then tries a less effective, less simple ball out wide which he places directly at a Swindon player. Then 10 seconds later someone else tries to beat a Swindon player and loses the ball in their iwn half when there were 4 team mates unmarked surrounding him.

I try not to get annoyed with games at this level but even at this level there are supposed to be standards
Yeah, they haven't been good enough. Given how much sharper they are in their other matches, this is most definitely down to a difference in mentalities and attitudes between the two teams. The whole team started giving up as the second half got closer to the end.
 
No but we beat the by far best team in the country - and in the next round every single player dropped their perfomance by 20%. Brighton at the time were fighting relegation to League 1 at first-team level

Not that you're wrong about us dropping performance levels in that game but it was 18/19, when Brighton were a Prem side..
 
Fair enough. I thought he scored more than that.

He has, 9 goals in all comps (although 4 in one game, as mentioned).

I do like him and think he has the tools to be a good centre-forward but he's unbelievably frustrating & his attitude really needs work if he wants a future in the game.
 
Saw only the last 10 minutes or so. They were awful, couldn't put two passes together. Really poor
 
Yeah, they haven't been good enough. Given how much sharper they are in their other matches, this is most definitely down to a difference in mentalities and attitudes between the two teams. The whole team started giving up as the second half got closer to the end.

Tbh as soon as Swindon got the first you could see this coming because there wasn't a single United player who looked like they were comfortable enough on the ball to do anything with it.

Past years when we've done well there's always been players who have some composure and control on the ball, because they have enough ability to know they can make something happen.

It looked like every single one of them tonight was trying to do something with the ball before they'd even decided what. The pitch didn't help but that's more reason NOT to rush things you aren't capable of pulling off.

It can happen at u18 level I suppose but it was very frustrating to watch. It needed someome on the bench telling them to calm things down and stick to a strategy and I didn't see any evidence of that.
 
It’s kind of a once in a generation deal for Utd to win the fa youth cup anyway. As long as this team eventually produces a player or two for the first team squad there’s not much else to say. I couldn’t watch this match for more than 10 minutes. It was legitimately shocking and the commentary was crap too