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Thread: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

  1. #76

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by Geraint! View Post
    Lost 3-0.
    I couldn't find the stream on the FAW website but reading the twitter feed we were doing really well until a defensive mix up cost the second goal.
    It was always gonna be an uphill struggle as we have a few stronger u19s out on loan (Bird, Humphries etc) but hopefully it will prepare the boys for Chelsea away!

  2. #77

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by thehumblegringo View Post
    I couldn't find the stream on the FAW website but reading the twitter feed we were doing really well until a defensive mix up cost the second goal.
    It was always gonna be an uphill struggle as we have a few stronger u19s out on loan (Bird, Humphries etc) but hopefully it will prepare the boys for Chelsea away!
    Just watched a highlights package on the jacks website and there was more coverage of attacks by us rather than them until it got to 2-0. The first goal may have prevented if the City wall had jumped, while the second one was a shocker as the centrebacks and keeper made a right mess of what was just a straightforward long punt down the middle.

    Nevertheless, this result means that the jacks are now, almost certainly, going to win their eighth successive Welsh Youth Cup - what an indictment of our Academy that is.
    Last edited by the other bob wilson; 21-11-16 at 06:45.

  3. #78

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    I've spoken to a mate who went to the game and he tells me that we were far the better side and dominated between the 1st and 2nd goals creating a host of chances.
    The second goal was a disgrace and I'd be pissed of if an under 12 side conceded that.

    There are many positives to take from this team at the moment.
    As Warnock said last week, Harris is not far away, and Welch must be close to knocking on the door too.

    Apparently the best player on the pitch yesterday was q5 year old Sion Spence so I take heart that even though we lost there were a lot of positives without Bird and Humphries who would have made a difference.

  4. #79

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    I'm not having a go at the current side too much Gringo because the truth is that Swansea have moved past us now at youth level and the result, or score, yesterday didn't surprise me at all. My beef is that this situation has been allowed to happen over an eight year period where the jacks have completely dominated the only club tournament that can go someway towards measuring the strengths of Welsh clubs at Under 19 level. For the first five or six years of that period, we were on an equal footing with the jacks and I saw us beat them at various levels (including a 6-1 win at Under 18 level) yet they always seemed to get the better of us in the games that really counted - maybe this good group of Under 16s we have will redress the balance a bit, but we've stopped producing our own first team players and that cannot all be blamed on Russell Slade because that was the case before he came along.

    Anyway, just to say that the Development team game against QPR at Cardiff City Stadium (kick off 7 o clock) still looks to be on

    https://twitter.com/CardiffCityDVP?r...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

  5. #80

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Tonight's team;-

    O'Reilly, Baker, Tutonda, Huws, Ajayi, James, O'Sullivan, Wharton, Zohore, Immers, John

    Rees, Coughlan, Southam, Skapetis, Weymans

    Skapetis is a new name to me, I presume it's this bloke

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...toke-City.html

  6. #81
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    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
    Tonight's team;-

    O'Reilly, Baker, Tutonda, Huws, Ajayi, James, O'Sullivan, Wharton, Zohore, Immers, John

    Rees, Coughlan, Southam, Skapetis, Weymans

    Skapetis is a new name to me, I presume it's this bloke

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...toke-City.html
    Interesting. I had a quick look on Skapetis' twitter - and although he doesn't use it much there is a tweet from June that says: Been hit hard with injury over the last 2 years but I know what I'm capable of and what I'm heading towards. A £300k fee for a QPR reserve striker is fairly serious money. I assume he has now been released by Stoke and Warnock has taken him on some sort of short term contract for a look?

    The rest of the side is strong, with Immers, Huws, Ajayi, John etc starting. I don't recognise any names in the QPR team - except Finney - so maybe they're not using this fixture as a training match for first team squad players?
    Last edited by jon1959; 21-11-16 at 19:00.

  7. #82
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    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    4 - 0 win for Cardiff u23s:

    21 - Zahore
    55 - Zahore
    58 - Skapetis
    81 - Ajeyi

  8. #83

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by jon1959 View Post
    Interesting. I had a quick look on Skapetis' twitter - and although he doesn't use it much there is a tweet from June that says: Been hit hard with injury over the last 2 years but I know what I'm capable of and what I'm heading towards. A £300k fee for a QPR reserve striker is fairly serious money. I assume he has now been released by Stoke and Warnock has taken him on some sort of short term contract for a look?

    The rest of the side is strong, with Immers, Huws, Ajayi, John etc starting. I don't recognise any names in the QPR team - except Finney - so maybe they're not using this fixture as a training match for first team squad players?
    Skapetis came on and scored in a 4-0 win, didn't stand out though. Zohore scored two goals on the break, the second finish was classy after a poor first touch had taken him close to the keeper. The usual hit and miss stuff from him but no shortage of effort again. Ashley Baker impressed at right back, Semi Ajayi hardly put a foot wrong and got the final goal, Theo Wharton got some good tackles in and had a tidy game.

    A lot more big clearances than usual at DVP level but, to be fair, there was also some excellent counter-attacking football which, I suppose, justified being prepared to give possession away in that fashion. Weird to see a City team breaking in numbers, unique even.

  9. #84

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Only just read your comments Loramski, but they tie in almost exactly with mine - here's my piece on last night's match.

    http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

  10. #85

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
    Just watched a highlights package on the jacks website and there was more coverage of attacks by us rather than them until it got to 2-0. The first goal may have prevented if the City wall had jumped, while the second one was a shocker as the centrebacks and keeper made a right mess of what was just a straightforward long punt down the middle.

    Nevertheless, this result means that the jacks are now, almost certainly, going to win their eighth successive Welsh Youth Cup - what an indictment of our Academy that is.
    It is a disappointing stat that Swansea have won it 8 years in a row but it doesn't change the fact that they were heavy favourites on Sunday and by all accounts we were by far the better side until a ridiculous defensive error cost us the second goal.

    To bring some perspective, Swansea had 6 u21s in their starting line up on Sunday while I think we had 3. Possibly our two strongest players who would be u19 are out on loan at Weston so are ineligible to play.

    We also had a 15 year old in Sion Spence not only starting but by all accounts (according to mate who is a Jack) was the best player on the pitch!

    Swansea played the lad Joe Rodon who has been in the first team squad and is the next big thing down there and as a club they have been in a position to pay £250k to Hull academy to take Daniel James off their hands as a 16 year old.

    We can just about pay 250k for a first team player these days.

    We all know that the club has been mismanaged in recent years and that the academy has been largely forgotten about by first team managers since Sam Hamman left to be fair but there are many reasons to be optimistic at the moment.

    The u18s have got one or two players training with the first team and for the first team in a long time are in serious contention for getting into Warnock's squad.

    Under them we have kids like Spence and Bowen and would have had Matondo but his departure was out of the clubs control.

    I went to Treforest on Sunday and watched Cardiff's younger kids beat Swansea convincingly at u10s u12s and u13s level on Sunday and we had the best players on the pitch at all those levels on Sunday. Apparently the 9s won too and the u11s drew but a few of their better players were playing up for the u12s.

    I know all these kids are way way off affecting the first team at present but it just highlights that as an academy we are still more than competing despite the amount of money and category one status and Swansea's scatter gun approach in the valleys at the moment.

    We are in decent shape at youth level Bob and having read Warnock's biography I believe if the kids are good enough they'll get their chance.

  11. #86

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    My lad's team made it through to the Quarter Finals after a 3-0 win against Llanelli. They've got Bangor City in the next round, thankfully at home. Cambrian & Clydach play some great football and are top of Welsh Prem Development League (South) and according to the UEFA have the best academy in Wales (away from the big 3).
    Our under 17's played the Swans Under 16s at the start of the season, drawing 1-1 - I really wasn't impressed by the Jacks and found that Cardiff have far better teams at that age group and below.

  12. #87

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    I've not got the time at the moment, but I'll try to reply to the points made in the last two posts later on. In the mean time, it appears that our coach Jarred Harvey agrees with the Swansea fan Gringo talked to about Sion Spence - here's what he had to say about Sion's performance;-

    "There are certainly many positives take from this game including a number of good performances from our apprentices. But I must mention Sion Spence, the youngest player of the pitch, who was outstanding today showing superb creativity and composure in the midfield at such a young age, and was an absolute joy to watch."

    Read more at http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/...AWYwtxQWoVd.99

    I thought he was our best player when I watched the Under 18s ten days ago against Colchester and it's very encouraging that Sion appears to not just be playing well, but also playing consistently as a 15 year old against lads three and four years older than him.

  13. #88

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
    I've not got the time at the moment, but I'll try to reply to the points made in the last two posts later on. In the mean time, it appears that our coach Jarred Harvey agrees with the Swansea fan Gringo talked to about Sion Spence - here's what he had to say about Sion's performance;-

    "There are certainly many positives take from this game including a number of good performances from our apprentices. But I must mention Sion Spence, the youngest player of the pitch, who was outstanding today showing superb creativity and composure in the midfield at such a young age, and was an absolute joy to watch."

    Read more at http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/...AWYwtxQWoVd.99

    I thought he was our best player when I watched the Under 18s ten days ago against Colchester and it's very encouraging that Sion appears to not just be playing well, but also playing consistently as a 15 year old against lads three and four years older than him.
    If he continues his development then how long will it be before the Man City scouts or others start sniffing around. It is quite depressing that until we can get Category 1 Academy status then the likelihood of having another Aaron Ramsey breaking into the First Team is quite remote.

  14. #89

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by BlueToujours View Post
    If he continues his development then how long will it be before the Man City scouts or others start sniffing around. It is quite depressing that until we can get Category 1 Academy status then the likelihood of having another Aaron Ramsey breaking into the First Team is quite remote.
    Scouts have already sniffed around mate and i believe he turned them down to stay here.

  15. #90

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
    Only just read your comments Loramski, but they tie in almost exactly with mine - here's my piece on last night's match.

    http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/
    Yes, it does feel like there's a real significance to these games now. I thought it interesting that the game was played at all, I'm sure the club wouldn't have wanted two games in three days on a wet pitch and would have wanted it moved or postponed but there was obviously an importance attached to it as Rowberry was doing the coaching again while Nicholson and Johnson spent most of the night sat in what looked like naughty chairs behind the dug-out.

    On saying that, I wonder what the first-team significance was last night? A look at John as a left winger? Unlikely as he got switched to left back at half time. Another chance for Immers and to impress and a chance to look at Skapetis? Yes to both but the way we set up and played may have been more meaningful. Very close to a Slade type 4-4-2 with the ball being regularly hoofed out of defence didn't bode well early on but there was method to the madness. The first goal was stunning, the second and third weren't goals we see at first team level either.

    I'm assuming that the switch to a midfield four was largely to have a look at Huws alongside a central midfield partner and while he wasn't stunning he has an energy and a desire to get forward that Whitts hasn't got coupled with a range of passing that Ralls doesn't have for now. He was involved in a lot of the breaks and other good stuff we did, he didn't go missing when QPR had the ball either. Food for thought for Warnock if he's looking to get away from the current 4-1-4-1 that Huws doesn't seem to fit into.

    One other thing. If the first team were set up to play like that, who would we use up front? While Zohore is rightly fourth choice for now, surely Lambert, Fred and Chamakh would all have needed jet packs to have kept up with the breaks last night. I don't know much about Newport but get the impression that Jon Parkin's injury has led to them playing a counter-attacking game which has suited Rhys Healey perfectly. If we want to change to that type of game, have we got the style and quality of forward to make it work?

  16. #91

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by thehumblegringo View Post
    It is a disappointing stat that Swansea have won it 8 years in a row but it doesn't change the fact that they were heavy favourites on Sunday and by all accounts we were by far the better side until a ridiculous defensive error cost us the second goal.

    To bring some perspective, Swansea had 6 u21s in their starting line up on Sunday while I think we had 3. Possibly our two strongest players who would be u19 are out on loan at Weston so are ineligible to play.

    We also had a 15 year old in Sion Spence not only starting but by all accounts (according to mate who is a Jack) was the best player on the pitch!

    Swansea played the lad Joe Rodon who has been in the first team squad and is the next big thing down there and as a club they have been in a position to pay £250k to Hull academy to take Daniel James off their hands as a 16 year old.

    We can just about pay 250k for a first team player these days.

    We all know that the club has been mismanaged in recent years and that the academy has been largely forgotten about by first team managers since Sam Hamman left to be fair but there are many reasons to be optimistic at the moment.

    The u18s have got one or two players training with the first team and for the first team in a long time are in serious contention for getting into Warnock's squad.

    Under them we have kids like Spence and Bowen and would have had Matondo but his departure was out of the clubs control.

    I went to Treforest on Sunday and watched Cardiff's younger kids beat Swansea convincingly at u10s u12s and u13s level on Sunday and we had the best players on the pitch at all those levels on Sunday. Apparently the 9s won too and the u11s drew but a few of their better players were playing up for the u12s.

    I know all these kids are way way off affecting the first team at present but it just highlights that as an academy we are still more than competing despite the amount of money and category one status and Swansea's scatter gun approach in the valleys at the moment.

    We are in decent shape at youth level Bob and having read Warnock's biography I believe if the kids are good enough they'll get their chance.
    You and Llandaff have seen more of our teams at below Under 16 level than I have Gringo, so I'm not in a position to argue with you on that score. I'd also say that, from what I've seen of the Under 16s this season, the praise they got from Russell Slade and Ken Choo in that meeting I attended early this year seems to be justified - their results are a lot better than we usually manage at that level and, more importantly, their performance level is consistently good.

    So, there has to be a hope that they in the next season or two there will be enough members of the squad who will be able to bridge the gap between Under 16 and Under 18 football to the extent that we finally have an Under 18 team that can break the rut that we have been in ever since we gained Academy status in 2004.

    I say this while accepting that results are far from the be all and end all in youth football. However, when every season I can recall for the Academy Under 18s has seen them losing a few more league games than they win as they finish something like sixth or seventh in a ten team league, there is a feeling that our teams have been much of a muchness at that level in the past twelve years. Initially, we were able to point at the likes of Ledley, Jerome, Gunter, Blake, Ramsey and Matthews and say that we were producing quality young players despite the ordinary results, but that's not happening any more and, as much as I slag the likes of Slade off for not giving youth a chance, it's too long now since I saw a player in the Under 18s (e.g. Ramsey and Matthews) who I just knew was going to play for our first team.

    At various times over the past five years or so, I've heard about great results we've got at various age groups (I remember we scored eight against Chelsea didn't we at something like Under 11 level about three years ago), but season in, season out, I can say at the start of the season that our Under 18s will not have a player that appears in the first team, they will finish about sixth in their league, will go out pretty early in the FA Youth Cup and be beaten by the jacks in the Welsh Youth Cup and know I'm not going to be far wrong - hopefully, those currently qualified to play for our Under 16s will be able to break that mould.

    Best of luck to your boy and his team in the Quarter Finals Llandaff .
    Last edited by the other bob wilson; 22-11-16 at 15:55.

  17. #92

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by Loramski View Post
    Yes, it does feel like there's a real significance to these games now. I thought it interesting that the game was played at all, I'm sure the club wouldn't have wanted two games in three days on a wet pitch and would have wanted it moved or postponed but there was obviously an importance attached to it as Rowberry was doing the coaching again while Nicholson and Johnson spent most of the night sat in what looked like naughty chairs behind the dug-out.

    On saying that, I wonder what the first-team significance was last night? A look at John as a left winger? Unlikely as he got switched to left back at half time. Another chance for Immers and to impress and a chance to look at Skapetis? Yes to both but the way we set up and played may have been more meaningful. Very close to a Slade type 4-4-2 with the ball being regularly hoofed out of defence didn't bode well early on but there was method to the madness. The first goal was stunning, the second and third weren't goals we see at first team level either.

    I'm assuming that the switch to a midfield four was largely to have a look at Huws alongside a central midfield partner and while he wasn't stunning he has an energy and a desire to get forward that Whitts hasn't got coupled with a range of passing that Ralls doesn't have for now. He was involved in a lot of the breaks and other good stuff we did, he didn't go missing when QPR had the ball either. Food for thought for Warnock if he's looking to get away from the current 4-1-4-1 that Huws doesn't seem to fit into.

    One other thing. If the first team were set up to play like that, who would we use up front? While Zohore is rightly fourth choice for now, surely Lambert, Fred and Chamakh would all have needed jet packs to have kept up with the breaks last night. I don't know much about Newport but get the impression that Jon Parkin's injury has led to them playing a counter-attacking game which has suited Rhys Healey perfectly. If we want to change to that type of game, have we got the style and quality of forward to make it work?
    I saw that Nicholson was there, but I missed Johnson - as you say, our last two under 23 home games have been different from what we have become used to on a couple of levels and I sense that a manager who appears to be far more hands on than his predecessors is at the heart of it.

    As I mentioned in my piece I think there is an element of putting a few players in the shop window to the recent selections and, of course, fringe players are being kept match fit in a way that they weren't before (someone like Ajayi was going months without a game at times).

    I watched Huddersfield's first goal on Saturday and thought "we couldn't score a goal like that" and, before last night, I would have thought the same if anyone scored a goal like any of our first three against us, so it was so heartening to see us do it last night. Of course, it was all done at a lower level, but pace is pace whatever level you play at and I think QPR's first team would have struggled to prevent out first goal.

    Regarding Huws, I could see him and Gunnarsson working together in a 4-2-3-1, but, evidently, Warnock thinks Ralls is doing a very good job despite the criticism he's getting on here this season and it's hard to see how he gets into the squad if we want to have two strikers on the bench - I think if it was me in charge, I'd go with one striker (Pilkington gives you the versatility to bring on Noone or Harris and still have two strikers if you want them) and have Huws or O'Keefe on the bench.

    It's shocking really that all of our specialist strikers are, essentially, the same sort of player and, until we get to January, I think we are going to have to make do with the likes of Pilkington, Hoilett or Harris to give us different attacking options,
    Last edited by the other bob wilson; 22-11-16 at 16:16.

  18. #93

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post
    I saw that Nicholson was there, but I missed Johnson - as you say, our last two under 23 home games have been different from what we have become used to on a couple of levels and I sense that a manager who appears to be far more hands on than his predecessors is at the heart of it.

    As I mentioned in my piece I think there is an element of putting a few players in the shop window to the recent selections and, of course, fringe players are being kept match fit in a way that they weren't before (someone like Ajayi was going months without a game at times).

    I watched Huddersfield's first goal on Saturday and thought "we couldn't score a goal like that" and, before last night, I would have thought the same if anyone scored a goal like any of our first three against us, so it was so heartening to see us do it last night. Of course, it was all done at a lower level, but pace is pace whatever level you play at and I think QPR's first team would have struggled to prevent out first goal.

    Regarding Huws, I could see him and Gunnarsson working together in a 4-2-3-1, but, evidently, Warnock thinks Ralls is doing a very good job despite the criticism he's getting on here this season and it's hard to see how he gets into the squad if we want to have two strikers on the bench - I think if it was me in charge, I'd go with one striker (Pilkington gives you the versatility to bring on Noone or Harris and still have two strikers if you want them) and have Huws or O'Keefe on the bench.

    It's shocking really that all of our specialist strikers are, essentially, the same sort of player and, until we get to January, I think we are going to have to make do with the likes of Pilkington, Hoilett or Harris to give us different attacking options,
    Vardy's goals led a counter-attacking side to the Premier League title. Saadi rhymes with Vardy, it's a sign.

    Johnson was there last night. He came to the touchline to talk to Rowberry in the first half. Presumably to ask if he could go home early as he didn't seem to be needed.

    No Matty Kennedy last night. He may have a knock, of course, or may be in line for a starting spot on Saturday for all I know but it looks as though his time here could be over. That would be a shame.

    Yes, Gunnarsson and Huws would be an interesting pairing in a 4-2-3-1. I like Ralls though and, as you say, Warnock seems to as well, maybe he'll end up back on the left again?

    Seeing the difference that a bit of pace can make, it's a shame that Kadeem Harris can't quite force his way in at the moment. A lot for Warnock (and us) to think about. Interesting times.

  19. #94

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by thehumblegringo View Post
    Scouts have already sniffed around mate and i believe he turned them down to stay here.
    Good to hear. Thanks.

  20. #95

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by the other bob wilson View Post

    Best of luck to your boy and his team in the Quarter Finals Llandaff .
    Thanks Bob. They played each other in the final of the development League last year and Bangor won 4-3 aet. Excellent game so this could be another classic.

  21. #96

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    The goals from the Development team's match with QPR on Monday are available for Cardiff City World subscribers now - for our first goal it took thirteen seconds from the ball being cleared from a corner to hitting the back of the QPR net.

  22. #97
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    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Exciting to read about Sion Spence.
    I can still hardly believe that Immers is in the DVP , having been so promising toward the end last season.
    Perhaps it's all relative, and it is a sign of the improvements in the 1st team.

  23. #98

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Quote Originally Posted by Vimana. View Post
    Exciting to read about Sion Spence.
    I can still hardly believe that Immers is in the DVP , having been so promising toward the end last season.
    Perhaps it's all relative, and it is a sign of the improvements in the 1st team.
    Immers has been poor in both DVP games that I've seen him in. He was playing in a type of number 10 role on Monday (I think), getting forward to support Zohore when possible. It should have been a good place for him but the game passed him by, although he did hit the post with a header. Just looked very ordinary, probably the worst performance by a City player on the night and when Zohore's playing that particular bar isn't set too high.

  24. #99

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Highlights of the U18's victory at QPR now up on CCFC Player including a great Route One goal from Mark Harris who shows great composure!

  25. #100

    Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

    Just been confirmed on Twitter that City's Development team host Blackburn this afternoon in a Premier League Cup game at what I assume is Leckwith Stadium - your guess is as good as mine as to kick off time, but I'm going to get there for 2 o clock.

    https://twitter.com/cardiffcitydvp?lang=en&lang=en

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