U23s edge Leicester at Goodison

As an aside, I wish Unsworth would leave his cushy number and go managing in the Football League. The experience is beneficial if he really does want to be a manager.

Surely not many Under 23 teams should be able to get the better of Pennington, Browning and Galloway. It also highlights how their careers need to move on as their ship has obviously sailed at Everton.

I think Sambou is an out and out striker (isn't he the one we signed from Coventry?), so is that line-up a straightforward 4-4-2? Is Charsley a centre mid and Broadhead and Evans play wide? Anyone seen them play?

Leicester had Andy King in their line-up by the way.

Anthony Gordon is 17/18 and new to the U23s but he was the star man in the U18s, not just for us but the whole league. He's another in the Evans mould only he scores shedloads too.

He said he had never witnessed that type of performance at that level of football and also went on to say the kid got a standing ovation on entering the changing room from his teammates.

I read a few things from Arsenal fans on news now when we signed him and they claimed he would be our Number One if Pickford moves on in a year or two as they rated him extremely highly.

Of the 4 players you name, currently Evans looks the most promising to me (and is the youngest of the four), usually playing right midfield, very skilful and scores some really good goals both from open play and freekicks.

Sambou generally disappoints me, doesn't score enough and I don't think has kicked on sufficiently from his early promise to be anywhere near the 1st team. I believe his contract is up at the end of the season by when he will be 21 and I would be surprised if he gets another deal.

Charsley is going on 22 and has rather been left behind by his contemporaries such as Kenny and Dowell. He is a real grafter, can play across midfield and at full-back and scores quite a few goals. His loan spell at Bolton last season doesn't seem to have gone well – he didn't get much first team game time.

I've seen less of Broadhead, he usually plays wide left and is quick and skilful. I believe he scored a lot of goals in the younger age teams so he may have played then more as a central striker. As an aside, he is mentioned briefly in Rob Sawyers biography of T G Jones, his grandfather played under TG at Bangor City.

Missing from last night's squad were my two current favourites, Feeney and Gibson. Feeney had surgery during the summer, I hope it doesn't stall his progress. Gibson is similar in respect of loving defending and relishing a tackle, he looks like a real footballer to me.

You make an interesting point about Galloway, Browning and Pennington. Surely they have no future at the club and seem a little long in the tooth for U23 action.

They all seem like decent pros but they are currently having a pretty pointless career probably picking up 㾶k a week each!?!

Isn't that ٦/9m lost plus wagers, and somewhat of a barricade for some other young lads who need that valuable U23 experience.

Time to move them on, I think.

Also worth noting Bowler was an unused sub even after all his hype!

Simon, good shout on Rhino's comments about Virginia.

With us saying we've appointed Silva to work with young players then going out and buying seven overseas players for the first team squad it's difficult to know what to expect of our youngsters over the next year or so.

I'm one of those that always enjoys a result more when we have ‘our own' in the first team.

If we are going to develop a first team feeder academy we need to cast our net globally. It is only once in a blue moon you get a "Wayne Rooney" and 90% never make it to the top for whatever reason.

You might have got the wrong end of the stick there, Jay – I think being one of "our own" means simply Scouse. Even better if a boyhood blue to boot. Don't know what multiculturalism has to do with it.

I am not surprised he has decided to stay in his current job.

Also read a few reports that Joe Williams played very well during this game, that on the back of playing 38 games in the Championship for Barnsley last season.

Reports that Silva was very impressed with him during pre-season before the lad got injured.

This is according to today's Echo which also states that it is highly likely Joe will go on loan before the end of the transfer window with Birmingham, Bolton. Bristol City and Hull City interested in signing him, but Joe will come back for next season.

Once he's fit enough, you'll see him pop back up in the U23s as he builds back to fitness. First-team players tend not to do this anymore, but Beni is so young that I'd be surprised if he doesn't.

Beni Baningime is out with an ankle injury. He has missed the whole of pre-season.

I think he's another (with Kenny) who's graduated to the senior squad. He only played in three U23 games since the New Year as he was bedding in with them.

He does not indicate (on Twatter) the nature nor severity of his injury, and he's not listed at PhysioRoom.com, but it sounds like it happened early in pre-season. Any inside word on this from Steve or Dave?

Virginia was pretty competent, Joe Williams had a good game and we looked a lot better in the second half.

Sambou had a decent second half, he's filled out a bit maybe he'll start to develop into the player he promised to be when we signed him. Markelo had a good game too.