Aston Villa Reserves/Academy games & information

[paul_e]

Just found out from my lad that the captain, number 5 Doclein (sorry about spelling) went to school barely a mile from me.

Janoi Donacien.
He nearly got deported last year didn't he?

Yes, over some complete nonsense, his parents both have the legal right to be in the UK and he'd been here since he was about 9 but as soon as he got a work contract he should have applied for a change in his visa but who' d think of that having lived in the UK for that long with no issues, I think he can apply for british citizenship soon anyway, it was ridiculous.  Effectively "you're allowed to stay in the country so long as don't find work", which is about as backwards as you can get.

[PeterWithesShin]

Team news - Chelsea U21 v Villa U21 (ko 1pm).

CHELSEA: Blackman, Dabo, Pappoe, Conroy, Deen-Conteh, Musonda, Ssweankambo, Lalkovic, Swift, Hunte. Subs: Starkey, Killip, Seremba, Bangura.

VILLA: Siegrist, Bateman, Williams, Stieber, Devine, Donacien, Barton, Carruthers, Strain, Johnson, Cameron. Subs: Crooks, Grant, Cowans, O’Brien, Toner.

[PeterWithesShin]

Chelsea U21 0-1 Villa U21 - GOAL - 17 mins: It's a fifth goal in three games for Daniel Johnson. The skipper made a trademark late run to get on the end of Josh Barton's right-wing cross and fire into the bottom corner.

Chelsea U21 1-1 Villa U21 - GOAL - 23 mins: Chelsea have equalised through Connor Hunte. He bundled the ball home from close range after being well-placed to meet John Swift's cutback.

[PeterWithesShin]

Chelsea U21 1-1 Villa U21 - HT - End-to-end first half at Cobham. Villa keeper Benjamin Siegrist made a stunning save to tip Isak Ssewankambo's powerful effort over. Andras Stieber also blasted over the bar after a neat piece of hold-up play from Daniel Johnson.

[PeterWithesShin]

Chelsea U21 1-2 Villa U21 - GOAL - 70 mins: Villa are back in the lead. Courtney Cameron sent in a terrific free-kick to the back post and Daniel Devine scored with a towering header.

[eastie]

I take it we won pws?

[PeterWithesShin]

Yes, in dramatic style.

Chelsea U21 1-2 Villa U21 - FT - Drama in stoppage time. The referee pointed to the penalty spot after Daniel Devine was harshly penalised for a foul on Aziz Deen-Conteh. Milan Lalkovic stepped up with a golden opportunity to salvage a point from the penalty spot. The Chelsea forward attempted to outwit Benjamin Siegrist with a chipped penalty but ended up lifting his effort over the bar. A second victory for Villa over Chelsea in the space of four days.

[PGW]

What happens to the Academy teams if the worst thing possible happens and we do get relegated....as both Under 19 & 21 teams will also be removed from the Premier Academy league's. Which will not do a great deal for the young players careers and the Academy in general. I am right in saying this arent i???

[Steve R]

What happens to the Academy teams if the worst thing possible happens and we do get relegated....as both Under 19 & 21 teams will also be removed from the Premier Academy league's. Which will not do a great deal for the young players careers and the Academy in general. I am right in saying this arent i???

It's a very good point, unfortunately I don't know how it works.

It would also beat Doug's record for relegating European Champions by 5 years.

[PeterWithesShin]

As far as I can tell they'll stay in.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/barclays-u21-premier-league-tables.html?paramYouthStage=NATIONAL

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/barclays-u18-premier-league-tables.html?paramYouthStage=NATIONAL

[eastie]

Paul Lambert hailed the achievements of Villa's NextGen heroes after their Lake Como success.

Villa emerged victorious in the prestigious European competition, beating Ajax, Sporting Lisbon, Olympiacos, Celtic, PSV and Chelsea along the way.

Lambert flew out to Italy for the showpiece final and was impressed with what he saw.

The boss believes the victory will give the players "the winning feeling".

But he stressed that the hard work is still ahead of them as they strive to forge successful professional careers in the game.

He said: "It was great. I was over there for the final.

"They were excellent, second half especially.

"It gives them a feeling of winning - what it's like to win something.

"The next stage is getting near the first team. The gap is getting bigger and stronger.

"But for them, considering they lost the first two games, it's a great achievement.

"I think for them and the club it's fantastic. I really do.

"You're playing against teams in Europe and you get different styles to come up against."

On the first-team step-up, he added: "The jump is not a little step, it's a big jump into this league.

"It is not like in years gone by when the step into the first team was maybe not as big as it is now.

"It is a big gulf, physically as well, and the lads have to still develop.

"But for them to get the feeling of what it is like to win, they've done great.

"There's one or two that have got a chance in the game, that's for sure."

[DeKuip]

What happens to the Academy teams if the worst thing possible happens and we do get relegated....as both Under 19 & 21 teams will also be removed from the Premier Academy league's. Which will not do a great deal for the young players careers and the Academy in general. I am right in saying this arent i???

It's a very good point, unfortunately I don't know how it works.

It would also beat Doug's record for relegating European Champions by 5 years.

Wolves, Bolton, Boro, Blackburn and even Palace are still in it, so no problem.

[eastie]

As champions I'd hope we get to defend our trophy whatever league we are in at top level.

[PGW]

As far as I can tell they'll stay in.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/barclays-u21-premier-league-tables.html?paramYouthStage=NATIONAL

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/barclays-u18-premier-league-tables.html?paramYouthStage=NATIONAL

Sound - happy with that.

[eamonn]

Were many of the lads playing the other day in the European Cup final also in action today? I see Samir was anyway.
Odd coincidence.