Zatara
Player Valuation: £90m
…..they find their level and if that’s in and around the first team, that’s where he should be. Dyche and the coaches will know his ability, attitude and application levels.
I have no idea if this lad is a very special talent but if he is, he should be carefully managed but not held back.
He’s barely played any football. At least give him a full U23’s year.
….pointless training/playing in an uncompetitive comfort zone that doesn’t test him if they think he’s lots better than that.
Interesting we’re having this discussion. I know he’s been involved pre-season but is there a view that he is a very special talent?
Pointless compared to what, being 5th choice CM for the first team and being on a bench all season at 17? Sure it is…
….i have no idea how good this lad is, but he could play U23 games and be involved with the first team. The level he plays at will depend on him. Being involved with the squad and travelling to away games is all part of the process. Foden was carefully managed but wasn’t held back at City, he was involved in the first team at 16/17.
As I say, this lad will find his level.
I said he should play U23's, you said it's pointless, now you're saying he could play U23 games... are you feeling indecisive this morning.
….ffs, Nymz, I’m just saying it’s pointless leaving him with the U23s for a season if his level is better.
You said give him a ‘full U23 year’, I’m saying don’t hold him back.
There hasn't been too much talk about him, not the sort of hype that some players just always seem to have about them however he started with the 18s team as soon as he turned 16 and started with the 21s as soon as he turned 17. He's definitely being fast tracked so must be rated within the academy structure.
He was comfortably the best of last years batch of scholars.
It’s a similar track to Isaac Price / Charlie Whitaker in their day , but as you say Armstrong was the standout in his year . It was his first year of full time training, that’s a big factor , sometimes they stall at the end of it , he seems to have thrived in pre season. It’s been rare in recent years for one of our youth products to get so many pre season minutes. Whatever our views were last season they’ve been eclipsed by his first team minutes, and everybody else has seen that and has a view on him now, so I think he’s flown the Academy nest. He needs a “ Handle me with Care” sign on his back and trust that we get it right .
I understand the logic of your post Eggs but just once in a while a really special talent emerges, I haven’t seen this lad so I can’t really comment but going by the time he is getting with the first team, even in friendly games, I am looking forward to seeing this kid, hopefully on Saturday v Roma, then a lot of us can form an opinion about him until then I/we can only wish him all the best for his future with us and at the same time don’t put any pressure on the lad!
I do get your point, and caution is important, but I'm really not sure that U21s football adds much for players after a certain period of time
I saw him in a youth cup game and thought he was the standout. Similar to Bates, but taller. I worried about lack of speed and a certain wow factor.
But sometimes players move up a notch, and are still able to play their natural game against men. Early indications seem to suggest that.
I always keep it very simple. As a young player, your job is just to stay in the team pre season. I remember as a kid when semi pro team we would help the first team out, and play with them a bit in pre season, and then one by one we would be dropped out.
Your goal was just to be kept in and around that team. If you were doing that, you had a chance.
The fact he's still involved, a bit like Dobbin was last season is a positive.
He takes it on the half turn well, and plays forward.
It seems to me that Armstrong will get the best of both (all 3) worlds. He should get significant time training with the first team, hopefully getting onto the bench and maybe onto the pitch for early round cup games or late on in games if (please lord) we're ever actually winning them.
He should be playing all 3 EFL trophy games with the 21s and a few 21s league games just to keep him ticking over.
He's also still young enough to play in the youth cup and hopefully excel in that against his own age group.
Potential for a very good season with lots of different experiences.
It appears as though (to reference Nymzee) my "obsession" has brought some discussion.
What do we know?
We know hes training with and playing for the first team in pre-season, at a very young age.
We know as Catcher says, "He takes it on the half turn well, and plays forward." Which is what Dyche is referencing with Iroegbunam.
We know that (im referencing others here) hes a deep lying midfielder (?) and we dont have one of those in the squad.
The likes of Gilmour (Chelsea) and Bajcetic (RS) started games at a young age in the same position.
Nymzee is half right that you dont want to put pressure on him to soon, but Eggs is also half right that you need to let him fly as high as he can (issue would be too much to soon and overplaying him).
I agree with Oglop, use him in the u21s, while also training with the first team and see how he gets on.
Most important thing is for him to develop, improve and enjoy himself.