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LFC Reserves & Youth Team Goals/Highlights

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https://talksport.com/football/807141/liverpool-gary-oneil-curtis-jones-rhys-williams-owen-beck

[article]Liverpool’s Under-23 assistant coach Gary O’Neil has dubbed Curtis Jones an ‘unbelievable’ talent following his breakthrough into the Reds’ first-team.

The 19-year-old midfielder made his Premier League debut for the Merseysiders last season and has become an integral member of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

Jones was arguably one of the best players on the pitch in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over title rivals Tottenham last week, which saw them reclaim top spot.

O’Neil reserved special praise for Jones and also Rhys Williams, who has made nine first-team appearances this season due to the club’s shortage of fit centre-halves.

O’Neil told White and Jordan on talkSPORT: “Curtis Jones is unbelievable, isn’t he? He’s gone into the first-team and made it look so easy.

“He’s been absolutely fantastic. He’s a great kid as well. He still comes down and watches the Under-23s when his schedule allows him. He’s still fantastic with all the boys.

“To see Rhys go up and play centre-half with the injuries they’ve had… centre-half is an extremely difficult position to play when you’re young.

“You see most of the boys in that position are experienced. Rhys has done fantastically well.”

Left-back Owen Beck, 18, could be the next academy star to break into Klopp’s senior set-up, O’Neil believes.

He added: “Owen Beck is an amazing one. He’s a young boy, he’s very small.

“He’s been underdeveloped the whole way through, so he’s always been the smallest in his age group, one of the youngest.


“He’s played every game for us at Under-23 level this season and has done some training sessions with the first-team.

“So to see things like that going on, some of the pleasure the academy staff must get from it, because I know it’s their job to develop players, but some of them go beyond that.

“Some of the staff, they’re there on a Tuesday night working with these kids in the rain when they’re 13.

“People are saying, ‘he’s a bit small’, but these guys are there putting the work in. Now you see the benefits of it.”[/article]
 
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https://talksport.com/football/807141/liverpool-gary-oneil-curtis-jones-rhys-williams-owen-beck

[article]Liverpool’s Under-23 assistant coach Gary O’Neil has dubbed Curtis Jones an ‘unbelievable’ talent following his breakthrough into the Reds’ first-team.

The 19-year-old midfielder made his Premier League debut for the Merseysiders last season and has become an integral member of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

Jones was arguably one of the best players on the pitch in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over title rivals Tottenham last week, which saw them reclaim top spot.

O’Neil reserved special praise for Jones and also Rhys Williams, who has made nine first-team appearances this season due to the club’s shortage of fit centre-halves.

O’Neil told White and Jordan on talkSPORT: “Curtis Jones is unbelievable, isn’t he? He’s gone into the first-team and made it look so easy.

“He’s been absolutely fantastic. He’s a great kid as well. He still comes down and watches the Under-23s when his schedule allows him. He’s still fantastic with all the boys.

“To see Rhys go up and play centre-half with the injuries they’ve had… centre-half is an extremely difficult position to play when you’re young.

“You see most of the boys in that position are experienced. Rhys has done fantastically well.”

Left-back Owen Beck, 18, could be the next academy star to break into Klopp’s senior set-up, O’Neil believes.

He added: “Owen Beck is an amazing one. He’s a young boy, he’s very small.

“He’s been underdeveloped the whole way through, so he’s always been the smallest in his age group, one of the youngest.

“He’s played every game for us at Under-23 level this season and has done some training sessions with the first-team.

“So to see things like that going on, some of the pleasure the academy staff must get from it, because I know it’s their job to develop players, but some of them go beyond that.

“Some of the staff, they’re there on a Tuesday night working with these kids in the rain when they’re 13.


“People are saying, ‘he’s a bit small’, but these guys are there putting the work in. Now you see the benefits of it.”[/article]


I like the sound of "he’s been underdeveloped the whole way through, so he’s always been the smallest in his age group, one of the youngest." Just like players who physically develop earlier than their peers "learn" to rely on these physical attributes and then struggle when they can no longer call on this advantage (Freddy Adu or our own Andre Wisdom come to mind), players who are underdeveloped have to find other attributes to stay competitive and once a growth spurt happens they are already far ahead. Isn't that the story of Van Dijk in some way? It would be amazing if we could find a quality understudy for Robbo in the reserves.
 
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...-Curtis-Jones-break-Liverpools-team-2021.html
[article]With the senior Liverpool side making the move from their Melwood training base to Kirkby this season, the journey for the youngsters eyeing a place in Jurgen Klopp's squad is, at least in terms of distance, a little bit shorter.

Klopp has never been afraid of throwing youth players in at the deep end at Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold is the ultimate embodiment of that, but this season as has been the greatest example of his faith in youth.

The emergence of Curtis Jones, alongside valiant displays from players such as Caoimhin Kelleher, Rhys Williams and Neco Williams will be of huge encouragement.

So who are the players that could follow their lead and be handed a baptism of fire in 2021? Sportsmail takes a closer look...

LEIGHTON CLARKSON
The diminutive, stocky midfielder will be pushing to start the new year in a similar vein to how he finished the last.

Clarkson, a 19-year-old midfielder, made his Champions League debut away to Midtjylland and fitted in seamlessly against the Danish outfit.

The game finished 1-1, with a heavily rotated Liverpool under siege for much of the second half but Clarkson impressed in a similar role to Fabinho's midfield position of dismantling opposition play.

'First half, I thought I was better because we were playing more football and I thought I was making a few decent passes,' Clarkson said. 'Then in the second we weren't really at it. That's something to work towards with the games coming up.'

JAKE CAIN
Another midfielder and a close friend of Clarkson's, Jake Cain has been training with the first-team squad for a while now and was unfortunate not to make his Champions League bow alongside his mate in Denmark.

But it seems his chance won't be too far away. The left-footed 19-year-old made his bow in the FA Cup last year when Klopp fielded a team of youngsters in the 1-0 win over Shrewsbury in the fourth round of the FA Cup and has been an unused substitute on occasions in the Champions League this season.

This time around, he'll no doubt be eyeing the FA Cup tie on January 8 against Aston Villa to make his first first-team appearance of the 2020-21 season.

PAUL GLATZEL
Injuries have hampered striker Glatzel's route to the first team but he is definitely not too far from Klopp's thinking. At present, he is sidelined with an ankle ligament injury that means he won't play again for a while - his current time out on the sidelines is unknown.

In 2018-19, Glatzel hammered home 28 goals in a brilliant partnership alongside Bobby Duncan but the following season, injured his ACL in a first-team friendly against Tranmere and missed the majority of the 2019-20 campaign.

'He is a wonderful kid, a wonderful player, unbelievable,' Klopp said of Glatzel, born in Liverpool but who is of dual heritage as both his parents are German. 'When he is back he will be one of my boys because I really like what I saw.'

He returned with a bang earlier this month, scoring for Liverpool's Under 23 team in a 4-2 win over West Ham. At 19, time is on Glatzel's side and he signed a long-term contract with Liverpool in September 2019, while he was injured.

JAMES NORRIS
For Norris, last season's Covid-19 impacted campaign will be of particular frustration.

The left back was expected to play for England Under 17s at the European Championships last summer but the tournament was called of due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The 17-year-old featured in the 5-0 defeat by Aston Villa in the EFL Cup last season as the senior squad competed in the Club World Cup, while his displays in the Under 18 set-up have caught the eye of none other than Jamie Carragher.

'I know Liverpool rate him really highly,' Carragher said. 'While it's difficult to break into one of the best teams in the world, I think there are some talents in there who will make a name for themselves.'

LAYTON STEWART
Another player mentioned in the same breathe as Norris is Layton Stewart, who has been scoring on a relentless basis for the Under 18s.

'He can be anything he wants to be,' Alex Ingelthorpe, Liverpool's academy director told Goal earlier this year of the striker who is a lifelong Liverpudlian.

He has already caught the eye of the keenest Liverpool fans who watch the youth games for a glimpse of tomorrow's stars. There is a highlight reel of his games on Youtube titled 'Liverpool's new Robbie Fowler' - formidable praise indeed.

At 18, there is a long path ahead before Stewart is threatening to dislodge any of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane or Diogo Jota but it he keeps on scoring, the journey will keep on shortening for him.

'I like being within the goalframe,' he told LFCTV earlier this year. 'My main attribute is running forward, getting in behind defenders.'

THOMAS HILL
Another midfielder, Hill penned a new long-term contract with Liverpool back in October. Unfortunately, the terms were signed just a month after an ACL injury that was similar to Virgil van Dijk.

So like Glatzel, he is hitting the comeback trail but he is certainly one of the more higher rated youngsters at Liverpool and was another to feature in the League Cup against Villa last season.

He has been on Liverpool's books since Under six level and once he is back fit, will be looking to join the likes of Cain and Clarkson in knocking on the door of the first team.[/article]
 
So this is the backup? We're probably so strapped for cash we can't even afford a loan deal. Unless we sell someone, I can't see us getting any one new
Calm down dickhead. He wasn't getting any games on loan and was on the bench all the time. We've simply recalled him as what's the point of him sitting on the bench when he's supposed to be getting experience and game time. You need to take a chill pill mate not everything is gloom and doom
 


Dated 27 Nov 2020
[article]Zimbabwe teenage football sensation, Isaac Mabaya is billed to follow in the footsteps of Trent Alexander-Arnold after making considerable progress in the age-group sides of Liverpool.

Mabaya, who recently turned 16, has pushed his way into the Liverpool Under-18 squad and caught the eye of the academy coach, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.

The Zimbabwean starlet marked his debut, in the Under-18 side, with a second-half cameo, in the 1-3 defeat to Manchester City.

He scored the Reds’ consolation goal.

Mabaya is normally used as a midfielder but is now being tried in the rightback position.

Alexander-Arnold famously switched from midfield to become Jurgen Klopp’s first choice right-back in recent seasons.

Bridge-Wilkinson told the Liverpool Echo he has been impressed by the progress made by Mabaya.

“It’s something we have been looking at in training in the last week, so we felt it was right to give Isaac a go,” Bridge-Wilkinson said.

“I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve worked with Isaac for the last two years or so, on and off.

“I know an awful lot about him, his game and his character. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s capable of playing at this level.”

Mabaya signed his first contract at Liverpool at the age of eight in 2013.

He has risen through the age-group teams and has already been capped by England at Under-16 level.

However, he can still switch allegiance to Zimbabwe, in the future, as he qualifies through his parents.

The teenager’s father, David, worked as a pharmacist at United Bulawayo Hospitals up to 2000, before relocating to England.

They hail from Mutare where he last visited in 2014.

Mabaya, who idolises former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, has also been following Zimbabwean football closely.

England-based former Zimbabwe footballer, Charlie White, has urged ZIFA to keep track of the exciting youngster.

“Isaac, who has been following the exploits of Marvelous Nakamba, Khama Billiat, Marshall Munetsi, Knowledge Musona and Tino Kadewere, could be a coup for the Zimbabwe national team Under-17.

“Able to play as a winger or wingback, I watched him play as a linkman and I can say I have seen another Seth Patrick, who practically dominates the midfield.

“That is what we need in our national team — players with guts, skill and intelligence.

“He played for England Under-15 on April 27th, 2019, at age 14, and later in August for the Under-16 at age 14 years and 11 months.

“Isaac has expressed his willingness to play for Zimbabwe. He can change as he is under the age stipulated by FIFA,” said White.

Mabaya showed promise on his first day in the Under-18s.

“It was a big moment for him,” said the Under-18s individual coach/head of analysis, Tim Jenkins.

“He actually got one in pre-season against Manchester United as well, so he is developing quite a nice habit of coming off the bench, as a midfield player and scoring.

“It’s great to have those guys around. We have a lot of injuries at the moment with four or five who are out fairly long-term at the moment.” Liverpool senior team recently opened the doors to Academy graduates Rhys Williams, Neco Williams and Curtis Jones.[/article]
 
We've signed a goalie


Seems like he's highly rated. This tweet was when he joined Celtic 2 years ago
 
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[article]New Liverpool goalkeeper Liam Hughes has been backed to make the most of his “massive opportunity” having joined the reigning Premier League champions.

While the Reds transfer deadline day moves for centre-backs Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak understandably grabbed the headlines, Liverpool also did some additional late business in the shape of bringing 19-year-old Hughes to the club from Celtic.

The 6ft 3in prospect, who has also played for Lisburn Youth, Portadown and Dungannon Swifts in his native Northern Ireland, will initially link up with Barry Lewtas’ Under-23s squad.

Former Irish League manager Rodney McAree is backing Hughes, who worked under him at Dungannon Swifts, to take his big chance.

Now part of Barry Gray’s backroom staff at Warrenpoint Town, McAree also joined Liverpool as a teenager in 1989, featuring in the Reds youth and reserve teams before playing first team football with Fulham and Bristol City.

Belfast Live quote the former midfielder as saying: “It’s a massive opportunity for Liam and I’m delighted for him.

"It would be great to see him progress there.

“It’s an unbelievable move for Liam and I know he’ll do everything to make the most of it because he’s got a great attitude.

"He always wants to work hard at his game and he is a great character. He has a good family behind him and it’s fantastic to see him earn a move to a club like Liverpool."

McAcree recalls he was struck by Hughes’ dedication when recalling the first time he met him at his home near Lurgan.

He said: “I went down to his house with Dixie Robinson to sign him and out in the back garden he had a full size set of goal posts.

“Not a plastic Samba set, a full size set.

“I thought to myself, this lad’s only 15 and he’s got a proper set of goal posts in his garden. Dixie and I were taking free-kicks at him! But that told us how dedicated he was.

“Looking back, he was so young when he signed for us, but even at that early age you could see he had a bright future ahead of him.

“We knew we’d have immediate interest in him from cross channel clubs and so it proved, I think he signed for Celtic a few months later.

“Even as a 15 or 16-year-old, he was a great size for a young lad and he also had good feet. He had everything you like to see in a goalkeeper.”[/article]
 
We must have the worst "young keeper signed to keeper playing for the first team" ratio in the World.
 

[article]Liverpool have already seen Curtis Jones take huge strides forward this season, establishing himself as a vital member of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

But there are another couple of midfielders hoping 2021 can see them make similar steps forward towards establishing themselves as Liverpool regulars.

As was discussed on the Academy Show podcast, 19-year-olds Leighton Clarkson and Jake Cain, born just over a month apart, are among the likeliest Academy stars to be breakout stars this calendar year as Jones did last.

Nine months or so younger than Jones
, both are ready to take the next step in their careers, though after Liverpool drew Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round, a similar breakout in that competition has been delayed.

Clarkson - nicknamed Philip Lahm, according to The Athletic, because of his tactical understanding, passing intelligence into forward areas - played in the Champions League earlier this season, underlining exactly what Klopp, Pep Lijnders and co think about him.

In that game in Denmark, Clarkson impressed alongside Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino in midfield, showing off his ability to find a pass. No one on the pitch completed more passes than the number six on his senior European debut.

One of the group to have benefited from working under Steven Gerrard when he was U18s boss, Clarkson is known to stay behind after training and practice, putting in the extra yards to improve and impress.

His slight frame and lack of height mean he has to think ahead and be smarter than his opponents, but he has shown signs of being able to do so expertly, leading to the 'Lahm' nickname.

"In Germany, there’s a famous player who played similar to him. You might have to go back a little longer and I don’t want to put pressure on the boy but he reminds me a lot of him," Klopp said after the Midtjylland game.


"He’s just a good footballer, a smart footballer. He’s fast, physically strong. If you see him, his legs are not like a 19-year-old boy’s legs - they are already grown and so I am really happy to give him his opportunity because he deserves it."

Lahm was the German star he was referring to, and Clarkson was the player being described. No pressure then - though the evidence suggests he can handle it.

As for Cain, a left-footed and more foward-thinking midfielder, the steps for progression are remarkably similar to Jones in some ways.

Like Jones, he was tasked with adding more goals to his game over the summer, as the senior man was 12 months prior, and duly did so with some delightful free-kicks early in the season.

Cain produced seven goal contributions in eight Premier League 2 matches in the opening weeks of the season, but has only featured three times for Liverpool's U23s since November 6.

That, though, is only because he has been needed for the first-team bench and training sessions, where he has been impressing amidst plenty of talented competition.

Jones was the last Academy midfielder to establish himself at senior level under Klopp, but he won’t be the last.

If the Toxteth-born player has already saved Liverpool millions, Blackburn-born Clarkson and Wigan-born Cain could see the Reds repeat the trick.[/article]
 

[article]Liverpool have already seen Curtis Jones take huge strides forward this season, establishing himself as a vital member of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

But there are another couple of midfielders hoping 2021 can see them make similar steps forward towards establishing themselves as Liverpool regulars.

As was discussed on the Academy Show podcast, 19-year-olds Leighton Clarkson and Jake Cain, born just over a month apart, are among the likeliest Academy stars to be breakout stars this calendar year as Jones did last.

Nine months or so younger than Jones
, both are ready to take the next step in their careers, though after Liverpool drew Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round, a similar breakout in that competition has been delayed.

Clarkson - nicknamed Philip Lahm, according to The Athletic, because of his tactical understanding, passing intelligence into forward areas - played in the Champions League earlier this season, underlining exactly what Klopp, Pep Lijnders and co think about him.

In that game in Denmark, Clarkson impressed alongside Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino in midfield, showing off his ability to find a pass. No one on the pitch completed more passes than the number six on his senior European debut.

One of the group to have benefited from working under Steven Gerrard when he was U18s boss, Clarkson is known to stay behind after training and practice, putting in the extra yards to improve and impress.

His slight frame and lack of height mean he has to think ahead and be smarter than his opponents, but he has shown signs of being able to do so expertly, leading to the 'Lahm' nickname.

"In Germany, there’s a famous player who played similar to him. You might have to go back a little longer and I don’t want to put pressure on the boy but he reminds me a lot of him," Klopp said after the Midtjylland game.


"He’s just a good footballer, a smart footballer. He’s fast, physically strong. If you see him, his legs are not like a 19-year-old boy’s legs - they are already grown and so I am really happy to give him his opportunity because he deserves it."

Lahm was the German star he was referring to, and Clarkson was the player being described. No pressure then - though the evidence suggests he can handle it.

As for Cain, a left-footed and more foward-thinking midfielder, the steps for progression are remarkably similar to Jones in some ways.

Like Jones, he was tasked with adding more goals to his game over the summer, as the senior man was 12 months prior, and duly did so with some delightful free-kicks early in the season.

Cain produced seven goal contributions in eight Premier League 2 matches in the opening weeks of the season, but has only featured three times for Liverpool's U23s since November 6.

That, though, is only because he has been needed for the first-team bench and training sessions, where he has been impressing amidst plenty of talented competition.

Jones was the last Academy midfielder to establish himself at senior level under Klopp, but he won’t be the last.

If the Toxteth-born player has already saved Liverpool millions, Blackburn-born Clarkson and Wigan-born Cain could see the Reds repeat the trick.[/article]

So Klopp has just been told what the transfer budget is for the summer I take it.
Another sell to buy window coming up probably
 
So the excuse for not spending cash this summer will be that we don't want to stunt the development of some promising young players. Surely this only works if they make it off the bench and get some playing time but the only game time Clarkson has had this season is 90 minutes in a dead rubber against Midtyjlland and Cain hasn't played a single minute. Given the number of injuries the first team has had this season you would have thought they would have gotten some sub appearances if they're rated so highly rather than just making up the numbers on the bench.
No wonder our established midfielders look so exhausted.
 
Wouldn't it be fantastic if all the attacking additions Musialowski, Frauendorf & Gordon make it here? 😀


 
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Judging by England's u17, u18, u19, u20 and u21 squads our future doesn't look that bright.
One player in the U17s and u18s, same guy Jarrel Quansah.
One in the u19s, Layton Stewart.
No one in the u20 squad
Cujo, Williams and Elliot in the U21s.

Can't be compared with our rivals. The squads from u17s to u20s are full of Man U, City and Chelsea players.
We have the most u21 players though.
 
Judging by England's u17, u18, u19, u20 and u21 squads our future doesn't look that bright.
One player in the U17s and u18s, same guy Jarrel Quansah.
One in the u19s, Layton Stewart.
No one in the u20 squad
Cujo, Williams and Elliot in the U21s.

Can't be compared with our rivals. The squads from u17s to u20s are full of Man U, City and Chelsea players.
We have the most u21 players though.
How does our representation in other national underage teams compare?
 
One of our youth players just left for Leeds



[article]
Teenage star Cuba Cline has taken to Instagram to inform both Liverpool and Leeds United supporters that he has decided to leave the Merseyside club, where he has spent the last six years, to join the Leeds academy.

Cline, 16, has caps at England Under-15 level and is one of the Reds’ brightest talents at his age.
He has been in the Liverpool development academy since the age of 10, but after six years, has has seemingly chosen to change that.

The defender has since chosen to join Leeds where he is expected to link up with the club’s Under-18 side – who are managed by Scott Gardner. He will join a side that currently sit rock bottom of the Under-18 Premier League, on five points from 12 games.

His post on Instagram saw him thank Liverpool and the staff at the Premier League champions for helping him in the early stages of his professional career – but stated the “hard work continues” at Leeds.

LUFC Youth, an unofficial Twitter account that covers all things to do with the club’s youngsters, posted that he had signed a two-year scholarship deal at Elland Road. Players can sign professional contracts from the age of 17, when the club sees fit.

Indeed, Cline is also followed by Leeds icon Ian Harte – who is currently the agent of Niall Huggins, the latest Leeds United debutant following his substitute appearance against Arsenal on Sunday. He could be involved in the deal.
[/article]
 
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