The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

[jon1959]

Lost 2 - 1

https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2019/janu...ardiff-report/

[Loramski]

Lost 2 - 1

https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2019/janu...ardiff-report/

A confusing time at youth level, hard to make out what's going on as TOBW said. No idea who's injured or who's being released, loaned out or bullied. Among those missing today were Ciaron Brown, James Waite (who has been linked with a loan move to MK Dons), Mark Harris, Jake Evans and Cameron Coxe.

Tyrone Duffus was injured before Xmas and hasn't been seen since, Ryan Reynolds and Isaak Davies haven't been seen at Academy level since Xmas either. Ibrahim Meite, who was apparently being linked with a Russian club and Championship clubs before Xmas is back with us after a trial at St Mirren.

[Loramski]

Mark Harris has joined Port Vale on loan.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46976933

[the other bob wilson]

Ciaron Brown has been on trial with Livingston as well ahead of a possible loan move - good move for him if it comes off.

[jamieccfc]

Mark Harris has joined Port Vale on loan.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46976933

What happened with Newport? He seemed to have hit the ground running then went Pete tong

[Loramski]

What happened with Newport? He seemed to have hit the ground running then went Pete tong

The party line is that he wasn't able to reclaim his place after suffering a head injury on Wales u-21 duty in September but he actually started the next game (a 6-0 home defeat against Yeovil) but never started another league game for them after that. Hopefully he'll have more of an impact at Port Vale, he's obviously got a long way to go before he forces his way in here.

I've never been overly impressed with him, TOBW will be able to give you a better assessment though. A bit of a jack (Jack) of all trades but not quite enough pace to play out wide, not quite enough goals in him, not quite enough strength, not quite enough workrate, not quite enough craft and guile. There's something to work with there but I wouldn't be sure what to do with him if he was in my squad, number 10 probably. He needs to start pushing on now.

[Cyncoed Slumdog]

The party line is that he wasn't able to reclaim his place after suffering a head injury on Wales u-21 duty in September but he actually started the next game (a 6-0 home defeat against Yeovil) but never started another league game for them after that. Hopefully he'll have more of an impact at Port Vale, he's obviously got a long way to go before he forces his way in here.

I've never been overly impressed with him, TOBW will be able to give you a better assessment though. A bit of a jack (Jack) of all trades but not quite enough pace to play out wide, not quite enough goals in him, not quite enough strength, not quite enough workrate, not quite enough craft and guile. There's something to work with there but I wouldn't be sure what to do with him if he was in my squad, number 10 probably. He needs to start pushing on now.

Agree with that Loramski. Like you I've watched him a lot and never quite been able to work out what his strengths are.

[the other bob wilson]

Agree with that Loramski. Like you I've watched him a lot and never quite been able to work out what his strengths are.

Clive, having watched so many Under 23 team matches with me, I don't think you'll be too surprised that I'm agreeing with much of what you and Loramski say. I must admit that I was surprised Harris was the young player singled out by Neil Warnock from the youth ranks as worthy of comment when he took over at the club - our manager obviously saw something in him and I wonder if it might have been a bit of "devil"?

I'm not saying he's a dirty player, but I don't think he's one to be messed with and I've seen him give a bit back to a defender who was trying to rough him up a bit on a few occasions. Generally speaking though I reckon Loramski has captured it with his "not quite enough" comments, but, in Harris' defence, I would say that he was in competition with a couple of good strikers by Second Division standards at Newport and so he may prosper more at Port Vale.

[the other bob wilson]

Ciaron Brown loan to Livingston confirmed.

https://livingstonfc.co.uk/brown-loan-deal-confirmed/

[Loramski]

Ciaron Brown loan to Livingston confirmed.

https://livingstonfc.co.uk/brown-loan-deal-confirmed/

Interesting to see how that goes. We're out of centre halves for now at that level, hopefully we'll carry on using Academy lads rather than a succession of trialists like last season. Thin on the ground at first team level too, Connolly wasn't getting a sniff and was on his way out, now he's on standby I assume. The one area we haven't had to worry about for ages is suddenly short of cover.

[Loramski]

A 2-1 win for the Academy team today against QPR, a late winner from Cian Ashford. Virtually a reserve side out so it was a very creditable performance. It looks like the Academy boys are finally going to play some regular under-23 football, no Spence, Bowen, Patten, Bagan, Margetson, Patten, Griffiths or Parsons today, Ratcliffe stayed on the bench and there was no Reynolds or Davies again.

I only saw the first hour today so missed the late action, we were 1-0 up when I left and while we were riding our luck at times and struggling to have any meaningful spells of possession it was a decent enough showing considering the number of changes. Connor Davies was all energy up and down the right flank, if I had to pick anyone out, but the attitude was excellent throughout the team and I'm assuming their determination, as much as anything else, saw them over the line.

[jon1959]

A 2-1 win for the Academy team today against QPR, a late winner from Cian Ashford. Virtually a reserve side out so it was a very creditable performance. It looks like the Academy boys are finally going to play some regular under-23 football, no Spence, Bowen, Patten, Bagan, Margetson, Patten, Griffiths or Parsons today, Ratcliffe stayed on the bench and there was no Reynolds or Davies again.

I only saw the first hour today so missed the late action, we were 1-0 up when I left and while we were riding our luck at times and struggling to have any meaningful spells of possession it was a decent enough showing considering the number of changes. Connor Davies was all energy up and down the right flank, if I had to pick anyone out, but the attitude was excellent throughout the team and I'm assuming their determination, as much as anything else, saw them over the line.

http://www.dai-sport.com/rhondda-boy...r-against-qpr/

[the other bob wilson]

i really enjoyed today's game.

http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

[thehumblegringo]

i really enjoyed today's game.

http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

Looking at the team sheet Bob, the starting 11 contained mostly u16 players, and the kid who scored the winner Cian Ashford is u14!

[the other bob wilson]

Looking at the team sheet Bob, the starting 11 contained mostly u16 players, and the kid who scored the winner Cian Ashford is u14!

He's a big lad for an Under 14 Gringo, he was probably the tallest player in our team when he came on. He took his goal very well with a confidence that was impressive in one so young. Looking at the team again this morning, Taylor-Jones is the only name in the starting line up that I've not come across before (Knott is the lad we signed from Southampton along with Began in the summer isn't he?), but the only one I knew out of the subs was George Ratcliffe.

I see Ashford is a Rhondda boy as well .

[Loramski]

i really enjoyed today's game.

http://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

Good write-up.

Taylor Jones (along with Ligendza) was in the Welsh Victory Shield squad last November. He typified the team's performance yesterday, he was so determined to track his man when QPR had possession. It seemed slightly incongruous that he wanted to celebrate his goal with the traffic on Leckwith roundabout but it obviously meant a lot to him. It was great that the effort he, and the whole team, put in was rewarded with a win.

Interesting week coming up now at youth level, two games for the under-23s and with the first team squad presumably not involved at all it's going to be an ideal opportunity for the Academy boys to make an impression there.

Only a few days left to fix up decent loan moves for Coxe, Waite, Humphries and others, it would be good to see them get some first team action somewhere.

[Loramski]

Five Academy players in the under-23 side at Bristol City tonight, 0-0 at half time.

Twitter feed here. https://twitter.com/CF11Academy?ref_...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[Loramski]

Five Academy players in the under-23 side at Bristol City tonight, 0-0 at half time.

Twitter feed here. https://twitter.com/CF11Academy?ref_...Ctwgr%5Eauthor

3-0 defeat. I wouldn't expect that team to keep a clean sheet but the front six we had out looked like it had a goal or two to offer so that's a disappointing result. Watford away on Friday so an early chance to improve on tonight.

[the other bob wilson]

There was one other move involving City yesterday, James Waite joined Hereford on loan until the end of the season.

[Michael Morris]

The U23's game at Watford today has been postponed.

[the other bob wilson]

City were 10-0 winners in their Welsh Youth Cup quarter final tie with Llanelli (they've got into double figures in all of their three matches played in the competition so far I believe) this afternoon. The team they put out contained players who have been appearing for the Development team in recent weeks and the scorers were Dan Griffiths (four), a couple from Sion Spence, Wooton, Mayembe, Martin (that might be Dan Martin who has been playing left back for the Under 23s this season) and Evans.

In another quarter final played today, the jacks, who have won the tournament for the last thousand years, were given a real fight by Merthyr before scraping a 2-1 win.

[Loramski]

City were 10-0 winners in their Welsh Youth Cup quarter final tie with Llanelli (they've got into double figures in all of their three matches played in the competition so far I believe) this afternoon. The team they put out contained players who have been appearing for the Development team in recent weeks and the scorers were Dan Griffiths (four), a couple from Sion Spence, Wooton, Mayembe, Martin (that might be Dan Martin who has been playing left back for the Under 23s this season) and Evans.

In another quarter final played today, the jacks, who have won the tournament for the last thousand years, were given a real fight by Merthyr before scraping a 2-1 win.

We now play Swansea in the semi finals, presumably at a neutral venue.

[jamieccfc]

City were 10-0 winners in their Welsh Youth Cup quarter final tie with Llanelli (they've got into double figures in all of their three matches played in the competition so far I believe) this afternoon. The team they put out contained players who have been appearing for the Development team in recent weeks and the scorers were Dan Griffiths (four), a couple from Sion Spence, Wooton, Mayembe, Martin (that might be Dan Martin who has been playing left back for the Under 23s this season) and Evans.

In another quarter final played today, the jacks, who have won the tournament for the last thousand years, were given a real fight by Merthyr before scraping a 2-1 win.

What's your thoughts on Dan Griffiths Paul? He seems to know where the net is, should we be looking to give him a loan spell at someone like Newport?

[jamieccfc]

We now play Swansea in the semi finals, presumably at a neutral venue.

Brewery field would be a good craic

[Loramski]

Brewery field would be a good craic

TOBW may have a better idea of what's going to happen here. The last two times we've met in the final, one was in Cardiff and one was in Swansea, hardly neutral venues. Maybe those grounds had already been designated as the final venue but if there's some kind of agreement between the clubs that we take turns to host a 'neutral' game then it should be our turn this season, hopefully that's the case. We'll never have a better chance of beating them I'd have thought.