Spurs under 21, under 18 Leagues and other youth news

[Bus-Conductor]

Pritchard continues to impress me. Despite his small stature he's got more to his all round game than Lennon. He was all over the pitch last night. He uses the ball well and has an eye for goal.

I'll be disappointed if we jettison him for a couple of bob.

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

Pritchard continues to impress me. Despite his small stature he's got more to his all round game than Lennon. He was all over the pitch last night. He uses the ball well and has an eye for goal.

I'll be disappointed if we jettison him for a couple of bob.

Looks a very tidy player. No idea whether there was any truth in it but supposedly Barca were sniffing around him not long ago.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Looks a very tidy player. No idea whether there was any truth in it but supposedly Barca were sniffing around him not long ago.

I saw him play against Barca in the NextGen and he was very exciting that day. He's got something about him that's for sure, I just think it's his size that is worrying our coaches. He's really little. But that maters much less these days for players in his position.

 

[TheSecretNonFootballer]

I saw him play against Barca in the NextGen and he was very exciting that day. He's got something about him that's for sure, I just think it's his size that is worrying our coaches. He's really little. But that maters much less these days for players in his position.

Chances are that the "interest" may have just been because he did well against them so it would seem plausible. He does look classy though. Seems to have 2 very good feet. Sounds odd but he has good body shape on the ball as well. He glides somewhat.

Obviously he is now England's saviour and will win us the WC.

 

[TottenhamLegend]

From what I've read and / or seen, Oduwa, Winks, Miller, Ogilvie, Lesniak, Sonupe and Carter Vickers (and maybe others) all have great potential and are highly regarded.

Add Onomah to that list too, for sure!

 

[jambreck]

Add Onomah to that list too, for sure!

Yes, I knew there was someone I'd forgotten!

 

[Spursidol]

From what I've read and / or seen, Oduwa, Winks, Miller, Ogilvie, Lesniak, Sonupe and Carter Vickers (and maybe others) all have great potential and are highly regarded.

and I'd suggest not only Onomah but Maghoma, Walker-Peters and McGee should be on the list and there are a few more who might be added to the lkst with some relatively minor improvements such as Daniel Akindayiuni and Anthony Georgiou.

Lots of talent in the Academy, and looking forward to seeing whether Marcus Edwards and Nya Kirby are as good as they looked on first impressions.

 

[jambreck]

and I'd suggest not only Onomah but Maghoma, Walker-Peters and McGee should be on the list and there are a few more who might be added to the lkst with some relatively minor improvements such as Daniel Akindayiuni and Anthony Georgiou.

Lots of talent in the Academy, and looking forward to seeing whether Marcus Edwards and Nya Kirby are as good as they looked on first impressions.

I thought about including Maghoma but we're really talking about this U18 group and he hasn't played enough for them lately. He's still a schoolboy player, isn't he, rather than a full Academy player?

Harrison could be another with potential.

 

[Spursidol]

I thought about including Maghoma but we're really talking about this U18 group and he hasn't played enough for them lately. He's still a schoolboy player, isn't he, rather than a full Academy player?

Harrison could be another with potential.

Agre with all that - but Maghoma (dob 8.11.1997) and Carter- Vickers (dob 31.12.1997) are the same age, think Maghoma not appearing recently is due to an injury., Neither yet an Academy player - next year.

 

[Spursidol]

Europa League website updated today with more Development/Academy players http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2014/clubs/club=1652/index.html

New players include Alex McQueen (RB, CB, RM) , Nabil Bentaleb (CM), Grant Ward ( RB, RW, LB, striker), Josh Onomah (CM).

 

[SlickMongoose]

I thought Grant Ward was in Chicago?

 

[ShelfSide18]

I headed over to Hotspur way yesterday for the U21s game against Bolton - the new site is fantastic, pitches are superb and the coffee was pretty good too.

First things first it was good to see Sherwood / Freund there watching the game, and Friedel and Kaboul came down for a watch for a bit. I was also stood quite near the man the perma-tan, Phil Brown. A man who was in Hull and now Southend does not become that brown without additional help.

It wasn't the finest I've seen us play, and after the lad Ball got sent off, we absolutely caved and threw away a 2 goal lead. When it was 11v11 we had dominated the ball but not at a great tempo and we were more than a little sloppy on and off the ball. Veljkovic had as poor a game as I've seen from him (he is a great talent though, one to watch), Sandro was well off the pace and Danny Rose didn't look like he wanted to be there at all. Kenny McKevoy also seems to think tracking back and helping his full back isn't a necessity, he tends to press the ball, but once it goes past him that's him done. On the plus side, Harry Kane looked like he could always make something happen in the no10 role (we went 4231), and McQueen at RB looked a talent.

I think there's a few guys out there who are on the verge of being released, they lacked the intensity of previous years, goals going in at either end were met with shrugs of indifference. Think this development group's first team fruit will consist of Bentaleb / Carroll / Vejkovic (at 18 he's a bit younger too) / Kane. This seemed like a group knowing they were coming to the end of the line, it was just a bit flat.

 

[Spursidol]

I thought Grant Ward was in Chicago?

On trial with Chicago Fire apparantly.

Maybe they think he may be back for the 2nd leg ?

Edit - BTW, this is him

 

[beats1]

From what I've read and / or seen, Oduwa, Winks, Miller, Ogilvie, Lesniak, Sonupe and Carter Vickers (and maybe others) all have great potential and are highly regarded.

I also read good heard good stuff about Pritchard but I not seen it for myself tho

 

[IGSpur]

I headed over to Hotspur way yesterday for the U21s game against Bolton - the new site is fantastic, pitches are superb and the coffee was pretty good too.

First things first it was good to see Sherwood / Freund there watching the game, and Friedel and Kaboul came down for a watch for a bit. I was also stood quite near the man the perma-tan, Phil Brown. A man who was in Hull and now Southend does not become that brown without additional help.

It wasn't the finest I've seen us play, and after the lad Ball got sent off, we absolutely caved and threw away a 2 goal lead. When it was 11v11 we had dominated the ball but not at a great tempo and we were more than a little sloppy on and off the ball. Veljkovic had as poor a game as I've seen from him (he is a great talent though, one to watch), Sandro was well off the pace and Danny Rose didn't look like he wanted to be there at all. Kenny McKevoy also seems to think tracking back and helping his full back isn't a necessity, he tends to press the ball, but once it goes past him that's him done. On the plus side, Harry Kane looked like he could always make something happen in the no10 role (we went 4231), and McQueen at RB looked a talent.

I think there's a few guys out there who are on the verge of being released, they lacked the intensity of previous years, goals going in at either end were met with shrugs of indifference. Think this development group's first team fruit will consist of Bentaleb / Carroll / Vejkovic (at 18 he's a bit younger too) / Kane. This seemed like a group knowing they were coming to the end of the line, it was just a bit flat.

Agree, has felt like that from the match reports and the highlights. Someone mentioend earlier how they weren't as interested in the u21s this year and I agree. Most of our top players last year as a result either picked themselves up a loan or a club, or managed to get on the first team fringes. So the almost rans are almost in limbo waiting for their future to be decided. Let's put all our good u18s in there.

On another note, could Onomah get a EL appearance?

 

[Spursidol]

Another view of the u21 game ('borrowed' from Glory-Glory)

'Really enjoyed watching the U21's for an hour! Game changed massively when Ball was sent off. Think we should be tougher to break down even with 10 men.

Am not as familiar with many of the players as most of you if course. Had my season ticket for 10 years or so but only my 3rd U21 game ever. Thought our #2 has a real chance - is that Alex McQueen? Looks a bit slight but will fill out as he gets older I'm sure. Gets up and down, rarely does anything flash, but rarely gives the ball away or makes a wrong decision. Impressed with him.

Sandro's pass completion rate must have been about 15% but his demanding the ball rate was 100%!! He could have just hidden and popped the ball about easily but not a bit of it ! He put a real shift in but looked short of match fitness. A top man, made a point of saying hello to my little girl and I briefly before the game as we were stood on our own.

Kane, Fryers and Rose stood out. Coulthirst and Coulibaly worked hard but we did insist on kicking it long to them!

The penalty and sending off really changed the game though, and we didn't seem to try and change anything to stay in the game which was disappointing and a bit worrying. We'd bossed it till that point! Should have been 3 or 4 before half time really. Seemed to be loads of other managers (Phil Brown the most notable) and Scouts there so maybe we didn't change to give the youngsters the best chance of securing a decent loan?

The highlight for me though was Franco Baldini running to get a ball that had gone for a corner! Hilarious! Good to see Tim shake every player by the hand before kick off as well. He acts like he's in charge, which again I think is a positive. He encouraged from the sideline but let the coaches do their thing. If he and Baldini have problems with each other they hid it well!

Sorry that's a bit long and boring - bit thought is share what I thought. Oh, and Kaboul came over and watched the last 20 minutes - he's an absolute monster of a man! Playing against him must be horrific!! '

 

[Romulus]

Pritchard continues to impress me. Despite his small stature he's got more to his all round game than Lennon. He was all over the pitch last night. He uses the ball well and has an eye for goal.

I'll be disappointed if we jettison him for a couple of bob.

I do agree with most. But we would have to see him at premier league level before we can say he has more all round game than Lennon.

League 1 is a poor league.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I do agree with most. But we would have to see him at premier league level before we can say he has more all round game than Lennon.

League 1 is a poor league.

You can never tell how a player will cope with games in the EPL, and no player is going to be guaranteed a run of games, I'm not sure he could ever nail down a regular first team spot for us, but then I don't think Lennon deserves one either.

I'd just like to see him given a couple of games, at home maybe, the Europa would have been ideal for example.

Both he and Lennon are very little guys, but Pritchard's game is more diverse, more multi faceted, he gets his head up a bit more, he's more about technique dribbling than Lennon's direct run fast style, he has an eye for a goal more than Lennon does as well.

 

[jambreck]

You can never tell how a player will cope with games in the EPL, and no player is going to be guaranteed a run of games, I'm not sure he could ever nail down a regular first team spot for us, but then I don't think Lennon deserves one either.

I'd just like to see him given a couple of games, at home maybe, the Europa would have been ideal for example.

Both he and Lennon are very little guys, but Pritchard's game is more diverse, more multi faceted, he gets his head up a bit more, he's more about technique dribbling than Lennon's direct run fast style, he has an eye for a goal more than Lennon does as well.

Agreed with all of that but Lennon has one obvious quality in abundance that gives him an advantage.

And I don't think that the advantage of genuine, frightening pace can be underestimated. Any defender at any level will struggle to cope with it at some point during a game even if not every time he faces it. And its threat will always be on his mind.

Pace isn't the be all and end all, of course, but as qualities go, it counts for more than most other qualities.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Agreed with all of that but Lennon has one obvious quality in abundance that gives him an advantage.

And I don't think that the advantage of genuine, frightening pace can be underestimated. Any defender at any level will struggle to cope with it at some point during a game even if not every time he faces it. And its threat will always be on his mind.

Pace isn't the be all and end all, of course, but as qualities go, it counts for more than most other qualities.

I disagree. In attacking positions give me a player with reasonable pace (i.e. not slow) and a good brain over a quick one with no brain any day.

There are so many players slower in a straight line than Lennon who are so much more productive and worth so much more to their teams than Lennon.