Everton U18s game at Nottingham Forest abandoned

Will these boys form the U18s squad for the FA Youth Cup campaign this season or are there a few still qualified from last season's squad?

Only seen little glimpses but that Metcalfe looks like he's got loads of natural ability, especially when he's moving towards the opposition's goal...

But I think its better to see how the kids develop, because you only need to show a little bit of potential in the younger teams and people are screaming that you should be in the first team, such is the desperation amongst our fans for something or someone to cling to, right now.

Just 17... so another Small revenge signing, methinks? Jaysus, he looks about 12 in that club photo!

As to your second question, it's yes and no, I think. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part. I haven't done all the maths but think that is why some of the U18 Premier League regulars may not be eligible.

And Tony, sorry, I know you're out to bash the Academy at every turn these days, but rules is rules. Yes, this season there may be some now playing for our U23s who are eligible. I suppose you'll want the full list so you can decide for us how seriously the club are taking the competition... for fuck's sake!

Michael (3), Our Tony can be exasperating can’t he? Consider yourself lucky I’ve had to put up with him for fifty fuckin’ one years, he’s alright sometimes, especially when he’s asleep!!

All first year and 2nd year Scholars are eligible plus the Schoolboys. So it's a fair chunk of the U23s who are 2nd years, Welch, Campbell, Price, Butterfield, Whitaker, Mills, Kouyate. Plus Leban and Mallon from today.

Throw in the better 1st years into the mix like Metcalfe, Barker, Quintyne/ Dixon, a few of the Schoolboys like Sherif, Lawrence, Samuels-Smith and you've got the basis of our squad.

Who knows... we may even get to see Okoronkwo, who we got from Sunderland, by then.

After no info during and well past the time the second half should be in the can, seems this game has been abandoned?!?

NFFC Academy

Our U18s fixture has been abandoned due to injury, we wish the player involved a speedy recovery

Looking at the list Phill gives, I'd say that group might be good enough to go very far in that competition, which isn't bad for someone who is supposedly constantly bashing the Academy.

It's an age-old competition, Everton have competed in every iteration and occasionally gone on to win it. But it's not a slam-dunk.

Maybe each of those years they have been knocked out, it's because they "haven't been taking it seriously", eh? … for fuck's sake, knock it on the head, lad!

There was only one ambulance on duty at Nottingham Forest's Football Academy, so this caused the U18s game that was going on at the same time to be abandoned.

He was actually released by Reading at 15, being told he was too small to make it in the professional game despite also being told he had everything else and just needed to grow.

Well, I don't swear a lot on here, but seeing as the air has already gone blue above me: How fucking English. English fucking disease. I thought it was finally being cured, albeit slowly. Clearly it still exists.

What footballing foresight from the coach come doctor come scientist at Reading telling a player to grow? Who do you think you are? Human beings grow at different stages of their lives. I was a late spurter myself. I was small & slight aged 15. I hit 6 ft and 12-13 stone by the time I was 18.

How about a bit of wait and see if he "has everything else". He is now 6-ft tall and still only 17 so will have more physical development ahead. And he's ours. Well done Everton hopefully we benefit in future from Reading' short-sightedness.

I didn't see, but I hope the Forest youngster is okay.

Apologies for the minor rant.

We have seen the first team play weakened sides in cup competitions for years because the Premier League has become so important, and that's the reason why I wrote that statement in post #2.

I think it's because of you, Dave, why I've got so much patience for likes of Michael!

I'm just curious about the line of thinking that comes up with such a thing. Is there any evidence at all that the club has previous for doing such a thing at this level?

They have pulled out of some competitions (last season) claiming fixture congestion... but I think that is completely different. No, I can't for the life of me understand how you could think they would not take seriously a home tie at Goodison Park in the FA Youth Cup.

To me that is unthinkable. For you, I can see that it fits an established pattern of bashing the Academy.

But of course the Finch Farm bashers don't need any evidence: they have
already established that Unsworth et al are prioritizing 'winning' the league and cup competitions as this is what has caused them to lose sight of their prime function: bringing players on.

It's so easy to say, but so hard to prove. Yet you've done the damage already and added this particular nonsense to the lengthening list of failings people can lazily dump at the Academy's door. Well done.

I'll look forward to your analysis of the teamsheet when announced, so we can know just how seriously the club are taking it.

I won't be analysing the team sheet either, having already done the damage? What absolute nonsense you spout.

Being serious now, cast your mind back just two or three years ago when Simms and Gordon and a couple more good youth players played in the FA Youth Cup, they had good leads v Sunderland and Stoke then just went off the boil and let both teams back into the game.

They eventually went out of the competition losing 3-2 after being ahead in that game, maybe to Derby County. I blamed the coach of that team then for not having the team focus for the full game. Simms and Gordon continued to be in and out of games as they carried on up the Academy system.

Gordon is only now applying himself with his work rate and defensive duties since Benitez took over, the coaches definitely need looking at throughout the Academy and further up.

Hopefully, Benitez will be allowed to sort it out, although he has got his hands full with the pitiful first-team squad he has been dealt.

Here are my summaries of those 2018-19 FA Youth Cup games.

They appear to have been pretty competitive... but then that might be down to my bias in the write-ups, and in fact we "weren't taking it seriously"…

[Insert head-banging emoji here]

I think it was not so much “weren't taking it seriously” as the coach not pushing them enough. It seems to me as a supporter, that I and the few hundred who watch these games from the stands want the team to do a little bit more than the coach seemed to.

He never got the required attention of the players to concentrate for the whole game as they lost seven of the last few games and went out of four cup competitions as the season came to a very disappointing end.

The same coach is still there, maybe with a wage rise... the only difference to his game plans, we will see.

The last time I remember us having so many U18s in the U21s (I think it was then) was the Walsh, Dowell, Davies, Connolly time. Most came back for the FA Youth Cup…. and we lost 0-1 home to Aston Villa in a disjointed performance.

I have no doubt we'll field our best team in the Youth Cup. The intriguing bit for me is to see who they regard as “the best”?

Will Tierney and Metcalfe play? Who will play at left-back? Who do they think are the best forwards?

Although it's at home, it's a tough game against Fulham. Hopefully they stream it and we can debate the team further!

Yes, a much more believable scenario. The lack of intensity is what seems to be missing for me for many of the Academy games I have seen streamed live, and I can well believe that is in large part down to the coach.

I wasn't being critical when I questioned if the club will take it seriously though, because I don't think that the Under-23 team has ever had so many young players starting before, and I'm genuinely not sure if we could put out a full team in that league, without using some of the Under-18 players?

[Insert ten head-banging emojis here]

Yes indeed, our U18s are the core of the U23s – they couldn't do without them. That for me is the pre-Christmas target, it's taken 2 years of change, and we've talked about it a lot here.

In my ideal world, after Christmas, the best of the older players get 6-month loans to play men's football, their places are filled by the best 1st Year Scholars and the best U16s & Schoolboys moving up. At U18, the gaps caused by those moving up to U23s are filled by our best U16s and 1st Years not previously tried.

That “process” won't win Leagues and may well result in U23s flirting with or being relegated if these youngsters are found not to be good enough. So be it. We then look at our recruitment process and ensure we have better youngsters coming through in future.

To be honest, I think Leban has fallen back this season. When Tyrer was injured, he played at U23s and never looked comfortable and was moved back to the U18s. But he's still making mistakes.

Unfortunately our coverage of U18s is so poor, you only get to see the goals for and against, and he's been at fault for a few recently, including the last game, vs Blackburn I think, where he fluffed it trying to play out from the back and they scored.

To me, all of the young goalkeepers I see are agile and good shotstoppers. The ones who progress also dominate their box and have a good all-round game and I haven't seen that from Leban consistently yet. Just different people seeing different things in a player, I guess. 🤷‍♂️

I am mostly going on his performances last season, only having seen him a couple of times this season.

Is it because the U18s haven't had a settled team that Leban's performances have not reached the same as last years efforts? He seemed very reliable then, even calming the team down by keeping hold of the ball and slowing the game down.

But I'll bow to your knowledge of the younger teams because I know you see them more than me and make a lot of effort in getting the facts about our younger players and bringing them to our notice.

I'm hoping to get to see the Fulham game at Goodison Park, I hope they put on a good display and win this first step on the way to the final.

If this happened, then I'm certain there would be loads of people bashing the academy, but like Michael says, loads of people are bashing the academy anyway; I think life is like that, if people don't think they are seeing results.

A result to me would be seeing some young players coming through with genuine quality, and having a feel for the ball, but I was speaking purely from a development point of view, when I questioned how seriously we are going to treat the FA Youth Cup this season, because of the demand the league is putting on a very young team, and how much the club might fear losing their place in the top development league.

Just my opinion (on Leban), mate: he's still very young for a goalkeeper as actually few have played U23s at his age in recent years.

Tony #29,

Until a few recent good results, relegation was certainly a prospect, and still is, for the U23s. So yes, you're right, we won't want that to happen, so maybe there won't be loans. Often, young players kick on in the second half of a season as they mature fast once they get used to the next level.

The aim for me is having a young team who can compete in the FA Youth Cup, hold their own in the PL2, and produce players for our first team. We're moving in the right direction but are not there yet.

I do wish the club would give us remote supporters more access. The technology is there and I'd pay more on top of my membership to watch. I'd be there if I could, but it's stretching it!

Looking back, I blame it on them taking us to a tournament in Metz (France) by road. We seemed very tired after this, and that's how I think a few of the younger players will feel towards the end of this season after making quite a big jump all together.

But I hope you're right, and these young kids begin to mature fast, otherwise PL2, it might be.

We really are pathetic at providing access. Often I watch what other clubs provide, eg, Chelsea provided over 3 minutes of their recent home game, 1-1 against us – not a lot but better than the 1 minute we provided.

Why would you take 3 minutes from another clubs feed and go to the trouble of cutting it down to 1 min? Bizzarre, but typically Everton.

Has there been any more news released on how young Jack Butler is since he was taken to hospital last Saturday? It seemed to be reported as a very serious neck injury.

I was wondering about Jack Butler too. His injury seemed to get lost in the mix after the cancellation but I haven’t seen any updates. Possibly being a minor, medical privacy and all it’s not something the club would share. But hope the young lad makes a full recovery. Frightening situation at any age but especially sad when it’s a young kid.