The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Graham's dad]

On the subject of goalkeepers, Legg was on loan at Hungerford in national League South last season and was pretty good. This season he has been replaced by Lewis Ward and I have seen them both quite a bit as I have a season ticket at Hungerford. I would say Ward is the better keeper. Reading watch him regularly and he trains at Reading so they must know how he is progressing so I would be surprised if Legg is around for too much longer.

[Stranded]

Jakkola is on international duty with Finland.

[Kitsondinho]

Off to England U17 v Portugal U17 in Chesterfield tomorrow night. Hoping that Jack Nolan gets some game time up front. Basically seeing him play is the only reason I’m going!

England fought back from 0-2 down to win 3-2 in the final minutes.......Jack Nolan did an excellent job of warming the bench......

[Old Boy Blue]

The nkghtmare has come true reports tonight that Mannone is injured and out for 10 weeks! It just gets worse.

[Sutekh]

The nkghtmare has come true reports tonight that Mannone is injured and out for 10 weeks! It just gets worse.

But didn't Legg do OK in preseason? Let's not go over the top about a youngster having a 'mare in 1 game.

[Old Boy Blue]

Can't remember him playing much pre-season. I take your point but it doesn't fill with confidence if he bottles it in front of 2 men and a dog im the checkatrade.

[KC Royal]

The oxf*rd is this shit? Is it fly goalies?

Wish I'd gone now!

Did anyone go last night? Was considering it but it's just a bit too far for a reserve game and I thought I'd be bordering on very sad

I said when the draw was made I was maybe in for the game, but sadly I wasn't feeling up to it in the end. As it is i'm wondering whether we might have done better had I not listened to the game at all...

One other thing, when Gillingham missed their penalty I did think we might have a chance of at least taking it to a penalty shootout. But once they scored their 5th it seemed like they could score at will.

[LWJ]

Ward on loan to Aldershot.

[Simon's Church]

Jack Nolan apparently motm for England u17s in their win against Russia the other day

[Kitsondinho]

Jack Nolan apparently motm for England u17s in their win against Russia the other day

Scored the winner against Germany U17 tonight in Rotherham! So glad the only game of the three he took no part in (apart from sprinting up the touchline and back) I went to!!

[Royals and Racers]

No thread i could find for the Royals Ladies- big crowd at the Madstad tonight for their game against London Bees- over 3000 i would say.

[Royals and Racers]

Best players for the Royals in the 1st half are the 4 Williams and the 8 Allen - a female Liam Kelly
H-T 0-0

[windermereROYAL]

Best players for the Royals in the 1st half are the 4 Williams and the 8 - a female Liam Kelly
H-T 0-0

Live stream on facebook. poor quality as you would expect from ladies football.

[Royals and Racers]

No thread i could find for the Royals Ladies- big crowd at the Madstad tonight for their game against London Bees- over 3000 i would say.

2248 announced

[windermereROYAL]

Better 2nd half. look a real decent ladies team. 4-0 ,

[Hound]

Nice. They are doing very well this year

Nice to have a top quality ladies team and academy.

[From Despair To Where?]

Best players for the Royals in the 1st half are the 4 Williams and the 8 Allen - a female Liam Kelly
H-T 0-0

Fara Williams should be good, she's the all time most capped England player and one of the best midfielders in WSL. A real statement of ambition and intent to sign someone of her stature.

Don't pay too much attention to it other than watching the highlights on iPlayer but they've had a brilliant start to the season and last weekend, were the first this season to score against and take points off Chelsea.

[If you still hate Futcher]

Best players for the Royals in the 1st half are the 4 Williams and the 8 - a female Liam Kelly
H-T 0-0

Live stream on facebook. poor quality as you would expect from ladies football.

Did you mean the quality of the stream or the football? Probably the latter given the whole sentence but you have accept that it is what it is. Probably around a tier or 2 below the conference but it has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of years and I thoroughly enjoyed the Chelsea game -this one was a bit one-sided for me but there was some neat build up play and passing on show.

I'd also say that they were taking things a bit easy given the quality of the opposition (no disrespect to London Bees but they only really had the ball over the top for their No. 4 to chase), or maybe were just fatigued having played on Sunday.

Certainly Potter (22) was IMO the best player and hardly put a foot wrong against Chelsea but was a bit sloppy in this game with a few loose passes and touches.

For all of Fara Williams obvious quality, in the few games I've seen her (both for England and Reading) she is usually guilty of giving the ball away in some silly areas - either from trying too much or mis-control in a poor area.

The squad certainly need some shooting practice as over the past 2 games there have been several clear chances where they've either failed to hit the target or haven't made a good enough connection.

[SCIAG]

No thread i could find for the Royals Ladies- big crowd at the Madstad tonight for their game against London Bees- over 3000 i would say.

Then frankly start a new thread - think it's a little insulting to the women's team to lump them in with the academy.

[Sutekh]

Jaap's update on Josh Barrett...

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport ... _progress/