2025/26 Harrison Armstrong

[blueboy72]

I don’t have any opinion other than he hasn’t proven he is anywhere near ready for the premier league anytime soon. Which is obviously the view of the coaches since he’s been sent on loan. That doesn’t mean he won’t be ready next year or develop into a very good player. I just haven’t seen strong enough evidence to justify excitement/hype and after 45 years supporting Everton I’ve seen all sorts of youngster hyped up as the next big thing from an early age who haven’t gone on to do much in the game so I always reserve judgement until I see something meaningful in a game against decent opposition. I remember a lad come Browning coming on and doing well for 10 mins in the derby and all the reports were that he was highly rated, best 1v1 defender at the club etc. and people had him pencilled in as our future right back. He vanished without a trace. Anyway I want him to succeed as much as every other fan. I’m just not going to overhype him or say he should be playing ahead of players who are clearly much better than him at the moment I.e Tim Iroegbunam who was also capped for England youth te

He’s clearly a better. Talent than Tim your eyes on just a few appearances should tell you that , Tim is a big lad and can get about the pitch and occasionally can go past a player, but he hasn’t the brain or ability of Armstrong. Villa Tim is 22 and needs to be an Everton regular by the end this season or he will be shown the door imo.

Armstrong has been sent off on loan to get more games and experience, no point him sitting on the bench every week and getting 10 minutes here and there, which is what Tim will be doing, now we’ve signed Rohl that my have dropped Tim further down the pecking order

 

[blueboy72]

It's a big move at 19 moving abroad, he went and got some football and has been snapped up for £2.5m by west brom in January. Experiencing fitting in with new players in a different culture is a brave thing to do. Seems west brom love him. Is 22 in two weeks. Already has 24 senior NIR caps. Cushion volley he scored the other night was class.

No I think price is very good and looked good st 19 and Lampard loved him, but the fact he went Belgium league to the championship, proves my point, he will be in the prem soon, probably at a Fulham or a Brentford type club I’d guess

 

[Rita_Poon]

No I think price is very good and looked good st 19 and Lampard loved him, but the fact he went Belgium league to the championship, proves my point, he will be in the prem soon, probably at a Fulham or a Brentford type club I’d guess

How interesting, seems Ryan Ledson moved on to Huddersfield from Preston this summer as Preston got Armstrong in for midfield.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

He’s clearly a better. Talent than Tim your eyes on just a few appearances should tell you that , Tim is a big lad and can get about the pitch and occasionally can go past a player, but he hasn’t the brain or ability of Armstrong. Villa Tim is 22 and needs to be an Everton regular by the end this season or he will be shown the door imo.

Armstrong has been sent off on loan to get more games and experience, no point him sitting on the bench every week and getting 10 minutes here and there, which is what Tim will be doing, now we’ve signed Rohl that my have dropped Tim further down the pecking order

Not for me. Tim is clearly a much better player at the moment in every way. You're assuming that HA will bridge the gap just because of the age difference but it doesn't necessarily work like that. I thought Tim was one of our best players against Brighton and he has a massive amount of potential if he is developed correctly. He has actually proven he can perform to a very high level in the premier league, obviously he hasn't done it consistently as yet but there are a host of mitigating factors and players can still develop aged 22. Osman for example didn't get much game time for us until he was 23 so Tim still has time to improve.

 

[blueboy72]

Not for me. Tim is clearly a much better player at the moment in every way. You're assuming that HA will bridge the gap just because of the age difference but it doesn't necessarily work like that. I thought Tim was one of our best players against Brighton and he has a massive amount of potential if he is developed correctly. He has actually proven he can perform to a very high level in the premier league, obviously he hasn't done it consistently as yet but there are a host of mitigating factors and players can still develop aged 22. Osman for example didn't get much game time for us until he was 23 so Tim still has time to improve.

Osman was a rarity breaking in at 23, that rarely happens now and it was 20yrs ago, he had a huge injury as a young player and his size possibly held him back, Tim at 22 had a few decent games in the premier, you dont have massive potential at 22 and still be 3rd, 4th or maybe 5th choice. You have massive potential at 18 abd at 22 you’re a regular and in the England reckoning IE Wharton at palace, Anderson at Forest
Harrison is already a better player

 

[blueblue]

We need to remember that Armstrong is still only an eighteen year old boy.
I think there is little or no doubt that if he can stay fit and healthy he will become a very good Premiership footballer. I think it is maybe unclear just yet how high his ceiling can be.

However, as with any young player he will have some poor games he will make bad decisions and could even cost his team points now and then.
A full year playing Championship football at a good level will help improve his overall game and he can come into our squad next season and still be only nineteen. There are not many players of that age playing regularly in the Premiership.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Osman was a rarity breaking in at 23, that rarely happens now and it was 20yrs ago, he had a huge injury as a young player and his size possibly held him back, Tim at 22 had a few decent games in the premier, you dont have massive potential at 22 and still be 3rd, 4th or maybe 5th choice. You have massive potential at 18 abd at 22 you’re a regular and in the England reckoning IE Wharton at palace, Anderson at Forest
Harrison is already a better player

That's nonsense mate. If he was better we would have kept him and he would have started against Brighton. Players can improve later in their careers. KDB had his break through season aged 21. Salah improved exponentially from the age of 25. The idea that you have to do it aged 19/20 is nonsense. Tim has a much higher ceiling than Harrison based on his technical and physical attributes. Harrison seems to have a better mentality/tactical brain. Mentality/tactics are easier to teach than technique/physicality.

 

[hetion]

Just to give a good current example as to why Harrison going on loan at Championship is a good thing and not beneath his level etc (and also how impressive it is to look solid at that level at this age).

Elliot Anderson at 18 was on loan in Bristol Rovers in League Two. Year after that he got minutes here and there with Newcastle, year after that a few more as a squad player, year after that he had his breakout year for Forest and now he's well known as one of the best midfield talents in the league.

That is basically the best-case dream scenario for Armstrong - if he follows the exact path as one of the best midfield talents in the league, he won't be a regular starter for another *three* seasons. Obviously players develop at different rates, but...just a reflection why people can chill about him not being one of our main first-teamers yet.

 

[Rehnman]

That's nonsense mate. If he was better we would have kept him and he would have started against Brighton. Players can improve later in their careers. KDB had his break through season aged 21. Salah improved exponentially from the age of 25. The idea that you have to do it aged 19/20 is nonsense. Tim has a much higher ceiling than Harrison based on his technical and physical attributes. Harrison seems to have a better mentality/tactical brain. Mentality/tactics are easier to teach than technique/physicality.

I like Tim, but Harrison is miles better! Tim's a head down player, Harrison's a head up guy - seeing the game on a completely different level. Tim is never gonna learn that. What he will do is drive forward and press the opposition, which is great, but he'll never make a team tick like Harrison will.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I like Tim, but Harrison is miles better! Tim's a head down player, Harrison's a head up guy - seeing the game on a completely different level. Tim is never gonna learn that. What he will do is drive forward and press the opposition, which is great, but he'll never make a team tick like Harrison will.

He obviously isn’t miles better at the moment. You think he has the potential to be better than Tim in the future but he isn’t better at the moment. If they were both 18 Tim would clearly be the better prospect.

 

[Neiler]

Harrison is good enough to play in the PL in my opinion, that doesn't mean he should or its best for his development.

He's ridiculously young.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Harrison is good enough to play in the PL in my opinion, that doesn't mean he should or its best for his development.

He's ridiculously young.

As a starter? I don’t think so at the moment and he’s not really the type you want coming off the bench.

 

[Neiler]

As a starter? I don’t think so at the moment and he’s not really the type you want coming off the bench.

Ability wise i think hes at that level mate, consistency wise - i don know - i wouldn't expect so - youd expect someone his age to boom and bust - but id have no worries us using him. Hes a Scott Parker or Wharton in my opinion.

The thing that impresses me about Harrison is we keep giving him milestones and he keeps knocking them down....thats very telling. Its different from someone like Gordon were you could see the talent that needed to be coaxed to be realised. He himself failed at a loan at Preston.

So in my opinion is he good enough to be part of our PL squad - sure, at his best he wouldn't look out of place starting in my opinion, though young players will boom and bust - so if he does that over the course of 40 games in the Championship and then develops that week in/week out consistency - that what he needs for his development.

The other thing i like with what we are doing with him is keeping him out of the lime light - by lime light im not talking of the old 90/00s press stuff - more the fans expectations. Take someone like Tom Davies, he was the next big thing and future of the club at one stage here - then within what 5 years he became a joke figure. Its a tough gig - so on that score - i dont think its any harm Harrison playing 40 games at a lower level as opposed to having 15 min positive influential performances for us and everyone clambering for him to start and proclaiming him a future club and country legend.

 

[SuperKev91]

He’s absolutely nowhere near ready for premier league footy. People are going all in here already after a few good glimpses.

Massive potential, incredibly interesting skill set and versatility. 19 and still clearly filling out/finding his best role.

Jesus Christ I hate Evertonians sometimes .

 

[Swartzy]

I don’t have any opinion other than he hasn’t proven he is anywhere near ready for the premier league anytime soon. Which is obviously the view of the coaches since he’s been sent on loan. That doesn’t mean he won’t be ready next year or develop into a very good player. I just haven’t seen strong enough evidence to justify excitement/hype and after 45 years supporting Everton I’ve seen all sorts of youngster hyped up as the next big thing from an early age who haven’t gone on to do much in the game so I always reserve judgement until I see something meaningful in a game against decent opposition. I remember a lad come Browning coming on and doing well for 10 mins in the derby and all the reports were that he was highly rated, best 1v1 defender at the club etc. and people had him pencilled in as our future right back. He vanished without a trace. Anyway I want him to succeed as much as every other fan. I’m just not going to overhype him or say he should be playing ahead of players who are clearly much better than him at the moment I.e Tim Iroegbunam who was also capped for England youth teams.

You can only prove yourself ready for the premier league when you've been given a run in the league to show it..

At the end of the day it all comes down to what moyes see's better for his development, the decision has already been made so we have to trust in moyes. For all we know he might of had a big say in the decision himself..

I wanted him to stay but whatever is best for his progression is the right decision..

If you cant see a talent, than maybe you just don't want to..