Reply With QuoteNo Kpakio in the u-21s today, Giles, Davies and Reindorf there though. 12.00 v Ipswich.
https://x.com/CF11Academy/status/184...981025/photo/1
| + Visit Cardiff FC for Latest News, Transfer Gossip, Fixtures and Match Results |
Second half fight back falls just short for City, beaten 4-3 with goals by Jac Thomas, Leeyon Phelan and Mannie Barton.
No Kpakio in the u-21s today, Giles, Davies and Reindorf there though. 12.00 v Ipswich.
https://x.com/CF11Academy/status/184...981025/photo/1
City completely dominant for twenty five minutes, then the ref decides to give Ipswich a very dodgy penalty which they, somehow, score from (still not sure how) - got to say our finishing is pretty hopeless mind.
Is it me, or have they narrowed the pitch at Leckwith?
1-1, good header by Reindorf from a fine cross by Giles.
Mannie Barton scores a second City goal in three minutes capitalising on a gift from Ipswich. It’s no more than City deserve though as they could be about 5-1 up at half time. We’ve played some very nice football with Reindorf to the fore, but I’ve been most impressed by Cody Twose in midfield.
Never a penalty. Good response to keep going and go in 2-1 up though.Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
Not sure about the pitch. It's up to the running track on the far side but could be narrowed from the near side, if that makes sense.
I was wondering the other day if we should narrow the CCS pitch. We get little joy from wide play and might be able to keep things tighter and keep more compact without wingers. Wouldn't be pretty, but we're looking for not completely shambolic rather than pretty right now.
Reindorf is so unlucky that he's at a club which as such quality as Kanga keeping out of the squad.
Yes, it would only be on the near side and it’s only by a yard or two - maybe it’s for the players’ protection because I’ve seen some players take some horrible falls on the concrete that separates the grass from the running track.
Anything’s worth a try as far as the first team is concerned - narrowing the goals might be worth a try given that we don’t score at home.
Disappointing and careless from City in the second half and Ipswich’s equaliser wasn’t a surprise - Dennis should have done better with that long shot.
We had oversize goals at Wigan a couple of years ago - we could try undersize.
Yeah, sloppy goal. Keeper seemed to lose it in the air.
Reindorf very unlucky to hit the bar then.
Reindorf hits the crossbar with a chip from thirty yards, why on earth isnt he involved more with first team?
Very good save by Dennis to keep it at 2-2.
Finished 2-2, we really should have won given how dominant we were in the first half, but we never really got going after half time - still, Im not going to be too critical and would rather remember some of the good stuff we played in the first forty five.
Only caught the second half today so missed the best of it. Some interesting points raised above.
As mentioned, the pitch can only have been narrowed by inches if at all.
Twose is a good player, yes. He has a slightly different approach to central midfield play than Siopis. I thought it was interesting he came on to replace Colwill against Southampton, I felt it would've made sense to bring Ashford inside to carry on where Colwill left off but it was a big vote of confidence to put Twose in there and he did nothing wrong that night (until, very unluckily, he did do something wrong).
I felt Dennis was a bit unlucky with the 2nd goal. The guy absolutely nailed the shot and there seemed to be a bit of movement on it. I could understand him not catching it but it was impossible to deflect it wide or over either so he had to trust to luck a bit. He should've done better but I had some sympathy for him.
I'm with TOBW about Reindorf, it's staggering to me that he's not in the first team squad. Not perfect today, he never is and I'm not expecting him to be, but each time I see him he seems to have added something else to his game. We were struggling second half but he never stopped tracking back to help out in midfield, putting pressure on defenders or making himself available when we did get the ball. He's fit, confident, got goals in him, makes things happen (that chip came from his hassling and out of nothing) and never stops trying. He must wonder what more he can do.
Not only was Kpakio not there today but neither was Will Spiers. One or both may have knocks, of course, but say we play 3/5 at the back tonight then they could both do wing back as well as any other option I'd have thought (as could Bagan on the other side). I assume Purse is with the first team again today which would help with their introduction. It's the hope that kills you though.
Twose is a very good footballer. He clearly is rated, but his slight physique has probably held him back until now. He appears to be getting stronger. I still can't work out if he is going to be a no.10 or a box to box midfielder. His movement is very good.
Trey George is another very good footballer whose size has been a been his weakness at junior level. Appears to be strengthening up now.
I really hope we've seen the last of Siopis. We really need better.
The size thing has been a recurring theme in this thread and it's going to be an issue again with some of our lads if they don't have a growth spurt soon. George looks like a quality player but there's nothing of him, Twose, Barton, Beecher and Thomas the same. Mafico looks a bit stockier but is short too. Lads like James Waite and Kieron Evans before them. It's not the be all and end all but I don't get how so many of our Academy lads are vertically challenged. Is it a South Wales thing? Surely the area has produced plenty of rugby players over the years?
And yet the players widely recognised as among the best ever are, more often than not, less than six foot tall.
I remember when Russell Osman became manager he told the Youth Development officer (who doubled up as Youth team coach) at the time "I don't want you to just have teams of 6 footers". This was a bit of a problem as the Youth teams best players at the time were Scott Young, Lee Jarman and Simon Haworth. It was an unfair request because we were in the fourth division and all the best technical footballers (Bellamy, Jeanne, Calliste etc) would have been pinched by the Premier teams. It was quite a result when we retained Christian Roberts and Cadette.The lower division teams were normally picking up late developers, the big six footers - Anthony Evans at 17 from Aberystwyth Town.
Everyone develops physically at differing ages. Twose is not short, but a couple of years ago was like a stick insect. He had undoubted talent. He's now 18 and starting to put a bit of muscle on. In fairness to the club they appear to be very patient with the academy players developments. Eli King is the opposite physically and thus was used by the 1st much earlier in his development. The criticism of King (by Bulut) is that he doesn't use his physique to his advantage (unlike a young Dwyer, Ramsay, Ledley or Scott Young.). It was about the only thing I'd agree with Bulut on.
Look at Tom Davies he's shortly to be 21 but has been kept on for 3 seasons beyond scholarship due to his athleticism (and a wand of a left foot). It was interesting that he played a centre back for the U21s and Giles played at left back. I wonder if this is to improve his defensive awareness/reactions. He is a real talent but appears to be 'dopey' defensively.
We just need a manager to have the confidence to integrate them into the first team more quickly and positively. The non use of Ashford recently is a mystery. Easy with hindsight, but he could not have contributed less than El Gahzi and Willock did on Tuesday.
It is often noticeable how much bigger opposing u21 teams are, as Ipswich were the other day.
Maybe we need to take inspiration from the Barcelona side that used to include Messi, Iniesta and Xavi, all of them 5ft 7.
Size never held Barry Bannan back and shouldn't for any of our youngsters if they play in midfield or attack and are good enough. It's often the little guys who caused us the most problems
Ipswich always seem to have had a big side, I can remember the same being said a few years ago.
Shorter players in the modern game especially tend to have to develop other skills to succeed in the game. One of our faults over recent years is that we’ve got the balance between the physical, imposing players you need at this level and the more technical, skilful and creative ones wrong - if we need to include some smaller players to get the balance right, I’m fine with that.
Regarding Twose, maybe the ref on Tuesday was tiny, but I remember seeing Twose talking to him and thinking he can’t be as short as I thought he was because he looked an inch or so taller than him.
That's hard to say about Bannan, who knows how his career would've panned out if he'd been a bit taller. As it was, he played his last Premier League game at 25 and his last international at 27. I agree it doesn't mean you can't make it if you're small but it makes it more challenging. I don't believe James Waite would be playing for Weston-Super-Mare now if he'd had a growth spurt somewhere along the way.
I looked up Ipswich's centre half (number 4) from Tuesday. He was very tall, and very good from what I saw, and I was half expecting him to be an over-age player but he's a Lithuanian who's just turned 18. If he said he'd had one or two of our players in his pocket during the game I wouldn't know if he meant it literally or metaphorically.
I saw you mention Reindorf's chip somewhere else but I'm not sure if the highlights of that game have been put up yet. Here they are anyway.
https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/vide...9-448cbd09a9e5
He was huge - he towered over the ref!
Some live Saturday afternoon football to watch, it’s also being streamed on the usual You Tube channel.
https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...rlton-athletic
Kpakio, Giles, Ashford and Reindorf all in the starting eleven today, so I can’t see any of them featuring tomorrow.
Posting Permissions