Fulham 0 Aston Villa 3 (U18s) The defeat was all the worse for a serious neck injury to Noe Baba who was stretchered off in the second half and immediately taken away in an ambulance. Let’s hope the young lad who is a real character, is not too badly hurt. My gaffe in the U21 match report yesterday - Ryan Root was of course lined-up for the U18s. Pat Roberts was missing as he teamed up with England U17s this weekend. The team was: Boot; Baba, Evans, Burgess, Donnelly; Sambou, O’Halloran; Smile, Hyndman, Leacock-McLeod; Williams, Sutton Subs: Sheckleford, Elworthy, Nabay, Humphrys Fulham failed to really get going against an athletic Villa side who set the tone for the game with a crunching tackle in the first minute. The first goal was always going to be crucial and it was Villa who scored it on the half-hour mark when Solomon Sambou was adjudged to have fouled an opposition player as a corner came in. The subsequent spot-kick was despatched past Ryan Boot, although he very nearly managed to stop it. Whatever Steve Wigley said at half-time (!!!) went straight out of the window when Villa made it 2-0 on 46 minutes. Latching onto a loose ball and counter-attacking in numbers, the initial shot was saved by Boot but a Villa player tucked home the rebound. Play was held up for around 20 minutes on the hour mark with that Noe Baba injury. When play resumed, Villa made sure of the points with 15 minutes left. Our defence failed to clear their lines and the ball was eventually slotted past Boot to end a disappointing afternoon for the youngsters.
There's no official news but Noe Baba has been sending messages to team mates, and they're encouraging. He got a forearm cum shoulder smash side on which sent him flying and suffered 'whiplash'. It was a pretty rough game from the start and does raise questions about the standard of referee at this level. They really need to stamp down early on at any iffy challenges to protect the youngsters. Here is a video - goals only: [video=youtube;S1G_XJOb-Ig]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S1G_XJOb-Ig[/video]
Wolves 0 Fulham 5 (U18s) Younsters Bounce Back Elijah Adebayo made his debut for the U18s. The scorers were: Emerson Hyndman, George Williams, Stevie Humphrys (2) and Dean O'Halloran No other details as yet.
The team was: Boot, Donnelly, Sambou, Burgess, Sheckleford, Baba (Adebayo 60), Hyndman, O’Halloran (Leacock-McLeod 80), Evans, Williams, Humphrys. An here is the report from the Club: "After a quiet opening in the Midlands, the game burst into life in the 32nd minute when Emerson Hyndman put Fulham in front. Quick build-up play eventually saw the ball crossed into the box and, after George Williams’ header had come back off the bar, Hyndman was on home to smash in the rebound. It was 2-0 10 minutes later. Patient play by the Whites saw the ball switched out wide and after a quick one-two in the box, George Williams curled home a right-footed effort into the far corner. Young Stephen Humphrys increased Fulham’s advantage in the 75th minute, losing his marker in the box, adjusting his feet and seeing his shot deflect in off a Wolves player. Dean O’Halloran made it 4-0 in the 80th minute, tapping in from close range after Liam Donnelly’s header at a corner had been cleared off the line. And Humphriys made it 5-0 with his second on 85 minutes, racing onto a throughball, rounding the keeper and slotting home."
Here is a video of all the goals: [video=youtube;STAsr9_-Uqo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STAsr9_-Uqo&feature=player_embedded[/video]
The Hyndman and Roberts Show The mini-duo completely ran the game as the U18s rampage on, having now scoed 11 goals in their last two games. And, a total of. 38 in 12 games. The team was: Rodak; Baba (Elworthy, 65 mins), Burgess, Donnelly, Edun (Smile, 65 mins); Hyndman, Sambou, Evans; Roberts, Williams, O’Halloran Fulham began the game strongly and took a deserved lead when a good move involving Patrick Roberts, Emerson Hyndman and Dean O’Halloran was finished off by Jordan Evans. Emerson Hyndman doubled the lead with a deflected effort from outside the area. George Williams then ran onto a pass to score. Pat Roberts, – fresh from scoring three goals for England Under-17s – continuing his good form when he cut in from the right and found the back of the net from 12 yards to make it 4-0 going into half-time. The team maintained their stranglehold on the game in the second period and were awarded a penalty when George Williams was fouled. Emerson Hyndman stepping up to dispatch the spot-kick. And there was still time for some gloss to be added to the scoreline when Fulham scored a superb team goal. At least a dozen passes in the build-up culminated in substitute Shane Elworthy finding George Williams whose back heel flick found the back of the net.
Another great performance,my tips for stardom are still performing well. Hyndman, Roberts, & the under 21 step ups Jeronin Dembele,Grimmer, lets hope clueless JOL does not have any future input of the above, other wise he will f**k them up as he has done our first team
And, a video of the goals - [video=youtube;agWdEC50nqM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agWdEC50nqM&feature=player_embedded[/video]
The U18s have a nice little derby lined up in the 3rd round of the FA Youth Cup - away to QPR. No match date yet but the tie must be played before 21st December. Link to full draw: http://www.thefa.com/News/competitions/fa-youth-cup/2013/nov/third-round-draw.aspx
Our under 18 team is away to Spurs at there Enfield ground league leaders v second. have tried through some contacts to get access ,to no avail, one i did not want to miss. Cottager have you had anly luck.
Didn't try rosc. However - Tottenham 2 Fulham 2 (U18s) Dembele Spot On Great to see Noe Baba back and come on as a late sub. The team was: Rodak, Sheckleford, Donnelly, Burgess, Edun (Baba 85), Hyndman (Smile 80), Sambou, Roberts, Evans (O’Halloran 70), Williams, Dembele. A terrific start for Fulham and after 11 minutes an often forgotten player who is at the ‘engine room‘ of the team, Solomon Sambou fired home to put the side 1-0 up. Spurs got two quick goals at the start of the second half but that boy Moussa Dembele scored from the spot to equalise. The game ended 2-2
An interesting article in the mail re: Dembele,and Pat Roberts. Remember our under 18 squad staff ,was once at Southampton,who are now reaping the rewards of their ability.
I think if the worst does happen and we get relegated it could be one of the best things that could happen for some of these boys. Surely with an ancient squad and an inevitable lack of investment we would have to look to the academy for players. If you look at the Southampton first team now they gave debuts to the likes of Schneiderlin and Lallana at 18, Ward-Prowse and Chambers at 17, Shaw at 16 and probably a few more similar. We clearly have some of the most exciting youth prospects in the country so what better way to help them reach their potential than first team competitive football. Just a thought.
Here is the video of the goals - watch the terrific running of Moussa Dembele and scorer Solomon Sambou for the first goal. [video=youtube;D92U16u5Bdk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D92U16u5Bdk[/video]
Fulham 3 West Brom 1 (U18s) The team was: Rodak; Baba, Adebayo, Burgess, Edun; Sambou, OâHalloran, Smile; Roberts, Dembele, Leacock-McLeod Subs: Norman, Shecklefors, Redford, Foday Norbay, Elworthy Goals scored by Pat Roberts (2) and Mekhi Leacock-Brown Details later.
"Despite controlling a larger share of possession, Fulham were chasing the game when the Baggies midfield seized control of a loose pass and the visitors took advantage on the counter attack to score. Steve Wigley's boys responded well to the set-back and Leacock-McLeod's quick footwork created space find Pat Roberts with a precise pass, which the England Under-17 International made no mistake with, slamming his shot in off the post midway through the first half. West Brom continued to sit deep and frustrate Fulham, with Leacock-McLeod and Roberts threatening to find a way through but the match seemed set to go into half-time level. That was until Pat Roberts' excellent burst of pace from the right wing prompted some tight close control to ride a tackle and draw a foul on the edge of the box. The winger dusted himself down and stepped up to take the free-kick, bending the ball around the wall and into the top corner to put the Whites in front. And Fulham caught West Bromwich cold after the re-start when Dean O'Halloran's deep cross was met sweetly on the volley by Mekhi Leacock-McLeod to extend the lead. The Whites continued in search of a fourth, and Moussa Dembele's drive after a neat turn whistled just wide of the West Bromwich goal."
