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Are our U21s not ready?
- Thread starter Seagull97
- Start date
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
You'll never know until you play them. Harry Kane did pretty much nothing in his loan spells away from Spurs, but they had no other option but to play him and boom - goals goals goals. You won't know if the younger players have a future until they get played. Or not. Bjordal has been very promising so far, he looks like a talent and Hambo has scored more goals already than Baldock will all season. I think there is talent in the U21s but they will need more time, patience and gametime than they're likely to be afforded here and the loss of the loan window is a negative for them. Glen Rea benefitted from his loan last season, he wouldn't have been in the our team any time soon.
Blue Valkyrie
Not seen such Bravery!
U21s have turned in U23s this season.
I try and watch as many U21s games as possible. Similar to [MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION], there is promise but you are not going to know until they play or go out on loan.
Of the U21s, I honestly believe Tom Dallison is probably ready now at the very least a capable backup, which is why I think it was disappointing to see him loaned out when we are stretched in that area.
Rob Hunt looked good at Crawley, but struggled vs Fulham, and I feel given their young age, inconsistent performances are pretty much par for the course.
Bjordal looks very good and may make the bench in cup games.
Of the U21s, I honestly believe Tom Dallison is probably ready now at the very least a capable backup, which is why I think it was disappointing to see him loaned out when we are stretched in that area.
Rob Hunt looked good at Crawley, but struggled vs Fulham, and I feel given their young age, inconsistent performances are pretty much par for the course.
Bjordal looks very good and may make the bench in cup games.
Taybha
Whalewhine
Would Harper have scored that goal in a championship game ? i would love to think so but even if he wouldn't been able to score it in the championship it's good to know is that we have a player in our set up that actually has the skill and know how to score a goal like that . That is a special goal and you are no average player if have the ability and football brain to even attempt it let alone execute it .
Black Rod
Well-known member
- Jan 19, 2013
- 948
Absolutely no chance. It is one thing dancing around a couple of players who get paid expenses, train twice a week and spend their Saturday night's in a pub but it isn't happening against a professional. If you gave me an opportunity against a team of players with only one leg I could score a worldie, doesn't mean it would happen against players who are my equivalent level
seagulls4ever
New member
- Oct 2, 2003
- 4,338
That's a pretty misinformed comment. Harry Kane did well enough on his loan spells. Out of four, only Norwich can be regarded as a major disappointment where he did nothing, and that's because he broke a bone.
Tim Sherwood gave him the opportunity to play because of his performances in training and his eagerness to give young players a go. It would have been far easier not to play him - they had other options, but those other options were not performing well enough. Sherwood was brave, and Kane rewarded him with a few goals.
The next season at Spurs under Pochettino he was limited to being a reserve forward in the Europa League. Pochettino resisted pressure from fans to play Kane in the Premier League until his form was so good in the Europa League, combined with their lack of goal scoring power in the Premier League, that his and was forced - and then Kane ended the season with a ridiculous amount of goals.
I agree in principle with what you are saying, but the example you have used is a poor one. Young players do need to be given the opportunities and we can't tell a lot from friendly which are more about fitness, and a way of playing, than results. I seem to remember we had a horrific pre-season in our League One title winning season.
TSB
Captain Hindsight
Check out the two wondergoals from George Cole (I think) vs Dorchester. Don't know anything about him but they got me "wooooah" ing at the screen and that doesn't happen too often watching us.
I see James Tilley as Solly four years ago so there's definite potential there.
Bjordal looks at home in our first team. He's played Norweigan top division football and cost a not inconsiderable amount so you'd expect more from him than,say,Ward. Seems quite similar to Murphy: quick feet,tricky,hard to stop but no great pace.
Jayson Molumby ought to play at the highest level if he continues to progress at the current rate of knots.
Robert Sanchez very highly regarded by the club. Walton has it in him too if he can just knuckle down (Jones will help there I think)
Hunt's a prospect in time. Dallison too.
And then there's J M-D. Could be anything really.
Harper,for me,is too much of a luxury player at present. Hope we can address that because that sort of flair and skill is rare. He has Knocky's skill level but none of the other atrributes that make Antony a superstar at our level.
I see James Tilley as Solly four years ago so there's definite potential there.
Bjordal looks at home in our first team. He's played Norweigan top division football and cost a not inconsiderable amount so you'd expect more from him than,say,Ward. Seems quite similar to Murphy: quick feet,tricky,hard to stop but no great pace.
Jayson Molumby ought to play at the highest level if he continues to progress at the current rate of knots.
Robert Sanchez very highly regarded by the club. Walton has it in him too if he can just knuckle down (Jones will help there I think)
Hunt's a prospect in time. Dallison too.
And then there's J M-D. Could be anything really.
Harper,for me,is too much of a luxury player at present. Hope we can address that because that sort of flair and skill is rare. He has Knocky's skill level but none of the other atrributes that make Antony a superstar at our level.
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Cowfold Seagull
Fan of the 17 bus
Very true. One can tell next to nothing about how good, or otherwise, any of the dev squad players may be, in meaning less pre-season friendlies against lower quality opposition, which are largely only training exercises anyway.
As others have said, maybe one or two of our youngsters are ready to step up, but with first team chances severely limited, loan opportunities are probably their best option.
Cowfold Seagull
Fan of the 17 bus
I'm sure that everything you say about the players above is true TSB, after all, you have obviously seen them play a lot more often than me.
However, as you will also confirm, showing a lot of promise at that age in the development squad is one thing, taking that massive jump up, and performing consistently in the big league, is quite another.
So far so good though, lets hope some of them make it!
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
No, I don't think it is. He did nothing at Leicester either which is why he watched the play-offs from the bench. He was poor at Leicester, Norwich can be discounted for the reason you mentioned. He was good for Millwall, but you couldn't have known what he would become.
Roberto Soldado was the other option, and come on, his goal record is as pathetic as Baldock's. Kane scored a few in the Europa League as second choice striker, this is my point. He got the opportunity to play because they didn't want to play their only other striker (Adebayor was long since abandoned) and he was banging in the goals. Given the chance, he scored the goals and by accident as much as design, they found a quality player who grew into the role and scored goals at a higher rate in the second half of the season for the last couple.
Personally, I think that at some point you have to play them or cut them loose. It can bite you, look at Steve Cook at Bournemouth. At the time he wasn't going to play here so we sold him and that now looks like a gaffe, Elphick too to some extent. But you can't hoard a load of players, loaning them out constantly. At some point you have to play them or cut them loose and personally, I would prefer to play them than have a load of mercenaries coming in and doing no more than our own would do. I struggle to believe that Hambo, already, wouldn't offer more as a partner to Hemed/Murray than the current alternative.
BensGrandad
New member
I would expect those with some league experience at other clubs will be thrown in against Colchester in the cup game. Then perhaps we shall get a better idea.
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
His name is George Cox (he is a left-back). He scored the final goal of the seven, but the other one (goal number 6) was actually scored by Reece Meekums. It was credited incorrectly to Cox in Dorchester Town's original tweet and unfortunately the report on Albion's website has repeated the error.
Poor old Reece - when he made his debut for the U-18 side in the first league fixture of the 2014-15 season, his name was given as "Kneecombs" on the report that appeared on Albion's website!
Cowfold Seagull
Fan of the 17 bus
After errors like that I'm surprised he doesn't want to jump ship to Palace!
tigertim68
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2012
- 2,325
I think you should be asking if the first team is ready , because looking at all the preseason friendlies they don't look fit enough ,nor playing as a team , and the season starts in 2 weeks
TSB
Captain Hindsight
Of course,you're correct. I was presenting a best-case scenario for those I think are our best prospects. Some won't push on or will go backwards but (in my limited knowledge) I would say they all have a decent chance to make the grade at this level.
We'll have to wait and see. I've only seen Sanchez a few times but do know that the club regard him as one who,given time,confidence and regular games,has a future here.
I really like JT so am probably biased but he does seem to have the attributes to become a player similar to Solly. Very young too. Needs a right foot and more bulk but he's often the star man at U21 level.
I hope the change to U23 football this season gives our youngsters the chance to play more physical football and test themselves against more reserve team players and less wonderkids. Should make it easier to assess where they are and where they could get to.
TSB
Captain Hindsight
