Saints Academy Thread

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After the Reading game it was puzzling to see five changes, so many players selected, playing out of their best positions too. Ryan Seager as a lone striker doesn't work, McQueen stuck outside on the right wing, when he is best as a Central attacker, generally lightweight in midfield, Caulker didn't look interested. Josh Sims is good but needs a supply of passes to enable him to use his pace and his final ball decision was off today. Too many crosses in general were aimed at a Centre Forward that wasn't there. Give Sunderland full credit, they were very well organised and not without talent. Nearly a month to the next U21's game, so not much chance to put things right quickly.
 
SAINTDON13 said:
After the Reading game it was puzzling to see five changes, so many players selected, playing out of their best positions too. Ryan Seager as a lone striker doesn't work, McQueen stuck outside on the right wing, when he is best as a Central attacker, generally lightweight in midfield, Caulker didn't look interested. Josh Sims is good but needs a supply of passes to enable him to use his pace and his final ball decision was off today. Too many crosses in general were aimed at a Centre Forward that wasn't there. Give Sunderland full credit, they were very well organised and not without talent. Nearly a month to the next U21's game, so not much chance to put things right quickly.
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Don, the point of the under 21 games is to develop young players, debilitate returning (from injury) first team players, get fitness to first team players who have not had much game time and test players out. It isn't really about winning the league, nice as winning the cup last year was.

None of the above should be puzzling at all.
 
fatletiss said:
Don, the point of the under 21 games is to develop young players, debilitate returning (from injury) first team players, get fitness to first team players who have not had much game time and test players out. It isn't really about winning the league, nice as winning the cup last year was.

None of the above should be puzzling at all.
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I guess being top of the league is less important, but breaking up a winning team (Bertie being the exception of course, and Gazza who was blameless this time) and losing, isn't good for morale, I would have thought the difference here was the lack of Harry Reed and Will Wood, plus the tactics used were wrong for this opposition on the day. All part of the learning curve of course.
 
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I have watched a good number of the U21 games this season and this was by far the worst performance. Saint don you are right about what you saw.
I was particularly disappointed by Caulker, if he wants first team games he will need to show a bit more enthusiasm than he did last night.
 
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SAINTDON13 said:
I guess being top of the league is less important, but breaking up a winning team (Bertie being the exception of course, and Gazza who was blameless this time) and losing, isn't good for morale, I would have though the difference here was the lack of Harry Reed and Will Wood, plus the tactics used were wrong for this opposition on the day. All part of the learning curve of course.
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Mmmm I don't agree. It depends what the club want from any one U21 game at any given moment in time.
 
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