Toronto 0-1 MCFC - EDS watch

N.B - The whole game is available in the YouTube video at the bottom of this report.

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They're funny things, post-season tours. Very much a symptom of modern football, a curious phenomenon that exists in its own weird marketing bubble. They're often hard to muster any excitement for - the players would rather be on a beach drinking a daquiri, the opposition are right bang in the middle of their own competitive season and there's the whole unspoken pretence that neither of these would be involved if there wasn't a considerable financial gain on offer. It's false, unnecessarily glitzy and a distraction. Scepticism is understandable and inevitable. Admittedly I raised an eyebrow too when they were first announced, as did many others, but the news that several EDS players had flown out with the first team suddenly made it a little more interesting.

Despite all their talent, opportunities for the academy players this season have proved hard to come by. Harshly in the view of many – the last game of the season at Southampton, a dead rubber with nothing to play for, was particularly disappointing. None of them got a look in, nor did any in the traditionally youngster-friendly early rounds of the cup competitions. That in mind, it was refreshing that eight players flew out with the first team for these two friendly games against Toronto and Houston. Evans, Fofana, Ntcham, Barker, Garcia, Celina, Maffeo and Pozo all made the trip. Only Fofana started this game from this batch however, clocking in around sixty minutes before he was joined by a slew of his academy graduates in the second half. A little frustrating initially, but as others stated there is most likely some contractual obligations for the club to fulfil in terms of appearances and minutes played. They're there to see Aguero, Yaya and Kompany obviously. And Demichelis in centre midfield, apparently. Interesting one that, Manuel. The game itself was a decent affair - City pressed, had many, many chances and it was only sloppy finishing that prevented a cricket score. It was a lot more interesting than most pre-season games, put it that way. Players were still fresh and match fit from this year's exploits and you could tell.

Of the kids Evans took the headlines. He scored the only goal of the game, and it was special. Thirty-five yards out and perfectly whipped into the top corner. Splendid stuff, topping his wonderful assist for Jovetic in the mid-season Abu Dhabi friendly. As a Manc and a life-long City fan I found it hard not to be pleased for him - he's local and he's been at the club for a long time. Plus he seemed genuinely thrilled to score his first goal for the first team too. He was assured, elegant and neat and tidy in possession. The Emyr Huws comparisons make sense - both are tall, technically proficient holding midfielders and both have a very Carrick-like style of play. He might even go the same way as Huws did, dropping down to a lower level before (hopefully) making his way back up, but if that's to be I hope he at least gets a chance with the club first. Players can excel around team mates of a higher quality. Their confidence rises and they can sometimes look better in the Premier League than they ever would in League One. It does happens and there's nothing to say he couldn't develop into a very handy squad player for us given a chance. He deserves it. 

Fofana suffered from the commonly seen 'kid making his debut and keeping it far too simple'-itis syndrome. He didn't do anything wrong and he did grow into the game a little more as the clocked ticked by, but he was a little forgettable overall and it was hard to learn anything from. He recycled possession well and there was the odd decent pass but in general he sat back content to do nothing wrong. A little safe perhaps. Not neccessarily his fault as it takes most a few games to find their confidence a little at first, but I do like it when a debutant tries to exert their influence on a game. Ntcham did. He wasn't on for long but he showed his natural aggression and drove forward well, playing a couple of nice passes to Aguero and in general he looked really eager to make a mark. He’s a big lad and he bounced off a couple of Toronto defenders too. Physically he won’t have any troubles at a higher level. It was a good little cameo, no doubt helped by the familiarity of Maffeo alongside him on the right, who was as classy and as composed as we’ve come to expect from his games at academy level.

Garcia and Celina both got a few minutes each and a touch or two as well. Hard to gauge obviously, but in his three or four little moments Garcia looked confident. One little spin away from a defender highlighted his natural talent and he’ll be hoping to get a few more minutes in the game versus Houston. Celina likewise barely touched the ball, but he did find a way to get in a shot in from distance, as he always does, albeit nearly clearing the stadium. Pozo was good. I’ve been critical of him this year as he’s struggled for the EDS, but he played with a real intelligence and wit. He created a few half chances, linking nicely with Aguero and Silva on a couple of occasions. He certainly benefited from playing off the striker, floating around and popping up here and there. It's his natural game and more of that would be welcome. Sadly Brandon Barker didn’t get on the pitch. A shame as he’s a talent, but maybe he’ll start against Houston.

As far as friendlies go it was an interesting game. The EDS players did well. None of them looked out of place and they all looked technically proficient and worked hard. Toronto are no premier league team, of course, but you can only play what’s in front of you and they looked comfortable. Perhaps some are even more suited than their first-team opposites for the fast-paced technical one touch football that the club wants to adopt going forward. Whether they get a chance to show that, or even adapt when they do, is another matter entirely, obviously. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep my eyes open for the friendly later on tonight. In the meantime you can stream this whole game again in the video below.

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Marcos Lopes - LOSC Lille loan review

The third in this series of loan reviews following on from pieces on Jordy Hiwula and Seko Fofana. This time it's the turn of Marcos Lopes. In the eyes of many he's arguably the true shining light of our current academy set up. Last season's EDS captain and a current u20 Portugese youth international, Lopes is highly thought of at the Etihad. Explosive, powerful and pacy, possessing that Aguero-like low centre of gravity that makes a player impossibly hard to shrug off the ball. He has a wicked left foot too and an eye for a goal. He's talented, basically. Very. The kind of player with the ability to launch a thousand YouTube compilation videos. 

After acquitting himself well last season during his brief run outs with the first team, notably in the Capital One League cup against West Ham last season where he set up two, it only seemed natural that a year out on loan would be his next move. The club sent him across the channel to France's Ligue 1 and LOSC Lille, a club well versed in precocious attacking talent. They oversaw the development of Eden Hazard and Yohan Cabaye in particular, both stars in France before they eventually hopped on a ferry to the Premier League.

I spoke to Andrew Gibney, both a frequent attender of City academy games and a devoted Lille fan, about Lopes' time at Lille. He's also the editor of the truly excellent French Football Weekly too - in a nut shell, there's no one more fitting.

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The immediately obvious one - how has Lopes done this season? Has the loan been a success?

Andrew - From his very first appearance on the opening day against Metz, Lopes has caught the attention of the Lille fans. He is exactly the type of player Lille missed. When he gets on the ball he wants to make things happen, and you can see that in his directness.

It is a shame that his time was cut short by the two injuries, but you could see enough that he is a special talent. That's what frustrated the most, he really changed the dynamic of the team when he was able to play.

What's the perception of his potential as a player within France/Lille? 

Andrew - The Lille fans love him, everyone at the club likes what he brings to the team and there would be no hesitation to see him return to France next season.

His best position? Obvious flaws/strengths? 

Andrew - He is a No.10. He drifts into space, whether that be wide or through the centre. You need to give him creative licence though, similar to David Silva. If you try to constrain him, you won't get the best out of him. When Lopes has been available, Lille has played 4-3-1-2 - a midfield diamond, with Lopes at the tip. It has worked really well when he has been fit.

He can go missing from games, but that's indicitve to that type of player. All it takes is a few flashes, a moment of brilliance and he changes the game. There are no real weaknesses in his game. In England he would be asked to track back more and work for the team. That's not needed in France, he's allowed the freedom to wait in the pockets of space.

There's a sense that Lille have become a little defensive this year and that perhaps lopes would flourish in a more attack minded team. Fair?

Andrew - Not really. Lille played a counter-attacking style. The defensive appearances comes from the lack of talent upfront. When Lopes played, the diamond was really effective. Him and Origi struck up a good partnership together. If Lopes hadn't missed so many games, the Belgian would have scored more goals.

Do you think city will utilise the loan link up with Lille again?

Andrew - It would be nice to see more of City's youngster at Lille. It helps the club and benefits the players. When you look at the players Lille has developed in recent years (Digne, Cabaye, Debuchy, Hazard) it is a good place to learn your trade.

I would love to see Olivier Ntcham or Thierry Ambrose at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in the next few seasons. However, this could be a one-time move. Lopes agent is Mikkel Beck – as well as at Middlesborough, Beck played at Lille and is still a regular around the club.

How does he compare to Hazard in his first season at lille?

Andrew - It's a difficult comparison. Hazard played as a forward in Lille's 4-3-3 and was allowed the freedom of the pitch next to some excellent players. The team Hazard played in was miles better than the current squad. The Belgian is more nimble, agile and there is more finesse in his movement.

Lopes has amazingly quick feet like Hazard, but his style is more direct and bullish. At the same age, Hazard finished that season with five goals and eight assists, but Lille scored 29 more goals and finished fourth not eighth Lopes has that same anticipation when he has the ball at his feet, but in direct comparisons, his teammate Sofiane Boufal is more Hazard-esque than Lopes.

Does he remind you of anyone stylistically?

Andrew -  I've been racking my brain and I can't think of a player that Lopes is a direct comparison to. He has elements of Hazard, David Silva, even Alexis Sanchez and Carlos Tevez. He is quite unique. He combines speed, agility and finesse with a direct style. Lopes is definitely someone to get excited about.

Do you personally think he has a chance? Would you use him if you were Pellegrini next season - I.e do city need a player like him? Or another loan move?

Andrew - He definitely has a chance, but he is not ready yet. There is no point in brining him back to City to be a bench player and maybe get 5-10 minutes off the bench.

Another loan deal, especially because of the injuries, would see him come on leaps and bounds. He still has a lot to learn, but you are only going to learn that from playing week in, week out.

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It's hard not to get carried away when discussing the potential of a player like Marcos Lopes. He theoretically has everything. Goals, pace, skill, drive and that rare ability to conjure up something special out of nothing. He classifies as home-grown too - he's a frightening talent on the surface of things and one that would easily demand £10m plus already to a buyer. Double that if he was English. You'd guess he would at very least reach the level of someone like Jesus Navas and that isn't something to be shirked at. Navas isn't world class, but he's a champions league player and the big fishes we take from smaller ponds tend to come with a pretty hefty price tag, but it's usually a necessary outlay - we still need those reliable dependable squad players. It would just help if every one of them didn't cost around £15m. This is where someone Lopes should prove his worth - he should reach that level, if not higher, meaning we have a squad player for free and one that with a little bit of luck could potentially be a star.

The academy should help remove the need to spend huge amounts of money on talented but admittedly limited players like Fernando, Milner or Clichy. It should fill the holes in future squads leaving money aside for genuine A-listers, and maybe, just maybe, produce the odd Silva or Aguero along the way. Lopes ticks at least one of those boxes, and that's exciting. He's the first, in my opinion, that seems an almost guarantee to benefit the first team - hopefully opening the door for many others to follow too. On the flip-side, however, he is only very young still at nineteen and its worth noting that he did struggle a little towards the end of his loan spell at Lille. That's to be expected of any youngster, especially one making his first strides as a professional. Football's a tough game, Ligue 1 in particular, but there's nowhere tougher than the Premier League and it's possible he could struggle. Instinctively, I'd say he could handle it now, and with Milner, Lampard and Jovetic (and possibly more) all looking likely to leave we do need a replacement - he seems a natural fit, it's not hard to imagine him at least having some kind of impact. But it'd also be a fair conclusion if the club decided it is perhaps a year too early for him - maybe another loan somewhere would be in his best interests. The optimist in me would like him to stay, but I trust City with this one. Either way, I fully expect he'll be a big part of the future at City.

Other loan reviews - Denayer & Guidetti || Seko Fofana || Jordy Hiwula

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City EDS 3-1 MUFC u21

A truly satisfying and deserved victory following on from a confident, powerful midweek performance at Southampton. Ten days ago we went to Old Trafford and somehow came away with a 4-0 defeat. It was a frustrating game - City controlled possession that day looking to play positive, technical football. They were let down by a lack of a real cutting edge and some understandable naivety in front of a 16,000 strong crowd. United on the other hand sat back, content with a defensive approach, using their experience and nous to counter. They scored four. It was a 4-0 victory, yes, but it was an underwhelming 4-0, mainly built around the experience of Wilson and Januzaj. They were efficient and functional, but lacked notable talent or intelligence, Januzaj and Wilson aside. Experienced players playing at a level below their current status will do that. Along with Blackett who was solid at the back in the previous encounter, both of them were absent today.

City had Kelechi back through the middle, offering the cutting edge we sorely lacked at Old Trafford. Pozo was shunted out to the left with Barker positioned in the unfamiliar position of right wing. Ntcham, Glendon and Byrne held the midfield and Evans and Humphreys continued their partnership at centre-back. Our two Spanish starlets, Maffeo and Angelino were either side of them and Angus Gunn returned for O'Brien in goal. It didn't take long for the pattern of the game to develop. It was identical to the away trip - City would look to pass it around, trying to play their usual measured possession game and United would sit back, defending solidly, content to knock it forward fast and direct whenever they could, using their pace and power to try and initiate an attack or two. We largely handled it well. So it was no surprise that we went in 1-0 down at the break…

Typical. They scored just before half-time from a corner, Fletcher tapping the ball in from a few yards out. It was all too predictable. I said it in my report from the previous game, but it needs repeating again. United do this at youth level - they're efficient, they win often and they know how to grind our results. Be it at u16s, u18s or u21s. Time and time again. They're seemingly content with this, but from where i'm sat there's little in their performance and if they're happy with that then that's fine, but City want more than that from their players and rightly so. It felt like groundhog day when the players left the pitch after 45 minutes, but there was still solace to be taken from our general attitude. We were still the team looking to move the ball intelligently and we didn't lower ourselves to United's overly physical approach.

The second half was much better. Nemane came on for Pozo and took up the right wing position, meaning Barker could move back over to his usual slot on the left. And then the Kelechi show began. He was magnificent. He equalised after an hour with a truly remarkable goal, reminiscent of Bergkamp at his pomp, spinning away from one player before elegantly gliding past a second and cooly slotting the ball past the keeper. His second, and City's third, was also of the highest quality. His delightful first time flick found the onrushing Ntcham who powered past the United defence. Iheanacho followed, taking the ball off Ntcham before looking up and drilling the ball into the far corner. Clinical and exhilarating stuff. Between those two goals, Angelino had given City the lead after a well-worked short corner routine left him with a shooting opportunity. He didn't need a second invitation, powerfully slamming the ball past O'hara with the aid of a deflection.

3-1 wasn't flattering. It was a great end to the season for Vieira's men, a performance both full of individual quality and team effort. Gunn was measured and confident in goal (the rumoured loan move to Aberdeen would be great for him) and Angelino and Maffeo were both terrier-like, as ever. Maffeo in particular was up against a giant - United's left winger was 6'2, at least. A powerful and fast runner with skill too, yet Maffeo came out on top. No mean feat, but something we've come to expect. Ntcham ended the season on a high and was the pick of the midfielder three - his direct and powerful running caused United all sorts of problems. It wasn't all brute force either, there was more subtly to his game than sometimes evident, showing an awareness of others around him spreading the ball well. Perhaps the summer's come too soon for him. Byrne and Glendon were both bright, tirelessly taking the ball from the centre-backs and looking to turn and play it forward and Evans had a tidy game in defence. Pozo, sadly, was the one real weak link. He had a torrid time over on the left, constantly muscled off the ball and sloppy in possession. He was replaced at half-time. It doesn't look good for him as things stand - he may get another year but he's fallen a little this season in general and the fact that a 17 year old first year graduate, albeit a talented one in Nemane, immediately offered more balance to the team on arrival is cause for concern. City are patient and he will surely get another chance but the likes of Garcia, Boadu, Ambrose and even the very talented u16 Fernandes may make it hard for him to even get a game next season at this level. A loan to Spain seems inevitable.

Cameron Humphreys in defence was outstanding. It's hard to believe he's still sixteen. Yes, sixteen. And he won't turn seventeen until August either. He's strong, incredibly confident on the ball, a little like Demichelis when in possession, and he has a turn of pace too. To look as composed as he does at u21 level is an impressive feat. He has no right to excel at this level yet. If City manage it well then Denayer, Tosin and Humphreys could be the clubs centre-backs for years. They all have that much potential. Fingers crossed. Barker was good when moved over to the left. He nearly scored a couple too and the first half aside, where he was willing and eager but clearly not comfortable in a position alien to him, he was involved often causing United all kinds of problems down the right. Kelechi was fantastic. There isn't much more I can say about him, but he's now scored 6 in 7 at youth level, despite missing several months through injury at a new club, and he's technically not even a centre-forward. He prefers playing off the striker. He will surely be in the first team squad next year. Some players have that little spark that makes them stand out and he is one. 

It was fitting that a performance of this much quality would see the EDS out for the year. It's been a good season for the club at this level - we've had some lows, naturally, but also many highs with what is a very young team. Younger than the vast amount we play at this level. Next season will see many of the more experienced players go out on loan i'd expect, with the likes of Wood, Nemane, Boadu, Tosin, Humprheys and Garcia stepping up and it'll be a very interesting 12 months. I'll most likely be writing some reviews up over the coming weeks during the off season, and also some thoughts on what I expect will happen next year, but before that a few of our EDS lads will get a chance in the first team as they play two friendlies in the US next week. I'll report on both. 

Southampton 0-4 City EDS (Full game stream replay)

N.B - The whole game is available in the YouTube video at the bottom of this report.

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This was the perfect tonic to the frustration of last weekend's game. Southampton somewhat fortunately came away with a 2-0 victory on Saturday, capitalising on some questionable defending despite City dictating proceedings. Vieira's response was to freshen the team up and make a whopping eight changes to his starting eleven. Kelechi was restored to something approaching his usual position, starting through the middle in the place of Pozo with a recalled Barker and Nemane stationed either side of him. The oft-used triumvirate of Byrne, Glendon and Ntcham held the midfield while Horsfield and Angelino sat either side of Evans and Humphreys. Gunn returned in goal and Plummer, O'Brien, Intima and Drury were amongst those relegated to the bench. The vast changes were expected - especially considering the proximity of the previous fixture.  It was a strong Saints line-up too. They made three changes, all players with premiership and first team experience.

The first 30 minutes of the game were theirs, though we created most of their danger ourselves. They pressed well and our possession based football didn't click initially - we conceded possession cheaply, giving the ball away a few times straight to one of their onrushing attackers. We were lucky to keep the scores level and had to thank the upright for keeping Southampton at bay. Thirty five minutes in and our game suddenly ticked into life. A sweeping move down the left freed Iheanacho - he took his time before expertly picking out Nemane at the back post, who was (as ever) in the right place at the right time to roll the ball into the empty net. Soon after Ntcham scored a beauty, powering post two men before striking the ball with whip and pace from twenty five yards past the out-stretched hands of the Southampton keeper. The third ten minutes into the second half matched it. The much improved Barker picked up the ball, skipped past two challenges before playing a delightful little one-two with Iheanacho, placing his shot into the far corner. A truly sumptuous goal. Hazard-like. The fourth was Iheanacho's turn to get on the score sheet, Barker this time returning the favour squaring it for a smart finish from a few yards out.

It was a good performance. There was a swagger and arrogance to the EDS's game that hadn't been seen for a few games now. After the initial thirty minutes indecision, passes were slick, confident and the movement intricate and precise. Glendon was tidy, swivelling this way and that and alongside Byrne he controlled the pace of the game. Ntcham had his best performance in a City shirt for a few weeks. He's an odd one, Ntcham, capable of bringing drive and energy to any midfield, and also moments of brilliance with his goal today being proof, but he's also prone to disappearing and running into people. There is something there though and it'll be interesting to see how his experience turns out at City. It could go absolutely any way, good or bad, and I wouldn't be surprised by any possible outcome.

Nemane was relatively quiet, but busy - and he still scored. Most wingers don't score as many tap-ins as he does, though most simply don't attack the back post with the same endeavour either. It's a nice habit and it makes him a nuisance even on an off day. Barker was back to something approaching his best. His goal was delightful. He didn't have it easy either - their right back was huge, fast and powerful, yet Barker came out on top, picking up an assist for Iheanacho to go along with his goal. Iheanacho too had a productive day. Two assists and a goal. He's confident, strong and he has an eye for a pass that marks him out as potentially something a lot more interesting than the recent comparison to Daniel Sturridge. There's obvious stylistic similarities to the way they both move around the pitch, and there's the City link too, but Sturridge isn't known for his vision. The Nigerian has a penchant for a lovely little one-two around the area that reminds me a lot more of Silva, and its a devastatingly effective technique when executed well.

The defence in general had little to do, coping well with anything thrown at them by an experienced Southampton front line. Most of the trouble they had came from problems of their own creating. Humphreys, Evans and the usually reliable Angelino were all guilty of giving the ball away cheaply in the first half. This will happen - these players are young and learning the game, Humphreys in particular is only seventeen which is testament to his development this year. The way City want to play isn't easy, and that's by design. If you take the easy way out, kick it long and hope, then no one learns anything. Credit must go to all three though for their persistence. None of them dropped their heads at any point despite their mistakes, and none of them neglected the passing game, growing in confidence as City took a hold of play. Horsfield was solid, much more comfortable at right-back then in centre-midfield where he'd been deployed in recent weeks. Him and Angelino ventured forward well, and intelligently took up positions in midfield to support the attacks. Vieira likes his fullbacks to almost become an extra central-midfielder when not in possession, with the centre-backs spreading wide and its an interesting tactic. It can lead to us controlling the midfield, though a little exposed in the wide areas, but I have to presume the overall idea is to encourage the fullbacks to receive the ball in tight spaces, pushing them to improve their understanding of the game. Total football-esque.

James Hardy came on in the second half. This was the first time i'd seen him. He looked confident and calm in possession, dropping his shoulder subtly to spin away from challenges. I don't know much about him but it was an impressive little cameo. Intima and Drury both came on late with no real time to make an impression. Overall it was a satisfying performance. The last few weeks have been mixed for the EDS and it was nice to see them grab a confidence boosting victory ahead of their final game of the season - Manchester United at the CFA on Saturday. It should be very, very interesting.

You can watch this whole EDS match here thanks to Southampton's excellent YouTube channel. A mention must also go to their in-house commentators. Obviously Southampton fans, but fair and knowledgeable and they were very interesting to listen to.

MCFC u18s 1-0 Everton u18s

This was a really good result and much more interesting than the EDS game that followed it. If Everton won they'd be crowned u18s champions. They didn't - we beat them 1-0, gifting the title to Middlesborough. To be honest I thought we'd lose this given that results in the last few weeks had rendered this game a dead rubber for us. In fact since the league had split into two play-off tiers we'd lost four in a row and only picked up our first point last weekend away to Chelsea. It meant a lot to Everton too so credit must go to Jason Wilcox's men for this admittedly unexpected result. It was a fiery affair, but never over the top - two technical and tough teams both going toe to toe. It wasn't blessed with chances and it was mainly fought in the middle of the pitch, but it was entertaining nonetheless. Perhaps a draw would have been fair but you'd also have found it easy to argue that either side deserved a victory too. 

We started with a much more balanced team than the EDS line up. We had Tattum and Vasi as the fullbacks and Charlie Oliver and Humphreys as the centre-back pairing. Nemane was over on the left with Fernandes on the right and the midfield three consisted of Marcus Wood, Diallo and Will Patching. Buckley was up top and Albinson between the sticks. I was really impressed with Diallo, only really young (fifteen I think) but he was composed and strong throughout. He's already a huge physical presence, but it was his touch and technique that stood out. He basically did a Yaya impression, sitting deep and dictating play, taking the ball from the centre-backs. Really, really good and an English lad too. Patching struggled a little early doors. I've seen him three or four times now at u18s level and he's found it a little tough each time, despite being highly rated at youth level. He did settle into the game though and he's clearly a very elegant player, but he's still finding his feet at this level as he's a little easily brushed off the ball at the moment - he's tall but waif like. Marcus Wood basically played exactly like Kean Bryan. Tough, strong and strode forward well. A battler with penchant for a Gareth Barry challenge, which is by no means a bad thing - he was a little sloppy in possession on occasion but still very strong up against a competitive Everton midfield.

Fernandes shone again. Some of the young foreign imports with high expectations have struggled to settle at City, Faour, Dilrosun and Kongolo in particular, but he's bucked that trend. He was easily our biggest threat. Such an elegant, skilful little player, darting about, popping up here and there. He only managed to isolate his marker on a couple of occasions, but both times he skipped past him with nonchalant ease. In the second half he briefly played behind the striker and he excelled there too - he's blessed with very good vision and quick feet so a long-term future there may be a possibility. Nemane was relatively quiet stationed out on the left, but he worked hard and scored the winning goal. I really like his habit of being in the right place at the right time which is a nice trait for any winger. It always irks me when wingers don't attack the back post from crosses from the opposite wing but he does - he's always there at the back post and he often gets his rewards. He did today - a sloppy bit of defending sent Buckley through on goal who showed good composure to take his time and pick Nemane out for the easy job of sliding the ball into the net. Buckley had a good game too. Perhaps he isn't blessed with exquisite technique, but he certainly adds to the team. He never stopped working giving the defenders a pretty tough time and he did well for the assist too, so no complaints here.

I thought defensively they were all good. I actually like Vasi at left-back - I've heard rumours that he may be moved on but they may be just that, because if so that'd be harsh. I've seen him twice, probably three times, not sure - but each time he's been solid defensively and bustled forward well. Tattum too is a good defender. Bucket loads of energy and its admirable. There was a couple of sloppy of moments for Oliver and Humphreys when passing out but they both played well. Oliver was responsible for some proper nitty gritty defending - the John Terry stuff, throwing himself into tackles and sticking tight to his man etc and its really notable now that Humphreys is one of the more experienced players in this team now. At one point he thought he momentarily turned into Desailly, strolling forward past 3 challenges…..before promptly running straight into a defender. He looks confident either way though and he's really developed this season. The difference from a few months back in his game is almost tangible and it bodes well. Charlie Albinson had a pretty easy game in goal. Couple of nice saves but not loads to do.

Lukas Nmecha and Luke Bolton both came on in the second half. Both under 16s, with Bolton only fifteen still I think. Either way both are still pretty new to this level and they impressed. It was the first time i'd seen either in the flesh and their confidence was striking. Nmecha came on for Patching in the second half, going up top with Buckley going out wide and Fernandes tucking in behind the striker. Bolton was a half-time sub for Nemane. I saw Bolton during the u16s tournament a couple of weeks ago, still available online here, and he played through the middle impressing with his strength and hold up play. He came on here out wide, his usual position apparently. He's tough. Very. He immediately impressed with his absolutely lung-bursting runs. He ran at the defence like a young Tevez. Fast, direct and bouncing off defenders. One run took him past two from deep inside his own half before he slightly overran it. He's obviously not quite the explosive talent that Tevez was at that age, but it was still an impressive cameo nonetheless. Nmecha was good too, technically proficient and with a very welcome instinct for heading straight towards the goal. He span away from defenders a couple of times driving straight at Everton's defence, causing problems and winning a few dangerous free-kicks. One took well by Fernandes that nearly found its way into the top corner.

Based on this performance you'd struggle to understand why our record in the past few weeks had been so bad but that's youth team football. I think some of the u16s are slowly getting to grips with the 18s. The leap in physicality from a player only fifteen years old to one eighteen can be absolutely huge at times so some naturally do struggle, but they'll be better for it next season. I presume there will be many more from the u16s making the step up to the 18s next season as the likes of Fernandes, Humphreys, Wood and Nemane find themselves involved with the EDS on a more frequent basis. I'm looking forward to it.

City EDS 0-2 Southampton u21s

This was a taste of our own bittersweet medicine. Southampton did to us what we did to Porto last week. They defended well, offered very little going forward and then capitalised on some sloppy defending to win the game. Both of the Saints goals were remarkably easy - the second in particular. Tosin Adarabioyo spent far too long getting back to his feet after a challenge near the touch line and found himself caught out of a position. A simple throw in over the top put their forward through on goal and he squared it across the area for a tap-in. The first was similar and came with only a couple of minutes on this clock - this time it was Ash Smith-Brown at fault as a long ball sailed past him, leaving their right winger with the simple task of picking out his team mate in the middle for the opener. It proved decisive.

It was a frustrating evening for Vieira's men, truth be told. It's been a pretty mixed end to the season for the EDS - the highs of the PLIC win have been followed by two quick defeats and I can't help but feel that many involved today need this season to come to its conclusion. The summer off to reassess and start again with fresh ideas and fresh impetus would be no bad thing. They were by no means poor, far from it. They probed well, worked as hard as ever and had a few decent chances to score too. Kelechi should have found the net, Garcia and Intima as well, but there was something missing. That spark or moment of ingenuity - anything. It was all quite safe. Months ago our left wing axis of Angelino and Barker would have provided drive and flair. A goal threat too… Neither started. Angelino was elsewhere and Barker only made the bench after a recent dip in form. Byrne or Celina might have fired one in from 25 yards and maybe one of the injured Ambrose or Boadu could have skipped past a challenge and drove at the heart of the opposition's defence. Celina wasn't around, the latter two are still sadly struggling with injuries and Byrne isn't quite at the top of his game either. They're not, for whatever reason, at the same level as their more confident selves of a few weeks ago.

We weren't helped by a series of frustrating little niggles. Maffeo picked up a knock and both Bryan and Smith-Brown had to leave the pitch in the first half, replaced by Garcia and Evans. It lead to an unfamiliar change in shape that consisted of Maffeo, Tosin and Plummer as a back three with a five man midfield of Intima and Iheanacho running the wings. Evans was holding and Ntcham and Byrne both pushed forward - Garcia effectively played as a no.10 behind Pozo, though he found himself quite deep at times essentially creating a six man midfield. With half an hour left Barker came on for Ntcham and took his usual left-wing position, Kelechi went into the middle and Garcia dropped a little deeper making the formation something approaching a more conventional 3-5-2. It definitely helped. It's fair to say Kelechi is no wide player - he struggled to have any impact on the game at all and he only came alive when this change was made and he found himself central. He nearly scored too, rounding the keeper after some lovely link up play with Garcia, but to his frustration his second touch just took the ball out of play.

Pozo was bright again continuing his recent upturn in form, even if it would have been a good idea to switch him and Iheanacho around well before Barker was brought on. His highlight came in the first half, pirouetting away from a defender before putting Garcia through on goal. Sadly Garcia's finish didn't match his overall contribution to the game which was quietly impressive - he dictated proceedings in the second half in a manner befitting his ever-growing stature at this level. Next season will be a very interesting year for him. Ntcham was as ever a real mixed bag. Energetic, powerful and hard working, yet frustratingly inconsistent with the ball - one long range shot somehow managed to clear the stadium. Impressive…in a way. Evans was a lot more comfortable in his preferred midfield role, though Southampton didn't exactly make life difficult for him, and Byrne was decent even if he couldn't quite stamp his authority on the game. Intima worked hard and ran the line well, though lacked quality whenever he was asked to something decisive, missing two good opportunities and failing to pick out any of his teammates from good crossing positions. Defensively we weren't severely tested and Maffeo and Plummer had relatively comfortable games though It wasn't Tosin Adarabioyo's best 90 minutes, culpable for one goal and nearly causing another, but he's 17 and he'll learn. Billy O'Brien took Angus Gunn's place between the sticks and what little he had to do, he did well.

All in all, it was a disappointing afternoon for the EDS though they won't have to wait long for a chance of revenge. They go to St. Mary's this week to play Southampton again before the big one next weekend where we face United at the CFA. Hopefully we'll be able to readdress the balance after last Tuesday's quickly forgettable defeat.

Jordy Hiwula - Walsall loan review

Following on from the review of Seko Fofana's spell at Fulham I spoke to a couple of Walsall fans about our young forward Jordy Hiwula. Despite proving prolific at youth level for the various age groups at City, his first tastes of senior football only came this year during what turned out to be a frustrating early season loan with Yeovil. His bad fortune in front of goal was somewhat cruelly called out by then manager Gary Johnson, causing the move to be cut short after only nine games and a solitary goal for the club. A few weeks later City decided to send him out again, this time moving him to Walsall, hoping for a little more success under Dean Smith's tutelage. He hit the ground running, scoring in his first three games for the club prompting the move to be extended to the end of the season where he played consistently, notching up 9 goals in 19 games for the saddlers.

I spoke to Kevin Paddock from Vital Walsall and the fansite BescotBanter about his contributions.

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The immediately obvious one - how has he done this season? Has the loan been a success?

VW - When he first came to the club most fans had their concerns about him, not his fault but from past experiences. We had a young guy on loan from Liverpool (Michael Ngoo) last season who like Jordy had a spell at Yeovil and things didn't go well so we as fans put him in the same category before we had even saw him play. Roll forward half a season and we have realised he's ten times the player Ngoo was and has so much more potential within the game.

BB - Jordy has done very well, his loan has been a success. He hit the ground running with a goal in his debut against Doncaster Rovers, and has gone on to put in several solid performances for the club, making him a favourite for a large section of fans. He has dealt well with a slight switch in playing position following the return of top-scorer Tom Bradshaw from an injury lay-off, Jordy coped well with a move to the wing and even bagged a couple of goals from that position.

What's the perception of his potential as a player within Walsall? Do they think he'll have a chance at City?

BB - In terms of potential with Walsall, he would be a first-choice player if he was to join on another loan next season, he may have to make do with a wider position of play, but as his loan spell has shown he can and has made an impact on the side.

He is however unlikely to get a real opportunity with the Citizens, the rules regarding squads having a certain amount of 'homegrown' talent may lead to players such as Jordy being retained, but with talent like Segio Aguero, Edin Džeko and Wilfried Bony occupying the starting places, and up-and-comers like José Ángel Pozo and John Guidetti on the fringes, Jordy will surely be overlooked.

Have the fans taken to him?

BB - His arrival was greeted with delight by supporters, although some did note his less than successful loan spell with Yeovil Town, however with other loan switches in the past we're more than aware of some players inability to 'gel' with certain squads and tactics, it only takes a tweak here and there to help a player to open the goal-scoring floodgates, or put in performances that will grab the attention of their parent club.

His aforementioned debut goal was a very good signal to supporters of his ability, along with his goal creation, he has also gone on to grab several other goals, including a brace during the Saddlers' 8-2 final day humiliation to Bristol City, helping to establish him as a fan favourite.

His best position? He's played, if I'm correct, wide in a three and up top on his own? Obvious flaws/strengths? Does he remind you of anyone stylistically?

BB - He has played in all positions across the front-line and also as a wide/winger in midfield, the injury to Tom Bradshaw allowed him to make a few appearances as a lone striker but he has spent much of his time out wide. His biggest strength would probably be his finishing, he can be pressured off the ball a little easily at times but that will change with extra strengthening work, he has a good level of pace and is always a threat to the opposition's defence.

It's difficult to think of a player he reminds me of, in terms of un-tapped ability he's like our former winger Emmanuel Ledesma, now of Middlesbrough, who was fairly unknown, or at least not highly thought of before he came to the club, but left on a high as a fan-favourite following many memorable performances.

VW - Jordy was brought in as our centre forward when our leading goalscorer Tom Bradshaw was injured and whilst he was comfortable in this position he has really flourished since move into a more wide position just playing off the striker. His main strengths are his pace and trickery, some of his goals this season have been sublime. One thing he does lack is consistency but that will only come with experience. If I had to compare him to a current premiership player Id put him in a younger rawer category as Theo Walcott, the fact that he has pace to burn and does seem to be ahead of some on his day and a bit like Theo he needs to add more to his physique to match his pace.

Do you personally think he has a chance at Premier League level eventually? Would you give him the odd game in the league cup at City next season etc.. or another loan move?

VW - For me I think he is some distance away from Premiership football but with a few games in the cup competitions with Man City style of play then I can see him adapting quite easy. With nine goals in seventeen games for the Saddlers a season long loan will be beneficial to all parties and with a long run in the side I can easily see Jordy getting fifteen to twenty goals next season.

BB - As mentioned earlier, the likelihood of Jordy getting any regular first-team football at the Etihad seems slim, although you can never really tell. On a personal note we'd like to see him return for another loan spell, cup appearances are good for experience but there is nothing like the regularity of first-team football to move a player on, Jordy has progressed well during his time at the club and would obviously benefit from a longer loan spell during the coming campaign.

Do you think City will utilise the loan link up with Walsall again?

VW - We are trying to negotiate with Man City to bring him back next season on a season long loan but that depends on what Man City want to do with his progression but he will always get game time here and like most of our youngsters they seem to improve under manager Dean Smith. We don't obviously have the same luxuries as Man City but I'd like to think we attack teams at our level as much as City do at theirs.

Liverpool, Chelsea and now Man City have seen Walsall as a club to send their cream of crop youngsters to as our manager Dean Smith gives youth a chance, playing the right way with possession attacking football.

BB - We'd certainly hope so, there are several talented members of the EDS side, many of which would fit into the Walsall side, we have a history of creating our own talent, but are also known for bringing the best out of players who arrive on loan and may have been on a bit of a downturn with their parent club. One issue with modern football is managers' often refuse to take risks, especially in the top-flight, gone are the days of a debuting sixteen year-old striker bursting on to the scene, so this may be the only way for talented reserves to show their worth and try to earn that place at the top table.

To me, he comes across as the kind of old school classic centre-forward who will just pop up and score you a goal. Bit of a rare commodity these days, and when you look at Kane's indifferent loan records before it all of a sudden clicked for him, and indeed even Jordy's prior spell at Yeovil, I do wonder if he could be the kind to one day see a sharp rise in confidence and burst into life at a high level. Thoughts? Or am I getting carried away with myself..

BB - You can certainly see the links between him and Harry Kane, although Harry was seen as a talent early on in his career, but before his breakthrough seemed to be heading for something of a disappointing time in the game.

As mentioned earlier, Jordy has progressed well under the Saddlers' stewardship, and would benefit from further time with the club, he has all the potential in the world and would benefit from another spell of first-team football. If he doesn't return to the club he will leave in a better position than when he arrived, he would fit in well to a Championship side and could be on the cusp of a bit of a breakthrough in his career.

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It will be interesting to see how next season pans out for Jordy. Another loan surely beckons. He's clearly a talented young player, but the bar at City is incredibly high. Even at youth level there's stern competition - Kelechi Iheanacho and Thierry Ambrose both appear on the surface much more promising players, and both are two years younger than him, but nothing is ever certain in football and you only have to take one glance at Harry Kane's career to see how a player's career can blow up if the touch paper is lit. A season in League 1 or the Championship could see him score 20+ goals and he'd return a year older, stronger and full of confidence. It never harms to have a hardworking young home-grown striker in your ranks with an eye for goal and pace to burn. Personally, I wouldn't be suprised if he took a similar route to the top level as other ex-City youth prospects, Kieran Trippier and Kasper Schmeichel spring to mind, establishing himself in the lower divisions before moving up with a promoted club. I think we'll know a lot more about the clubs intentions for him when the transfer window slams shut during the early stages next season. Time will tell.

Other loan reviews - Marcos Lopes || Seko Fofana || Denayer & Guidetti