Well, to be frank, I can't say there were any of them tonight who I'd have on the bench for the 1st team. Those who were calling for Harry Reed to be played in the Prem should have watched him tonight - he didn't get going until around the 70th minute. Our midfield was non-existent, the defence just backed off and backed off (and got punished) and punting long balls to a tiny no.9 against two massive centre-backs just ain't gonna work (and he doesn't jump half the height of Shane - needs lessons from the spring-heeled leprechaun I think). We just seemed devoid of ideas and I'd look strongly at the coaching, because when I saw the U21s last year they were a whole lot better - perhaps our best players have been loaned out? Sam G out on the wing is a nonsense - he needs to be in the middle with Hesketh playing off him. Disappointing - and I was looking forward to seeing them tonight as well - at least it wasn't raining, so that's a plus ........
That's not shutting the door. That's telling the truth and it's a challenge to them to improve. I wouldn't reward failing players with a seat on the bench, even if they are youngsters.
I just got the impression that they weren't, as a group, physically capable of out performing "bigger boys", which is a shame because some of them are talented. When you look at the stature of our young'uns, Gape, Reed, Sims, Hesketh and Seager, it's as if their growth is 2 or 3 years behind other players, yet in reality, they probably aren't going to get much/any bigger, which places a massive question mark against their future at the highest level. There were one or two Huddersfield players that looked interesting though.
There will always be a place for shorter, terrier-like players. Just not all in the same team. All of them are good prospects and if Saints were a Championship level team they would have already been integrated into the first team squad. But the ambition is to get into Europe on a regular basis. But the question I would ask, those who think Koeman is shutting the door on the youngsters, is what is he supposed to do.? Make the first team weaker by including the youngsters on the bench and leaving out established quality professionals.? Of course not. what they need to do is focus on improving themselves, possibly going out on loan to a lower league club, and learning to get mentally tougher. They already have the technical skills. Now they need the physical and mental ones too.
There's not much wrong with an academy that produces one top class player each year. JWP, Targett and Reed are the current crop. Hesketh, Gape and McCarthy could well make up the next wave followed by Slatterly, Mugabi. The next really good crop coming through is likely to take about 6 years to get our attention. I wouldn't rule out Gallagher yet either. He is taking a little longer to get over his growth spurt but his size and stature will make him a real handful. Coaching is not a problem as I see it. Just that as we move closer to the big four, expectations get higher but it's harder to break through to first team. If the quality is there, Ron will use it.
Just seen Hunters comments after the game- he needs to look at himself and the coaching rather than blaming the players. The tactics in the first half were awful and booting the ball from keeper to Gallagher in the forlorn hope he will a) win the header and b) direct it to another Saints player is not the Southampton way. Second half was better when they played it out from the back. Difficult for the 21's to improve when they never get to train with the first team and end up with the U18s. A number will be looking for a loan as that is the only way they can improve (which will weaken the team further. Also have to remember that they have three long term injuries and three out on loan also, all of whom would be first choices if they were fit or still here.
I don't really understand the talk about the academy. We could have had (if they hadn't chased the money) Lallana, Shaw, Chambers, Targett and JWP all playing for the first team (or on the subs bench) and Reed knocking on the door. That's potentially 6 players! We also have players out on loan. The existing crop don't look up to playing for a top half premier league team yet which is what Ronald said. He didn't say never. They won't all make it with us (even if their parents stamp their feet) but then they never have, even when we were in the lower leagues. I have to agree that I had been wondering if the coaching was good enough but if it's not I would expect Saints to do something about that before long.
Having watched last night debacle I was very surprised at how the U21's seem to have moved away from the tactics employed by the first team. I thought the idea was to mirror the first team so that young players would find it easier to move up when the time was right but last night OMG that was pathetic and they were completely outplayed & out muscled by Huddersfield for goodness sake. Sadly I feel RK may have been right after all. U21 coaches need to sort themselves out
Fair enough, but they were equally as bad against Chelsea, in the previous round, were equally over powered by "bigger boys", and but for Chelsea's woeful finishing, on the night, they wouldn't have been playing last night. So, in my case, not basing it on one performance.
I would expect our U18s and U21s to do better than they are...may be young, short or cabbage looking...but what they do now is an indicator of how they will do in the future. Not going by one match, but by the fact that we're losing matches we might have won before.
Something's not quite right with the U21s atm, they look a shadow of last season's team. It could be that they are missing the leadership of Jason McCarthy who marshalls the defence so well.We were guilty of dropping too deep last night and letting the oppo on to them, their fullbacks were almost like wingers and assisted both goals and scored one. The passing was far too hurried until it was 2-0, then the passing and movement was much more purposeful and fluid. I believe there are some talents, namely Reed, Seager, Hesketh and Mugabi but the mentality of the whole team needs looking at. Results are important at all levels and learning how to win games is invaluable, but most important is the individual player's development.
That's cool St Badger. I am just someone who thinks we pay too much attention sometimes to results at this level. Yes, winning is a habit etc, etc, but it is all about the development of the players. Someone mentioned we have a few out on loan and a few injured too. The key thing is that we scout and then sign the right players (always a bit of a lottery) and do our damndest to turn them into first team or at worst saleable assets. If we sign a player at 8-13 years old, it is hard to know how they will work out with attitude, growth, desire, strength, skill, etc. We currently have two playing first team and one who got on the fringes, along with three that we have sold in the last three seasons.
Aw shucks, St Badger is far too formal. Sir will do . Or just plain Badge. My concern wasn't so much the result but the impression that we couldn't compete as a unit, because our players are just too small. As someone else has said, when there are too many little'uns in the same team, they have to play smarter or up their attitude, but I'm not seeing that, from these two examples, and I'm guessing that Ron isn't seeing it either. I'm wondering if his recent comments were "tough love", comments designed to gain a reaction from the players, to see if they would make him eat his words. I'm sure, during one of his interviews, Les Reed mentioned that we take a lot of chances on small players, more so than would be expected, in the hope that they will reach a good physical size, but we seem to have been unlucky with some of this group. I'm also wondering if a lower league team would take, and give game time to some of them, because of their size and the physical demands of Leagues 1 & 2. Maybe we need to follow Chelsea's example, and see if we can ship some of them on loan to the Dutch League, to see if they can develop in a calmer, less physical environment?
sorry Sir... I mean Badge I actually belief that a spell in league 1 or 2 (where actually more teams than previously play a bit now) will help toughen them up a bit. One of the downfalls of the old "reserve" league is the lack of opportunity to play some tough physical games. It is hard to get the balance, but an element of that does help.
