U21s: United XI Pre-Season Games

Just seen this, can someone link me up please, thanks.
 
Tunnicliffe is not very impressive at all. A good tackler with lots of determination in his play but his football intelligence and technical qualities are a long way off United standards.
 
Cheers backofthenet and dr twinny.
 
How have we been playing? More importantly, how's Bebe been playing?
 
SkeppyRed said:
Tunnicliffe is not very impressive at all. A good tackler with lots of determination in his play but his football intelligence and technical qualities are a long way off United standards.
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Definitely. Thought a couple of years ago he had a shot, but he's just not there in terms of ability. Will definitely go on to have a good career though as theres a lot of sides in the Championship that would appreciate his skillset.
 
Genius Me! said:
How have we been playing? More importantly, how's Bebe been playing?
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Very disjointed. The central three of Ekangemene, Tunnicliffe and Petrucci haven't done a lot. Macheda and Bebe weren't good. Larnell was ok in the first half but is now out of position in the second half. Vermijl is better on the right than the left. I could go on!
 
SkeppyRed said:
Tunnicliffe is not very impressive at all. A good tackler with lots of determination in his play but his football intelligence and technical qualities are a long way off United standards.
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I feel the same Skeppy. He's another headless chicken. He loves to go forward, yet doesn't look up when making the pass. He wins lots of tackles but this is mainly due to sheer graft, not technique. He looked much better in his Academy days but I guess he took step backwards when he got promoted to the Reserves. He needs a good loan move. Another season of Reserve footie won't do him any good.
 
Was that pereira with that pass just then? Seems silky.
 
Wtf was what from Tunnicliffe the idiot.
 
Red card for Tunnicliffe. Silly push in the back of the opposing player. I see he was trying to protect Pearson but he didn't need to do that.
 
Did anyone see that tweet from Tunnicliffe about 18 months ago when there was all that talk about Morrison and then Pogba.

He said something like "don't worry, as long as united want me I won't be going anywhere"

Just a shame his talent doesn't match his loyalty to us. I don't See him making it here, the best thing he'll ever do I'm a united shirt is win his dad £10k.
 
Yeah you were right, Joemo.

FT 1-0 United. Deserved in the end but it was a disjointed performance overall. We matched them physically which was pleasing but our passing and movement was a bit off (to be expected in a first friendly match). Players who played okay were Lawrence, Petrucci, Cole and Thorpe.
 
Good win against an experienced physical team.

Funny how we took off a 22 and a 23 year old, and replaced them with a 19 and a 18 year old and all of a sudden we're a better team all over the pitch. Pearson, Lawrence and Perreira all did well and changed the game in our favour.
 
Also on a side note, good to see Petrucci back, such a shame his career has been riddled with injuries. Anyone think he's got a shot at impressing the gaffer and getting some first team chances?
 
SkeppyRed said:
Good win against an experienced physical team.

Funny how we took off a 22 and a 23 year old, and replaced them with a 19 and a 18 year old and all of a sudden we're a better team all over the pitch. Pearson, Lawrence and Perreira all did well and changed the game in our favour.
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Not really that surprising though, almost anyone could have predicted an improvement. It's been the story with the likes of Macheda, Bebe, Wootton etc for at least a year and probably two. They're well overdue moving on.

Am I right that Pereira is still only 17? Incredibly that he continues to play so far above his age level even now, when those sorts of things have usually evened out.
 
Brightonian said:
Not really that surprising though, almost anyone could have predicted an improvement. It's been the story with the likes of Macheda, Bebe, Wootton etc for at least a year and probably two. They're well overdue moving on.

Am I right that Pereira is still only 17? Incredibly that he continues to play so far above his age level even now, when those sorts of things have usually evened out.
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Thats true. Our 17-20s are already more talented than most of the 21 plus players in the reserve squad. Probably Vermijl and Petrucci are an exception to that.

Remarkable how much calmer Lawrence and Pearson were on the ball under pressure than Bebe, Macheda and Wooton despite being nearly 4 years younger.

Yes Periera is not 18 til January. The thing about that is he's not even extra physical for his age, he's just an incredible talent.
 
SkeppyRed said:
Yes Periera is not 18 til January. The thing about that is he's not even extra physical for his age, he's just an incredible talent.
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My favourite thing about him is his eye for an incredible tackle. As you say, he's not a big lad - he's got the build you'd expect from that sort of fast, technically gifted, creative player. And yet every now and then he'll come flying in with an absolutely pinpoint Vidic-esque tackle. So satisfying to watch a player who can beat three men in a row or curl in a perfect free-kick but can also pull off a beautiful sliding challenge.

Januzaj has taken the first small step towards a future in the first team, and if Moyes trusts him I genuinely believe he'll be blazing a trail for a good few more special talents to follow, notably Pearson and Pereira.
 
Friendly, Leigh Sports Village

UNITED RESERVES 1
(Lawrence 79)

CLUB BRUGGE 0

15/07/2013 20:51, Report by Adam Marshall
Reserves 1 Club Brugge 0

United's Reserves opened the pre-season campaign with a gritty 1-0 win over Club Brugge at Leigh Sports Village.

Substitute Tom Lawrence scored the only goal of the game with 11 minutes left against a side that finished third in last season's Belgian Pro League. Some of the challenges were far from friendly at times to ensure this was a real work-out as two players were booked and Ryan Tunnicliffe withdrawn on the referee's orders.

The pace was furious from the start despite it being the first match of Warren Joyce's squad's 2013/2014 campaign with Bebe lashing an instant chance wide following some wonderful skill by Larnell Cole on the right flank. The Belgians replied with a decent effort by Lior Refaelov before some controversy at the other end.

Bebe's shot-cum-cross drifted over Mathew Ryan but the assistant referee flagged, presumably for offside in the middle, and the referee, after consulting his fellow official, opted to rule the goal out. The ball was in the net again via Federico Macheda who had strayed too far forward after Marnick Vermijl latched onto a disguised pass by Davide Petrucci.

Brugge enjoyed a spell in the ascendancy with Maxime Lestienne bending off target and former Chelsea star Eidur Gudjohnsen, who has always enjoyed a fine record against the Reds, showing glimpses of quality as he drifted into a more attacking role.

Scott Wootton and Macheda were both booked for crunching challenges as the sparks began to fly and the match became better for it as Petrucci started to exert his influence in the middle of the park. It was the Italian's free-kick that appeared to lead to Macheda flicking wide after Cole helped the ball on, although a corner was given.

Petrucci saw a drive blocked at the start of the second half while Scott Wootton made a tremendous saving tackle to thwart Lestienne after he was teed up by Gudjohnsen. Ryan comfortably held a curler by Petrucci and Joyce decided to make a tactical reshuffle with Cole shifting to right-back and Ben Pearson and Lawrence getting a taste of the action.

The Belgian side should really have gone ahead but spurned a couple of gilt-edged chances, firstly when Refaelov's superb turn released Lestienne and then when Lestienne unselfishly squared to Timmy Simons. However, on both occasions, the ball was blazed wildly over Sam Johnstone's bar.

Andreas Pereira almost carved out an opening at the other end but his delightful chipped pass was agonisingly out of the reach of Petrucci, who broke forward through the middle. Predictably, it was Petrucci who had a hand in the winner with 11 minutes left as he guided the ball into the path of Lawrence, who finished calmly, prodding beyond Ryan.

A flare-up led to the referee instructing Joyce to substitute Tunnicliffe and his replacement, the impressive Jack Barmby, almost added a second but Ryan won a one-on-one duel and Pereira's drive from the rebound deflected for a corner. Both sets of players embraced sportingly at the end of a feisty encounter.

United: Johnstone; Grimshaw (Lawrence 53), Thorpe, Wootton, Vermijl; Cole, Ekangamene, Tunnicliffe (Barmby 82), Petrucci, Bebe (Pearson 53); Macheda (Pereira 63). Subs not used: Gollini, Rowley, Love, Wilson, Rothwell.
 
Just to clarify Tunnicliffe was not sent off the ref was sensible and asked United to sub him because he was likely to be sent off. Having watched the game I thought Brugge were very unprofessional and very petty especially considering they were supposed to be the senior side. I thought they were pathetic in their diving and gamesmanship, obviously they are not going to be happy to be getting beaten by kids especially when they had a few international players in their team but they were very quick to remind the ref it was a friendly as soon as united put in a tackle and yet complained every time there wa a free against them and attempted to pressure the referee. I know it wont be agreed with by most but I have no problem with what Tunnicliffe did as it was the 4th or 5th time Blondel lashed out in the match and the ref clearly wasnt going to do anything about it
 
I have a 'problem' with it mainly because it's just not a professional thing to do, although I can understand it and would probably lash out as well. Not a big deal though.
 
I also had a problem with it, he pushed the guy in the back. I'm not sure what happened before that as I sort of missed what went on but I saw a replay of Pearson's challenge and it didn't look too pretty with his leg flying in the air.
 
That Blondel lad was going after Pearson after a nothing challenge, and Tunnicliffe did the right thing by sticking up for him, in my opinion.
 
I have a problem with it in that he has not kept his cool. The Belgians were doing everything they could to wind the lads up, and Tunnicliffe reacted. You've got to rise above that crap where possible. The tackle by Pearson was a foot raised and a little naughty. That said, Blondel was definitely out to try to intimadate Pearson with his reaction, but Tunnicliffe did not need to raise his hands. Needs to smarten up.
 
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