Villa’s U21 side resumed their Premier League Cup campaign at a crisp and sunny Bodymoor Heath on Wednesday lunchtime looking to record a positive result in what has been a poor cup campaign thus far.
Last time out a young side had lost 4-1 away to Peterborough, which followed defeats to Blackburn and Brentford. In fairness, the side that played at Peterborough was missing what you might say are the mainstays of this current U21 crop with a large swathe of the U18 squad involved. Most of those mainstays returned here – Josh Feeney, Kerr Smith, Seb Revan, Lamare Bogarde, Arjan Raikhy and Tommi O’Reilly lent the Villa side a physical and experience advantage that began to tell immediately. The only regular missing was Filip Marschall – tantamount to confirmation that he will start on the bench for the first team on Boxing Day, as Robin Olsen deputises for World Cup hero Emi Martinez.
POSITIONAL RESHUFFLE
When the team sheet was issued at Bodymoor you could have assumed that Villa were playing four centre halves – Feeney, Smith, Bogarde and Aaron O’Reilly would all regard that as their natural or preferred position. As it turned out Smith played at right back and didn’t look out of place – his athleticism belying a lack of pace when going forward. Bogarde played in the position his shirt number would have suggested – as a ‘6’ anchoring midfield. Again, he looked composed in the centre – a flexibility that could stand him in good stead for his future. I am never quite sure what Declan Frith’s preferred or best position – I remember seeing him as a full back at Leamington last Summer – but he lined up here as part of a front two to the right of Ruben Shakpoke. Frith looks lively every time I watch the academy side and today was no different – he causes genuine and consistent problems for defences, exemplified here for Villa’s second goal. I also noted the positivity to get into the box and get on the end of balls that often came from a move he started – high energy player and one I look forward to seeing more of.
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TOMMI O’REILLY STANDS OUT – AGAIN
O’Reilly has always come across as rather an unassuming young man but this season he has stamped his mark on the U21 side and as 2022 comes to and end has probably been the academy’s most consistent performer. His ability to work and move the ball to beat a defender is notable, and he moves with a smoothness that seems to often catch the opposition off guard. He had a sighter here, early on, when he cut inside and put a shot just wide. Soon a repeat of the trick worked to put Villa 1-0 up – a composed finish that confirmed Villa’s early dominance.
BREAK UP AND BUILD
Villa failed to build on O’Reilly and Frith’s early goals terms of the score line, but they were completely dominant in terms of possession and chances created. As noted earlier Bogarde played in a midfield role and was ably supported by Arjan Raikhy in defining Villa’s play. Time after time in the first half the midfield two were able to break up Blackburn’s approach play, turnover the ball and move forward quickly. The away side simply couldn’t compete with the powerful Villa midfield and their problems only worsened when, having broken up the play, Bogarde and Raikhy were able to release the pace and power of Ruben Shakpoke running behind. It wasn’t dis-similar to how the first team try and release Ollie Watkins – and Shakpoke should have probably ended the first half with a goal. Despite his powerful approach play he might, worryingly, need to engage Ollie’s finishing coach.
PRESSURE BUILDS BEFORE BOGARDE RELEASES
It was inevitable that Blackburn could not be as dominated as they were in the first half and clearly coach Mike Sheron (a name familiar to many) had told them to get closer to Villa’s midfield to curtail the approach that had worked so well for Villa early on. Pleasingly, Villa coped well with the change in the game and remained in control albeit under more pressure. Blackburn hit a shot straight at Zych in the Villa goal as they looked to build momentum. The pressure was released by Lamare Bogarde who continued to revel in his midfield role, dancing past three defenders before slotting home Villa’s third and essentially ending the game as a contest.
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The game largely petered out for the final 25 minutes – especially once Villa added a fourth through Omari Kellyman whose superb finish followed good work again from Declan Frith. Josh Feeney also went close from a lovely Fred Guilbert (remember him) free kick.
All in all a comfortable afternoon for the Villa youngsters – although not to take away from some strong performances. As the side moves forward to 2023 this will have been a morale boosting victory especially given recent results. It will be interesting to see how the make up of the side shifts with the competing factors of first team needs, cup competitions and the possibly of loans (returners and outgoing). UTV.
AUTHOR | IVAN MCDOUALL
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