Dev Squad Vs Aston Villa (A) - 7pm tonight

[BensGrandad]

I went to the game tonight and i can say i was very impressed. The first thing worth noting was that we had an incredibly inexperienced team out against a very experienced Villa team, which included numerous players who have played for the first team as well as several who have had first team experience.

It was a really good game of football, quite open and expansive on a big pitch. Villa shut the backline off very quickly which caused several bad errors when passing out from the back. Walton made some brilliant saves in goal and looked in general very commanding. His kicking could have been a bit better as he sliced a few out of play, however he did play an absolutely superb through ball to Muitt late on where we almost scored. Dallison was brilliant, i can see him in/around the first team next season. Also a big mention to young Ben White next to him who looked very comfortable at the back. Charlie Harris impressed me yet again. Played out on the left hand side (not his best position) but his vision was brilliant and i always felt something was going to come through him. Joe Ward, the lad on trial from Chelmsford, looked quite good....he just seemed very nervous. Several times he would take a negative touch and not try to take on his marker. Definitely something about him though, but he certainly needs to fill out. Then there is James Tilley, he looked absolutely superb and not phased about playing against Villa at Villa park. A real bright spark for the U21s and never stopped working hard. My moment of the game where he picked the ball up, completely bamboozled our old friend Gary Gardner, nut megged him, span away and it took Gardner a second or two to realise where he'd gone! Akindayini looked good when he came on too, i'm happy we've signed him. We looked a tad toothless upfront until he came on. Big, powerful, quick and a good football brain with some of the runs he made. Unlucky not to score with a powerful header late on. I said on the other thread about him, keep an eye on his development!

Overall very impressive for the young U21 team. I can see several of those boys being given the chance in the first team.

No mention of Starkey, who according to the Villa write up posed our biggest threat. Also cant understand why they brought Muitt on if he has been released I cant see the logic unless I am mistaken and mixed him up with somebody else.

 

[Telford Seagull]

No mention of Starkey, who according to the Villa write up posed our biggest threat. Also cant understand why they brought Muitt on if he has been released I cant see the logic unless I am mistaken and mixed him up with somebody else.

He was ok, did a good job at left back and got forward a bit. His set pieces were generally good but he was definitely not our biggest threat.

I thought that too, RE: Muitt. However, he did play very well when he came on

 

[GT49er]

Thanks for the links and reports - I think I'll start taking more interest in the U21s next season. After all, that should be where much of our future first teams should be coming from.

 

[Rookie]

He was ok, did a good job at left back and got forward a bit. His set pieces were generally good but he was definitely not our biggest threat.

I thought that too, RE: Muitt. However, he did play very well when he came on

Not seen starkey at left back so the big question, does he look good enough to be back up and maybe possible first choice left back?

 

[Telford Seagull]

Not seen starkey at left back so the big question, does he look good enough to be back up and maybe possible first choice left back?

hard to say because it was the first time i had seen him there. He shows very good delivery as i knew about from when i had seen him play higher up the pitch as a number 10. His basic defending is better than i thought it would be as he is natural an attacking midfielder. Personally he doesn't look better than Chicksen, but there's no reason why he might not develop to be very useful. He may struggle a bit with the physicality of Championship football

 

[BensGrandad]

Your first thoughts appear to be that Starkey is not the answer to our on going problem of finding our own left back as the last 3 have all been loans from Premier clubs.

 

[Hiney]

No mention of Starkey, who according to the Villa write up posed our biggest threat. Also cant understand why they brought Muitt on if he has been released I cant see the logic unless I am mistaken and mixed him up with somebody else.

To give him a shop window for all your scout mates