Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on August 12, 2013, 07:03:38 PM
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Teams news for the game at West Ham. Interesting that Sylla and Albrighton are in there.
VILLA: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla, Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Subs: Sellars, Watkins, O’Brien, Wildin, Cowans.
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Is sid son on the bench?
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Is sid son on the bench?
Yep.
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Teams news for the game at West Ham. Interesting that Sylla and Albrighton are in there.
VILLA: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla, Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Subs: Sellars, Watkins, O’Brien, Wildin, Cowans.
Does sort of suggest that Sylla ain't starting the game on Saturday; bit of a surprise.
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Sylla's gone off apparantley. Let's hope it's not too serious
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Teams news for the game at West Ham. Interesting that Sylla and Albrighton are in there.
VILLA: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla, Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Subs: Sellars, Watkins, O’Brien, Wildin, Cowans.
Does sort of suggest that Sylla ain't starting the game on Saturday; bit of a surprise.
Based on pre-season form I'd have thought the midfield would be Westwood, Delph and KEA.
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Very surprised Sylla is playing. I thought he'd start on Saturday. Not the most gifted footballer (though he did improve with confidence), but guaranteed to chase anything and everything. Does he need extra match fitness? Has he missed much of pre-season?
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2-0 down now.
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Teams news for the game at West Ham. Interesting that Sylla and Albrighton are in there.
VILLA: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla, Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Subs: Sellars, Watkins, O’Brien, Wildin, Cowans.
Does sort of suggest that Sylla ain't starting the game on Saturday; bit of a surprise.
Based on pre-season form I'd have thought the midfield would be Westwood, Delph and KEA.
My fear about KEA is that he gives too many cheap free kicks away.
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Well, Sylla has already been replaced by young Cowans. Presumably he has been carrying an injury.
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Teams news for the game at West Ham. Interesting that Sylla and Albrighton are in there.
VILLA: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla, Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Subs: Sellars, Watkins, O’Brien, Wildin, Cowans.
Does sort of suggest that Sylla ain't starting the game on Saturday; bit of a surprise.
Based on pre-season form I'd have thought the midfield would be Westwood, Delph and KEA.
My fear about KEA is that he gives too many cheap free kicks away.
My fear is every game I saw him in last season.
I know people on here have said he's looked good pre-season, but it is only pre-season.
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He looked good last pre-season too, so I share CBBB's diffidence.
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This is probably worth stickying for the season.
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West Ham U21 2-0 Villa U21 - 60 mins: Much better from Villa at the start of the second half. Janoi Donacien gathered possession inside the West Ham half, continued his driving run before unleashing a shot which was pushed over. Josh Webb's glancing header from Daniel Johnson's corner went just wide .
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West Ham U21 3-0 Villa U21 - GOAL - 90 mins: Sebastian Lletget forced home a shot from close range after Villa failed to clear George Moncur's corner.
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Teams news for the game at West Ham. Interesting that Sylla and Albrighton are in there.
VILLA: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla, Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Subs: Sellars, Watkins, O’Brien, Wildin, Cowans.
All the subs, plus Lyden, Webb and Johnson played in the Newport game that was covered by Sox Sports News
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Well there goes the new seasons optimism. We're doomed.
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Well for me the best midfield combo is Westwood, Delph & Sylla. KEA gives the ball away too often and certainly can't tackle like Sylla. We need Sylla to combat Arsenal's midfield and give the defence a layer of protection. Sylla was excellent in the last home game against Chelsea and quite rightly earned the Man-of-the-match award. Surprised
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Our young lads rarely get hammered. How did Marc get on? First full game in God knows how long.
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Academy chief Jones hopes to see young guns step up progress
Bryan Jones says even greater emphasis will be placed on development over results in Villa's academy this term as the future generation look to kick on to the next level.
Academy chief Jones and his staff hope to push the club's up and coming stars through the ranks quicker by fielding younger sides in U18 and U21 competitions this term.
The policy has been backed by manager Paul Lambert, who wants the academy to play an important part in his Villa vision.
"The policy this year for youth team and U21 selection will be to play very young sides in both competitions to really stretch the players and aid their development," said Jones.
"We don't want to push the players too quickly but with our experience we think we will be able to manage it properly.
"The aim is not to win these competitions, the aim is to develop young players and continue that successful pathway into our first team.
"The manager has already informed us that he wants to develop young players as quickly as possible and the academy has an even more vital role in achieving this target."
The U18s kick off their league campaign against Newcastle at Bodymoor Heath on Saturday with eight first-year scholars hoping to make their mark.
Former Bolton Wanderers schoolboy Dylan Forth and local lad Charlie Bannister will be vying for the goalkeeper's jersey, while ex-Spurs central defender Kodi Lyons-Foster and Oxford-born forward Harry Lewis have stepped up from Mark Delaney's U16 squad.
Central midfielders Harry McKirdy and Ryan Strain, who have both been at the club since the age of 14, hope to continue their progression through the ranks along with right-sided player Rory Hale who was recruited from Cliftonville in Northern Ireland.
Swedish midfielder Khalid Abdo - a star of last season's NextGen Series semi-final win over Sporting Lisbon - also officially begins his scholarship.
Meanwhile, several of Villa's youngsters have received international recognition this month.
Defender Easah Suliman captained England U16 at the Nordic Tournament in Norway, while forward Corey Taylor also featured.
Rushain Hepburn-Murphy and Andre Green have been selected for an England schoolboys training camp at St George's Park and 16-year-old midfielder Hale has earned a call-up to Northern Ireland's U19 squad to face Scotland.
Source (http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3348275,00.html)
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NextGen series has been cancelled due to lack of funding/sponsorship
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Well dayum..
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That's a shame, I enjoyed going to those games. At least we're undefeated champions then.
There was a rumour that UEFA were looking to set up their own version, but that only teams qualifying for the Champion's League proper, would be allowed to enter.
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That's a shame, I enjoyed going to those games. At least we're undefeated champions then.
There was a rumour that UEFA were looking to set up their own version, but that only teams qualifying for the Champion's League proper, would be allowed to enter.
That would be right. Keep the circle closed and just have the same teams all the time.
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It was the opening games of the Academy U 18 League this morning and a very new look Villa team beat Newcastle 3 - 0 with a penalty from Khalid Abdo, a deflected effort from left back Courtney Wilden and a very good individual goal from Thomas Strain.
To be honest 3-0 flattered us a bit.
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It was the opening games of the Academy U 18 League this morning and a very new look Villa team beat Newcastle 3 - 0 with a penalty from Khalid Abdo, a deflected effort from left back Courtney Wilden and a very good individual goal from Thomas Strain.
To be honest 3-0 flattered us a bit.
How did Abdo play? There's a lot of excited talk about him.
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He played very well indeed. Best player on the park. We might have another good one here. He is also a stroppy git who had a running battle with the much bigger Newcastle defenders. Tony Mac had to take him off before the end as he was looking like a sending off waiting to happen.
To be fair he always wanted the ball and was very confident in possession.
It was an almost new team from last season. Jerell Sellars played after Christmas last year and is another good prospect but unfortunately he got injured early on. Of the new lads, on first look at U18 level I liked Suliman in midfield, looks a classy player.
I also liked the look of sub Harry Lewis as well. The keeper is a big lad and was pretty impressive too.
The team was :
Aiden Grant in goal.
Zazrivic,l, Dempsey, Lyons-Foster, Wilden.
O'brien, Suliman, Abdo, Green.
Sellars, Strain.
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Jack Grealish and Andras Stieber are back in action for Villa U21s tonight as Gordon Cowans' team face Norwich at the Pirelli Stadium.
There are six changes in the Villa starting line-up from last week's 3-0 defeat against West Ham.
Brad Watkins replaces Jed Steer in goal while Grealish, Stieber, Kevin Toner, Henry Cowans and Riccardo Calder come in for Marc Albrighton, Gary Gardner, Liam Bateman, Yacouba Sylla and Jordan Bowery.
The Canaries have handed a start to centre-back Sebastian Bassong.
Tonight's game, which kicks off at 7pm, is the first of four Villa will play at Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium this term.
VILLA: Watkins, Lyden, Webb, Donacien, Toner, Cowans, Grealish, Stieber, Robinson, Johnson, Calder. Subs: Lewis, Grant, O'Brien, Wildin, Abdo.
NORWICH: Matthews, McNeil, Toffolo, Hall-Johnson, Bassong, Gafaiti, Murphy, McGeehan, Morris, Loza, Murphy. Subs: Barker, Reading, McFadden, Wyatt, Norman.
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Looking at the comments last week and selection for today I'm fairly confident that last week was used a pre-season game for some of the guys who've been a bit behind. This looks a lot more like the squad we can expect to see regularly.
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1-0 up now.
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Villa U21 1-0 Norwich U21 - GOAL - 41 mins: Lovely counter-attacking football from Villa, who have taken the lead through Jack Grealish. The move started with skipper Daniel Johnson hitting an inch-perfect cross-field pass to Callum Robinson on the left. Robinson cut inside and whipped in a cross. Grealish stretched to reach it and bundle the ball into the net.
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Sounds like Grealish and Robinson are playing well together, I have very high hopes for that pair, both look like they'll fit in really well to the style of football we're playing as well (Robinson will be superb in the Gabby role if he keeps developing and I think Grealish will be a very good centre mid).
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The team was :
Aiden Grant in goal.
Zazrivic,l, Dempsey, Lyons-Foster, Wilden.
O'brien, Suliman, Abdo, Green.
Sellars, Strain.
I?
Not gonna make much on shirt printing if he makes the first team.
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Grealish was superb in the second half, constantly taking on and beating defenders.
You wondwe whether he should be going on loan or hanging around more with the first-team squad.
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Jack is close to the first team squad as it stands. He is still an U18 player so it is very unlikely he will be loaned out.
He is a rare talent and I really hope he makes the first team and establishes himself.
Jordan Graham (currently injured) and Callum Robinson are outstanding prospects too.
I watched them play together a couple of years ago for the U16s and it was frightening. A real shame that Danny Crowley has gone. He should be a top player too.
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Agreed.
I love the way that Robinson has worked to improve his game.
Any idea when Jordan Graham is due back?
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Good win for the U18s, came back from 2 goals down:
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3440293,00.html?
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Jack Grealish just tweeted - Academy side won 3-2 at Bolton and he scored a hat-trick. He's some talent that kid!
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Jack Grealish just tweeted - Academy side won 3-2 at Bolton and he scored a hat-trick. He's some talent that kid!
He'll make his league debut for us this season, I'm sure of it, he's got a great future ahead of him if he keeps focused.
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Jack Grealish just tweeted - Academy side won 3-2 at Bolton and he scored a hat-trick. He's some talent that kid!
Arrogant twat talking about himself in the third person.
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That's my opinion, too.
Then again, I thought the Moore brothers might fire to the Preeemiership title...
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Grealish does look a great prospect.
Am sure I read somewhere that he's the great grandson of Billy Garraty.
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Any idea when Jordan Graham is due back?
He's just been given the all clear by his Dr to start full training again.
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Any idea when Jordan Graham is due back?
He's just been given the all clear by his Dr to start full training again.
excellent news, hope he can get back in track.
I'd like to see the youngsters playing the same shape as the first team, Graham, Grealish and Robinson as a front 3 sounds exciting.
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Cheers, Karl.
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I don't like to come on here moaning about my club. Last season or the season before I had a bit of a strop on here when I left work and went to Hinckley after work to watch the reserves only to find that the game had been called off. This was only one in a long line of Academy or reserve games that had been switched or put forward or back by an hour resulting in me being early or late for KO.
I do remember a few posters particularly Dave Cooper saying I should check on the website and Twitter and not being at all sympathetic. Of course that is easier said than done when you are working all day.
Last season seemed a bit better to be fair. They moved fixtures but did inform the supporters.
Today we were playing Spurs at Bodymore in a 12 noon KO. I checked the website at 8am before going to work. No problem, game still on. Got caught at work and couldn't get out until 12.45 so made my way to watch the second half. As I turned into the car park it was obvious there was no games there today. I spoke to the guy at the gate who informed me the game was called off on Thursday. I said "Well it was still on the website when I checked this morning" He replied "That's what everyone else said including a scout that had traveled from Liverpool"
It really isn't good enough. Or am I being precious again ?
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No, it isn't good enough.
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The website really isn't befitting of a club of our size and heritage in many aspects.
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Aston Villa U12s 2 Manchester City U12s 2 (Game 1 25 mins e/w)
Aston Villa U12s 1 Manchester City U12s 1 (Game 2 15 mins e/w)
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Forgot to mention that Phil Neville and Kevin Campbell were there watching the first half of the U-14s match. Man City totally dominated that one and they had a player that cost £500,000 for them to get from another club. Bloody ridiculous.
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Aston Villa U13s 1 Manchester United U13s 1 (Game 1 25 mins e/w)
Aston Villa U13s 1 Manchester United U13s 3 (Game 2 15 mins e/w)
Boy, do they start them early. Mouthing off at the ref, diving, cynical fouls and blatant cheating. The kid in the number 10 shirt was particularly good in all four areas and after numerous talkings-to by the ref he eventually got substituted by his coach so he did not get sent off. Quite disgraceful actions at this age.
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U21's beating Tottenham 1-0 at the moment thumping header from Toner, from a corner can you believe it!!!
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2 mins into 2nd half Toner gives away a pen 1-1, All spurs now
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1-1 full time had our chances 2nd half but i think spurs had better of the 2nd half.
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Thanks
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Spurs had a midfielder, Kane who proved to be very able...........sorry!
He was genuinely the best player on the pitch....Siegrist for Villa made some great saves.
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S
Spurs had a midfielder, Kane who proved to be very able...........sorry!
He was genuinely the best player on the pitch....Siegrist for Villa made some great saves.
That's good to hear, Siegrist was jumping all over the place, to great effect. Sounds as if both teams had decent players but this lad Kane was a bit special. If some of our 'special ones' had not moved on, do you think that Villa could have won? If so, there is something really special happening with the U21s and their set up.
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Spurs had a midfielder, Kane who proved to be very able...........sorry!
He was genuinely the best player on the pitch....Siegrist for Villa made some great saves.
If that's Harry Kane then he's played for the first team a few times.
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Marvellous result for the young lads, bearing in mind Spurs had two PL players in their team, including the great Simon Dawkins.
Johnson and especially Calder were excellent all game and set up a great chance for Strain to win the match but he missed it.
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Aston Villa U12s 0 Arsenal U12s 3 (Game 1 25 mins e/w)
Aston Villa U12s 3 Arsenal U12s 2 (Game 2 15 mins e/w)
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I went to Bodymore this morning to watch the U18s play Man Utd. We played very well against a team that were unbeaten this season.
We won 3-1 with two goals from Thomas Strain and a goal from his younger brother Ryan. In a good team performance I thought Riccardo Calder, Khalid Abdo and Jerrell Sellers all gave impressive performances.
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Aston Villa U12s 4 Liverpool U12s 3 (Game 1 25 mins e/w)
Aston Villa U12s 0 Liverpool U12s 1 (Game 2 15 mins e/w)
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Thanks for the updates.
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The Strain brothers - Thomas and Ryan - combined to give Villa U18s a superb victory and end Manchester United's six-match winning streak.
Thomas scored two while younger sibling Ryan also got on the scoresheet in an impressive performance at Bodymoor Heath.
The Red Devils had the first clear-cut chance of the game when Ben Barber's dangerous low cross narrowly evaded Ashley Fletcher.
But Villa took the lead just past the half hour mark when goalkeeper Aiden Grant's quick thinking turned defence in to attack.
After claiming a corner under pressure, Grant swiftly started a breakaway move which resulted in Ryan Strain converting a Jerell Sellars cross.
The scores were levelled straight after the break when Devonte Redmond's left-foot drive put United back on track.
However, seven minutes later it was the turn of the older Strain, Thomas, to score from another clever cross by Sellars.
With 20 minutes to go he did it again, finding the bottom corner of the net with an emphatic right-foot finish.
VILLA: Grant, Wildin, Lyons-Foster, Calder, Zazrivec, Cowans, R Strain, O'Brien, Abdo, Sellars, T Strain. Subs: Lewis [for T Strain, 89], Taylor [for R Strain, 87], McKirdy [for Sellars, 79].
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We beat Arsenal 2 -1 this morning in the Under 18s. Very good game with Villa always the better team although Arsenal had their chances as well. Thomas Strain and Jerrell Sellars with the goals.
This is a very talented team this year with some quick and skillful forwards and of course Jack Grealish will be back for the Youth Cup games.
For us sad people who follow the junior teams it was the return Of Danny Crowley with Arsenal that was an added interest. Unfortunately he didn't play because of an injury.
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U21's playing Sunderland at The Lamb tomorrow evening, as that's walking distance from my house it would be rude not to take a stroll down to support our young Lions!
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U21's playing Sunderland at The Lamb tomorrow evening, as that's walking distance from my house it would be rude not to take a stroll down to support our young Lions!
Was just about to post this.
Looks like Tamworth might be the new home for the U-21's now that Hinckley have all but gone bust.
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U21's playing Sunderland at The Lamb tomorrow evening, as that's walking distance from my house it would be rude not to take a stroll down to support our young Lions!
Was just about to post this.
Looks like Tamworth might be the new home for the U-21's now that Hinckley have all but gone bust.
Due to be wound up tomorrow. Theere's an alternative take on the Bodymoor game towards the bottom of this page. http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=529635;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; Have a look at some of the other match reports on that thread and shake your head in wonder.
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Villa U21 v Sunderland U21 team news (kick-off 7pm).
Villa have made two changes for tonight's Barclays U21 Premier League fixture at The Lamb.
Graham Burke and Brad Lewis come into the line-up in place of Jordan Lyden and Kevin Toner.
VILLA: Siegrist, Webb, Donacien, Lewis, Kinsella, Stieber, Cowans, Johnson, Calder, Burke, Robinson. Subs: Bateman, Watkins, Graham, Abdo, Sellars.
SUNDERLAND: Dixon, Marrs, Dossena, Ba, McNamee, Harrison, Watmore, Gorrin, Wickham, Honeyman, Karlsson. Subs: Mitchell, Talbot, Agnew, Ferguson, Lawson.
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Son of Sid in the u-21s already?
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Villa U21 0-0 Sunderland U21 - 15 mins: Lively start here at The Lamb. Graham Burke has been right in the thick of the action on his return to the Villa side. Callum Robinson probed down the right hand side and brilliantly found Burke with his cutback, but the Irishman's right-foot shot came back off the foot of the post. Connor Wickham has been Sunderland's danger man. Firstly the England U21 forward forced Benjamin Siegrist to palm a powerful drive to safety and soon afterwards he dragged a left foot shot wide across goal.
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''Villa get hotter and hotter as it's knocked in by Calder'' Jack Woodward 1-0
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They're playing some nice football, Daniel Johnson looks very assured on the ball.
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Jordan Graham on the bench? Good to see him back. It will be good to get Drennan back too.
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I've only just realised that their number 9 is Connor Wickham, considering the noises that were being made about him when he first moved to Sunderland he's looked pretty poor tonight.
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Sunderland 1-1 62 mins
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I see Jordan graham was back as a sub last night. He's been out for ages. Looks very promising to me.
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Jordan played for the last ten minutes and looked very lively. Good to have him back. Jordan, Callum Robinson and Jack Grealish are very good prospects.
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Burke was considered a good prospect at one time but he doesn't seem to be stepping up. Weren't Man Utd sniffing around him a couple of years ago?
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Burke was considered a good prospect at one time but he doesn't seem to be stepping up. Weren't Man Utd sniffing around him a couple of years ago?
He never really stood out for me in pre-season. I couldn't really say anything like "yeah he's got loads of pace" or "he's got an eye for a pass." It was hard to see what attributes he had to make him potentially Prem level.
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I agree on Burke (thus far)
Jordan Graham looks to have skills and pace to me. Grealish very skilful tho I wonder about his physical assets. Robinson had pace and skill. I also think Johnson looks to have really quick feet - a bit like Delph. But you have to wonder why he's never really got a chance. I change my mind on carruthers quite a bit because I'm not sure if he's got a bit of everything or not enough of anything.
That's my concern with Gardner. Great shot on him. But seems slow and not great passing it. But hopefully that's something that will improve as he recovers from two serious injuries.
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I agree on Burke (thus far)
Jordan Graham looks to have skills and pace to me. Grealish very skilful tho I wonder about his physical assets. Robinson had pace and skill. I also think Johnson looks to have really quick feet - a bit like Delph. But you have to wonder why he's never really got a chance. I change my mind on carruthers quite a bit because I'm not sure if he's got a bit of everything or not enough of anything.
That's my concern with Gardner. Great shot on him. But seems slow and not great passing it. But hopefully that's something that will improve as he recovers from two serious injuries.
Grealish looks very strong for a 17 year old, he doesn't get pushed around much, there were a few comments from Notts county fans suggesting similar.
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Actually, Gardner's passing has always been his strongest asset.
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I agree on Burke (thus far)
Jordan Graham looks to have skills and pace to me. Grealish very skilful tho I wonder about his physical assets. Robinson had pace and skill. I also think Johnson looks to have really quick feet - a bit like Delph. But you have to wonder why he's never really got a chance. I okchange my mind on carruthers quite a bit because I'm not sure if he's got a bit of everything or not enough of anything.
That's my concern with Gardner. Great shot on him. But seems slow and not great passing it. But hopefully that's something that will improve as he recovers from two serious injuries.
I was chatting to one of the players dad's at a pre season game when Johnson was captaining the side. He told me there was a feeling amongst the first team coaching staff that Johnson is a bit too laid back and plays well within himself. As he's a cracking player that bodes very well for when they tease another gear from him.
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From what I've seen, Gardner strikes the ball well and had sound passing technique when he's got time on the ball. But he's looked slow in terms of running and dealing with the ball when it comes at him quickly. Whereas Johnson has much quicker feet.
Hopefully Gardner will improve as he gets an extended run without injuries. I think winger said recently that players can recover from serious injuries before they're about 22, but are much less able to afterwards.
If he could be the player he's meant to be: box to box, shoot from distance, creative, brave, then he'd be great in our midfield three. But at the moment I've got more of an eye on bacuna's ability to do that job. Gardner looks a way off to me.
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Gardner is suffering from the same problem that Delph had, he's not staying injury free for long enough to get properly fit. We need to get him injury free for a 6-9month stretch and then judge where he's at, judging him on individual games before that just isn't fair. It might turn out that he can't stay injury free, in which case it might turn out that he physically can't cope with this level of football but I'm not ready to make that call on him, and clearly neither are the club yet.
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It's a crying shame that Gardner has had such bad luck with injuries because had he had the time that Wilshere has had injury free he would at least be held in that sort of regard, although they're different players.
Really, he's a quarterback, dictating play from deep and making clever late runs. Also, his set pieces are excellent.
That's how it's gone in the youth system anyway.
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GG has missed out on really key years unfortunately. Whether this effects his development irreparably remains to be seen. I hope not, but he's 21 not really had much competitive football at all. I think 22 games in all comps for us and briefly at Cov on loan. There comes a point where you can only really improve as a player and make that step up, by playing competitive footy. Times running out for him to do that with us, because once his current deal runs out, if he's not really forced his way into the managers plans, it's unlikely he'll get a new deal.
Delph has been lucky. He's been afforded more time and second chances than most young players get at this level. It would be unlikely to happen again for Gardner.
I hope he makes it. When Craig was establishing himself for us, people were talking about his younger brother as potentially the new Gerrard. It'd be a shame if he couldn't make it for us. He just needs more luck.
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If his deal runs out and he hasn't established himself, and if the medical people forecast any hope of being fit at some stage, he'd get a pay as you play deal. I desperately hope the injury gods give him a boon. The bastards.
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If his deal runs out and he hasn't established himself, and if the medical people forecast any hope of being fit at some stage, he'd get a pay as you play deal. I desperately hope the injury gods give him a boon. The bastards.
The injury gods appear to be Small Heath fans given the luck the entire club is having at the moment.
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Brad Watkins is set to Tranmere Rovers on a one-month youth loan, subject to Premier League clearance.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper will get his first taste of senior football by linking up with Ronnie Moore's side in League One.
Academy graduate Watkins has featured for Villa at U18 and U21 level.
He starred in last season's NextGen Series finals weekend in Lake Como, Italy as Villa triumphed over Sporting Lisbon and Chelsea to lift the prestigious European crown.
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Brad Watkins is set to Tranmere Rovers on a one-month youth loan, subject to Premier League clearance.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper will get his first taste of senior football by linking up with Ronnie Moore's side in League One.
Academy graduate Watkins has featured for Villa at U18 and U21 level.
He starred in last season's NextGen Series finals weekend in Lake Como, Italy as Villa triumphed over Sporting Lisbon and Chelsea to lift the prestigious European crown.
I thought Watkins looked really good in the NextGen - good move to go off to the L1 environment.
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I'm surprised Siegrist didn't go out on loan. He was very highly regarded but again he doesn't seem to be stepping up.
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I'm sure Gardner will be given a chance to prove himself given the esteem he's been held in.
Siegrist seems to make quite a few errors to me
Is donacien old enough to go on loan yet. Bit nervous about having three centre backs all the rest of the season so good to see what he's like.
What about drennan and Robinson? No loans for them yet
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Delph has been lucky. He's been afforded more time and second chances than most young players get at this level. It would be unlikely to happen again for Gardner.
I wonder how much of that was because his wages (as a 6m signing, a mon one too, so probably big bunce) meant he was not an attractive signing for other clubs. Turned out well for us as he'd been magnificent for 6 months now, but it possible it was more luck that design.
With regards to Gardner, we should write off this season (in a Villa shirt) and send him on loan. Not for a few months but for the rest of the year. Get some proper games under his belt.
Ditto the young CB Doncienne (of however it is spelt).
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You could argue Delph was lucky. you could also argue that if you give good young players time they can develop into very good players. Without doubt he's now one of the first names on the team sheet.
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Yes. I'd argue we ditched Craig Gardner and Cahill too early rather than gave Delph a lucky break. There's a huge myth that players will have developed by 21. Many don't really come good till later on and they've got a good number of games under their belt. Look at the England squad: Cahill, Barnes, cole, jagielka. I'd tend to give people till23 though it's got to be judged case by case.
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Yes. I'd argue we ditched Craig Gardner and Cahill too early rather than gave Delph a lucky break. There's a huge myth that players will have developed by 21. Many don't really come good till later on and they've got a good number of games under their belt. Look at the England squad: Cahill, Barnes, cole, jagielka. I'd tend to give people till23 though it's got to be judged case by case.
Double edged sword in many ways as Cahill and Gardner probably improved as a result of matches as much as age/maturity. We need to use the loan system better and now we have a bigger squad this should be more easy to do.
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We could have given Cahill a run in the team to develop his game but instead we chose to spend about £15m on Davies and Knight.
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We could have put Cahill and Gardner out on loan to a premier league side for a whole season. We were in no danger of relegation. I don't think we can put out a kid to a rival now though. But would be good to see some of them at a good championship side. If they're not good enough for that then it's hard to see that they'd be good enough for us.
Interesting to see if Gardner or albrighton or Bennett or Bowery gets loaned out to a top 8 championship side. When bannan, delfouneso, Delph went out to those sort of side they didn't really do too well.
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Cahill turned down the chance of that very said season long loan as he wanted to play in the Prem in the first team.
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We still chose to buy someone who was known for making mistakes and another who described himself as a pub player. Cahill had already really impressed on loan at Burnley and we would have been better off developing him.
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We still chose to buy someone who was known for making mistakes and another who described himself as a pub player. Cahill had already really impressed on loan at Burnley and we would have been better off developing him.
No one will ever convince me that buying Davies for ~£10m and selling Cahill for half that on the basis of their form up until that point was anything other than stupidity. Cahill looked a top prospect but with some small flaws to his game (which are still there to be fair) and Davies looked like a good prospect with some slightly bigger flaws to his game. I have less of a problem with Knight because, whilst he had his limitations, he did add a bit of experience which we needed (with Mellberg playing at right back and Laursen's fitness being questionable).
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Notts County just sacked Kiwomya - Jack Grealish's new temporary boss is none other than Mr Hodge :-)
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I saw that, hope he does well but they get relegated then.
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According tp reports Daniel Johnson has been training with Blackpool for a week and Ince wants him on loan.
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Notts County just sacked Kiwomya - Jack Grealish's new temporary boss is none other than Mr Hodge :-)
Given their precarious position, I'd rather hope we'd find another loan slot for the booy, perhaps in a middling championship side.
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Aston Villa U12s 3 Coventry City U12s 1 (25 mins e/w)
Aston Villa U12s 3 Coventry City U12s 0 (15 mins e/w)
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U21 go 0-1 down after 4 mins and level it up after 7. Vs Newcastle.
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2-1.
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3-1.
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4-2 now.
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6-2. Bring it on!
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Hattrick for Robinson, if he starts scoring regularly he'll become some player.
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I was listening to Roberto Martinez on the radio last week say that England produces excellent kids up to about 18, but then really struggles to translate that into 22 year olds of comparable level.
You can really see signs of that at villa I think. Consistently excellent at youth and reserve level, but on the whole a number of our kids fall away. And if they do make it, it's often only really after about 22 or 23, once they've got lots of games under their belt.
It's great that we won 6-2 last night. But is the best thing for our two 18 year old exciting wingers (graham and Robinson) really to be playing against a couple of 16-17 year old full back with one appearance at reserve level between them? I doubt it.
The loan system isn't perfect. The style of football can be very different. But it's got to be better than playing in the very mediocre reserve league surely?
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This is where the Spanish use their B teams so effectively though. Send a yongster there for a couple of seasons to play competitive football and harden off. I think it is a good system and something we should be looking at here seriously. Even if not able to get as far as the Championship, just say league 1, it would be a lot more effective at bringing players on with the same coaching methods than we currently have.
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I'd like to see a few of these kids coming up to the full team right now. They might offer a bit of guile and unpredictability that we're lacking. Johnson and Robinson in particular could be useful. I don't think they're too young either because our whole squad is very young. If Lambert is happy to throw young foreign imports, or youngsters in from lower leagues, then it shouldn't be a problem throwing in an academy player.
Likewise when Grealish and Carruthers come back it'd be good to see them get a shot.
A lot of our youngsters seem more comfortable with the ball at their feet than some of our first teamers. If we aspire to play football then perhaps a bit more experience for these guys will be beneficial. Obviously we can't bring them in at the expense of our better players, but at the expense of players like KEA and Westwood? Absolutely.
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I was thinking with Gabby and Andi injured it would be good to recall Grealish and/or Carruthers to give us a bit of unpredictability, freshness and guile.
In the absence of anything better, the loan system is key for turning promising youngsters into first team players. Tottenham have used it the most effectively in recent times - sending players out to the lower leagues and even getting Premier League experience for some of their better players e.g. Walker, Rose, Naughton, Townsend and Livermore.
The idea of B sides joining the football league should be discussed by this commission that's been put together to look at youth football.
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Grealish played in the fa cup this weekend I see, so he'll be cup tied. An indication he's not in lambert' plans for the first team this year? He came off just after half time for the second game running too. He'd started really well but perhaps the games are catching up with him.
Carruthers not in the sixteen, presumably we didn't give permission for him to play. I wonder if we'll see him after Xmas? I'm not convinced by him if I'm honest but he's the type of player we need at least
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I was thinking with Gabby and Andi injured it would be good to recall Grealish and/or Carruthers to give us a bit of unpredictability, freshness and guile.
In the absence of anything better, the loan system is key for turning promising youngsters into first team players. Tottenham have used it the most effectively in recent times - sending players out to the lower leagues and even getting Premier League experience for some of their better players e.g. Walker, Rose, Naughton, Townsend and Livermore.
The idea of B sides joining the football league should be discussed by this commission that's been put together to look at youth football.
B sides would only be a good idea for the future of English football if you say that 6/7 players have to be English qualified
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I was thinking with Gabby and Andi injured it would be good to recall Grealish and/or Carruthers to give us a bit of unpredictability, freshness and guile.
In the absence of anything better, the loan system is key for turning promising youngsters into first team players. Tottenham have used it the most effectively in recent times - sending players out to the lower leagues and even getting Premier League experience for some of their better players e.g. Walker, Rose, Naughton, Townsend and Livermore.
The idea of B sides joining the football league should be discussed by this commission that's been put together to look at youth football.
B sides would only be a good idea for the future of English football if you say that 6/7 players have to be English qualified
I'd prefer that bigger clubs were allowed to invest say 40% into the smaller clubs. They'd then become feeder clubs in essence but they'd maintain most of their identity. I'm not sure I'd want to see Man U B, whereas Oldham Athletic (with money and players being supplied by Man U) is more palatable.
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I agree with the post above. B teams in the league, in England, is unpalatable to me. But I'd love it if Villa struck up a relationship with a couple of lower league clubs that had a supportive environment for our kids, playing good football.
I just watched the highlights of our 6-2 win v Newcastle. I know there are calls for the likes of Robinson to come in. But I can honestly say I don't think any of the 6 goals we scored in that game would be remotely possible even against mediocre premier league sides or probably lower league professionals. Slightly sloppy touches, finishes close to the keeper and a delay in playing the through ball don't get punished and you can still score. It breeds complacency and isn't a demanding enough environment for kids to really develop their touch and general play in a really physically demanding environment.
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I'd like to see us linked with Walsall in that scenario.
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I agree with the idea of linking up with a couple of local clubs and getting our young players first team experience with them. How likely that is, I don't know because I think it could run into complication where we get drawn in the cup to those teams and I don't know how receptive those clubs would be to the idea.
The discussion of B teams was also part of a bigger discussion on the way forward for 18-22 year olds throughout the country as it's been identified that as a nation we're good at developing players up until that age and then there's a big drop off.
For a long time though I've wanted the bigger clubs to be more supportive of the smaller and/or clubs that are struggling against bankruptcy. There should be something there which can better aid the development of young, English players and also help those clubs survive.
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From the o/s.
Michael Drennan returns to action for Villa in tonight's Barclays U21 Premier League clash against Arsenal.
Drennan will play his first match of the campaign at Boreham Wood this evening [ko 7pm].
The Republic of Ireland youth striker, who has been nursing a long-term foot injury, replaces Callum Robinson in the only change from last week's 6-2 win over Newcastle.
Robinson - a hat-trick hero in the Magpies victory - has been called up by England U19s for Thursday's friendly against Hungary in Budapest.
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Arsenal U21 1-0 Villa U21 - GOAL - 15 mins: Serge Gnabry has broken the deadlock for Arsenal, converting Jon Toral's left-wing cutback from around eight yards. Moments earlier, Graham Burke had a low shot pushed away by Gunners keeper Matt Macey after a slick move involving Daniel Johnson.
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Arsenal U21 2-0 Villa U21 - GOAL - 25 mins: Another blow for Gordon Cowans' team as the Gunners bag a second. This time roles were reversed as Serge Gnabry made a quick break down the right and crossed to the back post for Jon Toral to tap home.
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Arsenal U21 4-0 Villa U21 - HT - A first half to forget for Gordon Cowans' team. It could have been a different scenario had two long-range efforts from Graham Burke found their way into the bottom corner, but Gunners keeper Matt Macey made brilliant saves on both occasions. Arsenal, though, carved open the Villa defence with Jon Toral scoring twice and Serge Gnabry and Emmanuel Frimpong also getting on the scoresheet.
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Arsenal U21 4-1 Villa U21 - GOAL - 52 mins: Welcome back Michael Drennan. The Irishman has given Villa hope with a goal in his first game for nine months. He reacted quickly to a poor clearance from keeper Matt Macey and fired a low left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
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4-2 Burke.
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TheFA (http://www.thefa.com/england/mens-u19s/News/2013/aston-villa-forward-callum-robinson-ready-for-u19-debut-141113)
Aston Villa's Callum Robinson says he must grasp his England U19s opportunity with both hands
By Jamie Reid in Hungary
Callum Robinson says he cannot wait to pull on the England U19s jersey for the first time – and knows he must grasp the opportunity with both hands.
The 18-year-old forward was a late addition to Noel Blake’s squad for the trip to Budapest to face Hungary on Thursday - and the Aston Villa man was thrilled to get the call on Sunday evening.
“Obviously to get called up for your country, it’s an amazing feeling,” he said.
“It’s great playing for Aston Villa at club level – but to get the call up for your country is something else and I’m delighted to be here. Hopefully I can do well and, next time, get into the squad and not [be] on standby.”
The call-up marks the end of a fine week for Robinson, who made his debut for the Aston Villa senior team in the League Cup defeat at home to Tottenham in September.
“I got a hat-trick for Aston Villa U21s last Monday against Newcastle and then I was on the bench in the Premier League on Saturday [against Cardiff] for the first team – and then got the call-up for England U19s as well – so not a bad week!”
England face Hungary on Thursday afternoon, as the Young Lions step up their preparation for the UEFA European U19 Champions Elite Round qualification, which takes place next May.
Should the U19s successfully navigate the Elite Round, they will return to Hungary in July for the finals.
But For Robinson, who was a regular performer for the U16s and U17s before suffering a frustrating succession of injuries, the trip is all about two things.
“Obviously from the team’s perspective we’re here to play well and win the game – it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“From a personal point of view I’d like to play, and play well – if I could nick a goal then that would be really good.
“For me it’s about getting back into the team, showing the right attitude, impressing on the pitch and grasping the opportunity if it comes my way.”
Callum Robinson says he cannot wait to pull on the England U19s jersey for the first time – and knows he must grasp the opportunity with both hands.
The 18-year-old forward was a late addition to Noel Blake’s squad for the trip to Budapest to face Hungary on Thursday - and the Aston Villa man was thrilled to get the call on Sunday evening.
“Obviously to get called up for your country, it’s an amazing feeling,” he said.
“It’s great playing for Aston Villa at club level – but to get the call up for your country is something else and I’m delighted to be here. Hopefully I can do well and, next time, get into the squad and not [be] on standby.”
The call-up marks the end of a fine week for Robinson, who made his debut for the Aston Villa senior team in the League Cup defeat at home to Tottenham in September.
“I got a hat-trick for Aston Villa U21s last Monday against Newcastle and then I was on the bench in the Premier League on Saturday [against Cardiff] for the first team – and then got the call-up for England U19s as well – so not a bad week!”
England face Hungary on Thursday afternoon, as the Young Lions step up their preparation for the UEFA European U19 Champions Elite Round qualification, which takes place next May.
Should the U19s successfully navigate the Elite Round, they will return to Hungary in July for the finals.
But For Robinson, who was a regular performer for the U16s and U17s before suffering a frustrating succession of injuries, the trip is all about two things.
“Obviously from the team’s perspective we’re here to play well and win the game – it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“From a personal point of view I’d like to play, and play well – if I could nick a goal then that would be really good.
“For me it’s about getting back into the team, showing the right attitude, impressing on the pitch and grasping the opportunity if it comes my way.”
Robinson echoed U19s captain Calum Chambers’ observation that with minutes on the pitch for England so limited throughout the year, it’s vital that you seize the moment whenever it arises, or for however long it may be.
“Any time you get on the pitch for England you know you have to work hard and impress,” he added.
“Of course it’s the same for your club, although sometimes you are a little more comfortable with that because you know you might not have to wait too long for an opportunity to correct a poor performance but with England, it can be weeks, months or longer before you get another chance. So you really have to make it count.
"The players here are the best of your age in the country, so the competition for places is fierce. Everyone is on it, everyone has a huge amount of talent otherwise they wouldn’t be here so any amount of minutes you get you have to make the most of.
“You have to work hard, play well and do what you do – do what’s got here in the first place.”
“Obviously I’d love to be coming back here next July, but that’s down to performances. As I said, there’s so much talent in England at your age group you’ve got to be constantly on it and playing well.
“But it’s a fantastic incentive, that’s for sure.”
Callum Robinson says he cannot wait to pull on the England U19s jersey for the first time – and knows he must grasp the opportunity with both hands.
The 18-year-old forward was a late addition to Noel Blake’s squad for the trip to Budapest to face Hungary on Thursday - and the Aston Villa man was thrilled to get the call on Sunday evening.
“Obviously to get called up for your country, it’s an amazing feeling,” he said.
“It’s great playing for Aston Villa at club level – but to get the call up for your country is something else and I’m delighted to be here. Hopefully I can do well and, next time, get into the squad and not [be] on standby.”
The call-up marks the end of a fine week for Robinson, who made his debut for the Aston Villa senior team in the League Cup defeat at home to Tottenham in September.
“I got a hat-trick for Aston Villa U21s last Monday against Newcastle and then I was on the bench in the Premier League on Saturday [against Cardiff] for the first team – and then got the call-up for England U19s as well – so not a bad week!”
England face Hungary on Thursday afternoon, as the Young Lions step up their preparation for the UEFA European U19 Champions Elite Round qualification, which takes place next May.
Should the U19s successfully navigate the Elite Round, they will return to Hungary in July for the finals.
But For Robinson, who was a regular performer for the U16s and U17s before suffering a frustrating succession of injuries, the trip is all about two things.
“Obviously from the team’s perspective we’re here to play well and win the game – it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“From a personal point of view I’d like to play, and play well – if I could nick a goal then that would be really good.
“For me it’s about getting back into the team, showing the right attitude, impressing on the pitch and grasping the opportunity if it comes my way.”
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Came on in the 63rd minute when 3 - 0 up.
Scored the 4th to ensure a 4-1 win.
http://www.thefa.com/england/mens-u19s/News/2013/england-u19s-hungary-141113.aspx
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Came on in the 63rd minute when 3 - 0 up.
Scored the 4th to ensure a 4-1 win.
http://www.thefa.com/england/mens-u19s/News/2013/england-u19s-hungary-141113.aspx
That was perfect timing was just gonna try and find out how they got on and Hey Presto!!!
Fair play to young Callum!
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It is half-time at the Showgrounds in Sligo and the Republic of Ireland lead the Faroe Islands 5-2 in a European Championship Under-21 qualifier. The Republic's goals have come from Samir Carruthers, Aiden O'Brien (2), Jack Grealish and Anthony Forde.
I might as well post it here as well.
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The Academy team beat Norwich 5-4 this afternoon at Bodymore. It was a 5-4 thrashing. In the first half we missed about six one on ones with the keeper who saved every one with his feet.
Henry Cowans put us in front and then the impressive Harry McKirdy added two more to make it 3-0. After surviving several chances Norwich scored to make it 3-1. Ricardo Calder then scored to give us a 4-1 lead at half time.
The second half was a bit more even and Norwich scored two more to bring the score back to an unlikely 4-3. Jerrell Sellars then made it 5-3 with 5 minutes remaining but a last minute Norwich goal made the final score 5-4.
Villa were tremendous going forward but not very good defensively. Strangely in a defense that conceded four goals, Kevin Toner at centre back was superb and is a very good prospect.
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Thanks for the updates. On a side note sums England up for me that a thief is in charge of our youth.. Of all the players we could have, we end up with Noel Fuckin Blake
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with his mate Hopkins as Lookout, err I mean assistant.
I once got mistaken for Noel Blake. With my pale Irish complexion it came as quite a surprise.
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Exactly. It just doesn't add up. An ex thief, a Jamacian Journeyman running England U19.
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Exactly. It just doesn't add up. An ex thief, a Jamacian Journeyman running England U19.
What does it matter where he's from - all that counts is how good a coach he is !
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Aston Villa U12s 4 Leicester City U12s 1 (Game 1: 25 mins each way)
Aston Villa U12s 5 Leicester City U12s 2 (Game 2: 15 mins each way)
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Helanius, Bowery and Herd all playing for the U21's tonight.
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This game is live to watch on avtv tonight - I wasn't aware there away a pl cup - is it a new thing?
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Villa U21 0-0 Fulham U21 - 15 mins: Very little action to report so far. The only real chance fell to the visitors on 14 minutes when Ange-Freddy Plumain forced Jed Steer to get down and make a save. The Villa keeper managed to force the low drive to safety. Villa are lining up in a diamond formation with Daniel Johnson sitting, Graham Burke and Jordan Graham either side and Callum Robinson in behind the front two of Nicklas Helenius and Jordan Bowery. Who can catch Paul Lambert's eye?
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Villa U21 0-0 Fulham U21 - 30 mins: Villa's best chance of the game so far fell to Jordan Bowery. Janoi Donacien picked the forward out with a clever through ball. Bowery continued towards goal but dragged his left-foot shot wide of the target. Lots of possession for Gordon Cowans' men but the game is still desperately short of chances.
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Villa U21 0-1 Fulham U21 - GOAL - 83 mins: It's the visitors who make the breakthrough. A long ball over the top is met by Moussa Dembele who controls well before neatly tucking past Jed Steer.
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Oh dear:
Villa U21 0-3 Fulham U21 - FT - Villa are knocked out of the Barclays U21 Premier League Cup after three late goals from the visitors. It had been a cagey affair at Villa Park up until the last seven minutes when Moussa Dembele found space in the Villa defence to deliver two killer blows. Ange-Freddy Plumain added the third in stoppage time. It was a frustrating night for Villa. The claret and blues fielded a very attacking line-up but it struggled to click on the night. Gordon Cowans will demand a positive response when his side return to league action against Liverpool at Langtree Park next Monday.
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Not exactly encouraging from Bowery and Helenius.
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Not exactly encouraging from Bowery and Helenius.
Bowery never ever seems to look remotely close to scoring a goal. He didn't score much at League 2 level. He's a hard worker, and a big lad, I wonder if a switch to center-back could be in the offing for him. Obviously this would be at a lower level at another club. He's about a million miles from Premiership standard. In all honesty I sometimes doubt he's league standard. I can see him in the conference or a level close to it.
Helenius seems well short of confidence. Perhaps the change of country has been hard, but he looks a good year or two off. He can't be all bad as he's a Danish international, but whether he'll ever be Prem quality is another matter.
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I was at the game and could not believe how weak Helenius was ,looks a long way off from the first team i am afraid
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Playing Liverpool tonight - live on channel 429 on Sky
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I was at the game and could not believe how weak Helenius was ,looks a long way off from the first team i am afraid
From Helenius' thread
I guess as much as anything, it's the physical side of the game.
Around the time of the Spurs cup game he was quoted over here as saying that Lambert had had him hitting the weights and he'd put on a load of muscle since he joined. About 2 weeks later he'd got the flu / trots and lost 4kgs body mass in a week. I guess if he was behind on the physical side of things to start with - the majority of defences over here are not built around the likes of Okore or Agger, something like that will really have pushed him back.
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He should get that weight back quite quickly.
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Our youth team is the pride of the midlands. We beat West Brom 1-0 at the Aston Maintenance depot this morning with a last minute goal.
I can't tell you the scorer because West Brom didn't produce a team sheet and it was scored by a sub at the other end of the pitch. We had enough chances to win 6-0 and had just had two goals disallowed but this years team are very hard working and never stop.
Jerrell Sellers was a danger throughout. He signed his first professional contract yesterday.
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Strain got the goal. There's a piece on the crappy official site (the page wouldn't load).
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Cheers. He came on at half time if it was Thomas who scored. His younger brother Ryan played in Midfield in the first half and switched to Centre back in the second half. Thomas has scored a lot of goals this season.
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FA Youth Cup. Villa 4-3 Plymouth Argyle.
Very good game tonight. An OG and goals from Sellars, Abdo and Ryan Strain gave us a victory that we fully deserved.
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FA Youth Cup. Villa 4-3 Plymouth Argyle.
Very good game tonight. An OG and goals from Sellars, Abdo and Ryan Strain gave us a victory that we fully deserved.
I forgot about this - thanks for posting the result.
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From what I saw of the second half they looked to be playing some nice stuff. Plenty of movement off the ball and some nice first time one-twos. Young Sid looks to have good vision. Let's hope they can keep this style up as they get older and bigger.
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Jerell Sellars looks the most promising on last night's performance but they need to
work on defending set pieces !!
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Yes-all three Argyle goals came from these!
Good to see -and hear- some Plymouth fans in the small crowd.
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Wolves U21 0-1 Villa U21 - GOAL - 14mins: Villa have taken the lead after perfect left-wing cross from Callum Robinson was headed home by Jaoni Donacien.
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Wolves U21 0-1 Villa U21 - HT - Villa are good value for their half-time lead here at Bucks Head. Janoi Donacien's 14th minute header has been the difference between the two sides in a West Midlands derby clash that has produced few clear-cut chances. Kristian Kostrna went close for the hosts in the first minute but struck his low 20-yard shot just wide. Then Villa full-back Lewis Kinsella tested Wayne Hennessey with a thunderbolt 35-yard drive which the keeper did well to hold. The deadlock-breaker arrived when Donacien leapt to head home Callum Robinson's precise left-wing cross. Since then it's been a disciplined display from Villa, who have so far managed to avoid the mistakes that proved costly in recent outings against Arsenal and Liverpool. The presence of Gary Gardner in midfield has certainly given the claret and blues a big lift.
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Commentary is available with Captain Jack on AVTV for anyone interested.
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0-2 Steiber.
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Wolves U21 0-2 Villa U21 - GOAL - 48mins: Great counter-attacking play from Villa. Some space opened up for Andras Stieber on the left hand side. The Hungarian motored into the penalty box and fired into the bottom corner with conviction.
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Final Score Wolves U21 0 Villa Under 21 2 Well done lads
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Wolves U21 0-2 Villa U21 - GOAL - 48mins: Great counter-attacking play from Villa. Some space opened up for Andras Stieber on the left hand side. The Hungarian motored into the penalty box and fired into the bottom corner with conviction.
I wonder if Stieber will feature at some point? His brother hasn't done too badly since he left. He's appeared for the Hungarian national side.
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Who are our best prospects atm? Just saw Dan Crowley for Arsenal, looks class and was poached off us. Bit pissed off to be honest.
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We tried very hard to keep Dan Crowley. He had been at the club since he was about 7 years old. Maybe he and his father where not the easiest to deal with. Unfortunately he is a brilliant player.
We have some very good prospects ourselves. Jack Grealish (who is still young enough to play in the U18s) Jordan Graham and Callum Robinson are all capable of making the first team one day.
Of the current youth team I like Kevin Toner who is a very aggressive Irish Centre Back who likes a tackle and a header.
We lost 1-0 this morning to Leicester but we had a few U16s playing.
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Grealish has tweeted that he is coming back from his loan.
Maybe getting a spot on the bench?
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His loan is up and Villa had been talking to numerous clubs. We asked him where he wanted to go and he said that he wanted to stay at Notts County and help them survive. If we're going to start involving him sooner than we expected, presumably there's been a change of opinion or else why talk to the other clubs? The most likely scenario is that he goes back to Notts next week, perhaps having been on the bench Monday night. However, he's clearly been maturing and with our lack of creativity it might just be that Lambert thinks he should be involved or at least delay the decision and get a look at him in training. Either way, it's good that the loan has been such a success that there's a very genuine discussion about promoting an 18-year old to the first team.
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I see no issue with him coming back to Villa for 3-4 days and then going back out to Notts County for a few more months, especially if he spends those few days with the first team, the goal which should always be in mind is that he's on loan to get him ready to play for our first team, a progression check in the middle of that seems like a good idea to me.
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I've heard he might play for the Youth Team at Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup game on Wednesday night.
If he isn't going to get games in the first team I would hope he goes back to County.
As for a lack of pace and strength, for a Youth Team player which he still is, he has a lot of upper body strength and holds players off quite easily. He is deceptively quick too. But he has a change of pace and doesn't run in straight lines.
Jordan Graham is very similar on the ball with the ability to go past opponents at will with a step over and a change of pace. Jordan is coming back from a long lay off with injury and hopefully he can find a club where he can get some first team football too.
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Is Jordan 18 too or is he a more senior prospect, like Carruthers?
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Jordan is 18 but the year above Grealish. Grealish can play for the U18s where Jordan and Callum Robinson are one year out of the Youth team so U19s this year. Samir and Daniel Johnson and Graham Burke are a couple of years older still. It does make a difference when judging players.
DJ and Burke need to get out on loan and make an impression or else I think they will be released soon.
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Burke was really highly rated at one time too. I think there were rumours of Man United trying to nick him.
Good to see Jordan has time on his side, especially after his injury. I always think it bodes well for a player's development if you can get them out on loan as soon as possible. We can probably get a good couple of years of first team football (hopefully taking them up through the divisions as they mature) before they are brought into our first team.
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Da yoots are playing Liverpool away in the 4th round of the FA Youth Cup this evening at 7pm, and it is being shown live on LFC TV.
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Da yoots are playing Liverpool away in the 4th round of the FA Youth Cup this evening at 7pm, and it is being shown live on LFC TV.
On Virgin LFC is Channel 544, coverage starting 18:30
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1-0 Liverpool. Beautifully taken goal.
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Losing one-nil. Impressive lob.
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Ryan Kent for Liverpool looks a class above.
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1-1.
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One-one, good anticipation albeit shite defending. Harry McKirdy with the goal.
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I thought Grealish was at Notts County..is he back now?
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Temporarily.
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He looks the class act on the pitch tonight..would he look at of place in our first team?
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Half-time, one-each.
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He looks the class act on the pitch tonight..would he look at of place in our first team?
If he's a class act then he would look comfortably out of place in our first team.
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Goal disallowed for no good reason. Ball given out of play when it was at least a yard inside the line.
EDIT: for Villa, that is. In case you hadn't guessed.
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fucking hell, that's an absolute shocker from the linesman.
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That should be 1-2. There is no way that the ball went out of play.
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A sneak preview of all the inevitable dubious decisions that will go the way of Steeeevie's team on Saturday.
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McKirdy off and Thomas Strain on
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Bollocks. Two-one.
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Welsh International Harry Wilson scores 2nd for 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' after clearing one off the line at other end.....good finish
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Our youth team play better football than our 1st team.
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Three-one, game over.
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Wilson makes it 3-1....he has been the difference since coming on.
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They do.
Sh*t defending. 3-1 to Liverpool.
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Oh no! 3-1
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Ryan Kent is going to be some player.
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On Facebook:
Liam Bateman off with very nasty broken leg really feel for the lad sdreaming in pain team mates in tears not nice to see
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This is in tonight's game at Goodison.
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Get well soon Liam Bateman. Stretchered off with broken leg.
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0-1 Steiber.
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The winning team in the U12s European tournament held in Germany:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p526x296/995302_610205985719101_3009720_n.jpg)
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The winning team in the U12s European tournament held in Germany:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p526x296/995302_610205985719101_3009720_n.jpg)
We have 2 young Fellaini's playing for our under 12's ? Class.
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U21's won 1-0
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Cam is on the RHS of the top row.
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U21's won 1-0
Have to keep eyes on Bateman's injury. Sounds nasty.
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U21's won 1-0
Have to keep eyes on Bateman's injury. Sounds nasty.
On the commentary they didn't actually say that it was a broken leg but said it was a nasty one and some of the players, Donacien being one being visibly upset by it.
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U21's won 1-0
Have to keep eyes on Bateman's injury. Sounds nasty.
On the commentary they didn't actually say that it was a broken leg but said it was a nasty one and some of the players, Donacien being one being visibly upset by it.
Hope the lad is ok. Broken leg is not an injury for a young lad to have.
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Poor kid, fucking awful thing to have happen at that age it can completely set back a career and we've seen a hell of a lot of our youngsters pick up these long term ones. I wonder how much of the problem converting youth team promise to the first team has been hampered by injuries like this to best of the youngsters, it seems to happen so often.
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Wish the lad a speedy recovery
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Can we have some more info as soon as is possible from those of you in the loop please.
Hope he is ok and it is not to serious.
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Villa Players not happy about the challenge by all accounts
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I dare say they are not. Any challenge that results in a broken leg is a bad one.
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I dare say they are not. Any challenge that results in a broken leg is a bad one.
Try telling Ciaran Clarke that ;)
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Clark
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Bolton U-21s 2 Aston Villa U21s 0 (HT)
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How did the U21's finish up tonight, see above they were two down at ht.
Forgot all about it, meant to listen to Jack!!!
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Lost 3-2
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How did the U21's finish up tonight, see above they were two down at ht.
Forgot all about it, meant to listen to Jack!!!
Went to 3-0 then we got 2 back in the last 10mins and their goalkeeper pulled off an apparently drop drawer save to stop us getting the equaliser in the last few seconds of stoppage time.
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Aston Villa U12s 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers U12s 1
Aston Villa U13s 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers U13s 2
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@22Gards: Good to get 90 minutes today first one for a while! Disappointed with the result but another step back to full fitness 👍👍⚽️⚽️
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Gary Gardner and Joe Bennett got some match action under their belts as Villa U21s slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Reading.
First-half goals from Craig Tanner and Jack Stacey were enough to secure victory for the Royals, who were good value for the three points in the clash at Bodymoor Heath.
But Villa first team manager Paul Lambert will have been boosted by the sight of senior duo Gardner and Bennett completing 90 minutes.
The claret and blues made a bright start with Graham Burke curling an effort just wide after collecting Jordan Bowery's knockdown.
It took just 10 minutes, though, for the visitors to take the lead.
Tanner stepped up to score from the spot after the referee awarded a penalty for a trip on Gozie Ugwu.
With nine minutes to go in the first period, Stacey curled in a superb effort from a tight angle to make it 2-0.
Bowery headed straight at Stuart Moore and Burke forced the keeper into a save but Gordon Cowans' team went in at the break with plenty of work to do.
Reading started the second half strongly and Brad Watkins did well to save Ugwu's effort with his feet.
Then the Villa keeper dived to his left to brilliantly deny Tanner, before Stacey's follow-up was blocked by Brad Lewis.
Gardner fired wide with a succession of long-range shots, including one following an indirect free-kick which was awarded when keeper Moore was penalised for holding on to the ball for too long.
Moore redeemed himself late on by standing tall to thwart Burke from point blank range.
Villa finished the game with 10 men after Lewis received a second yellow card for a foul.
VILLA: Watkins, Webb, Bennett, Gardner, Lewis, Kinsella, Burke, Robinson, Bowery, Johnson (c), Sellars. Subs: O'Brien, Grant, Abdo [for Sellars 73], McKirdy, Wildin.
READING: Moore, Keown, Griffin, Tshibola, Sweeney, Hector, Stacey, Kuhl, Ugwu, Tanner, Fosu-Henry. Subs: Long, Lincoln, Hylam, Fridjonsson, Murombedzi.
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Wonder if the third paragraph means PL was actually watching?
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Wonder if the third paragraph means PL was actually watching?
I believe he watches most of the U21 and U19 games. He's certainly been at all of the ones I've seen that weren't on the same day as the first team were playing.
I'm very happy that Gardner got 90minutes, not getting another midfielder in January looks like it was a big mistake but if Gardner can get fully fit in the next couple of weeks and force his way into the mix hopefully he can be that player. We may as well give him a few months to earn a new contract now, if he takes it we could have a very good player on our hands, he's highly rated by a lot of people in the game but has had awful luck with injuries in the last few years, I really want him to make it, he deserves something good out of the game now.
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Chelsea U12s 2 Aston Villa U12s 3
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Wonder if the third paragraph means PL was actually watching?
I believe he watches most of the U21 and U19 games. He's certainly been at all of the ones I've seen that weren't on the same day as the first team were playing.
I'm very happy that Gardner got 90minutes, not getting another midfielder in January looks like it was a big mistake but if Gardner can get fully fit in the next couple of weeks and force his way into the mix hopefully he can be that player. We may as well give him a few months to earn a new contract now, if he takes it we could have a very good player on our hands, he's highly rated by a lot of people in the game but has had awful luck with injuries in the last few years, I really want him to make it, he deserves something good out of the game now.
I was pleased to see Bennett got some game time yesterday against the Spammers, and he didn't discgrace himself. Although flaky last season, he was often unfairly made a scapegoat and it would be restorative to see him emerge with some potential.
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U21's currently losing 3-5 to Fulham including a freak goal for Fulham keeper Marek Rodak. His long clearance catches the strong wind and is carried all the way into the Villa net, completely deceiving Benji Siegrist.
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Villa finished up empty handed after table-topping Fulham scored three late goals in a ding-dong encounter at Bodymoor Heath.
The two sides somehow coped with the horrendous conditions to produce an eight-goal thriller at Villa's training headquarters.
Fulham's big-money deadline day signing Konstantinos Mitroglou conjured up two superb finishes to give the visitors an early lead.
But Gordon Cowans' team overturned the two-goal deficit thanks to a Liam Donnelly own goal, Callum Robinson's strike and a penalty from Daniel Johnson.
There was still plenty of time for more twists, though, and after getting back on level terms, Fulham added to further strikes including a freak goal from keeper Marek Rodak.
It took just 19 minutes for Greek forward Mitroglou to show his class when he fired past Benjamin Siegrist from the edge of the box.
Then six minutes later he added a second - a wonderful dipping 25-yard strike.
The hosts were handed a lifeline just before the half-hour mark when Donnelly's header from a Jordan Graham corner ended up in his own net.
Four minutes into the second half, Robinson was well placed at the near post to convert Jordan Bowery's cross from the right.
Bowery was instrumental in Villa's third goal too, winning a penalty after being fouled by Mananga Jonathan Buatu.
Skipper Johnson stepped up to score from the spot and give his side the lead.
Then came the late Fulham onslaught. Cauley Woodrow scored twice in the space of four minutes.
Firstly, he met Lyle Della Verde's corner on the volley to beat Siegrist 12 minutes from time.
Then Woodrow converted from close range after a good run and cross by Donnelly.
The final goal of the game arrived in bizarre circumstances.
Rodak's long clearance bounced once before catching the strong wind and carrying all the way into the Villa net.
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West Bromwich Albion U12s 1 Aston Villa U12s 1 (25 mins e/w)
West Bromwich Albion U12s 0 Aston Villa U12s 0 (15 mins e/w)
It's good to see the standard and style of play currently being shown by our first XI is being mirrored at all levels of the academy. Dodgy defending, weak ball retention, giving the ball away regularly, unable to pass to a player in the same colour shirt, continually going sideways across the middle and back, low percentage of possession etc, etc.
Plus you should have seen and heard the reaction from the WBA supporters when they equalised. I'm sure they were ready to arrange for an open-top bus parade.
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VILLA: Siegrist, Webb, Wildin, Stieber, Toner, Kinsella, Graham, Burke, Sellars, Johnson (c), Robinson. Subs: Calder, Watkins, R Strain, Abdo, T Strain
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1-0 Villa, Burke free kick
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2-0 Villa. Acrobatic finish from a corner by Sellers
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3-0 Burke.
End to end stuff, not a bad game now its got going.
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End to end? Sounds like our end to their end only.
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End to end? Sounds like our end to their end only.
Its getting more and more that way yeah.
4-0 Villa, Callum Robinson beats a few defenders on the left, cuts inside and scores from a tight angle. Really good goal.
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Who are we beating 4-0?
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Who are we beating 4-0?
Blackburn........
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4-1. Switched off at a set-piece, sounds familiar eh?
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4-2
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Now it must be end to end.
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Just watching the UEFA youth league highlights on Eurosport. Such quality young players in that league.
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Apparently, last year they were even better...
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If any televised event should be boycotted it is that one.
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If any televised event should be boycotted it is that one.
Yes, makes me really angry.
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If any televised event should be boycotted it is that one.
Yes, makes me really angry.
I read in the Evening Standard this evening that the Premier League are planning a B league to replace U21/reserve football, no doubt with Sky coverage and all the rest of the glitter that they can throw at it.
I honestly think I'd pack it in if that became reality. It would completely undermine the "FL72" (or whatever Sky call it) as there would be more stars playing for Chelsea/City/Man U's B team than in the championship. As much as I hate the system, loans would reduce so you'd end up with an even bigger stockpiling of players at the richest clubs.
Drunk rant over.
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It's just an update on the Reserve League from what I've heard of it. There's not been any suggestion of them joining the football league.
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It's just an update on the Reserve League from what I've heard of it. There's not been any suggestion of them joining the football league.
Formerly known as the ´Central League ´.......................Godzvilla!
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Mikey Drennan on his way to Pompey on a month's loan.....subject to league approval.
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It's just an update on the Reserve League from what I've heard of it. There's not been any suggestion of them joining the football league.
The proposal is U23 with 3 players in the 18 'over age' - basically we could play our first team, it's also proposed for televised matches and a reasonably high profile, I agree Dante, I think it's a bad idea as it just encourages clubs like city and Chelsea to buy in more and more young players.
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I did plan on watching Norwich Spurs but after todays Villa game I just cant bear to watch. Pisses me off seeing other supporters having something to cheer from a football match.
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Middlesbrough U21 0-1 Villa U21 - GOAL - 31mins: Graham Burke has continued his red-hot form by giving Villa U21s the lead at the Riverside. The Dubliner timed his run superbly to convert Jordan Graham's cross from close range. It had been a quiet opening spell for both teams but Gordon Cowans' side have edged in front with the first real attack of the match.
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Middlesbrough U21 0-1 Villa U21 - HT: Villa have the lead at the break here on Teesside thanks to Graham Burke’s goal.
It was a quiet start from both sides with neither goalkeeper being called into action in the opening half-an-hour.
Burke fired into the side-netting with a free-kick, while a 30-yard shot from Boro’s Lewis Maloney was comfortably held by Benjamin Siegrist.
But Villa made the most of the one real first-half opportunity that came their way as Burke opened the scoring on 31 minutes.
The Dubliner converted Jordan Graham’s cross, rounding off a move that started with a terrific surging run through the middle by skipper Daniel Johnson.
Moments later, more excellent build-up play from Burke and Graham teed up full-back Courtney Wildin who miscued his shot.
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Middlesbrough U21 0-2 Villa U21 - GOAL - 54mins: It gets better for Villa here at the Riverside. Jordan Graham - our standout performer so far - whipped in a corner. Centre-back Janoi Donacien towered above everyone in a packed penalty area and headed into the corner of the net.
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Middlesbrough U21 0-2 Villa U21 - FT: Villa make it back-to-back wins in the Barclays U21 Premier League with a clinical display at the Riverside Stadium. Graham Burke gave Gordon Cowans' side the lead in the first period before Janoi Donacien headed in the second after the break. Jordan Graham was the standout performer on the night - the talented winger having a hand in both goals.
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http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/02/24/top-ten-most-productive-english-youth-academies/2/
Number two. Very impressed.
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I haven't got the patience to look at a site with so many annoying pop-ups but it looked like we were number 9, not 2.
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http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/02/24/top-ten-most-productive-english-youth-academies/2/
Number two. Very impressed.
Number 9.
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Not bad considering the most recent according to them is Marc Albrighton.
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And no Steven Davis, Darius Vassell, Stefan Bienlich, Dwight Yorke, Nigel Spink, Gary Shaw, Gordon Cowans, Brian Little...etc etc I'm only including full internationals here. Yes I know many of those aren't playing anymore but they use Matt Le Tissier as an example for Southampton.
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http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/02/24/top-ten-most-productive-english-youth-academies/2/
Number two. Very impressed.
Number 9.
I think that was 9 players, the second most from those listed, rather than ninth best.
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The teams aren't ranked in number of players. They're largely similar.
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Villa U21 1-1 Leicester U21 - GOAL - 32mins: Villa are level as Graham Burke continues his purple patch in front of goal. Referee Anthony Tankard pointed to the spot after Khalid Abdo made a jinking run into the box and was too quick for George Taft, who tripped the Swedish teenager. Burke made no mistake from the spot, sending Foxes keeper Adam Smith the wrong way.
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Lost 4-3 in the end.
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Leicester U12s 0 Aston Villa U12s 6
Cam with a hat-trick.
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Cam?
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The winning team in the U12s European tournament held in Germany:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p526x296/995302_610205985719101_3009720_n.jpg)
Cam is on the RHS of the top row.
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I take it he's a pupil of yours?
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Former.
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QPR U12s 0 Aston Villa U12s 7 (Cam got 4)
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Stoke U21 1-3 Villa U21 - FT: Villa U21s are back to winning ways thanks to Callum Robinson's quickfire double and a late Graham Burke strike.
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Team news - Villa U21 v West Brom U21 (ko 7pm).
Villa have named an unchanged side for tonight's Barclays U21 Premier League clash against West Brom.
It means Callum Robinson and Graham Burke - goalscorers in last Monday's 3-1 win at Stoke - will lead the line in the derby clash at Villa Park.
There are places on the bench for defenders Tom Leggett and Isaac Nehemie, fresh from their involvement in the U18 team's 3-3 draw at Manchester City on Saturday.
Entry to tonight's game is free for season ticket holders, £2 for adults and £1 for concessions.
VILLA: Watkins, Webb, Wildin, Stieber, Donacien, Lewis, R Strain, Burke, Robinson, Johnson (c), Graham. Subs: Abdo, Hill, O'Brien, Leggett, Nehemie.
WEST BROM: Myhill, Gayle, Howkins, O'Neil, Daniels, C Jones, Roofe, Birch, A Jones, Nabi, Atkinson. Subs: Pace, Rose, Ward, Donnellan, Wright.
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Callum scores in the 90th minute to put us 2-1 up.
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Full time.
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It just ay fare.
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Robinson really needs a chance in the first team now. He's on fire for the reserves and Weimann and Gabby couldn't buy a goal at the minute.
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We know what we are... winners!
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Robinson really needs a chance in the first team now. He's on fire for the reserves and Weimann and Gabby couldn't buy a goal at the minute.
Maybe Albrighton and Robinson either side of Benteke, freshen it up a little bit?
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Just got back from watching the reserves beat the baggies. Was a good game and not much in it to be fair .All three goals were well taken .This Calum Robinson really impresses me every time i see him, he looks a natural finisher.If we had a manger with some foresight,he would have had the odd five or ten minutes by now to give him some experience
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Just got back from watching the reserves beat the baggies. Was a good game and not much in it to be fair .All three goals were well taken .This Calum Robinson really impresses me every time i see him, he looks a natural finisher.If we had a manger with some foresight,he would have had the odd five or ten minutes by now to give him some experience
keeps making the bench, will surely only be a matter of time, Don't want to ruin the lads confidence especially playin at home
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Anyone know about this kid?
Aston Villa sign young Southampton academy star Isaac Nehemie (http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/aston-villa-sign-isaac-nehemie-6914556?")
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Man United U21 v Villa U21 team news (ko 7pm).
Villa have made two changes for this evening's Barclays U21 Premier League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Tom Leggett and Isaac Nehemie have been handed their first starts at U21 level since joining the club from Southampton.
Leggett looks set to occupy the right-back spot, with Nehemie likely to play in a left-sided role.
Brad Lewis and Ryan Strain are the two players to drop out from the team that beat West Brom last Monday.
Callum Robinson, who took his goal tally for the season to 10 with a double against the Baggies, will spearhead the claret and blues attack once again.
MAN UTD: Amos, Varela, James, Pearson, McNair, Evans, Janko, Rothwell, Wilson, Pereira, Ekanhamene. Subs: Rowley, Gollini, Rudge, Harrop, Weir.
VILLA: Watkins, Leggett, Wildin, Stieber, Donacien, Webb, Graham, Burke, Robinson, Johnson, Nehemie. Subs: Abdo, Hill, O'Brien, McKirdy, T Strain.
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Man Utd U21 1-0 Villa U21 - GOAL - 27mins: United have the lead at Old Trafford thanks to an unstoppable effort from James Wilson. Saidy Janko played the ball inside to Ben Pearson, who took one touch to lay it off for Wilson around 25 yards from goal. Wilson unleashed a left-foot drive which found its way into the top corner, giving Brad Watkins no chance.
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Man Utd U21 2-0 Villa U21 - GOAL - 31mins: Another blow for Villa and another well-worked goal from the hosts. Janko was at the heart of it again, teeing up Joe Rothwell, who curled a low effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
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Man Utd 3 Villa 0 final score . God, how i hate playing them. I thought we had a good chance of a result up there tonight as most of their reserve players are on loan at Small Heath
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The U21's are live on AVTV tonight if anyone wants to see us possibly play some better football.
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Villa U21 0-1 Chelsea U21 - GOAL - 4mins: Bad start for the young lions here at Villa Park. A ball through the middle of the defence finds its way through to John Swift who slots under Craig Hill to score.
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1-1 Johnson.
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1-2 Swift
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1-3 Baker. Well-taken goal.
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Villa U21 2-4 Chelsea U21 - GOAL - 90mins: Lewis Baker has blasted home a penalty for Chelsea after Janoi Donacien was harshly punished for a challenge on John Swift.
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They were great in the second half. Robinson looked stronger on the ball than I thought he would be. He definitely looks a better prospect coming off the bench than Bowery. Thought Daniel Johnson had a decent game in midfield as well.
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Our U13s have qualified for a tournament where they will face their counterparts from PSG, Porto, Inter Milan and PSV.
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Until UEFA scrap it in favour of a competition that only Champions League clubs can play in.
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Watched a chunk of both halves on AVTV. First half we were outplayed by a team whose movement off the ball, ball control and passing left us chasing shadows. Were lucky to be only 2 goals behind at half time. Second half we changed up two gears; got into them, moved around and generally did everything a whole lot quicker than we had been doing in the first half. We more than matched them and pulled a goal back. Their last goal was a dodgy penalty deep in injury time.
I thought Johnson epitomised our performance. In the first half he never got into the game, kept running up blind alleys with the ball and, for someone with his experience at this level, was pretty poor IMO. Second half he started to look for it more, moved it about and generally upped his game to a higher level.
Having said all that, Chelsea looked to have some pretty decent players in that team - will be interesting to see if they develop them or they end up on the scrap heap whilst £m's are spent on older players coming straight into the team.
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Who?
"Bayern Munich are showing an interest in Aston Villa defender Easah Suliman, 16, who has captained England at Under-17 level."
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Any idea about this guy?
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Spurs U18 4 Villa U18 5 Good win for the Youths earlier this evening
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Was thinking rather than just the thread recently posted advertising the Villa v Blues Ladies Game, we could maybe have a general thread to keep up-to-date with how the Villa Ladies are getting on? If a Mod agrees, maybe sticky this please?
They play in the Summer now so at least can give us something to keep us occupied till Villa get bought out by billionaires and Jurgen Klopp takes over as manager.
Anyhow, they're now in WSL2 which is basically the women's equivalent of the Championship. They won the Premier League Cup (then open to clubs in the second tier) last year for the first time in their history.
They drew 1-1 in their latest encounter.
"FAWSL 2 match
Yeovil Town Ladies FC Goal Scorers: Tewkesbury 10'
Aston Villa Ladies FC Goal Scorers: Baptiste 46'
Report
Team sheet
Gallery
Yeovil Ladies 1-1 Villa Ladies
Tash Baptiste strike earns draw.
By Liz Owen
A dominant second-half performance earned Aston Villa Ladies a valuable point against Yeovil Town Ladies, a game in which a first victory of the season would certainly have been justified.
Tasha Baptiste, making her first start in the FA Women's Super League 2 for Villa, struck shortly after the interval and was the spearhead of various opportunities as the development team star thoroughly impressed for the first team.
She was one of five changes to the Villa side which lost 2-0 to Birmingham City Ladies in the Continental Cup on Tuesday, as Maisie Baker and Hayley Crackle were also handed their first FAWSL starts.
Alicia Robinson and Livy Fergusson, too, earned a place in the starting line-up, as Maddy Cusack, Dani Petrovic, Chloe Jones and Carly Davies all dropped to the bench, while Erin Vaughan missed out due to injury.
After conceding in the early stages once again, Villa hit back through Baptiste just seconds after the interval.
Following a pass from the back line, Baptiste was instantly on the offensive down the right-hand side and a first-time shot was blocked by a green and white shirt as a Yeovil defender challenged for possession.
But the 22-year-old won it back as the ball broke free into her path and she took it forward to slot calmly past Glovers 'keeper Rachel Simkin.
Villa's revival came after Jemma Tewkesbury had broken the deadlock just 12 minutes in for Yeovil.
From a right-sided cross, Tewkesbury found herself with enough space at the far post to meet the ball and flick a crafty volley over Caitlin Leach and into the top corner.
As well as a roaming header from a corner which struck the post, the Glovers were initially going closest with the attacking chances created.
Leach was forced into action several times throughout the first half, saving again from Tewkesbury after 18 minutes following good work from Laura Bray, who dodged claret-and-blue shirts in the centre of midfield to pick out her team-mate with a pinpoint pass across the pitch.
Jade Kirby and Katie Cook kept Leach on her toes as the 'keeper proved her worth with some strong stops.
But Villa began to push on toward the end of the half and Fergusson in particular was industrious up front, working hard against a sharp Yeovil defence.
It was who really made an impression on the crowd of 201 as she came into her own during the second half.
Her quick-fire equaliser set the tone for Villa who looked hungry and determined and totally bossed the rest of the game.
A diving header and two looping long-range efforts from Baptiste tested Simkin, who almost dropped one of them as it curled trickily, looking for a way under the crossbar.
And the striker demonstrated her power and pace as she roared past Glovers captain Rachael Edwards and bore down on goal after 76 minutes, before the defender recovered sufficiently and made an important challenge to send the ball behind.
After coming off the bench against Birmingham on Tuesday, the fantastic Baptiste was replaced with four minutes remaining by Davies, who created a great opportunity of her own.
As Villa continued to press, Davies charged into the penalty area in the final minute and was brought down by Simkin.
The referee kept the game going but Davies was clearly unhappy as she loudly complained that Simkin had not won the ball.
Cusack and Jones had earlier entered the fray in place of Fergusson and Robinson as Villa focused their attentions up front while retaining enough strength to thwart Yeovil.
The Glovers' most creative outlet Tewkesbury, meanwhile, was withdrawn with 20 minutes to go as the hosts were wary of the effects of playing two games in two days following their Continental Cup clash away at Bristol Rovers Academy on Thursday.
This meant that Yeovil were restricted to very few second-half chances, with Cook's narrow miss, an off-target Helen Bleazard free-kick and a tame Paige Stewart effort making up their most threatening ventures into Villa's half as Baker and Jade Richards stood firm at centre-back.
Aston Villa Ladies: Leach, Crackle, Walker, McCue (c), Baker, Richards, Fergusson (Cusack, 68), Moran, Baptiste (Davies, 86), Mayling, Robinson (Jones, 78). Used subs: Courtney, Petrovic, Merrick, Stringer."
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It can be added to the existing Reserve and Youth thread.
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The Hong Kong 7's are underway!
SATURDAY MAY 24
GROUP D: Villa 2-0 HKFA U21s - [Johnson 2]
GROUP D: Villa 2-0 Yau Yee League Select [Johnson 2]
GROUP D: Villa 2-0 Leicester - [Grealish, Webb]
Semi Final etc. Tommorow.
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Reading the reports surely Daniel Johnson and Grealish will get a chances next season.
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The soccer sevens have proven to be absolutely useless in giving us a feel for who will make it
I always think Daniel johnson looks really talented. But presumably there's a reason he's never really even been in the squad despite being pretty experienced by now?
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The soccer sevens have proven to be absolutely useless in giving us a feel for who will make it
I always think Daniel johnson looks really talented. But presumably there's a reason he's never really even been in the squad despite being pretty experienced by now?
I watched an U21 game live on AVTV a couple of months ago and he looked really good. He was playing a holding midfield type role and it seemed to suit him.
I like Donacien and Michael Drennan looks as if he might be a half decent goalscorer as well.
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I had no idea Cowan's son was on the books! Anyone seen anything of him?
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Mal,
Yes, he looks a good player though he's been out for several months through injury.
Then again, he is a Villa player!
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Well done to Aston Villa for winning the HK soccer sevens beating Rangers in the final.
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Well done to Aston Villa for winning the HK soccer sevens beating Rangers in the final.
We didn't win it, we just won the Shield trophy. We went out the proper tournament in the quarter finals.
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Sorry yes just re checked.
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3-1. Grealish (2) Johnson
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Watched Callum Robinson play for England U19 against Scotland tonight at Burton .He came on early in the second half and helped England come from behind to win 2-1 with two goals from Chelsea's Lewis Baker.Robinson did well,looking lively and had a few half chances seems to be enjoying things hope he keeps progressing.
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Villa Ladies beat Millwall two-nil in their latest match.
Highlights here (http://ladies.avfc.co.uk/news/highlights_villa_20_millwall.html).