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U23s draw at Chelsea

Sunday, 12 August, 2018 14comments  |  Jump to most recent

David Unsworth's Under-23 side started off their 2018-19 campaign in Premier Leagute 2 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon with a 1-1 draw.

Harry Charsley's 20-yard drive put Everton in front with half-an-hour remaining. But the hosts hit back 10 minutes later when they scored from the spot after Brendan Galloway had brought down a Chelsea player.

Everton finished the game in the ascendancy, with a Pennington header hitting the bar, but couldn't land a decisive blow and ultimately settled for a very good point in West London.

Everton U23s: Hilton; Markelo, Galloway, Williams, Browning; Pennington, Evans (72' Sambou), Charsley (86' Bowler); Hornby, Broadhead, Gordon (46' Adeniran).
Subs not Used: Hewelt, Foulds.

Preview Notes:

Unsworth has seen a number of players develop and move on over the past two seasons, and is working hard to develop more talent in the current crop, with players like Alex Denny, Matty Foulds, Anthony Evans, Anthony Gordon, Joe Williams and Bassala Sambou looking to impress.

But one has to wonder for their futures as Marcel Brands and Marco Silva have brought in a slew of new foreigners to the senior side, with the likes of Kenny, Davies, Dowell, Baningime and Pennington now unlikely to get many first-team opportunities.

Connolly and Robinson have already gone out on loan to Championship sides and that seems the less glamorous destiny for any good English player in the wings at Everton whose progress is seemingly blocked by the conventional policy of buying in expensive but ready-made talent from the Continent to produce the required results for the senior team.

 

Reader Comments (14)

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Steve Ferns
1 Posted 12/08/2018 at 09:47:55
I see your concern over the opportunities for our star graduates. I wouldn't be so worried.

Kenny is second to Coleman so he will have opportunities. Dowell has been name checked a few times by Silva, he's in his thoughts. Davies will benefit from training with these guys and the competition to get back into the side. I think he's up to the challenge and will prove himself a better player than Gueye. Baningime is injured but he's still young enough to drop down for one more season and get himself fully fit and ready. Pennington had a good run out with the first team in pre-season. He's clearly not good enough. I wonder why he didn't rejoin Leeds on loan.

If Silva really didn't want these guys, he could cull his inflated squad by 5 and knock them all down to the u23s. He hasn't. So he's interested. There will be opportunities and the league cup is soon enough.

Colin Glassar
2 Posted 12/08/2018 at 09:56:40
Spot on, Steve. Last season, some of these lads were thrown in at the deep end to bolster their underperforming, more experienced colleagues and they were made to pay the price. The likes of Tom Davies, Kenny, Calvert-Lewin, Baningiime etc... can now be introduced more calmly into games and will only benefit by training with the likes of Gomes and Bernard.
Peter Roberts
3 Posted 12/08/2018 at 22:48:57
Not that FM should be taken as an indicator of how football plays out but just coming to the end of my 2nd season (starting 17/18) and Joe Williams is now a regular off the bench. I foresee him being given time in the cup games under Silva or farmed out to a top Championship team to show his worth.
Alan J Thompson
4 Posted 13/08/2018 at 04:31:26
It appeared from preseason friendlies that Hewelt was third choice keeper so I find it a little strange that he isn't starting for U-23s in case he has to be called up to the first-team squad.
Victor Yu
5 Posted 13/08/2018 at 04:48:53
Again, why are we giving valuable minutes to someone like Browning who has no future at the club? Shouldn't we use the minutes to develop someone who may make it in a couple of years instead?

Again, this "people's club" mentality has to go away if we are serious about building a winner. This is not charity this is business.

Keeping Browning fit and finding a club for him has no benefit to Everton at all.

Alan J Thompson
6 Posted 13/08/2018 at 04:55:47
Victor(#5); Unless of course his loan spell has improved him which is what a lot think loans will do for young players and the coaching staff want to see for themselves what it is they couldn't do for him.
Ed Prytherch
7 Posted 13/08/2018 at 04:58:57
Victor, Browning is getting game time because Everton is not run by androids,
Bill Gienapp
8 Posted 13/08/2018 at 05:09:49
I'm guessing Pennington was being kept in reserve in case - god forbid - the Mina/Zouma deals went belly-up on deadline day and we couldn't bring anyone else in at centre-back. Now that those deals have been closed, I fully expect him to seal a loan move before the end of the month.
Paul Birmingham
9 Posted 13/08/2018 at 07:42:35
A decent start, for the U23s. I've watched the U23s quite often the last 4 years, and I reckon, a few will have genuine merit to be in squad consideration, when the. Pinch comes.

Benny we know,, Sambou, Williams and Broadhead, seem to have the bite. Let's see what happens this season. Nb I recall Mathias got a bad injury last season, hence he may not be fit is out of the frame, as there were a few soft goals leaking last season, which were collective mistakes but the Gk, at any level is always the fall guy.

Good luck to EFC this season.

Si Pulford
10 Posted 13/08/2018 at 08:47:50
There's still time to loan some of these lads out. Even if it's just till Xmas then reasses. Dowell did well for half a season at forest then faded. How about seeing if he can do a full season in a competitive league? Likewise Baningime, his chances are limited now so do we sit him on the bench and play him in the odd cup game or send him to the likes of Wigan or Forest for a full season to develop and play games. I'd keep Kenny, Davies and Dowell personally but wouldn't be too disappointed to see any of the rest go and get some experience elsewhere.
Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 13/08/2018 at 13:37:20
I expect Calvert-Lewin to get many games this season and I have hopes that he will turn out to be a very good player for the Blues. Similarly, Jonjoe Kenny will prove to be ready and able to fill in for Seamus when called upon and he will get that call. Jonjoe has it in him to be as good a full-back as Tommy Wright and I see him as a future captain of Everton.

Davies will be needed in midfield as well; hopefully he will up his game this season. There are other young players who haven't had a game for the first team waiting in the background for their chance; if they are good enough. they will get a chance to prove it under Bland and Silva.

Tony Abrahams
12 Posted 13/08/2018 at 13:50:02
Brands, Dave, bland got sacked twice last season!
Tom Bowers
13 Posted 13/08/2018 at 13:53:58
Everton need Calvert-Lewin to come on this season as we cannot leave everything to Richarlison who will get well marked at times.

Niasse, Tosun and Walcott are far too patchy with their form to be relied upon and a lad like Calvert-Lewin could be a real asset.

Everton have some real competition for places now and one hopes it will mean greater performances from each member of the squad when called upon.

Dave Abrahams
14 Posted 13/08/2018 at 16:12:20
Tony (12) well done for spotting my deliberate mistake, just keeping you on your toes. While you are sitting on your arse in the house the twins are running amok here, me and your mam are worn out.

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