I would have been happy with a draw before the match but after reading the match report I have to say I'm a little disappointed.
We had more possession and more shots on goal than our opponents but in contrast to the seniors poor finishing let us down.
Still a point away from home is nothing to be sniffed at
Saved penalties for a living and reffed for a bit.
Currently run EFLO, CoE and OFMC
As expected our opposition manager didn't show up so we knew what we'd be facing. Unlike the seniors we chose not to go overly attacking in this one and it paid off early. Karamoko Dembele opened the scoring after just 8 minutes heading in Harry Souttar's corner. We have high hopes for the young AM who did get a taste of first team action last season but is back in the U23s for another spell to complete his development and got his season off to a great start. The lead was doubled just a minute later with Verrell George - plucked from non-league in the off season - scoring on his debut - once again converting a corner this time from Tom Costello. At just 17 years old this kid has massive potential for the future.
We then went a bit conservative which allowed Spurs back into the game and they pulled one back after the half hour but we did enough to hold on and get the season off to a winning start, With 67% posession, 17 shots to 4 and 9 on target to 4 i'd have been furious if we hadn't won but we did slip up like that too many times last season.
We know that we have a squad to win this league - in fact, it should dominate - but that was the case lasts year and we were upset too many times. That has to stop this time around as we are taking this very seriously. Once again we are running the risk of players getting promoted too early in the season so our learning from last year is we must get the points on the board before that happens. An away win to kick things off is a very good start off to that target
Match Statistics
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Wolverhampton U23 | Liverpool U23
Attempts on Goal : 12 | 12
Off target : 8 | 8
On target : 4 | 4
Possession : 50 | 50
Corners : 0 | 6
Red Cards : 0 | 0
Yellow Cards : 0 | 1
Subs Used : 4 | 4
Fouls : 9 | 8
Key Tackles : 3 | 4
Key Passes : 12 | 9
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Final Score : Wolverhampton U23 1 - 0 Liverpool U23
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Level on shots both on and off target, possession and nothing in it around most of the rest. Liverpool somehow dominated the corner stat but we edged the one that really matters, getting the only goal for a 1-0 win. The goal came near the end of the first half with Fabio Silva setting up Jordan Allan. The Scotsman may be a little disappointed to have been demoted to the U23s for this season but he has been given a task to do there and has set about it with great professionalism.
We always felt this was going to be a really tough start against a manager as good as Ed and his team who finished as runners up last season so pulling off the win is a great start to the campaign. We're not entirely sure where our ambitions lie for this squad at this stage - originally we thought it was to avoid relegation - but can we get that little bit higher. We are still working to improve and move on some of the fringe players but hopefully we have a core of decent footballers who can drive us forwards and maybe even push for the first team in a season or twos time.
We won't get carried away with one result but it definitely seems to show an optimistic future for this club.
In a pulsating encounter at Meadow Park, Bournemouth U23 edged a thrilling match against Arsenal U23 by a score of 5-4, demonstrating resilience and an attacking flair that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The match started energetically, and within just two minutes, Bournemouth was in front. Nuno Matos received a pass from Dani Requena and unleashed a powerful shot that found the back of the net, igniting celebrations among the visiting supporters. Matos, full of confidence, taunted the Arsenal U23 fans, prompting a chorus of jeers in response. As the first half progressed, Bournemouth continued to be a menace in front of goal. J Stuttle doubled their lead in the 13th minute with a stunning shot that left Arsenal keeper Porter with no chance. Just three minutes later, a brilliant strike from S Agina pushed the advantage to 3-0, sending the visiting fans into ecstasy. Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm but did manage to pull one back in the 24th minute when I Kabia took advantage of a defensive error, scoring a well-deserved goal to make it 3-1. However, despite Arsenal’s pressures, Bournemouth appeared to be in control as the first half drew to a close.
Half-Time Score: Arsenal U23 2 - 3 Bournemouth U23
The second half saw Arsenal coming out determined to turn the tide. They quickly made an impact, with F Balogun scoring in the 31st minute after a clever run into the box to make it 3-2. Yet, Bournemouth refused to buckle. T Tessmann capitalized on a defensive lapse to head home a rebound for Arsenal, restoring Bournemouth’s two-goal cushion at 4-2. However, the thrill was far from over. I Kabia netted his second of the game in the 73rd minute, a remarkable bicycle kick that sent the home crowd into a frenzy and put Arsenal ahead for the first time at 4-3.
Bournemouth was not done yet; a late push saw C K-Browne score in the 87th minute, equalizing again at 4-4. Just when it seemed the points would be shared, J Day struck in the 89th minute, chipping over the Arsenal keeper to ensure a remarkable comeback win for Bournemouth at 5-4, making a dramatic conclusion to the match.
The match showcased a keenly contested battle between two talented youth sides, with Bournemouth U23 emerging victorious after a roller-coaster of a match. The young Cherries now look to build on this momentum heading into their next fixtures, while Arsenal will aim to bounce back as they assess their performance during this high-paced encounter.
Managers Reaction, What a thrilling encounter to start off the season, we have worked hard to rebuild these youth lads for this season so to get off to a win and go top of the table in a match like this is the start we could have asked for, Arsenal came at us with everything and resilient until the end but a goal in the dying seconds of the match saw us take all three points and some huge abs gain. If things carry on like this it could be a great season but we cant get carried away after the first game as we know there are some talented clubs in the division who will be up there again!
Like the first team, we suffered a 1-0 loss on opening day. The U23 outfit is much weakened from last season and I don't expect us to be fighting for a top 4 finish this season. We played a good game against Wolves U23 and like Alex said, you don't see match stats being so evenly these days. The home side got themselves in front seven minutes before the break and we never had an answer to it.
