U18/U21 Development Thread (3 Viewers)

SkyBlue_Bear83

Well-Known Member
Got to chuck Sambou in on the bench. Another goalscorer, more similar in style to Armstrong than MAF or Tudgay. Makes no sense having both MAF and Tudgay on the bench, drop one *cough*MAF*cough* and stick Sambou in.
Don't forget G Thomas either, surely G Thomas and Sambou can't be any worse off the bench than MAF and Tudgay
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
It's a fair point. Tudgay is a little slow and though he holds the ball up well, he just doens't score enough. MAF is very slow too and not a natural goalscorer.

Two fast young kids wouldn't be a bad call, but at the same time you wouldn't really want to be throwing them on when we're 2 goals down. A scenario like against Walsall where we were winning 1 nil and Walsall were pressing might be an ideal time. Give the opposition something to worry about and obviously then with a player with pace coming on that can always make them a bit more reluctant to throw too many bodies forwards.


We brought MAF on against Walsall and the fact is, he is too slow to be any threat. I know he came on to shore up the right side of midfield somewhat, but like I say, a striker with pace might just have stemmed the flow a bit and given us a bit more respite down the other end of the field. Think that is the sort of scenario that could prove ideal for Thomas or Sambou.
 
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SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Arsenal game yet to be confirmed (venue/time/date).

The U18s play Birmingham City on Saturday at the Higgs. 11am kick off.

Also, former CCFC academy player Kyle Spence is playing for West Brom U21s today.
 

stevefloyd

Well-Known Member
It's a fair point. Tudgay is a little slow and though he holds the ball up well, he just doens't score enough. MAF is very slow too and not a natural goalscorer.

Two fast young kids wouldn't be a bad call, but at the same time you wouldn't really want to be throwing them on when we're 2 goals down. A scenario like against Walsall where we were winning 1 nil and Walsall were pressing might be an ideal time. Give the opposition something to worry about and obviously then with a player with pace coming on that can always make them a bit more reluctant to throw too many bodies forwards.


We brought MAF on against Walsall and the fact is, he is too slow to be any threat. I know he came on to shore up the right side of midfield somewhat, but like I say, a striker with pace might just have stemmed the flow a bit and given us a bit more respite down the other end of the field. Think that is the sort of scenario that could prove ideal for Thomas or Sambou.

I like your thinking but I think at 1-0 it is too much of an educated gamble to put on a youngster or 2 but then I guess the uneducated gamble was to put MAF on ...hmmm who'd be a manager
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U18s lost 4-2 to Birmingham City. 2-2 after 79 mins but our goalkeeper got sent off and Jordan Thompson, our CB, had to go in goal. Ireland U18 player Kyle Finn and Jay Albini scored our goals. Also Scott Curry is back at the academy as Head of Academy Recruitment.
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
The U18s face Leeds away at 11am this morning. We have been quite poor in the league recently but Leeds did concede 6 to Birmingham so perhaps a chance to get back to winning ways and push for a play off place.
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Kyle Finn and Jordan Thompson (2) scored. Finn is having a really good year in his 1st year, been called up for Ireland U18s and scored 6 goals from the wing in the league.
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
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This is the current U18 table. As you can see we are currently in a false position mainly because of our FA Youth Cup exploits as we have played less games than everyone else.

The next U18s game is against Huddersfield on Saturday at the AHC, 11am kick off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
The U18s were beaten 7-0 at home by a very clinical Huddersfield team this morning. Our team only included two second year players, with two 16 year olds playing goalkeeper and centre back.

First choice goalkeeper Corey Addai was with the first team.

Reece Ford (first choice centre back) was taken off injured after 15 minutes and an U16 had to replace him. Darragh Leahy (another first choice centre back) wasn't involved, I presume this was because of the U21s game tomorrow.

Jordan Shipley (second year) was taken off injured after 25 minutes.

Bassala Sambou also didn't play, again I presume this is because of the U21s game tomorrow.

So 5 key players missing/only played 20 mins, any team is bound to struggle. As you can see from the league table above, ourselves and Huddersfield have a pretty similar points return this season, so it definitely would have been a tighter game had we had the players I mentioned available/not injured so early.


A few other shock results happened to as Hull conceeded six with no reply against Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham lost 5-2 to Bolton so it's not only us who are being forced to name very young teams through injuries and first team/U21 call ups.
 
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SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
FT 4-1.

The U18s are literally copying the first team. They were 3 points off second with a game in hand just 7 matches ago, now look destined for mid table at best.

This result also means that Coventry City's professional teams have now lost their last 6 games. Not just the first team struggling at the moment then.
 
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SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
The U18s are currently playing away at Cardiff and have just taken the lead 25 minutes in with a 'special strike from 25 yards out'. I'll try and find out the scorer and update any more action\goals.
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
3-1 victory away at Cardiff today. Jay Albini, Kyle Finn and Jak Hickman the scorers.

Tuesday is when the second year scholars will find out if they will be offered a professional contract or not. I expect this will be announced on social media.

The second year scholars are:

Corey Addai (goalkeeper)
Jake Whitmore (right back)
Darragh Leahy (centre back)
Callum Maycock (centre midfielder)
Jordan Shipley (centre midfielder)
Jay Albini (winger)
Bassala Sambou (striker)
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Who do we reckon will be offered deals then? Sambou and who else?

Sambou, Addai and Leahy will definitely be offered a pro I think. Leahy is a very good defender who plays for Ireland U17s and partners Liverpool's Conor Masterson at the back who has already been named as a sub for Liverpool on a few occasions.

He was picked out recently as 'One to watch out for' on the Ireland website.

You can view it here: http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/green-shoots-tracking-irish-players-abroad-23#.VqXx42Hs8QM.twitter

Darragh Leahy (Coventry City)
A tough defender with an excellent work ethic, Leahy is someone who has the right attitude and ability to make the breakthrough to senior level. He featured for the Republic of Ireland Under 17s at last year’s UEFA European Championships and is keen to kick on to the U19s.
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Jay Albini has not been a contract. Will try and find out the others as the club hasn't released anything yet.

Fullback Ross McMahon will join the club as a first scholar next season and played in the win at Cardiff. He previously played for Brentford and has been involved for Scotland at youth level.
 
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