Liverpool FC Academy Youth Team Thread

We play Man United tomorrow morning at 11am on LFC TV.

Good goal by Yan Dhanda.

Yan Dhanda makes it 1-0 to Liverpool with a 25 yard strike into the bottom corner. We've had a few chances so far and have definitely been the better team.

First time I've seen Adekanye, he looks like a good player.

Thanks guys forgot this was on and been catching up on the olympics.

Yan Dhanda makes it 2-0.  Some top quality football was played in the build up to that goal.

Dhanda's got 2. Great build up play.

Yan Dhanda makes it 2-0.  Some top quality football was played in the build up to that goal.

I didn't even recognise him, he's matured from boy to young man over the summer 😳

Great start for the lads, good to keep the momentum up after the 4-0 win over Blackburn.

Camacho coming on. 

We've a really young team out today, a lot of u16s playing.  Coyle impressing again, some really good first time passes on the volley to the wide positions.

Bobby Adenkanye also having a good game.

Interesting to hear that Adam Lewis, 16, is being converted from an attacking midfielder to a left back.

Wish my gf went down as much as lfctv.

Wish my gf went down as much as lfctv.

We're using their feed mate but yeah lfctv is a bit unpredictable.

Seems in all the excitement of yesterday, everyone missed the u18s game against the Bitters.

We lost 4-1 with Yan Dhanda getting our only goal 

Seems in all the excitement of yesterday, everyone missed the u18s game against the Bitters.

We lost 4-1 with Yan Dhanda getting our only goal 

Plenty of the lads are in the U23s at the moment, so maybe a wee bit more experience for these U18 lads will put them right. That said, Everton do have a very capable youth academy, which has sadly, put ours to shame over the last decade. But I am encouraged by some of the talent in the U23s.

Plenty of hype this week on Trent Alexander Arnold. I'm sure a bit more time in the gym to strengthen up and training with the seniors will see him ready to make the jump to the match day squads.

It would be great to have some local talent in the squad. I think of all the great Liverpool teams and a lot of their success was based on academy products. Whether they are strong supporting cast (e.g. Fairclough) or lead actors (like Gerrard and Carragher) the Academy definitely has a purpose in ensuring a cost effective but efficient way of improving the squad. Nobody likes to be reminded of them, but Manchester United would not have had the success of the last 25 years if it weren't for the efforts and promotion of youth who formed the backbone. Likewise, our successes in the 2000s were built on a backbone of academy graduates.

It is very often the case that great squads around the world are built upon the ethos and style of the academy. Often adapting seamlessly to a style of football that is endemic in the club, they have the potential in being more finely tuned than incomers to the squad. Ensuring a prosperous academy with top level coaching will I'm sure help us propel ourselves back to the top.

I'm not expecting once in a lifetime like geniuses like Gerrard but, at the very least, lads who can fill gaps in the squad and provide us with the strength in depth required for the top level of competition (that means competing for the biggest trophies at the same time).

Who knows - if our academy had produced a lot more capable talent in the last 15 years as opposed to the dire state it was in, then we may not have seen such a crisis where sh*te like Konchesky, Manquillo, Moses, etc were brought in.

I have full confidence that Jürgen will get this right - his record at Dortmund proves it. And I'm optimistic at last that the talent we see in the U23s have the potential to make it to the senior squad.

A couple of updates for our younger players who don't yet have player threads.  Congratulations to both of them.

Liverpool forward Rhian Brewster hits 5 in 3 games as England U17s dominate Croatia Cup

Jack Lusby on 03.10.2016

Liverpool academy star Rhian Brewster was in fine form as the England U17s took three wins from three games in the Croatia Cup.

Brewster was the only Reds youngster called up to Steve Cooper’s squad for the three-game tournament, but highlighted why he was considered a high-potential talent on Merseyside.

The 16-year-old forward joined talent from the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and his former side, Chelsea, for clashes against Croatia U17s (September 28), Greece U17s (September 30) and finally Germany U17s (October 3).

Taking no time to make his mark on the international stage, Brewster hit five goals in three appearances, with the young Lions going unbeaten in Croatia.

Leading the line for England’s opener against the host side, Brewster struck twice before half-time and once more after the interval to help seal an emphatic 5-0 victory.

Jadon Sancho, of City, and United’s Angel Gomes scored the others, handing Cooper a positive start to the friendly tournament.

Cooper dropped Brewster and Sancho to the substitutes’ bench for England’s clash with Greece two days later, but the Liverpool star was brought on for a second-half cameo, replacing Reading’s Danny Loader with his side already two goals up, on their way to a 3-0 win.

Finally, taking on Christian Wuck’s Germany at the Stadium Aldo Drosina in Pula, England ended the tournament with an excellent 8-1 victory.

Brewster scored twice in four first-half minutes in that win, bringing his tally for the Croatia Cup up to five goals in just three appearances, and given the rigours of the five-day schedule, this is hugely impressive.

The forward has shone for the Liverpool U18s already this season, and looks set for a bright future under the likes of Neil Critchley, Michael Beale and, potentially, Jürgen Klopp.

Academy striker Liam Millar signs professional contract

Steve Hunter
@Shunter77

Liverpool’s Academy have announced that striker Liam Millar has signed his first professional contract with the club.

The Canada U20 international, who arrived in Kirkby towards the end of last season, celebrates his 17th birthday today and put pen to paper on a new deal.

A regular member of Neil Critchley’s U18s, he scored a hat-trick on his debut in the first game of 2016-17 against Blackburn Rovers.

Nowhere else to put this as the transfer section isn't open yet.

http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/14826554.Youngest_ever_Shaker_Obi_set_for_Liverpool_switch/?ref=twtrec

Really excited with some of the players coming through.

I was at the game on Tuesday (first game in the new Main Stand - astonished at how much it has changed from a concrete block to a plush leisurely place of luxury) and was so pleased with the youngsters performances. TAA showed his raw potential and linked up well in attacks (didn't focus too much of hm in defence though) while Ejaria had a really mature tidy performance. Quick and strong and his hold up play was good.

And I know he's not a youth player anymore but Stewart once again put in a faultless performance.

Really excited with some of the players coming through.

I was at the game on Tuesday (first game in the new Main Stand - astonished at how much it has changed from a concrete block to a plush leisurely place of luxury) and was so pleased with the youngsters performances. TAA showed his raw potential and linked up well in attacks (didn't focus too much of hm in defence though) while Ejaria had a really mature tidy performance. Quick and strong and his hold up play was good.

And I know he's not a youth player anymore but Stewart once again put in a faultless performance.

I loved it when Jürgen held his hand out to him when he came off and Trent just went straight in for a hug.  I watched the game again today and Jurgens interview with lfc.tv after, he proper got the giggles talking about the kids, like he can't believe his luck at the quality we have.

He said something about them being great, that we've got some equally good ones that are even younger and some of the u15s are even better but he was laughing with delight whilst saying it.

I also love how he's said he won't buy any players without looking at the Academy first, that if we've already got someone suitable they'll be used.  I got the feeling after pre season that he might not have bought Grujic if he'd already seen Ejaria play.

I loved it when Jürgen held his hand out to him when he came off and Trent just went straight in for a hug.  I watched the game again today and Jurgens interview with lfc.tv after, he proper got the giggles talking about the kids, like he can't believe his luck at the quality we have.

He said something about them being great, that we've got some equally good ones that are even younger and some of the u15s are even better but he was laughing with delight whilst saying it.

I also love how he's said he won't buy any players without looking at the Academy first, that if we've already got someone suitable they'll be used.  I got the feeling after pre season that he might not have bought Grujic if he'd already seen Ejaria play.

Think he would have still bought Grujic mate as he has the potential to be outstanding in another couple of seasons and cost us to very little.

Think he would have still bought Grujic mate as he has the potential to be outstanding in another couple of seasons and cost us to very little.

Oh I know that, him potentially being outstanding and his price but I think Ejaria has surprised everyone because he never stood out before.

It happens sometimes but it is unusual.

I loved it when Jürgen held his hand out to him when he came off and Trent just went straight in for a hug.  I watched the game again today and Jurgens interview with lfc.tv after, he proper got the giggles talking about the kids, like he can't believe his luck at the quality we have.

He said something about them being great, that we've got some equally good ones that are even younger and some of the u15s are even better but he was laughing with delight whilst saying it.

I also love how he's said he won't buy any players without looking at the Academy first, that if we've already got someone suitable they'll be used.  I got the feeling after pre season that he might not have bought Grujic if he'd already seen Ejaria play.

I wonder - I think Grujic has been brought on the basis of potential but you could tell Ejaria was well versed in the styles of the team.

Alex Inglethorpe and co must have drummed similar methods from Klopp to replicate the senior squad so that they are well prepared. I've heard a lot of good things about the current youth setup, and credit must be given to Brendan Rodgers who restructured it and brought in the current coaches like Inglethorpe and Linjders. I'd like to think it could be a legacy he has left that people have failed to realise.

Ejaria is the perfect example of these coaches getting the best out of our young talents - deemed not good enough by Arsenal, he was given a lifeline at Liverpool and he has certainly proved himself to be more than worthy of staying at Arsenal. This is one I think Wenger and co will regret, but it may also prove how much more adept Liverpool are at improving youngsters than other clubs.

With the tweaks that Klopp has implemented to Rodgers restructuring (certainly, priming them for the first team with his coaching methods will do any young kid wonders), then I really believe we will see a healthy number of academy products in the senior squad.

No need for any more wasted funds on bit part useless players - tally them up over the years and we have been haemorrhaging money that could have been pooled together on more quality talent. Just look at our bench from 2-4 years ago - the likes of Borini, Aspas, Luis Alberto, Cissokho, Moses, Manquillo, Assaidi. Pretty shocking - all made the worst by the fact that they were bought into the club.

Now, we can rely on some nifty youngsters from the academy who have already produced much more than all these players put together. Strength in depth is vital for a great team. For too long - even under Rafa's peak years - our bench has been very poor. Klopp is rectifying this with his superb coaching of youth and eye for a bargain.

More transfer related but has anyone heard of this young defender we are signing for the academy?

He's 15 years old and 6 foot 5   


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3879150/Liverpool-sign-15-year-old-man-mountain-Emeka-Obi-fighting-competition-Stoke-starlet.html#article-3879150

More transfer related but has anyone heard of this young defender we are signing for the academy?

He's 15 years old and 6 foot 5   


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3879150/Liverpool-sign-15-year-old-man-mountain-Emeka-Obi-fighting-competition-Stoke-starlet.html#article-3879150

Already a thread for him mate.

Absolute giant.

http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php/topic,49194.msg1986120.html#new