Everton Youth Teams Thread

[tr_efc]

I'd argue only really Armstron, Dixon & Tyrer could be at the full level.

Players like Metcalfe are good, but i get the Ryan Ledson feeling from him. he will have a good career, but not quite at the top level.

Good point, this.

The difference between Metcalfe and Armstrong so far from what I've seen is the natural drive from Armstrong to get forward. He looks as though he likes to takes risk and is super eager and tenacious. Metcalfe is bit more relaxed and safe. Do think both can be good for us if we look after them and get them the loan spells they need to get more familiar with men's first team football though.

 

[JimmyK]

Tell you what though, after seeing the first round of U21 and U18 fixtures, there's becoming an enormous void players are falling into right now unless we do the right thing and loan/sell some kids.

Noticed these guys - maybe some injuries - have aged out of U18's but nowhere to be seen in U21's:

Leban - Seemingly just needs another loan?
Jack Tierney - Isn't good anyway but unsure where he's at. Would guess he's just a back-up CB at best this season.
Brad Moonan - Should be starting U21 every game.
Liam Higgins - No idea why he's still around. He's backup for Dixon but turns 22 in a few months. OSS should just be his natural replacement in the squad.
Jack Patterson - Not sure where he is.
Matty Apter - Think he's injured but unsure where he goes when fit.
Sean McAllister - Surely needs selling?
Coby Ebere - Status unknown
Owen Barker - Status unknown
George Morgan - With U18's for Next Gen tourny but not in the squad for U18's at the weekend and listed as promoted to U21's with Moonan in the Summer.

Keeping the likes of Welch, Campbell, Metcalfe, Whitaker, Okoronkwo etc. around is really creating a bottle-neck. Feel like we're in for another year of player development being stagnated.

Mcallister and Higgins were just given short contracts to allow them to recover from injury they would have been released in the summer otherwise.

 

[mightymoyes]

Tell you what though, after seeing the first round of U21 and U18 fixtures, there's becoming an enormous void players are falling into right now unless we do the right thing and loan/sell some kids.

Noticed these guys - maybe some injuries - have aged out of U18's but nowhere to be seen in U21's:

Leban - Seemingly just needs another loan?
Jack Tierney - Isn't good anyway but unsure where he's at. Would guess he's just a back-up CB at best this season.
Brad Moonan - Should be starting U21 every game.
Liam Higgins - No idea why he's still around. He's backup for Dixon but turns 22 in a few months. OSS should just be his natural replacement in the squad.
Jack Patterson - Not sure where he is.
Matty Apter - Think he's injured but unsure where he goes when fit.
Sean McAllister - Surely needs selling?
Coby Ebere - Status unknown
Owen Barker - Status unknown
George Morgan - With U18's for Next Gen tourny but not in the squad for U18's at the weekend and listed as promoted to U21's with Moonan in the Summer.

Keeping the likes of Welch, Campbell, Metcalfe, Whitaker, Okoronkwo etc. around is really creating a bottle-neck. Feel like we're in for another year of player development being stagnated.

moonan, patterson and ebere are all still eligible for u18s so probably all have some sort of injury.
but yeh we need those ones you suggested to go on loan ASAP

 

[Nymzee]

I think that last bit is the key bit to what you are saying.

These are the lads that shouldn't be playing youth football now, plus probably a few others. I know usually EFL loans happen later in the window, but I'd imagine any loan for them anyway would just be shop window loans. I think its a bit different to say.........a Branthwaite to PSV, they would be more Warrington to Fleetwood/Plymouth. maybe not Okoronkwo, but probably the rest.

Yeh there are far too many in that squad that shouldn't be there. I wrote a list down this morning because I was bored and the U21 squad is enormous!

 

[Nymzee]

moonan, patterson and ebere are all still eligible for u18s so probably all have some sort of injury.
but yeh we need those ones you suggested to go on loan ASAP

They are but they won't be playing for them this season I think we know that.

 

[catcherintherye]

Yeh there are far too many in that squad that shouldn't be there. I wrote a list down this morning because I was bored and the U21 squad is enormous!

View attachment 269867

We sort of had a spell where we seemed to thin the squad out. Obviously the window isn't shut, but it looks like a few need loans or to be moved on.

Stagnation happ ned under Unsworth and didn't help us.

 

[JimmyK]

Yeh there are far too many in that squad that shouldn't be there. I wrote a list down this morning because I was bored and the U21 squad is enormous!

View attachment 269867

I guess its kind of a natural consequence of trying to bring players in at academy level like we have this year you're trying to improve the quality level but if players are already under contract you end up being a bit bloated for a year or two before it can even out.

 

[Tony’s Carp]

Yeh there are far too many in that squad that shouldn't be there. I wrote a list down this morning because I was bored and the U21 squad is enormous!

View attachment 269867

We’re the PL2 Chelsea.

 

[Nymzee]

I guess its kind of a natural consequence of trying to bring players in at academy level like we have this year you're trying to improve the quality level but if players are already under contract you end up being a bit bloated for a year or two before it can even out.

A year or two in academy footie is massive though that's the issue. People like Owen Barker, very talented, don't get chance to test themselves in U21's because they're stuck behind an Okoronkwo or whomever on their 4th (4th!!!) year at that level.

To me, if you're 20+ and starting games for our U21's you should be out on loan or sold. I don't mind a few older ones being squad filler in case of injuries but we need younger teams.

 

[JimmyK]

A year or two in academy footie is massive though that's the issue. People like Owen Barker, very talented, don't get chance to test themselves in U21's because they're stuck behind an Okoronkwo or whomever on their 4th (4th!!!) year at that level.

To me, if you're 20+ and starting games for our U21's you should be out on loan or sold. I don't mind a few older ones being squad filler in case of injuries but we need younger teams.

I agree and I would guess that people like Leban and Welch are definitely ones they want to get out on loan or permanent I suppose what I mean is some of the others they're probably trying to replace with better quality by bringing in Benjamin Tamen etc but its not that easy to get them a move some of them will end up in non league and they aren't on non league wages so they won't be in any rush to move if they don't have to its just always going to happen if you're recruiting for under 21 players like we have because of not having had a good pipeline in the last few years.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

A year or two in academy footie is massive though that's the issue. People like Owen Barker, very talented, don't get chance to test themselves in U21's because they're stuck behind an Okoronkwo or whomever on their 4th (4th!!!) year at that level.

To me, if you're 20+ and starting games for our U21's you should be out on loan or sold. I don't mind a few older ones being squad filler in case of injuries but we need younger teams.

Generally agree with this. We need to start making sure that our age groups are involved at levels a year or two 'ahead' of them at that moment, that way (in theory) we bring up a glut of youngsters who will have been involved in games against sides with a higher average age than them consistently throughout their development.

 

[Raino85]

I agree and I would guess that people like Leban and Welch are definitely ones they want to get out on loan or permanent I suppose what I mean is some of the others they're probably trying to replace with better quality by bringing in Benjamin Tamen etc but its not that easy to get them a move some of them will end up in non league and they aren't on non league wages so they won't be in any rush to move if they don't have to its just always going to happen if you're recruiting for under 21 players like we have because of not having had a good pipeline in the last few years.

The last bit is important there. Kyle John probably got 2 years worth of £2k a week playing for the academy whereas if he went to Port Vale 2 years ago, what would he of made? £600 a week?

 

[Raino85]

Generally agree with this. We need to start making sure that our age groups are involved at levels a year or two 'ahead' of them at that moment, that way (in theory) we bring up a glut of youngsters who will have been involved in games against sides with a higher average age than them consistently throughout their development.

But what if every team does that?

 

[JimmyK]

The last bit is important there. Kyle John probably got 2 years worth of £2k a week playing for the academy whereas if he went to Port Vale 2 years ago, what would he of made? £600 a week?

Yes I don't think people realise the difference its easy to say get them out on loan or sell them but there are loads of reasons why that won't always happen even some of the better academy players in the last few years have gone well down the ladder to play regularly there isn't a big queue of teams wanting to put an 19 year old centre half in their first team and pay them 2 grand a week!

 

[blueloon]

moonan, patterson and ebere are all still eligible for u18s so probably all have some sort of injury.
but yeh we need those ones you suggested to go on loan ASAP

Moonan, Paterson and Ebere were all 22/23 Scholars so too old for u18s now, they were in the Butler, ISS , Apter Sherif year. Im not sure what’s happening but if they’re not playing u21s their chances are rapidly diminishing.