Sheffield United U23 2 v Bolton Wanderers U23 1
Professional Development League
Monday 2 March 2020
Played at Shirecliffe
SUFC 2019/20 Game 54
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Europe you say. Might go down to eighth you say. Top four within our sights you say. Crikey. It sounds like it's time for some Carrier Bag Firm BladesSplaining. What was that mate? Are there any European tournaments the Academy can play in? Strap yoursens in.
There are two European tournaments which English Academy sides can play in. The main one is the UEFA Youth League. (For U19). There are two routes to qualification. One route is effectively closed to United. That is the Domestic Champions route. To get in that door, you have to win whatever U18/19 title there is in your country. As United are a Category 2 Academy (not Category 1) we effectively play in the third tier of Academy football. With no promotion, and only one winner, even I'm saying we're unlikely to win that any time soon.
To wet your whistle. Derby County are in that path this year. Their U19 side have already played games in Minsk (Belarus), in Akraness (v Íþróttabandalag) (Iceland). And then beat Borussia Dortmund at home. They go to Salzburg this week. The Carrier Bag Firm salute you.
I'll digress. To explain another European tournament which is only open to Category 1 Academies (is not us). The Premier League International Cup. That is an "invitation" tournament for U23 teams. Twelve from England. Twelve from overseas. Disappointingly, all the games are played in England. Category 1 Academy Blackburn Rovers are in that one.
So….. United's only currently available route to European Academy football is the UEFA Youth League (see above) Champions League Path. U19 groups which "shadow" the main, first team, UEFA Champions League Groups. Nail that. If United qualify for the Champions League Group Stage (FFS), our Academy will ALSO, automatically, qualify for the UEFA Youth League Groups. That is currently making the Carrier Bag Firm heads spin.
Congratulations, you have just been informed by the Carrier Bag Firm.
Turning to today's game. First up. Logistics. You don't get many U23s at Shirecliffe any more. Chesterfield or The Lane normally. Shirecliffe has tried to up it's game now we're in the PL. I notice that laughable Bielsa Proof Fence is either fraying at the edges or non existent. And. More security. This time. For no reason. The Stewards held "the fans" at the bottom of the path. Whacked a green wristband on them. To allow them to walk into what is effectively a field. No. Really.
A battle of the Bottom Two this one. Bolton have an excuse. Because of their legal shenanigans, they had to shift a lot of their Academy lads into the first team squad. So, knock on, their U23s have won just once in 20. No Excuse United had won just four before today.
OK. There was a fair amount of effort out there. Not a great deal of quality. The first two goals stood out. On just five mins, one of the Lancashirearianites wriggled free on 25 yards. Left foot. Other foot. The lot. And he got a nice shot off to beat Jordan on his right. On 12 minutes, Callum Gribbin bagged the equaliser. Callum is one of those easy on the eye players. I mean that in a good way Pal. Glides. Looks effortless. Undoubtedly isn't. I've criticised him a bit before as being one of those "move it on" players. He needs to hurt teams more. He made his own space in the box. Great close control. At times, he can look - all left foot. But, pushed onto his right. He absolutely leathered it home with that peg.
Towards the end, I'd written it off as a one one bore draw. But, Callum won a penalty on 74 minutes. Wriggling again before being tripped. There was a bit of debate with Jake Young. But, Leo Gaxha won & banged the winner home. As it happens, that's about the best I can recall seeing Gaxha play. He had that sort of greedy streak that I love in predatory strikers. Very keen to run his channels & stay involved. He nearly put us ahead immediately after Callum's goal.
After half time (1-1), it looked like we pushed the wingbacks Boyes & Jake Kelly a bit further up. Jake had a great, but short, spell down the right. I'll also single out keeper Jordan Amissah. Bang on HT, he kept us in the game with a trademark strong wrist save. That partly emphasises how much Bolton were in it. As early as 22, Bolton put together a great flowing move down the left. The cross was swept in. Jordan had to make a great save & then a diving gather off the forward's toe. On 34, having rattled a few free kicks at the goal from distance, BWFC worked a routine at the next one. It kept floating & no one could get anything on it before it hit the post & dropped safe.
Great end to it all. The wind was blowing "with the Young Blades" down the hill. A number of Amissah's punts had gone long & out. At 90+3, Bolton got a corner & pushed their keeper up. Jordan actually made (another) great save. Knowing their glover was within touching distance, he "had a shot" out of his hands at the empty net. I'd guess maybe six yards wide. Anyway, I think I'm making the game sound better than it was. Yay. We won.
The Beer Adventure this week was to Manchester. I'm a big big fan of Beatnitz Republic. I had a superb glass of their "Hop Series". Same malts, different hops to showcase.
Beatnitz Republic, Comeback Tour, Cascade Wai-ti Styrian Dragon on keg at 4.5%. The citrus flavours just kept coming. It sounds odd, but there was a pleasant Strepsil anaesthetic undertow.
Stats
I have now Blogged from 906 games in 2,022 days
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