The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[SCIAG]

I thought the U18 season had finished?

Just noticed that the U18s have a game at Liverpool that is being shown on LFCTV on Saturday at 11am.

The first stage of the season finished. The second stage is now well underway. They've got a chance of winning the second division, seven points from our last three matches will guarantee it if we beat West Ham.

[ZacNaloen]

Excellent, the least they deserve as like the u21s they also started poorly as they adapted to the level.

[ZacNaloen]

U21s vs Villa Madejski tonight, can't wait.

[P!ssed Off]

Fosu not in squad.
Debut tomorrow perhaps?

[ZacNaloen]

He plays on the left of midfield...

[marlowuk]

He plays on the left of midfield...

You mean the HRK position? Please!

[KC Royal]

It would seem a surprise if Fosu was being left out with tomorrow in mind, but the BBC say that Pog and Mackie are doubts and HRK missed the Rotherham game (although they say he should be fit tomorrow). If all 3 are out, then we look a bit short of options in the attacking positions, on the bench at least anyway.

[tidus_mi2]

I wonder if we should be looking to Liam Kelly? Seems like set pieces are a real strength for what is already a talented young player.

[Esteban]

I wonder if we should be looking to Liam Kelly? Seems like set pieces are a real strength for what is already a talented young player.

I watch the U21s as often as possible and I think Liam Kelly is a superb player. Unfortunately, he's so small, he'll get muscled off the ball. He's still young though, time for him to fill out a bit.

[Nameless]

Kelly is never going to be 'big enough', filling out won't help as he'll just be short and fat !
But he's got ability and there have been good little players in the past.
To find out we need him to get a decent loan spell, u21 football will not tell us if he can hack it physically (and FWIW I can't recall him losing out physically very often, he puts a challenge in and can take a tackle.

More competitive game tonight which probably should have had a couple more goals in it, with UsWorth the win .

[ZacNaloen]

Much tougher game tonight with some real bite. But Reading deserved winners, just on the being less cynical stakes. Especially that Villa number 14 O'hare. Horrible little player, trying to people booked, diving and then a stupid challenge. Somehow he stayed out of the book.

I'll start with my disappointments.
Connor Shaughnessy - had a habit of miscontrolling the first touch and putting himself under pressure. When under control the pass was often good though.
Nova - Seemed a little off the pace this evening, struggled to control the ball at times and didn't really threaten Villa. Looks a little behind all the others technically, but has all the other attributes to make it with more time in the academy.

Positives -

Liam Kelly. Cracking footballer and well taken free kick for the winner. And don't let his size fool you, he's strong, he uses his height well and he's not afraid to stick his foot in if someone is trying bully him. Obviously needs to prove it but you never know.
Keown & Sweeney - these two seem to read each others minds. A great partnership
Lincoln - Actually had some work today unlike Monday, 1 excellent point blank save when called upon and showed extreme bravery to clear a corner (or was it free kick?) that nearly ended the match for him after a Villa player took him out just before half time, but he powered through it and finished the match looking his usual assured self.


Plenty of scouts there tonight, Kevin Dillon was there... understand he was watching Aaron for a scottish premier side. Season long loan on the cards? Could be the making of him like it was Hector.
Also spotted Gary Johnson.

Brian Howard was watching as well, weirdly.

Shout out to Martin Kuhl for telling Nana Owusu to man up and deal with the physical side of the game, and telling Lincoln off for showboating early on

[Nameless]

Kuhn also told one of his assistants off for complaining to the 4th official about one of the ref's increasingly bizarre decisions.
He seems to have a decent attitude, wonder whether he would do a good job with the first team ?
That Novac actually looked good in the first half, some excellent flicks and layoffs. With Cardwell on as well for 20 mins I thought there was a potentially very useful front pairing in the making.
Agree 100% about the centre backs, nothing fancy but cool, sensible and strong. Sweeney takes no prisoners....

[ZacNaloen]

I wanted to avoid moaning about the Ref, he was shocking.

[ladida_gunner_graham]

Kelly did have a good game tonight. Lovely free kick, but could have had a hat-trick. Reading were not great, several of the higher profile players didn't really show up (Owusu, Novakjokavic in particular) but we never looked under pressure. Solid at the back, created plenty of good chances. Not been able to say that for a while about a Reading performance......

[TFF]

Much tougher game tonight with some real bite. But Reading deserved winners, just on the being less cynical stakes. Especially that Villa number 14 O'hare. Horrible little player, trying to people booked, diving and then a stupid challenge. Somehow he stayed out of the book.

I'll start with my disappointments.
Connor Shaughnessy - had a habit of miscontrolling the first touch and putting himself under pressure. When under control the pass was often good though.
Nova - Seemed a little off the pace this evening, struggled to control the ball at times and didn't really threaten Villa. Looks a little behind all the others technically, but has all the other attributes to make it with more time in the academy.

Positives -

Liam Kelly. Cracking footballer and well taken free kick for the winner. And don't let his size fool you, he's strong, he uses his height well and he's not afraid to stick his foot in if someone is trying bully him. Obviously needs to prove it but you never know.
Keown & Sweeney - these two seem to read each others minds. A great partnership
Lincoln - Actually had some work today unlike Monday, 1 excellent point blank save when called upon and showed extreme bravery to clear a corner (or was it free kick?) that nearly ended the match for him after a Villa player took him out just before half time, but he powered through it and finished the match looking his usual assured self.


Plenty of scouts there tonight, Kevin Dillon was there... understand he was watching Aaron for a scottish premier side. Season long loan on the cards? Could be the making of him like it was Hector.
Also spotted Gary Johnson.

Brian Howard was watching as well, weirdly.

Shout out to Martin Kuhl for telling Nana Owusu to man up and deal with the physical side of the game, and telling Lincoln off for showboating early on

^ Not much to disagree with there.

Villa left back had the better of Owusu all night.

Kelly is great. Lovely free kick for the winner. Could've scored earlier with a cheeky lob from a ridiculous angle.

U21s could teach the seniors a few things about set pieces. Kuhl's free kick delivery was especially good.

[ZacNaloen]

difficult to describe those Free kicks without getting a bit carryon

hard, straight and rising perfectly. Only thing lacking was someone getting their head on it.

[ladida_gunner_graham]

Connor Shaughnessy - had a habit of miscontrolling the first touch and putting himself under pressure. When under control the pass was often good though.

Agreed, gave the ball away in a couple of dangerous situations too.

Villa left back had the better of Owusu all night.

Also agree. Despite the fact that he reminded me (physically) of the old Chelsea left back Frank Sinclair, he was my MOTM.

[Nameless]

Solid at the back, created plenty of good chances. Not been able to say that for a while about a Reading performance......

Not since Monday in fact. A whole 5 days !!

[ladida_gunner_graham]

Solid at the back, created plenty of good chances. Not been able to say that for a while about a Reading performance......

Not since Monday in fact. A whole 5 days !!

Sadly, didn't see the game Monday, so couldn't in good conscience say it. Regretting that now....

[SCIAG]

Not buying into the criticism of Owusu (particularly the suggestion that he's a "higher profile player" - seven of the starters have been involved in the first team and he isn't one of them). Calder outmuscled him a few times in the middle of the first half but he created most of our chances and looked dangerous at times, two amazing flick ons particularly stood out to me. OK, pretty much everything went through him so he was bound to get something right, but I thought he had a good game.

Kelly was pretty much as far removed from that as you can get. He was really quiet, probably only had about 15 touches, but all of those touches were golden. He's clearly not a winger - to be honest I'm not sure where I'd play him, maybe in midfield in a 4-5-1? Agree with Nameless, it's not a case of him filling out, he's tenacious and that sets him up to have a similar career to Jay Tabb, or better if he can keep scoring.

Also quite impressed by Shaughnessy, though my expectations were low. Agree that his first touch was sometimes poor but he broke up play well and played one lovely cross-field pass. I was more disappointed by the Fridge, who made interceptions but often just gave the ball away with the same touch, and his booking was silly.

Shame we didn't see Husin, as Kelly and Novakovich were both clearly struggling late on so it would have been good to see him get 15 minutes. Strange to put him on the U21 bench rather than captaining the U18s tomorrow.