UEFA Youth League | United U19 vs Villarreal U19

Most of the good ones aren't playing today, Hannibal, Elanga, Hansen, Forson for example. I like Fernandez though. The rest I think is very mediocre. Jury out on Kambwala though.

Yeah I agree on the bolded but realistically probably only one or two are ever going to make it into the team here. The rest should be out trying to make it in the men’s game at a lower level and hopefully working their way up to at least a basic PL level before you ever see them play for us, even in the cups. Shola is looking like he’s going to get chances in the next few years.
 
Most of the good ones aren't playing today, Hannibal, Elanga, Hansen, Forson for example. I like Fernandez though. The rest I think is very mediocre. Jury out on Kambwala though.
True, what do you think of Jurado, Savage, Hugill, Shoretire, Garnacho, Hoogewerf though.

Some are or were considered big talents at different stages over the past 2 years.
 
Didn't they draw 1 all with 9 men against PSG. Still. Not about results at this age is it.

Yes, with a primarily British line-up. In recent years however they've had teams with highly rated players from all over the world and struggled.

Tbh I find it sad when even the youth teams mirror the cynical nature of football at the highest level. Just look at Utd's bench today, all English players who have presumably been with the club from a young age but once they get to u18s they get booted out in favour of some kids Utd have poached from another club's academy. I agree that it's not about results though so even if these players can't play well together, as an individual it doesn't mean they won't make it.
 
I know it is development but it is really disappointing this result so far.
 
Great ball, unlucky we did not score from that
 
Yes, with a primarily British line-up. In recent years however they've had teams with highly rated players from all over the world and struggled.

Tbh I find it sad when even the youth teams mirror the cynical nature of football at the highest level. Just look at Utd's bench today, all English players who have presumably been with the club from a young age but once they get to u18s they get booted out in favour of some kids Utd have poached from another club's academy. I agree that it's not about results though so even if these players can't play well together, as an individual it doesn't mean they won't make it.
Surely it is about results - winning the FA Youth Cup propelled the Class of 92 into the first team
 
Tbh I find it sad when even the youth teams mirror the cynical nature of football at the highest level. Just look at Utd's bench today, all English players who have presumably been with the club from a young age but once they get to u18s they get booted out in favour of some kids Utd have poached from another club's academy. I agree that it's not about results though so even if these players can't play well together, as an individual it doesn't mean they won't make it.
It's not that deep. The ones on the bench are simply younger than their playing colleagues.
 
wow... the kids can score from free kicks - wonder if the first team is watching
 
The kids aren’t alright
 
4-1

Great freekick and header. We deserved to get a goal I think.
 
will try to watch the Chelsea U19s later to see if there's a big difference
 
Shola is not a mediocre talent.
What a fecking nonsense.

Interesting to see how Mainoo and Gore will play for the last 15 minutes.
 
True, what do you think of Jurado, Savage, Hugill, Shoretire, Garnacho, Hoogewerf though.

Some are or were considered big talents at different stages over the past 2 years.

To be fair, I probably have to give Jurado and Garnacho a year to prove themselves as they're young and new in the country. Shoretire is a difficult one, highly rated but can sometimes drift out of games, like today. I don't see anything special in Hoogewerf, Hugill, and Savage, unfortunately.
 
To be fair, I probably have to give Jurado and Garnacho a year to prove themselves as they're young and new in the country. Shoretire is a difficult one, highly rated but can sometimes drift out of games, like today. I don't see anything special in Hoogewerf, Hugill, and Savage, unfortunately.
Feel like I share the same sentiments from the little I have seen.
 
Great play from Zidane there, nearly another goal.
 
FT.

Good shift in the second half. Lacked some cutting edge and ruthlessness in the final third.
 
Yeah I agree on the bolded but realistically probably only one or two are ever going to make it into the team here. The rest should be out trying to make it in the men’s game at a lower level and hopefully working their way up to at least a basic PL level before you ever see them play for us, even in the cups. Shola is looking like he’s going to get chances in the next few years.

yeah, seems like the club rates him highly. I will be very disappointed if not Hannibal makes it here, and I think Elanga is on the verge of making it here. We'll see what happens with Hansen but looks promising, as well as Fernandez (who I think is going to be a very good footballer). They need to stay injury-free though.
 
I just want to congratulate whoever's responsible. Well done, we play the same way across all age groups. Don't know where to move, how to press and how to keep the ball.
 
I just want to congratulate whoever's responsible. Well done, we play the same way across all age groups. Don't know where to move, how to press and how to keep the ball.

:lol:

I guess you never watched reserve games when Fergie was still around?
 
I've watched plenty.

Well clearly you have not watched enough because this is exactly what happens at reserve and youth football. There are often games where there is poor passing, poor finishing and lacking cohesive play.
 
Well clearly you have not watched enough because this is exactly what happens at reserve and youth football. There are often games where there is poor passing, poor finishing and lacking cohesive play.
It's not the failing of those things, it's the complete lack of understanding how to do those things. And why.
 
Villarreal fielded players who have previously represented their 'B' team, a side that plays in the third tier of Spanish football. That is an advantage over players that only plays in youth leagues.
 
Villarreal fielded players who have previously represented their 'B' team, a side that plays in the third tier of Spanish football. That is an advantage over players that only plays in youth leagues.
That is a good point, people also have to remember this isn't a real age group in England.

Vitek, Kambwala, Jurado, and Garnacho have virtually never played for the manager. Kambwala has yet to play 90 minutes since a year long lay off and he has never played with Hardley or the midfield in front of him. It is a combination of two teams who don't play together regularly, there will always be some struggles against sides who do.
 
Disappointing to see so few English players starting.

Mengi, McNeill, Pye, Forson, Fish all missing for one reason or another and they would have all been included in the squad. Then Hugill, Shoretire, Savage starting with all seven on the bench English.

Of the 23 players in our reserves, 9 are from abroad and we have another 10 English born players out on loan.

Of the 28 players in our U/18's 5 are from abroad and all our U/16's are English.

In the U/18's against Leeds last month we only had one foreign player in the whole squad of 18. But that doesn't make good media content so let's ignore it.

It's not a big deal.
 
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His defensive qualities do worry me. But as a wingback he might be great. Same with Laird
Laird is much further ahead and to be honest, always has been. We have seen Laird run 20-30 metres with the ball and the defender can't stop him. I watched Alvaro in 23's and he was ahead of a player, gets run down and turns back. I just think his movement won't cut it with the first team. Unless he moves to defence in the middle eg Maguire.
Being a bit more brutal here, this certainly isn't near the strongest line up we have sent out. Savage, Svidersky and Hoogerwerf are never going anywhere further with us. The jury is out on Hardley, Jurado and Fernandez, Jurado was average all of last year but looking better now. Willy has been out for so long and as mentioned, some of their team play in a men's div 3 league so hardened and tough like league one. Garnacho was the same as Jurado last season, didn't do much. Yes, Hugill killed it last year but seems to have gone off the boil this season. The bench tonight only had one player who is showing big progress, 16 year old Mainoo. I looked at the lineup and thought they would struggle. Now knowing they played a team in the Spanish div 3 I am not surprised at all we got beat. Put our kids in league one and we will get better results. But will they be better players?
 
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Said it before. Philosophy has changed. Be very few local lads coming through going forward.

No it hasn't...it's been the same for 20 years since Academy football started and teams were not allowed to get players from other areas of the country.

In terms of pathway to the first team....we have Lingard, Rashford, McTominay, Greenwood, Henderson, Heaton all English born. Williams and Tuanzebe have played regularly over the last few seasons and Shoretire is now on the fringe.

That's nine English born Academy players all part of the first team squad. Plus the likes of Laird, Garner, Fish and others who have played first team football in recent seasons.

In the U/16's this season they are all English and 7/11 of the U/18's v Stoke on Saturday were English plus all five on the bench.

There will always be games where rotation, injury, loan or a senior call up means the starting eleven looks more foreign than it really is.
 
It's not the failing of those things, it's the complete lack of understanding how to do those things. And why.

Ole out?

Seriously by definition, the fact that they are playing in the U18s will be that they will be inconsistent and not prime time ready. Thus it's part of their education to learn where they went wrong on the field. There are matches they all look brilliant and then other days they will trap the ball like a Lukaku. Plus the constant chopping & changing of the teams (shuffling between U18s, U21 and U23s) doesn't help.
 
Ole out?

Seriously by definition, the fact that they are playing in the U18s will be that they will be inconsistent and not prime time ready. Thus it's part of their education to learn where they went wrong on the field. There are matches they all look brilliant and then other days they will trap the ball like a Lukaku. Plus the constant chopping & changing of the teams (shuffling between U18s, U21 and U23s) doesn't help.
Agree, our 18's and 23's ae consistently changing. I know with the 18's I look forward to watching certain players and they aren't there or on the bench. I heard the coach say they try their best to give equal time etc. An example is the keeper Vitek. Easily the best and doesn't play a lot. Other keepers get a run like Hanbury. Vitek is behind Kovar in the 23's and Kovar isn't going to make it with us. Bottom line, the amount of youth in our 1st squad is testament to them been given a go. As I wrote awhile ago, we haven't lost many who became stars. Only one was Pogba and maybe some keepers like Zeigler and Gollini.
check out the link from 2019 of kids and whilst some are doing well, none are superstars.
https://www.planetfootball.com/quic...an-utd-academy-players-to-debut-in-the-2010s/
 
Any way of watching a replay of the full game?
 
It's not the full game but thanks anyway, @Inigo Montoya !

There is a channel on YouTube that's actually uploading full match replays of the tournaments u19 games but, unfortunately, he hasn't uploaded either of our games!

I have watched a few of his youth games of Barcelona's and they have a left footed Xavi who, to me, looks more promising than every central midfielder they've went on to produce since Thiago. Jorge Alastuey is the name.