Our Blogger dedlfc watched the recent FA Youth Cup 4th round game and was very impressed with standout performer Connor Coady, who has since, with Jesus Fernandez Saez (Suso), been asked to train with the first team!
Saturday 8 Jan 2011
Liverpool Academy vs Crystal Palace
By dedlfc
The future for our youngsters looks bright as the lads reached the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup after a comprehensive 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday.
The determination of our young Reds to come back from a goal down to beat Palace after extra-time is something to be looked on and admired by our senior players.
Half-time substitute striker Kristian Gauti Emilsson a recruit last Jan from HF in Iceland was a surprise inclusion in the squad as main striker for the reserves Michael Ngoo was out injured and scored twice at the Kop End and our reserve Captain Marvel Conor Coady stepped up and slotted home a late penalty.
The football played by Rodolfo Burrell’s team at times this season has been mesmerising and this was another instance of the fantastic brand of football with Sterling and particularly Suso tormenting the Eagles defence.
The game started with several chances being created by Liverpool mainly for Adam Morgan but not taken and then against the run of play Palace took the lead after 34 minutes when their best attacking player winger Jack Caprice’s low cross from the right found Ibra Sekajja who netted at the Kop end.
After taking the lead Palace started to show why they currently top the reserve league and our defender Jack Robinson was given a tough time by their winger Caprice but stuck with his task and should come out of the game with lots of credit for his determination.
So 1-0 down at half-time we needed a change to try and alter the pattern of the game
with Emilsson replacing striker Adam Morgan at the break, he made a sensational impact when he made it 1-1 nine minutes after the break.
Coady’s brilliant cross from the right found Emilsson unmarked, he instantly chested the ball down before smashing an unstoppable bullet shot into the back of the net.
Liverpool continued to push forward squandering chances and the gifted substitute, Toni Silva should have won the game in stoppage time when clear in on goal he hit his shot straight at the keeper Charlie Mann.
That miss took the game into extra-time when Borrell’s side finally got their reward for their exciting football when that man again Emilsson headed home from Silva’s pinpoint cross.
Palace tried in vain to come back but their fate was sealed when Raheim Sterling was brought down late in injury time for captain Coady to step up and seal a wonderful 3-1 win.
Our youngsters did themselves, the Academy and most importantly Liverpool FC proud with another excellent performance made even more sweeter by the fact that it was their first of hopefully many performances on our hallowed turf.
Well done lads !!! YNWA !!!
The LFC team named was:-
Tyrell Belford, John Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Stephen Sama, Matty McGiveron, Conor Coady, Raheem Sterling, Craig Roddan, Adam Morgan (Kristian Emilsson sub 45), Krisztian Adorjan (Toni Silva sub 70), Suso. Unused subs: Brad Smith, Jamie Stephens, Peter Aylmer.
My man of the match was Conor Coady – showed again why he is highly rated as a future inspirational LFC captain – watch out Stevie G!!!
Saturday 8 January 2011
It's good the team plays with so much fluidity, in fact they should've had the game wrapped up in 90 minutes with a lot more care with their finishing. Hopefully under the new regime, we'll see some of the exceptional players fast tracked into the first time squad in their teens rather than waiting until their early twenties like Spearing. The Youth Team as with reserves play with more verve and pace than the first team, which has enabled players like Coady, Suso, De Silva to a lesser degree and Pacheco and Kelly before them to show their abilities. With King Kenny having spent time watching them in his previous role, I'm sure he's fully aware of the talented bunch of youngsters he has coming through.
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