Thread — U23s

Manchester United vs Blackburn: Amad Diallo Watch

This is our XI. Mengi has moved to Derby on loan so we have Devine (FB) and Galbraith (DM) playing there. We might show defensive frailties today as a result. Let's hope our offence (Diallo at RW) carries us.

Our games are filled with goals and we're playing against the leaders tonight. It'll be a tough game. Let's hope the boys do well.

That was really nice by Amad. He plays a line-breaking pass to Shola and then makes a run to get it back. Then he plays another progressive pass to Hugill with his right foot to put him through.

A good start.

Good work again off the ball. He made a run to show himself for a pass but didn't receive it. Then, he made a second run...a third run and he received it on his fourth run. He didn't stop once but just blended one run to the next. He lost the ball and then pressed to get it back.

You can see the creative mindset Amad has. He's more geared towards creation than scoring whilst he'll become proficient in both as he grows. That stylistic aspect is what we need in our first team i.e. a winger who is inclined to create before scoring.

Again. He makes a run to receive the ball but noticed Harvey (RB) has time on the ball. So, instead of calling for the ball he tells him to carry the ball forward. Small things like that are nice to see.

Lovely. He comes short for a throw-in and the defender goes with him. His first touch is a volleyed-flick around the corner into space. Good cognition — he seems mentally quicker than others so far.

Oh, that's sad. Levitt plays a poor square pass and it's cut out and finished. 1-0 down.

Hopefully our heads don't drop here.

Each time he's lost the ball his first thought is to chase it. I like it. It's a good principle to have as a player. In the first team that aggression will be controlled and guided in the right direction.

There's another good line-breaking pass to a runner. He's quite proficient at that and it was a staple of his performances for Atalanta. I do think Cavani and Rashford will benefit from that — even Wan-Bissaka.

WHAT a goal from Hannibal! Beautiful football from us. Amad is involved — once again with a vertical pass to Hannibal — and after a couple of first-touch passes he's through to the side of the defender. He sits them down with a touch and finishes wonderfully with his left.

1-1.

We need to look after the ball better here. The square pass has a paradox with it: it's the safer option as the retention % is higher however it's more dangerous than the forward pass if you end up losing it.

We've done it twice.

Solskjær is definitely going to ask Fernandes to mentor Hannibal once he's introduced to the first team.

I recently wrote about cognitive ability and why certain players are better than others simply because they processing things more accurately and faster. Amad is definitely one of them and whilst I type this the commentator just mentioned it.

The turn on the touchline — he just let the ball go and the defender followed him — is an example of that. He's thinking better than others.

We concede from a corner.

1-2.

I don't know whether this is a thing we do normally or whether it's just today but, man, our defensive transitions have been poor. There's clearly a greater intensity of running when we're attacking than when we're defending.

I wonder if that correlates to our conceded goals.

GOAL!

Assist for Amad Diallo!

A beautiful pass from Hannibal though I'm not sure whether he meant that? Maybe he did. Nevertheless, great composure from Diallo. He takes two touches, cuts in and calmly plays it to Shola who finishes it off!

2-2.

Almost every good attack we've had has involved Diallo. There's another one. A beautiful switch from Levitt and Amad controlled it dead. He plays a great vertical pass thereafter. He's done it all game.

There he is once more but he drives into the box this time. However, he plays a weak(er) pass to Hannibal which is cut out.

Oh, another one. He gets a pass and returns it vertically on the inside of the FB first time with his RIGHT foot.

He processes space and time so well and his technical ability just adds to that. He's been impressive.

Half Time:

Manchester United 2-2 Blackburn

Amad's been the best player on the pitch. Almost all our best attacks have come through him and he's clearly processing things quicker than others. We are actively seeking him out when we attack. Shola/Hannibal were really good too.

There are signs in football where it becomes clear a player is creating the most danger and one of them is when the others look for them during early progression. Amad's been that guy today and it's why he's been able to play 5-6 line-breaking passes to runners.

Wonderful.

It's quite nice to see how competitive we are against the leaders. We've been the better team overall but created our own problems via loose possessions which they have capitalised on.

This team could easily top the league with some tightening of the screws.

Ha! Amad drops the shoulder and creates ~5m of room out of nowhere lol. That was lovely.

Oh, second half has started. Forgot to mention. -_-

*sigh*

We've conceded a penalty. Oh, it's soft me thinks.

They scored.

Yuck.

2-3.

It's difficult to analyse certain positioning aspects as I can't tell whether it's the player or instruction. Sometimes players are criticised for their positioning but it's actually the coach who's told them.

*sigh*

We've conceded again. They attack down the right and Hannibal is too far away to cover. We have to defend wider, lose a duel and concede.

That's annoying.

2-4.

I don't watch enough of our U23s to make certain judgment calls but, BOY, Hannibal seems to be getting hacked whenever I watch him. He should strengthen up for the Premier League as I doubt it'll stop.

Oh, Amad! It's a beautiful pass through from Shola and Amad's one-on-one with the keeper but he hits it straight at the keeper. That's not characteristic of him as in those positions he's used to attempting bottom corner finishes.

That was a big chance.

Look at how proficient he is in tight spaces. Just then there's a clustered box and he still finds a cute 2m pass to the right man. He's been doing that all game. That's a good sign for the future.

Hannibal! Wonderful work down the left but Hugill can't convert. Who played the long ball to him there? I missed it.

It was Amad. That was beautiful. Thank you for the answers, guys.

In my scouting report I mentioned some of Amad's physical attributes. We've seen all of these today aside from his stamina (he's working up to that).

BEAUTIFUL!

Amad has the ball and gestures to Shola to make a run and then picks him out with the cross.

A really good header from Shola, too!

Two assists for Amad tonight.

GOAL!

It's 4-4! Harvey to Joe Hugill and it's a composed header.

We don't deserve to lose this game, man.

Question:

Where can I find images from the game?

Amad's done that a few times today. His passes have been delicate but it's resulted in a few under-hit ones which could have produced dangerous situations.

GOAL!

Amad with a HATRICK of assists! Great composure, man. Look at him. We have players in our first team that would look to strike that but Amad just waits and Shola comes in for his HATRICK of goals.

5-4!

Oh, Amad! He's so intelligent that he reads the back-header but then he loses it in the transition. He doesn't have Mbappé-like explosion so he'll never be able to just hit it and run.

Nevertheless he did very well overall.

Come on, boys. 10 minutes left. Don't let this slip like a certain…

Moving on!

AMAD DIALLO!!!!!

WHAT A FINISH!

He's so composed after being blocked and then ball eventually comes back to him. He half-volleys it into the bottom corner.

6-4! Amad Diallo with THREE ASSISTS and a GOAL to finish it off!

You have to give credit where it's due. Amad's been told to support Neville more in the second half and Harvey's just bombed on as a result. Our right side has been so effective!

Amad's toying with them now and Hannibal's getting involved too. It's so easy for Amad here. He loves this vertical pass to someone who comes short for him to receive a 1-2. It's akin to something Messi does a lot. I guarantee he's been influenced by Leo a lot.

Amad and Hannibal just toying with them here. Funnily enough Amad's the one doing the flicks and Hannibal's just playing it back to him but Hannibal's the one who gets kicked lol.

This game, man. Entertainment!

Why is it both Grealish and Hannibal get kicked more than anyone else and they're also the same two who keep their socks the lowest? Lol, what a weird thing, no?

As the game closes out I have Amad as my Man of the Match — he's been nonpareil at times. Shola comes in second. He's not been involved as much but has been emphatic and clinical. Hannibal comes in third. He's been so dominant on the ball.

S/O to Harvey! A brilliant second half!

How many times has Hannibal been fouled? It must be ~10!

Full Time:

Manchester United 6-4 Blackburn

Amad Diallo finishes with three assists and a goal! He was so dominant but ethereal at the same time. A fantastic performance from him! Creation, carrying, take-ons, off-ball movement, scoring, etc. He did it all today.

Well, we've reached the end. I don't watch the U23s as much as I should so there are many things I don't know about them. However, I do know Amad and his talent and it was on show today.

I hope you enjoyed the thread. Please forgive any deficiencies in my analysis.

Peace.