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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
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?
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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
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jon1959
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.
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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/
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
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.
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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.
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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.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
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.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BlueToujours
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. :thumbup:
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
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?
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thehumblegringo
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 :thumbup:.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Loramski
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,
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
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.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thehumblegringo
Scouts have already sniffed around mate and i believe he turned them down to stay here. :thumbup:
Good to hear. Thanks.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
Best of luck to your boy and his team in the Quarter Finals Llandaff :thumbup:.
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.
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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.
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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.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vimana.
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.
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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!
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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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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
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...p-3450333.aspx
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Good to see Welch and Harris getting deserved starts at this level.
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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.
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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?
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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
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jon1959
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?
http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/sport/...boss_1_4734629
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Finished 0-0 and I'm afraid I've now watched two goalless draws in the bitter cold where very little happened in forty eight hours. At least on Saturday we were gaining a worthy point against a good side, but today's game had nothing going for it at all. The only effort worth recording from City was a shot from thirty yards by Tommy O'Sullivan that the Blackburn keeper did well to tip over the bar, while Blackburn's number six wasted a good chance when he headed a deflected cross straight at Luke O'Reilly. Apart from that there was a lot of balls bashed up in the air by both teams, but what good football there was tended to come a bit more from City who were able to work some promising crossing positions only to invariably get the final ball wrong.
Just reading about Ibrahim Meite - he came on at half time and started on the right wing before going into a more central position after Mark Harris went off. To be honest, he didn't do a great deal to take the eye - there was a half hearted penalty shout as he tried to get on the end of David Tutonda cross, but, to be fair, it wasn't the sort of game where a trialist would come in and impress - best players for us were probably the centrebacks James and Baker with the latter continuing what has been a good spell for him at this level.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
The Other Bob's write up on the DVP's home Premier League Cup match with Blackburn...
"Miserable fare at Leckwith following Warnock’s shake up of City’s Under 23s."
http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/misera...tys-under-23s/
Will be interesting to see if trialist Ibrahim Meite gets another chance
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Blue in the Face
The Other Bob's write up on the DVP's home Premier League Cup match with Blackburn...
"Miserable fare at Leckwith following Warnock’s shake up of City’s Under 23s."
http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/misera...tys-under-23s/
Will be interesting to see if trialist Ibrahim Meite gets another chance
Highlights are now on the club site for Cardiff City World subscribers - blink and you'll miss them mind.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
Highlights are now on the club site for Cardiff City World subscribers - blink and you'll miss them mind.
Oh that does seem a poor game. And in the freezing cold too. Thanks for your dutiful service once again.
In the players defence, it must've been a bit of a de-motivator knowing that many of them don't have their futures here. Good luck to the players that leave. I think on or two could really benefit greatly from moving on.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Blue in the Face
Oh that does seem a poor game. And in the freezing cold too. Thanks for your dutiful service once again.
In the players defence, it must've been a bit of a de-motivator knowing that many of them don't have their futures here. Good luck to the players that leave. I think on or two could really benefit greatly from moving on.
I mentioned that there was a bigger than normal crowd (including a few supporting Blackburn) for a Monday afternoon match at Leckwith and it did occur to me that a few scouts might have come along in wake of last week's story.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
I mentioned that there was a bigger than normal crowd (including a few supporting Blackburn) for a Monday afternoon match at Leckwith and it did occur to me that a few scouts might have come along in wake of last week's story.
Hope there were some keen scouts there for the sake of any departing players
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
A report on the Under 18s win over the wurzels this lunchtime.
http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
Great report.
Who was the player singled out for praise from Warnock by the way? Welch or Harris?
I haven't had much of a chance to see Welch, but encouraging to read your reports. What mould of player would you say he is at this stage?
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Blue in the Face
Great report.
Who was the player singled out for praise from Warnock by the way? Welch or Harris?
I haven't had much of a chance to see Welch, but encouraging to read your reports. What mould of player would you say he is at this stage?
Thanks.
Mark Harris is the Academy player Neil Warnock has mentioned once or twice in public.
As for Welch, he was playing in a deep lying quarterback type role in the early weeks of the season, but I felt quite sorry for him then, because the full backs were forever bombing forward and we were often left with him and the two centrebacks trying to cope with three or four opposing attackers running at them on the counter attack.
In recent games though, Scott Young's boy has been playing as a defensive midfielder who keeps things pretty simple (much of the time he just passes to Welch when he gets the ball). This has enabled Welch to play a bit further upfield - he still doesn't tend to venture too far forward, but there has been an improvement in team and his personal performance since then.
When he was playing so deep, Welch used to try a lot of long, aerial balls that looked great when they came off, but there were many times when he was just giving the ball back to the opposition. Playing ten or fifteen yards further up the pitch, still gives him scope to play what I call "Hollywood" passes, but he mixes things up more now and I was particularly impressed on Saturday by how good he was at playing perfectly weighted passes of about twenty yards or so inside the wurzels' full backs for our wingers or full backs to run on to - Saturday was possibly as good a game as I seen him have for the Under 18s and, if Harris is probably the one in the Under 18 squad closest to making a first team debut, I'd say Welch is second closest.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
Thanks.
Mark Harris is the Academy player Neil Warnock has mentioned once or twice in public.
As for Welch, he was playing in a deep lying quarterback type role in the early weeks of the season, but I felt quite sorry for him then, because the full backs were forever bombing forward and we were often left with him and the two centrebacks trying to cope with three or four opposing attackers running at them on the counter attack.
In recent games though, Scott Young's boy has been playing as a defensive midfielder who keeps things pretty simple (much of the time he just passes to Welch when he gets the ball). This has enabled Welch to play a bit further upfield - he still doesn't tend to venture too far forward, but there has been an improvement in team and his personal performance since then.
When he was playing so deep, Welch used to try a lot of long, aerial balls that looked great when they came off, but there were many times when he was just giving the ball back to the opposition. Playing ten or fifteen yards further up the pitch, still gives him scope to play what I call "Hollywood" passes, but he mixes things up more now and I was particularly impressed on Saturday by how good he was at playing perfectly weighted passes of about twenty yards or so inside the wurzels' full backs for our wingers or full backs to run on to - Saturday was possibly as good a game as I seen him have for the Under 18s and, if Harris is probably the one in the Under 18 squad closest to making a first team debut, I'd say Welch is second closest.
That's a really enlightening response Paul. I'm very grateful that you took the time to write that.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
Thanks.
Mark Harris is the Academy player Neil Warnock has mentioned once or twice in public.
As for Welch, he was playing in a deep lying quarterback type role in the early weeks of the season, but I felt quite sorry for him then, because the full backs were forever bombing forward and we were often left with him and the two centrebacks trying to cope with three or four opposing attackers running at them on the counter attack.
In recent games though, Scott Young's boy has been playing as a defensive midfielder who keeps things pretty simple (much of the time he just passes to Welch when he gets the ball). This has enabled Welch to play a bit further upfield - he still doesn't tend to venture too far forward, but there has been an improvement in team and his personal performance since then.
When he was playing so deep, Welch used to try a lot of long, aerial balls that looked great when they came off, but there were many times when he was just giving the ball back to the opposition. Playing ten or fifteen yards further up the pitch, still gives him scope to play what I call "Hollywood" passes, but he mixes things up more now and I was particularly impressed on Saturday by how good he was at playing perfectly weighted passes of about twenty yards or so inside the wurzels' full backs for our wingers or full backs to run on to - Saturday was possibly as good a game as I seen him have for the Under 18s and, if Harris is probably the one in the Under 18 squad closest to making a first team debut, I'd say Welch is second closest.
That's a fair assessment Bob.
When i watched him last season i thought he looked way off and perhaps carried a bit of weight but he looks leaner and sharper this season.
His right foot is an absolute wand which has sometimes ironically been his downfall as he tended to look for the Hollywood pass far too often but as you observed he seems to be using the ball far better now he's been pushed further up the field.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thehumblegringo
That's a fair assessment Bob.
When i watched him last season i thought he looked way off and perhaps carried a bit of weight but he looks leaner and sharper this season.
His right foot is an absolute wand which has sometimes ironically been his downfall as he tended to look for the Hollywood pass far too often but as you observed he seems to be using the ball far better now he's been pushed further up the field.
I agree about him looking fitter this season Gringo - he certainly has no problem lasting the ninety minutes at Under 18 level.
I see the Development team are playing at Bristol City at 1 o clock today
http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/2...h-3464012.aspx
No news on the team yet, but my guess is that we may see one or two first team squad members involved because they'll want players like Harris, Welch and, possibly, Rhys Abbruzzese for tomorrow night's Youth Cup game.
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
I agree about him looking fitter this season Gringo - he certainly has no problem lasting the ninety minutes at Under 18 level.
I see the Development team are playing at Bristol City at 1 o clock today
http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/2...h-3464012.aspx
No news on the team yet, but my guess is that we may see one or two first team squad members involved because they'll want players like Harris, Welch and, possibly, Rhys Abbruzzese for tomorrow night's Youth Cup game.
Finished 3-3 - Semi Ajayi played, as did Jamie Bird and Lloyd Humphries, so their loan spell at Weston Super Mare must have ended. There were a couple of goals for Peter Skapetis who had played, and scored, as a trialist for us against QPR a few weeks back, with Tommy O'Sullivan (pen) getting the other one. We scored to go 3-2 ahead in the ninetieth minute, only for the wurzels to come back.
https://twitter.com/bcfctweets?ref_s...Ctwgr%5Eauthor
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Re: The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...
Who ever is in charge of City's DVP twitter account seems to have lost the will to tweet, so I can't see the team sheet. Seems we have two trialists at the club currently.
A few Welshies for Brizzle. Lemonhiegh-Evans is a Welsh winger/forward. Joe McNulty is dual qualified (England and Wales) and has played for our u17s. Their DVP captain Joe Morrell looked an excellent prospect for Brizzle a couple of years ago and played today. He's captained Wales at u19 level a fair few times. He has a slight frame for a centre mid so he needs to really excel to make it, but I'm still hoping he comes good for Wales' sake.