The Under-23s Thread

[GoonerJeeves]

A few clubs are doing this now, have an old pro as part of the set up whilst they are working on their badges. They get the transition of moving from player to coaching, the youngsters get a team mate on the pitch looking after their development.

In a way I wondered whether jack may do that for us, play and use his distribution to get players in the game and used to playing with seasoned pros

I can't see him doing that really. He's invested in the coaching side. Incredible to see Huddlestone playing competitive football.

 

[MutableEarth]

Sagoe Jr has had 3 amazing chances and fluffed all 3

United haven't been that good but are level. Kinda Sod's Law with this U21 team. Were unlucky to draw vs Blackburn on the weekend aswell.

The defenders have been most impressive to me. Sweet is back like he never left, playing an inverted role, while Awe and Monlouis haven't put a foot wrong. I forgot how good Zane Monlouis is. Lino Sousa MOTM so far. Cottrell looks MUCH better playing centrally too. Think the team needs Cozier-Duberry, although I know we're saving him for Tuesday. I don't think he fluffs the last opportunity Sagoe Jr had.

 

[MutableEarth]

Matt Smith needs to move on at the end of the season. Playing U23 football at this stage of his career doesn’t reflect well on him. Time to fly the nest and get a move somewhere where he will play regular men’s football

I feel like he's not even really been a big positive for the U21s of late. He always looks assured but we lack dynamism in some ways when he plays. That's really a spot for Ibrahim or Lewis-Skelly. They don't have his passing range but they're capable of other roles in those positions. Lewis-Skelly of course is still capable of playing excellent, line-breaking passes with regularity.

I think all 3 of Smith, Cottrell and Cirjan need loans ASAP. I'd put Bandeira on that list too, he's always a solid performer but not much more to gain at this stage of his football education. Also think it's time we move the likes of Ideho, Lewis & co on aswell. I'd strongly consider loaning Cozier-Duberry if we don't plan to use him in a first team capacity at all and loan Sagoe Jr aswell. Get in the new blood ASAP.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I feel like he's not even really been a big positive for the U21s of late. He always looks assured but we lack dynamism in some ways when he plays. That's really a spot for Ibrahim or Lewis-Skelly. They don't have his passing range but they're capable of other roles in those positions. Lewis-Skelly of course is still capable of playing excellent, line-breaking passes with regularity.

I think all 3 of Smith, Cottrell and Cirjan need loans ASAP. I'd put Bandeira on that list too, he's always a solid performer but not much more to gain at this stage of his football education. Also think it's time we move the likes of Ideho, Lewis & co on aswell. I'd strongly consider loaning Cozier-Duberry if we don't plan to use him in a first team capacity at all and loan Sagoe Jr aswell. Get in the new blood ASAP.

For Cottrell and Smith, we are probably approaching the time where they need to find new pastures?

 

[MutableEarth]

For Cottrell and Smith, we are probably approaching the time where they need to find new pastures?

Yeah. Feel a bit for Cottrell though. He's had a real tough time with injuries but he's a really tidy and technical little player who knows how to battle with players much more physical than him.

 

[MutableEarth]

Sagoe Jr could have scored 4 goals today

 

[Geofranco]

Sagoe Jr could have scored 4 goals today

Looking like those guys are stagnating a bit

 

[MutableEarth]

Looking like those guys are stagnating a bit

Definitely. The main backline is arguably the best thing about this team. Awe and Monlouis were brilliant for most of this game, especially Awe. Monlouis had like 2 rash moments but was flawless outside of that. Lino Sousa was the MOTM for me, he was amazing the whole game. Also didn't really clock just how quick across the ground he is, got some serious jets. Sweet was impressive aswell, forgot how tidy he was. Awe and Monlouis look a better partnership than Awe-Foran to an extent. Put Walters in this team and they look great for this level.

The attack and midfield (to a lesser extent) though is really not doing it for me. Smith is coasting. Cottrell looked very good today to his credit, his best game since coming back. He's been unfortunate because of injury. Bandeira solid as always. Cirjan looked a bit out of place on the LW. And Sagoe Jr was direct but just feel like his dribbling has become progressively more ineffective over the season. He looked dangerous though but his finishing sucked today. Edwards looked rusty so I can't get onto him too much. Hold up was good and he got the goal but think there's a few more gears to go there. Cozier-Duberry came on for the last 20 odd minutes and took us up a level when he went to the RW. He has the x-factor and this team needs him very badly. Wilshere's team has a few guys that this U21 team needs.

 

[MutableEarth]

 

[lomekian]

Not many of this line-up in danger of challenging for first team football sadly, despite a couple of candidates on the bench. Perhaps one of them will do an Iwobi and suddenly kick on?

 

[MutableEarth]

Not many of this line-up in danger of challenging for first team football sadly, despite a couple of candidates on the bench. Perhaps one of them will do an Iwobi and suddenly kick on?

I like the two CBs and Edwards. Sweet and Bandeira also decent players. Sagoe Jr too. Think the CBs have the best opportunity.

 

[lomekian]

I like the two CBs and Edwards. Sweet and Bandeira also decent players. Sagoe Jr too. Think the CBs have the best opportunity.

Certainly the CBs have the raw tools, but emphasis on raw for me. Bandeira I find intriguing, but he seems very in and out effectiveness wise. Edwards has to recover from his injury first...he has an outside chance, but the next 12 months need to be excellent to avoid him falling by the wayside. Don't see anything in the other starters that points towards a top flight career, even at a lesser club tbh, and Sagoe Jnr hasn't kicked on this year.

 

[MutableEarth]

Certainly the CBs have the raw tools, but emphasis on raw for me. Bandeira I find intriguing, but he seems very in and out effectiveness wise. Edwards has to recover from his injury first...he has an outside chance, but the next 12 months need to be excellent to avoid him falling by the wayside. Don't see anything in the other starters that points towards a top flight career, even at a lesser club tbh, and Sagoe Jnr hasn't kicked on this year.

I don't think they're gonna do much at Arsenal at least. Business picked up when Cozier-Duberry came in. Now they've got Lewis-Skelly toiling at full back while the midfield sloshes around a bit.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I guess our hopes are higher for U18s?

 

[Rasmi]

I guess our hopes are higher for U18s?

The u18 are doing even worse in their league. The level of our youth teams have gone down a lot last few years

 

[MutableEarth]

I guess our hopes are higher for U18s?

Pretty much. Outside of the likes of Awe and Monlouis in the defence, I don't think there's going to be much of a dent made by the current U23s. Decent players but, as Wilshere himself pointed out, the level is so much higher currently that even our very best will have a fight getting in. We'll see that play out with likes of Cozier-Duberry, Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri* - they're as good as anyone we've produced in terms of raw talent but even for them it's tricky. That said, there's a significant level of promise with the current scholars and next year's scholars too. We also have a CF talent coming up in Chido Obi who's already agreed scholarship terms in the future - he really looks the business.

While the U18s are also not having a great league season - as mentioned above - this is a common thing for our U18s as we have a LOT of 1st years and schoolboys playing this year and every time we do this, we have a tough season. The year before we won the U18 Southern Division, we had a tough season as they were all 1st years. The next year, when they had more experience, they aced that league, there were at least 2 8-0 scorelines and a few 6-1s in there IIRC. Balogun finished top scorer, Smith clocked in 14 assists. We were strong at that point. Now, I don't expect a lot of those 1st years to still be in the U18s so I don't expect a strong U18s team next year but there'll still be a lot of promise in there. Ayden Heaven and Bless Akolbire in midfield, Obi potentially upfront despite being a schoolboy, Kamara probably dropping down, and likely the same defence as last year; Lewis Brown and Maldini Kacurri with Nichols and perhaps another RB.

 

[teamsoutheast]

We also have a CF talent coming up in Chido Obi who's already agreed scholarship terms in the future - he really looks the business.

Obi looks big and strong for his age. If he continues growing he could become a powerful striker in the future.

 

[MutableEarth]

Obi looks big and strong for his age. If he continues growing he could become a powerful striker in the future.

Yep, was a very tricky winger before so could have a very interesting striker there. His development will certainly be of intrigue, especially with our recent track record of producing pretty talented #9s. Another of them has to stick surely.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Anyone seen this lad play? Any thoughts on him?

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Anyone seen this lad play? Any thoughts on him?

He was the only youngster we took with us in pre-season last summer.

Been injured a lot I think but very highly rated.