Page 120 of 155

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2017 9:29 pm
by Douglas Higginbottom
Wonderwall wrote:
blues2win wrote:Be interested to hear Doug's and other's views on who if any of our youngsters have a shot at the first team squad next season. Roberts obviously. The two Garcias? The Turkish lad whose name escapes me? Too soon for Diaz? What of Maffeo? Anyone Ive missed?


Angelino....also zinchenko has had a decent enough season. I am looking forward to seeing how it all shapes up for next season.



We will get out first hints at possibles when we hear who is in the pre season squad. I don't think either of the full backs will be involved but Maffeo might be a surprise inclusion. Sounds like he has done pretty well at Girona even though not an automatic selection all the time.

Zinchenko started and finished the season well i think but disappeared a bit during the season. Manu Garcia wasn't making any headlines early on but has finished very strongly and got his nomination for best young player. Unlikley for me but Garcia might be the surprise hear looking for the next David Silva type player.

Enes Unal I would expect to be a no despite obviously doing well in the Dutch league. Maybe another loan or even he could be sold. Patrick Roberts should be an absolute must in the squad for me so we can find out for certain if he can cut it at the top level. In some ways he is a Pep type player ( attacking and skill wise) but does he do enough work off the ball with pressing and getting back into positions.

Of the really younger ones still here would be surprised if Sancho and Diaz are not with the first team in pre season but it would amaze me if they are first ream squad members full time next season. Diaz I expect to get some game time though. Foden may pre season involvement but not really expecting anything more. But he is class.

Tosin a bit more time albeit as 4th choice at best but I think he needs a good loan. Aleix Garcia I think it's make or break time. Gut feeling is a loan for him.

Now that CL is confirmed I can't wait for next season and the pre season stuff

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 10:18 am
by Dunnylad
I heard that in an interview one of the Celtic lads said that Roberts was the worst trainer at the club - can't imagine that goes down well with Pep and might be the reason behind the lukewarm comments although he has looked bloody good for Celtic this season. I'm sure I read Foden, Sancho & Diaz were off to the US and Pep would then decide whether they needed loans to develop further - I get the impression it is those players or younger who Pep had higher hopes of. Wasn't there a young lad called something like Bobby Duncan (I may have dreamt or made it up) who was an exciting prospect, CF if I remember rightly

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 10:30 am
by blues2win
Unal off to Spain it seems. Roberts looks destined for another loan spell. He wouldn't get enough game time if he came back. Silva and possibly Sanchez mean we'll be stuffed full of attacking options. I think Sterling needs to look to his laurels.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 12:14 pm
by iwasthere2012
Dunnylad wrote:I heard that in an interview one of the Celtic lads said that Roberts was the worst trainer at the club - can't imagine that goes down well with Pep and might be the reason behind the lukewarm comments although he has looked bloody good for Celtic this season. I'm sure I read Foden, Sancho & Diaz were off to the US and Pep would then decide whether they needed loans to develop further - I get the impression it is those players or younger who Pep had higher hopes of. Wasn't there a young lad called something like Bobby Duncan (I may have dreamt or made it up) who was an exciting prospect, CF if I remember rightly

Bobby Duncan is Gerard's cousin and is very young. He's in the U16s.
Doug would have seen him and has commented before that he is very good.
I only saw him come on as sub for the U18's and he did ok.
Good movement as I remember and could have scored if he had received the final pass he deserved.
I think he scored a hatrick against Brazil for England U16s

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 12:23 pm
by dazby
I'm sure the season would have ended for these players. Any chance of a season wrap?

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 3:44 pm
by Dunnylad
iwasthere2012 wrote:
Dunnylad wrote:I heard that in an interview one of the Celtic lads said that Roberts was the worst trainer at the club - can't imagine that goes down well with Pep and might be the reason behind the lukewarm comments although he has looked bloody good for Celtic this season. I'm sure I read Foden, Sancho & Diaz were off to the US and Pep would then decide whether they needed loans to develop further - I get the impression it is those players or younger who Pep had higher hopes of. Wasn't there a young lad called something like Bobby Duncan (I may have dreamt or made it up) who was an exciting prospect, CF if I remember rightly

Bobby Duncan is Gerard's cousin and is very young. He's in the U16s.
Doug would have seen him and has commented before that he is very good.
I only saw him come on as sub for the U18's and he did ok.
Good movement as I remember and could have scored if he had received the final pass he deserved.
I think he scored a hatrick against Brazil for England U16s

Thanks I'm not going senial just yet then! I'll also not get too excited as have bitter memories of Lee Croft - not sure if he's the most capped England youth player but he was at one point in time

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sun May 28, 2017 4:20 pm
by blues2win
Maffeo just scored in Girona's promotion match.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sun May 28, 2017 5:09 pm
by alberfenoll
Highlights Brahim Díaz season 2016/2017

Watch on youtube.com

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sun May 28, 2017 5:39 pm
by blues2win
If anyone can make it into the first team he can. Bit too soon for the moment but I bet he goes to the US for pre season.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 6:59 pm
by johnny crossan
Adarabiyoyo has finally signed his new deal, that's a bit of good news :)

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:10 pm
by Douglas Higginbottom
johnny crossan wrote:Adarabiyoyo has finally signed his new deal, that's a bit of good news :)


Interesting. Now we will see if gets loaned out as surely he must be.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 6:46 am
by Wonderwall
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
johnny crossan wrote:Adarabiyoyo has finally signed his new deal, that's a bit of good news :)


Interesting. Now we will see if gets loaned out as surely he must be.


Is this official?

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 7:53 am
by johnny crossan
Wonderwall wrote:
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
johnny crossan wrote:Adarabiyoyo has finally signed his new deal, that's a bit of good news :)


Interesting. Now we will see if gets loaned out as surely he must be.


Is this official?


must be, the Germans said so
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tosin-a ... ler/258878

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:56 am
by Wonderwall
johnny crossan wrote:
Wonderwall wrote:
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
johnny crossan wrote:Adarabiyoyo has finally signed his new deal, that's a bit of good news :)


Interesting. Now we will see if gets loaned out as surely he must be.


Is this official?


must be, the Germans said so
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tosin-a ... ler/258878


Last I heard was there was an offer on the table but he had not signed it. Nothing from the club or Tosin either on his Twitter. I had heard that Liverpool and Everton were in for him and if you believe in conspiracy theories he liked Solankes tweet that he was joining Liverpool.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:28 pm
by johnny crossan
Wonderwall wrote:
johnny crossan wrote:
Wonderwall wrote:
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:
johnny crossan wrote:Adarabiyoyo has finally signed his new deal, that's a bit of good news :)


Interesting. Now we will see if gets loaned out as surely he must be.


Is this official?


must be, the Germans said so
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tosin-a ... ler/258878


Last I heard was there was an offer on the table but he had not signed it. Nothing from the club or Tosin either on his Twitter. I had heard that Liverpool and Everton were in for him and if you believe in conspiracy theories he liked Solankes tweet that he was joining Liverpool.

I'm relying on you as the sole source of reliable info from now on WW, it is indeed a strange silence on the OS and twitterverse.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 3:01 pm
by nottsblue
Bersant Celina off to Ipswich on a year long loan

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 3:32 pm
by mr_nool
nottsblue wrote:Bersant Celina off to Ipswich on a year long loan


Good move for him. He was quietly impressing at Twente in Unal's shadow. The lad got serious talent, although not for our level, I think. But we will make a pound or two on him when we let him go.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:20 am
by mr_nool
After quite a few games with the EDS and U18 where we've beem bullied by a more physical side, have been tactically naive, or have failed to close the game down, some people on here have been (gently) questioning the philosophy of the academy of mainly playing to educate, not to win. Parallels have been drawn to the rag sides who do everything to win and hence "breed winners".

I always thought these reactions were somewhat exaggerated, but I just listened to the latest 93:20 podcast with graham Hunter, and something he said sort of made me change my mind. He said that Pep has expressed that he's really happy with the technical ability and the quality of the kids coming through our academy, but that he has a hard time promoting them because they lack winner's mentality and a desire to do whatever it takes to succeed.

So, have we tried to emulate Barca the last few years, but forgotten about the most important aspect: creating winners?

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:25 am
by Wonderwall
mr_nool wrote:After quite a few games with the EDS and U18 where we've beem bullied by a more physical side, have been tactically naive, or have failed to close the game down, some people on here have been (gently) questioning the philosophy of the academy of mainly playing to educate, not to win. Parallels have been drawn to the rag sides who do everything to win and hence "breed winners".

I always thought these reactions were somewhat exaggerated, but I just listened to the latest 93:20 podcast with graham Hunter, and something he said sort of made me change my mind. He said that Pep has expressed that he's really happy with the technical ability and the quality of the kids coming through our academy, but that he has a hard time promoting them because they lack winner's mentality and a desire to do whatever it takes to succeed.

So, have we tried to emulate Barca the last few years, but forgotten about the most important aspect: creating winners?


Interesting from Hunter Nooly. If you look at the different age groups and the fact they are blowing most teams away at all age groups I think it's harsh. Only Chelsea rival our academy for depth and quality. Everton are pretty good too but we do tend to win most of our games at youth level.

Re: EDS/Academy Games

PostPosted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:54 am
by Douglas Higginbottom
I don't think its as black and white as that. At the start of last season I was very interested to see how our "new" under 18's side fared.They were going to be younger than most teams as we hade promoted so many of the previous seasons under 16's and moved up quite a few if the 18's who would still have been eligible.

The first game I saw was against WBA I think and it was what I expected a bigger stronger side than us who were very physical in their approach.We drew that game 1.1 and I thought we would be in for a tough season. But it didn't really turn out like that. The quality and skill of our players just kept winning games but make no mistake they often had to withstand some physical stuff from opponents and they will have learned a lot along the way.

We played Chelsea under 18's in the league second phase and beat them at home. Both teams rested a bunch of players but our "second string" won the day.When it came to the cup final it was a different story.Both teams at full strength and Chelsea looked stronger and better and deservedly won. Does that mean we don't breed winners? Or is it that Chelsea are just that bit better?

Not sure what to make of our EDS side.Doesnt help that I don't like or rate the manager but through the season we do chop and change the team all the time and are trying things out. I feel we lose or draw some games down to not picking the consistent best side and experimentation not to mention so so many players who would have been eligible are out on loan. Does that mean we don't breed winners or is it just down to the way we approach games giving lesser players their opportunity. And we still finished 2nd in that league.