01 Feb 2019 10:08:03
As you know, I've become a real fan of the under 23s this season. I love what we are doing with this squad. To me this idea can be further developed in future years. Under 23, gives you a lot of scope, no reason why players 20-24 can't play a real role in the first team. So effectively your under 23 team becomes your bench for the first team when needed. As we've needed to do this year. If you concentrate on buying in youth at under 18 and 23 level through the lower leagues, it's less of a risk. You get a real chance to see how plays react, train, conduct themselves and they learn the club way and the style of playing. You need a Corberan type figure to act as the link between the two squads. Shorter term contracts, less money and yes you have to be ruthless and move out those who can't make the grade.
With this approach, you can plan for fiuture needs, when key players are likely to move on and retire. First team squad additions become less urgent and you are less open to the mad scramble of transfer windows.
To me this is a sustainable way of building a strong club. I hope that's the plan and if anything let's intensify it.
01 Feb 2019 10:59:49
U23s should be introduced into the squad, not entirely relied upon. Jack Clarke has been fantastic coming off the bench but when starting has struggled against teams that plan to nulify him. Yes, he can only learn how to overcome that focus through game experience but we are challenging for promotion. Is this the right time for an entire group of U23s to be cutting their teeth or should the cream just be getting the opportunity. Also, when push has come to shove, Bielsa has shuffled the senior pack and not used U23s i. e. Not playing Halme. I agree in part in what you are saying Spanish but not to the extreme that you are advocating.
01 Feb 2019 12:03:11
I have supported the U23s for decades, and only missing this season because of work commitments. Although i agree players are there to step up if needed i think we are over reliant on them this season. Luckily we have some talented youngsters but U23 league and championship are poles apart. Development is a key issue in getting players to where they are and getting a kicking every game from some towering center back chasing a play off spot at this stage of their career is not ideal. If a first team player is playing crap or is injured then yes its expected for someone to step up. I was one who was calling for Clarke months ago to replace Alioski then it would be up to Alioski to fight for his place back. However due to injuries we are reliant on young ones filling the bench and if they have a poor game they are slated online and then confidence levels go from sky high to zero. Fact is our first team squad is threadbare and you can not disguise it by adding U23s to the equation. a lot of our U23s have just stepped up from the U19s next we will have U16s on the bench.
01 Feb 2019 12:19:07
Couldn't agree more BIGE.
01 Feb 2019 13:28:47
Well for the rest of the year, we now have no choice but to work with what we have got, so I guess we will have a good chance to see how it works.
I agree about Aaapo, I think he could be trusted for more appearances, Bielsa has a clear preference to work with those he has worked with longer.
Te the difference in class between the under 23s and The Championship, I’m not so sure the gap is as big as I we make out, certainly not against all the teams. Clarke has struggled due to the amount of attention but to be fair so did Daiz and at times Hernadez.
I think we are stil only at the early days of this approach, more investment in better quality players will give us more options and less reliance on bringing loads of first framers in. To me the first team squad includes at the very least your top eleven under 23s, and you draw on them as you need them.
01 Feb 2019 14:00:41
Come on Spanish you have watched U23s and first team at ER and you are saying its not that different, really? Expectations in a team sat at top of Championship not that different to playing Doncaster U23s. Playing against seasoned professionals who know all the tricks and are two stone heavier than you not all that different? Getting slated on media for missing a sitter not all that different? Although i respect your opinions Spanish can not share that one.
01 Feb 2019 14:16:11
And let's not forget the biggest part of our U23s are out on loan, Sarkic, Dalby, Machuca, Rey Klitching, Paudi, Coyle, Pearce, Wilks, Huffer, Siddicki, and probably a few more.
01 Feb 2019 15:44:57
I’m not saying it’s not different, just the gap isn’t always as big as you might think and not unbridgeable depending on the players. I accept the point about weight, although that’s not always a disadvantage, but by the time they reach the under 23s, most of these players have played in structured teams and leagues for sometime. Tradecraft isn’t just restricted to championship games, these days it’s on display at all levels. These players are used to a lot by the time they are 21 plus.
BIGE, I don’t think we are too far apart in our approach, just about degrees. I think some players can make that jump and take the opportunity and some can’t .
Of the players out in loan . I’d expect each window for Bielsa and Corberan to keep close the ones who they want to be able to use and I think that’s largely what’s happened with the plans been reviewed and amended at each window.
Throwing an under 23 player into the championship is a risk, but these days so is paying up to 10 million for a player and in the premiership more.
All I’m saying is let’s get as much talent into the under 23s as possible, school them in the way of playing and see what happens. I’m not sure we’re that far away from that. I’m looking to forward to seeing Bogusz play.
01 Feb 2019 17:45:02
I think the benefit of an U23 side that it is like a finishing school for LUFC. Generating players walk, talk and play the MB/ Leeds way. I will always defer to you Spanish but having seen a few U23 games I see the main difference with U23 games as lack of intensity, tempo, pressure. I know we sit atop the division but results are a side issue. Each game is a schooling. As has been proved, it gives us a player who can seamlessly slot into his desired role in the first team. The only (good) fly in the ointment is that the first team is doing so well which brings with it added pressure when they are selected. This is why I believe a solution is to loan them into a performing L1 side (with a proviso that they get X percentage of games) out of the spotlight.
01 Feb 2019 19:04:26
My point being that this season you are looking at an U23 team made up of players who have just stepped up from U19 squad this season some have about ten games under their belt and now we expect them to be first team ready, for me that is pushing it a bit.