Topic: Reds in Reserve - Reds see off Bolton with ease

[liverweb]

Bolton Wanderers 0 Liverpool 3

The Reds reserves went back to the top of the league with a win over Bolton. Dani Pacheco scored on his first start for the reserves whilst a late first appearance in the reserves from Nathan Eccleston was also rounded off with a goal.

The win was richly deserved and the class from the side shone through the more time went on. The Reds clearly played as a team and that always makes for a better chance of winning.

Bolton got the game underway up at Leyland, which is a rather tight ground. The wind was behind Bolton i the first half and their clear tactic in the first half was to use it and aim for their left hand side to attack Martin Kelly. With Kelly being a centre back it was obviously thought they could get past him but they had very little joy all game as he played really well.

Liverpool started the better and within a minute threatened to score. Brouwer had a half chance but it was snuffed out before he could get a shot away on goal.

With the ground being so small it was no surprise that it only took nine minutes before the ball flew out over the stand.

Damien Plessis went close with a good shot on ten minutes after good work from Pacheco. The Spanish striker was looking really up for the game and looking to grab the chance to shine as Nemeth was away on international duty.

Bolton did create a chance on fourteen minutes as Obadeyi raced through the defence but his ball back missed everyone and the Reds cleared the danger.

On twenty minutes the Reds forced a save from Ian Walker in the Bolton goal as Flynn let fly.

Bolton did have the ball in the net in the first half but it was rightly flagged offside. It proved the nearest they came all game.

The Reds came out fast in the second half as they clearly upped the pace. Inside the first minute Brouwer was put through by Flynn but his shot across the keeper was well saved by Walker for a corner.

Bolton nearly profited from a mix up at the back on forty seven minutes when David Martin raced out to meet a ball but misjudged it and was grateful for the interception of Martin Kelly to clear the ball.

Pacheco had a shot from the edge of the area on forty eight minutes which forced Walker in to a full stretch save. Just four minutes later and Pacheco had his goal. He was put through and smashed a ball beyond the stretch of Walker and in off the far post. He was clearly made up with the goal as he raced off to celebrate.

That goal really set the Reds up for the win and from then on they really pushed on. Shots started to fly in at will. Flynn dragged a shot wide before Spearing blazed one well over the bar.

Alonso - brother of the Reds' Xabi sent a shot over the bar from distance for Bolton but they weren't really in it.

Both Pacheco and Spearing then forced Walker in to good saves with decent shots. The second one was pushed for a corner which from a second take Pacheco hit the side netting with at the back post.

On sixty six minutes Nicky Hunt was bundled over in a challenge with Brouwer which the Bolton man suffered worst in. He was forced in to a shirt change and finished the game wearing number 17.

The Reds made their first change on seventy five minutes when Ryan Crowther replaced Pacheco. The Spaniard had had a great game up front and certainly did his chances the power of good.

The Reds were awarded a penalty on seventy eight minutes when Nicky Hunt dragged Brouwer over in the box. Despite his protest the ref certainly made the right choice. Ray Putterill picked the ball up and duly sent it past Walker for 2-0.

Brouwer and Putterill were replaced on eighty three minutes by Eccleston and Bruna who both went up top. This was Eccleston's first taste of reserve team action and after a free scoring season at the academy he came with a slight reputation.

On eight seven minutes he proved his worth as well. Crowther put in a cross in the box which the Reds claimed hand ball for and the linesman agreed. He flagged and the penalty was given. Eccleston raced for the ball and after doing an Aldo shuffle in his run up sent Walker the wrong way.

As the final whistle blew the Reds cane be really happy with their game. Throughout the whole side the players played for the team and ensured that the base for the win was set.

MotM : Damien Plessis - he was the midfield fulcrum and this for me was by far and away his best game for the reserves so far. I still wish he'd use his right foot a bit more. Dani Pacheco also had a superb game up front whilst Martin Kelly was the pick of the defence for me.


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Liverpool Martin, Kelly, San Jose, Huth, Insua, Plessis, Flynn, Spearing (c), Brouwer (Eccleston 83), Pacheco (Crowther 75), Putterill (Bruna 83)
Unused Subs Hansen, Ayala
Goal Pacheco (52), Putterill (pen 79), Eccleston (pen 88)

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Bolton Wanderers Walker, Sinclair (Smith 65), Carlisle, Dzemaili, Hunt, Basham, Sissons, Alonso, Obadeyi, Wolze, Woolfe (Charlesworth 65)
Unused Subs Lainton, Burns, Cassidy
Goal 

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Referee Mr Tierney
Att 294
Venue Leyland

copyright Liverweb

[Armin]

Another excellent report Andy, thanks for posting it.

I'm glad Plessis is coming on. I liked him when I watched the Sunderland game although a few have remarked on how one footed he was. 

 

[liverweb]

He'd rather run round in a half circle at the moment to get it on his left foot

Still - good coaching can sort that out i'm sure

Andy

[Armin]

We have some real talent in the reserves at the moment. The best part of it is that it's not stuffed full of highly paid failures at first team level, not a Bernard Diomede in sight. They're all young and ambitious. The likes of Nemeth and Pacheco look very promising. We're top of the league and the youngsters have strung back to back Youth Cup victories and have just knocked out a highly fancied Arsenal team in this years competition.

No guarantees in any of the above but we look to be performing far better at reserve and youth level.

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

I caught a bit of last night's game on the TV and was really impressed with Pacheco. For such a young lad he looks really comfortable on the ball.  He won't be panicked into a quick pass and is quite prepared to hold onto it and wait for the right pass even when under a lot of pressure.  It's obviously far too early at the moment but he looks like the sort of schemer who would make the ideal foil for Torres up front.

[liverweb]

Pacheco. For such a young lad he looks really comfortable on the ball.  He won't be panicked into a quick pass and is quite prepared to hold onto it

Maybe being very generalistic here but it says quite a bit about the English game.  The foreign players learn to love the ball more and therefore aren't scared of it.  No hoofing to win etc;  If the game can learn from these imports from the grass roots levels then perhaps in time the English game can improve at a national level as well.

[novredder]

This is the kind of news this club needs more of. In truth, the rebuilding of Anfield is happening from many simultaneous fronts. Our Youth prog is being reshaped to be more international in outlook, all courtesy of Rafa's taking a short while ago. Indeed, with the new crop of youngsters, we haven't lost the Youth FA Cup in three years! Our reserves are also ruling their own sphere. Our first team, as at present, is in the throes of rebuilding and there's plenty to look forward to. Every dark cloud has its own silver lining somewhere and we'll soon see the sun again.

[novredder]

Maybe being very generalistic here but it says quite a bit about the English game.  The foreign players learn to love the ball more and therefore aren't scared of it.  No hoofing to win etc;  If the game can learn from these imports from the grass roots levels then perhaps in time the English game can improve at a national level as well.

I don't think the foreigners love the ball more, necessarily. The issue here is one of motivation. They come to a foreign land with the policy of 'make it or burst.' They have more or less burnt their ships and have no way to go but forward. Can you imagine how much such a person can do? This attitude puts their focus, discipline and motivation at a very high level. The English society will not help its children by isolating them from the world. The kids need to learn, just like foreign kids are learning, and adapt to the demands of an increasingly complex game. This might be why the English media is not as adaptive to radical ideas, mostly from foreign coaches like Benitez. Buying into his internationalist outlook using a local mindset just doesn't help. The paradigm of English soccer has to change and that will signal the beginning of England's reemergence as a soccer power. Look across the English Channel to see how France has cultivated its own golden generation from the eighties (Platini's days). That team might not have true Gallic character, but its tactics and abilities are undoubtedly world class. Dynamic cultures will want to ask why others excel in certain things. The English, with all their resourcefulness should be in the frontline of such learning.

[flying red]

I think the best way of assessing Rafa's ability to bring long term success to the club is by examining what he has changed at the academy and in the reserves.  He's brought in a horde of skillful 16 and 17 year olds who, no disrespect to Steve Heighway, are in a different league in terms of their skill and composure on the ball.

It's clear that whilst the likes of John Welsh toils at Chester and Lee Peltier at Yeovil, Rafa's kids are destined for better things.  His strategy mirrors Real Madrid's (no coincidence there then) and Barcelona's policy - not every 16 year old prospect makes it through to the first team, however the overall quality in training ensures that the best do.  And those that don't go all the way will have a career at the top level whether in the Premiership or La Liga.

My hunch is that Brouwer isn't here because he's a serious first team prospect; he's here because he's an awkward big target man who gives the central defenders plenty to deal with in training, thus helping their development.

[Armin]

My hunch is that Brouwer isn't here because he's a serious first team prospect; he's here because he's an awkward big target man who gives the central defenders plenty to deal with in training, thus helping their development.

That's how I see him as well. Not only helping the defenders but giving other strikers and attacking midfielders the experience of playing with a target man, something Rafa uses at the top level.