Are our kids over hyped?

[joellufcprice]

I purposefully didn't come on here after the Crawley game because I would not have had a positive word to say about any of them. Before I move on- Casilla, get rid, that was his chance and though it wasn't all his fault he contributed. Costa, just not good enough anymore I'd rather Pablo was in his position.

Now, our 'kids' , we are continually told they are brilliant, putting in great performances etc etc but are they really all that or is it just that they're coached well to beat other naff u23 sides?

Case in point- Casey and Cresswell, I've been hearing all season about these two 'rocks' at the back and I've honestly never seen two worse performances, yes they both were making debuts etc etc but you can usually see at least a glimmer of class and what I saw from Cresswell (I'll forgive as he is only 18 to be fair to him) was him getting mugged off by Malik Wilks who is bang average and Casey....well, I know he is a kid but honestly that 45 minutes was one of the worst I've seen from a centre back he wasn't near to winning anything and cost us two goals. It is probably a bad comparison but when I saw Woodgate debut, you could just see it from the moment he stepped out there that he would be quality, he made mistakes but the rest of his game looked good, it was just obvious he needed games.

Greenwood was an odd one, thought he was coming on as a striker and actually came on in what looked like attacking midfield, though I never noticed.

Jenkins, my god, no presence, passing abysmal. Again, I remember Lewis Cook coming on against Milwall in a game we were losing and you could just see his class

Then I move onto Shackleton and Davis. First Davis, I still don't get the hype, that first half even when we were on top really he was just giving the ball away endlessley? Am I missing something with him? Shackleton, it is high time he starts showing something, I will never doubt the kids effort and passion but for me I just don't see the quality, he isn't good defensively (good turned inside out by a league two winger) and in midfield he isn't particularly good in terms of passing or dribbling. As far as I can tell he is a hard worker, does what he is told and is generally ok passing and making runs.

I think a lot of it is down to them just playing other u23 sides, I think with some of them there comes a point where they've got to start playing proper football against senior pros, I think the bubble with them 'being really good' is masked by the rubbish they're playing against a lot of the time.

I don't want to attack the kids and believe me I hope they turn out good, I'm just left thinking if they're the best options.....is the future really that bright?

[Billyni]

There was too many of them thrown in willy nilly at the one time. They didn’t know if they were coming or going.
They need to be blended in 1 or 2 at a time amongst the senior players, not in a random batch.
Managers fault.

Yes, over hyped.
Not so bright.
If we get 2or3 coming through at premier quality,we’ll be doing well.

[CalverleyBoy]

Are you referring to the Crawley game re Cresswell or today U23 - he didn't play against Crawley??? Whatever I hven't seen him do anything to impress - in the u23's today he git hit on the head by the ball from a corner, he had no idea where it went fortunately we had someone round to slot it in the net.

[WTF11]

Not, not over-hyped, in the context of what level they play at, the results they achieve (consistently), make that clear, but......without being exposed to 1st team football (as Struijk has, of late), there will be no progression (if progression is possible).

As Billy says, 1 or 2 seen as being able to stand the pressure of 1st team football, never mind being good enough, is all that we can expect, but we SHOULD EXPECT rather than hope, and the young players have the right to that same expectation.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Not, not over-hyped, in the context of what level they play at, the results they achieve (consistently), make that clear, but......without being exposed to 1st team football (as Struijk has, of late), there will be no progression (if progression is possible).

As Billy says, 1 or 2 seen as being able to stand the pressure of 1st team football, never mind being good enough, is all that we can expect, but we SHOULD EXPECT rather than hope, and the young players have the right to that same expectation.

Agree that they need game time and to be nurtured along - would rather see any of the u23 get game time than Costa tbh.

[norfolk white]

Agree with Joel 100%, the under 23s look good because they play rubbish teams week in week out, the step up from there to Premier league is massive, none look good enough, as was proved against Crawley, and they were second division, the only way to improve the first team is to buy players ready to go straight in, the under 23s is naff.

[spaldy]

Yes

Once you are in the prem you are buying players ready to go. You hope to get 1 or 2 a year out of the youth. You sell the rest or loan them. We do Ok in that area with Meslier, Poveda and Strujik Think 1 or 2 could come up from the current squad in the future

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Yes

Once you are in the prem you are buying players ready to go. You hope to get 1 or 2 a year out of the youth. You sell the rest or loan them. We do Ok in that area with Meslier, Poveda and Strujik Think 1 or 2 could come up from the current squad in the future

Don’t think a lot of them are over hyped they are just no where near ready for the prem in a lot of cases but that is not to say they are not capable of making the jump.

Some of the kids we have secured seem to be highly rated outside TA but its unfair for them to have to fill gaps in the first team
squad en masse rather than be brought through properly.

Bielsa does seem to like to have a small core of players to work with whom he shows loyalty which doesn’t help - Robbie Gotts is maybe a good example - EFL would be the perfect grooming ground in some games and yet he gets blooded v Arsenal in the FA cup plays incredibly well but gets limited chances for the rest of the season.

Struijk is a great example that you need time and games to develop. His first games in the EFL were patchy but then he came back after lockdown and looked very good and was great against Liverpool.

He is now being played mainly at DM when he seems better at CB.

Shackleton is a CM yet seems to come
On at RB when we have Ayling and Dallas or could try Drameh.

Greenwood comes on in deep midfield when he is a striker and there is no other recognised striker on the pitch.

Roberts is a ST but has been played most often in the first team as an AM on his limited opportunities this season.

It is hard enough to break through in your natural position let alone out of position.

I think MB is great but that is not to say certain aspects of what he does don’t have problems or can be improved.

[ozleeds]

Geee 20-year-olds referred to as kids FFS they are man. Anything under 18 is kids these guys are man playing second-tier football.
Player playing age was 18 to 30 now we have 35 40-year-old running around and the lower age bracket are kids unreal.
Meslier has proven age has nothing to do with it as you are either good enough or not.
Have to agree with Joel that they are not good enough.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Have to agree to disagree on that one - lot of changes physically and mentally between 18 and 25. Prime age for footballers 25 to 30.

No point writing them off on the basis of limited evidence.