Dominic Calvert-Lewin

[catcherintherye]

...football is about opinion. It's a massive step up to Premier League but I thought the bench for the Derby would've looked better balanced with Dowell on it (once Deulofeu was omitted). We won't always agree with the managers judgement but I'm content to let him get on with it at the moment.

It's a fair point, I'll be interested to see whats happening with Dowell. However down heartened he was at not being involved, you would hope the action of Calvert Lewin, Holgate and Davies will be a motivating factor. I think the "Koeman doesn't play youth" mantra will some become gospel like "dithering Dave" before him and his based in half information. Young players were given a go at Southampton and Feyenoord but he is not the most patient man. That being said it looks like Davies and Holgate are going some way to cement their places, Calvert Lewin less so but I would not be surprised if they do so, he will look to blood other younger players towards the end of the season, hopefully Dowell and Walsh are on that list.

As for Calvert Lewin more generally despite missing a clear cut opportunity yesterday I felt that was his best game. With young players you can't just have "win objectives" to measuring them, but see them as works in progress. In the Derby and Arsenal, outside of set plays he was on the fringes of the game. He won some good headers but looked a little overawed. His body language was much better yesterday, as you would expect from a lad getting increasing game time, it will help him feel he belongs. I also though, putting him up top, in a 4-4-2 also helped change the game for us. It gave Rom some help and he won some good flick ons. He made a good run and pass for our equaliser. Aside from the little bits and bobs I felt he help swing the game back in our favour.

He missed a golden chance. However that has been his only chance in the 3 games. I am a believer that I'd rather have my strikers missing chances than not having any. He got into the right place and did everything right with the header, attacked it well, got a good connection, showed good movement and misplaced it. It was a bad miss but you can see he will be a handful if we get balls into the box, which is how Koeman wants to play. On first impressions I thought it was Funes Mori missing, who attacks the ball very well, so it is good praise for him that he mirrored a lot of his body language and movement in the box.

It is gut wrenching for all of us, not least of all him to miss the good opening. As I said though, you can't just set win objectives for young players. That was the first time watching him yesterday where I looked at him and thought that I could see a role for him in the team and see a contribution he could make offensively.

 

[mkrudden]

It's a fair point, I'll be interested to see whats happening with Dowell. However down heartened he was at not being involved, you would hope the action of Calvert Lewin, Holgate and Davies will be a motivating factor. I think the "Koeman doesn't play youth" mantra will some become gospel like "dithering Dave" before him and his based in half information. Young players were given a go at Southampton and Feyenoord but he is not the most patient man. That being said it looks like Davies and Holgate are going some way to cement their places, Calvert Lewin less so but I would not be surprised if they do so, he will look to blood other younger players towards the end of the season, hopefully Dowell and Walsh are on that list.

As for Calvert Lewin more generally despite missing a clear cut opportunity yesterday I felt that was his best game. With young players you can't just have "win objectives" to measuring them, but see them as works in progress. In the Derby and Arsenal, outside of set plays he was on the fringes of the game. He won some good headers but looked a little overawed. His body language was much better yesterday, as you would expect from a lad getting increasing game time, it will help him feel he belongs. I also though, putting him up top, in a 4-4-2 also helped change the game for us. It gave Rom some help and he won some good flick ons. He made a good run and pass for our equaliser. Aside from the little bits and bobs I felt he help swing the game back in our favour.

He missed a golden chance. However that has been his only chance in the 3 games. I am a believer that I'd rather have my strikers missing chances than not having any. He got into the right place and did everything right with the header, attacked it well, got a good connection, showed good movement and misplaced it. It was a bad miss but you can see he will be a handful if we get balls into the box, which is how Koeman wants to play. On first impressions I thought it was Funes Mori missing, who attacks the ball very well, so it is good praise for him that he mirrored a lot of his body language and movement in the box.

It is gut wrenching for all of us, not least of all him to miss the good opening. As I said though, you can't just set win objectives for young players. That was the first time watching him yesterday where I looked at him and thought that I could see a role for him in the team and see a contribution he could make offensively.

Totally agree mate. Although it emphasises how baffling the Liverpool appearance was.
Yday was the perfect game and opposition and it showed- he looked composed and got involved.

 

[Sheedy's right knee.]

He looked to me as if he was a bit eager the header in but i think he was also trying to plant it in the corner which shows some confidence. if he would have planted it straight at the keeper that would have playing it safe. People are forgetting that in the Arsenal game when the corner came in for our goal he drew all the arsenal defenders in around him which gave williams the space for the goal. Give the lad a chance and i think he could surprise a few. Playing up front is the hardest position to play and hes only had one half of football in 3 matches.

 

[catcherintherye]

Totally agree mate. Although it emphasises how baffling the Liverpool appearance was.
Yday was the perfect game and opposition and it showed- he looked composed and got involved.

I disagreed with lots on here on that. The general consensus is we were being battered by Liverpool and on top against Arsenal. That wasn't really my reading. IN both games I saw two fairly even games that we were drawing in. Calvert Lewin presents a different type of threat to Valencia so it was a useful change up. When I say even I acknowledge we under pressure against Liverpool and pressing Arsenal more, but in neither game were we being hammered or hammering them.

Therefore I'm not sure there is such a thing as a perfect game for a young player. All games are valuable in their development, even challenging ones (those especially so).

 

[mkrudden]

I disagreed with lots on here on that. The general consensus is we were being battered by Liverpool and on top against Arsenal. That wasn't really my reading. IN both games I saw two fairly even games that we were drawing in. Calvert Lewin presents a different type of threat to Valencia so it was a useful change up. When I say even I acknowledge we under pressure against Liverpool and pressing Arsenal more, but in neither game were we being hammered or hammering them.

Therefore I'm not sure there is such a thing as a perfect game for a young player. All games are valuable in their development, even challenging ones (those especially so).

In the end, a young player/person needs to be exposed to all aspects of the job at hand. The order and progression though is imperative imo. You don't chuck young players in at the deepest end, I.e the merseyside derby.

 

[Dozbik]

I did feel sorry for him he moved his head to the ball just seconds too quick eager to score - he would have been a hero played his part in our equaliser though he will learn from that - hard to judge when he came on in a cameo role if a more experienced header of the ball had been there ?
The lad must have talent as he was there to head the ball look at it that way!

I'll try.

 

[Joey66]

I'll try.

What did you expect?
He was involved in the equaliser perhaps if Valencia was played as a forward, and not a winger he may have headed it in?

 

[Goat]

What did you expect?
He was involved in the equaliser perhaps if Valencia was played as a forward, and not a winger he may have headed it in?

Did you just blame Valencia for this lad missing a header?!?!??!!??!

 

[Joey66]

Did you just blame Valencia for this lad missing a header?!?!??!!??!

No it was a joke the poster was disappointed the young lad had missed the header read my previous posts ok!

 

[Woolly Blue]

Starts ( along with Davies ) today.

I wonder who's picking the team ? Can't be Koeman because he doesn't give youth a chance.

 

[Eggs]

...I suggested a good few months ago that he might get involved with the first team ahead of the transfer window, mainly because the other forward options are poor. I'm glad he has but he's now got to grasp the opportunity and impress.

 

[Eggs]

...thanks for the update, looking forward to seeing him. I do agree that circumstances could see him on the bench before the end of this calendar year, given our lack of quality back up strikers and ahead of January transfer window. He's old enough if he's good enough to make an impression.

...here you go, I posted this in September by the looks of things.

 

[Osamabindiesel]

If he is indeed starting, color me shocked. Not sure if he deserves the chance, but my god I hope he is good enough to displace Valencia.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Would be good to see him in his natural position rather than chasing long diagonals on the wing. Never understood why managers do this with young players (im sure there's a perfectly good reason for it as so many do it). Same with Rashford, LVG plays him upfront and he looks like the best prospect in Europe, Mourinho shoves him out wide and his confidence drops and he cant get in the team. Imagine Lukaku trying to play on the wing, it would be laughable.

Great to see him involved obviously but I thought Dowell had shown enough to get a look in in the wide positions at some point.

 

[AaronTheBlue]

He will score today. He is a good play must be working hard behind the scenes but the talent is there. Dont get why people are being negative about him.