Liverpool Youth Teams Thread

Maybe a generous phrase but they did well for a first game with the seniors with a tough heat whilst having little first team lads to help them in that middle 3. Would say all 3 are delighted how they did anyways

U23s beat Rylands FC 4-1 today

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Apparently it was actually 5-1. Jack Bearne (x2), Lee Jonas, Tom Clayton and Max Woltman with the goals.

Always a humbling moment when you can actually gauge properly how good these professional players are. That U23 team was full mostly of players with no hope at Liverpoolā€¦ and they easily battered Rylandsā€¦ who themselves battered me 8-1 a couple of years ago in a cup game :see_no_evil:

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Didnā€™t this team win the vase only a while ago aswell? If so, you are not at a bad standard yourself.

Jack Bearne scored twice as Liverpool U23s began their pre-season preparations with a 5-1 win over Rylands FC on Wednesday evening.

The forward looked sharp on his return to action after an injury hit last season.

Warrington side Rylands gave a good account of themselves in the 30-minutes each way encounter, but Barry Lewtasā€™ charges were clinical in the final third.

Bearne opened the scoring after five minutes from the penalty spot after he was brought down before he then doubled the Reds advantage.

Rylands pulled a goal back just before the break before a brilliant team move led to Liverpoolā€™s third goal.

James Norris found space down the left flank and his superb pass found Lee Jonas who made no mistake from close range.

Tom Clayton and Max Woltman completed the scoring for the young Reds.

U23s boss Lewtas told Liverpoolfc.com: "It was a pleasing run-out for us and we scored some brilliant goals.

"It was great to see Jack back in action getting his two goals and hopefully he can push on now.

"We were grateful to Rylands FC for the game and I thought they gave a very good account of themselves.

ā€œYou could see they are a good team and I would like to wish them all the best for the coming season.ā€

From Steve Hunter.

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Dixon Bonner on trial at Portsmouth also. They are trialing 30 lads to see who gets to come on loan.

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Being reported that we are signing 16 year old Bobby Clark from Newcastle - heā€™s a striker.

Ethan Ennis has rejected the scholarship offered to him and looks set to leave for either Man Utd or Chelsea. He posted photographs at both of their training grounds recently.

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Bobby Clark son of the footballer Lee Clarke. Looks decent. Will be in the u18s I presume. Ethan Ennis is a strange one, United are stacked with brilliant forwards so obviously heā€™s not motivated by a path way there :money_with_wings::money_with_wings::money_with_wings:

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On the offal too;

Is this clearing the way to Neco to be sold. Not seen anything of Bradley really. Will need to watch the match against Mainz again.

I donā€™t think the two are connected. Presumably he would have been given a new contract regardless as the club continue to build for the future.

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Agreed, Bradley would be given a contract eitherway and I donā€™t think it does necessarily clear a way for Neco to leave. I think Williams could play a decent amount this season if we are more settled at CB which we hopefully will be. I think we will give Trent a bit of time off every so often (similar with Tsimikas, I think heā€™ll get on the pitch a bit more often to allow Robbo a rest sometimes). I donā€™t see a lot of value in selling our second choice right back this season. I hope Bradley can go out on loan, probably to League One level, then maybe Williams will move on in 2022 and allow Bradley to be promoted if he has a good loan spell or maybe Williams decides he doesnā€™t care about moving on and Bradley will continue to go on loanā€¦ there are a lot of moving parts to consider.

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U23 fixtures out. Also former youth keeper Dan Atherton has signed for Warrington Town FC

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ā€œThe running costs of the academy exceed Ā£10 million per year but no one could question whether the set-up is providing value for money given the conveyor belt of talent,ā€ the journalist wrote for The Athletic.

ā€œRemarkably, the departure of Wilson means that over the past five years Liverpool have generated Ā£120 millions in sales from youngsters they have either brought through the ranks from the under-nines or snapped up from other academies before taking them to the next level.

ā€œAnd that figure could soon grow further given that Nat Phillips is attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs.ā€

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Ethan Ennis has left us for Manchester United. Obviously not looking for a pathway but financial gain.

Klopp and Inglethorpe have restored Liverpoolā€™s academy, so I doubt the pathway was an issue at either. I know nothing about his situation at Liverpool or contract details at Man United but their youngsters consistently get first team chances, itā€™s been like that forever.

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I liked Yasser Larouci, though I have possibly seen him play only couple of times. :sob:

Yeah itā€™s a little unfair on Ennis to say that heā€™s abandoned any chance of first team football and is chasing a pay cheque.

More likely is heā€™s just a Man Utd fan. Heā€™s from Runcorn, itā€™s full of Utd fans there (and they probably are offering a bit more money).

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Iā€™m still looking a bunch of U23s players as slightly out of place and needing to either move on for new loans or permanently.

Oscar Kelly, 19, GK: Has barely played since moving into the U18 category and I donā€™t see a pathway to the pitch this season either. Permanent transfer.

Rhys Williams, 20, CB: Obviously now considered a first team player but wonā€™t get on the pitch, dropping him to U23s feels like a waste of time and would block Jarell Quansah from starting. Championship loan.

Tom Clayton, 21, CB: Very versatile, having played right back and centre midfield last season. A leader in the group but absolutely no chance of a first team promotion having been left out of the travelling squad to Austria. Permanent transfer.

Morgan Boyes, 20, CB: Didnā€™t make much of impression at Fleetwood on loan and doesnā€™'t look capable of going to another level. Permanent transfer.

Tony Gallacher, 22, LB: Did OK on loan at Toronto last season but now has Owen Beck ahead of him at U23 level and James Norris just behind him coming up from the U18s. Is a limited player and at his age is not going to be pushing for the first team. Permanent transfer.

Elijah Dixon-Bonner, 20, CM: Iā€™ve always liked him but heā€™s never really established himself at U23 level and the process of moving him on looks to have already started with him going to Portsmouth for a trial. Permanent transfer.

Ben Woodburn, 21, CM: Never truly nailed down a position for himself and lacking in pace or strength meant he kind of got lost in the shuffle, always being the guy sacrificed for others to play in their ā€œpreferredā€ position. Of course he canā€™t make it here anymore and moving on would be best. Permanent transfer.

Sheyi Ojo, 24, LW: Still, for my money, the most naturally talented player Iā€™ve seen at the academy but despite a good loan spell at Cardiff (5 goals, 7 assists) it just isnā€™t enough at this stage to do anything for his first team chances. Permanent transfer.

Luis Longstaff, 20, RW: Heā€™s got the natural physique and pace you would expect of a great prospect but he hasnā€™t ever managed to turn it into consistent contributions. He maybe is worth sending to adult football and seeing how it affects him. Loan.

Fidel Oā€™Rourke, 19, CF: Heā€™s just signed a new contract so maybe he wonā€™t be leaving permanently but with Layton Stewart moving up from the U18s and Mateuz Musialowski surely close behind then where does he get game time? Loan.

Jack Bearne, 19, RW: Has actually shown he has something about him, itā€™ll probably never be for Liverpool and his consistent injuries issues are a problem but worth seeing if someone will gamble on him and see how he handles the adult game. Loan.

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LFC u23s 6

Caernarfon 0

Orjinski our young keeper was in nets for Caernarfon. Not a great time lol. Strange loan spell, heading to a team much worse than a team he was already on. While not even professional. I do see he still trains at the AXA training facility so maybe thatā€™s a reason for the loan. But would have liked to see him jump to a better team than these.

Ojo missed a pen also. Most lads got an hour of game time all around. Fraundorf scored.