U23s/youth watch

Beat Southampton 4-1, Green, Tshibola, McKirdy and Suliman with the goals.

Balls. 10 minutes down the road from me, wish I'd paid attention. I've been to watch our U18s there and really enjoyed it. Excellent result.

Game details
Match: Southampton U23s v Villa U23s
Date: January 15, 2018
Competition: Premier League 2
Venue: Staplewood Training Centre
Kick-off: 7pm

Scoring summary
Green 24
McKirdy 28
Tshibola 39
McQueen 45
Suliman 88

Analysis
Villa U23s charged to the top of Premier League with a comfortable and comprehensive win over Southampton U23s.

Andre Green opened the scoring on 24 minutes with a fine run and finish before Harry McKirdy doubled the advantage from the spot just four minutes later.

It was three on 39 minutes as Aaron Tshibola swept home after good work down the flank from McKirdy.

Southampton did give themselves hope as the half neared its conclusion with a good effort from Sam McQueen.

But it proved to be just a consolation as the claret and blues saw out the second half – adding a late fourth through Easah Suliman, who drilled home with his left foot.

Misconduct summary
Southampton bookings

None

Villa bookings

Suliman

Line-ups
SOUTHAMPTON: Rose, Valery, Targett, O’Connor, Gardos, Jones, Sims, Slattery (Tella, 69), Olomola, McQueen, Johnson (Cook, 46). Unused subs: Latham, Rowthorn, Mdlalose.

ASTON VILLA: Sarkic, Bree, Clark, Suliman, Bedeau, Clarke, O’Hare, Doyle-Hayes, Tshibola, Green, McKirdy. Unused subs: Johnasson, Borg, Cox, Prosser, Knibbs.

Officials
Referee: Christoper O’Donnell
Assistant Referee 1: Kieran Bailey
Assistant Referee 2: James Vallance

Noticed the russian didn't play, is he injured again?

achilles wrote:Noticed the russian didn't play, is he injured again?

Or are they keeping him fresh for Barnsley?

Fucking hope so.

He hasn't been in the squad for any of the last three u23 games since the Peterborough match, nor was he on the bench against Forest, so it is concerning. Maybe they're just easing him back.

He can't get match fit if he doesn't play, so as he wasn't even on the bench last Saturday I suspect that something is up with him again. That may be on loan although he is never very far away from another injury or so it seems!

Considering how injury prone Hogan is and we don't know how the January window turns out, we could in worst case just be stuck with Davis (and I'm a big Davis fan), but it would make sense not to have Rushian get hurt in some pointless youth match. Rushian and Davis for a few months is a lot better than just Davis.

Harry McKirdy has gone on loan to Crewe. Good luck to him, hope it helps develop his obvious talent.

Not sure if McKirdy is going to make it with us, he'll be 21 in March, and hasn't got anywhere near the first team squad for a game that isn't a friendly, and now finds himself dropping down two divisions for a loan move.

O'Hare, Hepburn-Murphy, Davis and Green all starting for the u23s tonight against West Brom.

Beat them 3-0, Green with two goals and O'Hare with the other from the penalty spot.

Game details
Match: West Bromwich Albion U23s v Aston Villa U23s
Date: January 22, 2018
Competition: Premier League Cup
Venue: Bescot Stadium
Kick-off: 7pm

Scoring summary
Green (2), O'Hare

Analysis
Villa U23s moved into pole position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup as Group E winners after a dominant 3-0 triumph over West Bromwich Albion U23s at Bescot Stadium.

The Young Lions won their third Cup game of the season to move three points clear at the summit after Andre Green netted a brace and Callum O'Hare scored from the penalty spot.

It was all claret and blue from the off as the first-team experience of Green, O'Hare, Keinan Davis and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy shone through.

Our movement, pace and precision was simply too much for Albion to handle, and that proved when Green and O'Hare supplied the goals for a 2-0 half-time lead.

Although more evenly contested in the second period, it was only a matter of time before Villa wrapped up proceedings, which they did through Green's well-taken second strike from a wide angle.

Kevin MacDonald's side now host Ipswich Town and travel to Sheffield United in a bid to cement their place in the last 16.

Line-ups
VILLA: Johansson; Borg, Finnerty, Bedeau, Clark; Abdo, Prosser, O'Hare, Green; Hepburn-Murphy, Davis. Subs: Sarkic, Clarke, Pastorek, Blackett-Taylor, Knibbs.

Game details
Match: Aston Villa U23s v Middlesbrough U23s
Date: January 29, 2018
Competition: Premier League 2
Venue: Bodymoor Heath
Kick-off: 1pm

Scoring summary
O'Hare
Abdo
Hepburn-Murphy (2)

Analysis
Aston Villa U23s returned to the top of the Premier League 2 standings in style with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Middlesbrough U23s at Bodymoor Heath.

The win also takes the Young Lions three points clear of close challengers Boro, who shared second place with us going into the fixture.

Callum O'Hare opened the scoring late in the first half after a quality team move. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy broke down the right-hand side, dribbling through three Boro players, before Corey Blackett-Taylor then laid on O'Hare's header.

In first-half stoppage time, Khalid Abdo then doubled our lead from close range after the opposition goalkeeper parried O'Hare's original effort.

And 10 minutes from the final whistle, Hepburn-Murphy turned on the class with a quickfire brace, leaving the defence for dead to fire home from the right edge of the box on both occasions.

It's now three wins on the bounce in all competitions for our U23s, who head south next time out to take on Brighton & Hove Albion.

Line-up
VILLA: Sarkic; Bree, Bedeau, Suliman, Clark, Blackett-Taylor, Doyle-Hayes, Clarke, Abdo, O'Hare, Hepburn-Murphy. Subs: Johansson, Pastorek, Finnerty, Prosser, Knibbs.

Apparently Brian Eastick has been brought in to help with the development of our academy, don't really know much about him, but he seems very experienced, and has worked quite a bit with the England youth set-ups.

Was speaking to a guy near me the other day who runs school tournaments & youth football leagues around quite a large area in the East Mids. His son is a Professional youth scout and he has apparently been recruited by AVFC to in his words "Help sort their s**t out"

It was quite interesting actually as he said that professional clubs give him a formula of the type of player they are looking for, which attributes he/she must have etc. Then when they spot someone they have to watch them until they feel they are ready to make the step up at which point they contact the club in question.

Apparently most clubs have a different player credentials they are looking for which suprised me actually.

Villa U23s currently 2-0 up against Wolves strikes from Blackett Taylor and the Russian.

Wolves pulled one back but O'Hare having a great game apparently.
Yeah, I know.

Fecking hell, Villa 6-1 up against Wolves who would have moved within 6 points had they won.
O'Hare ran the show and scored as well.

Well that escalated, 6-1. Looking forward to the highlights!

Full-time: Villa 6-1 Wolves
That’s it!

Aston Villa reaffirmed their status as the Midlands’ top dogs in under-23 football with a thumping win over Wolves.

Goals from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Corey Blackett-Taylor (2), Callum O’Hare, Harvey Knibbs and Alex Prosser saw the claret and blues thump Wolves 6-1. Jose Xavier grabbed Wolves’ goal in an even first-half

O'Hare went off after 80 mins can't see him on the bench for tomorrow. Maybe if subbed at half time but not 80 mins.
Apparently all the first team coaxing staff were there though which isn't always the case so maybe that performance by OH will have made them take note.

FoxyAV wrote:Well that escalated, 6-1. Looking forward to the highlights!

Do they show them on the OS? Not sure if I've seen any highlights but tbh the OS is shite at the best of times.