Still playing but CCFC DVP are 4-0 up v Millwall DVP and Velikonja has just scored his hat-trick....food for thought for Malky maybe?
I saw that was being played. What team has been put out? There was quite a frank interview with Eti on Sky suggesting he wasn't happy, but was willing to fight for a place. As said on another thread, it's nice to be in the position where we'd have to have 4-5 injuries before someone like Ralls gets a game and 2-3 before Eti gets a look in. Suggests the squad is in a healthy position. We'll see game time from these guys before the season is out.
which reminds me, surely he must be scratching his head why he isnt getting even sub appearances, when gestede is ahead of him in the pecking order (played well vs burnley though)...... send ralls out on loan if he isnt getting football here, such a waste of a promising player to be languishing in the reserves, even if you get velinkonja scoring 3 goals in a reserve game it means diddly squat.....
Reserves, RESERVES!! This is the development squad I'll have you know. We didn't get level 2 acadamy status to have RESERVES!!!!!
Using that logic I hope we dont see either of them this was the starting line up: Lewis, Coulson, John, Ralls, Oshilaja, Nugent (c), Frei, Jarvis, Velikonja, McPhail, Conway. Macca and Frei taken off on the hour FT 4-0. According to match updates on twitter, Velikonja, Frei and Coulson all had good games. The front two linking well for the Eti's 1st and Coulson and St Luce providing the crosses for the other 2. Jarvis getting the other one.
Thanks for the team H. It's going to be harder for youngsters to get game time given the squad we now have. It would be good for RAlls to get some time with the squad if only for an incentive to other youngsters. We'll lose too many if they don't think theres a chance to progress to the first team.
Thats why I think these development games mean more than diddly squat (no offence swamp). If he wasn't there you can bet MM will get a detailed report on all of them. True that we wont see some of them all season but better to be match fit than just training every day, just in case. We're 4 down at the moment. Any more and that 18 becomes 17, 16 etc then who steps in?
i agree with redknapp that the best way for youngsters to improve is to go out on loan....... i see developement squads as a way to get experienced players like mc[hail match practice, not a way for youngsters to get games....
I think there's a bit of both to be honest Swamp. You probably need the development squad to get players to the verge of the 1st team squad so you can bring them on as you'd want but between the development squad and the 1st team you need a string of competative games which you are likely to get on loan. Ralls is probably the only guy you'd want out on loan at the moment. Nugent could be a youngster that makes the grade but I think the coaches want to see them every day to mould them as they'd want.
Must have been tough for the lad, new club, new country, maybe language problems, plays pre-season then a couple of sub appearances then.........nothing. At least he showed the best thing he could do in the development game - score goals. Unless there is some under current we don't know about then Malky has to take notice of that performance. Where he will fit in is the problem especially after our all round display on Saturday. Even Rudy took his opportunity well in showing what he can do in more than just a few minutes and I guess Rudy will be regarded as Helguson's cover. From what I have seen of Velikonja he needs to play alongside someone else upfront, ideally HH or Rudy as he does not have the physique to do that on his own. But with Mason showing such good form he won't get that chance easily. And even less chance when Bellers and Smith return. Another difficult one for Malky to ponder. That is the problem with a good sized squad, barring injuries/suspensions there will always be some who are unhappy.
Pity the whole squad wasn't together for the start of the season. Rudy and Eti up front in the first couple LEague cup rounds would have been nice. Suppose they'll get a chance in the early rounds of the FA Cup (fingers crossed it's more than one round). If we are going to play more 442, then Eti off the bench for Mason would be a good swap, keep Bellars and Smith out wide.
