Merged Threads - U21s beat Chelsea (get IN!!)

[Burt]

Never mind. Just saw the other thread... Need to do my "Merge Thread" mod magic  :dft011:

[Rhys Lightning 63]

Well Fabio Cannavaro captained Italy to a World Cup and he looks about 5'7

[Rhys Lightning 63]

But certainly yes, maybe shift him to RB and make him into a Micah Richards type of player

[Mr-ska]

We won 1-0

[Ron Sheepskin]

I've thawed out enough now to type. Grimmer was my man of the match. Him and Arthurworrey (guessing slightly) made a really solid centre back pair. I thought Digger was outstanding, Frei can play somewhere other than two feet from the left touchline, and Chris David is a serious prospect. Mesca was a bit like a puppy who doesn't know when to stop chasing the ball. That said, he went and won balls that everyone else would have given up on. For 60 or 70 minutes, Chelsea just couldn't cope with Woodrow but I felt he'd run out of steam a bit after that.

Generally a good performance, we outplayed them for most of the match. Downsides? There's a tendency to pass backwards in attacking positions a bit to much, and sometimes the obvious good pass was ignored in favour of some pretty football which came to nothing. Bit like the first team really.

[Mr-ska]

Chelsea were quite physical.. had a few booked and a player sent off in the 85 min..

[cmg]

Do you think Grimmer has the physical presence to play center back in the Premier League?  Wikipedia says he's 6'0" which is toward the short end of the spectrum as center backs go.

He looked the part today.
At 19 he may have some growing yet to do, but even now wasn't physically overshadowed by Stephen Arthurworrey who IS tall (6'5?).

In any case extreme height (although useful in certain circumstances) is by no means an absolute requirement for a central defender. Grimmer is already taller than was Ronnie Koeman and is a comparative giant if compared to Cannavaro, Puyol, Franco Baresi and Gaetano Scirea. If he turns out to be anything remotely like any of those (if only!) he won't be doing too badly.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

It's also very great to see that the U21 team are playing the same way as the first team, playing with it in the middle and spraying it out to the full backs to attack. Gives them a sense of familiarity if/when they move into the first team

[Humbled]

Good to see Mesca back after a nasty injury. He was looking good in pre season and Defo 1 for the future. I like him

[beijing ben]

It's also very great to see that the U21 team are playing the same way as the first team, playing with it in the middle and spraying it out to the full backs to attack. Gives them a sense of familiarity if/when they move into the first team

Good point. The transition should be smooth

I take it you are a Living Colour fan..

[Rhys Lightning 63]

It's also very great to see that the U21 team are playing the same way as the first team, playing with it in the middle and spraying it out to the full backs to attack. Gives them a sense of familiarity if/when they move into the first team

Good point. The transition should be smooth

I take it you are a Living Colour fan..

Nope, just that one song, and I only learned about it because C.M Punk uses it as his entrance theme

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I was at the game and it was a very enjoyable game of football. Fulham largely dominated the game but with players like Kiwomya and Lalkovic, you felt that Chelsea had enough quality to grab a goal, but thus it wasn't shown and that was largely down to the superb performance of Jack Grimmer along with the rest of his back four. A tidy display from Eyong Enoh, although in a u21 game, did excite me as he had very similar attributes to Mahamadou Diarra.

Another player who was excellent was 19 year old Dane, Lasse Vigen Christensen, he started on the right but found himself coming in field and dictating play in a very professional mannour. His goal was very well taken in a flowing move that was started by the same player. Young Christensen also hit the woodwork in a performance that showed a lot of promise.

Any questions about specific players, just ask.

Kerim Frei started and played around an hour and Mesca came on in his place.

[sunburywhite]

I watched it on line and I thought Arthurworrey had a good game, especially since he is only 18

[MasterHaynes]

I was at the game and it was a very enjoyable game of football. Fulham largely dominated the game but with players like Kiwomya and Lalkovic, you felt that Chelsea had enough quality to grab a goal, but thus it wasn't shown and that was largely down to the superb performance of Jack Grimmer along with the rest of his back four. A tidy display from Eyong Enoh, although in a u21 game, did excite me as he had very similar attributes to Mahamadou Diarra.

Another player who was excellent was 19 year old Dane, Lasse Vigen Christensen, he started on the right but found himself coming in field and dictating play in a very professional mannour. His goal was very well taken in a flowing move that was started by the same player. Young Christensen also hit the woodwork in a performance that showed a lot of promise.

Any questions about specific players, just ask.

Kerim Frei started and played around an hour and Mesca came on in his place.

What did you think of Passeley and Arthurworrey?

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I watched it on line and I thought Arthurworrey had a good game, especially since he is only 18

He was solid, he and Grimmer kept Islam Feruz quiet to the extent that Feruz was taken off. I didn't know he was 18! He's huge, wins almost every header. Looks less composed (if that's the right word) than Grimmer, but still a good central defender.

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I was at the game and it was a very enjoyable game of football. Fulham largely dominated the game but with players like Kiwomya and Lalkovic, you felt that Chelsea had enough quality to grab a goal, but thus it wasn't shown and that was largely down to the superb performance of Jack Grimmer along with the rest of his back four. A tidy display from Eyong Enoh, although in a u21 game, did excite me as he had very similar attributes to Mahamadou Diarra.

Another player who was excellent was 19 year old Dane, Lasse Vigen Christensen, he started on the right but found himself coming in field and dictating play in a very professional mannour. His goal was very well taken in a flowing move that was started by the same player. Young Christensen also hit the woodwork in a performance that showed a lot of promise.

Any questions about specific players, just ask.

Kerim Frei started and played around an hour and Mesca came on in his place.

What did you think of Passeley and Arthurworrey?

Josh Passeley bombed up and down the right flank yesterday and even hit the wood work at one point. Very energetic, must say (based on yesterdays performance) that he is better attacking wise than defensively. As for Athurworrey, see the post above.

[Mr-ska]

Good to See Simon Davies back.. i thought he had a good game...  did he look fit to you?

[Rhys Lightning 63]

L.V Christensen is a lovely little midfielder (my Man Of The Match), Woodrow (although he missed some good chances) is coming along well. Also our two centre backs were both top notch, especially Grimmer. All round a very good team. Plus we beat Chelsea which is always good

[MasterHaynes]

I know he started off as a wide player but last season Passeley was playing in the centre of the defence and I thought he looked the part , really read the game well, great anticipation and positioning, really comfortable on the ball with pace, anyone know why he has been moved out to the right?

I thought Christensen was the unsung hero of last seasons U18 midfield he is a real Rolls Royce of a player good to hear he is performng the same for the U21's

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

L.V Christensen is a lovely little midfielder (my Man Of The Match), Woodrow (although he missed some good chances) is coming along well. Also our two centre backs were both top notch, especially Grimmer. All round a very good team. Plus we beat Chelsea which is always good

I felt with Woodrow yesterday that perhaps he lost the physical battle against Chelsea's two centre backs. He was unlucky not to score a couple of times though. He tries to link play up well and works hard running the channels, sometimes he would be out wide but either no one would be in the box or it would be a pretty pointless cross to Kerim Frei or Simon Davies.