Everton Youth Teams Thread

[catcherintherye]

....i’m more encouraged if i’m wrong, but a few times i’ve not been convinced of him with balls above his head. He got completely lost with a floaty cross down the Park End at a recent game and only just missed the far post.

Hopefully you’re right.

It's his lack of size for me. It sounds harsh but I always like bigger goalkeepers. It's funny as football has almost come back on itself a bit recently as you are seeing a few more smaller keepers, but for me I'm always happier to see a much bigger lad in goal.

That being said this lad has done very well and can hopefully become a good number 2 next season.

 

[catcherintherye]

Have not we spent 10m on 2 players?

We have definitely spent more than we are used to on the academy, however don't be fooled that academies like Liverpool, Chelsea and to a degree City are not doling out contracts to 16/17 year olds that are not far off pro contracts in terms of benefits. Our outlay is a lot smaller than theirs.

 

[catcherintherye]

i was reminded the other day when Zatara liked my post in the Lewis Gibson thread of something I wrote back last July
: “


This was before we bought Digne, an outstanding buy , and I thought he’d maybe get game time as Baines ‘s back up late season. There’s still a chance for Gibson this season, Silva made a thing about Lookman’s attitude in training being a reason for not giving him more game time, so far on the pitch Gibson’s play and attitude have been spot on so hopefully that translates well when training with the first team . He’s obviously nowhere near being able to challenge Digne or replace Baines this season, but he appears to be robust and talented enough to hold his own. Silva’s not going to be foolish and promote somebody who’s not ready , but it would be a great message to send to the other youngsters if Gibson does well in training and gets some first team minutes this season

It looks a great call to be fair mate.

In all honesty I didn't see it with Gibson until more recently. I don't get to watch the younger lads anywhere near as much now (change of job/circumstances) so I suspect that's part of it. I'd also say the under 23's were chaotically run last season and that didn't help anyone.

The defensive record has been fantastic this season though and is great credit to the lads at the back. I know a lot said it was down to Browning, but he's gone and we are just as solid (if not more so).

What I will say though, is there is a bit of an aura about Gibson now that generally comes with good players. In how people talk about him in the press, and in how he carries himself/things he says.

 

[Eggs]

It's his lack of size for me. It sounds harsh but I always like bigger goalkeepers. It's funny as football has almost come back on itself a bit recently as you are seeing a few more smaller keepers, but for me I'm always happier to see a much bigger lad in goal.

That being said this lad has done very well and can hopefully become a good number 2 next season.

....yep, I like a towering keeper and this lad looks similar size to Pickford (perhaps a bit taller).

 

[mightymoyes]

...yep, I remember vividly the Newcastle fans were fuming at the time. £6m was the fee quoted. It did surprise me that he left. I appreciate we must’ve paid him a very tidy signing fee, and I dare say his salary is high but it was a major move for a young lad from that area. It makes sense that things were not to pleasant at Newcastle.

Being realistic, paying decent money for a youngster must have an impact on the course of action a club take on a player. They probably get more time to prove themselves over regular Academy players to enable a return on investment. Fortunately, Gibson looks to have ability to match the £, and £6m could prove to be shrewd business.

The 6m quoted will likely be made up of various add ons. If we've paid the full 6m it will be a sign he's been a massive success

 

[Dario Terracotta]

....i’m more encouraged if i’m wrong, but a few times i’ve not been convinced of him with balls above his head. He got completely lost with a floaty cross down the Park End at a recent game and only just missed the far post.

Hopefully you’re right.

I know what you mean Eggs,I think I saw the same incident, however I have to say this kid has impressed me in the main how he has dealt with centres/crosses,I know it's not the first team but already in this aspect I feel he is more assured than Pickford,have heard he will be our No:2 keeper next season too.

 

[alwaysblue]

It's his lack of size for me. It sounds harsh but I always like bigger goalkeepers. It's funny as football has almost come back on itself a bit recently as you are seeing a few more smaller keepers, but for me I'm always happier to see a much bigger lad in goal.

That being said this lad has done very well and can hopefully become a good number 2 next season.

Apparently he's 1.92m or 6'3" in old money.
Transfermarkt

 

[summerisle]

....yep, I like a towering keeper and this lad looks similar size to Pickford (perhaps a bit taller).

Virginia - 1.92m, (about 6' 3")
Pickford - 1.85m,(about 6' 1")

 

[mightymoyes]

Good words about feeney from Unsworth

The inside story of Everton's Premier League 2 title win

Everton's under-23s clinched the title on Monday night

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

 

[catcherintherye]

Virginia - 1.92m, (about 6' 3")
Pickford - 1.85m,(about 6' 1")

He doesn't look 6 foot 3 I have to say.

 

[Eggs]

.

Virginia - 1.92m, (about 6' 3")
Pickford - 1.85m,(about 6' 1")

He doesn't look 6 foot 3 I have to say.

.....that’s encouraging as is @Nymzee and @Dario Terracotta comments, he’s only a youngster and keepers do mature with age. I’d expect him to step up to be no2 next season.

I did think looking at him last night that he was bigger than I first thought.

 

[blueloon]

....yep, I like a towering keeper and this lad looks similar size to Pickford (perhaps a bit taller).

I’m with Nymzee on this , I think Virginia is our best young keeper for ages, all be it that Hewelt before him was hopeless in terms of dealing with crosses so Virginia had to be better. Apart from those games screened live we get to see the goals highlights, and I think in recent months while we haven’t let in many there have been goals where Astley, Gibson and Feeney have looked at fault, I may be harsh in that assessment, but heh they are all young defenders learning their trade. I can’t recall any where Virginia has made a significant mistake , which is good for one so young .....and having just watched De Gea make an horrendous mistake.
His distribution is excellent, and as well as accuracy he was getting as much length on his kicks last night as anybody I’ve seen at Goodison. A couple of decent games at the next Euros and we’ll sell Pickford for £80 mill and young Joao will be stepping up

 

[Cameron Manning]

I had a look into this “£6 mill” for Gibson last year. The background is he was the 17 yr old star of their youth set up at the time, but under Peter Beardsley things were not so good , but not public. We could have got him cheap under a tribunal type system deciding the fee but there was a lot of interest in him. So we decided to make a decent offer. I’m lead to believe we paid “ around about £1 mill down payment” plus add ons. Newcastle fans who knew of him were far from happy that they were allowing him to leave, the “£6mill” fee seems to have come from the Newcastle side to placate their fans.
I’m happy to admit I don’t know the exact figures , but I’m comfortable with my version. Similarly, I don’t believe we paid £4 mill for the then unknown Josh Bowler . I suspect both figures will be bandied about in the future as Gibson and Bowler hit the headlines.

I’m sure the £6M quoted at the time of Gibson’s signing stated that this is what he could eventually cost Everton, with add ons concerning future first team appearances, international caps etc, etc. If that version is true I hope we finish up paying that amount.

 

[Cameron Manning]

Title winner's dreams, learning from Zouma & catching Silva's eye

EXCLUSIVE: Lewis Gibson conducted a wide-ranging interview with the ECHO ahead of Everton's Premier League 2 title victory

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Thanks mightymoyes, a great read, mostly about a young down to earth lad, talking about himself and his ambitions to do well for himself and Everton, looks like a future Everton captain to me, and he hasn’t got an ounce of vanity in him, good look Lewis, look forward to see you very soon in the first eleven.

 

[blueloon]

We have definitely spent more than we are used to on the academy, however don't be fooled that academies like Liverpool, Chelsea and to a degree City are not doling out contracts to 16/17 year olds that are not far off pro contracts in terms of benefits. Our outlay is a lot smaller than theirs.

I think this is partly due to having comparatively poor Scholars in the past three years, fewer have moved up successfully to even U23s, so we’ve bought in to fill the gaps. Of last nights starting 11 only four came through our Academy, Broadhead 2014, Feeney ‘15, Hornby 16 ( and he came to us from Northampton at14/15 ish) , Astley 2018. You could count in Gordon , 2017, who I think should have started. But it’s clear that we’ve been getting only 2or3 per year coming through to U23s level whereas in the Kenny/ Williams and the Davies/ Dowell year’s we had 6 or 7 per season . I think our current u18s will redress the balance in future years, hopefully backed up by some astute Brands signings.