Remember last season when our u21s won the national second tier competition with a team that was basically this; Phillips, Osborne, Ajayi, Lennon, Fox; Harris, Cousins, Jordan, Harriot; Azeez, Piggott. Harris and Ajayi left, but all the rest were eligible again this year. I thought we would have another outstanding year with Poyet, Sho-Silva and Holmes-Dennis to come in. We also signed Munns and Daniel to strengthen the squad. Yesterday we lost 0-4 to Bristol City in a league match. Our team was: Phillips; Barnum-Bobb, Daniel, Osbourne, Lennon; Munns, Asamoah, Banjuka, Garard; Parzyzsek, Sho-Silva. Who are these strange people? I think Ewell was just a cheap in-house replacement but he is being given no chance to build a team. Hard to judge a triallist when most of the team are strangers to each other.
Dont think it helped the fact that we brought so few players in the summer meaning the U21s have had to step up... Dillon Phillips: Current No.2 as Thuram refuses to play whilst Pope is on loan @ York City Harry Osborne: Reckon he'll depart in the summer Semi Ajayi: Of course gone to Arsenal as mentioned Harry Lennon: Still in the U21s yet has become fourth choice CB due to Leon Cort's injury Morgan Fox: Now No.2 in terms of Left-Backs Jordan Cousins: First-Team Bradley Jordan: On-Loan @ Forest Green likely to go in the summer Callum Harriott: First-Team Ade Azeez: On-Loan @ Dagenham & Redbridge likely to go in the summer Joe Pigott: First-Team and has spent time on Loan @ Gillingham In terms of players progressing from the U18s maybe that level is still seen as the mainstay been Youth and First-Team level with the U21s purely being for players who (1) Senior players who need matches coming back from injury (2) Youngsters too old for the U18s and not ready for First-Team Football either at Charlton or out on Loan It could also have been the case that what with the poor weather in winter the games are having to be played more each week following postponements and the coaches feel that the Youngsters arent ready to be playing so often (i.e. the opposite to people like Johnnie Jackson at the moment) - For example there is no Koc or Evina etc... in that line-up. Although one Question myself (and if he played against Brighton on Monday then ignore me) but what has happened to Oliver Muldoon... Is he injured?
https://twitter.com/RichCawleySLP/status/452089398688247808 New contract for Harry Osborne, good news if they play him at Centre Half, bit of a surprise as I thought he would be off.
Pleased for Harry as it means he must have recovered completely from a serious injury. Has lost his place in the pecking order, though. And I don't see where we can fit in another CB. We already have Morrison, Wood, Devite, Cort, and Lennon, with Gomez coming on fast and Fox and Holmes-Dennis who can also play there in an emergency.
Good rundown, A4L. My point was that Jones playing with a more or less settled team helped individuals develop and helped management to assess them. So they could say, for example, "Jordan and Azeez have had every chance playing in their best position in a good team, but won't make it". I presume all these funny names are more rejects from RD's other clubs he is hoping will come good at the Addicks. Fair enough, but how can you assess a player when he is thrown in with a bunch of strangers? Surely the only way is to put them in one or two a time with other players who know the pattern of play? Clearly RD does not place the same importance on the u21s as the previous regime, yet that was the part of the club which seemed to work best. Not just in winning matches and trophies which I agree is secondary (although Jones thought it important) but in producing first team players.
If it was Jazzi Barnum Bobb then he comes from Watford's U21's If it is Paul Banjuka then he comes from Chelsea Can't help with Asamoah
It is Alban Banjuka who is an ex Arsenal player that joined Seville. Big things were expected of him at Arsenal but it hasn't worked out. We have a lot of centre halfs at the moment but with the exception of Lennon they are all out of contract. Hopefully Morrison and Dervite will sign new ones. Holmes- Dennis can't play centre half Eddie he is too small. He has been playing in midfield but he is good at left back.
I feel a bit uneasy about any dealings with Chelsea. We had a 15-year-old goalie from Chelsea in the U-21 team, and until Gomez and Edwards sign pro contracts I'd say that if you're going to sup with the devil make sure you use a long spoon.
And it just got better! In the good old days players who wanted to get noticed by scouts, and who did not have the advantage of blond hair, used to wear their shirts outside their shorts before it got banned. Now they just need a name like Jazzi Barnum-Bobb to be remembered.
The fact that Manchester united played spurs in the national under 21s and their captain and leading scorer, respectively, can't get in our first team shows how seriously most clubs take it.
U21s are once again 1-0 down to Bristol City (@ Sparrows Lane)... Interesting from twitter that Petrucci is starting today (along with Joe Gomez and Holmes-Dennis) so guessing that means he wont be playing in the match against Yeovil tomorrow
@CAFCofficial: U21 team to face @bcfctweets: Phillips; Barnum-Bobb, Nego, Gomez, Lennon; Munns, Petrucci, Gerard; Daniel, Holmes-Dennis, Parzyszek. #cafc Where is Koc? Strong team and Munns seems to be scoring a few goals.
Was at fault for the goal in my opinion... Dithered on the ball (i.e. neither shot nor passed) and then a snail could have ran faster tracking back and refused to take the player out
U21s are currently in action against Swansea City at Sparrows Lane... Havent gone but team from Twitter: STARTING - Phillips; Nego, Daniel, Osborne, Lennon; Muldoon, Munns, Gerard, Koç; Pigott, Sho-Silva BENCH - Bowling, Cumberbatch, Krans, Asamoah
These names keep getting better! Surely it cannot be Saint Benedict of Sherlock? I see we won 2-1 with a last minutes Muldoon goal.
With no Polish Pete for the U21s I presume he is in the squad for tomorrow's game. With Pigott playing for the U21s I don't think he will feature. According to Dr Kish Obika didn't play on Saturday because of a family commitment.
