There’s been a lot of debate at first team level about players being used in less natural positions in the team to help out. Jake O’Brien, James Garner and Iliman Ndiaye are three such examples but at youth level this is nothing new to striker Omari Benjamin.
The Wales Under 19 international, who signed for the Toffees from Arsenal in July last year, is a centre forward by trade, there is no doubt about it, yet he has played almost half of his 23 appearances for the Under 21s as a winger or wide midfield.
The statistics show that he has scored 8 goals from 13 games as a striker but 3 from 10 when played wide. That in itself, of course, is no mean feat for a wide player but it is clear where he will develop and that is as a sole striker or part of the less fashionable front two.
Perhaps at around 5’8 inches tall, some might say he could struggle to compete with more powerful, taller defenders but there are plenty of success stories which would prove otherwise. Benjamin uses his strength, pace and instinct to good effect. He most recently lined up (see below) against Middlesbrough, wearing the famous number 9 shirt in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
The game itself was notable for a much improved defensive performance helped, I would suggest, by the return to a more familiar formation for most of the game. The crowning glory and the reason for the focus on Benjamin was, of course, because he grabbed the winner with a header from a Jack Patterson corner on the hour-mark. Sadly, we don’t have footage of that one but, by all accounts, it was a professional performance from a young side. The 1-0 win lifted the Blues away from the foot of the 29-team table, currently sitting at 17th.
Meanwhile, the Under 18s have played twice recently, with teams from the North East as the opposition.
Firstly, Keith Southern’s youngsters played out a very eventful 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough. It all kicked off in the 76th minute as the Blues’ centre back Luis Gardner was dismissed in an incident leading to a Boro’ penalty. Toffees’ goalkeeper Douglass Lukjanciks (pictured below) pulled off a superb diving save high to his right to thwart Ibeh’s well-struck spot-kick.
To make matters more difficult, midfielder Malik Olayiwola was dismissed just two minutes later, meaning the Blues had to see out the last 16 minutes (including added time) with just 9 men, a creditable 0-0 draw!
Finally, last Saturday, the U18 side, oddly including Gardner whose red card against Boro’ must have been rescinded, faced Sunderland to complete the trilogy of fixtures against North East teams.
In the 38th minute, 15 year old Jonathan Nsangou (pictured below) who made an appearance for the Under 21s recently, showed great footwork to feed Charlie Stewart. With 6 Sunderland defenders in front of him, he cut in from the right wing and arrowed a fine left-footed shot into the far corner of the net, 1-0 and a fine goal.
The joy was fairly short-lived as Reuben Gokah was adjudged to have handled the ball in a goalmouth scramble although the decision looked harsh. Lukjanciks could not repeat his penalty save heroics from the previous game as Nield converted to make it level on the stroke of half-time, 1-1.
The lead was restored in the 68th minute, Stewart the provider this time with a delightful left-footed cross headed home perfectly by Ceiran Loney for his 3rd of the season. A proper centre-forward’s header from a great delivery! 2-1 final score.
A fine result and a jubilant Charlie Stewart is pictured below after his opener.
Next games are:
- Everton U21s v Manchester United, Friday October 3rd
- Everton U18s v Southampton, Saturday October 4th
