FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Under strength Wales lose unbeaten home record despite scoring added time equaliser.

Callum O'Dowda signs for City after Bristol City release.

https://mauveandyellowarmy.net/

[LeningradCowboy]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Watching Rubin Colwill play in the second half last night was interesting. He's got good vision and had some lovely touches of the ball, but his movement is a bit cumbersome compared to a player like Harry Wilson. I wonder how much that can be worked on given his body shape.

[Wales-Bales]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Our midfield was all but non existent because we had brought more attacking players on when it was 1-0 and then too many of the team got carried away and got ahead of the ball as we chased a winner. Even then though, we had two players who could have put in more effective challenges in against DeJong.

With hindsight, maybe Ampadu could have been brought on as soon as we equalised, but I certainly wasn’t calling for that at the time. Win, lose or draw, you complain because Wales didn’t set up as you want them to and it nearly always boils down to how one player is deployed - Ampadu is good, but not as good as you think he is.

He's a proper CDM, look at his stats in Serie A. And it's not the player I am focussing on, it's the position that needs sorting. If Jonny Williams was a proper CDM I would be calling for his inclusion too! Rodon & Co need somebody in front of them as a first line of defence.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Watching Rubin Colwill play in the second half last night was interesting. He's got good vision and had some lovely touches of the ball, but his movement is a bit cumbersome compared to a player like Harry Wilson. I wonder how much that can be worked on given his body shape.

I know what you mean, I thought Wales improved when Colwill came on and I’ve just listened to Iwan Roberts praising him on EJFOF, but he didn’t look as Uche of a natural athlete as many others on the pitch. It must be five or six years since I first saw Colwill play and this is only something I’ve noticed very recently. It could be it was always there, but was having no effect on his game as a youth, but it will as a man. However, I suppose it could possibly relate to his growing into a man or it may be as a consequence of him trying to improve things like his strength levels. I really don’t know and I don’t think it will stop him having a good career in the game, but it seems like you and I were thinking something very similar while watching him last night.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

He's a proper CDM, look at his stats in Serie A. And it's not the player I am focussing on, it's the position that needs sorting. If Jonny Williams was a proper CDM I would be calling for his inclusion too! Rodon & Co need somebody in front of them as a first line of defence.

Well, I think Mepham has had two good games in the past eight days (I think he’s someone City could maybe get on loan next season if they wanted him) even if he maybe could have done better with the winner last night. With Ben Davies playing so well and Rodon hopefully able to throw off the signs of rustiness we’ve seen in the last few days, it may be that Page will think that he can use last night’s back three with Ampadu in front of them in the World Cup.

In his interview on the Match of the Day Wales programme on Monday, Robert Page talked of how we have been able to have a more attacking outlook in recent months because we now have defenders with the athleticism and ability to cope with being left one v one with opposing forwards. I’d say he has Ben Davies in mind when he says that, but it could be that’s a reason for him seeing Ampadu as more of a centreback for now.

[splott parker]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

I know what you mean, I thought Wales improved when Colwill came on and I’ve just listened to Iwan Roberts praising him on EJFOF, but he didn’t look as Uche of a natural athlete as many others on the pitch. It must be five or six years since I first saw Colwill play and this is only something I’ve noticed very recently. It could be it was always there, but was having no effect on his game as a youth, but it will as a man. However, I suppose it could possibly relate to his growing into a man or it may be as a consequence of him trying to improve things like his strength levels. I really don’t know and I don’t think it will stop him having a good career in the game, but it seems like you and I were thinking something very similar while watching him last night.

Fair play for working Ikpeazu into Wales thread Paul:thumbup:

[LeningradCowboy]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

I know what you mean, I thought Wales improved when Colwill came on and I’ve just listened to Iwan Roberts praising him on EJFOF, but he didn’t look as Uche of a natural athlete as many others on the pitch. It must be five or six years since I first saw Colwill play and this is only something I’ve noticed very recently. It could be it was always there, but was having no effect on his game as a youth, but it will as a man. However, I suppose it could possibly relate to his growing into a man or it may be as a consequence of him trying to improve things like his strength levels. I really don’t know and I don’t think it will stop him having a good career in the game, but it seems like you and I were thinking something very similar while watching him last night.

I've occasionally noticed it when he's played for City, but it stands out more when he plays with or against better players. It may not prevent him having a good career, but it's probably going to limit him to only playing one position (central attacking midfielder) effectively.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Fair play for working Ikpeazu into Wales thread Paul:thumbup:

Must have been auto predict for “much”.:facepalm:

[Pearcey3]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Colwill is quite a big lad. Is there a weight issue?

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Colwill is quite a big lad. Is there a weight issue?

I don’t know, but I would have thought the coaching staff at the club would like him to have put some weight on since he came into the first team squad.

I used to meet the person who posts as Loramski on here at Under 18 matches now and then and in pre Covid days we thought there was a stamina issue with Colwill - he very rarely plays a full ninety minutes for the first team, but my guess is that’s more to do with managerial preference.

[Loramski]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

I don’t know, but I would have thought the coaching staff at the club would like him to have put some weight on since he came into the first team squad.

I used to meet the person who posts as Loramski on here at Under 18 matches now and then and in pre Covid days we thought there was a stamina issue with Colwill - he very rarely plays a full ninety minutes for the first team, but my guess is that’s more to do with managerial preference.

We used to see some entertaining cameos from Colwill back then but, for me, he never really established himself as a key player in that Academy side. I don't remember us ever talking about him as the most likely to break through first, for all his obvious talent there was a lack of oomph about him. He could beat a man but didn't have the pace to take him clear, he didn't use his size or talent to dominate games, he rarely lasted 90 minutes. Early days as a first teamer, of course, but these are issues he hasn't left behind yet.

Last season was a difficult one for City but, even so, I'd like to have seen more from Colwill. If fitness is an issue then I'm sure the club will be working on it but I don't think he's done enough yet for us to be building a side around him, as some posters on here have suggested. We'll see. Next season will be a big one for him, let's hope he can push on.

It was interesting what Bellamy said about his development in this article last year.

https://www.viewfromtheninian.com/2021/12/21/vftn-x-craig-bellamy-the-graduates/

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

We used to see some entertaining cameos from Colwill back then but, for me, he never really established himself as a key player in that Academy side. I don't remember us ever talking about him as the most likely to break through first, for all his obvious talent there was a lack of oomph about him. He could beat a man but didn't have the pace to take him clear, he didn't use his size or talent to dominate games, he rarely lasted 90 minutes. Early days as a first teamer, of course, but these are issues he hasn't left behind yet.

Last season was a difficult one for City but, even so, I'd like to have seen more from Colwill. If fitness is an issue then I'm sure the club will be working on it but I don't think he's done enough yet for us to be building a side around him, as some posters on here have suggested. We'll see. Next season will be a big one for him, let's hope he can push on.

It was interesting what Bellamy said about his development in this article last year.

https://www.viewfromtheninian.com/20...the-graduates/

I might be wrong, but it’s always seemed to me that being the size he was compared to others of his age played a big part in Colwill’s introduction to the first team squad by McCarthy. Thanks for posting that link to what Craig Bellamy said because it’s pertinent to the conversation we’ve been having about Colwill - I believe he turned twenty recently, or will do soon, so he’s reaching a stage now where it won’t be long before he, more or less, has the body and physiology he’ll have for the rest of his life. If the issue being talked about can be put down to a sort of growing pains, then you’d think that he would emerge from it in the next season or two, but I’m not sure he will.

[Loramski]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

I might be wrong, but it’s always seemed to me that being the size he was compared to others of his age played a big part in Colwill’s introduction to the first team squad by McCarthy. Thanks for posting that link to what Craig Bellamy said because it’s pertinent to the conversation we’ve been having about Colwill - I believe he turned twenty recently, or will do soon, so he’s reaching a stage now where it won’t be long before he, more or less, has the body and physiology he’ll have for the rest of his life. If the issue being talked about can be put down to a sort of growing pains, then you’d think that he would emerge from it in the next season or two, but I’m not sure he will.

Morison gets a lot of stick on here for not using Colwill properly and it gets used as evidence that he's no different to Warnock or McCarthy when it comes to creative players but, looking back, he hasn't used Colwill much differently to how Bellamy used him in the Academy team.

We didn't sit there saying Bellamy should be building a team around Colwill, or that he wasn't using him properly, but the narrative for some people is that we had a Gascoigne or a Grealish coming through the ranks back then and Morison is stifling his development. We used to joke about him being the next Jason Fowler and I never felt I was watching a potential superstar.

I agree with you about McCarthy fast tracking him because of his size but from what people are saying in this thread that's becoming a hindrance to him now and, as you say, it's something he needs to come to terms with in the next couple of seasons. Talented lad with an eye for goal, I hope he pushes on now.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

Morison gets a lot of stick on here for not using Colwill properly and it gets used as evidence that he's no different to Warnock or McCarthy when it comes to creative players but, looking back, he hasn't used Colwill much differently to how Bellamy used him in the Academy team.

We didn't sit there saying Bellamy should be building a team around Colwill, or that he wasn't using him properly, but the narrative for some people is that we had a Gascoigne or a Grealish coming through the ranks back then and Morison is stifling his development. We used to joke about him being the next Jason Fowler and I never felt I was watching a potential superstar.

I agree with you about McCarthy fast tracking him because of his size but from what people are saying in this thread that's becoming a hindrance to him now and, as you say, it's something he needs to come to terms with in the next couple of seasons. Talented lad with an eye for goal, I hope he pushes on now.

What I would say, although not wholly seriously, is that in that youth team we used to watch there were plenty of what I would call proper footballers there already without the need for Colwill to provide that something different - I wouldn't say that applied to the first team last season.

We are, of course, talking two different levels here and, so far, only a couple of that team (Bagan and Davies) have become anything like regular starters for City besides Colwill, I do think we didn't make enough use of him last season considering how little creativity we had in the squad.

[Loramski]

Re: FT: WALES 1 - 2 NETHERLANDS. Match thread

What I would say, although not wholly seriously, is that in that youth team we used to watch there were plenty of what I would call proper footballers there already without the need for Colwill to provide that something different - I wouldn't say that applied to the first team last season.

We are, of course, talking two different levels here and, so far, only a couple of that team (Bagan and Davies) have become anything like regular starters for City besides Colwill, I do think we didn't make enough use of him last season considering how little creativity we had in the squad.

We know how competitive Bellamy was at that level, I reckon he'd have played Colwill more if he'd been a key player for him. The season we won the league, Colwill only made 12 starts and was subbed in 10 of them, his appearances didn't change much after Bellamy stepped down. As a comparison, Pinchard made 16 starts and was ahead of Colwill at international level too. A few of the youngsters turned out for the under-23s when Bellamy went but, despite being in the squad a number of times, Colwill only made one appearance (in which he was subbed).

McCarthy brought him in but only gave him 90 minutes once (in his final game). He hasn't played 90 minutes for Wales yet and only made one appearance for Wales under-21s (as a sub). We used to compare him to Jason Fowler, his wiki page has him down as a winger and he got beaten to the Cardiff City young player of the season award by a Leeds United full back. I don't think Morison is the only one who's not quite sure what to make of him yet.