Next Adam Lallana, ‘Tasmanian Devil’ & ‘Unsung Hero’ – Who Is Shining In Liverpool’s U18s This Season? | OneFootball

By Mark Strickland

We spoke to Lewis Bower – who produces independent coverage of the Liverpool Football Club Academy – for a timely progress update on the Reds’ under-18s team.

The young Reds sit 10th out of 13 teams in the North regional division of the U18 English Premier League.

Under the tutelage of coach Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, they have amassed 10 points from 11 games this term with three victories, a draw and seven defeats.

Bower said: “The results at the start of the season, face value, you would say are not good, but you have to watch the games.

“This group, in comparison to previous years, it’s very much a start of a new cycle.

“You have a lot of first-year scholars, fresh batch players.”

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At the start of last season, Messrs Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas were both starting for the Reds’ under-18s team.

By February, Danns was leading the line for the full extra time in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley.

In the following game, both scored – Danns a brace at The Kop End – at Anfield in a 3-0 victory over Southampton in the FA Cup.

Danns scored within four minutes of his introduction on Saturday, while Koumas has been performing well on loan at Stoke.

Bower said: “In terms of results, it was a poor start to the season.”

“The results, while not good, it’s about player development and those early exchanges will stand the players in good stead for getting used to what’s to come.”

So, who are the “fresh batch of players”? Who has been the main standout performer among the group?

According to Bower, the Scouse right-back DJ Esdaille – who has represented the same England under-16s team as Rio Ngumoha – has been the “most consistent”.

Esdaile, of whom he is “excited to see more”, was one of the two first years scholars – alongside Ngumoha – to be included in the Under 19 UEFA Youth League team.

“He is the next talented right-back in the set-up at the moment,” he said.

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Honourable mentions went to “Tasmanian devil” Joe Bradshaw – who has scored nine in as many of his last games – and the “unsung hero” Josh Sunny-Lambi.

“The senior player of the group”, Kareem Ahmed – who is a second year – has “popped up with important goals” and Ollie O’Connor reminds Bower of Adam Lallana – high praise, indeed.

Finally, he praised centre-back Lucas Pitt – who “is a consistent player” – who “always performs to a seven out of 10”.

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Redmen Reacts

I had the privilege of attending two games at the Liverpool FC academy in Kirby back before the Christmas period.

Firstly, I watched the under-18s against Newcastle United where they were unlucky to lose by the odd goal in five.

Secondly, I was there when Real Madrid – under the tutelage of former Liverpool right-back Alvaro Arbeloa – beat the Reds 1-0 in the UEFA Youth League.

The Reds could have easily won both games, so I was encouraged by both performances under coaches Bridge-Wilkinson and Barry Lewtas.