Professional Development League
Tuesday 24 January 2023
Played at York City
SUFC 2022/23 Game #47
A no beer day.
Oli McBurnie starting up top. He played 45 minutes and was plan hooked at half time for Antwoine Hackford. Ismaila Coulibaly started, I'm going to say in right midfield. He was subbed on 74 for Josh Smith. (That was not an injury substitution). Alongside Ismaila in midfield were a trialist & Owen Hampson (left midfield). Collins mixed it up a bit at the back. Levis Pitan playing centre back, with Finley Potter at LCB, Joe Starbuck at RCB. Jili Buyabu wide left and Sai Sachdev wide right. Marcus Dewhurst if all else failed. Jack Lester & Del Geary in the stands as witnesses.
Actually, Marcus had nish to deal with really. In the first half, Cov were barely a threat. They got it together a bit more in the second. But, overall, they didn't create much. A calm and accomplished performance from our young adults for a deserved win.
Everything seemed to gel a bit more than recent games, more fluent. I'm happy to say a large part of that was down to how the trialist played. I'm going to single out Owen Hampson. He had a great game. Lots of surging runs with and without the ball, accurate with his short passing. As early as 8, Owen was part of an interplay which put Louie Marsh in, but his attempted dink was pushed wide for a corner. On 22, Owen broke in from the left, McBurnie was involved, it fell to Jili. But, he couldn't really get it out from under and his effort was blocked. Owen was on the blocked ball, but blazed it over.
And, it all paid off on 37 minutes. Owen coming in (again) off the left side, played a simple ball to Marsh in the danger area. His lovely turn and finish put us one up.
Just five minutes later, my notes say;
"What a fuck up. Keeper fluffs it. Hampson gets it out from under him. Oli Mc gets something on it. It falls to Hampson again. And he puts it in."
Except. That didn't fucking happen. As you'd need to replace HAMPSON with MARSH. For t'was he.
The "excuse" for that error is that the Carrier Bag Firm were distracted and in deeeeep consultation about the role of the SUFC Women's team in growing the fanbase. In particular, we were hearing evidence about the lady who works in Greno Chippy, who can't afford to go to first team games at the moment. But, thoroughly enjoys Women's games at The Lane. That's her gateway to supporting the club. A news from Greno Chippy exclusive there folks.
AnyRoadUp. Louie Marsh has made it two nil on 41. Regular readers (narrator - as if) will know I prefer Louie Marsh as a striker, rather than a ten (or worse). He played well tonight. Two Goal Testimony. He has a Superhero Power. Which lights up the Carrier Bag Firm when we see it. Coming towards our midfielder, with his back to goal, making himself available, he's happy to take a pass when someone's tight on. His first touch is often a simple, perfect cushion trap. I'm going to say - dropping perfectly into his own space which he has created and he's turned, it's under control and he's facing forward, facing the goal.
It's NOT tricky flicky nicky. Like you'd see from Ndiaye. It's just a simple one touch trap of the ball to face the other way. And it is fucking deeelish.
McBurnie. Put himself about. A bit reluctant to move with the ball under control and at his feet. I won't say - coasting. But, I will say - clearly just putting minutes into his legs.
Coulibaly. What sort of player do we think he is? Pacey? Quick feet? Technical control? Burst through and shrug off? Do we know? I don't.
He's looked a bit better every time I've seen him. But, I don't know whether and how to pigeon hole him. If anything, I'd guess his game is suited to the - move it along, all-rounder midfielder - the Berge role.
What I can report is he's got a shot in him. Either side of half time, he got good, powerful edge of the box shots off. Alright, both essentially over the top - the first one tipped over by Keeper Cov, but good shots nevertheless.
I did feel Ismaila had a tendency to hit Coventry players with his attempted short passes. I was just remarking as such to the CBF, when he put a pass in which hit the referee (FFS).
Right. I'm happy to say - I think Hampson and Coulibaly were helped along to shine by the performance of Trialist #8. I see he's been identified-ish (twitter @footyinsider247) as Ethan Brierley. A 19 year old playing at Rochdale. I've looked at the stuff and I'm happy to go with - think that's him.
But, that's not what we thought. At all. Although we couldn't be arsed with searching for names & faces, we felt that the way he played & behaved he was probably a (roughly) 19 year old who had played a lot for a Cat 1 Academy. Maybe not Man City or Chelsea. But maybe say Brighton or Leicester. How wrong we were. Ethan has played over 30 times in Rochdale's first team.
He did great. I'm going to say. Simply. The Oli Norwood role. The conductor. The orchestrator. Doing lots of things. Simply. And doing them well. From the first minute, he was happy to point and to encourage his new mates. But, not in a Billy Big Bollocks way. More in a - this is us, let's get at it - way. His teammates responded well & to me it looked like they were loving playing alongside him. Ethan was very busy & looking both for the ball and, crucially, to close Coventry down in that - fucking hell mate, I know the angles, you're mine now - way. Rather than the blue arsed fly in the headlights way. Nice scanning radar as he looked for possession as well.
So, that's him, not Silko Thomas who we can't sign because of The Embargo. But, Ethan Brierley who we can't sign because of The Embargo. He was impressive in my opinion. Stood out. Made others look good/better.
Ten points clear at the top of the North Group. Still in the Premier League Cup.
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