U18s: United v Middlesbrough

Interesting to see this game - a few players who haven't played that much. Moorhouse was really positive when he came on against Palace in the FA Youth Cup. Can't recall if I have ever seen Zach Baumann play - not sure if its correct, but according to info I found online - he is 15 years. Musa and Wheatley both 16 - so a young side
 
1-0 United - a huge mistake by the Boro keeper. Wheatley with a high cross from a very acute angle. Keeper tries to grab the ball and it goes through his hands and rolls into the goal. Probably an owngoal.
 
Moorhouse been sensational so far - really good with the ball at his feet
 
Great to see Jack Moorhouse starting the game well and making some good driving runs from midfield.

I saw him in some summer friendlies in NI Milk Cup and he was doing that a lot and looked very impressive at that level as a box to box midfielder. He's been less imposing in most of the U18 games I've seen him in up till now but hopefully he's now getting more confident at this older level.
 
Great to see Jack Moorhouse starting the game well and making some good driving runs from midfield.

I saw him in some summer friendlies in NI Milk Cup and he was doing that a lot and looked very impressive at that level as a box to box midfielder. He's been less imposing in most of the U18 games I've seen him in up till now but hopefully he's now getting more confident at this older level.

He was really good when coming on against Palace - deserves a lot of the credit for us winning that game.
 
Mr Butterfingers strikes again. .Norkett scores after poor defending. He shoots with his left foot from 12-13 yards - and the keeper lets the ball past him. He has had an awful first 35 minutes the Boro-keeper
 
He was really good when coming on against Palace - deserves a lot of the credit for us winning that game.
That's good news. I watched the first half v Palace but ended up only getting to see parts of the second half so didn't really get to appreciate how well he did.
 
Has Norkett got quicker this season?

He's always been a busy, hard working striker but he seems to be getting away from defenders with good pace more than I remember.
 
Has Norkett got quicker this season?

He's always been a busy, hard working striker but he seems to be getting away from defenders with good pace more than I remember.

Possibly - but he generally looks more dangerous. Of course today he is helped by a team playing out from the back - and lacking the quality to do it. Never a good combination
 
First time I'm seeing Jack Moorhouse and he looks like a very talented creative #8 with the ability to evade the press.
 
Nice composure and then distribution from Kambwala to set United away.
 
Incredible that Kambwala has been out for so long - he looks so good at the back
 
Great to see Kambwala back again, so dissapointing his injuries setting him back so far. Really liked his story coming here, looks a unit too.

He is a man among boys at this level.

I haven’t followed our youth that closely for a while, what types of issues has he had?
 
I know they are only 15/16/17 but Kwambala aside some of these lads just look so painfully average.
 
Nice composure and then distribution from Kambwala to set United away.
Incredible that Kambwala has been out for so long - he looks so good at the back
He is a man among boys at this level.
Has looked dominant bossing that back 4 and calm even driving forward! Borough players falling on the floor bumping off him, hope he kicks on getting as many games as possible. He is 18 already so physical dominance maybe not suprising although once he fills out more he is certainly one to watch isn't he.
 
Bet the seismograph in Edinburgh noticed the referee falling to the ground there
 
Has looked dominant bossing that back 4 and calm even driving forward! Borough players falling on the floor bumping off him, hope he kicks on getting as many games as possible. He is 18 already so physical dominance maybe not suprising although once he fills out more he is certainly one to watch isn't he.
He was one of the biggest CB talents in France for his age group and was captaining the French u17s. He joined us and he's had a torrid time with injuries, where the last two years of his development have seen him miss the majority of games.

What he needs now is a bit of luck with injuries and consistent games. And hopefully he can then move up to the u21s because he looks too good for the u18s.
 
Kwambla is actually 7 days too old for this age group - we must have had applied for some exception from the FA for him to play today. So not surprise really, but good for him to find some momentum.
 
Good 3-0 win with Kambwala and Moorhouse the standouts for me.

Moorhouse looks a very talented young creative #8, with the ability to carry the ball. And Kambwala was physically and technically excellent. And hopefully he can steer clear of injuries, so we can see him at a u21 level.
 
You can see how talented Kambwala is. Makes you wonder where he could have been if he was more fortunate with injuries over the last couple of years.
 
It's good to hear that Kambwala is doing well. I don't watch the youth games regularly but I saw Kambwala in action last year after coming back from one of his injury spells and he looked absolutely terrible. Hopefully it was just rustiness and he can kick on. We've had a bad record of injuries for some of our most high profile foreign acquisitions over recent years with Mateo Mejia, Noah Emeran and Kambwala coming with big reputations and never hitting their pre-injury potential.
 
He was one of the biggest CB talents in France for his age group and was captaining the French u17s. He joined us and he's had a torrid time with injuries, where the last two years of his development have seen him miss the majority of games.

What he needs now is a bit of luck with injuries and consistent games. And hopefully he can then move up to the u21s because he looks too good for the u18s.

Yeah I recall an interview he did, where he came and played a youth game or something with his french club and was enamoured with United, then promising himself "I will return back here one day".

That kind of origin story really blips on your radar, have been hoping he pushes on since but alas the injuries. Same for Mateo Mejia aswell like @Bojan Djordjic mentioned who was coming with a huge reputation from spain.

It is a shame that crop of u18 foreign youngsters will be the last with our new non-EU rules, I really liked that strategy it's a shame we didn't push it harder earlier as many of them Garnacho included are doing very well.

Edit---

Just seen this clip of this middlesborough player scything down Kambwala then purposefully standing on his ankle. Little Fecker. Cant believe what some of these future league 2 merchants get away with at youth level.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TivW17vw1Sg
 
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