Onyango earns U23s a point at Blackburn

Michael, I don't see Simms in the same bracket as the other three, he's at least three years younger and for me fits the profile of what we want in the U23s – a young player still improving, training with the first team but needing a wee bit more development.

Hopefully Thierry Small will make his first start at U23s tonight. I'm never sure what the thinking is re the likes of Branthwaite and Gordon, give them game time even at a lower level or keep them fresh in case of injuries on the day?

I agree, Phill. Simms, at a relatively young age still, is now showing that he can reproduce his goal scoring at this level and his general play seems to be improving too. Probably best to keep him at this level to develop his game for rest of season.

But what is his next step? Understudy to Calvert-Lewin in the first team? Or out on loan (UK or abroad)?

Personally, I don't think you should spend much more than a season or two at U23s level.

Robert, there appears to be a degree of flexibility (uncertainty?) around Simms‘s next move. A January loan takes him away from Finch Farm and first-team squad training but, on balance, I'd like to see that. When he's moving and scoring goals, he looks excellent but, in some games, he barely features.

He was in the England U20s squad the other week but not in the starting line-up of the one team I saw (Gordon was). So others see something missing beyond the goals he scores.

A loan move would force him to play consistently well to keep his place. I wonder if he switches off in some U23 games as he knows he's our best No 9 at this level and certain to be picked?

If Tosun moves on in January, things may change again.

Hi Phill,

Yea, I felt it was probably wrong to group Simms in there with the other 3 who, to be frank, must have no chance of any more first-team involvement as they play down their contracts.

Still puzzles me how the likes of our first-team bench and other fringe players never (or hardly ever) figure for the U23s. In my simple mind, playing the game is the only way to keep match-fit. They must feel they do enough in training, I suppose.

And then there's Bolasie... the mind simply boggles at the enormous waste.

Loans are so tricky. You kind of want to find a competitive lower league club with a progressive manager. Not sure what. Norwich? They already have Idah at a similar age. Derby? Scotland - maybe?

Personally I like the idea of our kids developing professionally and personally overseas. Simms is the same age as Nkounkou so why not. There's no language barrier in Northern Europe as everyone speaks superb English. I know I'd have loved it at 19.

Haha Michael, Bolasie and others for the U23s, I'm shocked! I think you'll have to take that up with Antony Kelly. :-)

The reality is we don't really know the interaction between Carlo, Brands, Unsworth re selection of older players, keeping them fit, etc. Unsworth is still getting stick for playing Oumar Niasse a few years ago.

So Small starts, as does Katia Kouyate, both start for the first time. A surprise leap for Kouyate over Cannon and Dobbin. It's a decent side, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 mainly except for the obvious 3.
Carroll
@SamCarroll0
·
15m
16-year-old left-back Thierry Small starts for #EFCU23s after this week being linked with Arsenal and Bayern Munich.

#EFC: Tyrer; Pennington, Astley, Branthwaite, Small; Baningime, Onyango, Iversen; Kouyate, Simms, Broadhead.

Subs: Hansen, Ouzounidis, Anderson, Hughes, Jagne.

HT Blackburn 1-0

Sam Carroll
@SamCarroll0
·
16m
Goal. Blackburn Rovers lead. Harry Chapman delivers across goal and Brad Lyons volleys home first time.

38'
@Rovers
1-0 #EFCU23s.

I thought this was a good post on the match from Sam Carroll, the Echo reporter Re Simms:

Sam Carroll @ 27 mins:

Ellis Simms's hold-up play has come on so much in 12 months. Last year he was having double sessions at Finch Farm and it is paying off. Just won a free-kick when he had no team-mate within 10 yards of him by getting his body around the ball. Superb.

Well, it's the old hands who are providing the brief highlights of this game, but no goals, unfortunately. Broadhead has had two good efforts saved and Pennington saved a certain goal earlier on. 12 minutes left.

Blackburn cock it up in defence and Onyango snaps the simple chance up, courtesy of Ringmaster on another website.

Finished 1-1, Everton stopped Blackburn going top of the league with this draw.

Great to see Small and Kouyate etc play, that's encouraging. Unsworth must have been forced into it, far too coincidental that Small played... However good to see some of the younger lads being pushed up.

Now just get rid of Broadhead, Beningime, Pennington etc, and Simms out on loan to a League One or Two team.

Don't you just love a typo so you make cheap jokes. . . .

Sorry Michael, but it at least proves we are reading your work.

"Katya Kouyate also making the step up after having played for the U1s against Man Utd on Tuesday."

This is what I like to see, get them in young. Presumably he in the team for his dribbling skills.

Damn! Thanks, Phil. I think I spelt Katia wrong as well!

Been having so many internet issues and well distracted at this end.

Must do better!

Michael - After the frustrations of Saturday - we needed something to give us a chuckle.

Some of us have such simple tastes in humour.

And some of us are just simple!