I think there are genuine question marks surrounding how to develop defenders and it's still very much an imperfect science compared to other positions. One main issue is you're relying on players being big enough and then it's compounded by a complete lack of pathways. Things are improving though. Chelsea are the only big club who seemingly roll out very good academy centre halves each year. Everyone else is much spottier, but it's getting better. It's similar to the midfielder question, which has been pretty emphatically solved now. It looks bad because we're comparing our 97s/96s v Germany's, but we were never that deep in them age groups and it's always been an increasing trickle of talent before the 2000s completely open the damn. The perfect example of this is Spurs v Barcelona in the UYL. Just dominated the ball and they didn't even have that many England players or people who are thought of to be elite prospects. That's increasingly the norm and as these players filter down the leagues, not necessarily becoming senior international players, it'll be interesting to see how that impacts the standard player type lower down.
Just a general comment i suppose - I'm suprised tbh at some of the decisions not to call up certain players this season that were at one point / are playing regular first team football in league one. Josh Maja, Nathan Bishop, Mallik Wilks, Herbie Kane, Luke Thomas, James Justin, Dujon Sterling, Tom Bayliss and Jacob Brown are some options that spring to mind.
yeah, to be honest I think a few guys have been extremely lucky to be in the latest squad after having pretty much nothing seasons. If I’m going to name check then I guess Suliman and Hirst spring to mind. I get that they want to be loyal to players but when some are hardly playing and others who are just off form are getting picked then it feels a bit strange tbh. I don’t really get why others aren’t given a look in. Josh Maja is someone I would have liked Simpson to have called up for example.
I wonder how much of an impact it's been that L1 and L2 clubs need three players called up for internationals in order for their fixtures to be postponed during those periods, so they might have requested for players to not be called up?
WHAT A HIT SON. WHAT A HIT. https://t.co/Or45jB4384— The Wizards of Drivel // Stoke City Podcast (@wizardsofdrivel) April 22, 2019 Tom Edwards is named Stoke man of the match. Excellent performance capped off with fine first goal for the club. https://t.co/oRF3dAJMDB pic.twitter.com/WDrklWs08A— Pete Smith (@PeteSmith1983) April 22, 2019 Desperately disappointing season for Stoke overall - but Tom Edwards has been a real shining light. Definitely a chance to play higher
Seems odd charlie brown of chelsea is yet to recieve a call up at any age. All-time uefa youth league scorer isnt to be sniffed at. Another poachers effort today v barca
I've been banging the drum for a while, all the while recognising there are some very capable 99-born strikers around (Nketiah, Brereton, Hirst etc), but it's not even about the UYL either, loading up against Molde and Elfsborg isn't what makes him good. He's really progressed each and every season and scores goals at every turn. At some point you have to acknowledge that not many players do that, regardless of age level, and give him a longer look.
I find it strange that he has never been picked up - even at Ipswich he was in an age group which has seen Dozzell, Downes, Nydam, Morris and Nick Hayes called up and was playing up age groups consistently so shouldn't even have been under the radar before he moved to a club who fills the youth teams.
Andre Dozzell scored today, at the end of a flowing move also involving Trevoh Chalobah and Flynn Downes (who scored his first senior goal today) pic.twitter.com/gEe5EjBHRN— ITFC Tactics (@IpswichTactics) May 5, 2019
Is the squad for the Toulon tournament likely to be made up entirely of our regular u20 squad or are we likely to see a few players who might be on the fringes of the u21s?
Mainly U20s with some U19s. Also wonder if they're tempted to push up some of the best U18s who aren't playing next week. A chance a couple of U21s are in there, but can't think of many names they seem to care about enough to include.
I just get the feeling that this group needs freshening up a bit. Names that spring to mind: Skipp, Smith Rowe, Gibbs White, Shackleton, Gomes, Garner, Greenwood, Clarke, Gallagher. Some of those names might be a bit fanciful on my part. Anyone else with a strong claim?
Didn't see Maja play up up close because he'd already left by the time we played Sunderland at home. But he was doing so well for them before he left. Kane was superb for Doncaster when they played us at home. Similarly, Bayliss,Thomas and Sterling were all great for Coventry when we played them at home. Meanwhile, Jacob Brown has been solid for us this season just gone. Put in some great performances. Yeah I get what you're saying. I can understand loyalty but only up to a point, after which it can become detrimental to the progression of the group I feel.
England aren't in it but cool that FreeSports have picked up a bunch of matches for the World Cup. https://www.freesports.tv/our-sports/fifa-u20-world-cup/
That's brilliant, showing every single knockout game. They've got the Toulon Tournament on there too.