U23s beat Arsenal in six-goal thriller

Monday, 25 September, 2017 45comments  |  Jump to most recent

Everton U23s beat Arsenal 4-2 in Premier League 2 in a match full of incident at the Merseyrail Community Stadium in Southport.

The Gunners scored early when Marcus McGuane fired a low shot past Joe Hilton in the Everton goal and the Blues tried to hit back but Harry Charsley shot into the side-netting and David Henen saw a low shot saved.

New signing Dennis Adeniran drove across goal Henen had a shot charged down before David Unsworth made two key changes at half time.

Bassala Sambou sent his fellow substitute Anton Donkor away down and he slotted the ball into the corner.

The celebrations were cut short when Gethin Jones had to be stretchered off with a suspected leg fracture but in his absence Everton turned the game on its head.

Luke Garbutt forced Joseph Olowu to head his corner past his own goalkeeper to make it 2-1m but Arsenal replied when Donkor fouled Dragomir and McGuane scored from the spot.

Article continues below video content


Undeterred, Antony Evans drove into the Gunners' area and squeeze an effort over the line and Henen wrapped things up with a fourth.

Scorers: Donkor (49'), Olowu (og:73'), Evans (82'), Henen (99')

Everton U23s: Hilton, Jones (67' Markelo), Feeney, Gibson, Garbutt, Evans, Baningime, Adeniran, Charsley (46'Sambou), Henen, Broadhead (46' Donkor). Subs not Used: Foulds, Hanson

 

Reader Comments (45)

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Mike Doyle
1 Posted 25/09/2017 at 19:06:18
Anyone know what's happened to Jose Baxter?

He came on as a sub a few weeks back, but seems to have disappeared.

Charlie Lloyd
2 Posted 25/09/2017 at 20:05:39
Half time 0-1

Line up:

Hilton, Jones Feeney Gibson Garbutt, Evans Baningime Adeniran Charsley, Henen Broadhead.

Arsenal scored early on and we weren’t keeping the ball well enough early. Grew into the game and last 10 mins of first half Henen in particular became influential. Two CBs have been solid and Charsley and Evans have been ok. Garbutt has been skinned a few times and his distribution has been wayward.

Charlie Lloyd
3 Posted 25/09/2017 at 20:23:40
Sambou & Donkor on for Charsley & Broadhead.

48 mins Donkor set up by Sambou. 1-1.

Charlie Lloyd
4 Posted 25/09/2017 at 20:46:20
2-1 Evans I think header from a corner.

Jones stretchered off though. Looks bad.

Charlie Lloyd
5 Posted 25/09/2017 at 20:55:04
Dodgy pen 2-2

Then Evans great solo effort 3-2.

Charlie Lloyd
6 Posted 25/09/2017 at 20:56:53
Arsenal down to 10. Dangerous high foot on Gibson.

Ian Burns
7 Posted 25/09/2017 at 20:59:59
How did it finish Charlie?
Charlie Lloyd
8 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:04:44
7 mins injury time for Jones's injury. Still playing.
Lee Jackson
9 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:06:03
3-2 to EFC atm, into 7 mins of added time
Ian Burns
10 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:08:03
Thanks guys, appreciated
Charlie Lloyd
11 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:12:10
4-2 Henen.
Charlie Lloyd
12 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:12:47
4-2 Full Time
Lee Jackson
13 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:13:54
Henen seems to have been around for ever, hows he looking Charlie?

Anyone know what happened to that 'wonder' trialist Zirkzee?

Ian Burns
14 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:14:14
Terrific, thanks Charlie – Henen seems to be improving this season. Have I got this right?
Frank Wade
15 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:16:04
Thanks for updates Charlie. What a pity we can't get stream or commentary as we did for Derby away game.
Alan Moss
16 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:16:22
Zirkzee signed for Bayern I think.
Lee Jackson
17 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:18:53
No Niasse, Lookman or Kenny – maybe the penny has finally dropped. Hope Lookman and Kenny get some game time on Thursday.
Bill Gienapp
18 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:24:41
Kenny has to at least be on the bench Thursday– with Keane and Jagielka out, we literally have no other available defenders (unless you count Besic). Would be great to see him get a start though.
Charlie Lloyd
19 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:34:53
Henen grew into the game. He seemed a bit more savvy in game management and although he did some good things he still appears to be quite a way from stepping up to the first team.

The U23s are missing a lot of players from last season. There were quite a few young lads out there tonight so don't expect any to be knocking on the first team door soon. Stand outs for me being Feeney, Gibson, Evans and Adeniran (in patches).

It was a very good performance. First half ,they stood off a bit but a few changes at half time and they really stepped it up second half and got at Arsenal who visibly wilted. 4 second-half goals says it all.

Ian Burns
20 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:40:18
Great report – thanks Charlie, really appreciated.

As Frank (#6) said above, it is a great pity we can't get a feed on these games.

Michael Kenrick
21 Posted 25/09/2017 at 21:58:34
Just spare a thought on the task Unsworth has in terms of shoehorning in new players and getting his side to gel... this was the side that walloped Arsenal 5-0 last September:

Everton U23s: Hewelt, Jones, Robinson, Walsh (68' Dyson), Connolly, Kenny (c), Dowell, Davies, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse (75' C Duffus), Henen (58' Charsley).
Subs not used: Renshaw, Sambou.

Only Henen, Charsley and Sambou in tonight's squad.

Mike Allison
22 Posted 25/09/2017 at 22:09:42
Four of that side (#22) are on loan in the Championship and four were involved in our first team victory on Saturday.

The current U23s aren't expected to step up any time soon, their next move is a loan out. Hopefully some of Pennington, Browning, Galloway, Connolly, Robinson, Williams, Walsh, Dowell and Onyekuru will be making the step up next season.

Consider Calvert-Lewin, Davies, Holgate, Lookman, Vlasic and Kenny and that's 15 young players with potential whose role in the first team will be increasing over time. Even with a failure rate, that's still cause for optimism when you consider tonight's U23s are then coming along behind that.

Lee Jackson
23 Posted 25/09/2017 at 22:15:01
I see what you did there, MK. Seems not all managers struggle to integrate players. It may also help that some managers know to fit round pegs in round holes.
Lee Jackson
24 Posted 25/09/2017 at 22:18:10
Premier League 2 table:

http://www.flashscores.co.uk/football/england/premier-league-2/standings/

Shame about the view at the very top but it's a long way to go yet.

Alan Bodell
25 Posted 25/09/2017 at 22:22:47
Thanks for the updates Charlie, appreciated.
Lee Jackson
26 Posted 25/09/2017 at 22:25:40
Gibson was the lad we signed from Newcastle and Adeniran from Charlton(?)?
Charlie Lloyd
27 Posted 25/09/2017 at 23:50:33
Lee,

Adeniran was the lad we signed deadline day from Fulham. He looked useful, got around the pitch and was a presence but didn't always pick the right options. That'll come but there is a decent player there. Alongside Baningime (who was steady tonight though didn't run the game), Walsh, Williams, Dowell there is an abundance of midfield talent.

As Mike at 23 points out, the depth is quite staggering. Not all will make it but the quality is so much better than what we had even 5 years ago.

Dave Abrahams
28 Posted 26/09/2017 at 00:24:24
Charlie Lloyd, thanks for all the updates; I envy you watching all the new talent.

Does Gibson look a good prospect? He is going to cost us £6M if he makes it to the top... hope he does.

David Chait
29 Posted 26/09/2017 at 05:19:34
Exactly Michael (#22).. doing an excellent job.. and an example to a few further up the food chain.
Liam Reilly
30 Posted 26/09/2017 at 07:02:24
Maybe this is Walsh's long term project because the money will become scarcer when the Bramley-Moore repayments are due.

We should've loaned Donkor back to QPR, where he was doing well, rather that be a sub for the U23s.

Alan J Thompson
31 Posted 26/09/2017 at 07:26:45
Liam, are you confusing Donkor with Bowler?
Michael Kenrick
32 Posted 26/09/2017 at 07:46:38
You're right, Alan. Donkor picked up a bad injury last time and went back to Germany after only 4 appearances. This from his Player Profile:

He made a lively debut for the U23s in a Premier League 2 match against Old Trafford at the end of January, winning a penalty and creating one of the Blues' goals in a 3-1 win.

However, he suffered what turned out to be a serious injury after barely 10 minutes had elapsed in the U23s' Premier League Cup match at Carrow Road when the 19-year-old went down following a foul from Diallang Jaiyesimi and needed sustained treatement on his ankle before being withdrawn. It was only his third game for David Unsworth's side and the player returned home to Germany for assessment and treatment.

Donkor was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the season, with his loan spell at Everton effectively suspended. The club reportedly had a £1.5 million agreement in place to sign Donkor permanently in the summer, but instead Everton agreed a renewed loan deal for six months that would run through January 2018.

Liam Reilly
33 Posted 26/09/2017 at 08:08:05
Sorry guys, you're correct; I meant Bowler. So what's happened to him, because I understood he is some prospect?
Alan J Thompson
34 Posted 26/09/2017 at 08:17:42
Liam, I've read a report of a game involving Bowler but for the life of me I can't remember at what level. As has been said earlier, this is almost an entirely different team to last seasons but I don't think it involves any hulking centre-forwards. But then, it might be my turn.
Kim Vivian
35 Posted 26/09/2017 at 08:22:56
Nice to see him back on an Everton team sheet. Can anyone say how did Garbutt look?
Alan J Thompson
36 Posted 26/09/2017 at 08:27:48
Kim; Charlie (#2) said he had been skinned a few times and his distribution had not been the best but that was, quite possibly, early in the game.
Kim Vivian
37 Posted 26/09/2017 at 08:43:52
Thanks Alan, missed that. I started reading too far down the thread!

Shame if he's not improved because I always thought he looked potentially useful when I watched him. We'll see how Unsy gets on bringing him along. He's getting good form for that with his charges.

Alan J Thompson
38 Posted 26/09/2017 at 08:55:20
Kim, someone else said that Unsworth likes to rotate his team and while I'm unsure on that, I do wonder where some players manage to get time on the park particularly those in the first team squad but not playing regularly.

Also, as there's another Thursday game, I assume Robles has missed this game for that reason. But if not here, where do players like Garbutt get to show their wares?

Gary Edwards
39 Posted 26/09/2017 at 11:06:36
Michael, exactly and I've also made this point too. The next team that Unsworth puts out will likely have at least 4 changes to this.

Unsworth has the U23s playing in a system where players transition in & out seamlessly. They play fast, attacking footie, hit the channels, run onto balls, high energy and keep it simple at the back. This is what Koeman talks about but has absolutely failed to do thus far, quite the opposite.

Will those who don't watch the U23s yet constantly comment that they need time desist in making such ill-informed comments as you're clearly wrong.

Current fave for promotion to 1st XI – Morgan Feeney, when you see the lad run on the pitch you know there you have a tough, mobile centre-back, exactly what we currently need. Also keep an eye on Lewis Gibson, remember we paid Newcastle £6m for him classy centre-back, will be a top one but please before gobbing off that he's not ready, go and watch him go about his business and then compare him to Williams.

Good result against a top U23 team.

Peter Gorman
40 Posted 26/09/2017 at 11:20:50
Gethin Jones injury sounds grim, oxygen on the pitch and then off to hospital. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.
Charlie Lloyd
41 Posted 26/09/2017 at 11:23:57
Gibson was very good. Steady no fuss and put himself about for a 17-year-old. He was kicked in the head for the Arsenal sending off. I was impressed as I was with Morgan Feeney who was the captain at centre-back.

Garbutt got a bit better but he just looked very ordinary at this level. He was caught out a few times and played some aimless punts up.

Peter Gorman
42 Posted 26/09/2017 at 11:24:15
Gary Edwards, I share your enthusiasm for the development of young Feeney but he is still way too young for the first team. The fact he is playing for the U23s at a young age is an endorsement but first team football is a bridge way too far at the moment.
Lee Jackson
43 Posted 26/09/2017 at 15:37:49
Thanks for all the views and updates, Charlie. Most appreciated.
Shane Corcoran
44 Posted 26/09/2017 at 16:11:18
Where's Sam Byrne gone?
Dave Abrahams
45 Posted 26/09/2017 at 19:41:05
I haven't had a chance to see the U23s this season but watching Feeney in the past he was a centre back who played like Dave Watson. A very good dependable player who played a no-nonsense game, got his tackles and cleared his lines taking no chances to put either his team or himself into trouble.

I doubt if he he is ready yet, especially in this team at the moment. Let him make steady progress in the U23s; he is still very young, is he 19 or younger?


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