U18s | Sunderland vs Manchester United

Nicklas

Full Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
611
Finally some U18s! Is Gomes with the u18 or u23 now days?
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,744
 

lysglimt

Full Member
Scout
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Messages
15,286
Chong has looked good - going forward we look ok. Defensively we have been awful
 

AltiUn

likes playing with swords after fantasies
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
23,633
Do we have big hopes for any out of this bunch?
Greenwood, Chong, Puigmal, Galbraith, O'Connor and Baars, plus Traore who isn't playing. Talented bunch.
 

Beachryan

More helpful with spreadsheets than Phurry
Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
11,691
How old is Chong? Looks physically ahead of the rest, as well as technically.

Must be close to the U23s?
 

The Man Himself

asked for a tagline change and all I got was this.
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
22,406
The through ball was fantastic. Great first touch and finishing by Chong too.
 

KM

I’m afraid I just blue myself
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
49,744
How old is Chong? Looks physically ahead of the rest, as well as technically.

Must be close to the U23s?
He got a serious injury last season. I think he'd have already been in U21 if not for that.
 

lysglimt

Full Member
Scout
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Messages
15,286
O'Connor and Chong should be moved up fairly quickly - they are too good for this level.
 

POF

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
3,798
Yeah he’s just a proper footballer, can see him becoming a top-class right back.

Where was Aidan Barlow?
I really rate O'Connor too. I don't understand why he is playing so much football at centre back though. Unless he has a McTominay like growth spurt he has zero chance of having a top class career in that position.

As a right back he has great potential yet hardly ever plays there. Hopefully he will move up to the u23s and get a run of games there.
 

TwoSheds

More sheds (and tiles) than you, probably
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
12,985
I really rate O'Connor too. I don't understand why he is playing so much football at centre back though. Unless he has a McTominay like growth spurt he has zero chance of having a top class career in that position.

As a right back he has great potential yet hardly ever plays there. Hopefully he will move up to the u23s and get a run of games there.
Really? He ain't super tall and I also think he's best at RB, but he's hardly short and he's still a good defender. There've been plenty of good centre halves over the years who weren't the tallest. Aggression and ability are just as important. For example, I was always a huge fan of Ayala and he was only 5'10 (first thing in the morning!). Think Baresi and Cannavaro were even shorter.
 

POF

Full Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
3,798
Really? He ain't super tall and I also think he's best at RB, but he's hardly short and he's still a good defender. There've been plenty of good centre halves over the years who weren't the tallest. Aggression and ability are just as important. For example, I was always a huge fan of Ayala and he was only 5'10 (first thing in the morning!). Think Baresi and Cannavaro were even shorter.
Ayala, Baresi and Cannavaro (Mascherano too) were outliers. They were exceptional defensive talents. Importantly, how many examples have there been in England? Jose couldn't get Blind out of centre back fast enough and Gary Neville was always seen as a centre back but in the end wasn't tall enough.

My biggest worry is that he turns into one of these solid dependable reserve players who can't make the step up. Someone like Joe Riley. The defensive elements of full back are very positional and the attacking demands of the position are greater now than ever before. I don't think he'll develop either playing every game at centre back.