Tottenham’s U21s ran riot in Colchester on Tuesday night with five goals and a couple of young first team players involved in the EFL Trophy
Tottenham Hotspur U21s put on an impressive display at Colchester United in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night in a game that marked the debut of summer signing Alejo Veliz.
Spurs ran out 5-0 winners against a senior Colchester side, albeit with all 11 players changed from the side that played in League Two at the weekend. That did not detract from an exciting performance though from Wayne Burnett’s side with an array of excellent goals – two from Jamie Donley, another two from Jude Soonsup-Bell and and one for Will Lankshear.
Every Tottenham player impressed on the day but here are seven of note, plus a bit on Veliz who came off the bench for the final 28 minutes of the game.
Donley has always been highly rated at Spurs, hence the new four-deal this year, but he’s hit a whole new level this season. He already has six assists and a goal in four matches in Premier League 2, earning him a player of the month nomination.
On Tuesday night though, after returning from a little injury that kept him from playing for England U19s, he made up for that lost time with a man of the match display against Colchester.
Everything good Spurs did came through Donley, who played at the tip of a midfield three – pretty much making it a 4-2-3-1 – and he was a creative force. He was involved in most of the goals, laying on the assist for the final goal for Soonsup-Bell, and scored two terrific goals himself, the first a composed finish and the second a low curling effort.
Ange Postecoglou has not had much time to look properly at the academy yet and the amount of senior attacking players at Spurs has not meant much time at all with the first team, but if Donley keeps up this form across the season the Australian is going to want to take a closer look at him.
Jude Soonsup-Bell
Signed from Chelsea in January, a hamstring injury ended Soonsup-Bell’s season before it really got going. Now fully fit he’s hit the ground running this season with four goals and two assists in his first four league matches.
Against Colchester, once he got a few wayward shots out of his system in the first half, he was unstoppable in the second half.
His first goal came after a dribble inside and a smashed shot home and then he doubled his tally later in the game after running into space left by a Veliz run and curling in a lovely finish.
The 19-year-old will probably be looking for a loan move in January to continue his development and he looks ready for senior football at Football League level.
Ashley Phillips and Alfie Dorrington
We’re grouping the two young England U19 centre-backs together, although we easily could have included the entire back four, with Tyrell Ashcroft and Charlie Sayers impressing down the flanks.
This was Phillips’ second game for the U21s after his move from Blackburn, having been on the bench for the Premier League match at Burnley this month.
Dorrington is a big talent at the back for Spurs and there will have been some concern about how much Phillips’ arrival will have blocked his path to the first team. In truth the competition should only spur the youngster on and if he needs a loan move at first then that will only help him get more first team minutes.
Both defenders were near faultless as they kept out the Colchester attackers and bagged a clean sheet for the team.
Will Lankshear
The 18-year-old also had his first season at Spurs ended prematurely after he needed surgery on a knee issue that required fixing. Now he’s back and scoring regularly for the U21s this season.
He was the lone front man until Veliz’s arrival in the second half and he fully deserved his headed goal just before that change. He had also set up Soonsup-Bell’s first strike and this could be a real season of development for the teenager, who was signed in a reported £2m deal from Sheffield United last summer.
He worked hard against Colchester and this will provide more confidence that he can adapt to the senior game.
Yago Santiago
Also nominated for Premier League 2 Player of the Month for August with Donley, thanks to four goals and an assist, and he showed all of his tricky wing play on Tuesday night.
He was a constant menace down the left for the Colchester players and the 20-year-old is likely playing his way towards a good loan move in January. The home side will have certainly noticed him among others.
Josh Keeley
The Republic of Ireland U21 international goalkeeper did not have too much to do in the game but what he did, he did superbly.
That included a stunning flying save to tip a header on to the crossbar before Dorrington cleared the ball.
Keeley had lost his spot to Luca Gunter for a couple of matches in the past month, but he looked in great form against Colchester and coupled with his spot on the tour to Australia and Asia in the summer and he’s on a really good development curve.
Alejo Veliz
All eyes were on the Argentinean, celebrating his 20th birthday in the surroundings of Colchester, and he was limited to 28 minutes after his return from a little injury that prevented him from joining in with first team training until Thursday last week.
Veliz looked a little rusty with his finishing on Tuesday night, having a couple of one-on-ones saved, although his movement was excellent, constantly pulling the Colchester defenders all over the place, including for Soonsup-Bell’s second goal.
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