FA Youth Cup game v West Brom

[SCIAG]

Half time: 2 down

They've had two chances and scored twice, we've had about 70% possession and created one decent chance (great save from their keeper)

Defence naive (although keowns son doing well), attacking play promising unfortunately a bit lightweight in the final phase

Agree with this. Tanner and Obita looked good. Tanner will be a good player when he develops physically, Obita's delivery was mostly good. Samuel is quick but needs to know where to attack the ball. Should've scored at the end.

Defensively we were poor, Keown aside. Partridge and Cooper were very comfortable (perhaps too comfortable) on the ball but just like every centreback we've produced except Mullins and Pearce, they didn't really know how to defend as a unit and there were a couple of times Keown dug them out of trouble.

[westendgirl]

I thought the left back Griffin had a decent game too.

[andrew1957]

Just back from the game.

Bizarre and very disappointing. It is always disappointing to lose a cup game when you totally dominate but that is what happened.

Reading started very strongly and were very unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions. The ball broke and our defence parted and West Brom took an undeserved lead. A few minutes went by. A ball bobbled on the edge of the box and our keeper came out and 999 times out of a 1000 he would have been able to collect but the ball hung in the air just outside the box leaving the keeper with the dilemma of bringing the attacking West Brom player down and being sent off - or allowing him to score. He elected for the latter so it 0-2 after 20 minutes or so.
Reading pounded the West Brom goal with chance after chance but their keeper was outstanding.

The second half was much the same - 80% RFC with the odd break away by WB. We got one back but just could not get the second despite the ref correctly adding 8 minutes of extra time. In the dying seconds Samuel had a great chance to equalise but again the outstanding MOTM keeper tipped it round the post.

Really felt gutted for the lads who gave everything to get back in the game after the nightmare start.

Obita was definitely our MOTM. He was everywhere and some great deliveries. Edwards on the other wing had a good first half - but faded second. Thought Webb had some nice touches and Samuel should go on to be an excellent striker.

Hard to judge the defence who did not have a lot to do and yet conceded twice. Our keeper only made one save all game as far as I recall.

[winchester_royal]

Could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Don't want too many scouts sniffing around our young'uns, which is no doubt what would have happened if we'd got through to the quarter/semi finals.

[shaka's shorts]

Just back from the game - full match report. Not going to give marks/10 in case the lads are reading this - don't mind giving a first teamer low marks, but not the kids. I have seen quite a few youth cup games over the years, so am comparing to the better teams / players. I thought this would be the best batch since Jem, pearce, church, henry team, but straqngely the players I was expecting to be good were a little disappointing and the lesser known players impressed.

GK Santangelo - very disappointing. Has a big reputation and more experience than most. Twice he came out off his line and missed it (including 2nd goal), kicking was poor, flapped a lot. I assume the occasion got to him as he played well in the pre-season friendly I saw him in.

RB - Keown - Probably our most impressive player, defended well, never got beaten and passed sensibly
LB - Griffin - Irish lad, good on the ball, nice left foot, got forward more than Keown - did well
CB - Partridge - did well, good on the ball, passed well, brought it out of defence, but maybe lacks the pace/height to make it as a CB?
CB - Cooper - had a shocking ten mins first half, both of their goals he was out paced by Alex Jones as balls were played around him. He lost composure on the ball as a result. Tried to play football from the back and dribbled it out a few times. Very tall and gangly. Nice back post header from a corner that was flicked on at the near post

LW - Obita - our most dangerous player as you would expect. Dribbled and out paced the full back a few times, good crosses that no-one got on the end of. Did he look a first team player? I don't think he stood out that much. Bizarrely, Dolan has McDermott sub disease. Moved him inside midway through 2nd half (a la McAnuff) and just like Jobi, did nothing when he was moved into CM!
RW - Ryan Edwards - he impressed. Quick, works hard, dribbles and crosses well. Very right footed, so was less effective when switched to left wing.
CM - Josh Webb - played the defensive midfield role (Karacan). Did OK but nothing he did stood out.
CM - Tshibola - was disappointed with him. Very physical (Ledge), but considering he has played up in the reserves, he offered nothing going forward and had a poor first touch

CF - Tanner - he caused much debate amongst our group. He defiantely has something about him. A bit of a Noel Hunt - good spring, aggressive, tries the unexpected, plays off the striker, was very busy, kept coming deep, played a few great passes, but lost the ball quite often and maybe lacks pace. He could be very good...
Striker - Samuel - Goalscorers instinct, was in the right position so many times, but missed a glorious 1 on 1 in last minute and hit the post with his other good chance. Not a stand out performance, but you could see that he could be very good. Quick, strong, poacher. I was hoping for more from him, but has potential to be very good

Subs - Ikpeazu - Heskey, Manset - think that says it all....
Murphy - came on too late to have any effect

[RoyalJames101]

Thought Edwards looked very lively. Made some good runs and beat the full back quite a few times.

Obita has a cracking delivery too

[TFF]

Was going to attempt some player reviews but Shaka's shorts has nailed it 100%

I think we were flattered (possession wise) by the fact that the baggies didn't bother with a midfield. Their no 5 was good as was the keeper.

[shaka's shorts]

Thanks TFF - on reflection I may have been a bit harsh on Santangelo and Tshibola and should have siad that their keeper (Jack Rose), cb (Donervorn Daniels) and CF (Alex Jones) were good, but we were the better team

[moo]

Was going to attempt some player reviews but Shaka's shorts has nailed it 100%

Refuse to rate the players, then crucify the goalie?

Shoreys dad is a scout init.

[TFF]

"Disappointing" is hardly a crucifixion.

If he's got anything about him he'll know he didn't have a great game. Heard lots of good things about the lad, I'm sure it was an "off day".

[moo]

"very disappointing"

He also said he was poor or something similar and compared him to a 1920's flapper, which in modern language means a prostitute.

[Big Foot]

Impressed by

Edwards
Samuel
Tanner
The sub with the Scrabble surname
West Brom's number 5

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Thouroughly enjoyed watching the youth the team play.

Played a high back four line which was there downfall at being 2-0 down have squandered chance after chance

Obita, Samual, Keown and Partridge look to have good futures beckoning for them.

Santangelo the keeper was very poor compared to the WBA keeper who stood out as the best player on the pitch by a mile for me.

[Fox Talbot]

Enjoyed it. We played some very good stuff in the first half. Never seen a team so dominate the opening period and be 0-2 down. Thought we could go on and win it from there but got ragged in 2nd half.

The crosses were consistently better than the first team manages!

Nobody stood out for us as having a consistently good game or being outstanding though half a dozen played well in patches.

The sub Ikpezau whatever looks Beastlier than the Beast.

[Big Foot]

Can I also add how crap the West Lower is? Awful view of the pitch

[Hoop Blah]

Funny to read the rallying support of the team on twitter.

This might've been a bad game for a few of them but there wasn't a hell of a lot to get excited about. Both wingers looked lively, the fullbacks did pretty well (at least in parts), and Tanner and Samuel looked good prospects despite mixed performances.

Didn't think the rest looked likely to make it though (from this game alone of course) and I was surprised that, as a team, they didn't seem a little more confident considering their results this season. Perhaps that was down to the crowd and occassion though.

They did dominate at times and if that won you games they'd be in the next round. Some suspect finishing from our boys and good goalkeeping from the WBA keeper meant the game didn't reflect the pressure and possession though. Shame, but hopefully it'll be another part of their learning experience.

[Rob-Royal]

I thought the left back Griffin had a decent game too.

He stood out for me too, very comfortable on the ball and dare I say had a Shorey style of play about him!

I was impressed with all of them to be honest, they bossed the game and should never have lost, for 18 and under they are also quite a big side. Partidge looks quality...but for a couple of lapses of concentration we would have won this comfortably. Good lesson learned and these boys will go on to better things I'm sure.

[Rob-Royal]

Can I also add how crap the West Lower is? Awful view of the pitch

I enjoyed the padded seats though!

[OLLIE KEARNS]

Funny to read the rallying support of the team on twitter.

This might've been a bad game for a few of them but there wasn't a hell of a lot to get excited about. Both wingers looked lively, the fullbacks did pretty well (at least in parts), and Tanner and Samuel looked good prospects despite mixed performances.

Didn't think the rest looked likely to make it though (from this game alone of course) and I was surprised that, as a team, they didn't seem a little more confident considering their results this season. Perhaps that was down to the crowd and occassion though.

They did dominate at times and if that won you games they'd be in the next round. Some suspect finishing from our boys and good goalkeeping from the WBA keeper meant the game didn't reflect the pressure and possession though. Shame, but hopefully it'll be another part of their learning experience.

Have to agree with this especially as WBA were poor. Was hoping to see a stand out performer but only Obita looked ready to be in and around the first team which was to be expected.
That said, there is still time for further development and I thought both full backs, Webb and the front two could go on to do well over time. If I had to pick one to make the first team outside of Obita then it would be Keown.

[biscuitman]

Who was number 15 and can I see his birth certificate.