Rhys Davies, released by Leicester City at the end of last season, looks like one of the 'keepers who played in the U23 friendly against Brentford 'B'. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/rhys-davies/profil/spieler/540627 Phoenix Patterson once again played. I'll try to identify the players below sometime this week.
Brief highlights of the U23s against Brentford 'B' from the Londoners YouTube channel. While having a look through the pictures yesterday, someone caught my eye. I'm sure the trialist wearing the #9 shirt was here in pre-season but I've still no idea who he is. At first I thought it was Stuparevic (remember him?!) but looking at recent photo's of him he looks a lot baulkier than this new player and I've yet to see any evidence he has tattoos, unlike this #9. It's got to be the same player hasn't it? His tattoos kind of match but without like-for-like pictures I'm not 100% certain. If he is the same bloke, it's interesting he's been involved at least twice now. I've gone through the Udinese youngsters and can't find a likeness there so at the moment I'm at a loss. The first picture is taken from a WFC video from last month showing the youngsters in pre-season and he appears in a post game talk by Barry Quinn, right at the end. The others are from the Brentford 'B' friendly.
The U18s completed their third straight win on Saturday morning as the young Hornets comprehensively beat Bristol City 3-0 and now sit second in the league, level on points with Ipswich. No details of who played or scored as the ever leaden footed media team enjoy their weekend salivating over our 4-1 win in the Championship. Even City's dedicated academy twitter feed are sulking in a darkened room with no output since November 25th. Those red red robins aren't so much bob bob bobbin' but sob sob sobbin' into their cider after a fifth defeat in seven games. The only thing I've managed to find so far is the debut for City by 15-yr old Kai Churchley who came on for the final half hour. Not exactly newsworthy on its own but the Cheltenham born player had just completed 25 minutes and scored for the U16s on an adjacent pitch. GloucesterLive reported that nugget but failed to report anything else from the U18 game, not even the result deemed worthy of a mention. The U23s next play on Tuesday with an away fixture at Ipswich Town. I've had little joy in finding out names of trialists from last weeks Brentford 'B' friendly with only 'keeper Rhys Davies a certainty. A possible sighting of Nathan Tormey is just that, a possibility. The ex-Arsenal left-winger, 20 & from Welwyn Garden City, has been recovering from an ACL injury and left the Gunners in June or July despite the offer of a new 3-yr deal. Otherwise the players remain a mystery.
I've had a chance to watch the U18s game now (thank you R) and the 1st-half was very impressive. Incisive & snappy passing to runners taking up very good positions between opposition players meant a weakened City side were often played around with ease. Two goals in the opening quarter of an hour came about through such play with the first involving interchanging passes from back to front along the left-wing from Broome, Lo-Everton and Hunter with the latter delivering a super ball between the defenders and 'keeper for a willing Shaq Forde at the far post to tap in. Excellent. The second had Langston with a nice pass from centre defence through the City midfield and to Conteh's feet. A good touch, opening up of the body and an aerial clip to pick out Hunter to head back across goal and into the bottom right hand corner. No stopping that as soon as Langston received the ball. Superb. The second half was a scrappier affair with City far more mobile and pressing higher up the pitch. Watford still created plenty of opportunities but the passing wasn't as fluent or crisp now so openings created went begging. Bosun Lawal had a late penalty excellently saved before Lo-Everton curled a beauty from 20 yards or so just under the bar in the right half of the goal. The goalie had no chance. (I think they were the scorers - it was foggy down in Bristol!) The side is becoming more settled now and performances are showing more cohesion because of it. Also, a midfield trio of Lawal, Conteh & Lo-Everton really is impressive at this level. Lo-Everton with his tricky dribbling combines perfectly with Lawal & Conteh's physical presence and effective passing. Up front, Hunter, Forde & Muwonge are all very good with their runs, close control and dribbling ability while any two of Langston, Janjeva & Burchill at centre-back means we can play out from the back comfortably. Good signs.
Jayden Bennetts was released by Watford at the end of last season, the 19-yr old academy player asking the club not to take up the option of a further year on his contract so as to seek out a fresh challenge. That challenge has now arrived by way of a contract at 2. Bundesliga side Paderborn until the end of the season. Bennetts had previously had trials with the Hoffenheim youth set up and Bayern Munich II in the summer. He has German family and his brother Keanan is currently contracted to Borussia Monchengladbach but on loan at Ipswich.
The U23s couldn't finish off what has been a good few days for Watford sides as they went down 0-3 away to Ipswich this afternoon. Several trialists were involved including both the starting & sub keepers and I'll try to get names in due course. A few U18s involved too with Burchell, Lo-Everton and Hutchinson all starting and the named players on the bench all coming from the squad below the U23s. One interesting thing in the line-up was Phoenix Patterson being named for the first time so it's quite possible/probable he has signed a contract with Watford in the last week or so. He looks far and away the best passer at the club below the first team so he's definitely a step up from the midfielders currently in the U23s/U18s. He's an attacking midfielder and I've seen him play both just behind a striker and in a deeper role where he impressed both times.
What price English youngsters from January 1st? Details of Post-Brexit transfers are being released and clubs will no longer be able to sign foreign players under 18-yrs of age. Clubs below the EPL and outside of the so called elite/marquee clubs will be plundered while I'll be very surprised if the current compensation terms will be re-written.
And here he is! https://www.watfordfc.com/news/official-patterson-joins-academy With the new rules regarding signing non-English players under 18-yrs of age, I wonder if we'll see a few more players coming in during December. It certainly explains the high number of trialists in the Brentford game as I'm sure clubs will have known what's coming with the new regulations. It could also lead to a raft of friendly games this month! I'm not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere but it works both ways once we're out of Europe, British players under 18 won't be able to sign for EU countries without passing a points based system.
No worries @EB Hornet - just a shame I can't find the names of the recent trialists. Still digging though so something may come up.
Thanks Reids! I hate asking for the InStat info all the time, feels like I'm intruding on your time and taking advantage of something you pay for. As for the trialists - Louis Walsh has been around Watford for a while now but it's the first time I've seen Jones mentioned. A centre-back who started out at, oh, how disappointing. Some club in Bedfordshire. He's done well this year by having four clubs though! (Norwich U23s, South Shields, Hitchin Town & Gloucester). Davies played 45 minutes against Brentford 'B' recently. Rhys Davies: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/rhys-davies/profil/spieler/540627 Ciaren Jones: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ciaren-jones/profil/spieler/425774 Louis Walsh: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/louis-walsh/profil/spieler/632376
One quick question about the trialists though - were they the three who started? The sub keeper was a trialist too.
No problem! I'm on it all day anyway and it's only a couple of clicks of the mouse so don't mind at all! Yeah they were the 3 that started, sadly it only gives names on the players that played so not sure of the trialists that were on the bench that didn't play (Conteh, Lawal + Forde were bought on)
Thank you. I'm just not good at asking (or talking to people in general - hence 'The Recluse'!) Ah, okay. I wonder if it was the black keeper who played the 2nd half against Brentford 'B'. I should be able to find that out, unless he's from abroad which makes it a lot harder. I'll have another look around later. Thanks again for the names.
We can but I'm not sure how many. I've seen Chalobah, Zeegelaar, Bachmann, Prodl, Janmaat and some others in recent seasons all turn out for the U23s at different times.
Another confirmed trialist from this week is Michael Edegbe. Michael, a goalkeeper, is attached to Academy 23 and they are 'specialists in nurturing player talent' according to their website. https://www.academy23.net/u23-squad According to an Uxbridge FC Youth Team tweet he was with the U23s on Monday. Whether that's from Monday or simply Monday is open to interpretation. https://twitter.com/uxbridge18s/status/1333767180463321089?s=20 Looking around google he's been a sub for Slough Town recently - Academy 23 are affiliated with them - and it looks like he's trialling or being coached at a few local sides such as Uxbridge and Windsor. I've not been able to find any personal details such as age, any attachment to professional clubs or bank details which suggests either he's under 18 or I'm just not trying hard enough. Michael is on the left hand side in the pictured below.
I was hoping to hide the U18s result behind a 1st XI win over Cardiff but that hasn't panned out. The academy side went down 1-6 at home to Barnsley this morning, halting a good run of results. It'll be (mildly) interesting if any players were held back before the FA Youth Cup game against Colchester on Wednesday or if it was the inconsistencies of youth which played a part in the result. Thankfully there is no official U23 game to get thumped in this week to cap a foul weekend for WFC. Presumably a friendly or in-house games will be played to see more potential players in action.
I've just seen the other PDL 2 result today and Sheffield Wednesday thumped Watford's upcoming cup opponents Colchester 6-0. To put that in context, Wednesday are rock bottom of the Northern section with this being just their second win of the season. Before today they'd only scored 4 goals in 8 games. Colchester meanwhile sit third, a place below Watford in the Southern section, and averaged just under 3 goals scored per game before today. With Barnsley sitting middle of the table yet walloping WFC 6-1, it looks to me as if both Watford and Colchester have at least one eye on next weeks cup tie or at most have rested a number of regular players to keep them fresh. It seems too much of a coincidence both sides would have massive off days at the same time.
FA Youth Cup action down at St Albans tonight with the U18s taking on Colchester United - AND. IT'S. LIVE! Supporters are allowed in provided you buy a ticket in advance - https://stalbanscityfc.ktckts.com/event/sta2021faycr3/watford-u18s-v-colchester-united-u18s I can't go sadly.
The U18s are 2-up at half-time against Colchester in the FAYC 3rd round. Forde & Lo-Everton were the 1st-half goal scorers: https://twitter.com/WatfordFC/status/1336763209697652737?s=20
The U18s were down to play Swansea on Saturday but I don't know if it took place. One of the people at YouthHawk said it had yet to be confirmed as late as Friday but didn't know the reason why - they did guess at both clubs involvement in the FAYC during last week but I can't see that myself. As usual, no news from Watford (or Swansea) either way and to be honest, what feels like them not giving a toss about news or reporting of the academy sides with any consistency is beginning to rub off on me. I'm not exactly enthused about slogging away on google simply to find out if a game has been played let alone a team line-up. If I do come across some news I'll post it here as usual. The U23s play Monday with a home fixture against Cardiff City.
The game was played and is on InStat! Hasn't got the full details on the score however so not sure on that. I'll update the archive today or tomorrow hopefully!
It'll be interesting if anything comes up. I've had a look this morning and the fixture has disappeared on all sites I visited bar one - Soccerway. That had it down as postponed!
