U21s: United vs. Bolton

Decotron said:
Nice interview from Will Keane there. Comes across as a mature lad. Great to see him back.
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Aye, gutted he got such a bad one just when he looked like making a breakthrough. Hope he has the determination to put that behind him and go on from here
 
So pleased for Will Keane. I thought he looked quite nimble for someone who's been out for 18 months, very encouraging.

All in all a tidy team performance, Varela and Lingard the standouts.
 
Barclays U21 Premier League
Salford City Stadium
Monday 16 September, 7pm
MANCHESTER UTD U21 4
(W.Keane 45, Lingard 50,85 Thorpe 60)

BOLTON U21 1
(Wilkinson 39)

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16/09/2013 20:47, Report by Adam Marshall
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U21s: United 4 Bolton 1

Manchester United's Under-21s had to come from behind as Will Keane marked his long-awaited return with the equaliser in a 4-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers.

The fit-again centre-forward cancelled out Conor Wilkinson's opener just before half time to spark a much improved second half display from his side that featured goals for fellow 2011 FA Youth Cup winners Jesse Lingard (2) and Tom Thorpe.

The Reds struggled as the rain fell in the first half and almost went behind to a Jan Gregus free-kick that clipped the bar. In front of the watching David Moyes, Bolton were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute when Ben Amos rushed from his goal to up-end Tom Youngs. The keeper atoned with a superb save, diving to his left to thwart Youngs from the spot.

Warren Joyce's side finally started to carve out some noteworthy chances with Tom Lawrence lashing over after an exchange of passes with Lingard and Adnan Januzaj blasting off target from long range. Cole, who displayed some neat skill at times, played a one-two with Lawrence but could only scuff his finish wide.

However, the visitors drew first blood when Cole was dispossessed and Tom Youngs raced past Guillermo Varela to set up Wilkinson and the ex-Millwall man stepped inside Michael Keane to bury a left-footed drive past Amos.

It stung United into a response as Januzaj was denied by Jay Lynch at the near post from a Tyler Blackett pass. From Januzaj's corner, Will Keane was on hand to level after Cole's wayward shot crashed against Lingard and fell kindly for him, the hitman chesting down and thumping home.

Despite Bolton feeling the goal was offside, MUTV replays proved otherwise and it was just the tonic as the second half started with the hosts in total control. After five minutes of sustained pressure, Lingard collected a pass from Blackett and invited the marauding left-back forward. From the defender's intelligent cut-back, Lingard side-footed past Lynch for a beautiful effort.

Now playing with pace and purpose, the Reds peppered Lynch's goal with attempts but Januzaj, Thorpe and Will Keane were all off target. So it was no surprise when Januzaj supplied a wicked inswinging free-kick from the right that was nodded past the exposed Lynch by Thorpe for a third goal.

Will Keane then made way, with just over an hour gone, and Lawrence was harshly booked for simulation after going down in the box before substitute Donald Love volleyed over the bar after more clever approach work had the Bolton defence at full stretch.

Last term's Under-21 champions camped in the Trotters' half for the remainder of the match and sub Jack Barmby forced a save out of Lynch and just failed to meet a driven cross by Love before clearing off his own line. Seconds later, Lingard won the ball inside the opposition half and went alone, drilling in a low drive for his second of the night.

There was still time for 16-year-old Cameron Borthwick-Jackson to make his debut at this level as a late replacement for Lawrence with United doubling the points tally for the season to six points from three games.

United: Amos; Varela (Barmby 70), Thorpe, M.Keane, Blackett; Januzaj, Cole, Ekangamene, Lingard, Lawrence (Borthwick-Jackson 86); W.Keane (Love 61). Subs not used: Sutherland, McConnell.
 
December_16 said:
How did Varela and Adnan do?
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I had Varela down as MoM, worked his socks off and showed his ability at either end of the pitch. Seems like a very consistent player, I've seen him 7 or 8 times now and he always performs. Januzaj's had better u21 outings but he showed the proverbial glimpses of quality.
 
Our young GKs seem to save a ridiculous number of penalties.
 
Elliott said:
I had Varela down as MoM, worked his socks off and showed his ability at either end of the pitch. Seems like a very consistent player, I've seen him 7 or 8 times now and he always performs. Januzaj's had better u21 outings but he showed the proverbial glimpses of quality.
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I thought Varela looked good going forward but was very naive defensively and caught out of position a lot in the first half in particular. I have liked what I have seen of him so far but thought it was a fairly immature performance tonight in that he just kept flying forward and leaving huge gaps behind him
 
Lingard without a doubt MOTM. Varela was our weakest player before the break, and was torn apart by Youngs several times when he positioned himself wrong.

When Bolton started to tire and he wasn't threatened defensively, he looked a much better player and contributed a lot going forward
 
Manchester United U21 4 Bolton U21 1: Lingard nets twice as Red Devils run riot

This was a Manchester United starting line-up littered with attacking flair, in line with all the traditions of youth teams of years gone by.
Jesse Lingard, one of the shining lights of United’s pre-season tour of Australia and Japan, roamed from the left while England under-20 international Larnell Cole cut in from the right.
Adnan Januzaj, the graceful forward of whom so much is expected at Old Trafford, provided glimpses of his attacking potential, operating in a floating No 10 position behind Will Keane.
Yet for over forty minutes, United struggled to create anything of substance, at times guilty of overplaying and overconfidence in the final third.


From the touchline, coach Warren Joyce urged, ‘Move it quicker, pass it sharper, more urgency’.Patience is a necessary trait in any successful side but on occasion in the first half, United reduced the game to a frustrating pedestrian pace, tiptoeing around the eighteen-yard box when an injection of speed was required.
United’s radar was wonky. Tom Lawrence shot over when fed by Januzaj, who himself sent a left-footed drive over minutes later.
To their credit, Bolton began this game as belligerent visitors, well-organised in defence and incisive in attack. Jan Gregus is a nimble, ball-playing presence in midfield, eclipsing United’s Tom Lawrence and Charni Ekangamene in the central acres early on.
It was Gregus who came closest in the opening moments, whipping a free-kick against the bar.
A subdued first-half, scattered with misplaced passes and needless fouls, was momentarily elevated above the mundane when two simple passes of unerring precision sliced United open.
Gregus was once again instrumental, collecting the ball in the quarter-back position and threading a smart ball through to Conor Wilkinson that bypassed the United midfield.
The forward scuttled away, and slid a measured pass inside United full-back Guillermo Varela and onto the onrushing Tom Youngs.
The winger beat goalkeeper Ben Amos to the loose ball, and fell under the challenge. Referee Ian Hussin pointed correctly for a penalty. Youngs took the responsibility but his effort was tame and central and saved down low by Amos.
Varela, a £2.5million summer acquisition, offers pace, movement and a attacking thrust from full-back, constantly overlapping and worrying opponents but the defensive side of the Uruguayan’s game requires some polish.
Varela was left with twisted blood and stretched sinews after a troublesome first-half that saw him regularly outpaced and out-thought by the excellent Youngs.


The Uruguayan only appeared more comfortable in the second-half when liberated from defensive responsibilities and allowed more freedom as he was pushed forward to right midfield.
There were, however positives worthy of accentuating for United.
Will Keane’s story has painted a bleak picture for the last sixteen months. Revered as one of England’s finest young forwards, he suffered a gut-wrenching cruciate knee ligament injury while representing England in May 2012.
Keane, whose twin brother Michael impressed at centre-half, won the club’s young player of the year award in 2010 and appeared in the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson towards the end of 2011.
There is little more cruel in football than a young player of high potential seeing their career endangered by injury and United staff will have been encouraged by Keane’s performance - marked with a goal - as he takes his first baby steps on the road to resurrecting his ambitions to become a first-team regular at Old Trafford.
Manager Warren Joyce said afterwards: ‘He is ahead of schedule. He was confident enough to score and we are happy he has come through sixty minutes.’
It was a poacher’s strike to draw United level, just before half-time and it served to settle United down, as Keane reacted first after a Larnell Cole volley deflected off team-mate Lingard into his path.
United had fallen behind just moments before as Youngs drove at Varela once more, resisting the temptation to fall and instead slipping the ball into Wilkinson in the penalty area.
The striker received the ball twelve yards out and was immediately confronted by the sizeable centre-back pairing of Michael Keane and Tom Thorpe. Wilkinson didn’t panic, taking a touch to control, before earning half-a-yard of space and squeezing a fine effort into the bottom corner.

After the break, United found their rhythm. Lingard, careless in possession in the first-half, sharpened up his game and it was his slotted finish five minutes after the break that handed United the lead for the first time.
With first-team coach Phil Neville watching on, there was much to admire in the performance of Adnan Januzaj, who grew in influence as the game wore on. His confident and graceful display excited United supporters against Crystal Palace on Saturday, and there were touches of real quality once again.
He was sublime at times, playing one-twos and rarely wasting possession regardless of the pressure being applied. It was his perfect, bending left-footed delivery that created United’s third, as his free-kick landed perfectly for Tom Thorpe to nod past goalkeeper Jay Lynch.
David Moyes today revealed that he is confident that Januzaj will sign a new contract with the Old Trafford club and United would do well to tie him down - and quickly.
Joyce could not confirm Moyes’ statement but did add: ‘He has worked really hard for Manchester United. He comes into training every day and does well.’

Bolton struggled to react in adversity, and offered little resistance as United strengthened their grip. Keane was substitued after an important hour in his battle to regain form and fitness but there would be no respite from the interplay of Lingard and Januzaj, who played the full ninety minutes
Indeed, it was Lingard who made the scoreline a little flattering for United, adding a fourth with a piercing, low drive into the bottom left-hand corner.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2423018/Manchester-United-U21-4-Bolton-U21-1-Adnan-Januzaj-scores-twice-United.html#ixzz2f8ITs3W0
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lysglimt said:
Lingard without a doubt MOTM. Varela was our weakest player before the break, and was torn apart by Youngs several times when he positioned himself wrong.

When Bolton started to tire and he wasn't threatened defensively, he looked a much better player and contributed a lot going forward
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I WOULD HAVE PICKED COLE AS M OF M, just, when he plays CM he really is a joy to watch.
The one thing i liked about Varela is despite having some torrid moments first half he never stopped wanting the ball or trying to do the right things and by the time he came off had turned his game around.
 
So many players there with great potential... Sadly most of them will ply their trade somewhere else...
 
Never heard of Borthwick-Jackson, has he come up from the u18s, or is he a new signing?
 
Minkaro said:
Never heard of Borthwick-Jackson, has he come up from the u18s, or is he a new signing?
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CB, playing U16's last year, handful of U18 apps this season. Still only 16 so very impressive him getting on for the U21s.
 
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