A fine win over Chelsea for the U23s

The U23s ended the club's losing streak, beating a strong Chelsea side 2-0 at home with goals from Simms and Onyango. Anthony Gordon easily Man of the Match.

That's good news, Phill.

How far away is Simms from being ready? The kid has got a bit of pace and this is what our first team needs to improve on right throughout the team.

Love your feedback on the younger teams, Phil. How did Onyango play?

Thanks, Phill, I think I knew the answer, but that was a great description, mate. I only asked because he's the only other forward at the club besides Tosun, who is just not good enough for me.

I'm glad Gordon played well, even if I don't think he's ready just yet. Places have definitely got to be up for grabs right now, so good luck to the kid because you can't do much more than be the best player on the pitch, can you?

Quality – many thanks, Phill!!

Watched the game on Everton website and I thought that our two centre halves Ryan Ashley and Branthwaite played really well as did Knoukou at left back. Stars of the show though were Nathan Broadhead anad Anthony Gordon both of who constantly drove at the Chelsea defence with some superb runs. Simms had a bit of a tough time against two big Chelsea defenders but was on hand to jab in a goal.

I don't think Virginia, Banningime and Onayego were anywhere near their best. Virginia seems to have caught Pickfords disease of not catching the ball clearly, parrying it and then picking it up and one mad rush out nearly ended with a red card. Luckily the excellent lady referee only gave him a yellow. Pendleton at right back did a sound job and at 25 yr old really should be getting picked up on a free.

On the Chelsea side was Drinkwater who joined them from CL winning side Leicester 3-4 yrs ago but is now completely sidelined with not even a squad number. How times have changed. Clearly he's on a 5 yr deal on great wages and won't move till his contract is finished. He really worked his socks off and was nearly the man of the match except I'd give it to Gordon.

Why this lad hasn't been given a chance is beyond me. The Esk in his podcast on Sunday says he's heard that Ancelotti and his team don't rate him at all.
Pity if it's true !

Sorry meant to add Iversen the Scandinavian lad in midfield was our pick of our midfielders, always harrying, winning tackles but more importantly had a good eye to pick out some lovely passes.

The 3 lads currently in the 1st squad, Branthwaite, Knoukou and Gordon stood out bu5 I don't see Simms or any of the rest, getting up to the squad on a regular basis.

Ancelotti doesn't rate Gordon? That makes no sense given the game time he already has enjoyed.

Perhaps Carlo just rates the likes of Iwobi and Bernard more, which he won't for much longer if the first team continues to cock up.

Peter @ 8, good point regarding Gordon, where the generally underperforming ones you mention are always ahead in the pecking order, forgive my conspiracy theorising.

I often wonder if the fee paid and the exorbitant wages that some are ' enjoying ' plays a factor in their selection. I can fully understand that the likes of Gordon who has been with us for ages, and Nathan Broadhead (another that I rate highly) get a bit pissed off that seemingly no matter what they do, they are almost forgotten.

Nathan has often been earmarked as one who may be sold, I hope not because while I appreciate we can't keep hold of every promising youngster, I feel he is a bit special, as is Gordon.

Maybe, just maybe Carlo, will start looking at our U23's a bit more closely and at least give them a chance, they couldn't do any worse than some of the seniors. It works at Man U and Mordor!

Just cutn pasting some comments left behind in the u18 thread.
Re Tony #2
Tony, I don't think he's ready to challenge for a first-team spot, still a lot of work to be done. Today, he finished off his goal in typical fashion, inside the box, clinical finish. Probably his only chance and he took it.
He was on his own upfront and struggled to get on the end of long balls from the back, as Calvert-Lewin does. A few times though he “nearly” got on the end of through balls on the ground. Better defenders afford him less space; equally, first-team players may just find him with better balls.

He's progressing fine: 2 months of training with the first team, scoring with the U23s and he'll be ready for a January loan. Take it from there. Though I would love to see him get Premier League minutes, just to give the coaches something else to work on with him afterwards.

Gordon was the one catching the eye today. I don't know what's going on with Carlo, he's certainly showing enough to be in the squad, even when Richarlison returns.

2nd cutn paste reDave#3

Dave, Onyango did fine, I'm a big fan and he's developing nicely. With Baningime in the holding role, he's getting forward more and at times he's playing the box-to-box midfielder. His goal was a good example, set up by Gordon who played a lovely pass into the 6-yard box for Onyango to poke through the goalie's legs.
So he not only had the energy to get up there but timed his run into the box just right. And he's still doing the basics well, tackling, covering, simple passes.

He's off with Dobbin to the England U18 squad this week; I'll try to keep an eye out for any reports.

Thanks for the reports, Phill. Sounds like we had a strong team today. Unsworth deserves credit for consistently getting the U23s to get results against the better endowed B-teams of the rich clubs. Although I guess the rich clubs are more successful in loaning out their promising youngsters than Everton are. I feel that players like Simms, Branthwaite, Gordon, Onyango, Virginia, Baningime, etc should either get a sniff in the senior squad or be loaned out.

I fear we may have a manager who will not turn to young players unless he has to. It's up to them to force his hand by how they play and train. We do have a handful who look like they could make it if given a proper chance.

Phill, I see Dobbin played up front for England and scored twice against Ukraine in a 4-0 win. It was for the U17s – with Onyango and Welch in the squad but not playing. Can't find any footage.

Dave #13
I'm afraid your fears may be well-founded as the passage from the Echo implies. It's a situation which is particularly alien to Evertonions as so many times during our history, young players have added to the strength of the first team, obviously, it's no use having youngsters in the team if they can't do the job, however, so many of our purchased players haven't so far set the world alight either.

U23s Pathway?

In response to a question about Gordon in particular, the boss recently replied: “To develop a player he needs to play but I am not here to develop players.

"I am here to try to keep this club at the top so sometimes I need Anthony Gordon..because I consider Anthony Gordon a player of Everton Football Club, not a player who has to develop.

"He is a player of Everton Football Club. At this moment there are players who are a big part of this squad."

Of course, not many of the other players in the club's under-23 setup can consider themselves in as good a position as the winger right now - and even he might be a little frustrated at his lack of game time recently.

Robert #14, I think that was in a tournament in Marbella before lockdown. I know Dobbin scored two against Ukraine and one against Russia then. These games are useful for getting glimpses of future stars but the FA sometimes don't release highlights, then they appear from another source.

I know that most of the young England teams have squad training but no games this international break. We've got Dobbin and Onyango with the U18 s but no Welch; Branthwaite with U19s; Gordon and Simms with the U20s, Simms's first call up at this level.

I think there are others, eg, Astley and Hughes with Wales maybe the likes of Iversen, Imam Jagne, Nkounkou too.

Thanks, Phill. Yes, you're right, the Ukraine game was a while ago. Good to see Simms get a call-up.

The transfer ban being lifted may see some activity for us at youth levels.