Liverpool under-21s coach Rob Page has spoken after the dramatic Premier League 2 play-off loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon
Will Wright in action for Liverpool under-21s against Crystal Palace at the Academy in Kirkby
Will Wright in action for Liverpool under-21s against Crystal Palace at the Academy in Kirkby(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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The season, at least in a competitive sense, was ended for Liverpool under-21s on Sunday in heartbreaking fashion. But for one player, a Reds career may only just be truly beginning.
Having been on the bench for the senior team for the first time against Crystal Palace on Saturday, less than 24 hours later Will Wright continued his progress with two expert finishes in a Premier League 2 play-off thriller against the same opposition at the Academy in Kirkby.
Wright was later one of three players to miss from the spot as Palace prevailed 3-1 on spot-kicks following a dramatic 3-3 draw after extra-time.
But the 18-year-old summer signing from Salford City had already more than demonstrated why he is highly regarded by Liverpool's senior coaching staff.
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"He has got the physicality in abundance," said U21s head coach Rob Page. "There are parts of the game we want to work on, his link-up play can be a little bit better, but when you have someone with Will's attitude it makes him great to work with as he just wants to learn every day.
"For his second goal, the ball from Kieran Morrison was brilliant and the run across the defender at the near post, that's striker's instinct. It's hard to coach that. You can give them ideas of what to do, but the timing of the run was to perfection.
"He is in a good place at the moment. What I like best about him is his work-rate. Having been a league manager and now working in Academy football, sometimes we call it a false environment when you're playing the Arsenals and Man Citys of the world and they are technically very good games.
"But the game against Palace was as 'real' a game as you're going to get. That's one of the biggest thing I've tried to change in the mentality of the players by making things a bit more real, and Will thrives on that because he's had that experience, he's played league football and he knows what is needed. He drives the standards with that."
Another impressive performer was Mor Talla Ndiaye, the January signing from Senegalese side Amitie FC. The 18-year-old centre-back was making only his third appearance at U21 level and overcame the setback of an early booking to provide a glimpse of the potential which prompted Liverpool to move for his signature.
"We are trying to develop Mor from the standard he has been at to the intensity of the games we want to play at and I thought he was incredible," said Page.
"His early booking meant he was walking a tightrope and that spoilt it for him a little bit. But he made some great tackles late on when he knew he was on thin ice, but learning to play when on a booking is part of his development.
"I've seen he can hit a diagonal long pass, he's brave enough to find the eights in the pocket with an intelligent pass, he reads the game well and is aggressive, and he won some big towering headers. There's a lot to work with."
Of the defeat to Palace, Page added: "I told the players I'm proud of the performance. I've nothing but respect for the lads who were brave enough to step up and take a penalty.
"We started really well and got a great goal. But we just couldn't cope with Palace's physicality at set-plays again. But we rose to the challenge, the changes helped in midfield, and there have been lots of positives.
"In the last four months I've seen this group of young men develop and grow and that's part of this job. I'm proud of them for that."