Hassan Ayari

[Flatulent_Bob]

This thread reminds me of the season we were relegated to League one under Micky Adams.

Just like this it was a horible season and we all clung on to the youngsters progress and perfomances in the FA Youth Cup.

This year we are clinging with optimism to the future.

Due to our recruitment policy we actually have a reasonably youthful squad, with 4-5 first team squad players who'll be 23 or under next season. All of whom have either played at Championship level or levels above. A proportion of the fans on here are quick to pull them down but if you want to get behind youth players maybe start with these.
There's a better chance of kids coming through the academy if we're in the Championship but this overbuilding of them and then ripping them down is just futile. If you want to look to who's coming through next, look at who's being loaned and playing in the professional pyramid not who's playing levels below what would be expected of them and against kids. Let them develop in their own time and trust our coaches.

 

[From the pig end]

This thread reminds me of the season we were relegated to League one under Micky Adams.

Just like this it was a horible season and we all clung on to the youngsters progress and perfomances in the FA Youth Cup.

This year we are clinging with optimism to the future.

That's a glass half empty outlook.
Our future is already in our team.
Brewster, Bogle, Berge etc.

The fact there's a real buzz around our under 23s side is just an extra positive.

 

[Carlton Blade]

U23's football looks painfully slow (obviously) in comparison to even L1 stuff. The jump up would be insane.

 

[blades78]

I'm not saying some of these development players will not be good enough in the the future, but we have to remember they are playing the equivalent to League 1 of the U23 leagues.

 

[Yogi]

U23's football looks painfully slow (obviously) in comparison to even L1 stuff. The jump up would be insane.

Hopefully quite a few of them will get fixed up with loans like broadbent and a taste of competitive football as realistically they’re competing for a place in the squad next year not this.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I'm not saying some of these development players will not be good enough in the the future, but we have to remember they are playing the equivalent to League 1 of the U23 leagues.

I think a full, trying L1 team would absolutely annihilate every U23 team except the top clubs playing all their best players

 

[JohnDenver]

Having watched a fair bit of that match, the talent is obvious but so is the fact they’re physically and tactically miles off.

Just let the club manage their progress and cross our fingers that potential is realised.

 

[BushBlade]

I think a full, trying L1 team would absolutely annihilate every U23 team except the top clubs playing all their best players

He means the third tier of the u23 leagues. You’re absolutely right, u23s is a long way from any professional standard, even the top u23 sides often get beaten by L1 and L2 sides in the League Trophy. It’s a big jump. As Bob said, when they’re good at u23 level, get them loaned out so they can experience proper football. Like we’ve done with RND etc.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I'm not saying some of these development players will not be good enough in the the future, but we have to remember they are playing the equivalent to League 1 of the U23 leagues.

Sorry, just re-read your post. Ignore me!!

 

[CaptainMorgans]

This thread reminds me of the season we were relegated to League one under Micky Adams.

Just like this it was a horible season and we all clung on to the youngsters progress and perfomances in the FA Youth Cup.

This year we are clinging with optimism to the future.

And that was a genuinely excellent youth team that we had that year.

Of that team only Harry Maguire (Manchester Utd, PL) made it to the top level.
George Long (Hull City, Championship) made it to tier 2.

There's then only a few; Joe Ironside (Cambridge, L2), Elliott Whitehouse (Forest Green, L1) & Callum McFadzean (Sunderland, L1) that even made a career for themselves in the Football League.

Although Terry Kennedy was desperately unlucky. He looked at ease in our defence in the Championship. Hope he's doing OK for himself.

 

[Ted Maul]

Nice interview with the kid.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Can we borrow whoever kicked the ball forward from the kick off as well please? He managed to find his own player instead of just kicking it into touch.

I must admit though that I don't get the clamour for U23's to be thrown into the first team. As has been said above, it's the likes of Slater, RND etc. who are out on loan that will be closest to the first team. Hackford and Gordon in recent weeks have been obvious exceptions but we're in exceptional times with the lack of player availability through injury.

 

[Chabuddy G]

He will be a player, I see no issue giving him a runout against Plymouth

 

[bornablade]

Bit of a generalisation here but it seems young players take longer to develop into the 'ready for the first team' criteria.

We seem to be giving Brewster a lot of slack because of his age.

I'm sure there'll be loads of examples of players who do develop into the finished product by the time they are in their late teens early twenties but it's disappointing that we are not unearthing a TC who was doing it in the top flight at the age of just 18.

Alan Ball was running the show in a World cup Final and MOM at the age of 21.

 

[Yogi]

Bit of a generalisation here but it seems young players take longer to develop into the 'ready for the first team' criteria.

We seem to be giving Brewster a lot of slack because of his age.

I'm sure there'll be loads of examples of players who do develop into the finished product by the time they are in their late teens early twenties but it's disappointing that we are not unearthing a TC who was doing it in the top flight at the age of just 18.

Alan Ball was running the show in a World cup Final and MOM at the age of 21.

Under the current academy system players who standout at 11,12,13 and younger are snapped up and poached by top tier category 1 academies mason greenwood for example is from Bradford. So everyone else is left with the late bloomers so to speak.

 

[Balham Blade]

U23's football looks painfully slow (obviously) in comparison to even L1 stuff. The jump up would be insane.

Chesterfield's pitch probably played a part in that. I loved some of the air-kicks and sliced-straight-up-in-the-air clearances though, made me feel a bit better about my own footballing inadequacy.

One takeaway from the highlights though: Dewhurst is a great shot stopper.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Chesterfield's pitch probably played a part in that. I loved some of the air-kicks and sliced-straight-up-in-the-air clearances though, made me feel a bit better about my own footballing inadequacy.

One takeaway from the highlights though: Dewhurst is a great shot stopper.

Wasn't a huge criticism. It just always stands out when you watch non-Adult professional sport just how ridiculous the athleticism and skill required to be an elite sports player is

 

[Macfarlane21]

Instagram

www.instagram.com

Blades social media certainly are certainly not holding back on promoting his skills

 

[Paisley Blade]

And that was a genuinely excellent youth team that we had that year.

Of that team only Harry Maguire (Manchester Utd, PL) made it to the top level.
George Long (Hull City, Championship) made it to tier 2.

There's then only a few; Joe Ironside (Cambridge, L2), Elliott Whitehouse (Forest Green, L1) & Callum McFadzean (Sunderland, L1) that even made a career for themselves in the Football League.

Although Terry Kennedy was desperately unlucky. He looked at ease in our defence in the Championship. Hope he's doing OK for himself.

I can remember the coach ( John Pemberton) at the time saying that the pick of the bunch , the one to go to the very top, was Elliott Whitehouse.

That's from his coach and mentor who say him train every day. Shows how difficult, nigh on impossible it is to predict who can and will make the step up to first team football.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

Chesterfield's pitch probably played a part in that. I loved some of the air-kicks and sliced-straight-up-in-the-air clearances though, made me feel a bit better about my own footballing inadequacy.

One takeaway from the highlights though: Dewhurst is a great shot stopper.

He did everything right until the cross at the end. Not sure what his general standard is from crosses, so this could have been a one off

 

[BushBlade]

Wasn't a huge criticism. It just always stands out when you watch non-Adult professional sport just how ridiculous the athleticism and skill required to be an elite sports player is

You don’t always realise when you’re watching from a stand. When I lived in Chesterfield there was a pitch behind my house so I could watch the Sunday league from the back bedroom window, similar to watching from a stand and it looked so slow. Similarly if you watch a professional game from pitch side you get a real perspective of the pace and realise just how fast everything happens.

 

[Carlton Blade]

You don’t always realise when you’re watching from a stand. When I lived in Chesterfield there was a pitch behind my house so I could watch the Sunday league from the back bedroom window, similar to watching from a stand and it looked so slow. Similarly if you watch a professional game from pitch side you get a real perspective of the pace and realise just how fast everything happens.

I've played with and against future, current and ex-internationals at cricket a fair few times. A couple of future pro's at football as well. It's a little bit humbling at times

 

[Berlin Blade]

We’ll never know until we play them. If the gap is so so so huge as people keep pointing out, how do you explain Hackford coming on at 16 and not looking out of place against Palace. He very nearly scored. If he had, the conversation and narrative around him would be very different.

I don’t see the risk in trying this kid for half an hour or so in a game. He could surprise everyone just like Brooks did. Don’t forget, we were |-| this close to loaning Brooks to league 2 (chesterfield) before the last minute decision to keep him after a great Toulon tournament (playing against teenagers).

Imagine if we’d loaned him out. There would have been no Bouncing Day. No exciting starlet to watch. No £11 million to buy Egan and Norwood with. It’s sometimes better the devil you know. Give him a try. If he’s massively out of his depth, loan him out, let him have another go in 12 months. If he isn’t out of his depth and he’s a world beater, it changes the entire plan for next season.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Can’t see the highlights posted on this thread so here they are if anyone wants them

enjoyed watching that.

happy to be corrected but it looked like they were playing a similar formation to the first team 3-5-2??

Albeit it one that looked more threatening than ours does with more pace and more runs forward, which hopefully means the system isn’t a complete broken flush and we just need to inject some pace and forward play into it.

 

[Barney]

We’ll never know until we play them. If the gap is so so so huge as people keep pointing out, how do you explain Hackford coming on at 16 and not looking out of place against Palace. He very nearly scored. If he had, the conversation and narrative around him would be very different.

I don’t see the risk in trying this kid for half an hour or so in a game. He could surprise everyone just like Brooks did. Don’t forget, we were |-| this close to loaning Brooks to league 2 (chesterfield) before the last minute decision to keep him after a great Toulon tournament (playing against teenagers).

Imagine if we’d loaned him out. There would have been no Bouncing Day. No exciting starlet to watch. No £11 million to buy Egan and Norwood with. It’s sometimes better the devil you know. Give him a try. If he’s massively out of his depth, loan him out, let him have another go in 12 months. If he isn’t out of his depth and he’s a world beater, it changes the entire plan for next season.

This. It gets my goat when people think they are being 'sensible' or 'realistic' when immediately dismissing the prospect of a youth player joining the first team.

 

[Balham Blade]

He did everything right until the cross at the end. Not sure what his general standard is from crosses, so this could have been a one off

Handling crosses is hardly a strength of our current #1

enjoyed watching that.

happy to be corrected but it looked like they were playing a similar formation to the first team 3-5-2??

Albeit it one that looked more threatening than ours does with more pace and more runs forward, which hopefully means the system isn’t a complete broken flush and we just need to inject some pace and forward play into it.

Pretty sure that's the case. From the o/s, the line up would have been

1 Marcus Dewhurst

6 Niksoen Gomis - 4 Sam Graham - 5 Kacper Lopata

2 Femi Seriki - 7 Zac Brunt - 8 Frankie Maguire - 11 Andre Brooks - 3 Harry Boyes

10 Hassan Ayari - 9 Antwoine Hackford
​

Brooks (11) definitely looked to spend a lot of time on the wing though that might just be how the highlights were cut.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Handling crosses is hardly a strength of our current #1


Pretty sure that's the case. From the o/s, the line up would have been

1 Marcus Dewhurst

6 Niksoen Gomis - 4 Sam Graham - 5 Kacper Lopata

2 Femi Seriki - 7 Zac Brunt - 8 Frankie Maguire - 11 Andre Brooks - 3 Harry Boyes

10 Hassan Ayari - 9 Antwoine Hackford
​

Brooks (11) definitely looked to spend a lot of time on the wing though that might just be how the highlights were cut.

Graham RCB, Lopata CH, Gomis LCB.

Hope Brunt is in the squad this week.

 

[Balham Blade]

Graham RCB, Lopata CH, Gomis LCB.

Hope Brunt is in the squad this week.

I did wonder about the back three but I put Graham in the middle as the various reviews I've seen are that he's not exactly a ball-playing, overlapping centre half

Agree on Brunt; Hackford should be in too.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I think Lopata is similar in that sense and both may be best suited for the central position. Gomis is left footed and the one who made the strong run and great pass on 3:38. You look at that and his build and you'd think he'd be ready for first team football, but he also made the mistake letting their player in earlier.

I like this U23 side and would like to see more full games of them on sutv.

 

[Tarqs]

Can’t see the highlights posted on this thread so here they are if anyone wants them

Was that Sam Graham at 1:07, just letting the ball drop over his head. Absolutely shocking defending.