Michael Skubala saw plenty of progress from Leeds United U21s on Monday afternoon, despite seeing his side held to a 2-2 draw by Norwich City at Thorp Arch. The Whites were aiming to build on their opening day 5-2 win over Derby County and they took the lead early in the contest as Mateo Joseph fired home from close range.
It was the lead United deserved after a positive start, but they were powerless to prevent Abu Kamara from levelling the scores a minute or two later in front of a small crowd at the club’s training ground. Sonny Perkins fired Leeds ahead once more at the start of the second half, latching on to a through ball from Crysencio Summerville and prodding the ball beyond David Azaiya in the Canaries net.
Kamara pulled Norwich level once more, though, and Leeds were unable to find a third. Summerville hit the post with a header, while Darko Gyabi worked the keeper with an effort from range, but the Whites were held to a Premier League 2 Division 2 point.
Read more: Leeds United U21 ratings as Summerville and Joseph among those to shine in Norwich draw
“It was a great game,” Skubala said. “Norwich are always competitive, the way they set up and the way they defend, they’re resilient.
“It was a great game for us U21s and it’s also a great game for the senior players and young pros dropping in. You want competitive games and I thought that was brilliant. I thought in moments with the ball we were good. We had a lot of possession of the ball and we moved the ball.
“Last week what was so exciting was we didn’t spend as long on the ball but we obviously scored a lot of goals. There was definitely progress in certain areas of the pitch, building, but I think at times we can change that into more intensity with the ball.”
Skubala was able to name an extremely strong U21s side with a number of senior, first-team players making the drop down in the pursuit of game time. Adam Forshaw and Mateusz Klich were perhaps the most high profile players involved, while Summerville, Sam Greenwood, Cody Drameh and Leo Hjelde, took to the field, too, and the youth side coach has hailed their attitude.
“We need to support the first-team with the senior pros, like Klich, who played 90, came down and needs minutes because when they go into the Premier League, they need to be ready,” he added. “Training is one thing but they need to play games and part of my role is supporting that.
“It’s great for the young lads because they get senior pros dropping in, it’s great for the older pros because they get to play minutes and it’s great for the ones coming back from injury like Adam. I think it’s an amazing environment for everybody, the challenge for me is to get them over the line to win games.
“They are amazing. They’ll come into the U21s and their attitude is first class, in the dressing room with the young pros, it’s first class. I’ve got Klichy running 30 or 40 metres back to recover and what an example that is for the young pros at this club to see that.
“I think that’s what is great about Leeds United, I’ve seen it with other clubs over my time in my other role with England, you see they haven’t got quite got that good attitude when they do it. The senior pros have been amazing.”
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