good game, lads really worked well together, lots of nice passing around the box and a hat trick for AA#2 chungh looked canny mind, apart from his 'too relaxed' attempt but a nice 'wilson' to round the keeper...has he just joined or worked up from a lower group?
Was there tonight and really impressed with a number of the lads. The two who stood out were Kaydon Jones and when he came on Chungh.
Murts laaadddd...... https://x.com/AcademyOfLight/status/1889429743532966064?t=UwMS_Ha-528b_qlJYMXudQ&s=19
Love the crack about them being noticed internally by the next level coaches, head of academy, Speakman etc. Pathway to the 1st team layed out for them. Outstanding rebuild of the academy by KLD, Speakman et al after being decimated under Donald and Methven.
Really think he’s looking great at the moment. Good for us as we could do with some solid midfielders coming through the ranks. Lenz is a fair old unit too.
He is doing a brilliant job and he speaks so well in these post match interviews. He certainly seems to know his job re the development side, both in terms of the tactics and also in the character of the players and growing them as individuals. I’m sure KLD KS and the other powers that be recognise the important job he is doing and will do their best to hang on to him when the inevitable offers come in for him!
I'd be delighted with new contracts for him and Speakman just as much as I would be with Neil and Cirkin tbh.
Murty is doing a fantastic job with these young lads hope he hangs around for the foreseeable future, we got some exciting young players and they seem to be in safe hands
Probably the one thing that we don’t have much of is outstanding physical attributes. Loads of very tidy, talented footballers but they often lack the outstanding pace or power that might give them the edge to allow them to make their mark in senior football. Maybe we’re about to go full La Masia, but I think that’s why Geragusian is so intriguing. He’s very much the talented tidy footballer that is the safc prototype, but he’s also mobile and ****ing massive. God help teams if he grows any more.
Sunderland AFC Under-21s sealed qualification to the knockout stage of the Premier League Cup with a triumphant 6-0 victory over Huddersfield Town. A hat trick from Ahmed Abdullahi, a Jaydon Jones strike, a late finish from Jack Whittaker and a Daniel Vost own goal sealed the three points in the Group D fixture at Eppleton CW. Graeme Murty named two changes to the side that also put five past Wolves in Friday's PL2 encounter. Alan Browne started the game in the heart of midfield to continue his build-up to full-match fitness. The Lads flew out of the traps, earning a penalty with the first attack after ten minutes. Ben Middlemas fouled in the area by Michael Stone before Abdullahi stepped up to dispatch the spot kick with ease. Sunderland had their second and Abdullahi had his second with just 25 minutes on the clock. Finn Geragusian's smart flick fell straight into the path of the frontman. His initial effort struck the post but the rebound was slotted home. Just two minutes later, it was three. Geragusian was again involved, wrestling the ball back before teeing up Jones to strike past Oliver Riva. Two in two for Jaydon after his goal against Wolves last week. The second half started in the same manner as the first with the fourth goal of the evening coming on 50 minutes. A brilliant team move saw Middlemas drive up the field before feeding through Jenson Jones, his cross was deflected off Vost and past Oliver Riva in the Huddersfield net. A fantastic fifth and Abdullahi's hat trick was completed as the game entered its final third. Geragusian, who continued to impress, had an initial effort cleared off the line before the summer signing fired home his third of the evening. Ten minutes from time, the Black Cats added the sixth. An instant impact from the late substitute Whittaker, applying the finish from close range. In the final seconds, Middlemas got his deserved goal. An outside of the foot finish to make it a super seven. Graeme Murty's side enter the knockout stages finishing second in the group with the next fixture yet to be drawn. The U21s return to league action on Monday night to host Reading. SAFC: Cameron, Lavery, Bell (Kindon 85), Bainbridge, Jenson Jones, Middlemas, Jaydon Jones (Whittaker 70), Browne (Lenz 45), Walsh, Geragusian, Abdullahi (Chungh 60) Unused subs: Chibueze
