Agree with this, huge gulf in level. If they're good enough they'll get their chance, just like AOC did. Youngsters have to be integrated into team, the last time we threw youngsters in team we were relegated. The likes of spiderman, Lallana, Lloyd James, Gillet, Mills, McGoldrick etc playing week in week out in championship when they were clearly not ready. If we were to get just two future established premiership Saints players from last night we will have done very well.
Can anyone who went last night shed any more light on who the star performers were? Joe Curtis seems to be banging them in since being moved into that not quite a striker role.
It was a great team performance. If you look at goals and assists I'd say Sinclair, McQueen and Chambers but Moore, Curtis and Ward-Prowse dominated Midfield. The back four only let Sheff Utd take 2 shots all evening. I like the work rate of McQueen he covered a lot of ground and hardly lost the ball. He looks very composed in possession. Missed a sitter in first 15 mins though. He has been played as striker as well as being able to get past players down the wing. Scores with his head too. Ward-Prowse has great vision and also looks very composed. His strike was fab.
Jason Dodd said on the OS that Nicola went into speak to the youngsters before the match. First team coaches were also watching the game. Good way to reinforce the idea that they are in the clubs plans.
JWP is very close to the first team. We don't need to strengthen at CM, so there will surely be another opportunity for him this season. Luke Shaw has 3 players ahead of him already. Dickson will probably leave and that would make the 2nd left-back slot well and truly up for grabs. Sinclair, Curtis, McQueen and Chambers, even with a couple of reinforcements, we'd still be quite light out wide and up front and the door could well be opened Stephens can't be far off contention either. There's room to bring them in if/when they deserve it.
Don't forget Ben Reeves too, he has been training with the first team squad all season and was on the bench on Saturday.
yeah as well as Sam Hoskins (been unlucky with injuries this season) but I think they are in a different league in terms of development, how ready they are and their quality personally
I can't believe the talent we have in our youth squad... It's actually quite frightening.. I would be scared as a opposition player.. The passing game is awesome.
nope, I'm sure you're going to tell us. From the kits, I'd guess those were taken around 2005, so hey'd be in their early 20s now.
Ah, well that's where it becomes a bit fuzzy, as I don't recognise the nipper at the top, and I only think the lad at the bottom is Jermaine Roche, ho plays for Marlow, I believe. Stephen Hunt is the one in the middle. He plays for Notts County, I think. I do have a several more photos, with some much more recognisable Saints youngsters.
The player at the top could be Michael Green, born in 1984. Thank goodness I found my old RedHot Saints book for 2003, otherwise I wouldn't have a clue. BTW, I like your reference to the players being their early-20's. Simon Gillett, from that era, is 26. Time marches on..!
The kit looks like the red sleeves kit from 04/05 that Saints got relegated in, but with a different sponsor which I think the academy had back then. If Gillet is 26 now, he would have been in the academy side a couple of years earlier.
Just watched the highlights on the Saints Player. Jake Sinclair looks a f***ing prospect doesn't he!?
