Cambridge United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion (Friendly)
The heatwave continues as we deepen into pre-season, just a week away from the Football League kick off and I’m off to Cambridge for a Friday night football feast between Garry Monk’s U’s and Carlos Corberan’s Baggies.
Problem is, West Brom have a game at Birmingham tomorrow so tonight they’ll be bringing their kids. A chance to see the future however is not one to be passed up, I love an opportunity to unearth some new gems.
West Brom came close to promotion last season, after finishing fifth in the Championship they lost in the playoffs to Southampton. Cambridge, eighteenth in League One, survived relegation by just four points.
Garry Monk took over the role as Manager in March and has brought in some new players this summer already, Shane Lavery, James Gibbons, Korey Smith and Kelland Watts all starting tonight.
The Venue
I’m off at the A14 and through Cambridge town centre, driving over the Midsummer Common I notice a couple of decent looking Yacht clubs on the River Cam.
The traffic is busy during Friday night rush hour, I’m driving down the Newmarket Road where I see the huge metal floodlights of the Abbey Stadium, I’ve google mapped Wadloe Road as my potential parking space which is a ten minute walk from the venue and near a McDonalds which I think would be a useful spot for some tea.
Parking up, sun beaming down, it’s warm as I walk through the McDonald’s car park, inside it’s busy, too busy, kids everywhere and football fans now queuing at the touch screens to make their order, I have a quick wee and think sod it, as I noticed a kebab house opposite the stadium as I earlier drove past.
Pipasha is the restaurant, a Bangladeshi with a take-away section and I’m impressed with the quality of food, even if the quantity for my £14 is a little tight, I’m eating a lamb & chicken doner kebab with ‘real’ grilled meat, washed down with an orange fanta as one West Brom fan chats to another about the troubles he’s had in finding somewhere to park.
Fuelled and filled I’m over the road and queuing up for the turnstiles of the Main Stand, Abbey Stadium is quaintly located beside some large semi-detached homes, it’s old school but well kept, the Apexed roof Main Stand is the oldest of the four sides by far, the others low roofed, standing room only to the right and opposite where the away fans are kept, to the left a large seated stand which is 97% empty.
I’m off for a cuppa and head to the back of the stand through the car park before returning to block B and the back row to fill out tonight's teams, sun shining, water sprinklers sprinkling, pitch perfect it’s a good view but for a post or two, you feel there can be some good football played on this lush wide surface, which perhaps wasn’t the case back in the day of Dion Dublin, Jon Beck and all.
The Game
The West Brom players are out on the pitch before Cambridge, the home team have entered the field by themselves, they line up by themselves too as the Baggies kids don’t seem to know the rules? They’re all ready for kick off as the Referees shake hands with the Cambridge players, but the two sides do circle around the centre for a minutes silence remembering former West Brom midfielder Craig Shakespeare who sadly died this week.
I don’t know any of West Brom’s young players, why should I? But they start really well and right back Deago Nelson crosses to Modou Faal who impressively bullets a header into the corner of the Cambridge net for an opener, only to be ruled offside.
That’s a moments scare for the home side who have all the experience in their favour, Faal is causing them problems up top, but their three man defensive line get to grips, often baiting him into fouls, it’s a niggly start and the U’s midfielder James Brophy puts a couple of big tackles in, in fact Shane Lavery does the same, they have one or two nasty buggers which at the level they’re at, can only be a compliment.
With ten minutes clocked, Lavery has a shot well saved as I look down to take some notes, next second the goalkeeper has given the ball back to the striker before bringing him down inside the box, Lavery dispatches and Cambridge lead one-nil.
The Score
The first half is even but Cambridge look in control, that bit stronger and more manly than their younger opponents they seem to have that bit of experience and nous to keep them at bay.
But the second half is a different matter, West Brom keep the ball well and have opportunities to level, Reyes Cleary the best of them, racing through unmarked to have a shot saved by Vincent Reyes. He should have scored.
That’s the best moment of a pretty drab half of football, a pretty drab game in fact, Cambridge have a couple of sniffs themselves but rarely test their opponents goal enough, West Brom in the end content with losing 1-0, commendable, as the Referee blows just a few seconds past ninety.
The Stars
For Cambridge I like their back three, all solid competitors, Okedina on the right is tough in the tackle, Watts on the left is tough all around, Ibsen-Rossi is the elegant tall central defender who can play a bit, decent feet for a big lad. He looks like he has the guile and technique to play as a ten.
In midfield they have a bit of nastiness with James Brophy who’s busy running around and dictating orders and equally as snappy up top is Shane Lavery who's chasing all causes, they’ll be a tough team to turnover this season, they can play a bit too.
For West Brom, their tall number nine Modou Faal reminded me of a young John Fashanu, socks rolled down he’s slim, agile, technical, good with his back to goal, had a real fight with the Cambridge back line who really struggled during the sixty minutes he was on.
Another player impressing was right back Deago Nelson just eighteen years old, he was tidy and composed and often came away from danger with the ball still at his feet, only slight in size but cultured in the way he did things with good pace and a nice right foot.
The Verdict
West Brom look to have some good quality and size in their young teams and a lot to be hopeful of, they have youngsters who can certainly hold their own against experienced Football League sides and one or two you hope will come through the system this season.
Cambridge have experience in their squad and Manager Garry Monk has them, as you would imagine, well drilled. A solid looking shape, they can play in patches, can mix it in others, they’ll be a tough team to crack especially at home this season, I’ll predict they finish comfortably middle of the division and take some scalps along the way.
The Teams
Cambridge United: Vincent Reyes, Danny Andrew, Kelland Watts, James Brophy, Elias Kachunga, Sullay Kaikai, Korey Smith (Peter Holmes 46), Jubril Okedina, Zeno Ibsen-Rossi, Shane Lavery, James Gibbons.
West Bromwich Albion: Joe Wildsmith (Tedd Cann 60), Deago Nelson, Caleb Taylor (Muhamed Diomande 46), Reece Hall (Souleman Mandry 60), Cole Deeming, Matt Richards, Kevin Mfuamba (Idrissa Dauda 60), Eseosa Sule (Adriel Walker 60), Fenton Heard (Devine Onyamachi 46), Akeel Higgins (Dan Chemeziri 81), Modou Faal (Reyes Cleary 60).
7:45pm Kick Off. Friday 2nd August 2024, Abbey Stadium, Cambridge (att 3,203).
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