2015/16: Young Guns, Reserves and Academy

[peterhague]

At 16 I think looks the best striker prospect I've seen at the club - more complete than Sinclair, IMO. Good movement, strong, good in the air, finishes well, lots of pace. Definitely a contender.

The team in general seems to follow the pattern set down by the last few u18 teams: lots of individual excellence in the front 6 positions, but a shambolic defence. Which in some ways is what you want at that level. Or at least the correct priority.

Phillips, Arnold, Kane, Dhanda, and Gomes all have serious talent.

Oh I forgot Adekanye, who's still waiting for international clearance. So add him and that's the whole front 6 with a genuine first team potential. Mightily impressive, that. That's after the last team produced a 6 of Chirivella, Rossiter, Kent, Wilson, Ojo, and Sinclair!

Good times.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

U21s lost to Reading U21s 2-1. We're now bottom of the league with a point from nine, after a draw (Everton) and two defeats (Reading, Chelsea).

Kent and Brannagan are too good for this level now and should be aiming to get major minutes in the Europa League and Capital One Cup games, or go out on loan to play against the bigger, faster and more experienced guys to further their development.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Wilson goes on loan to Crewe Alexandra; youth loan until January. Thought Kent or Brannagan would be taken before him, but good for him all the same. Looks like Ilori and Teix are set to follow. I'd have liked the two of them to stay and start the Europa League and Capital One Cup games, and then go on loan in the second half of the season though. Any loans for them would make sense only if they're assured of getting a good number of minutes, with at least a middle to upper tier Championship club.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/liverpool-fc-starlet-harry-wilson-9932411

Liverpool FC starlet Harry Wilson joins Crewe on loan

• 13:35, 26 August 2015
• By James Pearce

Teenage winger to stay with League One outfit until January
Liverpool FC starlet Harry Wilson has joined Crewe Alexandra on a youth loan.

Boss Brendan Rodgers is keen for the 18-year-old winger to get first-team football to boost his development and he will stay with the League One outfit until January 5.

Wilson will link up with Steve Davis’ squad and could make his debut at Wigan on Saturday.

Wrexham-born Wilson has been on Liverpool’s books since he was in the under-9s and is regarded as one of the outstanding talents at the Kirkby Academy.

He became the youngest player in Wales’ history when he was handed his first cap by Chris Coleman at the age of 16 years and 208 days against Belgium in October 2013.

Wilson was included in the senior Liverpool squad for this summer’s pre-season tour of Bangkok, Brisbane, Adelaide and Malaysia.

He becomes the latest member of the Reds’ under-21s set-up to head out on loan. Sheyi Ojo, Lawrence Vigouroux, Kevin Stewart, Andre Wisdom, Jordan Williams, Lloyd Jones and Danny Ward have all departed on temporary moves.

Ryan Kent and Jack Dunn are also expected to follow, along with the likes of Tiago Ilori and Joao Carlos Teixeira.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Danny Ward (on loan at Aberdeen) and Jordan Williams (on loan at Swansea) selected for Wales' upcoming Euro qualifying games against Cyprus and Israel.

 

[King Binny]

Danny Ward (on loan at Aberdeen) and Jordan Williams (on loan at Swansea) selected for Wales' upcoming Euro qualifying games against Cyprus and Israel.

Swindon City. The Swansea's one is Ashley. 😛

[article]“We looked at Jordan and looked at our situation; we know that these two games are going to be two more highly-pressurised games of football. He’s played at Anfield in front of big crowds and to play for Liverpool there’s pressure every game,” said Coleman.[/article]

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Swindon City. The Swansea's one is Ashley. 😛

[article]“We looked at Jordan and looked at our situation; we know that these two games are going to be two more highly-pressurised games of football. He’s played at Anfield in front of big crowds and to play for Liverpool there’s pressure every game,” said Coleman.[/article]

LOL how did I screw that up so badly? I love Swansea though. 🙂

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Been linked to this kid for a while. I sat through 6+ minutes of this clip looking for a positive and found none - even though he scored a couple of goals in the game. He's still only 18 though so I'm probably being too harsh.

 

[King Binny]

[article=http://www.crewealex.net/news/article/wilson-crewe-is-right-for-me-2651256.aspx#vYouYSjl12RHAwYd.99]The on loan Harry Wilson believes it is the right time for him to enhance his development with competitive matches. The Liverpool forward, 18, has signed a six-month loan deal with the club and is hoping to be involved against Wigan Athletic at the weekend.

The highly-rated Wilson was a regular goal scorer for Neil Critchley’s Liverpool U-18s before making a successful step up to the Under-21 development group and his versatility allows him to play on either wing or through the middle.

The Wrexham-born Wilson remains the youngest ever player to represent Wales after surpassing Gareth Bale’s previous record at 16 years and 207 days. Wilson came on for the final few minutes of Wales’ crucial World Cup qualifier away in Belgium back in October 2013.

Harry exclusively told Crewe Alex PlayerHD: “Coming to Crewe is a great opportunity for me to play competitive football in the League. I am really looking forward to it and hopefully I will be involved somewhere against Wigan on Saturday.

“Liverpool have taught me everything I know about football and to play Under-18 and Under-21 football is great but I know I will gain great experience from playing in League One against men.

“I know that Crewe want to play football the right way and that is one of the reason’s I chose to come here. They try and get the ball down and play and that suits my style. I didn’t want to go to a club that looked to play longer and hit the front.

“I have met the other lads and they have made me feel really welcome. I know Callum (Saunders) from the Wales set-up and a couple of the other lads, so it is good to see some familiar faces when you walk into the dressing room for the first time. It was fine and I know I’ve chosen the right club in Crewe.

“I just cannot wait to get started and hopefully I can play well and help the team.”[/article]

 

[YNWA]

McLaughlin joining Aberdeen on loan till January.

Yesil close to joining the Swiss side coached by Babbel on loan as well

 

[the count]

Here is the full loan list I think.
Feel free to add anyone have missed out on. 🙂

T. Awoniyi FSV Frankfurt (season)
Sergi Canós Brentford (January)
S. Yeşil Luzern (season)
L. Marković Fenerbahçe (season)
J. Maguire Leyton Orient (one month)
H. Wilson Crewe (January)
S. Ojo Wolverhampton (season)
A. Wisdom Norwich (season)
L. Jones Blackpool (season)
K. Stewart Swindon (season)
J. Williams Swindon (season)
L. Vigouroux Swindon (season)


Tiago Ilori Aston Villa (season to buy)
M. Balotelli Milan (season)
Luis Alberto La Coruña (season)

Others who may yet go out are Jerome Sinclair , Jack Dunn, Ryan Kent and Cameron Brannagan.

 

[mark1975]

Coventry are in for Ryan Kent on loan. Good move?

 

[Frogfish]

United walloped !

MUFC 0-4 LFC U18s. Trent Alexander-Arnold (2), Paulo Alves and Corey Whelan with the goals for the Reds.

 

[refugee]

 

[rurikbird]

 

[Modo]

Kent looked impressive in that friendly.

 

[King Binny]

Herbie Kane in starting XI for England U17. Trent Arnold on the bench.

 

[King Binny]

[article]Midfielder. Coming through the ranks. A tin-opener right foot.

Matty Virtue, remember the name.

The 18-year-old Liverpool prospect did his best Gerrard impression on Friday night for the club's U21 team when he rattled in a piledriver of a half volley straight to the top corner from outside the box.

The Reds drew with Spurs one apiece but they had this glorious strike to thank for the result from their English hotshot.

We're frantically checking the nationality of his grandparents.

Check this out.
[/article]

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Woodburn double sinks Man United U18s.

-- http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/academy/202738-woodburn-at-the-double-as-u18s-sink-united

Woodburn seems to have been scoring pretty regularly. Have not been able to see much of the U18s and U21s this season, so I try to search for the short 10-min highlight clips a week or two after the games to get glimpses of how we played. I've been quite impressed by Woodburn in those game highlights - seems like a very clever and skillful player who makes solid decisions in the final third (16).

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Apologies if this had been posted previously. Compilation of some smoking Woodburn moments.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Been waiting for this one. Our U18s complete the double this season over the Mancs U18s. 3-0 this time, so 7-0 over two games. Toni Gomes looks good again. Alexander-Arnold sets up Woodburn again - I think that's the 3rd or 4th goal this season that one of them has set up for the other against United. Watch the clip on Ben Woodburn in the previous post to see the goals Woodburn set up for Alexander-Arnold in the first game against the Mancs.

3-0: Woodburn x2, Yan Dhanda

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

U21s: Liverpool 2 - 1 Southampton

 

[gareth_thomas]

Alexander-Arnold looks promising. Does he always play at right fullback? a lot of clips have him in some pretty advanced central positions.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Alexander-Arnold looks promising. Does he always play at right fullback? a lot of clips have him in some pretty advanced central positions.

AM/CM and RB, but I'm not sure which position is his best - probably the midfield positions just from highlights I've seen. @gkmacca and @peterhague are better-placed to confirm this.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

For the first game (4-0) against the Mancs, he was RM:


RB in the FA Youth Cup against Ipswich:


CM against Boro:

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

This interview the Echo did with Toni Gomes is almost 1.5 months old and was picked up by our SCMBot, but I'm posting it here again, just in case folks missed it. The kid is good and I like his game - strong, pacy, not static, good shot, good feet.

Someone needs to tell him to focus on watching Suarez / Ronaldo and watch less of Benteke. And I'm not sure where he's getting the video of Sturridge, who is pretty much a mythical beast.

liverpoolecho.co.uk
From Guinea-Bissau to LFC, the rise of exciting Reds starlet Toni Gomes
James Pearce

It's been some journey for Liverpool FC Academy striker Toni Gomes.

Two years ago he was a schoolboy in Guinea-Bissau on West Africa's Atlantic Coast, kicking a ball around on ramshackle pitches with his mates.

Now he's sat proudly with the liver bird on his chest as he looks out over the top class facilities at the Reds' Kirkby base.

Gomes is one of the most exciting talents on the books at the Academy and his story is one of making real sacrifices in order to follow his dreams.

He was 15 when he left his homeland – a former Portuguese colony – and travelled to Europe to join his father in Lisbon.

Gomes was there for just six months before Liverpool came calling. They were tipped off about his potential by an agent and invited him over for a trial in September 2014. His impact was such that he was immediately signed up.

“It was a big surprise when Liverpool asked me to come here and then asked me to stay,” Gomes told the ECHO.

“I didn't believe I'd ever find myself at the Academy of such a big club like this.

“When my agent told me I could go to Liverpool I felt a little bit nervous because I was thinking 'this is one of the biggest clubs in the world'.

“But I said to him 'okay, yeah, I will come'. I didn't even have a club in Portugal so I pretty much went from playing in Guinea to joining Liverpool. It was a big change.”

'Football was all I ever wanted to do'

Growing up in Africa, Gomes idolised Cristiano Ronaldo. He played in the junior ranks for FC Canchungo – the local team in a town which has a population of just 6,000.

“As a child I was always playing football. It was all I ever wanted to do,” he said.

“We would play in school, at break time and after school in the street.

“There were no nice pitches like there are here. We played mostly on stones. You would get injured if you fell down.

“I was lucky I had some boots because my uncle would send me some.

“I loved watching Ronaldo. Now I look more at strikers like Luis Suarez.

“I like Suarez a lot. The way he plays, his movement and the way he scores all types of goals.

“I always wanted to be a football player. Early in 2014 I left Guinea to join my father in Portugal, he had been working there for a long time.”

'I didn't speak a word of English'

When Gomez made the move to the Liverpool Academy, he did so alone and the club placed him with house parents in nearby Prescot.

The striker didn't speak a word of English. Yet, remarkably, some 15 months on he is virtually fluent.

He started off in Pep Lijnders' under-16s squad before being handed his under-18s debut against West Ham back in April.

Dutch coach Lijnders, who has since been promoted to the Reds' first-team staff, was a huge help as Gomes settled in.

“Not being able to speak the language meant it was very difficult for me at first,” he said.

“I had no idea what they were saying! I was lucky Pep was here because he speaks Portuguese. He talked to me all the time and explained things to me. He was great for me.

“I still have two or three hours of English lessons a week and I go to school in Rainhill twice a week so it's getting better.

“My team-mates help me. They give me the confidence to speak now.

“Before when I spoke some of the lads laughed at my English! Now they help me.

“I like life here because the people at this club are really professional. Everyone has made me feel so welcome.”

'I hope to return to Guinea next summer'

His father remains in Lisbon, while his mother is in Guinea-Bissau.

He hasn't seen his mum for nearly two years but is planning a trip home at the end of the season.

“It's just me here,” Gomes said.

“I have an aunt in London. She has supported me. She comes here on weekends sometimes.

“I have two half brothers and one sister. My half brothers lives in Lisbon with my dad.

“A month ago I visited them in Lisbon.

“I haven't been back to Guinea yet but I hope to go next summer.

“It's very difficult being away from my family. I do miss them.

“Sometimes Phil Roscoe (Academy head of education and welfare) will give me his phone so I can call my mum.

“Lots of professional players had difficult periods away from their families early in their career. I'm not the only one. You have to fight to be a professional player and I hope to make my family proud.”

Hat-trick joy and injury heartache

The Portugal youth international has certainly done that so far this season having established himself as a key member of Neil Critchley's under-18s side.

The 17-year-old frontman scored a hat-trick as the young Reds came back from 3-0 down to beat Middlesbrough 4-3 in August. However, his joy was cut short by a hamstring injury which sidelined him for six weeks.

“That was a crazy day for me,” he said.

“I was so happy to score a hat-trick but then I was crying in the physio room because I knew I wouldn't be able to play for a few months.

“It was the first real injury of my career. Now that's behind me and I'm feeling good.”

Gomes, who has made two appearances for Liverpool Under-21s, has trained at Melwood on occasions this season as part of the Academy's 'Futures Group' led by first-team development coach Lijnders.

The weekly session involves the cream of the Academy crop from under-15s through to under-21s. Manager Jurgen Klopp regularly watches on from the sidelines.

“It's been a very good experience to train there,” he said.

“You go there to represent the Academy and you have to give everything you have got.

“It's a good chance to impress Jurgen Klopp. When you see he gives chances to young players, it gives you extra motivation. One day it might be you who gets picked.

“My dream is to one day be part of the first team here. To achieve that I need to eat the right food, work hard every day and do the right things.

“I love watching Christian Benteke and Daniel Sturridge. I watch their movement and how they get free to score goals.

“I go every game at Anfield that I can and I dream of one day playing there.”

Eyeing Youth Cup glory

The FA Youth Cup provides the perfect stage for Gomes to showcase his ability and he is set to lead the line when the Reds take on Ipswich Town at St Helens' Langtree Park on Wednesday night.

Critchley's side go into it on a high following a 13-game unbeaten run.

“I know how important this Cup is,” Gomes added.

“It's a big target for us and we want to show what we can do.

“With players coming back from injury, there is a lot of competition for places here now. If you don't play well then someone will be waiting to take your place.

“There is a lot of confidence in the squad. We support each other.

“Coming to Liverpool was a great move for me and I want to prove I can make it here.”

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

We've apparently agreed a pre-contract with this 14 yr old :

Edvard Sandvik Tagseth

http://www.tv2.no/a/7229715

I just realized this again when I saw his name in our incoming transfers. Here he is (no. 10) running circles around his opponents in a game:



It reminds me of watching our Spanish kid Sergi Canos (on loan at Brentford) when he was still at Barcelona:

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Trickett-Smith shows Benteke how to do it right in the U21s' 1-0 win over Leeds:

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

U18s 3-1 Stoke City U18s

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

2-0 vs Spurs U21s. Caulker played, Kent and Sinclair scored.

 

[rurikbird]

How come Ilori can't get a game for the reserves again?