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I don’t know about Silvas set up or plans for players but I know other managers have had totally different set ups for first team and under 23s. If it’s the same as it was then, and Virginia spends all week training with the seniors they won’t pick him for the under 23s because he’s not part of the set up, he’s seen as first team.
Well it matters in terms of building up partnerships and understanding, and I suppose it matters if you’re the keeper who does all the boring training work and then gets dropped for matches. If Silvas set up is like older ones then they’ll drop him into under 23 training for a week here and there when they want him to play.
Yeah, I’m with you on this. It’s a difficult balance as young GKs need game time , but Virginia is clearly our third choice keeper and as such needs to be around the first team training, getting game time with the U23s as appropriate. An injury on a Friday and he’s on the bench Saturday. I still remember an injury crisis in the Howard/Robles era when we had a young Czech GK , Stanek on the bench and he was about our 5th choice for a couple of matches. It was bizarre as it went just about unnoticed that one of our worst young goalkeepers nearly got a PL appearance. My point is , if Virginia does need to step up he needs to be ready and fully drilled with the 1st team.
Fair enough. I can understand the logic myself but there you go.
Yep, fully agree.
Yeah I understand what you mean, totally. I didn’t mean to suggest you were wrong, just that I understand the reasoning behind and don’t necessarily think it’s as daft as you do.
Yeah, fully agree with your first paragraph mate. When you think about it, the fact he's been training with the first XI makes the very fine form we've seen in the U23s all the more impressive, given that he's not working with those lads on a day to day basis.Yeah there’s no one answer for GKs, in theory we should have three for the first team , three for the U23s so giving them all game time is impossible. But to answer a specific point, yes Virginia will be more ready if he trains with the first team, the defenders will become more comfortable with him, he will learn to shout instructions at them where he wants them, which foot he kicks with , the side the ball should be passed back to him for him to clear , who he should be aiming for with his clearances etc. Just familiarity really.
The goalkeeper position is unique of course, you do need someone experiencedwho can hit the ground running, which is why the vast majority of starting PL goalkeepers are bought in for big money ready to go. Very few are developed through a clubs Academy, you just can’t give them experience unless you loan them out , then few managers in lower leagues want to trust a young goalkeeper. I think we’ve got this spot on with buying Virginia, if he fulfills the potential he’s supposed to have he’ll be ready just when we sell Pickford as the first £100 mill goalkeeper
Early start for Simms
Where is young Astley playing