Everton U23s draw with Crystal Palace

Thanks for the reminder Phill, any team news?

Ellis Simms starting tonight. Will be good to see him in action and how he gets on.

Tyrer John Hunt Astley Welch Campbell mills Warrington cannon Hughes Simms.

Team is On Twitter Dave but my iPad skills are bad, it looks like a back 5. /3
Tyrer, John, Asley, Welch, Campbell, Hunt, ; Mills; Warrington. Hughes,; Cannon, SIMMS.

Or maybe Hunt in a Midfield 4, two attackers ?

Thanks Brent and Phill.

Hunt and John pushing up wide on both sides. Leaving a back three

You at the game Brent or watching the stream?

At the game Phill.

Thanks for keeping us posted, gentlemen!

Simms missed sitter after great mills through ball.

Has to score. Nice play leading up to it. Good game. Moving the ball well.

And Hunt almost scoring, too.

Aye not like Simms to miss those.

I'm probably only going to get the first half in.

Palace started lively but we've settle and grown into it. Liking the composure of Warrington again but young Stanley Mills is impressing. Good positional awareness and opening of the body on more than one occasion.

Replicating the first team formation and set up as well??

The Pine Tree Garden Maintenance Stand here could do with a lick of paint. The old king would be sad to see it now.

Mills really does seem a level above the rest, in almost of the games I've seen him anyway. Exciting prospect.

Great cross from Hunt for easy Mills goal.

Mills again, great positioning 1-0

Warrington spraying some lovely balls wide to right wing for John.

Good goal. Good initial hold up and lay off play by Simms, switching play to attack the other flank. Good ball to play in the overlapping Hunt. Good anticipation and run by Mills to score.

Another sitter missed by Simms.

Simms AND Hughes, both missing the chance to give us a second on the stroke of halftime. Deserved lead. Playing well.

Mills signed his first pro contact last summer, so 18 months of it to run. He definitely has ability to go far, he will have full belief he can emulate his old feller and play at the highest level. It's early days but he's a player the club have to keep a watchful eye on contractually. There will be slobbering, jealous clubs circling. His house sharing mate was Thierry Small before he departed, I wouldn't want the same thing happening with Stanley Mills.

Certainly doing better than earlier in the season when we went 3-0 down at Palace, lost 3-1, and Rak-Sakyi who's their No11 tonight, tore us apart. The defensive shape we have tonight has limited his opportunities, but he's a good, dangerous player.

We've looked pretty good but as I often feel it seems a well organized team effort rather than any individuals especially grabbing the game by it's scruff. Mills looks confident and I always admire Warrington. Reece Welch looks a good centre back prospect too.

Keep saying it every time I see him, but Warrington has a great range of passing on him. Who is our left back?

United v Villa for me now.

Good half that.

Danny, Campbell is on left of a back three. Hunt I'm advance of him.

Not a bad game, good goal by Mills, he got into a good position from a good cross from Hunt who is doing okay in that left back position after years as an inside forward, I don't think he is another Tommy Wright though but you never know.

Everton call this a “ live stream” mine is an half dead one although I did get the goal, I know it is free to us season ticket holders but God help anyone who pays a members fee if they are getting the off and on one ‘getting. Think I'll watch the FA cup game on the BBC from now on.

Mills deserves a go on the subs bench even if it is a token visit, he's doing okay and a visit to the bench might give him a deserved tonic.

You need to move to Brazil Dave for a better internet connection! My feed on the club site is rock solid.

Lively start by Palace to the 2nd half. Cracking save by Tyrer. Already airborne, he seemed to keep stretching to paw the ball away from the top corner.

Ooof, I've often said the weakest part of Simms game is his heading. Own goal 1-1

Cracking looping header from Simms, shame it was in the wrong goal.

Great cross by John for Price to convert well.

Nicely taken goal by Price, 2-1

Whaddya know? Mills off. Price on. Price scores. Cracking Palace equalizer.

Hmm, Rak-Sayki been their best player now he's moved inside 2-2

Think it was Campbell, Brent. Looked strong and had a bit of attitude, which I liked.

Why are they playing on such a poor pitch? Can't they find a better surface than that.

Well that was a decent game, two attacking sides second half, and 2-2 was a fair result.

A good defensive performance, Warrington played his usual good game, Stan Mills sparkles every game , in not sure playing Cannon with Simms worked though.

Good game. Fair result. Some good performances by many an Everton player. Enjoyed that.

Felt we looked in control in the first half and created enough chances to be 2 or 3 goals up and then sloppiness crept in collectively in the second half. Mills and Welch the highlights for me.

Great news for Mills. He's not always the most polished but certainly has end product. That will stand him in very good stead.

It looked similar to other performances I've seen this season – worrying. A short spell of decent football but then conceding possession and territory to a brighter, neater team with better movement.

We seem to lack composure on the ball and play far too many long balls. Simms showed why Rondon is still getting a game.

What's in Unsworth's job description? Produce players for the first team? I can't see many of those being anywhere near. Has he got a job for life or does he have an appraisal ever? Think he needs to be on Rafa's list.

Oops, didn't mean that twice.

Yes very good game by Mills. Welch steady as ever. And my favourite Warrington. I don't think Kyle John gets the credits he deserves on here. He was his usual self pushing forward and getting in some good crosses, as well as defending stoutly and having to contend a lot of the time with their tricky number 11.

Brent, there's some interesting comments by Adam Jones in the Echo saying how better the U23s play 3/5 at the back than the first team. I did think at times though we failed to play from the back as well as we do with a four, when the two centre backs split left and right to receive the ball from the goalkeeper. More often than not Tyrer was going straight to the wing backs, maybe it was Palace's pressing which caused it.

Phill "there's some interesting comments by Adam Jones in the Echo saying how better the U23s play 3/5 at the back than the first team".

Interesting comment, Phill. Is that down to some first team individuals being uncomfortable in a back 3, I wonder? In part due to it being a less settled back line in the first team?

At U23 level Astley, Welch and Campbell often feature in a back 3, usually 2 of them together and sometimes all 3.

Brent, yes, he makes a point of differentiating between the 3 used at U23s compared to the first team,also last night anyway, U23s having 3 in the middle. Here's a bit that sums it up from Adam Jones:
“
The centre-backs are dynamic, comfortable in possession and each with great physical qualities.

Reece Welch particularly in the centre of the trio, made up elsewhere of Ryan Astley and Elijah Campbell, looks to have really turned himself into a commanding leader at the heart of the defensive line.

Another important aspect to note is that in front of them was a trio of midfielders rather than just two.”