Jump to content

U21s vs Spurs Tonight


trousers
 Share

Recommended Posts

I see the U18 hotshot Seager has been promoted to the U21 squad. One for the not too distant future?

 

@officialsaints: Saints U21s: Johns, Butterfield, Mugabi, Turnbull, Targett, Curtis, Moore, Reeves ©, Isgrove, Hoskins, Sinclair. #saintsfc #saintsfcu21

 

@officialsaints: Saints U21s substitutes: Britt (GK), Gape, McQueen, Seager, Young. #saintsfc #saintsfcu21

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@TomCoull: Full Time: Spurs U21s 4-0 Saints U21s. Disappointing night for Saints - it wasn't as one-sided as the scoreline suggests.

 

@TomCoull: Reeves was really bright, and the centre-backs Turnbull and Mugabi had good games. Two worldy goals from Spurs flattered the scoreline.

 

@officialsaints: Spurs U21s 4-0 Saints U21s - Report: http://t.co/QnLKQ2yz #saintsfc #saintsfcu21

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And what does this result tell us ?

 

That our U-21s are as crap as the full team, and that no-one is champing at the bit ready to set our team, let alone the PL, on fire.

 

 

You have zero credibility commenting on the first team. Don't even bother trying with the U21's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have zero credibility commenting on the first team. Don't even bother trying with the U21's.

 

Couldnt give a sh*t what you think of my credibility. Thats where we are at. Sorry if the truth is painful. There is no MLT, AOC or Bale on the edge of a breakthrough.

 

The likes of Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen didnt even bother with U-21...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went along last night to watch it. Saints played a lot of nice passing stuff, but Spurs physically a lot stronger and much better finishing. Spurs keeper had a bit of a blinder. Two centre backs for Saints actually looked pretty good despite the scoreline.

 

Sound like ready made replacements for the first team then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couldnt give a sh*t what you think of my credibility. Thats where we are at. Sorry if the truth is painful. There is no MLT, AOC or Bale on the edge of a breakthrough.

 

The likes of Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen didnt even bother with U-21...

 

If you actually thought about it you would realise that the U21s would normally have had JWP, Stephens and Calum Chambers playing but they were away with Eng U19s.

 

Also on Saturday when we played a match against Swansea we had a new left back playing called Luke Shaw. He has played lots of times for the U21s this season, but because he is now in the first team he didn't need to play for them this week. So thats four players that actually have a bright future. The whole point of the U21s is to feed the first team, and this season we have seen JWP and Shaw pretty much graduate to being first team players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you actually thought about it you would realise that the U21s would normally have had JWP, Stephens and Calum Chambers playing but they were away with Eng U19s.

 

Also on Saturday when we played a match against Swansea we had a new left back playing called Luke Shaw. He has played lots of times for the U21s this season, but because he is now in the first team he didn't need to play for them this week. So thats four players that actually have a bright future. The whole point of the U21s is to feed the first team, and this season we have seen JWP and Shaw pretty much graduate to being first team players.

 

If the U-21 players are good enough they go straight into the first team squad, imo. Especially a first team playing as badly as ours. Personally, I think with the exception of GKs and central defence, you can tell by U-21 if a player has the potential to make it big, in most cases. The only role I see for U-21 football is to develop a few "team" players - players that make a contribution to the team performance by being solid and support, but are never going to set the world alight. These players can develop a bit later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the U-21 players are good enough they go straight into the first team squad, imo. Especially a first team playing as badly as ours. Personally, I think with the exception of GKs and central defence, you can tell by U-21 if a player has the potential to make it big, in most cases. The only role I see for U-21 football is to develop a few "team" players - players that make a contribution to the team performance by being solid and support, but are never going to set the world alight. These players can develop a bit later.

 

 

So Shaw and JWP are two players who play in our first team squad - I think that is a decent return.

 

Plus a decent amount of the team from last night are really U18s - they aren't going to be near a Prem squad unless they are Bale, Walcott, Chamberlain etc and its unrealistic to expect every player you produce to be that good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So Shaw and JWP are two players who play in our first team squad - I think that is a decent return.

 

Particularly when you put Lallana in there too (a player who needed time to develop, couldn't have been thrown straight into the side due to his heart condition). Having Ben Reeves involved is also a great sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thankfully youth football in england is starting a new revolution, where results of the team become secondary to development of the skills of the player. JWP (17 years old) and Luke Shaw (17 years old) have already broken into the first team at an extremely young age for a footballer; they still have plenty of development yet.

 

For years in the PL we typically had a team in the reserve leagues that performed well in the league. It meant f*ck all back then; it means little now. Especially when the first team is being drip fed with talent as it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thankfully youth football in england is starting a new revolution, where results of the team become secondary to development of the skills of the player. JWP (17 years old) and Luke Shaw (17 years old) have already broken into the first team at an extremely young age for a footballer; they still have plenty of development yet.

 

For years in the PL we typically had a team in the reserve leagues that performed well in the league. It meant f*ck all back then; it means little now. Especially when the first team is being drip fed with talent as it is.

 

Nail on head.

 

The culture of win above all at youth levels only serves to damage our national team and domestic players. It encourages the promotion of youngsters who can win games due to physicality and physique above skill, many kids do not physically mature until they are 18-21 yet they are written off before the full picture is known. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but players that have dropped out for being 'too small,' Kevin Phillips, Dennis Wise.... from our own youth system no less are proof. It's a blessing that we are looking at things beyond the results of 90 minutes in these games, one off games where the team is actually weakened due to it's success in promoting it's better players through.

 

That our academy is consistently successful is the main thing, not the one off game last night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the U-21 players are good enough they go straight into the first team squad, imo. Especially a first team playing as badly as ours. Personally, I think with the exception of GKs and central defence, you can tell by U-21 if a player has the potential to make it big, in most cases. The only role I see for U-21 football is to develop a few "team" players - players that make a contribution to the team performance by being solid and support, but are never going to set the world alight. These players can develop a bit later.

 

I remember reading an interview with a retired footballer which said players never used to break into the first team until 23-24, now we're writing them off at 18-21.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember reading an interview with a retired footballer which said players never used to break into the first team until 23-24, now we're writing them off at 18-21.

 

Liverpool's method always used to be interesting, sign up promising lads aged 19-20, give them a year in the reserves to learn Liverpool's way of playing and then bring them into the first team once they are up to speed. Ian Rush from Chester, Keegan from S****horpe, Alan Hansen from Partick Thistle, Again, there were exceptions (Phil Neal, wonder if we can find a 4th tier defender that could fit straight in.....) but a player shouldn't be written off simply because they do not make an immediate impact.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nail on head.

 

The culture of win above all at youth levels only serves to damage our national team and domestic players. It encourages the promotion of youngsters who can win games due to physicality and physique above skill, many kids do not physically mature until they are 18-21 yet they are written off before the full picture is known. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule but players that have dropped out for being 'too small,' Kevin Phillips, Dennis Wise.... from our own youth system no less are proof. It's a blessing that we are looking at things beyond the results of 90 minutes in these games, one off games where the team is actually weakened due to it's success in promoting it's better players through.

 

That our academy is consistently successful is the main thing, not the one off game last night.

 

Another good post.

 

There was a newspaper article around a year ago explaining the 'relative age effect' in youth teams/academies. For example in England the selection period runs from September to August, like a school year. Physical attributes are far more likely to produce winning results at a young age, so those born in September/October time are generally selected over those born in the Summer who will be close to a year younger.

 

I'll see if I can dig out the full story. Ah - here we go:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jun/19/fa-plans-age-group-football

 

Quite an interesting read; I didn't realise that Messi had specific growth issues requiring treatment, thought he was just a diminutive lad. Bet you he wouldn't have made it through the English scouting system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...