Saints U21s v Sunderland today

[trousers]

14:30 kick off

 

[Suhari]

WOOT!

COYyRs!

Nuns.

Muffins.

 

Tear 'em a new one.

 

Any updates?

[Saint Garrett]

Losing 1-0.

[trousers]

0-2

[trousers]

0-3

 

The future's bright...

[Saint Without a Halo]

Our academy is really struggling this year

[trousers]

Full time: 0-3

[Matthew Le God]

Our academy is really struggling this year

 

Southampton's best young players are in the first team playing in the Premier League. Same can't be said of most of Southampton's opponents at this level.

 

Shaw, Ward-Prowse and Chambers all 18 years old and started both Premier League games this season. Even Gazzaniga is still eligible for the under 21's.

[Colinjb]

Dissapointing.

 

Four of the players there have been in first team action the last few days, the goalkeeper has been called up to the senior USA team, there is a central defender there with league experience at another club.

 

Could a bit of complacency/arrogance be creeping in?

[Saint Without a Halo]

Southampton's best young players are in the first team playing in the Premier League. Same can't be said of most of Southampton's opponents at this level.

 

Shaw, Ward-Prowse and Chambers all 18 years old and started both Premier League games this season. Even Gazzaniga is still eligible for the under 21's.

 

Not really an excuse is it? As the fact we play youngsters means we attract the better ones in the first place!

[Matthew Le God]

Not really an excuse is it?

 

Those four players I mentioned would all improve the under 21 team and give them a better chance of winning games. Difference is, Saints unlike most Premier League clubs use home grown teenagers in the starting line-up for Premier League games.

[Saint Without a Halo]

Those four players I mentioned would all improve the under 21 team and give them a better chance of winning games. Difference is, Saints unlike most Premier League clubs use home grown teenagers in the starting line-up for Premier League games.

 

My point is, our academy gets far more exposure than Sunderlands and as a result we attract far better younger players so the fact that 3 of them are in the first team is no excuse to lose 3-0 home to Sunderland or to go 3 matches without a win! I would also make the point last years under 18's was a top 4 team so the players moving up must also be relatively good!

 

Also Shaw and Gazzaniga did not really feature much last year when the team did well so we are only missing 2 in reality.