This lack of natural full backs has come up a few times recently,it seems odd given we’ve identified weaknesses in the past and targeted players to fill gaps. I’m thinking that this may be a deliberate policy, and that we want to make our players as well rounded as possible and also see if they can not only adapt to a new position but excel there. We’ve had the winger/fast attackers like Charsley and Danny Bramall, young CBs like Collins and Ellis Richards, midfielders Markelo and Denny and even the older ones like Foulds and Galloway who have also played as CBs playing as full backs. Maybe we don’t look for natural full backs anymore, as being able to only play one position is seen as limiting, and even Kenny had spells in his younger days as a CB although always destined to be a FB.
It seems to me ,i.e. I have no stats to prove it!, that since they changed from u21 to U23s we’ve had less u18s playing up at U23s. This is partly due to a lack of quality in depth compared to say 3 years ago, but even in a comparatively poor year we had Feeney and Beni playing U23s at 18. So far this season only Gordon has done this and I’m not sure if he’s made a starting U23s team , if so very few starts. You’re right about the loans and young players, the players out on loan are all players who’ve had loans before, I don’t believe there are any first timer on loan ( I’ll exclude Vlasic ) . Maybe Brands wanted a look at them before they went out on loan. This is likely to change come January and more U23s will move out on loan , more u18s will move up to 23 and we should start to see some of the current u16s in u18 squads .