Season › 2017-18 › News U23s Beat Spurs at Goodison on Sunday Sunday, 10 September, 2017 58comments | Jump to most recent Everton U23s continued their Premier League 2 campaign with a fine 4-1 win against Spurs on Sunday. The young Blues were ahead after just six minutes. Jonjoe Kenny played a neat one-two with Gethin Jones down the right and whipped over a cross that Niasse powerfully headed home to open the scoring. A half of few chances saw neither goalkeeper seriously tested as the Toffees were resolute in their bid to hold off a Tottenham side looking for a way back into the game. The visitors did, however, manage to level just minutes into the second half, as skipper Joe Pritchard saw a deflected strike beat Joel Robles and make it 1-1. But Everton produced a dazzling six-minute spell that swept aside Spurs and confirmed all three points. First Ademola Lookman took aim from 25 yards and arrowed a powerful effort into the top corner, before substitute David Henen teed up Niasse for his second. The Senegalese striker then returned the favour as he slid a pass in for the young Belgian to pick his spot and beat Whiteman to make it four. The Toffees were then happy to see the game out- although Niasse was denied a hat-trick late on — with the impressive Morgan Feeney marshalling a back four determined not to allow Spurs a glimmer of hope at a comeback. Everton U23s: Robles, Kenny, Foulds (46' Henen), Baningime, Feeney, Gibson, Jones, Charsley (85' Bowler), Niasse, Adenrian (45' Evans), Lookman.Subs not Used: Hilton, Sambou. Reader Comments (58) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Brent Stephens 1 Posted 10/09/2017 at 13:02:21 Lookman starts for U23 today. Brent Stephens 2 Posted 10/09/2017 at 13:07:18 Niasse scores. Excellent goal Brent Stephens 3 Posted 10/09/2017 at 13:11:06 Onyekuru playing. Thought he was out on loan? Brent Stephens 4 Posted 10/09/2017 at 13:14:59 Could have sworn announcer said Onyekuru starting but I hear no mention of him in the game. Stephen Davies 5 Posted 10/09/2017 at 13:23:39 Scores from a Kenny cross...Hmmmmm.... [strokes beard] Brent Stephens 6 Posted 10/09/2017 at 13:34:16 T'was, Stephen.And Adedoyin not Onyekuru. Dave Abrahams 7 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:03:30 Can't make it to game, heavy cold; any links to getting the game? Brent Stephens 8 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:10:57 Link Brent Stephens 9 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:17:03 1-1. Mistake by Feeney. Brent Stephens 10 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:19:13 Well a goal from Lookman that won't be bettered this season!!! Paul Thompson 11 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:22:01 Henen on at half-time and making a positive difference. Brent Stephens 12 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:25:15 Super 3rd. Kenny, Henen, Niasse. All excellent touches. Thomas Surgenor 13 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:25:57 This is actually fun to watch, unlike the first team! Brent Stephens 14 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:26:24 So 2 goals for Niasse. At this rate he'll get that locker returned to him. Brent Stephens 15 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:28:10 Niasse to Henen. Goal 4. Very good touches again. Brent Stephens 16 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:28:41 As Snods said, 4-4 on aggregate this weekend! Karl Jones 17 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:29:11 Surely we've got to give Niasse a go in the first team after this. Paul Thompson 18 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:29:32 And Spurs a decent side too. Clinical finshing from Everton. Never thought I'd type that sentence. Chris Williams 19 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:32:21 Henen has pace and direct running. Niasse is composed and links well. Seems to know where the goal is. Kenny uses the ball well and has pace.Lookman scored a cracker. These are doing themselves no harm at all given the performance of the first team. Brent Stephens 20 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:48:13 Off the post by Bowler. Great play by him. Paul Thompson 21 Posted 10/09/2017 at 14:59:34 Cracking second half that, with some terrific goals. LIke the first team, the U23s don't really have a playmaker (with Walsh on loan), but they do have pace. The midlfield is solid, with the Gana-like Baningime the engine. Lookman I suspect was guesting, which is no problem as I really liked the look of Josh Bowler in his 10-minute cameo. Defence also looks solid and well organised. Niasse and Kenny have earned a promotion. Dave Abrahams 22 Posted 10/09/2017 at 15:02:49 Thanks for the link, Brent, it kept going off but I saw some good stuff, Niasse should have got his hat-trick and a great effort from Bowler, unlucky it hit the inside of the post. Jonjoe having a good game along with Lookman, the last two should have been on the bench at least yesterday. Brent Stephens 23 Posted 10/09/2017 at 15:04:23 Agree with all that, Paul. And the comfortable Feeney / Gibson axis in defence, which looked more solid when Jones dropped back to left-back. Just some really excellent team play in the goals! Brent Stephens 24 Posted 10/09/2017 at 15:06:03 Yes, Dave, first half Lookman looked a far better player on the ball than anybody else. Those feet are so quick. Geoff Harrison 25 Posted 10/09/2017 at 15:59:52 Wasn't sure I had the stomach for a return to Goodison, less than 24 hours after my last visit. But I just witnessed a fairly scintillating display of attacking football, with pace and power and goals and missed sitters and shots hitting the inside of the woodwork. All this, against a handy looking Tottenham side. I genuinely feel less gloomy, as I sort out my on-line check in for Milan. (I got carried away after the draw and booked 2 nights in Bergamo, presuming that a team called Atalanta Bergamo might play in Bergamo.) But back to the U23s. I hope Koeman watches these games. They might genuinely give him food for thought. Colin Glassar 26 Posted 10/09/2017 at 16:06:28 Maybe we should just swap the U-23s for the first team against Atalanta. James Watts 27 Posted 10/09/2017 at 16:14:47 Wouldn't matter, Colin, as Koeman will still be telling them what to do! Geoff Harrison 28 Posted 10/09/2017 at 16:29:36 Makes you wonder just how good Unsworth might be. Daniel Lim 29 Posted 10/09/2017 at 16:29:59 Including the manager, James? James Watts 30 Posted 10/09/2017 at 16:34:40 I don't think many of us would complain if that happened too, Daniel. Daniel Lim 31 Posted 10/09/2017 at 16:38:29 Sigh. Just remember that this is not the Premier League, the U23 players not registered for the Europa League. Barry Pearce 32 Posted 10/09/2017 at 17:07:21 Kenny should be playing for the first team. Koeman knows better, I think not. Just what this lad has to do to get in the team is beyond me. James Lee 33 Posted 10/09/2017 at 17:18:09 Here's all the goals from Unsworth's team:URL: https://www.google.com.sg/amp/s/royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/platform/amp/2017/9/10/16283388/everton-under-23s-tottenham-4-1-match-recap-highlights-watch-goalsAnd the goals from Koeman's team:URL: empty Colin Glassar 34 Posted 10/09/2017 at 17:32:02 That was my thinking as well, Daniel. I don't think Koeman will get the chop (just yet) but he'd better start turning this around or he could be on very thin ice. James Stewart 35 Posted 10/09/2017 at 17:35:26 @32 Agreed. Kenny should be right-back in Coleman's absence, end of story. Martina is an awful player and Koeman's Alcaraz. Lookman I assumed was injured as he wasn't on the bench yesterday. Another bizarre decision. The sad thing is Koeman won't be watching these games so they could be world beaters for all he knows – he won't pick them. Mark Tanton 36 Posted 10/09/2017 at 17:38:53 This result is an embarrassment to Koeman. His first team ex-pat evacuees doing the business while he packs his own team with ten of his favourite central midfielders. Anthony Burke 37 Posted 10/09/2017 at 18:57:56 The Under-23s had more shots on target today than the first team have all season. Wake up, Koeman – consider Niasse at least... and Lookman offers lightning pace. Sam Hoare 38 Posted 10/09/2017 at 19:15:01 A good audition by Unsie and some of the youngsters!The likes of Lookman and Kenny must surely feature sooner rather than later. Though, having said this, our team looks so bereft at the moment, maybe throwing youngsters into the fray will only damage them. Stan Schofield 39 Posted 10/09/2017 at 19:21:50 Well done, Unsie and the lads, yet again. Good job that Koeman doesn't coach the Under-23s – they'd be shite. Dave Abrahams 40 Posted 10/09/2017 at 20:15:50 Sam (#38), I thought that yesterday, I wouldn't have liked to see Jonjoe in that formation versus Spurs. Martina is not a good defensive player IMO but he was left on his own to repeal the attacks on that side of the pitch. That said, I believe Kenny is a much better player and defender than Martina who doesn't know where he is half of the time. Nick Lacey 41 Posted 10/09/2017 at 20:18:14 In my opinion, whether Koeman sees out his 3-year contract or is released from his services earlier, I feel that Unsworth has to be the next man in the hot seat.He is well respected by the fans and it would also appear by the people and players at the club; he knows how to set up a team; he plays players in the correct position and generally seems like a nice guy. He also seems to manage with respect instead of fear.Has to be him. Eric Paul 42 Posted 10/09/2017 at 21:15:10 How Koeman can think Martina and Williams are better than Holgate and Kenny is beyond me... and why won't he start with Calvert-Lewin? Geoff Lambert 44 Posted 10/09/2017 at 22:33:16 Niasse, goals and composure in the same sentence????What's going on here??? Damian Wilde 45 Posted 10/09/2017 at 22:50:06 Does Koeman watch the U23s? Steve Carse 46 Posted 10/09/2017 at 23:26:57 In answer to your question, Damian, not very often. Just three times last season. Dennis Stevens 47 Posted 10/09/2017 at 23:33:57 If Koeman wasn't at the match, then he should be fined by the Board. Colin Glassar 48 Posted 10/09/2017 at 23:39:39 Maybe he was playing golf or fishing, Dennis. Gordon Crawford 49 Posted 10/09/2017 at 23:41:43 If Koeman managed this team, they would be bottom. Unsy should be our next manager. Alan J Thompson 50 Posted 11/09/2017 at 06:43:41 Some of you think some of these players should be promoted to the first team because they look calm, collected, score goals and have pace. But none of you have mentioned pressing and productivity or what Mr Koeman wants. Quite what that is, we are not too sure... but it hasn't been mentioned, anywhere. Oh yeah, not niceness. Brian Porter 51 Posted 11/09/2017 at 08:42:04 Omar Niasse, whatever we might think of him, played for Hull last season and scored a total of five goals. Four came in the Premier League, two in one game against Swansea and one each against Liverpool and Manchester Utd. He added another in the League Cup against Man Utd (again), so I would say the lad has earned his spurs (bad word. I know). He made a total of 16 appearances for Hull, not all starts, so that seems a pretty good return to me. In fact he scored the same amount of league goals as Ross Barkley did in over twice as many appearances. How many of our current squad have goals against Liverpool and Man Utd to add to their CVs? Answers on a postage stamp please. He might be clumsy and unorthodox but he appears to be a far better player now than the one who arrived during Martinez's tenure, as exhibited by the skill and composure he displayed in setting up our fourth goal yesterday, and the skill he showed in controlling and finishing for his second goal. With no other recognised front man in the squad, surely it's time Koeman came down from his high horse, put Everton before his own prejudices against the lad, and gave him a chance to show him and us, just how much he has improved and matured in the last 12 months. If he tries him and he succeeds, he will be seen to have been fair and given the lad the chance he's earned, but if he fails to give him an opportunity, Koeman is simply giving us another stick to beat him with. Most Premier League teams who find a fairly prolific goalscorer in the reserves will, at some time, give them a chance to shine on the big stage. I would suggest, bearing in mind our current dearth of striking options, that the time has come for Koeman to do just that, or forever be damned by our failure to score goals or even register a shot or two in every game. Gary Edwards 52 Posted 11/09/2017 at 12:07:31 Brilliant, well done, the men in the U23s. I didn't get to see this game but know that with the U23s you generally get attractive, hi-energy, positive footie. It doesn't surprise me that Niasse scored; if nothing else, he's a willing runner, reasonably quick and powerful too. He'll run the channels, Kenny, Beni, Gethi, Harry etc know that, move the ball quickly into the channels... et voila (as Terry Henry would say). It's not 'kin rocket science.One thing you are assured of from the U23s – pride in the shirt they wear and the club they play for.I've long been a poster who's called for Koeman (& Martinez) to utilise the talent in the U23s and often been called on it: "We need experience"; "We don't know how they'll shape up" etc etc. Right now, I'd take Feeney over Williams and Jagielka at centre-back, Niasse up front, Lookman and Henen over Mirallas, Baningime over Schneiderlin and Kenny at RB and play Jones with him at least they will give it their all, they know how to win, how to play good footie etc. The correct blend of U23s and 1st team and we're sorted. Simon Jones 53 Posted 11/09/2017 at 12:09:04 What Brian just said. Matthew Williams 54 Posted 11/09/2017 at 15:21:16 He barely watches the first team, Damien! Phill Thompson 55 Posted 11/09/2017 at 16:26:14 Gary, some good points but Morgan Feeney is nowhere near ready for the first team at the moment. He's an excellent 18-year-old but has nothing like the physicality or experience to cope at Premier League level – Lukaku and Fellaini would just batter him against Man Utd. Hopefully his time come but let's not thrust these youngsters into situations they would be unable to cope with. Chris Corn 56 Posted 11/09/2017 at 17:03:39 You can't tell me Kenny is not equipped play for the first team . Frank Crewe 57 Posted 11/09/2017 at 17:51:08 Here's a linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jllg3kHtULsWhy some of these guys aren't in the 1st team is beyond me. Daniel Lim 59 Posted 12/09/2017 at 06:00:01 OMG. Just watched the goals. The first one was really some beautiful team play. If you haven't, it's a must watch. The third goal (second by Niasse) you could argue that it won't happen in the Premier League. But the other two are very good as well. Rudi Coote 61 Posted 14/09/2017 at 04:49:04 It beggars belief why these "kids" are being overlooked. As the saying goes, "If they're good enough, they're old enough" How do you translate that to Dutch? Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads