Everton Youth Teams Thread

[blueloon]

I'm not sure in which thread Conor Grant resides these days but I thought he looked surprisingly decent and composed today. When he was on the ball he found space and usually made the right pass. We know he's got a good left foot for scoring cracking goals and he showed something a bit different today. It's still hard to see him making it to PL standard though .

 

[edge]

....agree with that, disappointing loan spell at Fleetwood after promising so much but he put in a shift there and played well. I think it's so much more difficult for forward players to steep up, they have to be very special.

Might be a late bloomer, hard to judge because I don't see a lot of him, but that was a more rounded display than I have seen before, few of them looked to have a bit about them Beni even the lad from Coventry held it up well and grafted well, captain was assured , as we're a few more in the team, they all did well.

 

[Roberto's L-shaped sofa]

The lad from coventry play n how he look gents?

Yes, as mentioned above Sambou played up front and looked lively. Physically impressive with good energy. Solid first start without being spectacular

 

[irishblue7]

This was r squad when we last won the old milk cup (junior section u15/16) back in 2013!!

1 Matthew Yorke
2 Jack Bainbridge
3 Beni Baningime
4 Danny Bramall
5 Nathan Broadhead
6 Callum Brummell
7 Thomas Davies
8 Antony Evans
9 Morgan Feeney
10 Ryan Harrington
11 Nathan Holland
12 Matthew Makinson
14 Max Povey
15 Tom Pearce
16 Michael Taylor
17 James Yates
18 George Withe

Good to see some of the players have really kicked on... Tom Davies back then was captain (but suspended for the final)! Living 2 hrs away from the tournament i try to get up when I can if Everton playing .... From what I remember Yates, bainbridge banigime, Holland and Davies really stood out for me! i remember we played Watford in the semi and were 3 down and came back to win on pens! Interestingly antonee Robinson (lb today) was part of the 2012 squad along with dowell, ledson, Walsh, duffus, kenny and Connolly !! I think we won it that year too!! It's our 1st year bringing an older squad over as we haven't attended the last few tournaments

Here is the 2012 squad

1. James Talbot
2. Antonee Robinson
3. Charley Edge
4. Tyrone Duffus
5. James Graham
6. Jon Joe Kenny
7. Reece McNally
8. Ryan Ledson
9. George Newell
10. Callum Connolly
11. Delial Brewster
12. James Mellon
14. Joseph Yarney
15. Jamie Young
16. Kieran Dowell
17. Liam Walsh
18. Michael Donohue
19. Spencer Myers

 

[catcherintherye]

It was a really good watch yesterday. I will try to give a player by player analysis below but a couple of striking over arching points were.
1) The play varies very much from the first team last season. I think that was always the case but we have gone even further that way. Lots of "percentage balls" hit and less emphasis on keeping the ball in our last third.

2) As has been mentioned this is essentially our second string reserve side. If you consider lads like Ledson, Connolly & Kenny are away on international duty, while Davies, Grant, Dowell are with the first team. You then probably have older lads like Galloway/Holgate/Pennington/Browning who while we feel is normal to be with the first team squad in a lot of other under 21 sides they play regularly for them. (I remember Teixera regularly playing last season for Liverpools reserve team for example.)
From the lads unavaible we could have had on infield side looking like;
Connolly, Pennington, Holgate, Galloway,
Davies, Walsh, Ledson, Williams, Kenny
Dowell
Not perfectly balanced but an illustration of the quality of players we have 21 and under.

3) Unsworth (but I will talk about him at the end/a separate post).

As for the lads involved:
Jones: I don't think he will make it at Everton. However he played well today. I am impressed with his power and pace. This pre season he probably needed to make an impact. He will make it as a league footballer but probably not here.

Foulds & Feeney: Very impressed with these lads. Folds has a lovely left foot and can spring passes from the back. Both seem to read the game well and will benefit massively from being managed by Unsworth. Fenney has physically developed in the last 6 months but still has a way to go. He gets very tight to forwards and is all over them like a rash. Reminds me a little of the former Chelsea defender Carvalho. I think they feel he will keep growing and when he does he will be a good prospect.

Robinson: Had a very good game (one of his best) but ultimately like Jones not good enough, especially with whats ahead of him at left back.

Henen/Dyson: Unfortunately Dyson just isn't good enough. In all honesty neither is Henen. When you consider the lads who are with the first team, and his age for him not to be dominating these games is not enough. He does have some nice flashes but he won't make it here.

Banningame: Again played very well. A brave lad who gets around the pitch and always wants the ball. He is the most natural central midfield player of the young lads. The only caveat to him is there is a plethora of quality ahead of him.

Charsley: Charsley is a very strange one. He basically hasn't really kicked on in 3-4 years since he was quite a regular in the reserves as an under 16. I'm not sure this is mainly his fault. What has happened is in his position younger lads have just overtaken him 1 by 1. He hasn't developed an awful lot physically. He reminds me of a Naismith type player and does have a knack for a goal (as we saw yesterday) and will benefit from having a central role but probably won't make it here.

Evans: Had quite a quiet game for his standards. However there are moments and things he does that show his class. It's often just a touch, or a decision he makes that show he is a level ahead. There was a 1-2 manouvre in the opposition box that showed great vision late in the second half. It didn't come off, ultimately his team mates aren't on his wave length. He is very similar to Dowell in this regard. Often he was a level or 2 ahead of those around him.

Kiersey: For me he was the most impressive lad for us yesterday. We have become a bit de sensitised to 17 year olds doing well for the reserves as it's become commonplace. He is only a slight lad and needs to fill out a bit. However at doing the basics right I thought he was fantastic. He was very comfortable on the ball, always wanted it, found space very well and had a good range of passing. I have a soft spot for those sort of creative midfielders but I was very impressed by him.
I will be keeping a close eye on him. I think with some of the older lads moving up you are seeing the talent of some of the smaller, younger and a bit shyer lads like him coming to the fore. I had never noticed him before but he really impressed me yesterday.

Sambou: Worked very hard, looks a big strong lad. A big threat to Brewster really as quite a similar player. Will be interested to see who gets the nod there. Allowed us to "play percentages" far more and worked the channels well.

Number 18: Not sure who this lad is (maybe an under 16?) but was a big lad and thought did ok.

 

[granter79]

It was a really good watch yesterday. I will try to give a player by player analysis below but a couple of striking over arching points were.
1) The play varies very much from the first team last season. I think that was always the case but we have gone even further that way. Lots of "percentage balls" hit and less emphasis on keeping the ball in our last third.

2) As has been mentioned this is essentially our second string reserve side. If you consider lads like Ledson, Connolly & Kenny are away on international duty, while Davies, Grant, Dowell are with the first team. You then probably have older lads like Galloway/Holgate/Pennington/Browning who while we feel is normal to be with the first team squad in a lot of other under 21 sides they play regularly for them. (I remember Teixera regularly playing last season for Liverpools reserve team for example.)
From the lads unavaible we could have had on infield side looking like;
Connolly, Pennington, Holgate, Galloway,
Davies, Walsh, Ledson, Williams, Kenny
Dowell
Not perfectly balanced but an illustration of the quality of players we have 21 and under.

3) Unsworth (but I will talk about him at the end/a separate post).

As for the lads involved:
Jones: I don't think he will make it at Everton. However he played well today. I am impressed with his power and pace. This pre season he probably needed to make an impact. He will make it as a league footballer but probably not here.

Foulds & Feeney: Very impressed with these lads. Folds has a lovely left foot and can spring passes from the back. Both seem to read the game well and will benefit massively from being managed by Unsworth. Fenney has physically developed in the last 6 months but still has a way to go. He gets very tight to forwards and is all over them like a rash. Reminds me a little of the former Chelsea defender Carvalho. I think they feel he will keep growing and when he does he will be a good prospect.

Robinson: Had a very good game (one of his best) but ultimately like Jones not good enough, especially with whats ahead of him at left back.

Henen/Dyson: Unfortunately Dyson just isn't good enough. In all honesty neither is Henen. When you consider the lads who are with the first team, and his age for him not to be dominating these games is not enough. He does have some nice flashes but he won't make it here.

Banningame: Again played very well. A brave lad who gets around the pitch and always wants the ball. He is the most natural central midfield player of the young lads. The only caveat to him is there is a plethora of quality ahead of him.

Charsley: Charsley is a very strange one. He basically hasn't really kicked on in 3-4 years since he was quite a regular in the reserves as an under 16. I'm not sure this is mainly his fault. What has happened is in his position younger lads have just overtaken him 1 by 1. He hasn't developed an awful lot physically. He reminds me of a Naismith type player and does have a knack for a goal (as we saw yesterday) and will benefit from having a central role but probably won't make it here.

Evans: Had quite a quiet game for his standards. However there are moments and things he does that show his class. It's often just a touch, or a decision he makes that show he is a level ahead. There was a 1-2 manouvre in the opposition box that showed great vision late in the second half. It didn't come off, ultimately his team mates aren't on his wave length. He is very similar to Dowell in this regard. Often he was a level or 2 ahead of those around him.

Kiersey: For me he was the most impressive lad for us yesterday. We have become a bit de sensitised to 17 year olds doing well for the reserves as it's become commonplace. He is only a slight lad and needs to fill out a bit. However at doing the basics right I thought he was fantastic. He was very comfortable on the ball, always wanted it, found space very well and had a good range of passing. I have a soft spot for those sort of creative midfielders but I was very impressed by him.
I will be keeping a close eye on him. I think with some of the older lads moving up you are seeing the talent of some of the smaller, younger and a bit shyer lads like him coming to the fore. I had never noticed him before but he really impressed me yesterday.

Sambou: Worked very hard, looks a big strong lad. A big threat to Brewster really as quite a similar player. Will be interested to see who gets the nod there. Allowed us to "play percentages" far more and worked the channels well.

Number 18: Not sure who this lad is (maybe an under 16?) but was a big lad and thought did ok.

Nice one as always pal. Love reading about the young lads. Fav thread on here

 

[rochdaleblue]

Got to say only caught last 25 mins of the game, I really liked the look of baningime. Physically he looks small in stature, but not in ability. Reminded me of kante, how he seems to be all over the pitch, keeping things ticking over. If it is true the calibre of centre midfielder we are looking at this summer (witsel,carvalho) as you say it's going to be difficult for him to make the breakthrough. But maybe like Tom Davies, if he is good enough he will force his way into the reckoning.

 

[Anders]

Number 18: Not sure who this lad is (maybe an under 16?) but was a big lad and thought did ok.

Number 18: Courtney Duffus

 

[catcherintherye]

Number 18: Courtney Duffus

Thanks mate I couldn't recognise him at all and wondered who it was.

 

[catcherintherye]

A little bit on Unsworth as I promised. I can't speak highly enough of him and he is growing all the time into a fantastic operator for us. Stubbs did a good job and has gone on and been successful elsewhere but everything about Unsworth is a cut above even Stubbs. From the fact he came through our academy, to getting what the club means to how he genuinely puts the clubs interests first he has been fantastic.

I think there is a growing chance Unsworth may be our next manager. It would have been the wrong appointment this time, as we needed to make a statement on appointment to reassure the fans, players and the rest of the football world. However 3-4 years down the line hopefully with a top 6/top 4 club, a board very adept and a DOF with developed transfer and scouting networks I think he could be the perfect manager.

As has been said above he seems to get a perfect balance between development and winning. Between getting them to look after their own games but also having them play as a team. In his first season we struggled a bit for results but each year they have improved. For us to be competitive at the top of the under 21's league, with so many local lads, so many out on loan, others in the first team squad and giving experience to so many under 18's is a fantastic achievement.

On a personal level he is very warm and confident in his own ability without it bordering into arrogance. I think having the other ex Evertonians such as Duncan, Joe Royle & John Ebbrell helps that. There are lads who come through the clubs youth sides and I think would keep anyone honest. He knows what it takes to come through and it must e a re-assurance for the young players to listen to what he says. I like how his role has become more important under Koeman (as it deserves to be) and the young players will know he will go into bat for them and fight their corner to be given a first team slot.

The young lads I see seem to love working with him. I can see particularly how defenders have come on, but also players like Davies, Dowell, Feeney, Foulds, Galloway have all developed under his tutelage. They seem to be having fun but also working very hard. That is how it should be. I'm not a fan of the harsh approach with the young lads people suggest but also there needs to be a firm set of standards.

If he does as he suggests and brings through 8 or 10 lads for the first team over the next 3 years expect him to be a serious candidate. Primarily as it would be outstanding for him to do so and indicative of a fantastic coach. Also though because the young lads who worked with him will then be of an age where they are ready to play first team football as regulars and be well suited to him. His personality and approach reminds me of a young Howard Kendall. He is very positive, warm and makes people feel loved and comfortable. There is also a modesty there. Underneath it all though he is ruthless. I can't really speak highly enough of the job he is doing.

 

[Eggs]

A little bit on Unsworth as I promised. I can't speak highly enough of him and he is growing all the time into a fantastic operator for us. Stubbs did a good job and has gone on and been successful elsewhere but everything about Unsworth is a cut above even Stubbs. From the fact he came through our academy, to getting what the club means to how he genuinely puts the clubs interests first he has been fantastic.

I think there is a growing chance Unsworth may be our next manager. It would have been the wrong appointment this time, as we needed to make a statement on appointment to reassure the fans, players and the rest of the football world. However 3-4 years down the line hopefully with a top 6/top 4 club, a board very adept and a DOF with developed transfer and scouting networks I think he could be the perfect manager.

As has been said above he seems to get a perfect balance between development and winning. Between getting them to look after their own games but also having them play as a team. In his first season we struggled a bit for results but each year they have improved. For us to be competitive at the top of the under 21's league, with so many local lads, so many out on loan, others in the first team squad and giving experience to so many under 18's is a fantastic achievement.

On a personal level he is very warm and confident in his own ability without it bordering into arrogance. I think having the other ex Evertonians such as Duncan, Joe Royle & John Ebbrell helps that. There are lads who come through the clubs youth sides and I think would keep anyone honest. He knows what it takes to come through and it must e a re-assurance for the young players to listen to what he says. I like how his role has become more important under Koeman (as it deserves to be) and the young players will know he will go into bat for them and fight their corner to be given a first team slot.

The young lads I see seem to love working with him. I can see particularly how defenders have come on, but also players like Davies, Dowell, Feeney, Foulds, Galloway have all developed under his tutelage. They seem to be having fun but also working very hard. That is how it should be. I'm not a fan of the harsh approach with the young lads people suggest but also there needs to be a firm set of standards.

If he does as he suggests and brings through 8 or 10 lads for the first team over the next 3 years expect him to be a serious candidate. Primarily as it would be outstanding for him to do so and indicative of a fantastic coach. Also though because the young lads who worked with him will then be of an age where they are ready to play first team football as regulars and be well suited to him. His personality and approach reminds me of a young Howard Kendall. He is very positive, warm and makes people feel loved and comfortable. There is also a modesty there. Underneath it all though he is ruthless. I can't really speak highly enough of the job he is doing.

.....I'm always a bit wary of youth coaches stepping up as 1st team managers. Colin Harvey won a youth cup and was instrumental in the development of players who served us so well (Graham Sharp et al) but he couldn't make the step up. It might be a little different now that we have a DoF but expertise in the transfer market is such a key competency but one that is an unknown for Unsworth.

 

[Nymzee]

This thread cures my hangover; love you guys.

 

[jerseytoffee]

Only saw the first half hour, but thought we were a very good team, especially liked the look of Feeney and Foulds, Baningime also.

Would love to see Unsworth as the next manager, think he is doing a great job with the U21's.

 

[Nymzee]

Oh btw if you click the link for the game yesterday you can watch that (and the other game) back which I'll be doing today as I missed yesterdays.

 

[Nymzee]

Just watched the game back and thought we were miles the better team even with the squad we had available not playing particularly well. Think Feeney & Foulds did well, as did Beni, Harry and Sambou. Evans looked a little tired at times. Their captain and left winger were decent.

Jones, Robinson & Dyson aren't good enough in my opinion and definitely won't make it at Everton.