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U18s

Sideways Jim

By Sideways Jim,
in The Saints

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Dusic

Dusic

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

Impressive tasche for a 14 year old 😂

Believe he played for the U18s recently (Gomes).

Big talent, the kind that will be poached before he signs a scholarship unfortunately.

Miles was focused in one of the episodes of the BBC documentary. Seemed a grounded lad, has a brother in the academy too.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Saint Matty 76

Saint Matty 76

Posted
Posted

Great news.

People may not believe it as it's rightfully doom and gloom right now, but a really strong crop of youngsters may have fallen at the right time to help get us back up. I'm sure he's come on a lot this season but Tella certainly did not look like a player capable of having this much of an input, so hopefully players rated higher than he was can do the same.

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trousers

trousers

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, saintant said:

The first team should watch these young lads and learn how to pass and move.

Sod watching them.... Let's replace half the first team with the U18s for the rest of the season. The season's a write-off anyway so nowt to lose.

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Fabrice29

Fabrice29

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, trousers said:

Sod watching them.... Let's replace half the first team with the U18s for the rest of the season. The season's a write-off anyway so nowt to lose.

This attitude is absolutely mental. Season isn’t a write off firstly, however bad it is. Secondly I don’t think throwing more inexperience into the team would be particularly helpful to the team. Thirdly anyone who watched yesterday would have seen a group under pressure at times, typified by some good last ditch defending, which is great for this groups learning but their results in the JPT (or whatever it is) show there is a level they have yet to reach. The exciting thing about the group for me is their is clearly of plenty of match winners in it, Dibling, Doyle and Ballard have all stepped up at times but yesterday showed periods where they were quiet and ineffective (Ballard particularly had to be moved wide to get him in the game) and at first team level that means they would be passengers for long periods, and that’s unfair on them in any situation let alone a relegation battle. 

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Charlie Wayman

Charlie Wayman

Posted
Posted

The young lads played very well last night and thoroughly deserved their victory. There were several outstanding performances in a generally superb team performance notably Doyle, who capped an all round terrific performance with two excellent goals and the left back Meghoma who looks a real prospect and could one day continue the Saints tradition of developing international LB's. Hewlett also worked his socks off at CB to snuff out most of the threats offered by PNE and produced a level of reassurance in defence that we never see at senior level. Ballard and Dibling get all the plaudits but there are others in this team that are equally good prospects for our future.

The match was an interesting contrast of styles with PNE playing fast, aggressive linear football whilst Saints were true to the 'Playbook' and making it look easy, passing the ball quickly, accurately and intricately whilst finding great forward positions in good spaces between the lines. Very fluid and at times it was almost an exhibition class.

In fact they were so good at it that the question is bound to be asked why the senior pro's can't do this anywhere near as well. Is it a case of old dogs, new tricks whilst kids have nothing to unlearn? It shouldn't be as a lot of these players have worked for several years with the 'playbook' model.

For once an evening full of hope and optimism and a welcome distraction from the grim reality of this season's first team performances.

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VectisSaint

VectisSaint

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

The young lads played very well last night and thoroughly deserved their victory. There were several outstanding performances in a generally superb team performance notably Doyle, who capped an all round terrific performance with two excellent goals and the left back Meghoma who looks a real prospect and could one day continue the Saints tradition of developing international LB's. Hewlett also worked his socks off at CB to snuff out most of the threats offered by PNE and produced a level of reassurance in defence that we never see at senior level. Ballard and Dibling get all the plaudits but there are others in this team that are equally good prospects for our future.

The match was an interesting contrast of styles with PNE playing fast, aggressive linear football whilst Saints were true to the 'Playbook' and making it look easy, passing the ball quickly, accurately and intricately whilst finding great forward positions in good spaces between the lines. Very fluid and at times it was almost an exhibition class.

In fact they were so good at it that the question is bound to be asked why the senior pro's can't do this anywhere near as well. Is it a case of old dogs, new tricks whilst kids have nothing to unlearn? It shouldn't be as a lot of these players have worked for several years with the 'playbook' model.

For once an evening full of hope and optimism and a welcome distraction from the grim reality of this season's first team performances.

Good post.

On your question, we have a hell of a lot of first team players now who have no or little playbook experience. It is often said on here that this group of players are responsible for a lot that has gone on in the last year or so, but we signed 5 players in January and numerous last summer. There really aren't that many that have been here long term, and of those it includes JWP, KWP, two of our best players. Only KWP (and McCarthy) were in the starting XI for the Grim game (I think)

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david in sweden

david in sweden

Posted
Posted

We  can easily see that this is the most promising Academy group in the last 10 years. ..(then it was JWP, Jack Stephens, Reed, Targett, McQueen etc,)

so this crop is equally exciting to watch, and with  around a dozen U21 lads already out on loan to League sides, the current U21's sides are often made up

of most-promising upgraded U18's, some of whom even played last season....whilst the U18 side squad has frequently fielded some 14 and 15 year olds  

who can DAJFU.    This is good experience for them (regardless of the level), even if it means that the run of results has been a bit erratic at times.

 

The U21 side are near the top of their division whilst regularly playing against overage opponents who already have had Prem. experience. 

The strike force in the U21 's is formidable where (despite losing JJ Morgan to Chelsea) players like Ballard, Bellis and Dibling had a fantastic first half to the season.

Kamari Doyle is a very promising midfield-supplier who is good with assists and is developing Prowsey-type skill with free kicks.

At the back goalie Jack Bycroft, and defenders like Payne, Small, Simeu, Finnegan and Lawrence have already had loan spells away. 

Had we not been in such a  precarious position in the Prem.    I'm sure some of them might have had some game time at the top level by now.

 

Survival this season will mean we have a wealth of young talent just waiting to kick start after the summer.... and even if the worst were to happen

they will certainly be a force to reckon with at a lower level.

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The Cat

The Cat

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Posted

Lost 5-2 to Chelsea this morning with a very young and inexperienced team, most of them have only played 4 or 5 games. Giving them experience for next season while the older U18's play for the U21's.

2 goals for Josh Pitts.

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JRM

JRM

Posted
Posted

Assume we put out a very young side but can't be good for their development  , massive game coming up on Thursday in FA Youth Cup semi final hopefully we can give that a decent go 

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SuperSAINT

SuperSAINT

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, JRM said:

Assume we put out a very young side but can't be good for their development  , massive game coming up on Thursday in FA Youth Cup semi final hopefully we can give that a decent go 

Not really young.  Effectively 1st choice are the B-Team.  So it's a 2nd string U18's.  Palace are very good, but we shouldn't be losing by that amount.

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