Possible U21 side

[billycopper]

Howard
Browning Stones Galloway Garbutt (oa)
Besic (oa)
Ledson Barkley McAleny
Lukaku (oa) Henen
​

It's great to see Roberto trying to make our U21 side as competitive as possible. In theory we could put out a strong side in the U21 Premier League. The rules are that the 'keeper can be overage and so can three of the outfield players.

Garbutt, Besic and Lukaku are already 21 but I've included them as overage players to show what a good, young side we're building for the future. Kennedy, Lundstram, Hope and Long would also be eligible.

Atsu, if he joins is 22. McCarthy is 23. And Oviedo is 24.

I guess it's every club's ambition to buy as few players as possible. If things go to plan there aren't too many areas that we will need to strengthen for a long time into the future and we can save our money either for bolstering the youth set up or for special player who can go straight into the first-team.

 

[chicoazul]

@Zatara

 

[toffeejack]

umm, wouldn't have been better to state you good our youthful first team is looking?

 

[billycopper]

umm, wouldn't have been better to state you good our youthful first team is looking?

I wanted to see how many of our players would qualify for the U21's because I think it's sometimes forgotten how young players like Lukaku and Barkley are. Besic is coming in as a first-team player and an international too but he only just qualifies as an overage player.

Adversely we have players like Duffy, who is older than pretty much all of them, has captained the u21 side and gained good experience in the Championship but still seems to be some way away from pushing himself into our starting XI.

 

[messymascot]

McAleny is over age as well. Our squad is quite strange 9 players over 30 and a lot under 25 not many peak age players between 25 and 30. Probably the nature of our finances we have to by players with potential not finished articles.

 

[billycopper]

McAleny is over age as well. Our squad is quite strange 9 players over 30 and a lot under 25 not many peak age players between 25 and 30. Probably the nature of our finances we have to by players with potential not finished articles.

True. Just reminding myself who the over 30's are: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Barry, Osman, Pienaar, Alcaraz (I thought he was late 20's actually) and Kone.

• Howard has still got years left in him.
• I was a bit surprised that Hibbo was offered a new contract and surely he will be overtaken in the pecking order by Browning before too long.
• Jags in 5 years younger than Distin, so there is no reason to fear that age will catch up with him.
• I would imagine that this is Sylvain's last season and that Stones will take over from him.
• It would seem that having McCarthy and Besic in the squad will mean that we can use Barry sparingly and prolong his career.
• Ditto Ossie. I think that he'll get squeezed out and become more of a squad man.
• I can see Pienaar coming into the middle, where he won't have to chase back to protect his fullback.
• Alcaraz will probably only ever be a squad man.
• Same with Kone.

Baines, McGeady, Mirallas and Naismith are the only players in their peak. I think the vogue at the moment is for the big clubs to hoover up young talent and we couldn't afford to speculate several million pounds on players who might not realise their potential, especially at the expense of investing in the first-team. I think Stones is our most expensive unproven acquisition.

We could pick up more players like McGeady and Naismith cheaply but I think that Roberto is consciously looking to build a young side, which can grow together and collectively hit their peak at the same time. His philosophy might well be that it's easier to train and develop younger players and that we won't have to refresh the squad so often. I don't think that it's been left to chance.

 

[allen]

McAleny is over age as well. Our squad is quite strange 9 players over 30 and a lot under 25 not many peak age players between 25 and 30. Probably the nature of our finances we have to by players with potential not finished articles.

Personally, I think this is exactly what Roberto is going for.

He's building a young side - but youngsters need to learn from seasoned pros. The most seasoned pros, the ones they can learn most from, are those coming to the end of their careers.

I think that's why he's signed Barry. He's great as a player - but his experience is so valuable.

 

[billycopper]

Personally, I think this is exactly what Roberto is going for.

He's building a young side - but youngsters need to learn from seasoned pros. The most seasoned pros, the ones they can learn most from, are those coming to the end of their careers.

I think that's why he's signed Barry. He's great as a player - but his experience is so valuable.

I was a little bit surprised that we offered such a long contract to a player of his age when clubs like Chelsea and United are trying to offload their over thirties. I agree that he's going for balance though and that the team around him will get younger and younger.

I would imagine that Roberto's first season in charge was about bedding in his principles and that our tactics will become progressively more sophisticated. I can see Barry dropping deeper to play between the centrebacks and McCarthy becoming more of a box to box midfielder. And the emergence of Garbutt would seem to hasten Baines' positional switch into the middle.

The older players will give us solidity while the evolution is slowly taking place. Then, as the youngsters enter their prime, they will have grown up with it and it will be second nature to them.