Watched the U 21's yesterday and to say they were fantastic is an understatement ! Derby were happy to punt the ball forward and feed on the scraps. Barnsley passed the ball around every bit of the field. They were comfortable in posession and created chances. Derby won the game 2-0 which they will be happy with, but if I had the choice of which team to manage give me Barnsley every time. The thing to remember here is that this is still development football and as far as i can see that is exactly what we are doing at Barnsley. Derbys goal scorers were Nathan Tyson and Theo Robinson. They had their first team goalkeeper playing, Frankie Fielding and some other older experienced professionals. Barnsleys oldest player was Rooney (20 I think) and the rest of the team were under 19 years old. It was lack of experience that cost Barnsley the defeat and definetly not lack of ability. Jordan Clarke was the stand out player on the field. He has to be worth a look in the first team squad Keith if you are listening !!. We might be struggling in the Championship but the future looks good from the youngsters. If you have the chance then go along and watch the Under18's or the 21's. You wont be disappointed. From the little i have seen of the Under 16's they play the same way as well. Its pass pass pass and keep possession.
But there's a squad of players whom three over aged players can be picked from to play to get them to a better level of fitness to give that experience on the pitch. Hassell, drone, foster, mcnulty Kennedy etc..
I agree the experience is always useful but who would you think would put the effort in 100% every time?? The youngsters or the been there done it pros who are doing it for a run out? I would prefer the youngsters to play and gain from the experience of game time and also playing against opposition pros. How must Jake Scott and Brad Kilburn have felt to be up against Nathan (Usain Bolt) Tyson and Theo Robinson and come off knowing they did well. That type of experience can only make them better players.
Pass, pass, pass, keep possession, lose. It does sound familiar. Pretty but ineffective? A passing, possession based game is admirable but it needs to produce results (for the 1st team anyway).
Again i agree, but we can coach players with very limited ability to kick and rush football but it takes more investment to make a football player who constantly makes the right decisions in the right areas. Isn't that what development football is all about?
Yes it is, totally agree. It was just a general comment on the style of football we all seem to be lauding as the way forward.
It would seem that Bottletop Bill, Dyson and Ponty 72 all have the same idea of how football should be played which is reasurring. Utopian football where we have 30 passes and then score a goal every time we get the ball is a pipe dream we all know that but surely its better to play the ball on the grass that lump it forward. Its ironic really that the current manager of Derby has one idea of how to play and his father had another ! I know which i prefer to watch.
Only thing they seem to be learning is how to get defeated week in week out. Its exactly like watching the first team pass pass pass pass pas backwards pass pass. It's only when they pass forwards and have a go do they look dangerous.
development can and probably does happen on so many differnt levels no doubt way beyond my own knowledge, at the top of the scale we must develop players capable of winning games, how they do that is up to the coaching staff available, we seem to be favouring a passing style of playing and development which i think the majority of us prefer. unless all teams followed a blueprint from the FA the term "development" doesnt really mean anything though imo, BFC deciding to develop one way doesnt mean its better than any other team prefering the long ball say, natural talent will rise whatever the method. did the FA ever get round to deciding to develop players how the spanish do it ? i seem to remember we tried to do it how the french develop players in the 90's when they won everything.
If you do your research you will see that we have played 17, 18 and 19 year old youngsters every single game with the odd exception and the opposition have consistently played 20, 21 year olds with 3 and 4 experienced pros. At this level its the quality of the football rather than the result. We all want to win but i dont want to win playing punt it football. Sounds like you might prefer the win DEETEE but each to their own.
Doyle cross field diagonal punt to O`Brien who brings it down in one and then crosses first time low to Andy Gray to tap in. One of the best goals for me last season. Foster beginning of season played some excellent long diagonal balls to the forwards in space, also played a lot of crap ones as well mind. Surely there has to be some balance and mixing of styles. Its not all hoof ball and neither is keep ball always entertaining to watch when it lacks movement and takes an age to get from one penalty area to the other.
A long ball to someones feet or into space for an on rushing player is a pass just as much as a short 5 yard pass. As long as it is meant with purpose then thats fine by me. Its the hopeful hoof that i dont like or understand for that matter. I can appreciate it when teams are holding onto a lead with 5 minutes to go and are under intense pressure then its get it clear and defend as a unit in true backs to the wall style. Part of a young players development needs to be when to play and when not to over play. Young players also need to know how to hold onto a result. Something the first team failed to do time and again last year, and this year come to that.
I think you should re read my post. At what point did I advocate kick and rush football? Nb a team that loses week in week out will soon have a losing mentality creeping into the mindset be it kids or Misters. The u21s are getting beat almost every week. Hardly productive.
Overplaying the ball across the back and then getting picked off did cost us last year, but putting yer foot through it in times of need so you can regroup should be done at anytime not just last 5 mins and we try to hold on for longer than 5 minutes anyway more like go one up and hold on for rest of the game. This new concept of passing the ball is good to watch when done well though.
DEETEE, i feel you are missing my point. The Under 21's know they are up against it every week due to the opposition strength but the meer fact that they are playing better players at this point in their career will only make them better players themselves in 2 years time. I suggest you go and watch them and then get back to me on this forum. I keep saying that the result is not important at this stage its part of the longer 2 / 3 year progress that is needed to embedd good technique and unconcious competence within young players. Players learn from other players. If you got 20 kids together twice a week and gave them a ball and didnt coach them at all then over the season they would become better players. This is because they would learn to deal with difficult situations and find their own solutions. This is whats happening now on an accelerated scale with the academey development.
I agree with you bottle top I have watched the youngsters they play a brand of football which is really pleasing on the eye has for getting beat every week I am sure they could kick and rush every week and grind out a couple of results but will tell you now that won't make the kids any better when they get to first team football
