England U-16 Discussion Thread 2 [R] (2008 born)

Juni · Jul 31, 2017

Garcia x2, Carvalho, Wood-Gordon, Osorio and Hoare with the other goals, Rogers apparently didn't get one.

Juni · Jul 31, 2017

Link up soon🇬🇧Vs Romania and Turkey🇷🇴🇹🇷
— Lewis Fiorini (@LewisFiorini) July 31, 2017

gavin hodge · Aug 2, 2017

7 players from City in the next squad I think - assuming city release them. Plus around 6 from Arsenal I think

Loius Moulden
Joe Hodge
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
James Mcatee
Cole Palmer
Sammy Robinson
Lewis Fiorini

From City - s

gavin hodge · Aug 2, 2017

KingSRV said: ↑

I was watching this thinking "so I bet there are some people thinking this age group isn't going to be very good."

Did some miss the Torneo Delle Nazioni last year? The '02s are the heirs to the '00s in terms of quality and this was just a look at the squad options as none of the Chelsea, City, or Arsenal stars were there, and Harris in terms of playing at right-back is behind both Robinson and Livramento. Neither of the centre-backs will be the first choice with Wood-Gordon a potential reserve to Simeu and Bellis. I'll be annoyed if they persist with Dorsett at either centre-back or left-back as he is a stereotypical early developer with far more brawn than ability or game awareness (although those types usually hang around at U17 level before being bypassed by others who continue to develop.)

At left-back there are two excellent choices in Bondswell and Cover while the midfield is absolutely stacked.

Hodge, Madeuke, Musah and Elliot should be the DM mainstays while I quite like Pendlebury, even if he is nowhere near Hodge in his tactical understanding of the game or strategic use of possession.

This AM slots are overflowing with Osorio, Palmer, Carvalho, Knight, Mighten, and Pennant (don't know what's going on with McAtee who is a late '02 and was always supposed to be this age group's standout alongside Elliot, but has not yet been called up for England.)

The one issue is the usual one in that we're now producing a plenitude of small technical midfielders but few strikers with equivalent skill sets. As with Solanke I'd expect Rogers to move in off the wing to become a centre forward as he ages, with Smales-B coming back after his injury alongside the forceful bluster of Gelhardt.

There's no winger in the Sancho / Nelson mode, as it's a group who depend far more on Foden like deception and craft than Sancho's ability to improvise at pace, although Mighten is probably the nearest. (With no focal point being provided by the striker, or Sancho like thrust on the wing, that does tend to lead to a lot of probing around the opposition's area without the actual spear head to drive it in.)

As for the team performance, I thought it was decent in an embryonic way, as what you're looking for at this age is the individual technical skill-sets as the basic building blocks for the future. Even from watching the '97 generation as U-16s this group of squad options are light years ahead in terms of general touch and imagination. Yes there are major flaws which have been pointed out (and the stronger version of the age group were far superior playing together as U-15s) but with the exception of Dorsett's passing, touch and decision making, all the other errors are ones that can be corrected with time. This level of general skill cannot be produced in a year and has taken seven to ten years to firstly scout for and then coach. The 00s gave very similar goals away at Montaigu and St George's Park when they were U-16s, as this is still the time to make mistakes at the back and Moulden will give far fewer worries between the sticks than Collins.

As Barry points out this sort of performance is our stereotypical one at U-16 level now and along with the fact that this is really a contested training session / squad option selection process for when they're U17s, it shouldn't be taken as a sample to judge the whole year group on (that was the Torneo Delle Nazioni which was by far our best ever U-15 performance since we started the U-15 age group). Selfishly it would have been nice to have seen the strongest eleven just for the entertainment and feel good factor, but this serves a long-term purpose.

As a final point the notion that the U-16s should be judged by the same standards in terms of performance as the '00s, the '99s and the '97s this summer is not very wise, instead they should be judged against how those age groups played when they were U-16s and were in their formative years to reach the point where they are now. The statement that they were by far the least impressive year group is like saying isn't it amazing that a painting which is 60% complete doesn't look anywhere near as well done as one that is 80% complete?.
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In terms of Wingers there is one at City who will be pushing the squad this year - he hasnt been involved yet but i know he is on the radar. He plays winger or striker and was flying until he got injured in March. Possibly one of best the lot for me in both positions. Mcatee is in the next squad and you can add Fiorini as another AM option.

Garibaldi11 · Aug 6, 2017

Chelsea are set to sign 15-year-old midfielder and England U16 captain Oliver Pendlebury from Reading. [The Sun] #readingfc pic.twitter.com/D9iU8jgEYV
— Talk Reading (@TalkReading) August 6, 2017

Garibaldi11 · Aug 18, 2017

Nathan Wood-Gordon came off the bench to debut for Boro u23s tonight.

Juni · Aug 19, 2017

Morgan Rogers scored twice vs Man Utd U18s today.

Juni · Aug 19, 2017

Armstrong Oxoflex also made his Arsenal U18 debut today.

ArsenalYouth · Aug 19, 2017

Confirmed:
Yunus Musah, Miguel Azeez, Tom Smith, Armstrong Okoflex, Harrison Sohna, Seb Thompson, Terell Pennant, Sammy Robinson, Cole Palmer, Matthew Dennis and so far... Jeremy Sarmiento ??

kbarrett2316 · Aug 19, 2017

Malachi Walcott unfortunately misses out through injury.

Jenks · Aug 19, 2017

I knew Oxoflex couldn't be a real name

Juni · Aug 20, 2017

Haha yeah sorry, typo, obviously Okoflex.

Sarmiento would be interesting if only because I thought he was staunchly Ecuadorian.

Garibaldi11 · Aug 20, 2017

Supposedly 7 Man City & 6 Arsenal ?

Man City
Louie Moulden
Samson Robinson
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
Joe Hodge
Lewis Fiorini
Cole Palmer
James McAtee

Arsenal
Tom Smith
Miguel Azeez
Yunus Musah
Matthew Dennis
Armstrong Okoflex
Number 6 ?

Remainder
Serine Sanneh (West Ham)
Harrison Sohna (Aston Villa)
Seb Thompson (Liverpool)
Terrell Pennant (Leicester)
Jeremy Sarmiento (Charlton)

That makes 18 above unless there was only 5 Arsenal and Malachi Walcott was replaced ?

ArsenalYouth · Aug 20, 2017

http://www.westhamonline.net/forum_flat.php?8830101||mc=t|4|2||

^ states about a kid who is very technically gifted but yet again, seemed to be small (from common descriptions)
The only name is Jeremy Sarmiento...

ArsenalYouth · Aug 20, 2017

Also I think Tino Livramento is part of the squad from Chelsea

BarryfromEastenders · Aug 20, 2017

unlucky to have had to withdraw from the england squad but best of luck to the boys this week🇬🇧!
— Lewis Fiorini (@LewisFiorini) August 20, 2017

The Guardian · Aug 21, 2017

Juni said: ↑

Morgan Rogers scored twice vs Man Utd U18s today.
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It was actually just the one goal by Rogers and a coolly taken goal it was - away from the keeper and slotted in the corner. He showed in flashes on the ball what a cool talented player he is.

sharpovic · Aug 22, 2017

In the two games I've seen from this age group, Russia and Scotland, I wasn't impressed by the midfield. I do understand that players were missing : who are the best central midfielders of this age group ? International games are won and lost in midfield, and the 2000 generation - apart from the attacking options - had plently of technical CM to get hold of possession. Do this generation also have the Kirby, TOB, Gomes, McEachran types of players in central midfield ? Genuine question, as I know some of you already know all the players.

ps : I noticed Madeuke, very comfy in possession in the middle.

BC11 · Aug 22, 2017

sharpovic said: ↑

In the two games I've seen from this age group, Russia and Scotland, I wasn't impressed by the midfield. I do understand that players were missing : who are the best central midfielders of this age group ? International games are won and lost in midfield, and the 2000 generation - apart from the attacking options - had plently of technical CM to get hold of possession. Do this generation also have the Kirby, TOB, Gomes, McEachran types of players in central midfield ? Genuine question, as I know some of you already know all the players.
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Paris Maghoma is pretty well though of. Similar in style to Onomah.

Juni · Aug 22, 2017

Anjorin has some RLC about him, need to see more though before really being able to figure out where he fits in.

ChristianSur · Aug 22, 2017

Aren't Anjorin and Maghoma the next year-group up?

Juni · Aug 22, 2017

Yeah sorry, got that completely wrong. Think Teddy Hoare is going to be the midfield mainstay of this team but not seen a lot of him yet. McCann from Coventry comes highly rated and might be the sort of player you're after, Pendlebury got half an hour for Reading 18s vs Chelsea on Saturday in CM and looked handy too.

sharpovic · Aug 22, 2017

found Pendlebury underwhelming in the games I've seen, good long range passing but not very good at evading pressure, often caught in possession. Haven't seen Hoare ad McCann yet

Juni · Aug 23, 2017

Beat Turkey 2-1 yesterday, Okoflex and Zak Brown scored.

http://www.tff.org/default.aspx?pageID=471&ftxtID=27692

Garibaldi11 · Aug 23, 2017

I thought Pendlebury looked decent and suited Mandueke well & he may even suit a Joe Hodge. Loved how Pendlebury swiveled to change direction to create extra space for himself and then looked up for the pass.