Everton Youth Teams Thread

Apparently 5 clean sheets in a row with Feeney and Gibson paired.

....I suppose the problem for Feeney is that the likes of Gibson and Ryan Astley are younger and highly rated. Feeney’s situation could be like Sean O’Hanlon and Peter Clarke who failed to break through at Everton but had long and fruitful careers in the lower leagues. There’s always the example of Shane Duffy.
 
Hahaha I look forward to Hope and Brewster playing for England and getting bought for £19m then mate, must be a matter of time.

Chelsea wanted to keep him by the way, they offered him more money than Liverpool I believe, but he wanted to play. He looked good as a kid, I thought he’d be very good when I saw at that age so you can put me down as someone who can’t pick a player. At least I’ll be in good company on here.

Sorry mate I didn't mean it that way to be having a pop.

Solanke was a very developed lad physically and is at an academy that in truth get very favourable treatment by England youth coaches. There is a certain laziness to it, and a certain inevitability to it (you often visit the same club, get friendly with coaches etc).

It always seemed clear to me when others caught him up he didn't have enough all round game to fully prosper. It's certainly proven that way thus far. Has he even scored a PL goal in the last 2 years?

I doubt Brewster or Hope will be bought for 19 million (which is an insane fee from Howe, one he has a bit of a habit of doing to be honest). In many ways it's the sort of fee that sums up everything that is wrong with English football really. A very ordinary lad, who has only got recognition based primarily upon the two clubs he's played for gets a huge sign on fee. Managers like Howe are stupid enough to pay such fees so potential stars will repeat the same journey and ultimately not fulfil potential.

However while they may not be bought for the same fees, it's the same journey. Absolutely hammering under 18's games due to their strength and speed, but when others catch their development up the lack of technical skill soon catches them out.

It's probably the one worry I have for Simms too. I haven't seen a lot of him this season, but in a pre season match last year I wasn't overly impressed. You could see with a lad like Jeffers for example he had a level of intelligence and composure in front of goal that would translate well. Simms record is outstanding but we do need to be a bit wary of that in my view.

Calvert Lewin has come up the hard way and it shows a bit. I think he works a lot harder than Solanke. I also think he's quicker and more athletic. I don't know if I'd have called that at 18, it would have been a big call and and I doubt I'd have known who Calvert Lewin was. However as soon as I saw him for the first team (I think he was 19) I always felt he'd do ok. I've cautioned against the Kane comparisons which we both agree are ridiculous, but he has something about him that makes him effective.

I don't see it with Solanke at all. It's not even an Everton/Liverpool thing. I've been proven wrong on other players. I've said Curtis Jones was the bets young player I've seen since Barkley (and he has stalled) and also sung the praises of Woodburn (who looks to be flopping). So I get lots wrong too!
 
....I suppose the problem for Feeney is that the likes of Gibson and Ryan Astley are younger and highly rated. Feeney’s situation could be like Sean O’Hanlon and Peter Clarke who failed to break through at Everton but had long and fruitful careers in the lower leagues. There’s always the example of Shane Duffy.

I think the Peter Clarke description fits quite aptly with Feeney unfortunately. The record he has with the 23's is very impressive and he's a leader. Sometimes though that is not always a good sign (I know that seems counter intuitive) but it can often mean a player is playing close to his max already and doesn't have that next jump when he steps up. I was in a similar position myself as a teenager, captained teams, played as a defender but didn't have anything to really mark me out when I went up to mens (at the same level). I kind of got by on my application and attitude.

I compare it to a lad like Holgate who looked to coast through games at the 23's at times but when he then had to go through the gears in the first team he could do so.

It's hard for "decent" defenders to really make that step up. Unless you are physically very quick or tall/strong it's often a struggle. If I look at Gibson and Astley who are 18 months and 3 years younger than him they look like they are going to be much bigger to me. Holgate was quicker and read the game better.

I wish Feeney really well. I'd love to be wrong. At 20 you'd say the time is now (i.e. the next 6 months) to make that impression. Zouma is unlikely to stay (certainly in pre-season) and Jags will be gone. There should be a chance for him to make an impression on the first team and he probably needs to next pre-season.

Similar to Kenny really, 2 years ago, having won the under 23's league when he didn't start as first choice (at a similar age to Feeney is now) I worried for him. Lets see what Feeney can do and hopefully he can prove me wrong. I'd be delighted to see that!
 

Sorry mate I didn't mean it that way to be having a pop.

Solanke was a very developed lad physically and is at an academy that in truth get very favourable treatment by England youth coaches. There is a certain laziness to it, and a certain inevitability to it (you often visit the same club, get friendly with coaches etc).

It always seemed clear to me when others caught him up he didn't have enough all round game to fully prosper. It's certainly proven that way thus far. Has he even scored a PL goal in the last 2 years?

I doubt Brewster or Hope will be bought for 19 million (which is an insane fee from Howe, one he has a bit of a habit of doing to be honest). In many ways it's the sort of fee that sums up everything that is wrong with English football really. A very ordinary lad, who has only got recognition based primarily upon the two clubs he's played for gets a huge sign on fee. Managers like Howe are stupid enough to pay such fees so potential stars will repeat the same journey and ultimately not fulfil potential.

However while they may not be bought for the same fees, it's the same journey. Absolutely hammering under 18's games due to their strength and speed, but when others catch their development up the lack of technical skill soon catches them out.

It's probably the one worry I have for Simms too. I haven't seen a lot of him this season, but in a pre season match last year I wasn't overly impressed. You could see with a lad like Jeffers for example he had a level of intelligence and composure in front of goal that would translate well. Simms record is outstanding but we do need to be a bit wary of that in my view.

Calvert Lewin has come up the hard way and it shows a bit. I think he works a lot harder than Solanke. I also think he's quicker and more athletic. I don't know if I'd have called that at 18, it would have been a big call and and I doubt I'd have known who Calvert Lewin was. However as soon as I saw him for the first team (I think he was 19) I always felt he'd do ok. I've cautioned against the Kane comparisons which we both agree are ridiculous, but he has something about him that makes him effective.

I don't see it with Solanke at all. It's not even an Everton/Liverpool thing. I've been proven wrong on other players. I've said Curtis Jones was the bets young player I've seen since Barkley (and he has stalled) and also sung the praises of Woodburn (who looks to be flopping). So I get lots wrong too!
Sadly mate I think you’re wrong about Curtis Jones's career having stalled, he was by far the RS best player when we beat them 2-0 last month, may have made a 1st team squad recently I think ( I tend to ignore them but that one beat my filter) and just got player of the tournament for England u18 out in Dubai. Roughly the same age as Gordon and much as I like Gordon I’d say Jones is ahead of him . I don’t think even the RS can stall his career, although they’ve made a good job of doing so with Woodburn so far.
 
Sadly mate I think you’re wrong about Curtis Jones's career having stalled, he was by far the RS best player when we beat them 2-0 recently, may have made a 1st team squad recently I think ( I tend to ignore them but that one beat my filter) and just got player of the tournament for England u18 out in Dubai. Roughly the same age as Gordon and much as I like Gordon I’d say Jones is ahead of him . I don’t think even the RS can stall his career, although they’ve made a good job of doing so with Woodburn so far.

I really like Gordon but would probably concede Jones runs the game for sides. He underwhelmed in his first team debut and looked completely overawed. I would imagine the hope was for him to have had more game time at this point as well. I do wonder if he is just dropping off a bit.
 
Sadly mate I think you’re wrong about Curtis Jones's career having stalled, he was by far the RS best player when we beat them 2-0 last month, may have made a 1st team squad recently I think ( I tend to ignore them but that one beat my filter) and just got player of the tournament for England u18 out in Dubai. Roughly the same age as Gordon and much as I like Gordon I’d say Jones is ahead of him . I don’t think even the RS can stall his career, although they’ve made a good job of doing so with Woodburn so far.

Adam Lewis their MOTM in that game for me.
 

Sorry mate I didn't mean it that way to be having a pop.

Solanke was a very developed lad physically and is at an academy that in truth get very favourable treatment by England youth coaches. There is a certain laziness to it, and a certain inevitability to it (you often visit the same club, get friendly with coaches etc).

It always seemed clear to me when others caught him up he didn't have enough all round game to fully prosper. It's certainly proven that way thus far. Has he even scored a PL goal in the last 2 years?

I doubt Brewster or Hope will be bought for 19 million (which is an insane fee from Howe, one he has a bit of a habit of doing to be honest). In many ways it's the sort of fee that sums up everything that is wrong with English football really. A very ordinary lad, who has only got recognition based primarily upon the two clubs he's played for gets a huge sign on fee. Managers like Howe are stupid enough to pay such fees so potential stars will repeat the same journey and ultimately not fulfil potential.

However while they may not be bought for the same fees, it's the same journey. Absolutely hammering under 18's games due to their strength and speed, but when others catch their development up the lack of technical skill soon catches them out.

It's probably the one worry I have for Simms too. I haven't seen a lot of him this season, but in a pre season match last year I wasn't overly impressed. You could see with a lad like Jeffers for example he had a level of intelligence and composure in front of goal that would translate well. Simms record is outstanding but we do need to be a bit wary of that in my view.

Calvert Lewin has come up the hard way and it shows a bit. I think he works a lot harder than Solanke. I also think he's quicker and more athletic. I don't know if I'd have called that at 18, it would have been a big call and and I doubt I'd have known who Calvert Lewin was. However as soon as I saw him for the first team (I think he was 19) I always felt he'd do ok. I've cautioned against the Kane comparisons which we both agree are ridiculous, but he has something about him that makes him effective.

I don't see it with Solanke at all. It's not even an Everton/Liverpool thing. I've been proven wrong on other players. I've said Curtis Jones was the bets young player I've seen since Barkley (and he has stalled) and also sung the praises of Woodburn (who looks to be flopping). So I get lots wrong too!
Solanke may have scored tonight but for me he has been very poor again. He continues to show a complete lack of awareness of those around him and almost every time he wins the initial battle get his head down & charges for goal consistently ignoring better placed team mates inevitably he ends up losing possession or passing it just before he does albeit he has at this point killed the move.

I didn’t see a lot of him at youth level and clearly he is a goal scorer but he just doesn’t seem to be adjusting his game to compensate for no longer having a speed and strength advantage.

He tried it with jagiellka in the derby a while back and got no change consistently making the same mistake trying to outstrenght a stronger opponent he’d be far better working on his movement & awareness.
 
I think the Peter Clarke description fits quite aptly with Feeney unfortunately. The record he has with the 23's is very impressive and he's a leader. Sometimes though that is not always a good sign (I know that seems counter intuitive) but it can often mean a player is playing close to his max already and doesn't have that next jump when he steps up. I was in a similar position myself as a teenager, captained teams, played as a defender but didn't have anything to really mark me out when I went up to mens (at the same level). I kind of got by on my application and attitude.

I compare it to a lad like Holgate who looked to coast through games at the 23's at times but when he then had to go through the gears in the first team he could do so.

It's hard for "decent" defenders to really make that step up. Unless you are physically very quick or tall/strong it's often a struggle. If I look at Gibson and Astley who are 18 months and 3 years younger than him they look like they are going to be much bigger to me. Holgate was quicker and read the game better.

I wish Feeney really well. I'd love to be wrong. At 20 you'd say the time is now (i.e. the next 6 months) to make that impression. Zouma is unlikely to stay (certainly in pre-season) and Jags will be gone. There should be a chance for him to make an impression on the first team and he probably needs to next pre-season.

Similar to Kenny really, 2 years ago, having won the under 23's league when he didn't start as first choice (at a similar age to Feeney is now) I worried for him. Lets see what Feeney can do and hopefully he can prove me wrong. I'd be delighted to see that!


I think the media attention which has popped up around Astley and Gibson as well as the posts in here about them shows at least that they must have a lot of potential.

I think some posters are saying they still need 1-2 years to make the first team squad and others are hoping they get some mins this season.

Id be very happy for them if they can be pushing the backup full backs for a bench spot over the course of next season. That would show great progression.
 

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