The Youth Thread

[Ebeneezer Goode]

FA Youth Cup semi final first leg between Spurs and Chelsea is on ITV4 tonight, 7:45 ko.

 

[Whitechapel]

Adam Johnson, always giving back to the community. Top bloke.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Chelsea got beat 2-0. Onomah and Sterling with the goals. 26 players featured, 22 of them eligible to play for England.

 

[Humongous Fungus]

Kinda irks me though that just being trained in England basically makes you English.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

I only put eligible because Boga is eligible despite being French, and a few of them have represented other countries at youth level despite being English. The vast majority were English born and raised.

 

[BlueBee]

You're telling my Chelsea are trying to develop young English talent? Chelsea? Pffft.

 

[Madejski]

Watched some of the game, was very impressed by Spurs' right back Kyle Walker-Peters. Looks like he could be better than his near namesake..

 

[BlueBee]

Return leg being played now....Chelsea currently 4-1 up....Spurs fans singing 'Everywhere we go' at a youth cup game. Just when you think their fan base couldn't any more small time.

 

[mase]

Return leg being played now....Chelsea currently 4-1 up....Spurs fans singing 'Everywhere we go' at a youth cup game. Just when you think their fan base couldn't any more small time.

Both sets of fans are small time and cringey tbf. You lot with your shitty plastic flags and shit chants, them with their stupid DVD's when they beat Arsenal every now and again.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Colkett was classy again. Wonder which Championship clubs he'll be stagnating at in a few years time.

 

[BlueBee]

Both sets of fans are small time and cringey tbf. You lot with your shitty plastic flags and shit chants, them with their stupid DVD's when they beat Arsenal every now and again.

Ahhh Oxford United....how cute.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

 

[mase]

Ahhh Oxford United....how cute.

Point still stands though, you have plastic flags and your one chant of 'Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea' is shite. You're as small time as Spuds when it comes to a fanbase.

 

[BlueBee]

I've been to your stadium...it's no better than Northampton Town Sixfields.

 

[Tilbury]

Jose: 'Next season Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be competing for a first team position. At the moment we are protecting him.'

 

[BlueBee]

Great if true. Problem is he said it was youth day when we played Sporting Lisbon in the Champions league and he ended up bring RLC on for 10 minutes at the end. It was ridiculous.

I think we have a fairly good chance of seeing RLC, Lewis Baker and Patrick Bamford in a Chelsea shirt. They may not end up being starters for us but they have the potential to be very good squad players.

 

[Tilbury]

Competing probably does just mean more bench sitting and the odd cameo unfortunately.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

I don't see Baker making it at Chelsea. He's talented but would need to be top class to get games in his position. Bamford I think will probably be cashed in on, and RLC could be left out in the cold if Chelsea do go after Pogba.

 

[Tilbury]

Really hoping Boro come up, a season in the premier league would be great for Bamford.

 

[mase]

I've been to your stadium...it's no better than Northampton Town Sixfields.

I've been to both, ours is worse.

Failing to see your point though...

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

https://vine.co/v/euaVdd5mOQV

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Chelsea just won the youth Champions League. Solanke top scorer in the competition with 12 in 9.

 

[BlueBee]

Superb achievement for player and club.

Time to move some of these players on now....If we tie up the title early we might get a chance to see some of them in the first team this season.

EG, you know more than me...who do you reckon has a chance of making it at Chelsea. RLC and Solanke seem the most likely to me.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

I honestly think it'll have as much, if not not more, to do with what Chelsea might lack than what the players might offer. Boga is probably the most talented of the lot with the highest ceiling, but what are the chances of Mourinho ever giving him a chance as a #10 ahead of Fabregas, Hazard or Oscar? Practically zero. I think Boga, Brown, Solanke, Da Silva, Colkett and RLC all have what it takes to play for a top Premier League side, but I wouldn't count on any of them being given the chance at Chelsea. Mourinho seems to have gone on record saying that RLC will be incorporated into the first team next season, but who knows what that actually means. On balance I would say that Da Silva should make it as there's less between him and a LB slot, he has a very high ceiling IMO and is playing at a good level already, but who knows how he will develop, he's still only 16.

 

[thespus]

EG, do you see Crowley as a bigger talent than Wilshere ever was in our academy?

Personally, if Wenger rates it that way, I think selling Wilshere and using those funds on an experienced CM would be the best for us. Makes us more likely to challenge next season and frees up opportunities for Crowley and Zelalem in the coming seasons,

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

It's difficult to say because Wilshere developed physically much quicker in my opinion. Crowley is technically excellent but I doubt very much that he'll be ready to play a part in the first team as quickly as Wilshere was. I would not be at all surprised if he turned out to be the better player, but I think it would be mental to get rid of Wilshere based on the assumption that Crowley or Zelalem will step up to fill his shoes.

 

[thespus]

It's difficult to say because Wilshere developed physically much quicker in my opinion. Crowley is technically excellent but I doubt very much that he'll be ready to play a part in the first team as quickly as Wilshere was. I would not be at all surprised if he turned out to be the better player, but I think it would be mental to get rid of Wilshere based on the assumption that Crowley or Zelalem will step up to fill his shoes.

Cheers.

I didn't mean Crowley filling in for him next year. More specifically, I'd prefer to sell Wilshere to fund a Dybala/Lacazette move and sign Khedira as an immediate upgrade on Wilshere with a view to having the academy players in 2-3 seasons.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Charlie Colkett is a classy player. I hope he doesn't go the way of McEachran.

 

[seashell]

Our youth setup is so good at the moment. It's a shame that realistically only a few will even get to make appearances (or an appearance) for the club. I think a lot of them will turn out to be good enough to play at a quite high premier league level.