Yeah, I didn't mean it to look like I was taking the piss or anything. Just made me smile. Quite a few of the names on the FA's own site are wrong at times.
Infact there seems to be some confusion to whether it's Alastair or Alistair. The FA have put both down in the past and others have it differently.
i hang my head in shame. thanks for correcting being born September 1993, is Todd Kane eligible for U18s or too old?
i hang my head in shame. thanks for correcting being born September 1993, is Todd Kane eligible for U18s or too old?
Too old now. Not sure whether U18 games will take place. They were only brought back because plenty of 93 born players needed looking at during the past campaign. Hopefully Blake will do it again though for certain players born in 94 that didn't get a chance at U17 level.
A short clip featuring the new 2011 Chelsea Scholars. Baker (0.05-1.10) and Swift (2.34-4.16) included. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Y2XKglI4U"]YouTube - Chelsea Fc Academy new scholars 2011_2012‏[/ame] It's a real shame this age group doesn't get a World Cup.
Hayden redeemed himself somewhat when he played against NI - steady and passed it simple and well. With the worrying shortaged of finesse at the back he might be better employed playing there. He seems very sedate (must be on the decafe). The City midfielder Glendon only saw the ball a few times when he came on but looked a good little player (a bit Alan Ballish). I'm assuming Rothwell will already have secured his place in the quality tournament that follows the Nordic Cup.
You think they know their main squad for the 2nd tournament and none of them will play in the Nordic? Facey has been selected in this 1st squad and Dabo hasn't. I wonder if that means Dabo has jumped him for the RB position for now. Chambers, Innis, Houghton & Gorman are definitely not 4 bad options for centre-half for one age group. They are not the most swan like coming out of defence but I don't think we need to worry too much about their qualities.
I would also pick Hayden as a centre back who can play a midfield role. Same as Chambers and Houghton. Add Innis and from what I've seen those four would be my four centre backs. Offers more versatility to an 18 man squad too. The other squad at the end of August is not going to be the strongest in all positions but you would assume it would be pretty much completely different considering the timing of both tournaments. Don't think it means the second tournament is for first choice players though. Certainly not in all areas.
Normally they will have their views, of course. There's not much point in playing, say, Rothwell as he has had a good go already and "passed the test". They always want to give others chance to cut it - including the sort of players five years later people will say he must be good he's an u17 international you know (even though it's only the Nordick Cup - The Dick Cup for short). If only to eliminate them. But not all of them have been in the no-mark category inh the past.. The term "Rolls Royce" was made for Chambers. He's more Rolls-Royce than Paul "Rolls Royce" Madeley was. It has to be said his balls in the air never made their target though. Not that I'm nit-picking with that lad, it's just a pity he isn't the height of a c/b. Innis is a big lad (and knows his limitations). Houghton isn't. Gormlass Gordon is a big lad who just punted the ball down the other end. To be fair Dabo didn't seem to want the ball, so maybe he felt he had no option. Y'know how coaches like Hoddle and the like, often over the years when talking about stuff like this, often say (I'm not sure it's true but they say it) that our superior foreign friends will play the "best player" in the "holding role". Well, because we have such strenght in midfield this time round I was wondering, again, if we could play someone like Swift or Pearson there in order to play through the midfield more. I was impressed with the performance of the side against the Jocks (even though it wasn't my idea of the best team from what I have seen so far seen - and probably no one elses). At least until late on for the last 15 minutes or so when it suddenly turned into typical England - forget the midfield and just get the ball into their half. Perhaps it's now time for the revolution talked about for some time. (I must make it clear to our more impressionable members I'm not suggesting getting out on the streets rioting and looting with Left-wing mobs - and definitely NO heads on pikes!)
For the first time there could be a diamond formation in the midfield: ..............pearson swift...........................jebb ...............rothwell I don't want england to be stuck in a 4-3-3 formation i think if swain can change sometimes this will benefit the boys development . Is nice to see lewis baker be called finally.
I think Wallace and Graham will feel hard done by. Rothwell and Pearson ahead of Wallace and Graham who were superb as regulars at their clubs playing u18 football. If Swift was as good as some say, I'm sure he would have started that first game at u16 level last season instead of sitting on the bench. I remember how I watched Man Utd got hammered against Liverpool when they played a couple of their u16 kids...the supposed gems in (Rothwell who started and Pearson who came off the bench) and I went to watch Forest away at Liverpool last season and our u16 lads in Kieran Wallace and Jack Blake (debut) scoring 3 of our 4 goals in a 4-2 hammering of Liverpool. Its funny how Swain used Wallace as a LW last season when he has played the majority of his career as a cm. Scored 7 goals last year in 18 games for our u18 side and he played in a variety of roles from LW, CM, RW and off our main striker Pat Bamford. He also set up numerous goals as well.
I must say mate, I always enjoy your contribution to this forum. Good read and very rarely no laugh in it but at the same time some very good points. English football is very much like New Zealand rugby and South African cricket...they are all brilliant sides if they reach their peak and can compete with any side in the world but when it comes to big tournaments...they cannot seal the deal and they receive the flack.
Swift hasn't been fit enough at times though. He should have started the Wales game and was very good when he came on. Don't see what not starting the Wales game has to do with his actual talent.
Just going by the Victory Shield games, (so far) I can't recall a better midfield performance than Swift's - the quick clever feet with the ball, and the awareness -but I am aware it was only one game, and a sub performance at that. Similarly with Pearson - just one sub appearance, but such clarity at what he wanted to do - and the lovely weighted passing - refreshingly with either foot. Rothwell is a very fit lad and good footballer - reminds me of Lee Bowyer a bit (no jokes please). Yeah I saw United get mullered - it was of course a completely changed side. I can see the English lads perhaps having a bit of a challenge even next year on the physical side. I saw the 30 minutes highlights of the Forest win and they did look very powerful. Going on the Victory Shield games I was disappointed with the wingers - and I do tend to give the wingers a bit of slack. But as far as I'm concerned it's early days yet. It will all come out in the wash next season. Roll on next season!
I'd be fascinated to see that midfield 4 - with Dev C as the front man and Akpom in a bit of a roving forward role - drifting out to the flanks now and again.
Our line up that day was this. United XI: Coll, Rudge, McGinty, Fornasier, Wilkinson, Ekangamene, Lawrence, Rothwell, Leao, Daehli, Wilson. Apart from McGinty, Fornasier. None of the other members were regular U-18. This team contained 5 schoolboys and one trialist. None of the major members played in this match because we had the FA CUP youth semi final in the following midweek and also Liverpool were playing full strength team.