Back to work next week for the youngsters with a call in at Motspur Park for their prelims - and the Gaffer decides which of them will join the main squad in their preparation. The others then have a heavy schedule of matches lined up. 7th July - U23s and U18s go down to the coast for games against Southend 11th July - U18s go across country to meet Ipswich 16th to 23rd July - All head to Portugal for a training camp. And two games against local opposition 26th to 29th July - Peter Grant takes an U19 team to switzeland for the FC Aesch International Tournament. If you recall, we narrowly lost in the final last year. 28th July - U18s travel for a game against Coventry 31st July - U18s back on the coast to face Bournemouth 1st August - U23s have a wlcome home game at Motspur Park against Brighton. [Behind closed doors though] 4th August - U18s also get a home game, against Nottingham Forest [Closed doors again] 4th August - U23s toddle round the corner to take on Brentford. Whew !! Bet the lads will be happy when the season proper starts.
I note the 31st July game with interest. I'll have to find out whether they're letting people in to watch that one.
Southend 2 Fulham 1 (U23s) Sylvester Jasper got our goal. As withe first team against Crawley one or two surprises in the line up - Tayo Edun and Cauley Woodrow for instance - L. Ashby-Hammond, Asare (62’ Drameh), Davis, Garrido, Atkinson, Harris (64’ De Havilland), Edun (56’ Davis), Hilton, Thompson (64’ Carvalho) , Kelly (60’ Jasper), Woodrow. (57’ Ablade) Guess this early there's going to be a bit of settling down in team selection as players show their paces. Anyway here's a link to the Club report: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/07/southend-xi-2-1-fulham-u23s
Southend 4 Fulham 8 (U18s) No written report but a clip on Fulham TV. As you'll guess from the scoreline the defences need some attention (and the keepers) but there were five penalties, which exagerates things a tad. Fair play to our lads though pretty clinical when it came taking chances. [Strangely the lead in to the video by the Club mistakenly reckoned it was only 7-4]
Ipswich 2 Fulham 1 (18s) (Friendly) Back to earth for the U18s after their weekend splurge. Harvey Elliott put us ahead but the lads went into the interval 2-1 down and despite a stronger second half couldn't get the equaliser. It looks as though the Academy bosses are using these games to give (even) younger players an opportunity, as well as a couple of of potential newbies. Certainly only a few few names in the line up I recognise: Stahl, Page, Armsworth, McAvoy, Cover (60’ Trialist C), Antwi, Davis, Elliot, Frei (60’ Tahir), Trialist A (60’ Drameh) , Trialist B. Here's a link to our Club reporter's account: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/11/u18s-ipswich-2-1-fulham
Barnet 1 Fulham 0 (U23s) (Friendly) The goal we conceded was an OG and best left said, as simply "embarrassing". And indeed the U23s with Peter Grant are struggling to find their feet so far. Possibly not helped by Tayo Edun clearly with his mind on better things (a loan must surely be on the cards since he's not being teamed up with the First squad) and Cauley Woodrow clearly not in the least interested (and surely must be on his way - if a taker can be found). The bright spot of the afternoon was the wizardry and dribbling skills of Sonny Hilton - the littlest player in this pic The team was: Stahl (46’ L. Ashby-Hammond) , Drameh, Davies, Atkinson, Mundle-Smith (46’ Opoku, 78 Garrido), Edun (64’ Kelly), De Havilland, Harris, Thompson (72’ Jasper), Woodrow (64’ Carvalho) [No details yet from the Club]
SG Braga (U23s) 1 Fulham (U18s) 0 (Friendly) Pretty much a new look U18 side - including a wodge of trialists - found it hard going against older opponents, in their first match while at the training camp in Porto. Stahl, Asare, Armsworth, Trialist A, Cover (60’ McAvoy), Davis, Antwi (45’ Page), Tahir (60’ Frei), Elliott, Jasper, Trialist B (60’ Trialist C). [I believe two of the trialists were Terry Ablade and Riley Warland - both of whom thought had signed. No idea who 'Trialist C' is.] Here's a link to our Club reporter's account of the game. http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/18/sc-braga-u23s-1-0-fulham-u18s
Porto (U19s) 1 Fulham (U23s) 1 Good performance by the lads by all accounts. Jayden Harris got the goal which put us ahead from a great assist by Cameron Thompson. Despite a couple of 'old heads' this was a pretty young team - Wickens, Atkinson, Opoku (46’ Hilton), Davies, Drameh (74’ Armsworth), Edun, Harris, Davis, Jasper (65’ Carvalho), Woodrow, Thompson (83’ Trailist A) [Only an inkling who the 'Trialist' might have been] Here's a link to our Club reporter's take on the match: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/21/porto-u19s-1-1-fulham-u23s
Rio Ave (U19s) 2 Fulham (U18s) 3 Obviously still settling in with so many new faces but the youngsters are clearly showing the right attitude. Our goals came from Harvey Elliot and the Trialist brothers (B and C). The team: Stahl, McAvoy, Garrido (57’ Armsworth), Trialist A, Asare, Carvalho (61’ Hilton), Page (61’ Antwi), Tahir, Elliott (61’ Trialist C), Frei, Abraham (43’ Trialist B) And a link to our Club reporter's account of the match: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/21/rio-ave-u19s-2-3-fulham-u18s
Moritz Jenz, Matt O'Riley and Tyrese Francois have move from the main squad camp to strengthen the U19 side for this tournament. The squad that has travelled are: Drameh, Carvalho, Jasper, Trialist A, Armsworth, Asara, Abraham, Hilton, O'Riley, Tahi, Francois, Garrido, Harris, Mundle-Smith, Stahl, Thompson, Jenz, T. Ashby-Hammond And a tough opening Group it will be against Hamburg, Red Star Belgrade and Basel.
Hamburg 3 Fulham 2 (U19s - Aesch Tournament) In this early evening game, defensive and goalkeeping lapses saw the lads go behind to three quick succession second half goals. They fought back well however, and may, just may, have had a shout for a penalty right at the death for a result. Over the piece though it was a kind of stilted display; you could see the intention and attempts to control the game. But the movement and, more particularly, the organisation wasn't there to make that happen. [Not completely sure of the team or our scorers, so will wait for details from the Club]
Coventry 1 Fulham 1 (U18s) The scoreline doesn't do our makeshift young side the credit they deserve. On second half chance alone, they should have won this game comfortably. Ollie O'Neil got the goal cutting in from the left wing and slotting past the Coventry keeper after only 12 minutes. The team was: Wickens, McAvoy, Trialist B, Garrido, Cover (45’ Amekortu), Page, Antwi, Trialist C (45’ Frei), O’Neil, Trialist A (45’ Trialist D), Frei (Elliott) Link to our Club reporters account of the match: https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/july/28/u18s-coventry-1-1-fulham
Red Star Belgrade 1 Fulham 1 (U19s - Aesch Tournament) Improved display by the lads but only a last minute penalty save by Taye Ashby-Hammond keeps us in the competition. [Those Ashby-Hammond brothers seem to come alive when it goes down to penalties.] Squeaky whatits time now and only a win against Basel will leave us with any chance of making the semi-final tomorrow. [Still no details at all from the Club]
The lads went down 2-1 to Basel. They get to play Leverkusen in what effectively will be for the 'wooden spoon'.
I'm taking my lads with me to watch the U18s game away at Bournemouth tomorrow. Those of you who are more familiar with the academy players, who should we be looking out for in particular? Thanks in advance!
The U18 team that's played games so far has been pretty 'experimental' Captain and to be honest I don't recognise many. However, with the season start not far away, albeit this game isn't against an elite Academy side, some of the more established players - like Timmy Abraham - might be fielded. Suspect not though and the only two to watch that I can offer are; Elias Frei - midfield and younger brother of Kerim Harvey Elliot - forward with (I think) a mop of ginger hair
Bournemouth U18s 0 Fulham U18s 2 I've just got back from the game and tried matching up some names to faces courtesy of the club website (even if half the boys listed there are now too old for the U18s). Two good footballing teams who cancelled each other out to some extent in the first half. We were on top for the first 20 minutes or so, before Bournemouth turned the tide and got back into it. Both goals came in the second half, both scored by our number 11 (who, sadly, I never identified). Elias Frei had a good first half before being subbed off and Harvey Elliot (I think - if so his mop of hair is now shaven at the sides and gathered into a top-knot!) grew more and more into the game playing wide on the right. His through ball set up the second goal, although I thought that in the first half he was perhaps guilty more than once of not finding a good end result to his tricky dribbling. Overall though his was one of the best performances on the day. I don't know who the number 9 was, but I liked the look of him - fast, strong and clever. If his finishing had been better he might have scored a couple before making way for the slightly disappointing Timmy Abraham at half-time. Scott Armsworth and someone with a pony-tail were composed and impressive at centre-back, and Shawkat Tahir (again, I think) looked skilful after coming on at half-time. However my favourite on the day was Ben Davis in the centre of midfield. Despite being just about the smallest on the pitch he wasn't muscled out of things and he played some lovely incisive passes. The U16s were playing at the same time on the adjacent pitch, but I had my back to them so didn't see too much. I think we won that one too.
Thanks Captain. I'd forgotten about Ben Davis - obviously he hasn't gone off to do his National Service in Singapore yet. Hopefully his appeal works and he gets his chance here 'cos he's clearly got talent. Pretty sure that's the same Harvey Elliot we're both talking about. He's only 15 !! And already he has some "big names", including Barcelona, taking note. Got a funny feeling the No. 9 may have been a trialist and not really surprised about Timmy Abraham. Think there's something in there but not sure he realises that you have to work and develop to bring it out (if that makes sense). Good you lot enjoyed the game and again thanks for the update.
