Think this is a good indicator for Sunday. Drameh is not in the first team plans. He must be being sold this year.
I see this thread content about a game against Cardiff is running it's usual course. Shaks - I heard she'd have to take the high heels off for you to reach.......
Bit disappointed that neither Joseph or Perkins are pushing for a first team squad place, particularly as we need a striker and also as the latter was on the brink of the first team at West Ham. Are we really any good at developing our young players or do we just get lucky when we throw them in when we have no other option?
The problem is many fans still think it’s just a natural progression. Play a couple of years u 23 and then slot into the first team squad. It’s anything but and the gap is huge. Just take a look for example at the numbers gone through u23 in last three seasons and gone on to establish themselves in senior starting line up. Strujyk and Kalvin only two. Few others like Joffy knocking on door but have a further step to take whether they’ll be able to do it or not
So, shouldn’t we use the loan system a bit better to develop them for our first team instead of using it as a dumping ground when we don’t know how else to get rid of them, as we seem to do at present (with possibly Charlie Cresswell being the exception)?
We certainly need to stop being so dependent on the kids making up numbers in the match day squad. Shackleton a prime example. Was never going to make it at top level but how long did we persist with that experiment. Sorry to sound so cold hearted re the young lads
Staying in isn't an option I'm afraid - I'd rather face 6000 of you lot than the inlaws on Sunday afternoon.
Not at all, need to be ruthless in football. Keeping them in the U23s doesn’t seem to work so well. As others have said, the step up is huge.
yup… the step up is huge. The vast majority won’t make it and that’s the same at any club. Joseph and Perkins are just kids. Their progress is great… but it doesn’t mean they’ll cut it at the highest level. Some youngsters do break though at that age but it’s generally exceptional talents or early developers.
I think in time it would be more productive to send them out on loan. That's been a problem recently due to Cellino decimating the youth setup. It's taken some time but the depth is getting better now. For next season I'd like to see Hjelde, Joseph and Perkins sent out on loan to the Championship.
Yeh a combo of the Cellino decimation and more recently the small squad. With a small squad and injuries you need the better kids as cover so it’s hard to loan them. Hjelde, Joseph and Perkins are outgrowing the 21s but you would hope we have too many ahead of them for them to get much game time here. A year in league football would be great for all of them. If they actually get played when they do go!
In an ideal world you’d prefer another pl team would loan them ie Fulham with James. At least you can assess their real progress and any footie they manage to get will be quality. Championship second best choice but I’m not sure playing in lower divisions than that is actually any better than u23. Would loaning Joffy to Sheffield Wednesday or Burton Albion would do anything except harm him
We have had a massive amount of time off. ok we have played a few games on the bounce but we need that winning feeling again. there's no excuse apart from injury knocks to field a weakened team. This competition can lead to Europe and yes the passage could be very hard but it also could be kind depending on other factors. The fans deserve more the Premier League is the most important I agree but over the past few seasons we have went out with no intention of winning any cup competition. I do think we will play a stronger side tomorrow coming from that u21 game. A mixture of our current starting 11 and what we have on the bench I defo see Gelhardt and Firpo and Llorente starting. Let's have a go for a change.
