England U-18 Discussions Thread (2009 born)

Discussion in 'England' started by Jenks, Sep 21, 2013.

  1. Fireburn47

    Fireburn47 Member+

    West Ham United
    England
    Nov 5, 2021
     
  2. Fireburn47

    Fireburn47 Member+

    West Ham United
    England
    Nov 5, 2021
  3. Jimmy Skitz

    Jimmy Skitz Member+

    Leicester City
    England
    Nov 4, 2020
    At least we'll actually get paid for him, unlike Nyoni or likely Motsi, but we'll get told to live within our means by the EFL etc...
     
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  4. GermanBlade

    GermanBlade Member+

    Sheffield United
    Mar 17, 2025


    Doesn't mention any of the other clubs but I know from other sources Dortmund is one of them but not too optimistic about him signing for them as they believe (at least for now) he'll stay at City.
     
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  5. horrisengleton

    horrisengleton Member+

    Arsenal
    England
    Jul 18, 2023
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    At least physically Heskey is ready to start transitioning to senior football. Will be quite annoying if he spends another season in the academy.

    If he's staying at City I hope they give him some good League Cup minutes early in the season to see what he can do.

    McAidoo too, who is an even bigger talent and is very much a Maresca winger. I'm quietly hopeful he'll make his way into City's first team this season.

    Given how badly we need some new wingers after this World Cup, City can do us a big favour if they manage to start integrating these two into the first team fairly quickly.
     
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  6. fan since 1968

    Manchester City
    England
    Aug 27, 2019
    Reigan seemed to drop off a little from the halfway point of the season. McAidoo, as you say, is a bigger talent and absolutely should get minutes in the first team this season. Not just in the minor cups either.
     
  7. Marcho Gamgee

    Marcho Gamgee Member+

    England
    Apr 25, 2015
    Somewhere in English Arrogance land
    Club:
    Manchester City FC
    Feels like we should in theory be pretty sorted for wingers in the next few years or so but obviously nothing is set in stone but with Dowman, Rio, Monga, McAidoo, Heskey, McQueen and there must be more I’m missing out on but fingers crossed they develop as we hope.
     
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  8. horrisengleton

    horrisengleton Member+

    Arsenal
    England
    Jul 18, 2023
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    With Savinho likely going it feels like the perfect chance to give McAdoo a go as the backup to Doku/Semenyo. He's undoubtedly outgrown academy football now.

    I'm definitely hopeful, especially long-term.

    I just feel a bit of a sense of urgency with a home Euros coming up. Would be very useful (albeit it very optimistic) if by the end of this upcoming season we could have 2-3 new faces who are genuine options on the wing, especially if Saka isn't going to regain any of his lost explosiveness.

    We're massively lacking in quality out wide atm.
     
  9. GermanBlade

    GermanBlade Member+

    Sheffield United
    Mar 17, 2025
    I think Dowman´s better as a free-roaming 10 than (strictly) on the wing. From the same age group I have high hopes for Kavuma-McQueen as you mentioned. Think he could grow into a game-changer role at senior international level with his absurd speed and good shooting technique but it´s hard to tell what the plans are for him at Chelsea.
     
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  10. andals

    andals Member

    Jun 13, 2015
    not a winger, but if we're looking at City players, i'm more bullish on Floyd Samba than anything. his interest in England being the biggest and most obvious question though.
     
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  11. Jimmy Skitz

    Jimmy Skitz Member+

    Leicester City
    England
    Nov 4, 2020
    if City still want Louis Page we should demand Heskey's boys be sent home as part of the deal
     
  12. horrisengleton

    horrisengleton Member+

    Arsenal
    England
    Jul 18, 2023
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Right now I think Dowman profiles more as a winger who roams inside than a 10.

    I do wonder whether he's going to have similar struggles as a 10 at senior level to all of our other players.

    Dowman at youth level just collects the ball, tries to run through everyone and shoots. It's exactly the same way all of our top talents play in academy and I think it's part of why we don't develop any real 10s.

    That playing style has a major ceiling in senior football. You need to be able to show positional discipline, composure/control and an ability to connect with players around you if you want to be a top class 10 at senior level.

    Dowman has composure in the final third but I've not seen much else from his game yet to suggest he can play what is essentially a midfield role. Everything he does is done at speed with a relentless intention to move towards goal. It's a similar mentality to Foden used to have I think.

    Ultimately though he's probably a bigger talent than anyone else we've had in the youth system in a long time. That combined with his age means he still has plenty of time to develop the qualities to play as a 10 if he doesn't have them already.

    If his situation is like Foden's, where he just gets moved across the frontline for the first 5 years of his career, it might be an issue though. Arsenal will need to want to develop him as a 10.
     
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  13. hussar

    hussar Member+

    Jun 24, 2015
    Harry Gray to Sheffield Wednesday on season long loan.
     
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  14. ChristianSur

    ChristianSur Member+

    May 5, 2015
    Club:
    Sheffield Wednesday FC
    Love that. It's so nice to be feeling excited about Wednesday again, and not just constantly waiting for the next ridiculous tantrum from tuna tin Joffrey, or reeling from the last one. I know Gray didn't set the world alight at Rotherham but his talent is clearly above the level; just got to hope this is the year it clicks.
     
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  15. Port Vale Fan

    Port Vale Fan Member

    May 30, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    He was first rate at Rotherham.
     
  16. Fireburn47

    Fireburn47 Member+

    West Ham United
    England
    Nov 5, 2021
    Might be going to Arsenal
    .
     
  17. brettspurs

    brettspurs Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    England
    Nov 9, 2017
     
  18. BarryfromEastenders

    Staff Member

    Jul 6, 2008
    New season. The U18 squad is now 2009 born.
     
  19. Fireburn47

    Fireburn47 Member+

    West Ham United
    England
    Nov 5, 2021
  20. Regis Prograis

    Regis Prograis Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur
    Feb 8, 2020


    for £4m + £4m add ons plus 20% on future profit apparently
     
  21. GermanBlade

    GermanBlade Member+

    Sheffield United
    Mar 17, 2025
    Is Madjo now cleared to play? Scored 2 in Villa's pre-season friendly against Walsall today
     
  22. Regis Prograis

    Regis Prograis Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur
    Feb 8, 2020
    Yeah saw that also, and thought I'd check CAS website, but nothing on there yet. I think he must be cleared, at least temporarily.
     
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  23. Fireburn47

    Fireburn47 Member+

    West Ham United
    England
    Nov 5, 2021
    Does a player need to be formally cleared to play friendlies?
     
  24. Regis Prograis

    Regis Prograis Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur
    Feb 8, 2020
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