Will the Under 21s game on Monday be free entry?Nicky Eaden:
Jack McBean:
Will the Under 21s game on Monday be free entry?
They played 3-5-2. Harries and Finch either side of Leahy at the back with Whitmore and Sayoud as wing-backsWhat formation do the U23s play? It sounds like Harries played at full back?
Manager Nicky Eaden praised the performance of all of his players as the Under-23s made it two wins on the bounce with victory against Huddersfield Town.
George Thomas continued his goalscoring form, scoring a brace to make it four goals in just three games, but the high level of individual performance across the team was a particular highlight.
Following the 5-1 victory against Sheffield United last week, Eaden believes it was important to keep momentum flowing within the Development setup. He said: “It was a terrific performance, one to eleven and the subs as well. I couldn’t really fault anybody out there today.
“There was some fantastic individual performances, and the football we played throughout was very encouraging. I told them last week and it has carried over – they have set the standard going forward.
“We know how good they are and they all have confidence in each other, but it is about consistency and maintaining that high level of performance. It is no good only showing it occasionally.”
Eaden was quick to praise free-scoring forward George Thomas, who was heavily involved with the first-team in pre-season, and will need to continue impressing to make an impression on Mowbray's senior side.
“Some of them have suffered because they have been with the first-team a lot over pre-season and it is kind of a disappointment when they drop down a level.
“But that is football and it is about how you react to that to force your way back into that picture. George, in particular, has been very good this season and he is a confidence player.”
He added: “If he continues to score goals his confidence will increase further and another two goals today will certainly help towards that.”
City made it two from two as they built on last week’s resounding 5-1 away victory against Sheffield United, with the striker adding another two goals to his season's tally.
Thomas now has four goals in his last three games as he looks to earn a recall to Tony Mowbray’s first-team set-up. He said: “We were saying before the game we needed to build on the result last week and we’ve come away with another very good result.
“Huddersfield sit top of the league now and won this division last season so we knew it would be a tough game coming into it, but the lads were fantastic today.
“It’s now about continuing to push on and improve further ahead of the next game. We have a bit of confidence as a group and we’ve shown the performance levels we are capable of.”
George admits that it has been a tough start to the season for him personally, but will continue his quest for a place in Tony Mowbray's first-team setup.
“Starting with the first-team in pre-season and then not hitting the form I would have liked was a disappointment to me. I, like others, just need to knuckle down and show what I can do.
“I need to prove I am good enough to make the step-up and continue to score goals and help my teammates as much as possible.”
He added: “For anyone my age you want to be playing first-team football, but you don’t just get given it and we all know we have to keep going, keep impressing and then we’ll get our chance.”
LA Galaxy striker Jack McBean says he’s working hard to push for Coventry City' ’s first team.
The 21-year-old, who has scored four goals for the Sky Blues Under-23s since joining the club on loan last month, admits the step across to the English game has been a bit of a shock in terms of the pace of the game but is determined to stamp his mark.
At a time when manager Tony Mowbray is crying out for a natural goal scorer, the California- born player who has made the switch from Galaxy’s second team, said: “I’d like to be part of the first team.
“That hasn’t happened yet. It’s been tough mentally going from second division in the states where I was playing and hopefully I will get better and enjoy the experience and hopefully step on the field with the first team and score some goals.
“There’s a big difference in the football back home to over here. Even in the Under-23s games you can tell it’s a lot faster here, defenders are always right up my back and not giving me too much time to play. So it’s tough to adjust but it’s only going to make me better in the long run.”
Intensity
Asked if he feels he’s getting up to speed, he said: “Yes, definitely. Training has helped, being around the guys and just the intensity of it every day I feel I am getting there but it’s a slow process.”
The time couldn’t be better for a peripheral forward to come to the fore and get the goals for City’s goal-shy attack.
“I try not to worry about that, just try to score some goals whether that’s for the Under-23s or first team and hopefully it will work itself out,” he said.
“But I’ll help in any way I can and if the team win it’s a bonus. I have scored three in the development league and one in a pre-season friendly against Derby.”
So what style of striker is he?
“I’m just an out and out No.9, try to hold the ball up and get in the box to score goals,” he said.
“I don’t think I am limited to just those two things but that’s kind of how I like to play and I like to score goals.”
McBean joined MLS Galaxy in 2011 when he was the youngest player to have signed for the club in its history and made his first appearance for the club in a friendly match against Manchester City shortly after, a 1-1 draw that ended in a penalty shootout with McBean having his spot-kick penalty saved by Joe Hart.
He went on to have his best season for the reserve side, scoring 18 goals in 38 appearances in 2015/16.
Asked how the move came about, McBean, who has represented the United States at Under-17 and 18 levels and also qualifies for Scotland through his father, said: “I got approached by some of the front office guys at Galaxy who told me there was an opportunity to come over here for the remainder of the calender year.
“It was something they wanted me to do to challenge myself and something I wanted to do as well.
“It’s a long way from home but I’m 21, and old for this group, but it’s a good opportunity for me to grow up both on and off the field.
“I miss the sun a little bit but I’ve settled in well. The guys have been really welcoming and it’s all good.”
How do these places work, are they a viable alternative to the type of academy we have (had?). Who funds it, do the players have to pay to attend?
Hear, hear. I also find it quite telling the posters who have never even looked at it... (according to the 'Users Who Have Read This Thread' stats)This thread is my safe haven. No bollocks, just promising kids and thinking about football. God bless you StP for keeping it updated.
Coventry City’s Under-23s produced a fantastic performance to comfortably defeat Barnsley at Oakwell in Jason Farndon’s first game overseeing the side.
Devon Kelly-Evans scored a hat-trick, including a superb 25-yard curling effort into the top corner and Bilal Siyoud finished emphatically to give the 23s all three points in Yorkshire.
City’s Under-23s started the match superbly, almost carving their way through the Barnsley defence at will. Just eight minutes into the game they were in front. A counter-attack found its way to Darragh Leahy on the left and although goalkeeper Aaron Murphy parried his initial effort, Devon Kelly-Evans was there to score the rebound, as he beat a man inside the box before slotting it calmly into the near corner.
Just moments later the Sky Blues doubled their advantage. Jack McBean drove at the Barnsley defence before firing a ball across the box to the onrushing Bilal Siyoud. The wing-back smashed the ball emphatically into the top corner, leaving Murphy with no chance in the Tykes goal.
A very open start to the game continued when Barnsley had two chances in the space of 5 minutes to pull a goal back. Firstly, Robbie McDaid went through on goal, but under pressure from Leahy, he failed to make sufficient contact, before Corey Addai produced a fantastic one-handed save to deny Jared Bird from close range.
As Barnsley looked to be getting back into the game, Devon Kelly-Evans produced a bit of magic to add a third. The attacker picked up the ball in space 25 yards from goal and hit a wonderful effort into the top corner to almost put the game out of sight.
Both sides continued to push men forward as chances were coming at both ends of the pitch. A foul in a dangerous area gave Barnsley the chance to start an unlikely comeback; Callum Evans whipped a lovely ball into the six-yard box, but defender Julio Rodriguez headed narrowly wide for the hosts.
The second-half began in a similar fashion to the first with chances a plenty. Barnsley had the better of the first five minutes are they fashioned two chances, but were unable to take them. Captain Jared Bird had a free header six yards out but could only head straight at Addai, before Josh Kay tried his luck from long range, but it was comfortably saved.
City’s first chance of the half fell to Kyle Spence. He and Dev. Kelly-Evans harassed the Barnsley back line to regain possession. Spence used Kelly-Evans as a decoy runner before cutting inside and firing a shot just wide.
Barnsley were soon given a lifeline when Callum Maycock brought down Bird in the penalty area. Josh Kay stepped up and sent Addai the wrong way to reduce the deficit and give Barnsley a glimmer of hope.
That hope soon disappeared when the Sky Blues were awarded a penalty themselves. A poor back pass allowed McBean to nip in front of Murphy and when he was hauled down the referee pointed to the spot. Dev. Kelly-Evans stepped up and fired it into the roof of the net for his hat-trick.
Manager Jason Fardon praised his side’s outstanding display as they made it three wins on the bounce with a one-side victory at Barnsley.
Fardon oversaw the Under-23 side for the first time following Nicky Eaden’s promotion to first-team coach, and City cruised to a 4-1 win, with three of those coming inside the first 30 minutes.
Devon Kelly-Evans continued his sparkling form with a hat-trick and Bilal Siyoud notched to complete a professional display from a young Under-23 side.
Jason said: “I thought we were outstanding today. The lads showed what they’re capable of and played to a very high standard.
“The message was simple before the game, with a new first-team manager incoming go out there and show what you can do. I thought the players responded to that superbly.
“We had a very young team out there with the first-team in action tomorrow, but those who came in from the Under-18s didn’t look out of place and contributed to a resounding victory.”
Similarly to recent games, Devon Kelly-Evans was central to most of the attacking chances created at Oakwell. Jason admitted it was a level of performance that will catch a few admirers.
“I thought Devon in particular was sensational today. Everything he did seemed to come off and he brought his teammates into play. When you score three goals you must be playing well, but he added a lot more than just goals.
“He is one of those players who is on the fringe of the first-team set up so performances like that will do his chances no harm at all,”
He added: “His brother has made the progression so far this season and it will be great to see both of them feature for Coventry this season.
It’s another case of players coming through the youth system and thriving. If he continues he will have a bright future.”
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