Season › 2012-13 › News Everton U21s win Group One Michael Kenrick , 23 April, 24comments | Jump to most recent Everton U21s 0 - 0 Sunderland U21s Despite dominating much of the game, including much of the second period, the firing squad of Apostolos Vellios, Chris Long et al could not make celebrations sweeter. Everton had much the better openings in the first period, as Apostolos Vellios, Chris Long and Tyias Browning all came close. After mosly half-chances, Long had the best opportunity on 27 minutes when he caught the Black Cats napping at the back. Stubbs made two changes at the break, replacing Garbutt with Matthew Pennington and Vellios with in-form Under-18s forward George Waring. And the additions forced the Blues into an improved second-half showing. Right-back Pennington looked to have carved the golden opportunity required, but Long could only head his swinging cross over the crossbar on 53 minutes. Francisco Junior was next to trouble the palms of Pickford, with the Portuguese midfielder forcing a save following John Stones' cut-back. The lively Long would go close on a further two occasions, firstly tricking his way around a defender only to see his shot hit the side-netting, before seeing another effort denied by the Sunderland keeper. Everton U21s:Mucha; Hibbert, Browning, Duffy, Stones; Junior, Garbutt (45' Pennington), Grant; Vellios (45' Waring), Long, Kennedy. Subs not Used: Griffiths, Hammar, Molyneux. Quotes or other material sourced from Everton FC Reader Comments (24) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Sam Hoare 1 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:04:50 Good work lads. Bodes well that this young team has gone on an unbeaten streak. If they work hard then hopefully one or two of them might get in and around the first team next season. With Neville off and likely followed by Fellaini and possibly Baines and Heitinga there should be some spots opening up. Ross Edwards 2 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:07:49 Now lets hope they don't have to wait nearly 10 years for a start, that is if Moyes is still hanging around like a bad smell. Sam Hoare 3 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:20:08 Yeah, Ross its not like he started a 19 year old away at arsenal and Spurs...oh no wait...he did. Ross Edwards 4 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:26:40 Yes Sam, then dropping him for 31 year old Osman, who has been completely anonymous for over 5 games.Not good for the lads' confidence is it? Sam Hoare 5 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:33:00 Time will tell Ross but I suspect if he's to make it as a top footballer he'll need more resilient confidence than your suggesting. Certainly no shame in being dropped for one of the senior internationals who was also skipper that day I think even if Osman did have a complete shocker.Also not sure how you can say Ossie was anonymous vs City?! Brendan McLaughlin 6 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:35:01 Ross #223Being dropped is part and parcel of a footballers learning curve. I would hope that at 19 it's water off a duck's back for them. Ross Edwards 7 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:52:37 The fact that Leon Osman is an England international proves that English football has declined sharply or that Woy is the worst England manager we've ever had so far. Sam Hoare 9 Posted 23/04/2013 at 16:57:21 I disagree again Ross, it shows a desire to try and play footballers who are actually comfortable on the ball and picking players who are in form rather than on reputation.I agree Ossie is probably not quite up to scratch and won't expect to see him play there in any meaningful games but I think its better than auto- picking the usual cloggers. Ross Edwards 10 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:04:23 SamWhat about Lambert? He is much better than Osman and younger yet he doesn't get a look in. Based on recent games Ossie should be nowhere near that list and players like Lambert should be as they are showing better form. Sam Hoare 11 Posted 23/04/2013 at 17:07:29 I like Lambert (is he younger than Ossie?). Players should be selected on form and by that rule Ossie probably does not deserve to get selected right now, but he did in the first half of the season. James Flynn 12 Posted 23/04/2013 at 22:25:35 Well, seems everyone's getting along here. But if I might move the discussion away from rubbing Ross' tummy and back to our U21s . . . I only follow our youth thru ToffeeWeb. So, they've won Group 1. What's the next competition?And, does anyone here follow them regularly? If so, interested to hear opinions on Vellios, Stones, and Junior. Kev Johnson 13 Posted 23/04/2013 at 22:42:57 James - we play the winners of one of the other four groups... and if we win that we play the winner of the other play off... and if we win that we've won. I don't know what we've won, but we have won. James Flynn 14 Posted 24/04/2013 at 00:19:47 Kev - Many thanks. And a terrific description of the competition, by the way.I see a future for you on ESPN. Oh wait, you went right to the point. Perhaps not. Fox Sports will hire you . . . Fuck! That won't work. Sky Sports, I'll vouch for Kev Johnson. Too succinct is he? OK thanks.Sorry Kev, did my best. Shame the old days of straight reporting has been shunted aside for noise.So, I understand we beat the next team, then the next, our U21s are Kings?Good stuff. Exactly the answer I was asking for. God help what I'd have to suffer if I asked the same question to one of those network "analysts". Steven Telford 15 Posted 24/04/2013 at 11:00:47 I'm very optomistic about the bright new young prospect, this "Hibbert" fellow will surley be a breath of fresh air if he manages to break into the senior team. Brian Wilkinson 16 Posted 24/04/2013 at 10:57:21 Ross 219, spot-on about the youngsters.Sam 221, playing a 19-year-old was forced on Moyes and you know had Osman been fit, the lad wouldn't have got a game... It was disgraceful dropping Barkley to the bench the following game. Can you honestly say hand on heart had Hibbert been fit all this season, Coleman would have started before him? Not a chance! once again it was forced on Moyes through injury to play Coleman most of this season. He did it against Leyton Orient, brought Luke Garbutt on at half-time, never put a foot wrong; the the next round against Leeds, he wasn't even on the bench. Young players will make mistakes but improve with experience; players past their sell by date will make mistakes and carry on making mistakes due to not having what they once had anymore. How Naismith can get a bit part every week baffles me, Bryan Oviedo must be wondering what he's got to do to get more than 14 seconds on the pitch v Sunderland. Brian Wilkinson 17 Posted 24/04/2013 at 11:12:06 Anyone take notice of Man Utd the other night? Tom Cleverly, David Jones, Danny Wellbeck, Jonny Evans... how to have faith in your youth without shitting your pants. Please take note, Davey, and instead of saying week-in & week-out the players were tired, give some of the other lads a run out. Use your subs earlier than the 88th minute... in Ovideo's case the 93rd minute. Graham Mockford 18 Posted 24/04/2013 at 12:47:54 Kev / JamesNot quite we would have to win three games before we would be the winners of the U21 Premier League. This is a new format this year which is also in place for the U18s.Our form was pretty patchy at the start of the season which meant we didn't qualify for the Elite group in the second phase however since before Christmas we are unbeaten in 13.Best explained herehttp://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/barclays-u21-premier-league-tables.html?paramYouthStage=KNOCKOUT James Flynn 19 Posted 24/04/2013 at 14:31:12 Thanks Graham. What about young Stones? Any opinions? Stuart Mitchell 20 Posted 24/04/2013 at 14:52:53 I think it is time to start phasing Osman and Pienaar out of the team. Gibson also not really impressed me.Bring in Barkley for Osman and sign a new left winger in the summer.Sell Fellaini and bring in a midfield enforcer in the mould of Ofoe or Fer.Sell Jelavic and bring in a striker with some pace, recruit a playmaker type forward/attacking midfielder to play behind and use Big Vic from the bench.We could get £35m for Fellaini, Jelavic and Heitinga, giving us funds to complete the restructuring of the team. Stuart Mitchell 21 Posted 24/04/2013 at 14:57:10 restructuring David Chait 22 Posted 24/04/2013 at 20:18:32 Very well done to the lads... And after the shocking start they had quite an amazing turnaround. I eat my hat at slagging off Stubbs at that start.... Whatever he did he pulled them right. I hope they pull Barkley back in and go for the trophy.. Sam Hoare 23 Posted 24/04/2013 at 22:01:09 Brian Wilkinson, slightly different when your youth players are so good that other Premier League teams want to loan them so you can see how they do in the top flight. Most of our youth players have not even had decent Championship loans so you're basically comparing apples and oranges. Or pineapples. Patrick Murphy 24 Posted 24/04/2013 at 22:18:53 See the average age of the Dortmund team tonight and in particular their central midfielders, 22 and 23 respectively for those 2. Dortmund are the closest team I have seen that are similar to the 1985 Everton team, hard-working and no little skill. Andrew Bentley 25 Posted 26/04/2013 at 07:55:50 One player that I've not seen much chat about is the guy we picked up in January - John Stones was it? Anyone watched him much and got a view on whether he is someone who might challenge for a 1st team spot next year? 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