BOF Posted December 8, 2023 Author Moderator Share Posted December 8, 2023 Stats updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Make Pies Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 Really good performance. First 20 mins our pressing was reminiscent of the first team and put us in a strong position. There was a passage of play in that period where Brighton tried to play out with accurate one touch passing. They managed about five passes until they gave it back to us as every one of their players was tightly marked, even with the ball being pinged about. After that we managed the game well and picked them off when the opportunities arose. The last time I saw us play was on 3 Nov vs Brighton away and the players look more comfortable in executing our system now. Borland is a really nice footballer - technically sound, calm, makes good decisions. Proctor is cool as a cucumber with the ball at his feet and also made some good saves. Jimoh has the tools to be a player - he's big, athletic and skilful. Barring a silly tackle by Feeney at the end, everyone played well up to that point. Hard to pick a Motm but I would agree with Tony Daley on commentary and give it to Broggio for his influence in the first 20 mins. He was exceptional during that spell and won us the game. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 As with the first half I thought the first year scholars Proctor, Triston Rowe, Borland, Broggio, and Jimoh-Aloba when he came on were the standouts, which is a very encouraging sign, and more to come from that age group as well. Felt sorry for Wilson, came on when the game became a little scrappy, so we weren't able to create any chances for him, if he was on earlier good chance he would have got a few goals, I think maybe saving him for Wednesday as he's the only striker the U18s have unless they promote from the U16s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisvilla4 Posted December 9, 2023 Share Posted December 9, 2023 35 years I've been supporting villa I can't believe this s**t What a team, what a manager. UTV. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted December 15, 2023 Share Posted December 15, 2023 Proctor, Ealing, Triston Rowe, Smith, Munroe Alcock, Tommi O'Reilly, Ted Rowe, Pierre, Richards, Broggio Subs: Lewis, Barber, Hart, Borland, Burchall Looking at that line-up today could be a tough game, especailly as Tommi O'Reilly and Proctor aren't long back from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Good to see a decent amount of first year scholars involved, hopefully more to follow, and brilliant to see Ajani Burchall back after being out injured for over a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted December 15, 2023 Share Posted December 15, 2023 I know he only played a few minutes and barely touched the ball (did he actually have a touch?) but still seems a bit mad to start O'Reilly so soon after getting off a plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted December 15, 2023 Author Moderator Share Posted December 15, 2023 Seems a decent draw albeit against ten men. Fulham are flying high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted December 15, 2023 Share Posted December 15, 2023 Wasn't a great performance for the most part, Fulham had ten men for the majority of the game but we needed a late goal salvage a point, and before then we didn't really look like scoring Not really surprising, looking at the starting line-up, before kick-off I thought it could be an heavy defeat All that said we did improve in the final fiften minutes after the likes of Borland, Barber, Burchall and Hart came on, we might even have snatched a later winner but wasn't to be I think big pluses were Burchall coming back and doing well all things considered, and once again the first year scholars, Proctor, Triston Rowe, Borland, and Broggio all showed great potential 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Make Pies Posted December 15, 2023 Share Posted December 15, 2023 I watched the second half. It was a decent performance against a strong and well drilled defence. We didn't panic or abandon our football, but lacked a bit of end product. The equalizer came when Richards, who was playing up front, dropped deeper which opened up space for O'Reilly to run in behind and set up Hart. Prior to that he spent the half standing up against their centre halves and was easy to mark. Broggio was our biggest threat once again, and we needed a bit of luck as Fulham had chances on the break to put the game beyond us. A good point overall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 15, 2023 Moderator Share Posted December 15, 2023 Fulham were the better side I think, but it was an interesting contest that we probably should have won in the end - 11v11 they were better and we really struggle with the lack of size/strength/running power in our midfield - but with the sending off they tired toward the end and we really put them under pressure. Good to see Burchall back, even if I did wince every time he took a clattering and I thought Ben Broggio was heroic for the last twenty minutes - out on his feet but always willing and beating the full back time and time again - we're a team with some obvious weaknesses, but there's no shortage of effort and the quality players we do have are capable of making a difference. I thought Tristan Rowe did well at centreback, which iI'm pretty sure isn't natural for him, Smith next to him was good too. Proctor made some good saves and the midfield subs gave us something when they came on. Fulham in fairness to them defended really, really well, they're strong, quick, organised and break with real purpose - yet we probably should have won it at the death. Tommy O'Reilly is interesting to watch - I'm guessing he grew up in a house with a very small garden because he's fantastic in small spaces - the ability to turn on the ball in both directions, the little swap between the feet that he does to trick a defender, his first touch, balance, he's got all that stuff. He's excellent in a crowd and he's very pleasing on the eye - but I sometimes think back to when football management games had play represented by little circles moving around the pitch, if Tommy was represented that way, then there would be lots of occasions when the ball would reach his little circle, it'd wriggle about a bit and then nothing would happen. He passes the eye test, but he needs to be careful not to become decorative - to develop, he'll need to learn to find bigger spaces and use them, too often, he's so good at what he does in a crowd that he almost seems to want to be in that situation all the time. It might well be that he'll be better with better players, but I think sometimes he needs to move the ball quicker and maybe try to do more without it. That's probably a little harsh, but his talent is such that he merits a high bar. Anyways, Bodymoor is back to cold, we had a plethora of talent in the crowd with Feeney, Young, Moore, Kellyman, Swinkels and co all in attendance and you couldn't fault the effort on the pitch - a little luck and we'd have the points to go with it. There's plenty to work with. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted December 19, 2023 Author Moderator Share Posted December 19, 2023 Fulham draw added, and all league results up to yesterday added. No more U21 action this calendar year. Next up is a trip to Newcastle on the 15th of January. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted December 27, 2023 Moderator Share Posted December 27, 2023 So the manager is off to Spain to manage Unai's club - I'd guess our number two will just take over, he's a very visible presence on matchdays anyway. I'll kinda miss Idiakez shouting for 90 minutes - he was a whole show on his own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 Peter Gilbert and Karl Hopper were Idiakez's assistants, so I guess will either promote one of those and then promote someone from the U18s to replace them as assistant, or bring someone new in. Was thinking recently it might not be such a bad idea to bring Liam Bramley back, I don't think he's had another role since leaving Norwich, but might not want to come back to academy football, even if we were interested 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongo Waring Posted December 28, 2023 Share Posted December 28, 2023 Gone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 4 Moderator Share Posted January 4 Is it weird that we've sold out the game at Bodymoor against Stoke on 23rd February already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 4 Author Moderator Share Posted January 4 1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said: Is it weird that we've sold out the game at Bodymoor against Stoke on 23rd February already? Obviously confident we can do it on a cold Friday evening against Stoke. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 9 Author Moderator Share Posted January 9 Yesterday's matches updated. We're back up and running now. Pretty much full programme over the next week. 16 teams play before we do on Monday. Stoke City 4-2 Norwich City Leicester City 2-2 Newcastle Utd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaVilla Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 (edited) whats with Emery? is it Lander Emery?, i cant even see him on transfermarkt as a player!? is he a goalkeeper? Edited January 9 by MaVilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted January 9 Author Moderator Share Posted January 9 9 minutes ago, MaVilla said: whats with Emery? is it Lander Emery?, i cant even see him on transfermarkt as a player!? is he a goalkeeper? I just assumed Unai turned up to watch. I was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted January 9 Moderator Share Posted January 9 1 hour ago, BOF said: I just assumed Unai turned up to watch. I was wrong. It'd be nice if he turned up to manage the team. Do we have any idea who's in charge this evening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts