Premier League Cup, Group D
Sunday 13 February 2022
Played at Chesterfield
SUFC 2021/22 Game #52
That win at Chesterfield puts the U23s into the last 16 knockout stage of the Premier League Cup. Peterborough & Burnley still have to play each other. But, they both can’t get above us. Even though Everton have finished their group games, they are still in the mix. So, it’s one of those three to join us in the knockouts. Monday night saw a whole host of other groups get sorted. We join 13 other deffos. And there are still 5 clubs in contention in as yet unfinished groups.
We are unabashed. The Carrier Bag Firm love this competition. As it always provides opportunities for ground ticking. I’ve audited & listed the teams still in it. And, the grounds they have used so far in this year’s competition.
(Ground(s) listed are where the club have played PL Cup Group games already this season.)
West Bromwich Albion - Telford United
Arsenal - Boreham Wood
Middlesbrough Bishop Auckland
Queens Park Rangers - Wealdstone & Imperial College Sports Ground
Derby County - Loughborough University Stadium
Charlton Athletic - Dartford & Dulwich Hamlet
Wigan Athletic - Lancashire FA County Ground & Christopher Park Training Ground
West Ham United - Rush Green Training Ground
Wolverhampton Wanderers - St George’s Park Burton-On-Trent & Kidderminster Harriers
Huddersfield Town - John Smith’s Stadium
Newcastle United - Northumberland County FA Ground Whitley Park
Fulham - Motspur Park Training Ground
Stoke City - Newcastle Town
Plus one of
Leeds United - York City
Mansfield Town - Field Mill
Plus one of
Everton - Southport
Peterborough - London Road
Burnley - Lancashire FA County Ground
I have ELEVEN potential ticks among those.. (Although lots of games at St George’s Park, Burton-On-Trent are behind closed doors). My understanding is that the Round of 16 is straight, one leg knockout. And, I’m expecting a free draw (rather than regionalised or seeded). Do not ask me when. Just do not.
A simple reminder to those new to the Premier League Cup. Any Academy team can apply to enter. Not all do. Some of the “Big Guns” play in the UEFA Youth League, so don’t really have fixture space to enter the PL Cup as well. For us, it’s a great opportunity to mix it with Cat 1 Academies. We can do that at U18 in the FA Youth Cup. This is the chance at U23. As you can see Cat 3 Mansfield Town survive at the moment as do Cat Non Existent Huddersfield Town. The PL CUp was a major Covid casualty. The 2019/20 & 2020/21 versions were both effectively cancelled. United didn’t progress out of the Group Stage in 2018/19. But, we were in the Semi Final as recently as 2017/18. Knocked out away at Swansea (I was at that one).
After covering that look to a ground ticking future, there's not much to see here otherwise. The drink up was in the very consistent;
The Glass Works
388 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LF
Brampton Brewery, 1302, Pale Ale on Cask at 4%
Beer Of The Week in the pub. Making it £2.60 a pint. Gotta love that. I found it quite sweet at first. But, as I got at it properly, it was underpinned by a good bitter whack.
Brampton Brewery, Kuiper Belt, Golden Ale on Cask at 5.5%
This was the only new beer tick for me apart from the 1302. So I had it before piling back into the £2.60s. I thought there was a bit of off putting sour in the initial taste. But, it was a nicely balanced beer if you persevered.
I did a Carrier Bag Firm headcount. I made it THREE who did the Double Header of the SUFC Women’s 4-0 win in the afts & the U23s 1-0 win in the evening. (Not me I’m afraid). But, only ONE CBF DON who did the Women’s Game, the full afternoon sesh on the £2.60 Pints in the afts and the U23 game. These people walk amongst us…
And that felt like a controlled, if unspectacular win for the U Two Threes. A centre three in front of Callum Hiddleston. Joe Starbuck continuing the experiment on the right (rather than wing back). Nicksoen Gomis on the left. Ky Gordon doing his pointing and shaping role in the centre. Femi Seriki out right. Jili Buyabu out left. Peck & arblaster in more formal midfield roles. Brooks roaming. Theo Williams up top with Mr Versatility Ange Cappello.
Being picky, I’m hoping Arblaster & Peck can develop into players who make things happen, as well as players who can control the game. But, they certainly controlled this one. Just one nil felt bizarre really given the number of chances we had. Seriki in particular was marauding forward constantly. The goal came on 30 minutes when Femi got a ball in from the right. It sort of looped and bounced around. Before falling perfectly for Ange coming in off the left to drill it home.
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Stats
I have now Blogged from 1,061 games in 2,735 days
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