That may be true but in that 9 years they have been competing at a slightly different level so be tough to get opportunities.
Miscellaneous Reserve/Youth News
- Thread starter Cevno
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That may be true but in that 9 years they have been competing at a slightly different level so be tough to get opportunities.
Shifting the goal posts a bit there.
Sonny Aljofree has joined Altrincham on loan for the rest of the season. Leaves us very short on CBs for both the 18s & 21s now.
We have: Kambwala (first-team), Fredricson (injured), Jackson, Kingdon & Munro. That's it.
Could see a few U16s step up & Huddlestone can potentially fill in there for the 21s if needed.
We have: Kambwala (first-team), Fredricson (injured), Jackson, Kingdon & Munro. That's it.
Could see a few U16s step up & Huddlestone can potentially fill in there for the 21s if needed.
Can still play for the 21s. Mather, Murray & Wooster also get similar loan moves
https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-academy-quartet-leave-in-innovative-loan-moves-2024
Would love to see this resulting in Kukonki getting exposure with the U18s but as you said it’s (unfortunately) probably more likely that Huddlestone plays as a CB for the U21s.
Hope Aljofree gets to play. At least they seemed to have liked the look of him last season if they wanted him back there.
Interesting that they’re still able to appear for the U21s, seems a good approach if they aren’t being selected that they’re still able to get minutes in some form.
I think with results in U18, Kingdon and Jackson will play more in U21, and Munro and probably one of U16 will get more chances in U18. That would be great way to give more experience to all of them.
There are less U21s games February onwards I think so it makes a lot of sense.
I expect Jackson and Kingdon to get a lot of U21s minutes from here, since I doubt we play Kwambala - Aljofree every game. We might finally see Mills, Armer, Kukonki on the U18s level more.
We also need to start pushing McAllister and Curley more to the U21s, considering we are left with only Collyer, Shoretire and, check notes, Huddlestone on midfield. Hansen's outgoing means Williams and Mather are probably first-choice for the U21s as long as Forson still with first team and Ennis still out, with Scanlon/Missin backup. And we still left with a 10 missing when Shoretire doesn't play there so I suspect Jack Fletcher will get some times too (ok we might just play Scanlon there).
So the U21s XI will probably have like half or more from the U18s when we add Nolan/Ogunneye, Harrison and Wheatley who are already starters there (Wheatley is second choice technically but McNeil is nowhere to be seen these days).
Kamason, Munro, Brennan, Ibragimov and Mantato needs to be U18s regulars moving forward.
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Any idea who are the new sensations of the coming batch coming to U18?
0-0 currently in the u18s game against arsenal.
Bit scrappy so far
Bit scrappy so far
Yup not a great game. McAllster looks decent as do the centre backs but Nolan is a bit disappointing ar right back
1-0 Kingdon after a corner.....tucks it into the net at the far post. Corner goes straight through the box and Kingdon wont score many easier goals in his career
Kingdom scores but awful defending by Arsenal
Think Fitzgerald hasn't had his best game and Fletcher has been pressed effectively, agreed about McAllister.
Think we’ve shaded it but the midfield has been below their usual standards today - Fitzgerald in particular quite sloppy.
Only our defenders can say they have a good game - everything has worked really hard defensively, but noone has done a lot going forward. But in fairness - Arsenal have also worked really hard defensively
Interesting to see that Nolan can match the Arsenal-winger for pace and he has a reputation for being pacy. Makes you realize how rapid that Liverpool-winger really is
1-1 Kamara - awful defending from Nolan, McAllister and Jackson who all let him walk past them on the outside. Harrison saves the first effort but he scores on the rebound.
Can he? He's really slow and gets beaten everytime he comes up against a winger one on one.
2-1 Williams - bodytackles a defender playing his way out of defense. Wins the ball and hammers it home from outside the box.
Bad defending from Nolan, McAllister and Jackson for Arsenal's equaliser.
Arsenal had been playing further up the pitch territorially this half thanks to the ref giving a few soft fouls their way.
Now 2-1 Williams with a great strike.
Arsenal had been playing further up the pitch territorially this half thanks to the ref giving a few soft fouls their way.
Now 2-1 Williams with a great strike.
Good strike from Williams there.
2-2 Nicholls - low shot from outside the box
Frustrating morning, and so keep having to miss little bits of the game. And managed to miss both of our goals while seeing both of theirs! 
Frustrating morning, and so keep having to miss little bits of the game. And managed to miss both of our goals while seeing both of theirs!
Well feck off back to whatever you were doing! FFS
Well feck off back to whatever you were doing! FFS
Wheatley through on goal - keeper saves. Thats Wheatleys problem - he is not a typical goalscorer
We ended very strongly but extra time it is.
That Jackson header from the set piece! Such a great chance. I always wonder how long defenders spend practicing headers like that? Which, considering they go up for every one, and it seems the main tactic to aim for them, you'd think they'd spend a decent amount in order to make themselves as big a threat as possible? But it never feels like most do.
Isn't practicing headers regulated these days?
Harry Amass looks a sensational player. The balance, poise and footwork to retain possession on the left flank whilst being pressured was absolutely top tier.
United lead 3-2 in extra time, Williams with his second.
United lead 3-2 in extra time, Williams with his second.
You mean for health & safety with brain damage studies, etc?
Yeah, maybe. But that's a very new thing, if so, and I'm talking about over the years as well. And I imagine they still have to practice heading it much higher and farther nowadays as clearances, so more controlled and directed headers as attacking threats probably less damaging to practice?
Nice two-footed player we have here in Williams. First goal with his left, now with his right. Interested to see if he will be sent out on loan next season as the next stage of his development.
Yes I'm sure I read somewhere that use of head is limited during training now for that reason
4-2
Wheatley is a really interesting profile. He can be very frustrating at times but his physicality combined with the all round game he’s shown today makes him an intriguing prospect.
3rd time lucky for Jackson!
3rd time lucky for Jackson!
Speaking of headers..
We're obsessed with two-footed players lately
Yeah, he keeps getting overlooked when people discuss either current kids for the first team, or future talent coming through (Lacey, Amass, etc). He seems to fall in neither group and so doesn't get a mention. But he seems to have plenty about him and he's one I'm hopeful about.
I think Amass is as likely as anyone to breakthrough to the first team