Theatre of dreams
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Yep had a tough time with injuries.
The Manchester United Thread
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Theatre of dreams
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MCKENNA'S GUIDE TO UNITED'S YOUTH CUP SQUAD
Ahead of Monday's FA Youth Cup third-round tie with Southampton at Old Trafford, Manchester United Academy coach Kieran McKenna talks ManUtd.com through his exciting Under-18 squad...
Ilias Moutha-Sebtaoui (Goalkeeper)
"Ilias has been here a season and a half now. He didn't play so many games last year but, this season, he has been a big part of the side. Obviously, he's done well to settle in, coming over from Belgium, and I'd say he's a goalkeeper who likes to play with his feet, be part of the team and help to build up attacks from the back. He sees that as a big part of his game and that's good but we're just continuing to try to push him on the goalkeeping side of it now and making sure he does really well on the fundamentals. He is having a good season so far."
Alex Fojticek (Goalkeeper)
"Alex has come in this year and it's a big adjustment for him, being his first year away from Slovakia, and he's settled in well. He had a really good game in the Under-18s away at Middlesbrough and that did his confidence good. He's been getting regular football in the Under-16s and Under-17 fixtures and I'm sure he'll be looking to keep pushing Ilias, particularly as Max Johnstone is too old for the FA Youth Cup."
Jake Barrett (Defender)
"It was good for Jake he scored that important goal against Sunderland. He's done well in the Under-18 games but it's always tough for the Under-17s to get regular minutes in the team. He's played well in quite a few games but missed a month through injury and is working his way back up to fitness. He'll look to finish the second half of the season strongly."
Max Dunne (Defender)
"He was on the bench for the Reserves against Manchester City and ended up going on as a utility forward. Max has been a big part of it this season and played quite a few times in the Under-18s as a young first-year, which has been pleasing. He is a tough, aggressive defender who is good in the air with some really good attributes. If he keeps his head down and works hard, I think he can develop nicely over the next year."
Luca Ercolani (Defender)
"A young centre-back and one of a batch who have had to be patient and wait for their opportunities with some of the older boys doing really well. He has a fantastic attitude and is a really good trainer. He wants to get better and wants to learn. He is working hard every day and I'm sure, when he gets opportunities over the next couple of months, he'll be eager to take them."
Jake Kenyon (Defender)
"He has been a winger all through the system but, if you look at the modern day full-back now, there's an importance in a player who can attack really well from that position, provide assists and be a goal threat. He puts in a regular stream of crosses as well and gets back to defend too. It's important he took that on really well and he's been a big part of the attacking play the team has produced but also been hard to beat and diligent in his defending as well."
Lee O'Connor (Defender)
"I think he has done fantastic and been a real bonus. You never know how a lad is going to settle in after coming from Ireland and it's a huge step up from the level he was playing at. He has been a really important part of the team at centre-half and in both full-back positions. I think he's a really talented boy but also a very solid and dependable character, which is an important quality to have in a defender."
Harry Spratt (Defender)
"He's had injury problems this season and it's been a challenge for him as he's found himself behind Jake Kenyon, who is having a great season, in the pecking order a lot of the time. He has done well in the Under-17 games and also in the friendly in Slovakia so he'll be looking to pick up more experience in 2017."
George Tanner (Defender)
"George is really versatile - he played as a midfield and forward in most of his Academy days before making the conversion to full-back this year. He has taken on the role really well and is another modern full-back because he likes to get forward, deliver crosses and be a goal threat. He is another solid, dependable character and a fantastic trainer. He has a really good attitude and it's important to have people like that in your group."
Tyrell Warren (Defender)
"Obviously, he had experience of playing in the FA Youth Cup last season but he missed a large part of the early stages of this campaign when I first came in due to injury. He has come back and been a big part in the past two months, sometimes at full-back but mostly at centre-half and he's captained the side on a number of occasions. He's a popular boy in the dressing room, a popular character in and around his peers, and another one who can be a strong part of the defensive unit."
Ro-Shaun Williams (Defender)
"He is an experienced player at this age group and it will be good to have him back in. We have had him available in a couple of league games and I'm looking for him to be one of the stand-out players and also to show leadership qualities and set a good example for some of the younger players. He will be a good leader on and off the pitch."
DJ Buffonge (Midfielder)
"He's a talented boy - a versatile attacker or midfielder with really quick feet. He is able to beat people in one-v-one situations and is certainly a talent. We're constantly pushing him as hard as we can to find some consistency and keep matching up his ability with his work-rate. When he has that application, he has shown he is a big, big talent who can really affect games so it's something we'll keep pushing him with."
Aidan Barlow (Midfielder)
"Aidy's a local lad who has been here a long time. He's another who has had to be patient as he's found himself behind some really fantastic attacking players who are a little bit older than him. He's been patient, worked hard and applied himself when he's played for the Under-17s or Under-16s. When he has come on or started for the Under-18s, he has taken his opportunities and performed well. He is one who will have a big part to play over the next 18 months."
Callum Gribbin (Midfielder)
"Another experienced boy who is similar to Ro-Shaun in terms of his experience at this level. He will be quite well known to the United fans who might have seen a little bit of him. He is a fantastic technician with a really good eye for a pass. What has been pleasing is he's starting to add to the physical side of his game and is becoming more powerful and dynamic. Also, his attitude to his defensive work and responsibilities is improving all the time. If he can marry those things up, with his talent on the ball, he can have a really bright future."
Ethan Hamilton (Midfielder)
"A fantastic character around the group and another one with a great training mentality every day. He's a hard worker who wants to get better and develop himself. He's a really solid player for the group as well as being a good talent. Ethan's had opportunities with the Under-23s and has done really well in the Under-18 games he's played. With his attitude, it could certainly carry him very far in his career."
Faustin Makela (Midfielder)
"He's been unlucky with injury but is a really bright and pleasant lad to have around the place. He has done well with the opportunities he has had but has been unlucky having those injuries and being behind some big talents. He's a good part of the squad, trains well and, if he gets his chances, he certainly knows we can rely on him to do a good job."
Tom Sang (Midfielder)
"Tom has been very unfortunate with injury. He played early on in the campaign but has had a long-term ankle injury and a shoulder problem. It's unfortunate for him as you couldn't hope to meet a more hard-working and diligent lad. I wish him well in his recovery and look forward to seeing him return in the New Year."
Callum Whelan (Midfielder)
"A very popular lad in the dressing room - a bubbly and positive character who is a really good technical midfielder. He controls the game and has been massively integral to the team but has been a quiet part of some of the success the forwards have had due to their link-up play. He's provided really good service and has been a big part of it. I feel there is a lot of development still to come too."
Joshua Bohui (Forward)
"Josh has been really pleasing over the last month. He found it tough to settle as it was a big move, coming up from London and a smaller club in Brentford. He didn't find the transition easy but we kept encouraging him to keep his head down and develop his game in training. We looked at individual specific things in terms of the role we feel he can play going forward and he did fantastic against Derby, putting all those things into place. He played centre-forward and led the line really well and scored a goal as well. I'm sure, if he keeps his head down and keeps working hard, once he has had time to settle in and get a feel for the club, he can go on and have a good part to play."
Indy Boonen (Forward)
"Maybe one of the best finishers in the group. He's a wide player, not a traditional winger really, but someone who likes to get in the box. He's really good off both feet and not bad in the air; a really instinctive finisher. He's a bubbly character as well and one who, I think, has got a fair bit of physical development to come. If he keeps his head down, he can go in the right direction in the next couple of years."
Nishan Burkart (Forward)
"Nishan has come in this year and it's always a tough adjustment for someone coming in from a different country and club. He's a really nice kid who works hard and gets on with his job. He never moans and is always looking to do extra finishing and improve. He's a talented boy, really quick who likes to play on the shoulder and get through on goal. He's got a lot of development and improve to come and I look forward to seeing how he develops over the next stage."
Tahith Chong (Forward)
"Tahith has hit the ground running in his time here and I think he's just a fantastic professional. He has the right attitude to training and looks after himself really well off the pitch. He's really personable and good with the staff and players, which has helped him to settle in quickly. On the pitch, everyone has been excited by his performances; he's an eye-catching player. We'll just keep pushing him to add to that with an end product so he can add goals and assists, as he has been doing, and can have a bright future in the game."
Zak Dearnley (Forward)
"He's been injured and very unfortunate. He's not one I've had a chance to look at close up but he should return after the New Year and I'm looking forward to seeing him because everyone speaks very highly of him. I am sure when he gets back from his injury, he can kick on and finish the season strongly."
Kayne Diedrick-Roberts (Forward)
"He's a second-year who did well in the Middlesbrough game when he had an opportunity. He is on a youth loan at Bournemouth at the moment and is getting some regular football so he won't be involved against Southampton. He is playing for their youth team and getting some regular games. He's got a good profile of a centre-forward; he's a good size, works hard and I'm sure he'll score some goals whichever side he's playing for."
Angel Gomes (Forward)
"Angel is clever and I think with him, first of all, he's got a really fantastic attitude towards the game. He loves his football and is bright and curious. He's interested in every training session and you can see that on the pitch. He's always bright, always looking for his team-mates and always looking at the opposition too, trying to find a way to exploit any weaknesses they have got. He has a fantastic football brain really and a good attitude to go with it."
Ahead of Monday's FA Youth Cup third-round tie with Southampton at Old Trafford, Manchester United Academy coach Kieran McKenna talks ManUtd.com through his exciting Under-18 squad...
Ilias Moutha-Sebtaoui (Goalkeeper)
"Ilias has been here a season and a half now. He didn't play so many games last year but, this season, he has been a big part of the side. Obviously, he's done well to settle in, coming over from Belgium, and I'd say he's a goalkeeper who likes to play with his feet, be part of the team and help to build up attacks from the back. He sees that as a big part of his game and that's good but we're just continuing to try to push him on the goalkeeping side of it now and making sure he does really well on the fundamentals. He is having a good season so far."
Alex Fojticek (Goalkeeper)
"Alex has come in this year and it's a big adjustment for him, being his first year away from Slovakia, and he's settled in well. He had a really good game in the Under-18s away at Middlesbrough and that did his confidence good. He's been getting regular football in the Under-16s and Under-17 fixtures and I'm sure he'll be looking to keep pushing Ilias, particularly as Max Johnstone is too old for the FA Youth Cup."
Jake Barrett (Defender)
"It was good for Jake he scored that important goal against Sunderland. He's done well in the Under-18 games but it's always tough for the Under-17s to get regular minutes in the team. He's played well in quite a few games but missed a month through injury and is working his way back up to fitness. He'll look to finish the second half of the season strongly."
Max Dunne (Defender)
"He was on the bench for the Reserves against Manchester City and ended up going on as a utility forward. Max has been a big part of it this season and played quite a few times in the Under-18s as a young first-year, which has been pleasing. He is a tough, aggressive defender who is good in the air with some really good attributes. If he keeps his head down and works hard, I think he can develop nicely over the next year."
Luca Ercolani (Defender)
"A young centre-back and one of a batch who have had to be patient and wait for their opportunities with some of the older boys doing really well. He has a fantastic attitude and is a really good trainer. He wants to get better and wants to learn. He is working hard every day and I'm sure, when he gets opportunities over the next couple of months, he'll be eager to take them."
Jake Kenyon (Defender)
"He has been a winger all through the system but, if you look at the modern day full-back now, there's an importance in a player who can attack really well from that position, provide assists and be a goal threat. He puts in a regular stream of crosses as well and gets back to defend too. It's important he took that on really well and he's been a big part of the attacking play the team has produced but also been hard to beat and diligent in his defending as well."
Lee O'Connor (Defender)
"I think he has done fantastic and been a real bonus. You never know how a lad is going to settle in after coming from Ireland and it's a huge step up from the level he was playing at. He has been a really important part of the team at centre-half and in both full-back positions. I think he's a really talented boy but also a very solid and dependable character, which is an important quality to have in a defender."
Harry Spratt (Defender)
"He's had injury problems this season and it's been a challenge for him as he's found himself behind Jake Kenyon, who is having a great season, in the pecking order a lot of the time. He has done well in the Under-17 games and also in the friendly in Slovakia so he'll be looking to pick up more experience in 2017."
George Tanner (Defender)
"George is really versatile - he played as a midfield and forward in most of his Academy days before making the conversion to full-back this year. He has taken on the role really well and is another modern full-back because he likes to get forward, deliver crosses and be a goal threat. He is another solid, dependable character and a fantastic trainer. He has a really good attitude and it's important to have people like that in your group."
Tyrell Warren (Defender)
"Obviously, he had experience of playing in the FA Youth Cup last season but he missed a large part of the early stages of this campaign when I first came in due to injury. He has come back and been a big part in the past two months, sometimes at full-back but mostly at centre-half and he's captained the side on a number of occasions. He's a popular boy in the dressing room, a popular character in and around his peers, and another one who can be a strong part of the defensive unit."
Ro-Shaun Williams (Defender)
"He is an experienced player at this age group and it will be good to have him back in. We have had him available in a couple of league games and I'm looking for him to be one of the stand-out players and also to show leadership qualities and set a good example for some of the younger players. He will be a good leader on and off the pitch."
DJ Buffonge (Midfielder)
"He's a talented boy - a versatile attacker or midfielder with really quick feet. He is able to beat people in one-v-one situations and is certainly a talent. We're constantly pushing him as hard as we can to find some consistency and keep matching up his ability with his work-rate. When he has that application, he has shown he is a big, big talent who can really affect games so it's something we'll keep pushing him with."
Aidan Barlow (Midfielder)
"Aidy's a local lad who has been here a long time. He's another who has had to be patient as he's found himself behind some really fantastic attacking players who are a little bit older than him. He's been patient, worked hard and applied himself when he's played for the Under-17s or Under-16s. When he has come on or started for the Under-18s, he has taken his opportunities and performed well. He is one who will have a big part to play over the next 18 months."
Callum Gribbin (Midfielder)
"Another experienced boy who is similar to Ro-Shaun in terms of his experience at this level. He will be quite well known to the United fans who might have seen a little bit of him. He is a fantastic technician with a really good eye for a pass. What has been pleasing is he's starting to add to the physical side of his game and is becoming more powerful and dynamic. Also, his attitude to his defensive work and responsibilities is improving all the time. If he can marry those things up, with his talent on the ball, he can have a really bright future."
Ethan Hamilton (Midfielder)
"A fantastic character around the group and another one with a great training mentality every day. He's a hard worker who wants to get better and develop himself. He's a really solid player for the group as well as being a good talent. Ethan's had opportunities with the Under-23s and has done really well in the Under-18 games he's played. With his attitude, it could certainly carry him very far in his career."
Faustin Makela (Midfielder)
"He's been unlucky with injury but is a really bright and pleasant lad to have around the place. He has done well with the opportunities he has had but has been unlucky having those injuries and being behind some big talents. He's a good part of the squad, trains well and, if he gets his chances, he certainly knows we can rely on him to do a good job."
Tom Sang (Midfielder)
"Tom has been very unfortunate with injury. He played early on in the campaign but has had a long-term ankle injury and a shoulder problem. It's unfortunate for him as you couldn't hope to meet a more hard-working and diligent lad. I wish him well in his recovery and look forward to seeing him return in the New Year."
Callum Whelan (Midfielder)
"A very popular lad in the dressing room - a bubbly and positive character who is a really good technical midfielder. He controls the game and has been massively integral to the team but has been a quiet part of some of the success the forwards have had due to their link-up play. He's provided really good service and has been a big part of it. I feel there is a lot of development still to come too."
Joshua Bohui (Forward)
"Josh has been really pleasing over the last month. He found it tough to settle as it was a big move, coming up from London and a smaller club in Brentford. He didn't find the transition easy but we kept encouraging him to keep his head down and develop his game in training. We looked at individual specific things in terms of the role we feel he can play going forward and he did fantastic against Derby, putting all those things into place. He played centre-forward and led the line really well and scored a goal as well. I'm sure, if he keeps his head down and keeps working hard, once he has had time to settle in and get a feel for the club, he can go on and have a good part to play."
Indy Boonen (Forward)
"Maybe one of the best finishers in the group. He's a wide player, not a traditional winger really, but someone who likes to get in the box. He's really good off both feet and not bad in the air; a really instinctive finisher. He's a bubbly character as well and one who, I think, has got a fair bit of physical development to come. If he keeps his head down, he can go in the right direction in the next couple of years."
Nishan Burkart (Forward)
"Nishan has come in this year and it's always a tough adjustment for someone coming in from a different country and club. He's a really nice kid who works hard and gets on with his job. He never moans and is always looking to do extra finishing and improve. He's a talented boy, really quick who likes to play on the shoulder and get through on goal. He's got a lot of development and improve to come and I look forward to seeing how he develops over the next stage."
Tahith Chong (Forward)
"Tahith has hit the ground running in his time here and I think he's just a fantastic professional. He has the right attitude to training and looks after himself really well off the pitch. He's really personable and good with the staff and players, which has helped him to settle in quickly. On the pitch, everyone has been excited by his performances; he's an eye-catching player. We'll just keep pushing him to add to that with an end product so he can add goals and assists, as he has been doing, and can have a bright future in the game."
Zak Dearnley (Forward)
"He's been injured and very unfortunate. He's not one I've had a chance to look at close up but he should return after the New Year and I'm looking forward to seeing him because everyone speaks very highly of him. I am sure when he gets back from his injury, he can kick on and finish the season strongly."
Kayne Diedrick-Roberts (Forward)
"He's a second-year who did well in the Middlesbrough game when he had an opportunity. He is on a youth loan at Bournemouth at the moment and is getting some regular football so he won't be involved against Southampton. He is playing for their youth team and getting some regular games. He's got a good profile of a centre-forward; he's a good size, works hard and I'm sure he'll score some goals whichever side he's playing for."
Angel Gomes (Forward)
"Angel is clever and I think with him, first of all, he's got a really fantastic attitude towards the game. He loves his football and is bright and curious. He's interested in every training session and you can see that on the pitch. He's always bright, always looking for his team-mates and always looking at the opposition too, trying to find a way to exploit any weaknesses they have got. He has a fantastic football brain really and a good attitude to go with it."
Scouseinthehouse
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Well FWIW I sincerely hope you beat Tottenham tomorrow.
Then go get trounced at Palace Wednesday.
I'm not going to pinpoint Gomes or any of the obvious usual suspects, instead I have to say I REALLY like Kenyon! Every time I've watched him he's been one of our biggest threats down that left hand side, overlapping and dribbling at ridiculous pace, he's really hard to stop. I think he's possibly one of the very few who can make it at Old Trafford in years to come, seems a traditional United player. Only slight issue for him would be Shaw is only 21 himself.
You like him T.O.D?
Theatre of dreams
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Munch improved player last 18 months. At the start you could tell he was a winger converted to FB. But his defensive game has improved hugely! The u18s version of Valencia. Great at getting up and down and to the byline and putting in good crosses.
Theatre of dreams
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Manchester United–
Verified account @ManUtd
Here's today's team news... #MUFC
5:15 am - 11 Dec 2016
2,265 RETWEETS1,218 LIKES.
Theatre of dreams
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Happy with that team. Should be more than good enough. Bring on kick off time!
Theatre of dreams
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Would not disagree TBH. The balance of there team is fantastic.
Theatre of dreams
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Sliced Spurs to shreds there!
razielioux
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Micky finishing 99