The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Royals and Racers]

Credit where credit’s due- team posted bang on 6pm, live updates throughout and a report on the website. One match wonder ? Let’s see what happens on Saturday when the U 21’s play again at 12pm at Bearwood. I’m going, so at least i will provide my normal professional service

[Hound]

Anyone standing out in the u21s at the moment? Saw some random on Twitter say Osho and Hicks played well

[morganb]

Anyone standing out in the u21s at the moment? Saw some random on Twitter say Osho and Hicks played well

Coke Miles Smith was the pick of the bunch
Hicks we liked
Evans seemed to have good movement up front
Camara played more central than usual and seemed to enjoy it
Beacroft came on and was his usual self
I'd not seen Jones before and he seemed to play well when he came on

Our keeper has nothing to do. Stickland was standard (and subbed off at half-time). Abrefa played but we didn't notice him.

[Clyde1998]

Anyone standing out in the u21s at the moment? Saw some random on Twitter say Osho and Hicks played well

Coke Miles Smith was the pick of the bunch
Hicks we liked
Evans seemed to have good movement up front
Camara played more central than usual and seemed to enjoy it
Beacroft came on and was his usual self
I'd not seen Jones before and he seemed to play well when he came on

Our keeper has nothing to do. Stickland was standard (and subbed off at half-time). Abrefa played but we didn't notice him.

Where did Spencer come on? He replaced Stickland, so did he go centre-back or did someone else fill in there?

Was it a 4-2-3-1 as well? Guessing something like this:

Rhone
Ahmed - Stickland - Duah - Abrefa
Sackey - Hicks
Osho - Camara - Coke-Miles-Smith
Evans

Not surprised Camara looked better centrally, as I think that's where he was playing before he joined Reading and where he's often played for Guinea-Bissau. Seems he have been shoehorned in being a winger.

Good to hear a lot of the younger lads played well, especially CMS. Wonder if he could feature in the first team squad at some point this season and get a couple of minutes off the bench.

I would caution getting too excited, as it appears Stoke only started with four of their side from the previous Premier League 2 fixture (albeit a 6-1 loss to Man City). Four of their starting XI came off the bench.