Predict our next academy star

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

With our record, his father probably hasn't been born yet, let alone him!

 

[Centurions]

Okay, nail your colours to the mast here so you can pull this thread up at a later date to act smug about your ability to pick a star.

Here's the question. Who is the next player to come out of our academy/youth set up to hit 20 full appearances?

Angelino?Gunn?Barker?Pozo? Faour? Even Zuchulini? Someone else?

Who has your eye and why?

I don't know if anyone has pulled you up on this but Zuculini (and Iheanacho too, since someone else mentioned him) can not be "academy" stars.
That's a rag trick and not one we should be utilising.

 

[dasblues]

I appreciate it's difficult enough for Pellegrini to keep our senior players happy as it is, especially now everyone is fit (and with Toure and Bony on their way back).

His priority is securing a top four finish, so it's not in his interests to blood youngsters at this stage of the season. It goes against the "holistic" approach though, and his own proclamation that we would introduce a few academy players each season.

Sure, a few players have made the bench but it's disappointing that our youth players weren't really given a chance in the cup competitions.

The fact that we only have one academy graduate in our first team squad, and a fourth choice centre half at that, isn't good enough. We must have the worst record in the league in that regard.

Really hope there is a sea-change in our approach next season. Concentrate on acquiring quality over quantity in the transfer market, and fill out the squad with youth players. 18/19 senior pros, with 4/5 academy players would be a better balance moving forward, and considerably lower the average age of the squad (as well as the wage bill).

Don't watch the EDS often enough to speak with any real authority, but the likes of Angelino, Barker and Ambrose must come into consideration, along with Denayer, Rekik, Lopes and Iheanacho.

This is absolutely spot on, the players we have had out on loan this season should be fighting for 3/4 squad places for next year to replace players who will move on:

Demichelis >>> Denayer or Rekik
Milner >>> Lopes
Jovetic / Dzeko >>> Iheanacho
Kolarov >>> Angelino

Now the incoming players above are not at the same level as are leaving but we must accept this in order to provide a route to the first team

I just hope we dont sign ready made players again to fill out the squad and would happily accept a couple of seasons in transition to accomplish this. The success that will follow will feel much better as a result.

Ric's post was spot on, but lets not forget about a player we bought then loaned out for some strange reason in your players in list..

Yes, pity he's not a holding midfielder otherwise he could take Fernando's spot in the sqaud, he could be groomed as Fernandinho's successor as though...

On a second more controversial note, I think going down this route would give the fans a lot more
pride in the clubs accomplishments going forward. The outrageous fortune that landed our way could have been any other club in the counrty if we are being honest. I hope that we become the guiding light in the counry to which all other clubs aspire.

Only then can we look down on all others and sneer our disdain :-D

 

[Gareth Barry Conlon]

You do know Denayer is a centre back and Fernando is a defensive midfielder, right?

Yes old chum I am well aware of that. If you followed his thread on the EDS forum you would discover that his best position has been debated. My view is that he lacks the height to play centre back but he is a natural DM. As I stated above I think he would slot perfectly into that role and is a far better player than Fernando.

It's been seen with others that Vieira is keen to give midfielders time in defence to develop that side of their game. It's such an important thing to do to ensure we have technically good players across all areas of the pitch and don't just rely on big physical players with no ball skills.

Denayer has shown excellent composure in defence and has developed his positional awareness and his ability to read the game. He is already good on the ball and at passing so it enables him to take both skill sets into a defensive midfield role and excel. He isn't likely to do well in our league at centre back. Mascherano can play it in La Liga but he wouldn't be able to over here.

I'd go with Denayer.

When you look at how the team might progress with MDM, Yaya and Milner the most likely to move on and Fernando yet to hit the mark, we will have space for central defenders / midfielders. As stated Denayer has played both but currently looks very good at centre back for Celtic. Alongside Gudietti and Rekik this must be the most successful loans of recent times. Hi is 19 so still a couple of years where he can play CL as a free space in the squad. I'd like to see him start with us next year - he would be ideal to come of the bench to close out games as a third CB / defensive midfielder. I know Boyata doesn't get much game time as it is but for the 16/17 season I can see the 4 Centre backs as: VK, EM, Boyata and Denayer.

 

[AshLunn92]

Zuculini/ Lopes are the future of our midfield. As soon as Pelle gives our youth players half a chance i think we're going to be delighted with the results of our EDS and youth scouting. get rid of the players we've got who show no hunger anymore eg. Dzeko or skill eg. Fernando and bring in some young, hungry playhers out to make a name for themselves.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

Zuculini/ Lopes are the future of our midfield. As soon as Pelle gives our youth players half a chance i think we're going to be delighted with the results of our EDS and youth scouting. get rid of the players we've got who show no hunger anymore eg. Dzeko or skill eg. Fernando and bring in some young, hungry playhers out to make a name for themselves.

Zuculini didn't get a game for Valencia, he was to just enjoying his time as the clubs mascot. What makes you think he will make it here?

 

[BigOscar]

Why on earth do people keep saying Denayer is too short to be a CB? He's 6 foot and built like a tank. It's a bizarre bandwagon for everyone to have jumped on. He's the same height as a lot of premier league defenders, including Demichelis, who seems to be doing ok. He's only an inch shorter than John Terry ffs, he's hardly 5'7 Javier Mascherano

 

[aguero93:20]

Why on earth do people keep saying Denayer is too short to be a CB? He's 6 foot and built like a tank. It's a bizarre bandwagon for everyone to have jumped on. He's the same height as a lot of premier league defenders, including Demichelis, who seems to be doing ok. He's only an inch shorter than John Terry ffs, he's hardly 5'7 Javier Mascherano

Agree, but I still think his future is in holding midfield, to put it bluntly he's too good a footballer to play at centre half, he could be fucking dominant in midfield and give those around him the freedom to play while chipping in in an attacking sense himself, ala Vieira/Makelele or even that Pikey **** that used to play for the rats.

 

[BigOscar]

Why on earth do people keep saying Denayer is too short to be a CB? He's 6 foot and built like a tank. It's a bizarre bandwagon for everyone to have jumped on. He's the same height as a lot of premier league defenders, including Demichelis, who seems to be doing ok. He's only an inch shorter than John Terry ffs, he's hardly 5'7 Javier Mascherano

Agree, but I still think his future is in holding midfield, to put it bluntly he's too good a footballer to play at centre half, he could be fucking dominant in midfield and give those around him the freedom to play while chipping in in an attacking sense himself, ala Vieira/Makelele or even that Pikey c**t that used to play for the rats.

I don't know about that. Looking like a good footballer while playing CB is an awful lot easier than it is in midfield, the amount of pressure on the ball is completely different (and he's not even proven he can play football from CB at any kind of level yet) There is also absolutely no such thing as being too good a footballer to play CB, it's pretty much the most important position on the pitch, so if you can do that job properly and also be good on the ball, then that's fantastic.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

The one who I find exciting to watch is Thierry Ambrose. My prediction! He's got the Mario quality with a much more discipline.