Player Watch: Marcus Edwards

[TaoistMonkey]

he'll be off soon

 

[Bus-Conductor]

#thfc Poch says Oakley-Boothe, GKN, Winks will be involved but Edwards will not. "He's building physical condition & confidence with U23s."

That's going to help build his confidence...

 

[felmani26]

Cue a million people complaining that he isn't being given the chance he deserves, despite Pochettino a) seeing him every day in training and b) having a reputation for playing young players who deserve a chance.

There is literally nothing anyone can point to about Edwards that can justify thinking they know better than Pochettino when it comes to the youth team players. That's not to say he's perfect - he's made some questionable choices recently that are certainly up for debate (the wing backs on Saturday being an obvious recent example) - but this isn't a player with a catalogue of first-team peformances that fans can draw opinions from, Pochettino sees far, far more of Edwards than any of us (most of whom are relying on second-hand reviews and Youtube clips, or at absolute best performances in youth games as that's all he's had so far), and bar the romantic idea of wanting to see a young, hyped-up kid come in and become a superstar overnight, there's really no justification for questioning Poch on this one.

If a player like Nkoudou is getting games ahead of him then maybe, just maybe, Edwards simply isn't ready or (say it quietly) isn't good enough right now. Relax, if he's good enough then in time he will get his chances.

I think this point is vastly exaggerated.

 

[BC11]

Cue a million people complaining that he isn't being given the chance he deserves, despite Pochettino a) seeing him every day in training and b) having a reputation for playing young players who deserve a chance.

There is literally nothing anyone can point to about Edwards that can justify thinking they know better than Pochettino when it comes to the youth team players. That's not to say he's perfect - he's made some questionable choices recently that are certainly up for debate (the wing backs on Saturday being an obvious recent example) - but this isn't a player with a catalogue of first-team peformances that fans can draw opinions from, Pochettino sees far, far more of Edwards than any of us (most of whom are relying on second-hand reviews and Youtube clips, or at absolute best performances in youth games as that's all he's had so far), and bar the romantic idea of wanting to see a young, hyped-up kid come in and become a superstar overnight, there's really no justification for questioning Poch on this one.

If a player like Nkoudou is getting games ahead of him then maybe, just maybe, Edwards simply isn't ready or (say it quietly) isn't good enough right now. Relax, if he's good enough then in time he will get his chances.

No one thinks they know better than Poch. People are discussing & debating this just as they do with any other issue.

 

[St José Dominguez]

He's tied to contract until 2020. Maybe Poch doesn't think he's physically strong enough to be involved yet. He's got a couple of years to work hard on elements i'm sure he's been told he needs to improve. If he does then he'll be involved more and more, if he doesn't then he won't make it here. He's only 18, there's no rush for us or him. I think next season at new WHL will be year we see him getting opportunities.

 

[spursfan77]

He must get some minutes. Wouldn't be surprised if this isn't just Poch keeping the pressure and expectation off the player

 

[mark87]

That's going to help build his confidence...

Was thinking the same. What better way to build confidence by putting in a good performance for the senior team.

 

[yankspurs]

I think this point is vastly exaggerated.

The biggest exaggeration about Poch there is. It's become a myth now, although based in truth. It's really quite something what Spurs fans have managed to do with this point

 

[Disconosebleed]

I think this point is vastly exaggerated.

Show me a manager at a competitive club that has given regular opportunities to more youngsters than Pochettino. He doesn't throw them in without thought, but when he trusts that they're good enough he gives them proper, regular chances.

 

[Disconosebleed]

I find it very odd that we've got a less experienced, younger player than Edwards that will be getting game time in Tashan Oakley-Boothe, and yet people are whinging that Edwards isn't in there. What is that if not an example of people buying into hype at the expense of the likely reality that he simply isn't deserving of a place?

For the record I'm not saying that Edwards isn't good enough or that he won't be good enough - I'm simply saying that in the absence of any competitive men's football to base an opinion on, there isn't any justification for deciding that Pochettino is wrong to leave him out.

 

[Hengy1]

#thfc Pochettino on Edwards: "We’re so happy because he played very well against Man United and then, in the Youth Cup, he was very good..."

#thfc Pochettino: "But I think we need to wait a little bit for him to build more his physical condition and his confidence..."

#thfc Pochettino on Marcus Edwards (3/3): "He’s better playing in the Under-23s or the Youth Cup than staying with us, maybe on the bench."

 

[Disconosebleed]

No one thinks they know better than Poch. People are discussing & debating this just as they do with any other issue.

OK, but as I have said - what is the pro-Edwards side of the debate based on? Hype and nothing else - unless everyone here is at the training sessions every day, they haven't seen how Edwards looks in men's football against players of the standard he needs to be at.

 

[Kiedis]

Maybe he's getting his ass absolutely handed to him when he trains with the senior team. He's probably not left out for shits and giggles.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Cue a million people complaining that he isn't being given the chance he deserves, despite Pochettino a) seeing him every day in training and b) having a reputation for playing young players who deserve a chance.

There is literally nothing anyone can point to about Edwards that can justify thinking they know better than Pochettino when it comes to the youth team players. That's not to say he's perfect - he's made some questionable choices recently that are certainly up for debate (the wing backs on Saturday being an obvious recent example) - but this isn't a player with a catalogue of first-team peformances that fans can draw opinions from, Pochettino sees far, far more of Edwards than any of us (most of whom are relying on second-hand reviews and Youtube clips, or at absolute best performances in youth games as that's all he's had so far), and bar the romantic idea of wanting to see a young, hyped-up kid come in and become a superstar overnight, there's really no justification for questioning Poch on this one.

If a player like Nkoudou is getting games ahead of him then maybe, just maybe, Edwards simply isn't ready or (say it quietly) isn't good enough right now. Relax, if he's good enough then in time he will get his chances.

Yeah, logical argument. He doesn't deserve a chance because he's never been given a chance for us to look at and judge?

I could point to the fact that Edwards has abundantly more natural ability than Sissoko. It's not a romantic idea of wanting to see a young kid play, it's the realistic preference of seeing a kid with the kind of ability that no-one else in our squad has right now to start getting some minutes, which could be the launch off point of a painfully gradual process of one day, hopefully, realising that enormous potential, providing the club with a ready made solution to a massive footballing problem, in a low priority game.

You said yourself, Poch makes questionable judgement calls. Based on the many, many times I've seen Edwards play at various levels of football, I'm questioning this one. Last week Edwards was outstanding against Dortmund, scoring two, both of which he made for himself, and working hard for the team with and without the ball. And the week before that he was excellent in the U23 (inc some ManU senior players like Shaw who was directly against him) scoring another fabulous goal and helping the team win 3-0.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Poch saying he needs to build physical condition says it all.
Training with first team he's clearly being shown to not be strong enough physically. He's a fantastically gifted footballer, technically too but he has to toughen up. Get him working hard on core strength this year and next season Poch will see him as ready.

 

[thekneaf]

Sounds like he might play. Poch basically said he was mini Messi last year, maybe they say a negative impact after that? So softly softly now. Let's judge after tomorrows game, not before. Tashan Oakley-Boothe has the benefit, as Alli did, of having stature on his side.

 

[thekneaf]

Also people need to remember that Poch said he wouldn't play Walker-Peters, and then he did. This is just the press briefing, not the team sheet.

 

[felmani26]

Show me a manager at a competitive club that has given regular opportunities to more youngsters than Pochettino. He doesn't throw them in without thought, but when he trusts that they're good enough he gives them proper, regular chances.

He is largely no better or worse than the vast majority of managers yet seemingly held as this paragon of fast tracking youth when the reality suggests otherwise.

An example of which was the complete fudging of the full back situation on Saturday night when KWP could have and should have ably started at LB - a player who was MotM on his debut yet not trusted to play a single minute since - go figure!

 

[Disconosebleed]

Yeah, logical argument. He doesn't deserve a chance because he's never been given a chance for us to look at and judge?

No, he doesn't deserve a chance because the guy who is entrusted with giving out the chances, and who sees enough of him to decide whether he deserves a chance, has decided he doesn't deserve a chance at this moment in time.

I could point to the fact that Edwards has abundantly more natural ability than Sissoko. It's not a romantic idea of wanting to see a young kid play, it's the realistic preference of seeing a kid with the kind of ability that no-one else in our squad has right now to start getting some minutes, which could be the launch off point of a painfully gradual process of one day, hopefully, realising that enormous potential, providing the club with a ready made solution to a massive footballing problem, in a low priority game.

He does look like he has more natural ability than Sissoko. But does he have any of the myriad of other things that a top players needs? Pace? Strength? Intelligence?

Yes, it *could* be the launching point for him. But it might just as well not be, and that decision is far better made by the guy who sees him every day than a load of people who read ESPN articles, watch edited Youtube clips and check to see what potential rating he has on Football Manager.

Oakley-Boothe is two years younger, in a position that requires more maturity, and Pochettino has placed trust in him. Clearly, regardless of how much potential Edwards may have, the man who knows him best (and who has a huge amount to gain from his success) doesn't trust him right now. I keep coming back to the comparison because it highlights that there's probably no baffling, weird ulterior motive that Edwards isn't in the squad, the manager just doesn't think he deserves it, or quite possibly doesn't think it's the right thing for Edwards own development; there are plenty of players who are held back until the (nebulous) 'right time', often ones who go right to the top - I've seen coaches at Everton and Barca respectively say that both Rooney and Messi were, ability-wise, good enough to play for the first team from the age of 14, but they kept them back because they didn't want them to get lost as youngsters in the harsh reality of men's football - now clearly Edwards is a great older than that, but he's also a tiny kid; maybe they are holding him back until they are happy that he won't simply get bullied out of games.

You said yourself, Poch makes questionable judgement calls. Based on the many, many times I've seen Edwards play at various levels of football, I'm questioning this one. Last week Edwards was outstanding against Dortmund, scoring two, both of which he made for himself, and working hard for the team with and without the ball. And the week before that he was excellent in the U23 (inc some ManU senior players like Shaw who was directly against him) scoring another fabulous goal and helping the team win 3-0.

Again though, the step up from youth/reserve football is huge, both in terms of quality and intensity.

I do want to clarify again, nothing I've said should be taken as anti-Edwards; I completely understand the desire to see Edwards play, and I was disappointed to read that he wouldn't be in the squad tomorrow. I'm just willing to accept that if he isn't in the squad, there's a good reason for it.

 

[brendanb50]

Cue a million people complaining that he isn't being given the chance he deserves, despite Pochettino a) seeing him every day in training and b) having a reputation for playing young players who deserve a chance.

There is literally nothing anyone can point to about Edwards that can justify thinking they know better than Pochettino when it comes to the youth team players. That's not to say he's perfect - he's made some questionable choices recently that are certainly up for debate (the wing backs on Saturday being an obvious recent example) - but this isn't a player with a catalogue of first-team peformances that fans can draw opinions from, Pochettino sees far, far more of Edwards than any of us (most of whom are relying on second-hand reviews and Youtube clips, or at absolute best performances in youth games as that's all he's had so far), and bar the romantic idea of wanting to see a young, hyped-up kid come in and become a superstar overnight, there's really no justification for questioning Poch on this one.

If a player like Nkoudou is getting games ahead of him then maybe, just maybe, Edwards simply isn't ready or (say it quietly) isn't good enough right now. Relax, if he's good enough then in time he will get his chances.

Good post and FWIW i agree with your assessment/Poch's. However i do feel like his recent performances have really shone through and probably deserved something to show for it by way of first team acknowledgement, perhaps it's a mixture of reasons: Too early following his injury, waiting for the 'right' game rather than just any old one to throw him into and the players ahead of him have all earned their spot on merit ahead of him.