Everton U23s too strong for Derby County

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcCaO1Brkms

Sorry, my cutnpast skills are woeful

Cant past team either.
Isaac Price making his debut in midfield. Reece Welch making debut on the bench. The rest are fairly well known.

Back four, with Small playing left mid field. So
Hansen, John, Quirk, Ouzounidis, Anderson.

Onyango, Price,
Iversen, Hughes, Small,
Broadhead.
But they’ll move about.
Positive start by Small.

0-0 Rhys Hughes should have scored

Ball given away by Quirk, Derby missed a good chance 0-0

Same outfield as last game against Leicester with Price replacing Benigime, who’s apparently off to Derby.

Poor defence from Quirk who’s not a centre back despite being played there - better off in midfield.

Several errors by Quirk. Strange position for him.

Cracking goal. Broadhead after great pass out of defence.

33 mins Broadhead scores. Long ball from back by Anderson, Broadhead controls it, takes it back inside defender, cooly slots past GK with his right foot.

Another error by Quirk. Not a happy bunny.

Very nice goal from Broadhead and great pick out by Anderson.

BIG chance for Broadhead to make it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time off a mistake in the centre of the Derby defence. Did everything right until the finish, just past the post.

Brent, Quirk played in that position against Leicester and made a few mistakes if you remember. Reece Welch from the u18 is a centre back on the bench, hope he comes on 2nd half.

0-1;half time

Yes, Phill, I think we both commented in the Leic game about that being a strange position for Quirk. I wonder what's going on there?

Should have scored, he did the hard part with a nice jink back onto his right foot.

It’s been 50/50, Derby unlucky not to get a penalty. Thierry Small not done anything special but I like the way the lad moves, he looks quick and agile, a natural athlete. Quick to get back and cover if a move breaks down. Very alert to attack down the left. He should have done better with a cross in from the left when in a good position over hit it, but I think he was minded to shoot for a split second. There’s a touch is class about the kid, very promising for a 16 year old. I am happy there is talk of a contract for him to keep the suitors at bay.

Brent, I think Astley is injured so they didn’t want to move Anderson to CB, proffering him as LB to keep Small further up field. I’m hoping Reece Welch makes his debut as a CB 2nd half. He’s similar to Onyango in size, a bit smaller about 6 foot 2 maybe, but a great prospect at 17

Nice, Welch on earlier than I thought!

Good to see Mackenzie Hunt coming on too, suffered from a few injuries and been overtaken a bit by younger players.

Powerful running from Small

Not the first time Derby have come close with that goal.

Thats a really good goal...Snods critical, but, sometimes you just have to hold your hands up

Good finish for the equaliser for Derby.

Good save by the Derby keeper to deny Reece Welch making it 2-0 just before that.

Rhys Hughes is delivering some wicked corners for us.

Very well taken goal by Broadhead, super run by Onyango to set it up. 1-2 , 72 mins

Lovely stuff by Tyler. And a Broadhead goal.

What’s price like?

Commentators are hopeless on Smalls goal, he’s not playing left back ! Well taken goal by Small, u lucky Broadhead 1-3

Phill they had him at LB from the start!

Thiery Small taking advantage from Broadhead's shot the keeper parries to make it 3-1. WTF the left back is doing in the centre of the 6 yard box on our attack I've no idea, but I won't complain!

Tony, Price had some very good moments - and tackles - in the first half. Got himself booked for one of them.

Brent, yeah I heard that, and yet they rightly give praise to Anderson who’s playing left back ;-)

That's true, Phil. Joe Anderson is back there, but Thiery has mostly been playing just in front of him, so good to see him anticipating things and getting well forward into the box.

What a player Small looks to be. Good defending. Good going forward. And lovely stepovers!

Done and dusted. Good game.

I heard very good things about Isaac Price, albeit when he was around ten years of age Jay, but if he’s a first year scholar, playing under 23 football, and doing alright, then hopefully the kids got a real chance?

My first real look at Price, Tony. I liked what I saw.

Very young side tonight for the U-23s in the main.

They did well.

Price is deceptive, I think. He looks lean but he has a knack of getting a foot in to nick the ball.

Tony, a first start for Price and he got ahead of older players like Hunt. There was a video interview of him when he was about 13, think he'd scored a goal of the season or something. He's fairly sprouted now, about 6 ft tall but stick thin.

The youngster who impressed me the most was Reece Welch, first time at U23s and I can see him starting soon. Another stick-thin giant who's grown, looks about 6'-4" now! He's been with England U16s and U17s along with Onyango and Dobbin; same calendar birth year, different scholar year. I've got quiet hopes for him; he's got the height, got the skill... let's see how he develops.

Okay Phil, Welch is not a player I’ve heard about before mate.

So your saying he’s deceptively strong Brent, or maybe he’s deceptively sharp or quick?

Tony, I was saying I thought Price although skinny had a knack of winning the ball - not through strength but using speed of feet, picking a pocket as it were. Reminds me of Gana in that sense, somebody who rarely goes to ground and instead manages to get a foot in to win the ball.

Well taken goals by Broadhead but he should easily have had a hat trick, at least.

Tony, Welch played most of last season for the u18s as a Schoolboy. We have 5 potential CBs at u18 and he’s always been the one picked with others playing alongside him, so for me it was a matter of time before he stepped up. He’s ticked the three boxes I like to see - plays above his age, plays for England youth, has the physicality I.e. his height, but needs to fill out a bit.

I have just watched the under 23 game. It’s not only the 1st team that can’t put two passes together. Broadhead took his goals well but those lads are s million miles away from the first team

HEADS UP FOR ANOTHER LIVE BROADCAST STARTING NOW!!!

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Man City v Everton U-23s LIVE

Astley in for Small only change from the Derby win, maybe he’s injured, with first team or just rested.

Thumping finish to put City 1-0 up after 17 minutes.

1-0 city Ben Night 17 mins

Slow start to this game.

I’m seeing the same thing as when the first team play 3/5 at the back Jay, our midfield seems to be outnumbered. Onyango and Price are doing well but we don’t seem to have depth in midfield.

John is versatile. Midfield. RB. Left tonight ahead of the back three. He’s also played CB?

City passing through our midfield to easily to get in and around our penalty area.

We don’t seem to have learnt from the defeat earlier in the season when everything City did went through their best player, Tommy Doyle. he dictates their play. Stick Quirk on him would be an obvious move.

Doyle nearly scoring there, need to close him down.

Tony Abrahams might be pleased with Isaac Price. He's the one going toe-to-toe with Tommy Doyle and taking no nonsense in a shoving match with the City captain, even being the skinny Lizzy that he is.

Quite a number of players need to have a bit more confidence in themselves. Making it too easy for City.

It looked like Price was picking up Doyle more at the end of the half. I wonder how we’ll set up, 2nd half, go to a straight back four with John at right back would be my preference, get Quirk into midfield maybe.

There was a nice cross field ball from Onyango near the end, not seen that from him too often, he’s been mainly surging runs and long legs making a tackle or winning the ball. Good to see his range of play.

Yep back four, maybe 442 with Cannon up front alongside Broadhead

Phill looks as if you read that right re back 4.

Rhys Hughes and Seb Quirk off for McKenzie Hunt and Tom Canon on, reverting to a flat back four.

Rhys has been poor on the ball for me in recent games, but he don't half take a good corner.

Or maybe not!

Haha, couldn’t edit my post Brent would have put “ maybe not”

Cracking Cannon goal. Header.

Good start to the 2nd half, playing 15-20 metres further up the pitch. Win a corner, Cracking header by Tom Canon. 1-1.

Lovely run from the back by Astley to set up the attack that got the corner, nice to see him back.

Unlucky goal to concede but all created by Doyle.

Astle been out quite a while injured? That Southport injury?

Jammy city goal.

Fluke goal for City, cross-shot looping up off the Everton defender over the keeper into the net. City back in front agains the run of play in the 2nd half.

Yes a fluke goal by City then the picture froze as it did in the first half so I’ve give up on it, hope we get back into the game.

I think Astley’s only missed the last two games Brent

Hmm, where will Welch play, must be a back four.

Got to tip your hat on the City lad for their third goal. Good skill.

City doing what they do best, good individuals playing in a set team formation.

Still a back three, at least it’s got Welch in the pitch for more experience.

You do so want a back four Phill!

Brent, I’m happy to see Welch on, not sure how you play him and Astley in a four without wasting one out of position at full back. !

But I don’t think we know how to make the best of wing backs, Iversen and Hunt are so close , as we’re John and Hughes first half. I think it always costs us in the middle of the park.

Well we were beaten by a better team, good learning for such a young team. Last season we got torn apart repeatedly by City and a guy called Jayden Braaf. A better performance this time, shrugs shoulders, it happens.!

Pity we couldn't maintain the intensity and control we established in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half, but City just too good for us all across the park.

Fair comment, Phill. Part of their development. Good to see real youth in the side.

It was an interesting move pushing up Ryan Astley into midfield when we wanted to bring Reece Welch on. Astley has more skill and technical ability than Ouzounidis but not the same physical build and hasn't developed the physique you need to be a Premier League defender yet. I wonder if it was a one-off or trying him in a different position for his development.

Phill "I wonder if it was a one off or trying him in a different position for his development."

Phill, I did wonder about that more generally - the switching of players into other (unusual) positions perhaps to (a) find their best position and (b) to give them a better understanding of the demands on other positions so they can better co-ordinate with those other positions.

Brent, yes indeed, it’s one of the intriguing things watching U23s, where are they being asked to play, who is showing aptitude in a new position. Unsworth is certainly mixing it about, John as a left wing back initially, Isaac Price was mainly an attacking mid at u18 but played deeper last night and looked very composed there.
There is so much to see, and think about when watching the U23s that’s why I enjoy these matches. Mind you this time last year I was out on a cold Wednesday night watching my local semi pro team rather than Champions League on the tele. Each to his own eh !