Preview | U21s looking to Stoke momentum in PL2

West Ham United U21s v Stoke City U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 13 December 2024, 7pm GMT 

West Ham United U21s return to Premier League 2 action on Friday evening when they host Stoke City U21s at Rush Green Stadium.

Both sides come into this one on the back of lengthy losing streaks in the development league. Stoke City are still seeking their first win of the campaign, with eight consecutive defeats following an opening day draw against Leeds United. West Ham on the other hand, while they opened their Premier League 2 account with five straight wins, have since suffered four consecutive league losses.

Last time out however, the young Hammers scored a convincing 3-1 comeback win in the Premier League International Cup against Borussia Mönchengladbach and will be hoping to carry that momentum into their final two games of the calendar year.
 

Tickets...

Tickets can be purchased at the turnstiles, priced at £5 for Adults and £1 for U18s. Season Ticket Holders can attend for free by showing their Season Ticket at the entrance.

Travel...

The postcode for Rush Green Stadium - West Ham United’s first-team training ground - is RM7 0LU.

To access the ground via public transport, fans can take a train to Romford station, then board a 5, 103 or 175 bus for the 15-minute ride and get off at the Barton Avenue stop. Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.

Fans wishing to attend this Premier League 2 fixture by car should note that there is no parking available for spectators at Rush Green Stadium due to onsite construction works.
 

How to Follow...

A live stream of the fixture will be available across the Club’s website and YouTube channel. A match report, highlights and reaction will also follow shortly after the full-time whistle.
 

Premier League 2 Explained…

To minimise the impact of relegation on future groups of U21 players, the Premier League introduced a new format to its development phase competition in 2023/24.

Replacing the two-division system, the 26 Category One academies now compete in a single tier with 20 regular season fixtures before the top 16 seeded teams advance to single-elimination play-offs.

Regular season fixtures are determined by a draw made according to clubs’ performances over the last three seasons. Each team plays 20 different opponents before the play-offs in May, where they will be drawn against each other based on league positions, with the higher seeded team playing at home. The top 12 are also rewarded with a place in the following season’s Premier League International Cup competition.

Opposition...  

Stoke City U21s have endured a torrid start to their Premier League 2 campaign. Following a 2023/24 campaign where they narrowly missed out on a play-off spot by just two points, the young Potters find themselves bottom at the halfway stage this season, with the worst scoring record and second-worst defensive record.

That being said, their league position is far from indicative of the quality of their academy. This season, the U21s are missing a handful of players that have excelled in the development side over the last few seasons. Most notably, their England youth internationals – goalkeeper Tommy Simkin and centre-forward Nathan Lowe – are flying on loan at League Two side Walsall, who currently sit top of League Two. Lowe in particular has been outstanding. Already in double figures for the season, the 19-year-old has 18 goal contributions in 24 games for the Saddlers.

With several U21s such as Souleymane Sidibé, Jaden Dixon and Emre Tezgel stepping up to senior duties, former captain and development team lead coach Ryan Shawcross has leaned heavily on younger age groups. This has resulted in Stoke fielding the youngest average age starting XI in the division, at just 18 years old.
 

Ones To Watch…

West Ham United U21s vice-captain Lewis Orford has six assists in all competitions this season and will be looking to add goals to his record too, having found the back of the net for the first time this campaign last time out against Borussia Mönchengladbach II. Orford, who signed a long-term contract in September, is no doubt part of the Club’s long term plans, and has continued to impress this season in the development side with his vision, range of passing and his forward-thinking midfield play.

After an impressive first season as a scholar, 17-year-old Emeka Adiele signed his first professional contract in the summer. With ten goal contributions across all competitions for our U21s and U18s from wing-back, expect to see Adiele regularly burst forward and cause problems from the flanks for the opposition defenders.

Making his development side debut at just 15, Jack Griffiths will be looking to rekindle the form which saw him register seven goal contributions in 16 Premier League 2 appearances for Stoke City U21s last season. The 19-year-old playmaker was on the scoresheet the last time the two sides met at Rush Green Stadium back in January.

Keep an eye out for second-year scholar and captain Freddie Anderson. Son of two-time European Cup winner and the first ever black player to play for England, Viv Anderson, 17-year-old centre-back Freddie made his debut for Stoke City’s first team this season, scoring the first goal in their 2-0 EFL Cup first-round victory over Carlisle United.
 

How Things Stand In Premier League 2...

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