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U23s thread


RamNut

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A bit late in the day but we perhaps ought to have an u23s thread.

Only one game left v spurs away

somewhat surprised to see that the record for the last 10 games is very poor (since the end of november)

pld 10 w2 d1 L7

 

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40 minutes ago, RamNut said:

A bit late in the day but we perhaps ought to have an u23s thread.

Only one game left v spurs away

somewhat surprised to see that the record for the last 10 games is very poor (since the end of november)

pld 10 w2 d1 L7

 

Form and under 23’s boosted at the start of the season when Thorne, Butterfield, Pearce, Anya regular turned out as we sought to put them in the shop window. As well as returning first teamers looking for match fitness or coming back from injury; the latter could still apply but can’t think of many that have turned out.

We also have a fair few out on loan and odd ones stepping up to match day squads near first team games. So in a nutshell, more under 18’s also stepping up. Bound to have an impact on form.

For me, so long as they do enough to stay in Prem2, as a good standard to learn, results don’t matter as much; it’s all about younger kids getting experience and testing themselves ready ultimately for the first team.

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1 hour ago, Zag zig said:

Form and under 23’s boosted at the start of the season when Thorne, Butterfield, Pearce, Anya regular turned out as we sought to put them in the shop window. As well as returning first teamers looking for match fitness or coming back from injury; the latter could still apply but can’t think of many that have turned out.

We also have a fair few out on loan and odd ones stepping up to match day squads near first team games. So in a nutshell, more under 18’s also stepping up. Bound to have an impact on form.

For me, so long as they do enough to stay in Prem2, as a good standard to learn, results don’t matter as much; it’s all about younger kids getting experience and testing themselves ready ultimately for the first team.

 I take your point, but its a steep decline. There are still quite a few in that team who could be considered as first team hopers.

Next season i'd like to see....

ravas, gordon, lowe or macdonald, bateman, hunt, elsnik, bird, sibley, mitchell-lawson, bennett, thomas 

 

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4 minutes ago, RamNut said:

 I take your point, but its a steep decline. There are still quite a few in that team who could be considered as first team hopers.

Next season i'd like to see....

ravas, gordon, lowe or macdonald, bateman, hunt, elsnik, bird, sibley, mitchell-lawson, bennett, thomas 

 

A large chunk of the team you've listed need to be playing regular first team football. 20 is my cut off point for letting youths stay in the U23s. Bennett is a regular first team player (bench more than starting XI) already but you want to send him back to the U23s? Lowe, Elsnik and Thomas have had successful loan spells out this season after proving they're a level above U23s, but you want to see them stifled in the U23s and play little competitive first team football? If we don't go up, Bird will be a first team squad player.

22 - Bennett 

21 - Ravas, Gordon, Lowe, MacDonald

20 - Bateman, Elsnik

19 - Thomas, Hunt (20 next Wednesday) , Mitchell-Lawson

18 - Bird

17 - Sibley

 

Out of all of those, I'd expect all to be playing first team football (with us or out on loan) with the exception of Sibley and Hunt.

Bennett, Lowe, Thomas and Bird have a good chance of being with the first team squad next year. Sibley and Hunt to have another year in the U23s with the rest loaned out.

Others at the 20+ mark are: McAllister, Barnes, Karic, Wassall, Babos, Shonibare (may have missed someone). These lads should be looking at getting first team experience out on loan.

It'll be a big turnover of players but still leaves us with a decent squad:

  • Goalkeepers
    • Yates
    • French
  • Defenders
    • Rashid
    • Hunt
    • Minkley
    • Buchanan
    • K Macdonald
    • A Brown
  • Midfielders
    • Sibley
    • Knight
    • Dixon
    • J Brown
  • Forwards
    • Cresswell
    • Whittaker
    • Wilson
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Players on the bench need to be playing as well.

thomas, bennett, bird, lowe could all come into that category.

the problem with going out on loan is that we need them for the first team squad.

elsnik's future seems unclear, but could be a good holding player in a three with sibley and bird.

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4 minutes ago, RamNut said:

Players on the bench need to be playing as well.

thomas, bennett, bird, lowe could all come into that category.

the problem with going out on loan is that we need them for the first team squad.

LBs used this season:

  • Malone (21 starts)
  • Forsyth (10 starts)
  • Other (12 starts)

If Lowe were to be with us next season, I'd be confident in him starting about 20 games. If that looks unlikely, then a loan out in January will be an option.

 

Wingers used this season:

  • Lawrence (25 starts)
  • Wilson (22 starts as a winger)
  • Jozefzoon (13 starts)
  • Waghorn (12 starts as a winger)
  • Bennett (9 starts)
  • Holmes (3 starts as a winger)

With Waghorn playing centrally, Holmes in midfield and Wilson at another club, I'd expect Bennett to start more games next year, and with Thomas taking Bennett's current role of mainly featuring off the bench. If one or the other isn't featuring as often as planned, then loaned out in January.

 

CMs used this season:

  • Mount (32 starts)
  • Bryson (25 starts)
  • Johnson (19 starts)
  • Huddlestone (19 starts)
  • Wilson (12 starts as CM)
  • Holmes (10 starts as CM)
  • Evans (6 starts)
  • Other (6 starts)

A lot of our CMs are set to leave this summer - 93 of the 129 starts were from players whose contract expires at the end of the season. This undoubtedly gives Bird a great opportunity to become a regular in the squad. He's played primarily as a DM in the youth sides and will face competition from Evans, Shinnie (if he signs), Huddlestone (if he stays), and any other potential signing. I wouldn't expect much more than 10 starts from him at this stage but he certainly has the potential to make the DM spot his own. If we do switch to a 4231 next season, we'll likely see Bird feature more often.

4 minutes ago, RamNut said:

elsnik's future seems unclear, but could be a good holding player in a three with sibley and bird.

If we had a midfield 3 of the trio you mention, then in would be Bird playing the 'holding role'. Elsnik wants to be playing regular first team football - he won't sign a new contract just to play for the U23s.

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They could do with finishing the season on a High because they really have had a bit of a mac 1 Esque collapse unfortunately for them. From what I’ve seen of them, I think there’s a huge gulf in class between the newer u23s that are progressing from the u18s and the older more established u23s. Weird thing is, the former are better, much better. They’re the ones with futures imo, older players like Gordon and babos don’t look to have much about them to me and are probably letting the younger more talented players like bird and sibley down a bit. I think you can tell from our u18s record that it’s the next generation that are really capable of progressing to our first team, whereas I think the current generation will end up lower down the leagues. I suspect the u23s will be much better next season without them, and with more of our u18s.

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2 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

They could do with finishing the season on a High because they really have had a bit of a mac 1 Esque collapse unfortunately for them. From what I’ve seen of them, I think there’s a huge gulf in class between the newer u23s that are progressing from the u18s and the older more established u23s. Weird thing is, the former are better, much better. They’re the ones with futures imo, older players like Gordon and babos don’t look to have much about them to me and are probably letting the younger more talented players like bird and sibley down a bit. I think you can tell from our u18s record that it’s the next generation that are really capable of progressing to our first team, whereas I think the current generation will end up lower down the leagues. I suspect the u23s will be much better next season without them, and with more of our u18s.

thanks that was very interesting

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1 hour ago, ThePrisoner said:

Isn’t this basically the Academy Thread that’s pinned to the top? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Of course it is, especially with the fluidity between the under 18 and 23 teams.

But it's better than having multiple threads slagging off our wingers! ?

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10 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

A large chunk of the team you've listed need to be playing regular first team football. 20 is my cut off point for letting youths stay in the U23s. Bennett is a regular first team player (bench more than starting XI) already but you want to send him back to the U23s? Lowe, Elsnik and Thomas have had successful loan spells out this season after proving they're a level above U23s, but you want to see them stifled in the U23s and play little competitive first team football? If we don't go up, Bird will be a first team squad player.

22 - Bennett 

21 - Ravas, Gordon, Lowe, MacDonald

20 - Bateman, Elsnik

19 - Thomas, Hunt (20 next Wednesday) , Mitchell-Lawson

18 - Bird

17 - Sibley

 

Out of all of those, I'd expect all to be playing first team football (with us or out on loan) with the exception of Sibley and Hunt.

Bennett, Lowe, Thomas and Bird have a good chance of being with the first team squad next year. Sibley and Hunt to have another year in the U23s with the rest loaned out.

Others at the 20+ mark are: McAllister, Barnes, Karic, Wassall, Babos, Shonibare (may have missed someone). These lads should be looking at getting first team experience out on loan.

It'll be a big turnover of players but still leaves us with a decent squad:

  • Goalkeepers
    • Yates
    • French
  • Defenders
    • Rashid
    • Hunt
    • Minkley
    • Buchanan
    • K Macdonald
    • A Brown
  • Midfielders
    • Sibley
    • Knight
    • Dixon
    • J Brown
  • Forwards
    • Cresswell
    • Whittaker
    • Wilson

Top quality post, G of C..... What a guy! 

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1 hour ago, ThePrisoner said:

Isn’t this basically the Academy Thread that’s pinned to the top? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

I was assuming tbe academy thread would be more about the u18s trainees / scholars.

whereas the u23s contains pros and first team squaddies.

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39 minutes ago, angieram said:

Of course it is, especially with the fluidity between the under 18 and 23 teams.

But it's better than having multiple threads slagging off our wingers! ?

What do the Sumerian symbols mean, Angieram? I am au fais with Egyptian hieroglyphs and Cantonese takeaways but smartphone symbols are before my time. ?(^_-)(^o^)^_^O:-);-)if you get my drift. ?

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