Everton U23s suffer another defeat at Crystal Palace

U23s now live on Everton Tv v Crystal Palace.

0-0 after 23 minutes.

1-0 to Palace – great curling strike from the Palace forward.

Bollocks - lost the picture just before they scored.

I presume we've got quite a young team out?

No significant chances from us that half, although Whitaker went for a special overhead volley following good work by Mills. Dobbin has looked sharp up front, but no real opportunities. Astley sound at the back.

Overall, Palace deserve their lead …. just.

Dennis, yes.

Leban
John, Welch, Astley, Campbell
Price, Butterfield
Mills, Whitaker, Hughes,
Dobbin.

So 6 Scholars in there. Palace have a 27-year-old playing.

Brilliant for these kids getting to play at this level every week, and although they will get a few runaround’s this season, I’m sure they will all come on for the experience, whilst hopefully toughening up in the process?

These early season matches will be quite a challenge for them, but it'll be interesting to see how well they cope as the season progresses.

Great pass from Mills to Dobbin, Dobbin runs into the box, brought down, penalty.

Ooof, Hughes has soft kick saved, still 1-0.

Poor penalty but well played Dobbin.

And a soft penalty to Palace.
2-0 Palace

3-0 Palace

Disappointing third goal against us.

Great goal from Charle Whitaker, free-kick over wall into the roof of the net.

Well, that's a lovely free-kick for a goal from Whitaker.

I was worried he'd just chipped it over the wall with not enough power but is super-accurate, just inside the post. Keeper thought it was going wide... maybe he got a nice curve on it?

Nice play both Whitaker and Garcia there.

Watched most of the second half and really enjoyed the effort that quite a few of the players put in. Agree with Dennis, and think the early games will be the most difficult, but players only love you when they’re playing (except a few of our big earners!) and it’s also definitely the best way to improve.

We are a very young side, physically so small compared to recent teams we’ve played. It will be a hard season to get through, but hopefully as it should have always been, a gem or two comes out, young enough, good enough to get into the 1st team plans.
For too many years our U23’s have been a shopping window for our lads of 20-23yrs who have never made it to our 1st team and Unsy didn’t want to ditch them and they were denying our brighter younger lads to be tested. Yet they brought us success in the PL 2, which satisfied Unsy, but not Brands.

Tonight Palace had 3-4 lads who have played in their 1st team, or been on the bench, but even their young lads Rak- Saki, Street, and their No 19 sub were so much physically stronger than our lads. Graham Stuart commentating repeatedly stated it was hard, and called their sub a mini “Traore” after the Wolves lad after one run were he just barged his way past 3-4 of our lads to get a shot on target.
Going to be a difficult year for Unsy to manage.

Those who watched, anyone impressed you?

Apparently our average age at the start was just under 18, with six 17 year olds, and to put into perspective 11 of the squad were in last years u18 team which finished 5 th in their league, without setting it on fire. So they will struggle a bit this season, particularly with their physicality. Three eligible players, Simms, Branthwaite and Onyango would have made a difference.
We don’t seem to be producing the “eye catching individuals “ capable of unlocking defences that other teams have. The likes of Whitaker, Mills, Butterfield and Price look good in individual moments, fade, come back again, fade again. They all have something about them, maybe we’re expecting too much for them to dominate games at 17. At least we’re getting to see them play and six months development can make a big difference at their age.

The players that Phill, talks about playing then fading James, plus Dobbin, and is the right back called Astley? Because he looks like he’s got a very big heart.

I like Whitaker, he reminds me a little bit of Adrian Heath, and is the one most likely to do something a little bit differently, and although Mills, was often careless with his final ball, he’s another one who keeps working away, so for myself I saw loads of positives, especially after
reading just how young this team really are.

Six months development at this stage of your career is absolutely massive Phill, but maybe these players need a little bit more experience and physicality in the team, because it’s got to be all about “how you nurture talent” and with us mainly producing players who don’t possess the ability to do something a little bit different, then I’d say these kids will definitely need more help.

Tony, agree with that.
Ryan Astley is the captain and left centre back last night, usually he’s right sided but moved across to accommodate Welch on the right side. For me he our leader. In other matches too he’s been the one reading the danger, sticking his head in when needed. Even at 19 he’s been around the U23s 2or 3 years. A very talented Wales u21 international, my concern is whether he’s got the physical size for the PL.
The one player not mentioned is centre back Reece Welch, 17, who’s progressing nicely and is in the current Englandu19 team. I think the club have pinned their CB hopes on him, training with the first team etc.

Phill, I think maybe Tony was referring to Kyle John at RB. I like both him and Astley. Hasn't Astley also played RB in the past, Phill??

I don’t know who played there last night, but our right back looked like he had a very big heart, but like most kids coached at Everton, he did seem very methodical?

I think we just need to be patient with these boys. As Tony says let's see how they look in 6 months. Playing against tougher opponents could be the making of some of them.

Simms, Branthwaite and Onyango would make a difference but no point these lads coasting through games in their comfort zone. They all need challenging.

I like the look of Whitaker, Price and Welch in particular but some of the others may step up.

Football eh, we all watch the same game and see/ think different things.!
Overall I though Kyle John was poor. There was one time in the first half he had the ball in clear space and failed to drive on into the box, electing an attempted cross which came to nothing. For me he keeps getting beaten for pace by fast attackers and is not good enough defensively. He perked up a bit in the second half but not enough for me.
I’m being harsh perhaps, but we need to be. Only a few of these kids will make it, I don’t think John will be one of them. 🤷‍♂️

Brent #25, sorry missed your query. Yes Astley made his U23s debut as a16 year old schoolboy at right back and next season played U23s at RB, and centre back for the u18. Centre back is his best position.

We all watch different games Phill, and I did only watch most of the second half. I thought our right back was full of heart, like I think Mills is full of heart, and although it’s not enough to make the grade in top level football, it’s usually enough to give these kids a career in the game lower down the pyramid, especially when they’ve also been coached very methodically?

I heard great things about Price, when he was only about ten, and although I can see he’s got talent, I wonder how much heart he’s got? The kid is still only very light, but this shouldn’t stop him being braver with the ball at his feet, and that’s why I think we will know a lot more about these players once we get this winter out of the way?

What’s happened to Warrington. Has the kid been injured?

Tony, Warrington was an unused sub Monday night, I think he’s fallen down the order behind Butterfield, Price, Whitaker and Mills.

I’ve been impressed by Butterfield this season, he’s kicked on a bit in that deeper, no 6 position more so than Price maybe.

It’s a dilemma for Unsworth now, does he change personnel, formation or both. The u18s are just starting and there’s probably only Jensen Metcalfe who’s looked ready for a step up, but he’s very similar to Butterfield and Price.
Sometimes you have to take a deep breath and work through the issues, but this is where Unsworth earns his money, I just hope he doesn’t revert to an ultra conservative style.

I'd argue there is absolutely nothing to be gained by doing that, Phill, because it would just stunt their progress in the longer term?

I'd be telling these kids to keep working hard, keep fighting, and although it's hard work, the ones that really want it will reap the benefits in the future, but that's because I believe this to be true, and I also believe that the more belief and trust you put into young players, the more you will get out of them.