Under-21s win to go top

Michael Kenrick , 11 March, 16comments | Jump to most recent

But Ross Barkley is red-carded

Everton Under-21s did very well to win 1-0 at Chelsea this evening, through another fantastic goal from young striker Conor McAleny.

Picking up the ball 30 yards from goal, McAleny strode forward, looked up and let fly to spectacularly notch his fifth goal in just six second-string outings.

But the brilliant result was tainted somewhat by the dismissal of Ross Barkley in the 89th minute, apparently for raising his hand to an opponent's face as Chelsea prepared to take a free-kick.

Everton: Springthorpe; Stones, Garbutt, Junior, Duffy; Browning, Hope, Barkley; Vellios, McAleny, Grant.
Subs not used: Kelly, Kennedy, Long, Touray, Molyneux.

Reader Comments (16)

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Richard Reeves
1 Posted 11/03/2013 at 17:34:00

Conor McAleny is a natural goalscorer, it's in his locker, something Moyes should've noticed when he was flogging that dead horse Saha.

Barkley, Junior, Duffy and McAleny WILL become top players, no doubt about that.

James Carroll
2 Posted 11/03/2013 at 17:42:23

Does that mean he would serve a ban for Premier League games, too (not that Moyes ever picks him....) ?

Danny Kewley
3 Posted 11/03/2013 at 17:44:14

My first thought as well James.

Sam Hoare
4 Posted 11/03/2013 at 17:52:23

I read on the OS that red card would not mean any premier league ban for Barkley. Well done the lads, get Mcaleny on the pitch, unlike Jelavic at the moment he seems to really know where the net is.

Steve Edwards
5 Posted 11/03/2013 at 20:38:31

Sam, you having a laugh and pigs might fly.

Lee Simpson
6 Posted 11/03/2013 at 21:47:37

So the team that has one of the thinnest squads in the Premier League are top of the Reserves table. Hmmmmm...

Andy Mack
7 Posted 11/03/2013 at 21:48:16

Sign of getting old, but I remember if a reserve player was notching up goals like that his reward would be in the first team next Saturday. Those were the days of Bovril and Caramac mind.

James Morgan
8 Posted 12/03/2013 at 12:12:57

Red Ross! Red Ross!

My Friends reference for the day.

Matthew Williams
10 Posted 12/03/2013 at 13:03:21

Maybe we should switch the first team with the reserves, couldn't hurt!

Ajay Gopal
11 Posted 12/03/2013 at 17:18:37

Give some of these lads a game, Moyes. Come on, take a chance, let's see what they have got. Duffy, Vellios, Barkley, Junior, McAleny, Lundstram, Kennedy, Stones - all fine prospects, who need some game time at the senior level to get some experience and show us their talent. Rodwell was getting a lot of game time and praise from Mancini in a very strong City squad, unfortunately he got injured again. Everton's youth are not as bad as Moyes makes them out to be. My team for next week:

Mucha, Coleman, Duffy, Distin, Oviedo, Mirallas, Hitz, Gibson, Barkley, Baines, Anichebe
SUBS: Jela, Pienaar, Heitinga, McAleny, Vellios, Osman

Declan Burke
12 Posted 12/03/2013 at 17:49:17

Richard #103. Yes, Conor McAleny is a natural goalscorer.
However, the fact that he is so young I fear that Moyes tactics would drain him of all his confidence and he would end up like Jelavic, Johnson etc etc.

Si Cooper
13 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:42:34

Just to point out to people that we are not in the elite U21 group, we are in the next one down (Group 1) as we did not qualify for the elite group in phase one of the competition.

The lads are doing well, and a win against the likes of Chelsea is not to be sniffed at, but we are not the top ranked U21 team so far.

James Flynn
14 Posted 13/03/2013 at 13:52:01

Any comments on McAleny's game all-around? Size, pace, etc. I don't get to see these youngsters and would appreciate any info.

And how's Stones coming along?

Sam Hoare
15 Posted 13/03/2013 at 22:43:25

James, from what I've seen McAleny is quite small, fleet of foot, has good technique and could adequately be described as 'nippy'. He's a Defoe type player potentially I think.

See that Anton Forrester (who they recently moved from us) got his first team debut tonight for Blackburn. Wonder if lack of youngsters breaking through is likely to see more promising players move on before they have even seen out their youth contracts...

James Flynn
16 Posted 14/03/2013 at 15:57:44

Thanks Sam. Good stuff. Fingers crossed, who knows. He might come good.

Ross Edwards
17 Posted 14/03/2013 at 20:11:59

We have some talent in the under 21s that, if given the chance, could provide something different for the run in, as it is clear that half the players have tired out.

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