Everton U23s trounced at Brighton this evening

Several of the usual faces are not on the sheet for the U23s. Perhaps Frank will have a real look at a couple over the next couple of matches. Dobbin is playing and they are down 1-0 to BHA at the moment. Cmon Blues!

And make that BHA 1-1 Everton. Dobbin from the right part of the D on a turnover and pass from Price, I think.

Dale, this is a U23 game arranged late in the day?? It wasn't on the fixture list the last time I looked.

EVERTON
Under 23s
Billy Crellin
Mackenzie Hunt
Sebastian Quirk
Joseph Anderson
Ryan Astley
Sebastian Kristensen
Luke Butterfield
Stanley Mills
Lewis Dobbin
Isaac Price
Thomas Cannon

SUBSTITUTES
Zan-Luk Leban
Harry Hagan
Edward Jones
Rhys Hughes
Jenson Metcalfe

So Welch on the bench for the first team on Sunday? And Kyle John? Unless injured.

Brent, I'm looking at the BHA feed on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpVWgI-Caj4&ab_channel=OfficialBrighton%26HoveAlbionFC

Halftime now still 1-1. Says live but I could be a dumbass. And how do they claim Albion all to themselves? Harrumpf!

Thanks, Dale. Nothing showing at the moment – half-time?

Yep. Sorry for the teaser with bad timing.

Outrageous, Dale!

Hughes on for Butterfield. Now being shown live.

Scumbags just flashed a Villa tag for our substitutes. The nerve!

Horrible call for a Brighton penalty there.

1-2. The subtitles are hilarious.

1-3. Free kick.

Sublime at that.

Apparently Brighton U23s have a player called Captain Spunk!

4-2 but a beautiful run and goal from Dobbin again.

I caught the last 2 goals of the U23 game.

On the basis of BHA's 4th, looks like our U23 defenders have been modelling themselves on Keane & Holgate.

Dobbin looked good and took his goal well.

Our U23s were far more successful a few seasons back with Niasse up front and a few over 30s in the side. Hopefully our new DoF will stop playing youngsters and bring back the glory days.

I only saw the last thirty minutes after Brent Stephens said it was now showing live. Glad I never saw the first hour of what looked like a shit performance with the only bit of brilliance coming from Dobbin's individual goal, very good.

Thanks a bunch, Brent – that was a another fine bleedin' mess you got me into!!

Mike Doyle,

LMAO lets get James McCarthy back in there, Harry Charsley too.

Dave, that's about it. The possession was disjointed from the different lineup and Dobbin and Cannon never received in positions to work the other into dangerous positions.

It looked like they could possibly be dangerous on the counter but that crap call for the penalty was their undoing. Never recovered from after that.

I have to ask... what goes on at Finch Farm?

That would be a question for Jerome Shields but for this one it was down to the changes in line-up against what looked to be an in form Brighton U23s at home.

I only watched from about 30 minutes on but while conceding possession there were some moments going forward. After the penalty, all the changes kept them from pulling it back together I think. Astley may have prompted the bad penalty call by diving in but the Brighton player was shielded from the ball by the other defender, it really looked like a bad call.

Kieran # 19] I see we are mid-table(ish) in PL2 - level on points with Liverpool.
Plainly all things U23 are well at Finch Farm ( formerly USM Finch Farm).

Dave #18 - if I can help somebody!

"Trounced" is a bit harsh. Balance of play in the first half was pretty even - with Cannon missing a very good headed chance from a lovely cross from Quirk when it was 0-0 - and it was only in the second half when Brighton managed to really gain control of the game.

No shame in losing to this Brighton side, who have several very highly-rated youngsters - in particular Sarmiento, Caicedo (who we were also trying to sign when he signed for Brighton), and Jack Spong, who caught the eye again, just like he did when we beat them 2-1 at the end of November. Today I really thought Caicedo was hugely impressive, full of driving runs and neat touches - exactly what we could do with in the first team.

Two excellent individual goals from Lewis Dobbin; his pace and direct running is surely going to get him first-team chances over the next 18 months, and maybe a few in the next 2 and a half months too.

Anyone know why Butterfield was substituted at half-time?

Brighton have cottoned to the fact that they can't afford ready made players of great quality, but they can afford kids like Caicedo of tremendous potential.

Well run club.

Do we know what Thelwell's role is in relation to the academy?

Brent (26), yes Brent you are kindness itself, Jesus wept!!

Dobbin was the stand out player for us, quality, pace and two fine finishes. Not much to say about the rest. Of that starting back 5 four will be gone come July, I think only Astley has a further year. Frankly none of that 5 are good enough, although Astley is a good captain.

It's time to be thinking about next season and move up some of the U18s.

I'm not sure where the shouts for Kyle John and the first team have come from, he's most likely injured, certainly not one to be around a relegation battle.