Everton Youth Teams Thread

[Nymzee]

Very good! I think it is interesting though that Baines played in midfield. Connolly can play midfield too so putting him there is interesting. When Martinez talks of easing him back in he may now look to move him further forward. Who knows?

I'd speculate Baines played midfield instead of Connolly because from what I saw there was a lot less running involved in that area of the pitch with him sitting deep. Maybe Roberto thought having him marauding forward up the flank was an injury risk?

To those who say send Galloway out on loan in Jan - never happening. With Garbutt already at Fulham and with Baines & Oviedo's injury records we'd be scarily short if we let him leave for 5 months.

 

[Coffee and TV]

I'd speculate Baines played midfield instead of Connolly because from what I saw there was a lot less running involved in that area of the pitch with him sitting deep. Maybe Roberto thought having him marauding forward up the flank was an injury risk?

To those who say send Galloway out on loan in Jan - never happening. With Garbutt already at Fulham and with Baines & Oviedo's injury records we'd be scarily short if we let him leave for 5 months.

Also with Jags injured he's probably our 3rd choice CB at the moment.

 

[catcherintherye]

I'd speculate Baines played midfield instead of Connolly because from what I saw there was a lot less running involved in that area of the pitch with him sitting deep. Maybe Roberto thought having him marauding forward up the flank was an injury risk?

To those who say send Galloway out on loan in Jan - never happening. With Garbutt already at Fulham and with Baines & Oviedo's injury records we'd be scarily short if we let him leave for 5 months.

I don't think there's any chance of Galloway going in January. I do think, with the return of Garbutt there is a possibility he may go in the summer, depending on his progress.

If Martinez gets an offer from a championship club (or premiership) that would allow him to be regularly, ideally at Centre half I think he would consider it if he didn't think he was ready to be 4th choice centre back. We will see.

As for Baines you could be right. An alternative theory may be that in midfield he may get through more running which is better for match fitness. I think there could be more to it.

 

[bluebrotha77]

I don't think there's any chance of Galloway going in January. I do think, with the return of Garbutt there is a possibility he may go in the summer, depending on his progress.

If Martinez gets an offer from a championship club (or premiership) that would allow him to be regularly, ideally at Centre half I think he would consider it if he didn't think he was ready to be 4th choice centre back. We will see.

As for Baines you could be right. An alternative theory may be that in midfield he may get through more running which is better for match fitness. I think there could be more to it.

Would any club play him regularly at centre half when he has been playing full back for us?or are you saying if its the summer he goes that he would be giving a run there during pre-season to see how he copes playing centre half

 

[Eggs]

.....given his performances at LB, there must be a doubt that Galloway will be considered at CB. I think he is definitely the alternative to Baines and firmly established himself ahead of Oviedo and Garbut. We have an any 2 from 3 situation at CB, Browning or Galloway providing additional cover.

 

[mrb85]

Would any club play him regularly at centre half when he has been playing full back for us?or are you saying if its the summer he goes that he would be giving a run there during pre-season to see how he copes playing centre half

You're forgetting he was a regular L1 CB before coming to us.

 

[atrottel]

Interesting comments from Martinez here at the bottom which imply that he thinks that the attacking part of the older youth teams is OK but that the defence could do with some strengthening or competition (thus Holgate and Foulds):
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...s/everton-believe-matty-foulds-could-10495313

 

[Nymzee]

I'm very excited to see the youth players eventually come into the first team squad (if it happens) however I'm a bit perplexed we've never really placed too much investment in a youth goalkeeper. I know Griffiths is an England U20 International (?) and we brought Stanek in to loan him out, but I've never really seen/read anything to suggest either fall into the "exciting prospect" category that could one day be first choice.

I know it's hard to gauge a goalkeepers ability sub 20-years old but there are some very highly rated young keepers out there and I'd like to see us go after them ((Dragowski (random Polish team, Donnarumma (AC Milan), Walton (Brighton), Wellenreuther (Schalke) etc.)) I guess maybe the outlay on these kinds of prospects is maybe not seen as a wise expenditure at the moment.

 

[blueloon]

Great article from Roberto there, plenty of food for thought on his intentions.

 

[atrottel]

I'm very excited to see the youth players eventually come into the first team squad (if it happens) however I'm a bit perplexed we've never really placed too much investment in a youth goalkeeper. I know Griffiths is an England U20 International (?) and we brought Stanek in to loan him out, but I've never really seen/read anything to suggest either fall into the "exciting prospect" category that could one day be first choice.

I know it's hard to gauge a goalkeepers ability sub 20-years old but there are some very highly rated young keepers out there and I'd like to see us go after them ((Dragowski (random Polish team, Donnarumma (AC Milan), Walton (Brighton), Wellenreuther (Schalke) etc.)) I guess maybe the outlay on these kinds of prospects is maybe not seen as a wise expenditure at the moment.

To be fair, we've tried all kinds of ways recently.

Developing within academy, as with Griffiths.
Buying young British like Stones and Holgate, as with Ruddy and Springthorpe.
Picking up young Europeans, as with Hewelt and Stanek.

Of course, keeper is probably the most difficult of all to develop since you have to have confidence to give the time on the pitch and you have to have experience to gain confidence. But look at the amount of loans we gave to Ruddy and Turner?

 

[Nymzee]

Connelly's goal made it onto The Guardian's best goals of the week: http://www.theguardian.com/football...s-week-andres-iniesta-delli-ali-fred-asprilla

 

[Raino85]

To be fair, we've tried all kinds of ways recently.

Developing within academy, as with Griffiths.
Buying young British like Stones and Holgate, as with Ruddy and Springthorpe.
Picking up young Europeans, as with Hewelt and Stanek.

Of course, keeper is probably the most difficult of all to develop since you have to have confidence to give the time on the pitch and you have to have experience to gain confidence. But look at the amount of loans we gave to Ruddy and Turner?

I find it strange that we havent looked to source the best goalkeeper in the country/europe that is maybe between 18-21.
We have done so well in doing this with all other positions but goalkeeper.
Now i dont really know how the goalkeepers we currently have are rated but i think in hindsight it would of been a good idea to go out and get a young goalkeeper a few years ago and loan him out for a couple of years with the idea of after those loans he would be first team ready to replace an aging Howard

 

[atrottel]

I find it strange that we havent looked to source the best goalkeeper in the country/europe that is maybe between 18-21.
We have done so well in doing this with all other positions but goalkeeper.
Now i dont really know how the goalkeepers we currently have are rated but i think in hindsight it would of been a good idea to go out and get a young goalkeeper a few years ago and loan him out for a couple of years with the idea of after those loans he would be first team ready to replace an aging Howard

I think that was essentially what we did with Ruddy.

 

[Timak]

I find it strange that we havent looked to source the best goalkeeper in the country/europe that is maybe between 18-21.
We have done so well in doing this with all other positions but goalkeeper.
Now i dont really know how the goalkeepers we currently have are rated but i think in hindsight it would of been a good idea to go out and get a young goalkeeper a few years ago and loan him out for a couple of years with the idea of after those loans he would be first team ready to replace an aging Howard

Yep goalkeeper is one of those positions where you need the young player to be playing as much as possible.

If we could get someone like Dragowski (18 year old who has played 2 full seasons in Poland) and then get him settled in the UK and playing every week for someone like Blackpool/Preston for a season or two until he is ready it would be ideal.

 

[Pabbers]

“We are the best academy system in world football from the age of nine to 18," - Martinez