Everton Youth Teams Thread

[Lanolin]

Have to disagree. Was top class vs Norwich last season and in the senior pre-season games.

I thought he played quite well against Norwich, but some way short of 'top class'. He was pretty easily outshone by Davies for example, in what was a glorified friendly against a relegated team. In the actual pre season friendlies I saw he was very poor. Not sure if you went to Dresden but both his run outs there were extremely disappointing. I was genuinely more impressed by Conor Grant in those games and he wasn't exactly brilliant.

As I say, i'm not saying the lad won't make it, but I think some people are massively over estimating the level of talent he has. Some players just look quality when you first see them. They don't necessarily do anything per se, but their touch, movement, awareness etc just looks a bit special. My viewings of Dowell haven't given me that feeling. He's reminded me a bit of someone like McAleny, who can absolutely run riot at a lower level (2 football league hat-tricks already is nothing to be sniffed at) but just lacks that real brilliance to shine at the top. I suppose we'll see.

 

[mightymoyes]

On Dowell, I have to say I've not been impressed with him in his senior outings. He's undoubtedly got skill, but he looks to me like the sort of player who revels in the time and space he is afforded in junior football, where you can knock the ball 5 or 6 yard in front of you and run after it, or take 3 players out with a quick drop of the shoulder. When I've seen him against older players he's looked a bit short of genuine class. Those spaces he's used to are getting closed down much quicker, people aren't falling for the little tricks that his peers do.

He's still got plenty of time on his side so I'm not writing him off, but it certainly hasn't surprised me that he's not got a look in this season.

hes only had 1.5!

 

[LinekersLegs]

Must fancy loving in the Netherlands for a bit...

 

[Lanolin]

hes only had 1.5!

No, as I said, I'm talking about him playing against senior players - so including pre-season friendlies etc. I'm not claiming it's an enormous sample size though, simply passing comment on what i've seen of him.

 

[mightymoyes]

No, as I said, I'm talking about him playing against senior players - so including pre-season friendlies etc. I'm not claiming it's an enormous sample size though, simply passing comment on what i've seen of him.

fair enough but pre-season is not a time to make a firm judgement on a player, i've seen plenty look quite decent and go on to have a lower league career at best.

 

[Lanolin]

fair enough but pre-season is not a time to make a firm judgement on a player, i've seen plenty look quite decent and go on to have a lower league career at best.

Totally agree, that's why I keep reiterating that I haven't made such a judgement!

The point was, i'm not at all surprised that we haven't seen him this year. Other than Lukaku I don't think Koeman has been convinced by any of our attacking players this season, and yet he has never even put Dowell on the bench. That tells me that I'm not the only one who hasn't been overwhelmed by what he's got to offer. Personally I think some people are building him up to be something he's not. I think that's a shame for him, because it's as if he's somehow letting people down if he doesn't turn out to be a top class matchwinner.

 

[johnnydawg68]

Dowell might be a player that needs to move on and get challenged at a level where he has more ability than others, but will have to learn how to be a complete player in competitive games, i.e. the Championship.

To be fair most young players don't have the mentality at 18/19 to slot right in. Davies is an exception. He's got a world class brain. That's not a dig at everyone else, it's just true.

Everyone else has to learn on the job moreso. I could easily see Dowell moving on, learning his trade, and then becoming a good PL pro, because the ability is there, the creativity is there, the technique is there. He just needs to mature and learn how to be a pro.

 

[mightymoyes]

Dowell might be a player that needs to move on and get challenged at a level where he has more ability than others, but will have to learn how to be a complete player in competitive games, i.e. the Championship.

To be fair most young players don't have the mentality at 18/19 to slot right in. Davies is an exception. He's got a world class brain. That's not a dig at everyone else, it's just true.

Everyone else has to learn on the job moreso. I could easily see Dowell moving on, learning his trade, and then becoming a good PL pro, because the ability is there, the creativity is there, the technique is there. He just needs to mature and learn how to be a pro.

i doubt we'll move him on without giving him a season on loan first. hope not anyway

 

[johnnydawg68]

i doubt we'll move him on without giving him a season on loan first. hope not anyway

I hope we give them ALL a season on loan before selling. I go back to my statement that you never really know about a player until he actually plays in matches. Lots of them. Not one or two.

 

[Brisan123]

Must fancy loving in the Netherlands for a bit...

Why oh why would any young player sign for Chelsea
More to the point why would their parents let them

 

[blueloon]

Must fancy loving in the Netherlands for a bit...

I'm not a Rangers fan but that is sad news, Billy Gilmour is regarded as the wonderkid of Scottish football. This has been going on for months and they've been striving to hold on to him and keep him out of Chelsea's clutches. Chelsea have got the best u18s in the UK with their current batch so far ahead of our group , but as discussed many times how likely is he to break through to the PL at Chelsea.

 

[colin t]

Why oh why would any young player sign for Chelsea
More to the point why would their parents let them

One word. Big wages.

 

[Brisan123]

One word. Big wages.

And has been said he'll spend 2 years at Chelsea and 4 in Holland and then released or sold.
Chelsea haven't the time or patience to allow youngsters develop in the first team
Mangers last 2/3 years and need instant results not building for the future.
If he had gone to Spurs ,fair enough but not Chelsea

 

[catcherintherye]

I'm not a Rangers fan but that is sad news, Billy Gilmour is regarded as the wonderkid of Scottish football. This has been going on for months and they've been striving to hold on to him and keep him out of Chelsea's clutches. Chelsea have got the best u18s in the UK with their current batch so far ahead of our group , but as discussed many times how likely is he to break through to the PL at Chelsea.

They did the same with a lad from Celtic called Islam feraz I think his name was. Anyway he has not done anything since. There is something massively unedifying seeing wealthier clubs poaching local talent from poorer leagues just to make some loan fees on them. What was shameful was the way the FA greatly reduced compensation values and how UEFA do so little to tackle it. How can Rangers or Celtic (or other Scottish teams expect to compete).

 

[davek]

...he's definitely got a bit of gold dust in his left foot. I love how he delivers a pass behind the back four, sublime. He did that again last night. He's also got a bit of Sheedy about from dead balls and shooting from range. I think he's classy but he does drift out of games.

"La Pausa".

Sorry, I've just finished a book on Argentine football that describes what this lad has to a tee: La Pausa. The ability delay a pass, to delay it waiting for the player he is looking to feed to reach the ideal position to then make the pass.

Of course, he doesn't run 13km per game so he must be rubbish.

Vive le Ronvolucion!