FA Youth Cup 2014/15 Thread

[Ray78]

Thought that was a great game and well done Chelsea. they were the better team for about an hour. I just thought we were too passive first half.

However, we gave it a good go second half and our midfield got a grip and we created chances to score. A silly mistake at the end cost us a third. However, this can happen when you try and play out from the back.

Plenty in there to think we can get a few players into the first team in the future.

For me Tosin and Manu look very good prospects. Also thought Maffeo, Humphries, Celina and Nemane did well.

I suppose the disappointment was our left hand side and that was down to good organisation by them

I wouldn't say we were passive. We tried to play with intelligence to overcome Chelsea's physicality. As we found out we are not at that level just yet.

I just think we gave them too much space and dropped too deep at times.

In the second half we pressed more and caused there defence problems.

We would of got really battered if we pressed and pushed on to them too early.

 

[yerwot?]

when all said and done, it's still early days in the evolution of the Academy. We looked a bit raw in the first half, better in the 2nd, That could be down to preparation, but more likely, not having faced similar opponents often enough. The 2nd leg will be a test of Wilcox as much as the lads, imo.

 

[sam-caddick]

There was a reason why Pellegrini said none of our academy players are ready yet, physically and for some technically they are nowhere near ready.

This Chelsea side are a very special outfit and like I said earlier on in this thread, if some of these Chelsea lads don't go on to become England internationals I will be astonished.

Colkett looks the player England have needed for years, he is an absolutely wonderful passing midfielder.

Brown is a handful, as is Abraham, Solanke is ruthless and Jay Da Silva looks a fantastic full back, it wouldn't surprise me to see Brazil taking him away from the England setup with his ancestry coming from that part of the world.

 

[BigOscar]

I have to say, I'm not nearly so impressed with that Chelsea outfit. They were huge and used their physicality well, but other than that theu didn't show a whole lot. For a team who spent most of the first half just knocking us off the ball, they did very little with it, rarely testing our usually leaky defence, most of their best chances came through passing mistakes from our keeper and defenders. They were well drilled and physical units, who covered ground impressively and were able to press well, but as far as technical skills and vision, I didn't see a whole lot. When they tired in the second half and weren't able to physically bully us anymore, they looked very very ordinary. The leftback who is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread looked pretty poor defensively if it wasn't a physical battle, both Maffeo and Nemane didn't seem to struggle to skin him with even a small amount of guile.

To me, they just look like decent players who've developed early physically. I didn't see much special about many of them that would stand out against people their own size. Maybe that's just me, but I wasn't overly impressed

 

[sam-caddick]

I have to say, I'm not nearly so impressed with that Chelsea outfit. They were huge and used their physicality well, but other than that theu didn't show a whole lot. For a team who spent most of the first half just knocking us off the ball, they did very little with it, rarely testing our usually leaky defence, most of their best chances came through passing mistakes from our keeper and defenders. They were well drilled and physical units, who covered ground impressively and were able to press well, but as far as technical skills and vision, I didn't see a whole lot. When they tired in the second half and weren't able to physically bully us anymore, they looked very very ordinary. The leftback who is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread looked pretty poor defensively if it wasn't a physical battle, both Maffeo and Nemane didn't seem to struggle to skin him with even a small amount of guile.

To me, they just look like decent players who've developed early physically. I didn't see much special about many of them that would stand out against people their own size. Maybe that's just me, but I wasn't overly impressed

The were still technically very good though.

Colkett absolutely bossed the midfield for the most part and some of his passes being sprayed about were top class.

I agree about their size though, considering this was an U18 game they were all very well developed lads.

Maybe Chelsea put a little more emphasis on physicality than we do??...

 

[twosips]

Christ that was fucking frustrating. Not only do I think we did ourselves a disservice, I also spent the whole game sat surrounding by fucking utter cunts who spent the whole first half groaning, and im not kidding there was this one guy sat next me to who shouted "PRESS HIM, PRESS HIM, PRESS HIM" incessantly for the the whole game. Like ten times per minute until his throat was hoarse. Didn't even make sense. He was louder than Wilcox! Anyone sat in the West stand must have heard him? He was right next to me and he was utterly ridiculous - joined by his stuck in the 80s mate who kept shouting "GET STUCK IN. FUCKING HAVE HIM. KICK HIM FFS. DO SOMETHING - WHATS WRONG WITH YOU. PASS IT FUCKING FORWARD! NOT BACKWARDS!" - That last one in particular did my nut in. Then when they tried a speculative longer pass as demanded, he groaned like mad when it wasn't perfect. Clueless, negative shout-at-ten-year-old-kids-in-the-sunday-league type.

Both of them get up and walked off when the third went in. Utter cunts. Do one and never come back.

The players looked anxious as fuck in that first half and none of them were anywhere near their best. Can't help think the collective groans from the crowds didn't help, but in general they were a little overawed by a very strong and very confident Chelsea side. Their first goal was a belter. Not much you can do about that. I still didn't think we were embarrassed though at any point in the first half (which Chelsea defo edged) and in the second half I thought we battled really well and a draw was the very least we deserved. My personal man of the match was Nemane - thought he was terrific. Chased everything, showed great skill and was a thorn in their side throughout for someone so small. Best i've seen him by a long way. Did a great SWP impression. Tosin A I thought was excellent too. He's so fucking measured - kid's got everything to go the top. He's seventeen. Christ.

We were hugely hampered by Bryan and Celina having massively indifferent games. Bryan was sloppy and Celina, apart from one thirty minute spell where he controlled the game in the second half, kept doing the fancy bit right but then fucking up the simple bit. They're both so much better than that. Garcia did okay, but was often out-muscled. Some lovely little moments, but I expected he'd find it hard against Chelsea's strength and pace. Definitely didn't embarrass himself though and its easy to forget how young he is - he'll become one of the main men next year for this age group.

I was a bit disappointed in the left axis that's usually so reliable. Barker has to learn how to be the star man, which I'm sure he will. I don't think he played with anywhere near as much intelligence as he usually does. He tried far too much and kept running blindly into people…yet as ever he still did some very good things. That assist was pure Hazard. Fantastic. He simply got carried away by the occasion and the crowd. I've noticed recently, which I like, he's starting to develop the tendency to drift inside more, a lot more than he was doing a few months ago - i think all of the best players start to learn that. Hazard, Messi did, Ronaldo did and even Bale did for Spurs. He's miles off them, obviously, but in this team he's starting to develop notable signs of being the main man, even if it didn't always quite come off for him. If we fuck it up with him we're fucking idiots. He's got too much latent talent.

Buckley worked hard and had a decent game I thought. Maffeo wasn't quite his commanding best but still solid, though got caught up the pitch a couple of times.

Ah well…i was proud of the lads. They fucking tried, and during the moments where they got their composure and played something like the football that they are capable of they had Chelsea on the rails. Chelsea are set up to win at this level, they're a very good team and with this line up i really felt this would probably be the outcome - they're simply bigger and stronger, and very good footballers too, but I still believe that we're better footballers, but not quite as physical, yet if we had had Ambrose and Boadu tonight we would have won we would have pace and strength in the middle of the pitch and we would have won. I'm certain. I remember Arsenal having someone a lot like Abraham called Jay Emmanuel Thomas who scored about 30 goals when he was younger for them who was about 6'2 and fast, and when he played amongst adults that meant fuck all and he's now in league 1 or sumat doing nowt.

Chelsea are very good, but I'm not convinced they'll all reach the top. Maybe im being naive...

Onwards and upwards City.

I'd wager more of our lot make it as top class pros than their lot. Feel confident about that.

PS - shout out to the atmosphere in general which was fucking ten times better than the Etihad (after they'd got over the initial moany usual Etihad groaning stuff) and the standing section was fantastic. Did a passable mini Dortmund impression singing the same song for about ten minutes nonstop. Loved it.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Chelsea have won this competition three years running, yet for whatever reason, they never seem to progress to the first team. Tonight they looked bigger, stronger, and certainly more intelligent, until the last twenty minutes when they started to tire.

Too early to judge Barker, but my recurring impression is that he;s had far too many strolls in the park against vastly inferior opponents. He needs a spell in the Championship to test his bottle when things are going wrong.

However, the one thing I've learnt from attending all of City's Youth Cup Finals is that David White played for England and Paul Moulden didn't. I don't recall many people making that prediction when Steve Redmond lifted the trophy.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Clearly Chelsea are more physically developed, and I think they have the confidence in their academy of regularly making it to this stage and breeding the confidence and familiarity that goes with it.

That being said, I think it's an experience the lads need, and it's good for their development to come up against bigger sides, as guys like Barker, Angelino etc. need that experience to go away, learn, develop and grow from it. I'm impressed that despite getting a kicking, the lads, particularly Garcia, got up and grew into the game. The other highlight being how well Buckley took his goal, you can't really teach that knack.

Physicality at that level seems to have a bigger impact, but for many of these lads it will be the move up to the EDS and then go out on loan, where they'll grow physically and add the steel to the technical ability. I'd much rather have kids who have that technical ability and just need to grow physically than have a bunch of athletes who lack that technical finesse.

Chelsea had a lot of well-drilled, athletic, decent footballers, with one or 2 standouts, but many of them, if they hadn't had the physical advantage, wouldn't have been so impressive.

I'm encouraged, despite the result and performance at times, and have high hopes that Barker and Angelino will learn from that, and that guys like Garcia got up and carried on. Think we can make something out of most of them, but I think guys like Buckley, Nemene, Celina will be assets we can make a few bob out of at least, but I have high hopes for Garcia, Barker and Angelino that they can make the step further, despite the latter two struggling tonight.

 

[sam-caddick]

Chelsea have won this competition three years running, yet for whatever reason, they never seem to progress to the first team. Tonight they looked bigger, stronger, and certainly more intelligent, until the last twenty minutes when they started to tire.

Too early to judge Barker, but my recurring impression is that he;s had far too many strolls in the park against vastly inferior opponents. He needs a spell in the Championship to test his bottle when things are going wrong.

However, the one thing I've learnt from attending all of City's Youth Cup Finals is that David White played for England and Paul Moulden didn't. I don't recall many people making that prediction when Steve Redmond lifted the trophy.

I said a few weeks back that him and Angelino have got to the stage where they need to be playing senior football if they want to progress further.

8 or 9 times out if 10 those two dominate their opposition but we don't play a team like Chelsea every week.

If they stay in the EDS next season they will stall and possibly regress due to a consistent lack of test.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I have to say, I'm not nearly so impressed with that Chelsea outfit. They were huge and used their physicality well, but other than that theu didn't show a whole lot. For a team who spent most of the first half just knocking us off the ball, they did very little with it, rarely testing our usually leaky defence, most of their best chances came through passing mistakes from our keeper and defenders. They were well drilled and physical units, who covered ground impressively and were able to press well, but as far as technical skills and vision, I didn't see a whole lot. When they tired in the second half and weren't able to physically bully us anymore, they looked very very ordinary. The leftback who is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread looked pretty poor defensively if it wasn't a physical battle, both Maffeo and Nemane didn't seem to struggle to skin him with even a small amount of guile.

To me, they just look like decent players who've developed early physically. I didn't see much special about many of them that would stand out against people their own size. Maybe that's just me, but I wasn't overly impressed

The were still technically very good though.

Colkett absolutely bossed the midfield for the most part and some of his passes being sprayed about were top class.

I agree about their size though, considering this was an U18 game they were all very well developed lads.

Maybe Chelsea put a little more emphasis on physicality than we do??...

that colkett is a brilliant little player, he will never get a chance at chelsea though, any where else and he'd be around the first team. I wasn't impressed by chelsea though, they were just physically bigger than our players imo. we have more quality in footballing terms and I think we have a few future stars ourselves in angelino and barker.

agree with the comment above if they stay in the eds team they aren't going to improve too good for that level and need a better test