First team spots for teen starlets

After a pre-season in which Dewsnip's side lost just once, they go into the season in a confident mood. But with so many players who could play an integral role in the U18s as well as injuries to Irish forward Conor McAleny (back), Lee McArdle (knee) and Luke Powell, Everton will be less experienced than some of the other teams in the Academy League.

But that should only help in the future.

Dewsnip said: "We are really looking forward to playing Arsenal in the opening game. It is obviously a tough opening fixture. But it is a real exciting challenge. We are ready.

"The thing that will challenge us, though, is that we have obviously got a number of youngsters in and around the first team, for reasons that are well stated. So that has a knock-on effect at our end. But it gives others opportunities to play and take their chances. That is not necessarily a negative for us, but a plus.

"Unfortunately we have got one or two injuries at the moment. New player Shane Duffy from Northern Ireland has twisted his back and will be out for another six weeks ago and Lee McArdle will be out for a little while with ligament trouble and centre-forward Luke Powell will be out for a bit as well.

"We have a depleted squad, mostly for the right reasons with Rodwell, Baxter, and James Wallace - players who would normally be with us in and around the first team. But that is positive because that is what we hope to achieve on a regular basis."

He added: "Over the last 10 or 12 years we have been providing players for the first team on a regular basis. The circumstances might be a little extreme in that respect at present, but it is what we do. We are big enough to know that has an effect on our younger age group teams. But that is our aim.

"We will try and be as competitive as we can be and we want to and will try to win every game we play, but you can't lose sight of the fact that the major aim is developing players to progress."

Everton did well in a pre-season with a 2-1 reverse to Birmingham the only defeat. They beat Carlisle United 2-1 (Lee McArdle, Lewis Codling), Winsford United 4-2 (Lee Molyneux, John Nolan, Scott Spencer, George Krenn), Preston 2-1 (Lewis Codling 2), Celtic 2-1 (Hope Akpan, Lewis Codling), Rochdale 5-1, Bury 3-0 and drew with Coventry City 2-2 (Conor McAleny, Karl Sheppard) in their last outing last Saturday.

Dewsnip said: "We have scored a few goals in pre-season. Unfortunately a bit like the first team we conceded late on against Coventry and only drew the match 2-2. But on the whole it has been very positive and set us up nicely for the start of the season.

"When every one is available we have a decent squad and particularly in the forward areas. Having that competition should spur them on to do well."

EVERTON under-18s squad for 2008-09 season - Goalkeepers: Michael Jensen, Lars Stughaug, Adam Davies. Defenders: Moses Barnett, James McCarten, Cory Sinnott, Shane Duffy, Lee McArdle, John Nolan, Aristote Nsiala. Midfielders: Hope Akpan, Michael Stewart, Daniel Redmond, Thomas McCready, James Hall, George Krenn, Eunan O'Kane, Nathan Craig, Adam Forshaw, Gerard Kinsella, James Wallace. Forwards: Karl Sheppard, Luke Powell, Lewis Codling, Scott Spencer, Kieran Agard, Conor McAleny, Jose Baxter.