The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

[the other bob wilson]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

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 .

[the other bob wilson]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

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,

[Loramski]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

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.

[BlueToujours]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

Scouts have already sniffed around mate and i believe he turned them down to stay here.

Good to hear. Thanks.

[Landaff the rising sun]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

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.

[the other bob wilson]

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.

[Vimana.]

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.

[Loramski]

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.

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.

[BlueToujours]

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!

[the other bob wilson]

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

[jon1959]

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

Blackburn think it's 2.00:

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/blackburn-rovers-cardiff-city-premier-league-cup-3450333.aspx

[thehumblegringo]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

Good to see Welch and Harris getting deserved starts at this level.

[jon1959]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

CARDIFF: O'Reilly, Rees, Tutonda, Welch, James, Baker, Harris, Wharton, Phipps, O'Sullivan, Abbruzzese.

Subs: Blaise, Byrne, Waite, Coxe, Meite.

ROVERS: Fisher, Travis, Doyle, Tomlinson, Platt, Wharton (c), Mahoney, Hardcastle, Mansell, Rankin-Costello, Thomson.

Subs: Magloire, Powell, Grayson, Rittenberg, Butterworth.

[jon1959]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

56th minute still 0 - 0

Ibrahim Meite has just come on for Eli Phipps. I don't recognise Meite's name. Has he been around long?

[thehumblegringo]

Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

I think he's the non-league kid who many clubs were linked with last week. Fair play to the club they are not pissing about at the moment