The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

2-0, another fortunate rebound you could argue, a shame as we certainly improved this half

Sheppard looks decent but his decision making having got himself into good positions have let him down, surprised we haven't made any subs as someone like Smith may have made a difference

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Strong team against the continental flair of Athletic Bilbao tonight

Luke Southwood
Tennai Watson
Danzell Gravenberch
Jake Cooper
Zak Jules
Sandro Wieser
Andy Rinomhota
Omar Richards
Josh Barrett
Yakou Meite
Andrija Novakovich

Bench: Tupper, Sheppard, Keown, Andresson, East, Frost, Mendes

[SCIAG]

It's almost certainly 4-3-3 again, but it would be much better if it was some sort of 3-4-3...

-----------GK-----------
RB-----CB---CB----CB
-------CM--CM--LB----
vs.

-------------GK--------------
-------CB---CB---CB-------
RB----CM----CM------LB

Obviously the front three doesn't change.

I don't really understand the obsession with putting Richards in midfield and a centre back (Jules/McIntyre) at left back. I mean it's basically a way of cramming as many centre backs as possible into the team but it makes the team unbalanced. Push Gravenbech or McIntyre into midfield, or using a midfielder instead of Richards, would make us much more balanced.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Yeah 3 at the back with Danzell, Cooper and Jules probably would have worked quite well, although I'm not sure we really have a LB atm with Griffin presumably out injured, not sure where McIntyre is (is he mainly a LB or CB?)

Bilbao are captained tonight by a guy called Bilbao - although he does have 42 appearances for the first team

Actually just looking at the Bilbao team, lots of them have a decent number of first team appearances

Anyone there tonight? Charles Watts is live tweeting, presumably even the OS might join in

We're wearing yellow for some reason

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

1-0, everyone's favourite Yak scores within 2 minutes

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

5 Minutes played, Yakou has 2.......

2-0, Welcome to Wycombe lads

[SCIAG]

Yeah 3 at the back with Danzell, Cooper and Jules probably would have worked quite well, although I'm not sure we really have a LB atm with Griffin presumably out injured, not sure where McIntyre is (is he mainly a LB or CB?)

McIntyre is mostly a centre back. He's looked better than Jules there but he's two years younger and still eligible for the U18s so it's understandable that he's being pushed out.

Richards, who is playing in midfield, is a left back by trade and would be the natural alternative to Griffin. With Watson available, you could just play Sheppard on the left, although I can't say that excited me.

Meite is clearly too good for this level Feels a bit like cheating to pick him and Gravenbech and Wieser.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Disappointingly in this tournament only the group winners go through (with the best 2 of 6 runner-ups), which means our loss to Everton in the first game could be crucial especially as you only play everyone once

Having said that, Everton have just gone 0-2 down to Hertha Berlin in the group's other game, after Berlin and Bilbao drew 2-2 in the opening fixture - results staying this way would put qualification in our hands going into the final round of matches

Meanwhile Southwood saves a penalty

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Yeah 3 at the back with Danzell, Cooper and Jules probably would have worked quite well, although I'm not sure we really have a LB atm with Griffin presumably out injured, not sure where McIntyre is (is he mainly a LB or CB?)

McIntyre is mostly a centre back. He's looked better than Jules there but he's two years younger and still eligible for the U18s so it's understandable that he's being pushed out.

Richards, who is playing in midfield, is a left back by trade and would be the natural alternative to Griffin. With Watson available, you could just play Sheppard on the left, although I can't say that excited me.

Meite is clearly too good for this level Feels a bit like cheating to pick him and Gravenbech and Wieser.

Maybe we are playing 5 at the back with Richards at LB?

Having looked through some Wiki articles of the Bilbao players, there's about 70+ La Liga games between them, so I think we're allowed those three who are technically all Under 23

Gravenberch has been subbed for Keown having got himself injured, and Cooper just hit the post

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

2-1 at HT, Meite had a chance for his hat-trick only for Bilbao to pull one back minutes later

As it stands...

1. Hertha Berlin 4 Pts +3 GD
2. Reading 3 Pts 0 GD
3. Everton 3 Pts -2 GD
4. Athletic Bilbao 1 Pts -1 GD

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Double change at HT

Mendes replaces Meite, and Weiser gets hauled off for Tyler Frost

Charles Watts not speaking very highly of Sandro on Twitter, which I'm not too surprised with giving how awful he looked on Sunday against Liverpool, not a great start by our Liechtensteiner

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

2-2, similar to Portsmouth in the EFL Cup and disappointing to let another lead slip, sounds like it's been all Bilbao

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

And it's 3-2 Bilbao, Meite's miss at 0-2 looking pretty costly

[CountryRoyal]

2-1 at HT, Meite had a chance for his hat-trick only for Bilbao to pull one back minutes later

As it stands...

1. Hertha Berlin 4 Pts +3 GD
2. Reading 3 Pts 0 GD
3. Everton 3 Pts -2 GD
4. Athletic Bilbao 1 Pts -1 GD

Care to elabaorate how any of that's possible?

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

2-1 at HT, Meite had a chance for his hat-trick only for Bilbao to pull one back minutes later

As it stands...

1. Hertha Berlin 4 Pts +3 GD
2. Reading 3 Pts 0 GD
3. Everton 3 Pts -2 GD
4. Athletic Bilbao 1 Pts -1 GD

Care to elabaorate how any of that's possible?

Reading lost the first match to Everton, therefore Everton have 3 points, and we have the 3 taken from leading Bilbao at the time

Hertha and Bilbao drew their opening game, so 1 point is added to the points they were heading for at HT tonight, 3 for Berlin leading Everton, and none for Athletic who were 1-2 down against us

[CountryRoyal]

2-1 at HT, Meite had a chance for his hat-trick only for Bilbao to pull one back minutes later

As it stands...

1. Hertha Berlin 4 Pts +3 GD
2. Reading 3 Pts 0 GD
3. Everton 3 Pts -2 GD
4. Athletic Bilbao 1 Pts -1 GD

Care to elabaorate how any of that's possible?

Reading lost the first match to Everton, therefore Everton have 3 points, and we have the 3 taken from leading Bilbao at the time

Hertha and Bilbao drew their opening game, so 1 point is added to the points they were heading for at HT tonight, 3 for Berlin leading Everton, and none for Athletic who were 1-2 down against us

Oh thanks for that I didn't realise this was the second game.

#shitfan

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Barrett hits the inside of the post with a free-kick, 5 minutes left

A loss would see us knocked out with a game to spare, a draw probably wouldn't be good enough either

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

FT 2-3

Reading therefore out of our debut Premier League International Cup outing with a game to spare

The Yak is disappointed

[SCIAG]

Charles Watts not speaking very highly of Sandro on Twitter, which I'm not too surprised with giving how awful he looked on Sunday against Liverpool, not a great start by our Liechtensteiner

He looked very good on his debut, scored an excellent free kick.

It's dreadful to let that lead slip. I guess that's what happens when you only have one midfielder in the second half... Get Kuhl back in the team for the next match!

[Royals and Racers]

Royals U23`s play Man utd U23`s tomorrow at Wycombe KO 7pm. match is live on MUFC so should be a stream available.