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Dominic Calvert-Lewin

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Theres now doubt that DCL is the best prospect amongst our current u23 "strikers", in the short time he's been with us he's looked head and shoulders above the likes of Duffus, Dyson, and Henen who are older. While many criticise the u23s competition , he often gets good exposure to playing against more experienced defenders who are maybe coming back from injury e.g. Sakho for the RS gave him a good game recently and he found it frustrating to make an impact. But theres more to his game than just a target man, as mentioned above the goal he scored against City and he's used his speed a few times to nip the ball away from GKs or defenders e.g. in setting up Niasse for a goal recently. He's also showed up well for England u20s when he's played , having broken into that set up this season.
Making your PL debut is a momentous occasion that reflects on him , his family, coaches etc. He's still got a lot to learn and this season is really all about mixing in starts for the u23s, training with the first team, getting more PL minutes in, trying to establish himself at England u20 level which won't be easy.
 
Eggs said:
..I think it's a really good point you make about him coming on at a crucial part of the game. He is a traditional CF so to bring him on at that point rather than somebody to do a holding job showed a lot of confidence in the boy.
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yep, would have been very easy for Koeman to say "but ok, we settle for a point here I think", but he kept enough bodies up top, in fact a couple of occasions late in the game Lukakau had nearly 4 players running off him which is what we've got to do more often.

Fair play to Koeman for being brave when it would have been understandable if he's opted to be defensive.
 
blueloon said:
Theres now doubt that DCL is the best prospect amongst our current u23 "strikers", in the short time he's been with us he's looked head and shoulders above the likes of Duffus, Dyson, and Henen who are older. While many criticise the u23s competition , he often gets good exposure to playing against more experienced defenders who are maybe coming back from injury e.g. Sakho for the RS gave him a good game recently and he found it frustrating to make an impact. But theres more to his game than just a target man, as mentioned above the goal he scored against City and he's used his speed a few times to nip the ball away from GKs or defenders e.g. in setting up Niasse for a goal recently. He's also showed up well for England u20s when he's played , having broken into that set up this season.
Making your PL debut is a momentous occasion that reflects on him , his family, coaches etc. He's still got a lot to learn and this season is really all about mixing in starts for the u23s, training with the first team, getting more PL minutes in, trying to establish himself at England u20 level which won't be easy.
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Kind of frustrating that the most likely academy graduate to succeed long term in the first team is an import.

Would really like to see more local produce making regular first team appearances.
 

The Cowboy said:
Kind of frustrating that the most likely academy graduate to succeed long term in the first team is an import.

Would really like to see more local produce making regular first team appearances.
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Yeah but that's only of the "strikers" mate. They did the article last week on the "six debutants who'd played PL minutes this year ", Davies, Connolly, Dowell, Kenny, Pennington and Holgate. Four Scouse accents in that lot , Pennington from Warrington I think and only Holgate "an import". Not that I'm saying they'll all make it , but in coming years I'm hopeful that you'll get your wish and see more local produce making first team appearances.

For me we have a good mixture of local and imports. We were undoubtedly weak last season in the u21s for goalscoring attackers. From what I remember Unsy targeted DCL in the summer, having known him from his Sheff Utd days and made the case to the board to sign him, this was pre RK and Steve Walsh.
 
larbert toffee said:
Based on the fact he's played well and been creative when he's been given the opportunity and up until last night it would have been better than what we've seen in recent weeks asI said IMO.
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He has barely played though! There is a massive difference between a cameo and playing a full game.

I would like to see him play myself but I wont be getting to concerned if he doesnt get game time just yet.

The thing I dont understand though is that he IS getting game time. A decent amount for a lad of his age and experience.
 
The Cowboy said:
Kind of frustrating that the most likely academy graduate to succeed long term in the first team is an import.

Would really like to see more local produce making regular first team appearances.
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We all would but none of them are good enough so far, this batch is the next attempt so we shall soon see.

Problem with relying on 'local' is that you have a certain number, minus the ones who become kopite employees and minus any poached elsewhere in the country. So it really limits what you can find, not many rooney's kicking about in the streets.
 

Ashtonian said:
We all would but none of them are good enough so far, this batch is the next attempt so we shall soon see.

Problem with relying on 'local' is that you have a certain number, minus the ones who become kopite employees and minus any poached elsewhere in the country. So it really limits what you can find, not many rooney's kicking about in the streets.
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I don't care that they're local per se, it's more that the academy isn't really doing it's job if those getting regular first team have only been there for a year.
 
The Cowboy said:
I don't care that they're local per se, it's more that the academy isn't really doing it's job if those getting regular first team have only been there for a year.
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I do agree, but then how many have we had fail as a result? Green, Garbutt off the top of my head. the shorter ones have been the biggest success.

Perhaps with unsworth doing a great job there, there might be a system in future which allows more to step up to the first team? would make sense, boss in reserves, then loan them to good club for a half a season or throw them into the squad and use them accordingly.
 

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