UEFA Youth League

Don't forget Fulton, kept us in it a couple of times.

Very true. Some very important saves.

Cheers, just need UEFA to pull their finger out.

Real Madrid beat Ludogorets 6-0.

Madrid, Basel and Liverpool. 12 points.

All 3 have won and lost to each other.

So if it's head to heads that count,
is it the biggest win ie goal difference in the head to heads that count.
If so Basel are out.


6.04 If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches,
the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings (in descending
order):
a) higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the
teams in question;
b) superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams
in question;

Real Madrid and Liverpool through on b) Superior goal difference.

We seem to have a lack of strikers across all levels of the club.
Sinclair was having a poor game, before his goal, but there aren't the options really.

great win, always said that these lads deserve a chance in the big team, hope the same result goes tonight

We seem to have a lack of strikers across all levels of the club.
Sinclair was having a poor game, before his goal, but there aren't the options really.

We, as in us two, have been saying this for a few seasons though mate.  We've basically got Yesil at u21's and Sinclair at u18's who are actual strikers but we are blessed with a lot of scoring midfielders and players that can play as a striker when needs must.  Players like Dunn, Ojo, Wilson, Brannagan, Kent, Lussey, Tricket-Smith, Canos etc have all chipped in with plenty of goals, something that our seniors aren't able to do.

We, as in us two, have been saying this for a few seasons though mate.  We've basically got Yesil at u21's and Sinclair at u18's who are actual strikers but we are blessed with a lot of scoring midfielders and players that can play as a striker when needs must.  Players like Dunn, Ojo, Wilson, Brannagan, Kent, Lussey, Tricket-Smith, Canos etc have all chipped in with plenty of goals, something that our seniors aren't able to do.

Worth noting. Especially looking at our slow play tonight.

Don't you mean Chirivella mate, Canos plays on the wing?

Belated reply because I missed your post, but you are correct, not Canos but Chirivella, sorry!!!

Chirivella is only 17 right? He must be a real talent for us to spend 2m on him. From the looks of things, I think he could be ready next season for the first team. He could be our Fabregas (Arsenal days).

Round of 16 draw coming up next monday. Some good teams in there for sure.

Group winners: Club Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid CF, SL Benfica, RSC Anderlecht, Manchester City FC, AFC Ajax, FC Shakhtar Donetsk

Qualified, can finish first or second: Chelsea FC, FC Schalke 04

Group runners-up: Olympiacos FC, Liverpool FC, FC Zenit, Arsenal FC, AS Roma, FC Barcelona

Can finish second: FC Porto, Athletic Club, Chelsea FC, FC Schalke 04

On the subject of strikers, I was just reading that we're supposedly after Ajax striker Zakaria El Azzouzi. He scored 6 goals and 2 assists in 162 minutes this UEFA Youth League. And scored a bunch more goals in the national league. He's already 18 years old, and originally is backup to their other younger striker El Idrissi, but started getting gametime when El Idrissi got injured. Apparently we watched him in their game against PSG when he scored 4 goals. I think he has looked amazing, but I don't know if his age deceives in that aspect, most other big talents in that Ajax team are younger. He doesn't have a contract at Ajax yet.

Good luck to the lads on Monday night in the youthcup v Bradford live on lfctv at 7

Good luck to the lads on Monday night in the youthcup v Bradford live on lfctv at 7

Thanks for the reminder, I will watch it!

I hope fans haven't forgotten that our u19's are still in this Competition.  The draw is at 2pm this afternoon and is being streamed live on EUFA's site, not sure if Sky will show it.  Interesting to see that the next games are single leg ties rather than the usual 2 leg ties, that could make it difficult if we're drawn away.

Group winners: Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Real Madrid CF (ESP), SL Benfica (POR), RSC Anderlecht (BEL), Manchester City FC (ENG), AFC Ajax (NED), Chelsea FC (ENG), FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Runners-up: Olympiacos FC (GRE), Liverpool FC (ENG), FC Zenit (RUS), Arsenal FC (ENG), AS Roma (ITA), FC Barcelona (ESP, holders), FC Schalke 04 (GER), FC Porto (POR)

Round of 16
Section winners host group runners-up in single-leg ties. Teams from the same association or who were in the same pool cannot meet; based on the decision taken by the UEFA Emergency Panel, sides from Russia and Ukraine shall not be drawn together. Matches have been provisionally scheduled for 17/18 and 24/25 February.

Next up for the Mini Reds Champions League:
Benfica.

Great game.

Next up for the Mini Reds Champions League:
Benfica.

Great game.

Are we home or away mate?

Are we home or away mate?

Looks like we're away 

Looks like we're away 

Cheers mate, that'll be a tough one then.

The lads are in action again next Tuesday afternoon away against Benfica at 3pm.  Not sure if it's on tv anywhere as there's nothing listed on the offal yet.

It'll be a tough game as we're missing Rossiter and Chirivella to injuries and also Ojo who's out on loan, 3 of our most consistant performers this season. 

This afternoon sees the return of this competition at the knock out stage.  Our young Reds are away at Benfica in a game which if level at full time, will go straight to penalties.

We're missing a lot of our regular players due to injuries and loans, just to make it even more difficult.  Rossiter's definitely out and there are doubts over Chirivella, Canos and Kent with Ojo missing due to being at Wigan on loan.

Let's hope Sinclair can keep his great scoring run going after his extra curricular shooting practice with God himself.

Jerome: I love working with Robbie
24th Feb 2015 - Latest News

Jerome Sinclair has explained just how much he feels he has improved as a striker by working alongside club ambassador Robbie Fowler at the Academy.

The 18-year-old, who will spearhead the attack for Neil Critchley's U19s as they face Benfica in the last 16 of the UEFA Youth League in Portugal this afternoon, has already had an impressive campaign.

Liverpool's youngest ever player has fired 21 goals for the Reds' youth teams so far this season, including six in the European tournament, and he has enjoyed regular sessions in Kirkby under the guidance of Fowler and Academy director Alex Inglethorpe.

"Robbie is a legend at this club so to get a few helpful tips from him and some advice is brilliant for me," Sinclair told Liverpoolfc.com.

'It's great working with Robbie'

"This is a guy who has been there and done it and played at the pinnacle of the game. It's fantastic for me to get the chance to work with him and it can only improve my game.

"He has given me a few little tips on my first touch, and worked with me on different types of finishing. He is always there to help me in any way he can."

The young Reds have not played in Europe since December 9, when they reached the last 16 of the UEFA Youth League courtesy of a dramatic final group game with FC Basel.

Needing to win by two clear goals to qualify, Sinclair was among the scorers as Liverpool triumphed 3-0 and secured progress to the knockout stages by netting a pair of goals in stoppage time.

The next task facing Critchley's charges is a tough one as Benfica, runners-up in the competition last season, have home advantage in the 3pm GMT kick-off.

The tie has to be decided on the day in Portugal and if the scores are level after normal time, the encounter will go straight to penalties to find a winner with no extra-time.

Sinclair said: "It has been a really good experience for us to play in this competition, coming up against different opposition and different cultures.

"We've done well so far and we want to keep going and see how far we can go in it. We know it will be a really tough game against Benfica but we will go there with confidence and hopefully we can come through it."

The talented forward is the joint-second leading goalscorer in the UEFA Youth League with six strikes so far, just one behind Chelsea's Dominic Solanke and Real Madrid's Borja Mayoral.

While he has been happy to have racked up such a tally to date, Sinclair insists his main objective is helping the team rather than looking for personal glory.

"I want to score goals," he added. "I'm a striker and if I'm scoring goals I'm happy, but the team is the most important thing.

"We've had quite a bit of a wait since our win over Basel but everyone is really excited and we can't wait for this game. We know we can beat any opposition on our day. We have beaten Real Madrid this season so we know what we can do."

The lads are in action again next Tuesday afternoon away against Benfica at 3pm.  Not sure if it's on tv anywhere as there's nothing listed on the offal yet.

It'll be a tough game as we're missing Rossiter and Chirivella to injuries and also Ojo who's out on loan, 3 of our most consistant performers this season.

Here's a link for it; http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/benfica-youth-vs-liverpool-youth-live-streaming. Should pop up at 3

Here's a link for it; http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/benfica-youth-vs-liverpool-youth-live-streaming. Should pop up at 3

Cheers bud.

Thanks lads.

Benfica topped their group with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss; scored 12 and conceded 8 in those games. They also got to the final of this competition last season so they're obviously a really good team. It's going to be a tough game with us carrying a few injuries to key players as previously mentioned. 

Here's a link for it; http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/benfica-youth-vs-liverpool-youth-live-streaming. Should pop up at 3

Thanks for that mate, was fearing having to scour the internet for a few hours to find that haha