The Spurs Youth Thread – 2016/2017

[Bus-Conductor]

Missed the whole game. Kinda glad I did. We were always underdogs but any team that loses 7-1, no matter who its against, has had a very, very bad day. I hope McDermott is handing out a few home truths.

I haven't seen the second leg either but going by the first leg, one of the home truths is that as a collective our group was nowhere near as tactically well prepared as theirs were.

 

[kmk]

Harry Redknapp mocks Chelsea after youth team hammer Tottenham with 7-1 win

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/18/harry...tottenham-with-7-1-win-6518947/#ixzz4bj9eZ7fa

Harry Redknapp has aimed a dig at Chelsea after their Under-18s reached the final of the Youth Cup with a 7-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday.

Jody Morris’ side comfortably brushed Spurs aside at Stamford Bridge as Ike Ugbo netted a hat-trick, while Trevoh Chalobah, Dujon Sterling, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Juan Castillo also found the target.

Chelsea have won the Youth Cup in four out of the last five seasons, but Redknapp has criticised the club for their failure to produce players for the first-team.

‘Fantastic, it’s amazing, I’m sure they’ll all make it into the first team one day at Chelsea, I’ve got no doubt about that,’ the former Tottenham boss sarcastically told BT Sport after learning about Chelsea’s 7-1 win.

‘Every year they win it, but they don’t get a player come through.

‘John Terry was the last player to come through, who else have they really produced?

‘They have all these great kids, they loan them all out.

‘You’re going to have to be an absolute world-beater, that’s the only thing I can say to them [the players].

‘Man City and Chelsea, every year, when are we going to find some players from those teams?’

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I think there's a fair bit of envy where Chelsea's academy to first team record is concerned. They have effectively had their "Kane" for the last 8/9 years in Terry.

Apart from Kane, who had already arrived under Sherwood (and given games by Redknapp &AVB before), not a single academy player has been established as a first team player by Pochettino. Winks is on the verge, but he's started what, one/two PL games ? Chelsea have given more starts to academy players I believe.

I understand the need to ultimately develop the individual talent, but I don't believe you have to sacrifice tactical awareness and understanding of collective cohesion to do that, and the thing I loved about our academy 3 or 4 years ago (particularly when Inglethorpe was around) was that while it was producing Kane, Bentaleb, Carroll, Pritchard, Smith, KWP, Onomah, Winks all PL quality footballers IMO (or will be), it also seemed to produce winning teams (the Carroll team won the u21 league) with good tactical awareness and collective understanding.

Watching this Chelsea youth team I'd have no problem advising my kid to go there, they seem to be continually produce talented individuals who work their bollocks off in a tactically proficient way. So even if they don't make it for the wealthy champions (which is always economically less viable in any major league) they will probably still end up finding their way to decent careers, which is still an achievement for any academy kid.

You can't judge an academy just on the amount of exceptional players, as they would almost certainly make it to the surface anyway, no matter where they grow up - Edwards would be Edwards if he was at somewhere like Palace, in fact, he might make it even quicker. I personally think we've wasted players like Veljkovic and Bentaleb and are not progressing outstanding players like KWP, Onomah and Edwards as quickly as some clubs would or they would if they were French or German.

I understsnd the economics involved, but as @Blake Griffin pointed out, and French football continually proves, producing your own can be very, very profitable, financially and in s footballing sense.

 

[Mattspur]

Chelsea have a player called Abraham? They've got to stick him in the first team. Him and Moses would be a partnership of biblical proportions.

 

[danielneeds]

I think there's a fair bit of envy where Chelsea's academy to first team record is concerned. They have effectively had their "Kane" for the last 8/9 years in Terry.

Apart from Kane, who had already arrived under Sherwood (and given games by Redknapp &AVB before), not a single academy player has been established as a first team player by Pochettino. Winks is on the verge, but he's started what, one/two PL games ? Chelsea have given more starts to academy players I believe.

I understand the need to ultimately develop the individual talent, but I don't believe you have to sacrifice tactical awareness and understanding of collective cohesion to do that, and the thing I loved about our academy 3 or 4 years ago (particularly when Inglethorpe was around) was that while it was producing Kane, Bentaleb, Carroll, Pritchard, Smith, KWP, Onomah, Winks all PL quality footballers IMO (or will be), it also seemed to produce winning teams (the Carroll team won the u21 league) with good tactical awareness and collective understanding.

Watching this Chelsea youth team I'd have no problem advising my kid to go there, they seem to be continually produce talented individuals who work their bollocks off in a tactically proficient way. So even if they don't make it for the wealthy champions (which is always economically less viable in any major league) they will probably still end up finding their way to decent careers, which is still an achievement for any academy kid.

You can't judge an academy just on the amount of exceptional players, as they would almost certainly make it to the surface anyway, no matter where they grow up - Edwards would be Edwards if he was at somewhere like Palace, in fact, he might make it even quicker. I personally think we've wasted players like Veljkovic and Bentaleb and are not progressing outstanding players like KWP, Onomah and Edwards as quickly as some clubs would or they would if they were French or German.

I understsnd the economics involved, but as @Blake Griffin pointed out, and French football continually proves, producing your own can be very, very profitable, financially and in s footballing sense.

But you can't compare a French team and a PL team - the fact that the French league is an exporting league is what's makes youth production so vital but also easier to accomplish - spots open up in the 1st team all the time.

 

[chinaman]

Chelsea have a player called Abraham? They've got to stick him in the first team. Him and Moses would be a partnership of biblical proportions.

And we have got our own Moosa (Moses).

 

[Cornpattbuck]

It's quite clear that the Chelsea youth teams have developed a bit of a fear factor amongst the rest. Other teams are just intimidated by them, and it lets them play with freedom and show their quality.

In the end though you can have as many youth trophies as you want - but having Kane and Winks shining in the first team is priceless.

Physically their youth teams over the last few years have always looked like mainly full grown men. Our lads, even the Onomahs, have generally looked like kids in comparison. Feels a bit iffy sometimes... almost Russian gymnastics if you get my drift.

 

[yankspurs]

Physically their youth teams over the last few years have always looked like mainly full grown men. Our lads, even the Onomahs, have generally looked like kids in comparison. Feels a bit iffy sometimes... almost Russian gymnastics if you get my drift.

Chinese gymnastics would be the better comparison. Still stunned they used like 10 year old girls in 08 and got away with it

 

[ralphs bald spot]

I don't watch as much youth football
as you obviously do - but is shutting up shop something these lads can do?

No is the answer - one of the things the kids have to learn is the management of games - its not normal behaviour for the kids to kill games more often than not they will chase another goal

 

[ralphs bald spot]

There was an excellent article on the BBC about the battle for youth supremacy in Manchester - City have taken over and offer their kids not only excellent football opportunities but a top education as well at a top private school. United can't compete with that. I am not sure but I would guess Chelsea have a similar model.

I thought Chelsea were outstanding in both games both technically and physically. People are naive to believe that these players won't progress its a matter of time before Chelsea have a regular starter from their youth ranks

Looking at our boys and its unfair to judge on two games and I saw them a couple of times early in the season but they never struck me as being an outstanding team compared with previous intakes and results have shown that over the season. But you still don't know how they will progress moving on as ever its always interesting to see them progress or otherwise

 

[coy-spurs1882]

just look at josh mceachran and gael kakuta, typical career pathways for chelscum youngsters

 

[Vincent30]

Chelsea probably have the best youth team in Europe, but how much do players learn from dominating every team and winning by such margins all the time. Ok it looks good on paper. But i remember when i was younger you learn so much more from the defeats and that's what puts the fire in your belly.

Like others will continue to say, they can win this cup every year, but if none of those players make it in the starting 11 of the senior squad then what have they really won, it's all about progression and to date we are the ones currently winning in that department. I have to admit there CB, Chalobah, was the main guy that stood out as the one who has the best chance. Very impressive CB at that level. But time will tell.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

But you can't compare a French team and a PL team - the fact that the French league is an exporting league is what's makes youth production so vital but also easier to accomplish - spots open up in the 1st team all the time.

I didn't compare them, I merely used them as an example of how it can be beneficial both financially and in a footballing sense - just look at what teams like Monaco have done - knocked out two top 3 PL teams from Europe, inc one of the richest, highest spending clubs in the world.

I understand completely that economic necessity is a major driving factor in France - but we are also a sustainably run club with a near zero net spend transfer policy (or aim to be) so those economics can and do apply to us to a degree.

 

[danielneeds]

I didn't compare them, I merely used them as an example of how it can be beneficial both financially and in a footballing sense - just look at what teams like Monaco have done - knocked out two top 3 PL teams from Europe, inc one of the richest, highest spending clubs in the world.

I understand completely that economic necessity is a major driving factor in France - but we are also a sustainably run club with a near zero net spend transfer policy (or aim to be) so those economics can and do apply to us to a degree.

I get where you are coming from but in the French league you can afford to have three or four boys in your side and turn them into men as you go - it's just not possible in the PL. You need a young player to have either the physical or mental attributes of a seasoned pro when they come into the side, preferably both.

Monaco have done something beautiful through good scouting, good academy and again opening up spots by selling players like Martial, Yannick Carrasco, Kurzawa, etc... While we are keeping our best players the pathway for youngsters is more difficult.

 

[For the love of Spurs]

Chelsea probably have the best youth team in Europe, but how much do players learn from dominating every team and winning by such margins all the time. Ok it looks good on paper. But i remember when i was younger you learn so much more from the defeats and that's what puts the fire in your belly.

Like others will continue to say, they can win this cup every year, but if none of those players make it in the starting 11 of the senior squad then what have they really won, it's all about progression and to date we are the ones currently winning in that department. I have to admit there CB, Chalobah, was the main guy that stood out as the one who has the best chance. Very impressive CB at that level. But time will tell.

Chalobah seems to have improved a lot, saw him about 1-2 seasons ago for the England U21 and he was absolutely terrible, by a mile the worst player that game. Alex Pritchard got injured but prior to his injury he looked the businesses, now he is down playing at Norwich.

It's very hard to assess how players will graduate to the top level, Onomah was picked for stardom yet it's Winks who looks the most comfortable. The thing with Chelsea youth teams in general as well is they all look like units, it's easy to bully at youth level, harder in the adult game.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I get where you are coming from but in the French league you can afford to have three or four boys in your side and turn them into men as you go - it's just not possible in the PL. You need a young player to have either the physical or mental attributes of a seasoned pro when they come into the side, preferably both.

Monaco have done something beautiful through good scouting, good academy and again opening up spots by selling players like Martial, Yannick Carrasco, Kurzawa, etc... While we are keeping our best players the pathway for youngsters is more difficult.

It's at least as possible and viable as spending vast sums on ordinary or flawed players or ones that don't fit a system, which PL clubs do perpetually.

 

[danielneeds]

Chalobah seems to have improved a lot, saw him about 1-2 seasons ago for the England U21 and he was absolutely terrible, by a mile the worst player that game. Alex Pritchard got injured but prior to his injury he looked the businesses, now he is down playing at Norwich.

It's very hard to assess how players will graduate to the top level, Onomah was picked for stardom yet it's Winks who looks the most comfortable. The thing with Chelsea youth teams in general as well is they all look like units, it's easy to bully at youth level, harder in the adult game.

It's a different Chalobah mate, the one that played the other day is Trevoh, Nathaniel's young bro.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

Chalobah seems to have improved a lot, saw him about 1-2 seasons ago for the England U21 and he was absolutely terrible, by a mile the worst player that game. Alex Pritchard got injured but prior to his injury he looked the businesses, now he is down playing at Norwich.

It's very hard to assess how players will graduate to the top level, Onomah was picked for stardom yet it's Winks who looks the most comfortable. The thing with Chelsea youth teams in general as well is they all look like units, it's easy to bully at youth level, harder in the adult game.

As far as Chalnoah is concerned it might be that he is actually his younger brother

 

[ralphs bald spot]

Chalobah seems to have improved a lot, saw him about 1-2 seasons ago for the England U21 and he was absolutely terrible, by a mile the worst player that game. Alex Pritchard got injured but prior to his injury he looked the businesses, now he is down playing at Norwich.

It's very hard to assess how players will graduate to the top level, Onomah was picked for stardom yet it's Winks who looks the most comfortable. The thing with Chelsea youth teams in general as well is they all look like units, it's easy to bully at youth level, harder in the adult game.

mate they did not bully Spurs they ere better technically and physically there was miles in the to sides and though that doesn't preclude some of our youngsters making individual improvements it should be of concern

 

[spursfan77]

Just seen the score. That's not good is it.