Best of the rest

[Deaneandagana]

Can't remember his name, but the Port Vale keeper was fantastic when they gave us a footballing lesson at their place a few months ago.

Agree, Romaine Sawyers for Walsall also looks a player

 

[1danewhitehouse]

With the Murphy twins, I do wonder sometimes what our scouts actually do. I went to the youth cup final game in 2013 at Stamford Bridge and those 2 were the best players on the pitch and both looked like they'd comfortably handle league one. One of them is now in the championship, and the other is indeed doing well in league one. I'm not pretending to be an expert by any stretch - I went to what is probably the most high profile youth fixture in the football calendar, saw some players and thought 'hmm wish United could get players like that'. Sure enough, once again, our rivals can and we can't. Martin bleeding Woolford it is.

I watched that game on the box. The Murphy twins for Norwich and Nathan Ake for Chelsea stood out. I could be wrong but I think that kid Baker who was on loan at pigs was also playing for Chelsea.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

With the Murphy twins, I do wonder sometimes what our scouts actually do. I went to the youth cup final game in 2013 at Stamford Bridge and those 2 were the best players on the pitch and both looked like they'd comfortably handle league one. One of them is now in the championship, and the other is indeed doing well in league one. I'm not pretending to be an expert by any stretch - I went to what is probably the most high profile youth fixture in the football calendar, saw some players and thought 'hmm wish United could get players like that'. Sure enough, once again, our rivals can and we can't. Martin bleeding Woolford it is.

Yeah, I tend to keep tabs on the FA Youth Cup these days (ever since our run to the final a few years back).

One of the baffling things about this season to me is how we haven't raided Nige's former protegees at Reading, bearing in mind their excellent Youth Cup run two seasons back.

The incredibly promising Tariqe Fosu - the sort of tricky, direct, crowd-pleasing winger who'd be just the ticket here - has only recently gone on loan to Fleetwood & seems to be partly inspiring their revival of late under their new manager. On the other hand though, Aaron Kuhl (son of Martin) who looked the pick of the bunch to me, is on a season-long loan at woeful, bottom-of-the-table Dundee United & can't even get a game there. So what do I know?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Grand stuff fellas. Now who's going to buy the 7-8 from us to free up the space to bring in all these players?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Yeah, I tend to keep tabs on the FA Youth Cup these days (ever since our run to the final a few years back).

One of the baffling things about this season to me is how we haven't raided Nige's former protegees at Reading, bearing in mind their excellent Youth Cup run two seasons back.

The incredibly promising Tariqe Fosu - the sort of tricky, direct, crowd-pleasing winger who'd be just the ticket here - has only recently gone on loan to Fleetwood & seems to be partly inspiring their revival of late under their new manager. On the other hand though, Aaron Kuhl (son of Martin) who looked the pick of the bunch to me, is on a season-long loan at woeful, bottom-of-the-table Dundee United & can't even get a game there. So what do I know?

Good post.

This highlights a big potential problem with signing exciting young players: sometimes it seems almost random who makes it and who doesn't, and after a few mediocre performances they might not seem that exciting any more.

 

[BushBlade]

With the Murphy twins, I do wonder sometimes what our scouts actually do. I went to the youth cup final game in 2013 at Stamford Bridge and those 2 were the best players on the pitch and both looked like they'd comfortably handle league one. One of them is now in the championship, and the other is indeed doing well in league one. I'm not pretending to be an expert by any stretch - I went to what is probably the most high profile youth fixture in the football calendar, saw some players and thought 'hmm wish United could get players like that'. Sure enough, once again, our rivals can and we can't. Martin bleeding Woolford it is.

I think I watched that on TV. Was it the one where Nathan Ake played?

Edit: bollocks, just read 1DW's post. Yes it was. So I did. Lol

 

[1danewhitehouse]

The incredibly promising Tariqe Fosu - the sort of tricky, direct, crowd-pleasing winger who'd be just the ticket here - has only recently gone on loan to Fleetwood & seems to be partly inspiring their revival of late under their new manager.

Remember thinking the same about Ravel Morrison for Man U in our final. Him and Pogba stood out a mile. After those 2, I thought Slew, Harry and Tel looked the best players on the pitch.

 

[Tezza1889]

Bush - in essence your quote above reflects us all - no one has a clue, even though we all have (good) opinions in most areas.

What is clear - our CLUB needs a sound, experienced manager to solve the said problems.

Adkins "should" be that type of manager - question is: how many will give him the amount of time needed?

He is right for me - and would give him this and two more seasons to sort it - then decide if he goes on.

UTB

Yes, we're a fanbase totally confused with "the problem" we don't really know what it is that's wrong because on paper we look a decent side, but on the pitch were inept, how we put drive ambition and determination into the first team is a real conundrum but what really grips my shit is that the players appear to have zero pride in themselves...

I do agree that sticking by Adkins is the way to go, because like it or not we don't have a board that backs us financially in the way that wolves got backed, we are all talk and if anything weaken out first team for a few quid at the first shot, so a steady manager to build us a team on a shoestring, deja vu, back to the Bassett years, just hope we get a team like the last one..

As a footnote, I'd just like to add that the fans of this club have been loyal to the last three managers, we've not had a protest since Robson, so we needn't go beating each other up about clough, Wilson, Adkins etc, it's our board that are trigger happy.. Let's not forget that, Adkins might get three seasons from the fans, the board on the other hand might not agree...

 

[Silent Blade]

Remember thinking the same about Ravel Morrison for Man U in our final. Him and Pogba stood out a mile. After those 2, I thought Slew, Harry and Tel looked the best players on the pitch.

Callum McFadzean scored a very good goal

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Callum McFadzean scored a very good goal

Yeah he did but I don't think he was in the game that much. Tel and Harry got a lot of good last ditch tackles in. Pogba ran midfield and Morrison was tearing us a new one down their right/ our left.

 

[northsomersetblade]

Sign all of them. Sack the lot we have now.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

. I saw a bit of their game against Donny and the little Turkish midfielder (Oztumer is it?) looked a class above in that game. .

That guy clearly knows his football. Get him signed up as a scout at the lane.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

Think, we are all slightly missing the point. First, we need an agreed style of play and then buy the players that suit this style. It was like buying Ched Evans and then hitting long balls to him at head height, changed our style and bingo he scores goals.
Just buying the best players from other clubs, will be a waste.
Give the manager time.
Get him to define his style
Recruit players that fit into style
Give team time to gel
Win games, get promoted.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

More recent games. Players who'd not been on my radar who seem to have impressed:-

Donervan Daniels (Wigan)

Alex Gilbey (Colchester)

Drissa Traore (Swindon)

Jack Redshaw (Blackpool)