U23s - Manchester United vs Reading

First time I’ve watched this group and my first impressions are:

Williams is class- first team soon surely!!
Laird- I can see why there has been hype
Garner looks a step above the rest
Kovar is massive! Safe hands too.
Ramazani looks exciting

On the other hand:
Bernard looks clumsy
Levitt and Puigmal look tidy but don’t think they’ll make it to the first team
Mellor works hard but again don’t think he’ll make it.
 
I like Mellor, he is relentless in pressing and off the ball movement.
 
Devil1 said:
First time I’ve watched this group and my first impressions are:

Williams is class- first team soon surely!!
Laird- I can see why there has been hype
Garner looks a step above the rest
Kovar is massive! Safe hands too.
Ramazani looks exciting

On the other hand:
Bernard looks clumsy
Levitt and Puigmal look tidy but don’t think they’ll make it to the first team
Mellor works hard but again don’t think he’ll make it.
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You watch them for 45 mins and decide who you think will make it ?
 
Stobzilla said:
As long as he keeps scoring goals that kind of effort and dedication to the press won't go un-noticed. I hope it continues because I do like pulling for an underdog in the underage groups.
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Yeah, also similar goals in 2 games. Few more of those type, we can rename that sort of goal as "Mellor goal".
 
Really poor start to the 2nd half. Reading taken over completely. Puigmal saved a corner off the line. Williams with several defensive mistakes already.
 
There's not an ounce of technical ability in this Reading side, alll brawn and no brain. If they had a good technical player they could have had a goal or two by now.
 
Bernard puts a volley over the bar from 4 yards out after a short corner. Should have taken that ball on his head.
 
AltiUn said:
There's not an ounce of technical ability in this Reading side, alll brawn and no brain. If they had a good technical player they could have had a goal or two by now.
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What a stupid thing to write….
 
Mellor was covering LB and once defending was done he was on the ball in our reading box.
 
Levitt really should have passed it to Garner there. Great pass from Puigmal.
 
lysglimt said:
Bernard puts a volley over the bar from 4 yards out after a short corner. Should have taken that ball on his head.
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Yeah. Would have been easier to score with his head.
 
Ramazani shoots just over the bar from a good position. United taken control of the game again now with 20 + mins to go.
 
AltiUn said:
There's not an ounce of technical ability in this Reading side, alll brawn and no brain. If they had a good technical player they could have had a goal or two by now.
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Meat and potatoes as Noggies call it.
 
Williams looks a different player this half- dwelling on the ball in dangerous areas? What’s he been like previously for those who have watched him previously?
 
We’ve settled down a bit now, knocking on the door for a 2nd.

EDIT: there’s the 2nd.
 
Dreadful mistake by Reading. Mellor capitalizes on a poor throw in...places a neat pass to Garner who strikes it home. 2-0

Not smart to throw directly to an opponent 20 yards from your own goal
 
Having the kind of impact Garner has on these games at his age is pretty impressive. He looks like someone a few years older who's grown in confidence/status.
 
Ramazani's been a bit sloppy in his general play. He's looked dangerous at times, but his general play as been sloppy.
 
Devil1 said:
Williams looks a different player this half- dwelling on the ball in dangerous areas? What’s he been like previously for those who have watched him previously?
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I think he's brilliant. Good going forward, defending and a bit of bite about him.
 
Think the side has suffered from Gailbraith's play. Nothing to do with the last play, just that he hasn't quite linked dangerous attacks like he did last match.
 
Thought Garner and Mellor were the sharpest players. Thought Puigmal didn't do much wrong and thus was the 3rd best player. Others had more mistakes in them. Williams had a lot of great play, but also had mistakes.
 
Player rating:

Kovar - 7 - stopped the little Reading threw at him. A couple of good saves and solid in the air.

Williams - 6 - looked sharp going forward, but he lost the ball 3 times in defense in the 2nd half. 2 of them were sloppy - that has to go if he is gonna take the step up.

Bernard - 6 - did nothing wrong and was solid enough. But wasn't put under much pressure and doesn't look comfortable on the ball.

O'Connor -7 - started as central defender, moved to right back when Laird was injured. The best of the defenders. Solid defensively and with the ball at his feet.

Laird - 7 - bombed forward every chance he got, lacked a bit of an end-product. Solid defensively, substituted after 38 minutes with an injury.

Ercolani - 6 - did a good job after coming in. You hardly noticed he was on the pitch. That is his strength and weakness - he does his job, but he doesn't stand out in any way.

Galbraith - 6 - hard-working and does a good job, but he looks a level below Levitt and especially Garner.

Levitt - 6 - didn't quite get it right today. Some good passes but can do much better and his shots weren't at his usual level.

Puigmal - 7 - lively. Looks to have taken a step from last season. Combines hard-work with some neat passes.

Garner - 8 - best when he wants to be. Once again he reminds me of Pogba in his style of play. Appears to play at 80% for most of the game and then has 2-3 flashes of brilliance when he feels the team needs it.

Ramazani - 6 - some good moments, but not enough. Mostly anonymous and his end-product wasn't good enough today.

Mellor - 8 - surprisingly good. Good goal, and worked his socks off defensively. Very alert to steal the ball and play in Garner for the 2nd goal.
 
In Rainbows said:
Thought Garner and Mellor were the sharpest players. Thought Puigmal didn't do much wrong and thus was the 3rd best player. Others had more mistakes in them. Williams had a lot of great play, but also had mistakes.
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Agree with you 100%
 
which of these have the best chances to make it at United beyond Garner and Laird? O'Connor maybe? Levitt, Williams?
 
lysglimt said:
Player rating:

Kovar - 7 - stopped the little Reading threw at him. A couple of good saves and solid in the air.

Williams - 6 - looked sharp going forward, but he lost the ball 3 times in defense in the 2nd half. 2 of them were sloppy - that has to go if he is gonna take the step up.

Bernard - 6 - did nothing wrong and was solid enough. But wasn't put under much pressure and doesn't look comfortable on the ball.

O'Connor -7 - started as central defender, moved to right back when Laird was injured. The best of the defenders. Solid defensively and with the ball at his feet.

Laird - 7 - bombed forward every chance he got, lacked a bit of an end-product. Solid defensively, substituted after 38 minutes with an injury.

Ercolani - 6 - did a good job after coming in. You hardly noticed he was on the pitch. That is his strength and weakness - he does his job, but he doesn't stand out in any way.

Galbraith - 6 - hard-working and does a good job, but he looks a level below Levitt and especially Garner.

Levitt - 6 - didn't quite get it right today. Some good passes but can do much better and his shots weren't at his usual level.

Puigmal - 7 - lively. Looks to have taken a step from last season. Combines hard-work with some neat passes.

Garner - 8 - best when he wants to be. Once again he reminds me of Pogba in his style of play. Appears to play at 80% for most of the game and then has 2-3 flashes of brilliance when he feels the team needs it.

Ramazani - 6 - some good moments, but not enough. Mostly anonymous and his end-product wasn't good enough today.

Mellor - 8 - surprisingly good. Good goal, and worked his socks off defensively. Very alert to steal the ball and play in Garner for the 2nd goal.
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Unlike Pogba he is so tidy though. Always focused. The run he makes for his goal is all about concentration. He spot that opportunity and decide to go for it in a split second.
 
holdsteady said:
I think he's brilliant. Good going forward, defending and a bit of bite about him.
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What I noticed today is that he's not so strong as I first thought. Bullied off the ball one or two times.

However, Williams has been one of our best players this season so far. Has four assists in three games. Together with Mellor and Garner the players with most points which is very good for a left-back, especially as you look at Luke Shaw's points over the seasons. Could challenge him soon.
 
How does Garner do defensively in these games? Is he able to shut down the middle and control that area of the pitch?

Or is he, similar to the Pogba comparisons, more focused on hurting teams when we are in possession, and the other midfielders can do the bulk of the defending?
 
lysglimt said:
Player rating:

Kovar - 7 - stopped the little Reading threw at him. A couple of good saves and solid in the air.

Williams - 6 - looked sharp going forward, but he lost the ball 3 times in defense in the 2nd half. 2 of them were sloppy - that has to go if he is gonna take the step up.

Bernard - 6 - did nothing wrong and was solid enough. But wasn't put under much pressure and doesn't look comfortable on the ball.

O'Connor -7 - started as central defender, moved to right back when Laird was injured. The best of the defenders. Solid defensively and with the ball at his feet.

Laird - 7 - bombed forward every chance he got, lacked a bit of an end-product. Solid defensively, substituted after 38 minutes with an injury.

Ercolani - 6 - did a good job after coming in. You hardly noticed he was on the pitch. That is his strength and weakness - he does his job, but he doesn't stand out in any way.

Galbraith - 6 - hard-working and does a good job, but he looks a level below Levitt and especially Garner.

Levitt - 6 - didn't quite get it right today. Some good passes but can do much better and his shots weren't at his usual level.

Puigmal - 7 - lively. Looks to have taken a step from last season. Combines hard-work with some neat passes.

Garner - 8 - best when he wants to be. Once again he reminds me of Pogba in his style of play. Appears to play at 80% for most of the game and then has 2-3 flashes of brilliance when he feels the team needs it.

Ramazani - 6 - some good moments, but not enough. Mostly anonymous and his end-product wasn't good enough today.

Mellor - 8 - surprisingly good. Good goal, and worked his socks off defensively. Very alert to steal the ball and play in Garner for the 2nd goal.
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The Pogba comparison is odd. He's always in the right defensive positions only moving forward at the right moments. He has that thing Jose was on about at the weekend. An awareness of where he should be if we lose the ball at any particular time. The anti-Pogba in many ways. They'd compliment each other well.
 
Kovar is someone I have always been impressed with of all the goalkeepers I have seen in the academy past couple of seasons. Looks to be very comfortable with the ball at his feet as well . Because Henderson and Pereira spend most of the time out on loan have not seen that much of them. If any of these keepers go on to be first choice at United in the future, which one would regular watchers back as most likely?
 
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