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Everton Youth Teams Thread

Eggs said:
..sounds very promising but just remembering Jon O’Connor having a similar profile some years ago and even accompanying the full England side for an international at Wembley. O’Connor never fulfilled that promise.

I think Centre half at Premiership level demands physicality as much as quality, it’s very difficult to break through. Hopefully this youngster is the real deal.
Click to expand...
Yeah physicality is always going to be requirement of a PL centre back. It’s hard to tell with Astley, he was certainly physical enough in the U23s game he played as a 16 year old against older players, but he doesn’t look massive , Gomez over at the RS looked a beast at this age when he was playing alongside Kenny/ Ledson for England U17s;. But he’s just turned 17 so time to develop physically , and you could say his selection to play above his age for Everton and Wales has been made on his ability rather than physicality , so a good sign .
Plenty of time ahead of him , particularly when you see the likes of Keane and ex RS Conor Coady doing well in the PL at 25 despite being released by PL clubs earlier. Deep in the vaults is my prediction that he’ll play for Wales before he’s 21, could come back to haunt me!
 
Eggs said:
..sounds very promising but just remembering Jon O’Connor having a similar profile some years ago and even accompanying the full England side for an international at Wembley. O’Connor never fulfilled that promise.

I think Centre half at Premiership level demands physicality as much as quality, it’s very difficult to break through. Hopefully this youngster is the real deal.
Click to expand...
blueloon said:
Yeah physicality is always going to be requirement of a PL centre back. It’s hard to tell with Astley, he was certainly physical enough in the U23s game he played as a 16 year old against older players, but he doesn’t look massive , Gomez over at the RS looked a beast at this age when he was playing alongside Kenny/ Ledson for England U17s;. But he’s just turned 17 so time to develop physically , and you could say his selection to play above his age for Everton and Wales has been made on his ability rather than physicality , so a good sign .
Plenty of time ahead of him , particularly when you see the likes of Keane and ex RS Conor Coady doing well in the PL at 25 despite being released by PL clubs earlier. Deep in the vaults is my prediction that he’ll play for Wales before he’s 21, could come back to haunt me!
Click to expand...

Appears to be Feeney, Gibson and then Astley as the 3 Centre Backs to watch coming through...

Any obvious differences / comparison of styles?
 

Philw said:
Well Ampadu played just recently and is only 18, so if he keeps playing well over the next couple years I don't see why not.
Click to expand...
Yeah , Ampadu is my model. I first saw him about 2 years ago when Wales FA streamed an U19s game where Nathan Broadhead scored 4 goals , Ben Woodburn got one and Ampadu played centre back , he was at Exeter then . Astley also played for Wales U19s at 16 , and like Ampadu is dual qualified so if he shows the same promise as Ampadu they’ll likely call him up early to tie him down . Not saying he’s as good as Ampadu yet, who’s a super player for his age.
 
Zatara said:
Appears to be Feeney, Gibson and then Astley as the 3 Centre Backs to watch coming through...

Any obvious differences / comparison of styles?
Click to expand...

..I always think it’s useful to compare youngsters to a more well known player. It’s not suggesting they will turn out to be as good, but it’s a useful indication of the ‘type’ they are.

I haven’t seen Astley (@blueloon ) but I have suggested Feeney is a Dave Watson ‘type’ whilst Gibson is more like Kevin Beattie.
 

Nymzee said:
Really making his mark now is Phillips.
Click to expand...
Could be the heartwarming story of the season with his comeback from two years of injury, could also be our “find” of the season given he was such an unknown quantity. His contract is up next June, so he’ll need to be proving himself in the U23s, looks like he’s got the ability to do so.
 
Eggs said:
..I always think it’s useful to compare youngsters to a more well known player. It’s not suggesting they will turn out to be as good, but it’s a useful indication of the ‘type’ they are.

I haven’t seen Astley (@blueloon ) but I have suggested Feeney is a Dave Watson ‘type’ whilst Gibson is more like Kevin Beattie.
Click to expand...

Feeney looked like an old fashioned no nonsense centre back in the Europa league. Weve not had much success bringing anyone through in that mould for many years now and i think Peter Clarke and Richard Dunne may have been the last highly rated two aside from Duffy.

If Gibson is as good as our scouts think he can be, and Astley also reaches his potential that bodes well with them being 18 and 17 so may come through together if paired in the u23s? Gibson is left sided and the Guardian report says Astley is right sided.

The top sides seem to bring through one or two centre backs who get a few games in the league which helps to save on squad players. Other than Holgate and Galloway (both signed from other teams) weve had a real lack of players there for years who came through gradually.

It would be nice if Feeney, Gibson and Astley could end up being at least good enough for competent first team squad places, allowing us to have more power in the market.

Even better if they could become starters.

With the sheer number of players we have in and around England u21s currently, just by adding a few more to the group could at least cover a 2nd team of players.
 
blueloon said:
Yeah , Ampadu is my model. I first saw him about 2 years ago when Wales FA streamed an U19s game where Nathan Broadhead scored 4 goals , Ben Woodburn got one and Ampadu played centre back , he was at Exeter then . Astley also played for Wales U19s at 16 , and like Ampadu is dual qualified so if he shows the same promise as Ampadu they’ll likely call him up early to tie him down . Not saying he’s as good as Ampadu yet, who’s a super player for his age.
Click to expand...
I’ve a gut feeling Ampadu is going to be world class
The Republic of Ireland missed a trick not getting him on board earlier
 

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