City U18's v Chelsea U18's @ CFA Saturday 5th March, 11 am KO

[twosips]

Diaz is one of our most exciting players. Truly a lovely above anyone in the EDS. Fingers crossed he keeps developing into the star he clearly is.

I think he's an exceptional young player, but a tad bit of caution is still needed. He's had a relatively measured start to life with the u18s. He's just about finding his feet now, around ten games in, which is totally fair enough, but it wasn't like he flew out of the blocks when he got his international clearance and he wasn't dominating games immediately like he was doing with the u16s.

Thankfully his form has been getting better and better and I suspect that this will prove something of a watershed moment for him at this level. He's just turned a game around from a terrible position almost on his own, against a team as good as Chelsea. This is massive. I suspect he'll basically be at his best, if not very close, from here on out now for the u18s. This is definitely that big game he needed at this level. When he moves up the EDS i'd suspect too that he'd need a tiny bit of time to adapt to that, and then likewise for the first team. I think there are probably several much more adept for first team duties as it currently stands in the EDS. Brahim's a massive, massive talent, but he's still a boy who's growing and he needs to be treated with just as much caution as he does excitement.

 

[Centurions]

Ha, top of the league on goals scored http://www.sportstats.com/soccer/england/premier-league-u18/

 

[bugsyblue]

I think he's an exceptional young player, but a tad bit of caution is still needed. He's had a relatively measured start to life with the u18s. He's just about finding his feet now, around ten games in, which is totally fair enough, but it wasn't like he flew out of the blocks when he got his international clearance and he wasn't dominating games immediately like he was doing with the u16s.

Thankfully his form has been getting better and better and I suspect that this will prove something of a watershed moment for him at this level. He's just turned a game around from a terrible position almost on his own, against a team as good as Chelsea. This is massive. I suspect he'll basically be at his best, if not very close, from here on out now for the u18s. This is definitely that big game he needed at this level. When he moves up the EDS i'd suspect too that he'd need a tiny bit of time to adapt to that, and then likewise for the first team. I think there are probably several much more adept for first team duties as it currently stands in the EDS. Brahim's a massive, massive talent, but he's still a boy who's growing and he needs to be treated with just as much caution as he does excitement.

Definitely mate. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't he basically advancing through the ranks a year ahead of most players his age? I imagine he will be in the EDS next year and he will only be 17 or just turned 18 right? I can't help but get excited about him and I hear he's a lovely lad too.

 

[twosips]

Definitely mate. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't he basically advancing through the ranks a year ahead of most players his age? I imagine he will be in the EDS next year and he will only be 17 or just turned 18 right? I can't help but get excited about him and I hear he's a lovely lad too.

Well he's a first year scholar at the moment, so he's playing with the u18s like he's meant to. I suspect he'll be wit the EDS next year though, and that's when he'll be playing up a level. As it is he's just a really, really young u18 at the moment. He turned 16 in August so he's as young as it gets for that level.

 

[squirtyflower]

I think he's an exceptional young player, but a tad bit of caution is still needed. He's had a relatively measured start to life with the u18s. He's just about finding his feet now, around ten games in, which is totally fair enough, but it wasn't like he flew out of the blocks when he got his international clearance and he wasn't dominating games immediately like he was doing with the u16s.

Thankfully his form has been getting better and better and I suspect that this will prove something of a watershed moment for him at this level. He's just turned a game around from a terrible position almost on his own, against a team as good as Chelsea. This is massive. I suspect he'll basically be at his best, if not very close, from here on out now for the u18s. This is definitely that big game he needed at this level. When he moves up the EDS i'd suspect too that he'd need a tiny bit of time to adapt to that, and then likewise for the first team. I think there are probably several much more adept for first team duties as it currently stands in the EDS. Brahim's a massive, massive talent, but he's still a boy who's growing and he needs to be treated with just as much caution as he does excitement.

Wise words
Far too many people come on here demanding players be promoted after a couple of good games without realising each step has to be considered and measured

 

[bugsyblue]

Well he's a first year scholar at the moment, so he's playing with the u18s like he's meant to. I suspect he'll be wit the EDS next year though, and that's when he'll be playing up a level. As it is he's just a really, really young u18 at the moment. He turned 16 in August so he's as young as it gets for that level.

Which if you take into consideration the physical difference between a young 16 year old and an 18 year old on the cusp of turning 19 it makes it even more remarkable what he's achieved so far. I mean I know he's a little lad anyway and his game is built on speed, skills and technique but still physicality at that level does make a big difference. I mean Chelsea have built numerous under 18 successes on physically strong teams rather than technical teams. Now I'm much happier city are developing technical players and it's just testament to Diaz's talents that he could up stage the Chelsea boys the other night.

 

[twosips]

Wise words
Far too many people come on here demanding players be promoted after a couple of good games without realising each step has to be considered and measured

I think i'm pretty guilty of being one of the main people to potentially hype these kids up, but what a lot of people don't probably realise is that when I'm talking about someone like Brahim's talents i'm talking about their current status compared to the level they're at. I.e - Brahim looks a phenomenal u18. He may be a phenomenal first team player one day, and i think that's likely, but i dont think hes anywhere near ready yet. Just, comparatively speaking, vastly ahead of 95% are at his level. Same can be said about Sancho and Dele-Bashiru at u16s - they're still miles off first team ready, but that doesn't make them any less of a talent. There has to be levels to go through though.

There will be the odd exception of course. Some will go straight from u18s to the first team in one year. It'll happen, but that doesn't make them a bigger prospect, just one possibly more physically ready. Brahim is as good as prospects get potentially, but he clearly needs to grow still as he's a boy, and that's totally fine.

 

[squirtyflower]

I think i'm pretty guilty of being one of the main people to potentially hype these kids up, but what a lot of people don't probably realise is that when I'm talking about someone like Brahim's talents i'm talking about their current status compared to the level they're at. I.e - Brahim looks a phenomenal u18. He may be a phenomenal first team player one day, and i think that's likely, but i dont think hes anywhere near ready yet. Just, comparatively speaking, vastly ahead of 95% are at his level. Same can be said about Sancho and Dele-Bashiru at u16s - they're still miles off first team ready, but that doesn't make them any less of a talent. There has to be levels to go through though.

There will be the odd exception of course. Some will go straight from u18s to the first team in one year. It'll happen, but that doesn't make them a bigger prospect, just one possibly more physically ready. Brahim is as good as prospects get potentially, but he clearly needs to grow still as he's a boy, and that's totally fine.

It wasn't aimed at you at all mate.
I know you watch a lot of the games and you report what you see, that's not hyping them up.
I was having a dig at those who recently, have been heavily critisicing Pellegrini for not playing Garcia and Robers after good cameos this weekend

Both are extremely good players but not ready to be regular first teamers just yet
Next season should see Denayer and Kelichi being permanent squad players perhaps with some appearances from Angelino, Garcia and Maffeo with Barker kicking on hopefully and playing his part.

The year after is when I'd hope to see the last four be permanent with Brahim breaking through

 

[twosips]

Which if you take into consideration the physical difference between a young 16 year old and an 18 year old on the cusp of turning 19 it makes it even more remarkable what he's achieved so far. I mean I know he's a little lad anyway and his game is built on speed, skills and technique but still physicality at that level does make a big difference. I mean Chelsea have built numerous under 18 successes on physically strong teams rather than technical teams. Now I'm much happier city are developing technical players and it's just testament to Diaz's talents that he could up stage the Chelsea boys the other night.

I think what makes it even more impressive is that these Chelsea lads are technical too. They're all athletes, undoubtedly, but they're good footballers, and that makes Brahim's achievements the other day all the more striking.

I've watched a lot of our academy teams and Brahim is without a doubt the most exciting little player i've seen. He just has *something* about him that really stands out. Properly magical little lad. It's probably the fact that he has that never say die 'talisman' feel to his game too. Tevez had it, and the greatest of them all, Maradona, had it too. I'm not saying he'll reach those heights, but he has that same urge to drag a team back into a game through sheer tenacity using mesmeric skill...it's unbelievably exciting. Brahim still needs to grow, yet weirdly you can see he's gonna be strong. There's a few times when he's just not *quite* strong enough at times against some of the bigger lads, but that's only because he's a year behind them in physical development, you can tell, but when he does grow and if he carries on this path he'll be a genuine world star.

Add all this to the fact that he's a bloody lovely young man too, really polite and friendly, and I honestly can't wait to watch him run out at the Etihad. It'll be like watching SWP again - small, exciting with loads of heart....but probably on another level entirely.

 

[Nelly's Left Foot]

It will be fascinating to see how Pep involves the younger talents at City. The pre season tour might tell us a lot as I would expect the likes of Brahim to go on that to mix with the first team squad and even get some minutes in games.

It's true what TS says that in his first games with the 18's he didn't exactly set the world alight even if there were always glimpses of the special talent he has and at the same time signs that he has the heart to play in tough games against bigger stronger players. IF he has everything that it takes I think it will be sooner rather than later that we see him at senior levels.