U21 v Liverpool - Updates

[Westleigh]

Certainly got some talent amongst these lads

[Buxtonclaret]

Anyone back yet?

[ClaretTony]

Won 3-1

[warksclaret]

Very promising re Messengo. Hes gone under the radar a bit, but may be what we need in midfield

[Vino blanco]

Player ratings
Massengo 10
Loganberry Pie 9
Joe Westley 8
All the rest 7

[Westleigh]

After such a depressing start to the season I’ve just watch the U 21’s beat Liverpool 3-1 ,they were exceptional and you can imagine the talent that the Scousers attract ,special mention for Massengo he absolutely ran the midfield.

[Buxtonclaret]

Cheers for the updates, folks. Always appreciated,.
As is any Clarets win at the moment.

[FCBurnley]

Scouse comms winging about being under strength but raving about Massengo

[ClaretTony]

Anyone back yet?

Just going past Ewood and heating switched on at home so I’ll be rid of the frostbite soon. Really enjoyable game.

[Buxtonclaret]

Just going past Ewood and heating switched on at home so I’ll be rid of the frostbite soon. Really enjoyable game.

Frostbite and a bad smell!

[Leyland Claret]

Back home with a brew…I don’t have very far to go though!

[Miguel]

Whose the no 8 ?

Will Hugill

[ClaretTony]

Back home with a brew…I don’t have very far to go though!

I'm enjoying my brew

[Clive 1960]

Good result against a good outfit and just hope at least one or two can come through. I remember being at Barnfield training ground many year's ago watching similar game against Liverpool and we won 1.0 and we had a few decent lads and one or two went on to have decent careers , but the Liverpool side had a few household names in who went on to have great careers but it just shows never to get to carried away as it's a big jump up to the first team , and on that day the pitch was a real leveler.

[kingarthur]

Has anyone managed to find video of the goals ?

[bumba]

Massengo was good 1st half but he’s definitely upped it 2nd. Proper player this lad and head and shoulders above

Been saying since he signed we need him in the team after watching him in Ligue 1 but some posters called me out as wanting a player in 'i'd never seen play' because they think football is only watched at the Turf, the guys a talent and we are struggling in midfield I'd have him off the bench over Cullen at the moment as Berge and Brownhill are playing well together at the moment.
I hope he gets his chance soon.

[Clive 1960]

Been saying since he signed we need him in the team after watching him in Ligue 1 but some posters called me out as wanting a player in 'i'd never seen play' because they think football is only watched at the Turf, the guys a talent and we are struggling in midfield I'd have him off the bench over Cullen at the moment as Berge and Brownhill are playing well together at the moment.
I hope he gets his chance soon.

It's a big step up from playing under 21 to Premier league not saying he can't do it but Vincent will know when he's ready and when he gets is chance hopefully he will take it .

[ClaretTony]

Been saying since he signed we need him in the team after watching him in Ligue 1

Some perspective please - he was playing last night against a very young Liverpool team

[Westleigh]

Some perspective please - he was playing last night against a very young Liverpool team

The thing that impressed though was that he always had his head up and very readily played a quick forward pass and seemed to suss any danger at the back,like you say he was against a very young team and he wouldn’t get as much time in the Prem but he definitely has some qualities.

[Clive 1960]

I just remembered who scored in the 1.0 win against Liverpool Matty Heywood and Colin Carr Lawton up front and Kenny's lad Paul played and they were there watching and I'm sure Owen was up front with Jamie Carr in midfield.

[Westleigh]

It's a big step up from playing under 21 to Premier league not saying he can't do it but Vincent will know when he's ready and when he gets is chance hopefully he will take it .

But did you see the 18 yr old playing for Utd v Everton didn’t look out of place,he likes a tackle and plays a lot of forward passes,get him on the bench at least.

[Big Vinny K]

Some perspective please - he was playing last night against a very young Liverpool team

Interesting that he scored a couple of goals last night but he’s never scored at senior level in more than 100 games.
I know he’s a defensive midfielder but scoring 2 goals does suggest that last night is probably not the best indicator as to him being ready to step up.

Hopefully he will develop and be a player for us but his career to date and his time at Bristol City in particular suggests he is going to have to develop pretty significantly.

[Clive 1960]

But did you see the 18 yr old playing for Utd v Everton didn’t look out of place,he likes a tackle and plays a lot of forward passes,get him on the bench at least.

First the lad is a good player who they have looked after at utd , i have watched young team's from all over North West due to my lad playing down there and it's very hard to say how good they can develop, it's not all down to football there's a mental barrier for a lot who can be great on training ground but not on the pitch .

[bumba]

Some perspective please - he was playing last night against a very young Liverpool team

Yes but Ligue 1 is somewhat higher than Liverpool U21's

[bumba]

It's a big step up from playing under 21 to Premier league not saying he can't do it but Vincent will know when he's ready and when he gets is chance hopefully he will take it .

He's played in Ligue 1, it's a good standard much higher than the championship

[Holtyclaret]

Highlights on clubs you tube

[Newcastleclaret93]

Yes but Ligue 1 is somewhat higher than Liverpool U21's

I’ve seen a fair bit of Massengo, he’s very much one for the future.

Good player and likes a tackle, but not sure he’s got the physicality to handle a premier league midfield yet. Give him time

[Big Vinny K]

He was on loan to Auxerre where he played a dozen or so times.
They got relegated.
The transfer spend in the year he joined them was lower than pretty much every championship team (and probably a couple of division one teams too)

He joined Auxerre on loan from a bigger club - Bristol City.

[Vegas Claret]

Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0VLXTb7xK4

[Hapag Lloyd]

He’s played in the Champions League for Monaco, a bigger club than Bristol City.

[CoolClaret]

He’s played in the Champions League for Monaco, a bigger club than Bristol City.

Lyle Foster and the infamous Frederic Nimani also come from the Monaco set up…

Confident that he’s more the former than the latter like

[Big Vinny K]

He’s played in the Champions League for Monaco, a bigger club than Bristol City.

He played 3 times for Monaco and came on as sub in the champions league game for the last 20 minutes in a game they lost 4-0.
Monaco then sold him to Bristol City - not sure as to why they needed to sell their young players but they have had recent financial issues. They also got good money for somebody so young and inexperienced at the time.

[Eyesofblue2]

No idea why Massengo hasn't featured yet, but his last three games for Auxerre were against Paris St Germaine, Lens and Touluse, which would suggest he's a bit above the level of our U21 team.

[RVclaret]

Massengo was a standout player for Auxerre in Ligue 1 (higher standard than Championship) and earned a call up to a talented French u21 squad. It is therefore no surprise he’s standing out while building up match fitness in our 21s. Note he had zero pre-season as he did not have a club to train with until August 31st when he signed for us.

[CoolClaret]

Highlights for anyone that wants to see the goals:

https://youtu.be/v0VLXTb7xK4?si=G-iZW7DSWYxi1Pcg

Some cracking bits by Massengo (and a good run by Churlinov)

Cross field passes, good shots. What a man.

[Big Vinny K]

Really good strikes by Massengo.
Westley having a great season for u21s

[Woodleyclaret]

We need to start pushing our rising stars into first team action
Koleosho has made the move to Burnley with ease maybe Massengo can too, any improvement in our midfield would help at present.

[JR1882]

We need to start pushing our rising stars into first team action
Koleosho has made the move to Burnley with ease maybe Massengo can too, any improvement in our midfield would help at present.

I’m sorry but that is the last thing we need. We need experienced, streetwise pros, fully grown with fully built bodies.

[kentonclaret]

I’m sorry but that is the last thing we need. We need experienced, streetwise pros, fully grown with fully built bodies.

We’ll try and add a few of those to the squad in the January window

[warksclaret]

We need to start pushing our rising stars into first team action
Koleosho has made the move to Burnley with ease maybe Massengo can too, any improvement in our midfield would help at present.

We dont have a heavyweight CM- that's an absolute must in the PL. We have four-Cullen who is struggling with the physicality and pace of the PL: Brownhill gives absolutely everything but lacks the control and fine skills of the PL: Berge who is becoming our top performer but thrives on a very advanced role; and Jack Cork who is in his twilight years and hardly features. Would be great having Messengo in or around the squad, and maybe showing what he can do, at the expense of group of 3-4 widemen on the bench, when we never see more than two of them come on

[DCWat]

I’m sorry but that is the last thing we need. We need experienced, streetwise pros, fully grown with fully built bodies.

I do agree that we lack some experience in key areas. However, our midfield and defence has looked so poor this season (at times) that I wouldn’t be averse to at least bedding Massengo into the first team.

I expected to see him getting more first team action than he has to date, particularly when seeing the issues that we have had in midfield.

For a 22 year old, he has a reasonable amount of first team experience having played 3 times for Monaco, 99 times for Bristol City and 14 times for Auxerre. Add to this 23 appearances for Monaco B and 24 appearances across the French under 17’s to 21’s. He’s not just an inexperienced kid.

Compare that to Koleosho’s 14 for Espanyol B, and 5 for Espanyol (plus 14 for USA / Italy under 21’s and younger) and I’m curious as to why he’s not been in and around the first team more often.

I’ve not seen his performance last night, which sounded extremely promising, though of course at a much lower standard than he’d be facing in the Premier League.

[aggi]

I’m sorry but that is the last thing we need. We need experienced, streetwise pros, fully grown with fully built bodies.

He's 22, he's played 100 games in the championship and even started a few champions league games.

He may not be a grizzled pro but he's not that inexperienced.

[Newcastleclaret93]

He's 22, he's played 100 games in the championship and even started a few champions league games.

He may not be a grizzled pro but he's not that inexperienced.

He’s played a lot but still very very green. He’s one for the future, we need to patient

[KRBFC]

He’s played a lot but still very very green. He’s one for the future, we need to patient

Do you even know what patience is?

[Westleigh]

I’m sorry but that is the last thing we need. We need experienced, streetwise pros, fully grown with fully built bodies.

The likes of Dave Thomas ,Trevor Stephen & many more were playing in their early teens ,Massengo’s 22.

[Nori1958]

The likes of Dave Thomas ,Trevor Stephen & many more were playing in their early teens ,Massengo’s 22.

They played in teams which contained senior pro's

[dougcollins]

The likes of Dave Thomas ,Trevor Stephen & many more were playing in their early teens ,Massengo’s 22.

I often think this.

There's a lot of over-protection in contemporary times.

I'm not convinced it's always for the best.

[Goobs]

The likes of Dave Thomas ,Trevor Stephen & many more were playing in their early teens ,Massengo’s 22.

Wasn't around then but did they really play in their EARLY teens??

[aggi]

He’s played a lot but still very very green. He’s one for the future, we need to patient

He's probably not ready to be starting games and he's not (I don't think at least) going to be the saviour for our season but he's not the novice that some seem to suggest. You don't get people suggesting that Zaroury shouldn't play because he's too inexperienced.

[bumba]

He was on loan to Auxerre where he played a dozen or so times.
They got relegated.
The transfer spend in the year he joined them was lower than pretty much every championship team (and probably a couple of division one teams too)

He joined Auxerre on loan from a bigger club - Bristol City.

Auxerre are a much bigger club than Bristol City