Milk Cup 2014

Not the best performance (Seemed bit tired and missing a few players ) but Champions again.

The goal was class combination play.


We should sign Borg based on today's performance, and our lack of LB's. With his physique and technique won't be surprised if he pushes into the U21s quick too if we do.
 
The lads scored about 20 seconds after I switched on. Coincidence? I think not.

Gribbin was class during them final 15 minutes or so. Great ball to Mitchell for the goal and there's something so natural about how he glides about with the ball at his feet.
 
Elliott said:
The lads scored about 20 seconds after I switched on. Coincidence? I think not.

Gribbin was class during them final 15 minutes or so. Great ball to Mitchell for the goal and there's something so natural about how he glides about with the ball at his feet.
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To me he seems the best talent of this group along with Rashford. Haven't seen much of Kehinde, Kenyon etc.. though.

When/If he gets it together can be a really nice player.
 
Really excited by demi Mitchell. he seems like a raheem sterling like player, if he keeps improving I can see a big future for him.
 
FromTheBench said:
To me he seems the best talent of this group along with Rashford. Haven't seen much of Kehinde, Kenyon etc.. though.

When/If he gets it together can be a really nice player.
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Makela and Kenyon should be in Milk Cup squad as well IMO if not for Nike Cup and injury.

(although if I'm not wrong they're too young to be allowed to play in this age group).

I really look forward on how Thompson,Tuanzebe and Rashford do this season for the U18s.Will be our core players IMO.
 
FromTheBench said:
Not the best performance (Seemed bit tired and missing a few players ) but Champions again.

The goal was class combination play.


We should sign Borg based on today's performance, and our lack of LB's. With his physique and technique won't be surprised if he pushes into the U21s quick too if we do.
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Strange that you mention his physique he's actually pretty small and skinny and was beaten for strength on a fair few occasions over the tournament and it looked his main weakness for me along with aerial ability. He has a nice touch and pace and has a really good engine though he never stops running.
 
jb8521 said:
Strange that you mention his physique he's actually pretty small and skinny and was beaten for strength on a fair few occasions over the tournament and it looked his main weakness for me along with aerial ability. He has a nice touch and pace and has a really good engine though he never stops running.
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Hmm..Maybe he was playing against a smaller guy today, hence looked to get better of him with strength few times. Seems a fairly tall guy, probably needs to fill out a bit more as you say. But showed nice composure and technique along with Pace.

khoazany said:
Makela and Kenyon should be in Milk Cup squad as well IMO if not for Nike Cup and injury.

(although if I'm not wrong they're too young to be allowed to play in this age group).

I really look forward on how Thompson,Tuanzebe and Rashford do this season for the U18s.Will be our core players IMO.
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How do you expect the U18s to lineup this season ?

Wonder if Kehinde and Gribbin get in ahead.
 
FromTheBench said:
How do you expect the U18s to lineup this season ?

Wonder if Kehinde and Gribbin get in ahead.
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I haven't watched much of McTominay and Rathbone but I would assumed we'll rotate Redmond,Thompson,McTominay and Kehinde in midfield with Gribbin and Scott getting game times here and there.Really depends on the tactic that McGuinness will deploy I hope he'll play 3-3-1-3 I think it best suit the squad.

Gonna be something like this if I were the manager:
Henderson(Dorrington,Byrne)
Williams(Reid,Warren) - Tuanzebe(Dunne) - CBJ
Redmond(Scott) - Thompson(Gribbin) - McTominay(Kehinde)
Rashford(Gribbin)
Riley(Dearnley,Johnson) - Croskery(Rashford,Obi?) - Mitchell(Rathbone,Makela)

If we sign Mensah then he might replace Williams with Tuanzebe shifted to midfield occasionally.
 
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khoazany said:
I haven't watched much of McTominay and Rathbone but I would assumed we'll rotate Redmond,Thompson,McTominay and Kehinde in midfield with Gribbin and Scott getting game times here and there.Really depends on the tactic that McGuinness will deploy I hope he'll play 3-3-1-3 I think it best suit the squad.

Gonna be something like this if I were the manager:
Henderson(Dorrington,Byrne)
Williams(Reid,Warren) - Tuanzebe(Dunne) - CBJ
Redmond(Scott) - Thompson(Gribbin) - McTominay(Kehinde)
Rashford(Gribbin)
Riley(Dearnley,Johnson) - Croskery(Rashford,Obi?) - Mitchell(Rathbone,Makela)

If we sign Mensah then he might replace Williams with Tuanzebe shifted to midfield occasionally.
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Thats an extremely unbalanced team
 
jb8521 said:
Thats an extremely unbalanced team
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How is it unbalanced?I've seen a pretty similar line-up being used in Milk Cup (Scott for Redmond in midfield but Thompson could be used as a "4" instead of a "8" so it's still close enough).

If we want to use wing-backs then we can take out a CMs and replace with a LWB (Borg?) then play Riley/Scott as RWB.
 
khoazany said:
How is it unbalanced?I've seen a pretty similar line-up being used in Milk Cup (Scott for Redmond in midfield but Thompson could be used as a "4" instead of a "8" so it's still close enough).
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You atleast need wingbacks or Wide midfielders ahead to track down the line when playing 3 at the back. I imagine Scott or someone else played as the RWB or RM tracking back with Borg on the other side.
 
FromTheBench said:
You atleast need wingbacks or Wide midfielders ahead to track down the line when playing 3 at the back. I imagine Scott or someone else played as the RWB or RM tracking back with Borg on the other side.
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I don't think with the players we have Borg will be a regular starter in his first year even if he signs.We have too many second-year offensive players and midfielders (plus Rashford) to give game times to.
 
khoazany said:
I don't think with the players we have Borg will be a regular starter in his first year even if he signs.We have too many second-year offensive players and midfielders (plus Rashford) to give game times to.
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I was talking about the formation you were referring at the Milk Cup. You need someone to track down the lines in 3 at the back system. Just can't leave 3 at the back themselves isolated completely with such a narrow team in front unless you are playing a 3-4-3 diamond with the players you listed which would be extremely tough to pull off and would require Redmond/Rathborne etc.. to pull out wide more.

And i think Borg will start regularly if he signs at LB/LWB from what i've seen/read of him. We don't have options there plus he seems highly rated and talented enough. Was pushing the U21s already at West Ham and doing the pre season with their U21s IIRC.
 
I was gonna ask do we have a left-back if we don't take on Borg?

I think Borthwick-Jackson has filled in there? He's a natural cb really though - and a good one.

Also any idea why Dunne wasn't in the Milk Cup squad?
 
bdecuc said:
I was gonna ask do we have a left-back if we don't take on Borg?

I think Borthwick-Jackson has filled in there? He's a natural cb really though - and a good one.

Also any idea why Dunne wasn't in the Milk Cup squad?
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Likely to be Borthwick-Jackson (he played there at the end of last season) or Scott/Reid playing out of position IMO.Our next natural LB is Lewis Thompson in the U15s if I'm not wrong.

I think Dunne was simply the case of we already had enough 18 players in the squad (he's below Williams/Warren in the pecking order last year despite being older) and Kehinde couldn't make it due to some reasons (might be visa issue like what happened in the Slovakia tour last season)
 
khoazany said:
Likely to be Borthwick-Jackson (he played there at the end of last season) or Scott/Reid playing out of position IMO.Our next natural LB is Lewis Thompson in the U15s if I'm not wrong.

I think Dunne was simply the case of we already had enough 18 players in the squad (he's below Williams/Warren in the pecking order last year despite being older) and Kehinde couldn't make it due to some reasons (might be visa issue like what happened in the Slovakia tour last season)
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Interesting. Kinda hope we take Borg so. He looked useful to me and would give some balance.

So cb is where we're gonna have plenty of options! All looked good players too. And if bring in the Dutch lad...

Adding Kehinde to that side excites me.
 
khoazany said:
How is it unbalanced?I've seen a pretty similar line-up being used in Milk Cup (Scott for Redmond in midfield but Thompson could be used as a "4" instead of a "8" so it's still close enough).

If we want to use wing-backs then we can take out a CMs and replace with a LWB (Borg?) then play Riley/Scott as RWB.
Click to expand...
khoazany said:
How is it unbalanced?I've seen a pretty similar line-up being used in Milk Cup (Scott for Redmond in midfield but Thompson could be used as a "4" instead of a "8" so it's still close enough).

If we want to use wing-backs then we can take out a CMs and replace with a LWB (Borg?) then play Riley/Scott as RWB.
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The way you have it set up is completely unbalanced not necessarily the personnel you have in it. In every game in the milk cup we had a right and left back, yes Borg was pushing up a lot and keeping width when attacking but when we were defending he was playing as a left back. The right back wasnt attacking as much but was still essentially playing as a right back and in every game apart from possibly the Partick Thistle game which I didnt see we had a natural centre back playing in the holding role which provided defensive stability. Thompson doesnt really play that role and all of the players in the midfield in your formation are attacking minded and neither Redmond or McTominay are particularly comfortable dropping into the wide areas when defending so we would get badly over run. If we do decide to play wing backs I think riley would be perfect for the right wing back role but were fairly lacking in the left sided role.
 
khoazany said:
I haven't watched much of McTominay and Rathbone but I would assumed we'll rotate Redmond,Thompson,McTominay and Kehinde in midfield with Gribbin and Scott getting game times here and there.Really depends on the tactic that McGuinness will deploy I hope he'll play 3-3-1-3 I think it best suit the squad.

Gonna be something like this if I were the manager:
Henderson(Dorrington,Byrne)
Williams(Reid,Warren) - Tuanzebe(Dunne) - CBJ
Redmond(Scott) - Thompson(Gribbin) - McTominay(Kehinde)
Rashford(Gribbin)
Riley(Dearnley,Johnson) - Croskery(Rashford,Obi?) - Mitchell(Rathbone,Makela)

If we sign Mensah then he might replace Williams with Tuanzebe shifted to midfield occasionally.
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Your back three makes sense with different options. But I think if we play a back three PMc will have a holding player in front of them like Scott or CBJ. So it will be a 3133 rather than a 3313.

Reid has played left back quite a lot (as has Thompson).

Kehinde will be preferred in front of McTominay in my opinion and Johnson is not a wide player so will be a MF back up.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Joe Riley at fullback if we revert to a back four.
 
khoazany said:
Likely to be Borthwick-Jackson (he played there at the end of last season) or Scott/Reid playing out of position IMO.Our next natural LB is Lewis Thompson in the U15s if I'm not wrong.

I think Dunne was simply the case of we already had enough 18 players in the squad (he's below Williams/Warren in the pecking order last year despite being older) and Kehinde couldn't make it due to some reasons (might be visa issue like what happened in the Slovakia tour last season)
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Jimmy Dunne has been injured for some time...
 
Mr. MUJAC said:
Your back three makes sense with different options. But I think if we play a back three PMc will have a holding player in front of them like Scott or CBJ. So it will be a 3133 rather than a 3313.

Reid has played left back quite a lot (as has Thompson).

Kehinde will be preferred in front of McTominay in my opinion and Johnson is not a wide player so will be a MF back up.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Joe Riley at fullback if we revert to a back four.
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Which type of player Johnson is exactly?I've never watched him play outside of Milk Cup highlights but first time I've heard about him he's a RB, then he played CB at Marveld and recently I saw some sources described him as a "tricky winger".
 
khoazany said:
Which type of player Johnson is exactly?I've never watched him play outside of Milk Cup highlights but first time I've heard about him he's a RB, then he played CB at Marveld and recently I saw some sources described him as a "tricky winger".
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Watched him for last couple of seasons…he can fill in virtually anywhere but lacks genuine pace… so can't see him as a winger.
 
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