Nelly's Left Foot
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Top class imo and for one so young and small really gets stuck in.
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Academy players you think will make it
- Thread starter Delphinho
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FantasyIreland
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I particularly enjoyed the 50/50 in the 2nd half against a much bigger/stronger opponent,and although he came off 2nd (only just) in that challenge,the fact he went in full bloodied,and without fear,spoke volumes about his character.Top class imo and for one so young and small really gets stuck in.
FantasyIreland
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7 players from last nights game you mention above,and yet you have failed to mention the one who gave Doyle a run for his money in the MOTM stakes....McDonald.Given his attributes and talent,he stands as good a chance as any of making it here.I agree, he really reminds me style wise of a modest, hardworking dele Ali. He glides across the pitch. I liked both full backs, both CB's, Tommy doyle is blood and thunder. Takes a wicked corner and looks a natural leader (very dare I say it, gerardesque). There isn't that glamour kid like Robert's or sancho but maybe that's a good thing. Bernabe is the closest but he looks very modest, looks like he knows he isn't playing as good as he thinks he can. Always annoyed at himself, you could hear him growling at every error lol. Cant work ben knight out, theres a player there but looks a little weak mentally. Hes very small and maybe when he bulks out a bit more he can enjoy it more.
I was very impressed with McDonald yesterday. I`ve seen him play a couple of times this season, and he has been slightly disappointing. I might just have been very unlucky with the games I`ve watched of him, but he was fantastic last night. Stopped pretty much everything that tried to get past him. Definitely rose to the occasion. We do have a couple of potential first team DMs in our academy right now. Matt Smith, McDonald, Doyle, Pozo and Hodge all are exceptional talents. At least one of them should be able to at least be a squad player/backup in the future7 players from last nights game you mention above,and yet you have failed to mention the one who gave Doyle a run for his money in the MOTM stakes....McDonald.Given his attributes and talent,he stands as good a chance as any of making it here.
FantasyIreland
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McDonald has been unlucky in some respects as his ability and flexibility has meant him playing a few positions,maybe now the coaches have settled on the DM role as i think he has all the qualities.I was very impressed with McDonald yesterday. I`ve seen him play a couple of times this season, and he has been slightly disappointing. I might just have been very unlucky with the games I`ve watched of him, but he was fantastic last night. Stopped pretty much everything that tried to get past him. Definitely rose to the occasion. We do have a couple of potential first team DMs in our academy right now. Matt Smith, McDonald, Doyle, Pozo and Hodge all are exceptional talents. At least one of them should be able to at least be a squad player/backup in the future
Agreed, he looks much better as a DM than a RB or CBMcDonald has been unlucky in some respects as his ability and flexibility has meant him playing a few positions,maybe now the coaches have settled on the DM role as i think he has all the qualities.
the_tevez_wiggle
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Yeah I agree, like I said theres a player there, he looks like he is struggling a bit with height and strength. His head seems to drop quite often. But, when he bulks up naturally and learns to deal with being smaller ie, foden, Bernardo, David, Kun, jesus, etc I'm hoping he enjoys it. I think hes a player who plays better smiling. Jesus, doyle, vinny et al are better players when their sleeves are rolled up but Ben is different in my opinion, he needs to enjoying himself and feel comfortable (an arm around him character).Lad is only 16 - plenty of time to develop
Centurions
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I can't help but feel you're misreading the lad, he's always been one of the smallest lads on the field due to his technical excellence and being played in the higher age groups. As said above somewhere he seems to be very self critical and is always obviously unhappy with himself when he's made a mistake, I've not seen it stop him trying again however. I suspect he's much tougher than you're giving him credit for.Yeah I agree, like I said theres a player there, he looks like he is struggling a bit with height and strength. His head seems to drop quite often. But, when he bulks up naturally and learns to deal with being smaller ie, foden, Bernardo, David, Kun, jesus, etc I'm hoping he enjoys it. I think hes a player who plays better smiling. Jesus, doyle, vinny et al are better players when their sleeves are rolled up but Ben is different in my opinion, he needs to enjoying himself and feel comfortable (an arm around him character).
Nelly's Left Foot
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Agree with that. Does Bernado struggle with height and strength? This lad is 16 and a gem.I can't help but feel you're misreading the lad, he's always been one of the smallest lads on the field due to his technical excellence and being played in the higher age groups. As said above somewhere he seems to be very self critical and is always obviously unhappy with himself when he's made a mistake, I've not seen it stop him trying again however. I suspect he's much tougher than you're giving him credit for.
Centurions
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Excellent piece on Knight above, a couple of standouts for me were:-
Ben Knight is a kid who knows what he wants. The 16-year-old was asked what he needs to work on after he scored twice for Manchester City's Under-18s as they reached the FA Youth Cup final on Monday night, and there was only one thought on his mind.
"Getting into the first team," he said, without hesitation. "I don't want to be a player that goes through the 18 system into the Under-23s, I want to be the one that goes above stages, that jumps stages. That's what I want to do."
"The quality of players I'm playing with is so much better," he adds. "It's harder because at Ipswich I was one of the big players but there are so many big players you have to up it even more to stand out. That's the challenge I wanted to take."
The challenge he has taken, he insists, is to keep standing out at City, rather than to accept fading into the background.
"Nah, I don't accept that. I always try to be the best player on the pitch. I don't care who's there, I always try to be the best.
"I'm a big player. If I come here and think there's Tommy Doyle or people like that around me, I'm not going to get anywhere, so I have to think 'I'm Ben Knight, I'm going to be the best player on the pitch'."
I don't think we need worry about his mental strength.