..the switch to U23 has at least made it a little more competitive but you could be right. It's a surprise he's not been out on loan. I get the impression he might be better playing with better players because he has a touch of quality but perhaps he's not seen as competitive enough to make the step up.
Verbal Kint
Player Valuation: £35m
Must be hard for a player like Dowell who got a couple of run outs last season in the first team to seemingly be miles away this season, coupled to that he sees Tom Davies lighting it up.
You have to say though that nobody disagrees with him being miles away from the first team, overall he's been disappointing this season, all be it the last 5 or six games he's shown some of his form from last season. The frustrating thing is , as @Eggs says, he has a touch of quality that can turn a game which few others in his age group possess. In contrast, Harry Charsley rarely gets mentioned here, yet for overall contribution to the U23s in terms of games played, positions played , goals scored etc he would probably be the player of the season. He's an excellent player , scores good goals...... yet seems to lack that certain magic which Dowell possesses Charsley seems to fall into the Conor Grant/ Connor McAleny category, well coached, good skills , works hard but a level blow making it for our first team.
If Dowell could pick up some of Charsley's attributes it would help him a lot. It's perhaps not surprising he didn't go out on loan, you couldn't really see him helping a team in a relegation dog fight in League2 as Walsh did, though it may well have done him good. Still young yet though , this is what our U23s is all about, analysing his performance with him , making adjustments to his game and turning him into a better player.
Think the coaches and Dowell have to find away to establish the work ethic required. Unsowrth has said Dowell has grown and bulked up so that will probably help. Next step is to start influencing games more, seems to hav estarted happening in the last few games as Blueloon states. We've seen it with Ross this season that RK won't accept players playing on the periphery of a game, even if its not happening for Dowell in a game he's going to need to show he can play the pressing game Koeman wants and that he has a willingness to learn. Must be heard for a kid seeing the club going out and spending millions on a lad the same age who bursts straight into the first team picture, Dowell is going to have to respnd to the challenge.
...thought the goal would've been available by this time.
It's up now mate, sorry can't share as on iPad, sure someone will manage it. A really cool finish from zBroadhead, got the impression that Dowell set him up but all Broadheads work. A talented lad, hope he gets a few more starts to prove himself, he knows how to find the net.
...yep, just seen it. As you say, fine individual goal.
I think their may be a tipping point for some of your players just reading the posts on Dowell. When a club has more money to spend and can buy a certain higher standard to go straight into the first team, means that the standard a young player has to reach goes up a level and subsequently makes it harder to break into a team.
We may be at the start of that process, when you look at City, Chelsea they have immensely talented and successful youth team players who can't make the breakthrough.
I think our approach will to this will be intersting, it's a delicate balance to strike, we have the reputation of playing young players and giving them an opportunity, if that were to change the likes of Lookman could look elsewhere.
That said the likes of Arsenal and Utd still bring through youth team players, so it is possible.
As obvious as it sounds though the more successful and talented the first team the less chance a youth team player has of breaking through and I do wonder are we at the beginning of a process were our youth team will find it difficult to progress to the first team.
We may be at the start of that process, when you look at City, Chelsea they have immensely talented and successful youth team players who can't make the breakthrough.
I think our approach will to this will be intersting, it's a delicate balance to strike, we have the reputation of playing young players and giving them an opportunity, if that were to change the likes of Lookman could look elsewhere.
That said the likes of Arsenal and Utd still bring through youth team players, so it is possible.
As obvious as it sounds though the more successful and talented the first team the less chance a youth team player has of breaking through and I do wonder are we at the beginning of a process were our youth team will find it difficult to progress to the first team.
Darth Toffeeman
Player Valuation: £40m
The very best sides, especially in this league of always contained local lads and academy graduates.
Chelsea had Terry, bought local lad Lampard, and they where the bedrock of that club.
Liverpool have struggled since their conveyor belt dried up. For all the money they have lashed out, bar a handful their best players have been homegrown.
Man U built their empire on the class of 92.
Our youth team is exceptional, has a management of passionate blues who came through the system and will hopefully lead us back to the top after 2/3 decades in the wilderness.
A lot of what you write though mate was almost 20 years ago mate, I'm not sure that's true at all anymore, the local lads point, that is. I think it's changed significantly. I suppose if you look at the current top four you would be pressed to find ten players who came locally through the academy, by that I mean how Ross, Davies and Dowell have.
Recruitment is now key, a lot of players are bought from the lower leagues like Stones or Holgate, or even recruited internationally like Bellerin or Iwobi.
I suppose my general point is if Everton buy top quality players for the first team it's raising the bar for the youth team to ever break through, not only that to compete year in year out at that level they will have to compete with players like Lookman or Calvert Lewin that are parachuted in from lower leagues or a Donker brought in from abroad, that the standard we are aspiring too and wish to compete in as a club.
For lads like and I'm using him as an example their are ever growing obstacles in making it at Everton, not that he wont, but it's trickier than this time last year and will get more so. The impact that will have on our reputation as a club that can attract young talent I think remains to be seen.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
While there have been no formal studies, there is enough evidence to suggest that a weird cause and effect relationship occurs when you "raise the bar" in this kind of situation. It's not just that the higher demands weeds out more players, it can actually stunt player development.
When young players see everyone around them fail to reach the bar and they ultimately see the bar as an unattainable goal, even if they have the talent to get there. However, if they see some of their friends and teammates succeed, they push harder to achieve an even greater level of success.
Sounds like an intersting study, which against sets tightrope for the balance and dilemma Everton have to negotiate.
When you look at the underage success at Chelsea and City, it hard to fathom that no one ever breaks through from those teams.
It must be so dispiriting to be part of their youth teams.
I often find it funny reading the transfer thread that we fume about not signing multiples of players, while in the same breath we want all the young lads we rate the opportunity to break through.
...decision time for Courtney Dufus contract;
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-tell-young-striker-show-12570677
He looked really decent against Man Utd, the best I've seen him. High flying Brighton were sniffing around last month so he shouldn't struggle for a decent club regardless.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-tell-young-striker-show-12570677
He looked really decent against Man Utd, the best I've seen him. High flying Brighton were sniffing around last month so he shouldn't struggle for a decent club regardless.
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