The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

[City123]

4-1.

I really don't get why we're focusing on bringing in other clubs' cast offs, there are reasons these guys have been let go. I get it if they're from top academies but if you look at today's starting XI we have Turner (Leeds), Benjamin (Fulham), Leahy (Brighton), Antwi (Blackpool) and Conte (QPR), if they're not making it there how likely are they to make it here? Surely it's better to focus on developing our own talent and bringing in a select few let go from the top academies? I can't see any of the players listed having a real impact on our first team.

[Loramski]

4-1.

I really don't get why we're focusing on bringing in other clubs' cast offs, there are reasons these guys have been let go. I get it if they're from top academies but if you look at today's starting XI we have Turner (Leeds), Benjamin (Fulham), Leahy (Brighton), Antwi (Blackpool) and Conte (QPR), if they're not making it there how likely are they to make it here? Surely it's better to focus on developing our own talent and bringing in a select few let go from the top academies? I can't see any of the players listed having a real impact on our first team.

There was a spell of this when Warnock was here and it was a real mess. To be fair, part of the problem this time seems to be that we've moved a few youngsters up to the first team squad, got Kieron Evans, Taylor Jones, Chanka Zimba and Eli King out on loan and lost Ryan Kavanagh and (I think) Owen Pritchard to injury. I'm not sure where Aidan McNamara is, maybe someone can give a better update than this.

Places to be filled then and I guess there's always going to be an element of hit and miss about it. I can't generalise about any of them, it was my first game of the season tonight, but I wasn't overly impressed although Leahy looks a decent enough player. Antwi and Conte were largely anonymous, Crole seemed to be giving the pair of them a mouthful after QPR's third goal, and Benjamin pretty much got bullied by their very impressive centre forward. Turner made an excellent penalty save but their fourth goal looked soft.

It was a tough night for everyone though, QPR were pacy and powerful. It was a good night to be a sub. Semenyo's pace would've have been handy from the start, Ashford showed some nice touches and Hughes' free kick was superb. I felt a bit sorry for Tanner, his confidence seems shot and it wasn't happening for him. Putting your head down and running until you get tackled is painful to watch. Purse and Crole both got vexed with him but he didn't hide and did a couple of good things in the second half, hopefully he can kick on from that. Great credit to Crole, no real service but two goals and up for the battle from start to finish.

[splott parker]

There was a spell of this when Warnock was here and it was a real mess. To be fair, part of the problem this time seems to be that we've moved a few youngsters up to the first team squad, got Kieron Evans, Taylor Jones, Chanka Zimba and Eli King out on loan and lost Ryan Kavanagh and (I think) Owen Pritchard to injury. I'm not sure where Aidan McNamara is, maybe someone can give a better update than this.

Places to be filled then and I guess there's always going to be an element of hit and miss about it. I can't generalise about any of them, it was my first game of the season tonight, but I wasn't overly impressed although Leahy looks a decent enough player. Antwi and Conte were largely anonymous, Crole seemed to be giving the pair of them a mouthful after QPR's third goal, and Benjamin pretty much got bullied by their very impressive centre forward. Turner made an excellent penalty save but their fourth goal looked soft.

It was a tough night for everyone though, QPR were pacy and powerful. It was a good night to be a sub. Semenyo's pace would've have been handy from the start, Ashford showed some nice touches and Hughes' free kick was superb. I felt a bit sorry for Tanner, his confidence seems shot and it wasn't happening for him. Putting your head down and running until you get tackled is painful to watch. Purse and Crole both got vexed with him but he didn't hide and did a couple of good things in the second half, hopefully he can kick on from that. Great credit to Crole, no real service but two goals and up for the battle from start to finish.

Crole is a name that keeps cropping up, would a step up be a step too far at this moment in his development? He does seem to know where the goal is and from reports he seems to be a confident type, ie bollocking others if he feels they’re slacking. The whole object of the academy is to be a stepping stone not for a player who’s shining to be a permanent fixture in that set up. Having not seen the lad I can only comment on the reports from this thread and he certainly gets air time on here. So is it a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the regular watchers of the age group he’s involved with? If it’s a yes, the next question is ‘when’, if he’s good enough etc etc.

[the other bob wilson]

Crole is a name that keeps cropping up, would a step up be a step too far at this moment in his development? He does seem to know where the goal is and from reports he seems to be a confident type, ie bollocking others if he feels they’re slacking. The whole object of the academy is to be a stepping stone not for a player who’s shining to be a permanent fixture in that set up. Having not seen the lad I can only comment on the reports from this thread and he certainly gets air time on here. So is it a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the regular watchers of the age group he’s involved with? If it’s a yes, the next question is ‘when’, if he’s good enough etc etc.

I've been surprised to see that he's been on the bench for some recent under 21 matches. We've been hopeless at producing our own strikers for ages (not sure Isaak Davies and Mark Harris qualify as genuine strikers), but Crole is up there with the better ones we've had in my opinion - think it might do him good to go out on loan although I wouldn't have thought he'd play every week for, say, a League Two side. For now, he's the type of player who may end up getting some first team experience with us in the FA Cup this season or if this season turns out to be like the last one with a series of meaningless games to end the league campaign.