Ayden Heaven image 26

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2025-26 Performances

View full 2025-26 profile

5.5 Season Average Rating
Appearances
14
Clean sheets
3
Goals
0
Assists
1
Yellow cards
2
His positioning for the goal was partly due to not expecting Dalot to be that useless, he’ll learn.
 
i hope his kid spends his whole career with us...
 
Really unfortunate that his only miss-controlled resulting a goal.Other than that, he looked extremely good in one of the most demanding position in defence.

A very good young defender. His reading of the game is insane for such a young centerback.
 
Red00012 said:
I don’t think he expected a Leeds player to be there or Martinez was covering it. They split second decision was costly
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Maybe. He never looked to get going. Martinez would never get there, so that would be incredibly daft. Dalot giving the ball away should always be expected.
 
Rossa said:
Yeah, this one was preventable. Didn’t look very quick either. It’s als on Dalot… how often has Dalot done this exact move? So idiotic.
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You almost have to admire Dalot's confidence. He regularly thinks he can pull off some neat passes through the lines or over the top and they so often lead to dangerous situations for us because he is a bit shit
 
Terrible mistake today but he was still one of our best players. Currently our second best CB.
 
Rossa said:
Error for the goal or just a little slow?
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It was an error - but this is a lad that’s played less than 15 games in men’s football. So it’s going happen. Was very good otherwise, and kept his head afterwards.

As long as he learns from this. Far more experienced players have turned off at the wrong time.
 
Godfather said:
You almost have to admire Dalot's confidence. He regularly thinks he can pull off some neat passes through the lines or over the top and they so often lead to dangerous situations for us because he is a bit shit
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Indeed - there's one who thinks he's at that level, so there's comfort in that. He annoys me because he should be a good player, but he just isn't. Should have been sold some time ago, but if he is still at the club come August then I don't know what to say other than bollocks
 
ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg said:
It was an error - but this is a lad that’s played less than 15 games in men’s football. So it’s going happen. Was very good otherwise, and kept his head afterwards.

As long as he learns from this. Far more experienced players have turned off at the wrong time.
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I think he was mostly very good, and he has has been a most welcome positive surprise in the absence of Maguire and De Ligt. He's very comfortable on the ball and generally looks quite composed. He's also surprisingly good in the air. If that was him running at full pelt, however, I do worry about his pace. I thought he was quite quick. Same with Yoro really...
 
I think he underestimated twice Aaronson. Initially, when the leeds player outmuscled him in the box (Lammens caught it), and then didnt expect he will get outrun by the same player. Very bad reading of the opponent but he will hopefully learn.
 
It’s mad that we’re having to rely on a kid because our entire defence is out injured. But thank god it’s Heaven we’re relying on..
I blame Dalot for the goal, he’s just a bog standard footballer.. it’s about time we get shut and find an upgrade
 
Rossa said:
I think he was mostly very good, and he has has been a most welcome positive surprise in the absence of Maguire and De Ligt. He's very comfortable on the ball and generally looks quite composed. He's also surprisingly good in the air. If that was him running at full pelt, however, I do worry about his pace. I thought he was quite quick. Same with Yoro really...
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I think he misjudged and it was sort of a perfect scuffed through ball. I do think maybe Martinez could have anticipated it a bit better and let's not talk about whatever Dalot was trying to do.

As for his pace, it depends on the situation as I think Heaven has got decent speed in 1 vs 1s because he uses his stride and size well. To beat him, you've got to get around him in those channel spaces (when he gets drawn there) and/or in those pockets in the middle i.e it's not going to be easy against someone as tall, wide and athletically capable with decent positioning as him. Today's incident though is perhaps more about recovery speed and if he's not as switched on/going full pelt from the very first step to the last, then yeah he's probably not as light footed as you'd hope but again not bad at all.

It's a small sample size and I'm definitely over-analysing though. He's a top talent with a well rounded game with lots to also improve on.
 
Thought he had a very good game until the goal and after that he made 3-4 bad mistakes.

He is 19 and is entitled to make mistakes. I am happy with what I am seeing overall. He is quick so not sure what happened in that moment.
 
Unfortunately it feels like he’ll be one of the casualties of the Amorim departure. At least initially. I suspect he’s better in a back 3 and won’t be chosen over Martinez/Yoro/de Ligt/Maguire in the middle of a flat back four. He seems talented and has a good mentality though so hopefully he’ll adapt and keep improving.
 
SparkedIntoLife said:
Unfortunately it feels like he’ll be one of the casualties of the Amorim departure. At least initially. I suspect he’s better in a back 3 and won’t be chosen over Martinez/Yoro/de Ligt/Maguire in the middle of a flat back four. He seems talented and has a good mentality though so hopefully he’ll adapt and keep improving.
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Yoro has been dire all season and de Ligt/Maguire aren't fit. I assume Fletcher will continue with Heaven & Martinez for now.
 
SparkedIntoLife said:
Unfortunately it feels like he’ll be one of the casualties of the Amorim departure. At least initially. I suspect he’s better in a back 3 and won’t be chosen over Martinez/Yoro/de Ligt/Maguire in the middle of a flat back four. He seems talented and has a good mentality though so hopefully he’ll adapt and keep improving.
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Disagree. He was good in a 4, and I think that’s where he’s suited longer term.

In all honestly, the only player who might be a casualty is Shaw.
 
Bwuk said:
Yoro has been dire all season and de Ligt/Maguire aren't fit. I assume Fletcher will continue with Heaven & Martinez for now.
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Heaven, De ligt, and Martinez is a good first 3 CB.
 
That mistake cost us points, but he will learn. That said, I have seen de Light make many mistakes where he a little underestimated some situation which led to goals. Currently like Heaven more than Yoro, who seem way too nice in defending. Hopefully it will push him to play harder. We cannot have a team of nice players, quite contrary. Need a leader in the back to play hard football.
 
Blood Mage said:
Terrible mistake today but he was still one of our best players. Currently our second best CB.
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That's the thing. He fecks up, but he had so many great defensive actions during the game that I trust he has the talent to be a top defender. We have way more experienced defenders that feck up all the time. Shaw, Dalot, Maguire even De Ligt feck up again and again.
 
ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg said:
He reminds me of him. Doesn’t mean he reminds you.
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I just don't see it - same with Yoro and Rio; they are not alike.

Heaven is much more comfortable on the ball than Brown - plays more like a midfielder at CB with the ball; a little like Martinez in that respect, but not seen the long range passing yet. Brown was much more all action - great recovery pace, sliding tackles to make AWB blush, and tough as nails. I feel Heaven is fairly tough, but he's also more refined. Not sure who he reminds me of - not close to Rio physically, but he does use the ball more like him than Brown, imo of course.
 
Rossa said:
I just don't see it - same with Yoro and Rio; they are not alike.

Heaven is much more comfortable on the ball than Brown - plays more like a midfielder at CB with the ball; a little like Martinez in that respect, but not seen the long range passing yet. Brown was much more all action - great recovery pace, sliding tackles to make AWB blush, and tough as nails. I feel Heaven is fairly tough, but he's also more refined. Not sure who he reminds me of - not close to Rio physically, but he does use the ball more like him than Brown, imo of course.
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It’s the tackling, and commitment that reminds me of Brown. I actually think he would be ok as a full back (in the way City have played their centre halves at FB).
 
ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg said:
It’s the tackling, and commitment that reminds me of Brown. I actually think he would be ok as a full back (in the way City have played their centre halves at FB).
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I suppose, but I always feel he's more controlled than Brown who really was all action - loved his playing style, btw.

I'm very unsure about Heaven's pace - he looked slow against Leeds, not just for the goal, but he was easily outpaced just thereafter as well. Gvardiol and Ake are both fast over distance if not Walker fast. There is a bit of bite in Heaven though, and I liked how well he dealt with Calvert-Lewin for the most part - not an easy player to control. Martinez also, btw, managed that impressively.
 
Rossa said:
Currently, I mean if we are being pedantic, then probably after Martinez as Maguire and De Ligt are injured, so if they were to play, they currently wouldn't be that great.
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Maybe you should have included fit... in that sense sure
 
Rossa said:
I suppose, but I always feel he's more controlled than Brown who really was all action - loved his playing style, btw.

I'm very unsure about Heaven's pace - he looked slow against Leeds, not just for the goal, but he was easily outpaced just thereafter as well. Gvardiol and Ake are both fast over distance if not Walker fast. There is a bit of bite in Heaven though, and I liked how well he dealt with Calvert-Lewin for the most part - not an easy player to control. Martinez also, btw, managed that impressively.
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I think both Heaven and Brown have a somewhat duly committed/ reckless element to them. Which is great when it comes off…

I thought Heaven looked quicker last year, but does currently appear to be slower. Perhaps fatigue given he’s played back to back games and he’s not used to it. Perhaps he’s just a bit slow?

Martinez has done very well in the games he’s started since his return. I’m not his biggest fan, but I’ve been very impressed. Long may it continue.
 
ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg said:
I think both Heaven and Brown have a somewhat duly committed/ reckless element to them. Which is great when it comes off…

I thought Heaven looked quicker last year, but does currently appear to be slower. Perhaps fatigue given he’s played back to back games and he’s not used to it. Perhaps he’s just a bit slow?

Martinez has done very well in the games he’s started since his return. I’m not his biggest fan, but I’ve been very impressed. Long may it continue.
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Fatigue may actually be part of it, or simply poorer physical form? We have this preconceived idea that a player is at the same physical level at all times. If not, they have lost pace, but it can just be a temporary thing.

Either way, a Brown or not a Brown - I still think he looks a very promising player. I think he's a little beyond being considered a prospect at this stage. I do wonder if going back to a back four will limit his playing time considerably, however.
 
Rossa said:
Fatigue may actually be part of it, or simply poorer physical form? We have this preconceived idea that a player is at the same physical level at all times. If not, they have lost pace, but it can just be a temporary thing.

Either way, a Brown or not a Brown - I still think he looks a very promising player. I think he's a little beyond being considered a prospect at this stage. I do wonder if going back to a back four will limit his playing time considerably, however.
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Logically we might think it would limit his minutes. De Ligt I would expect to be first choice when fit. But perhaps Heaven/ Martinez might get time in midfield, the other beside De Ligt or also perhaps some time at left back.

It’s starting to look like it’s more competitive at the back (assuming we play with a back 4).
 
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