Academy & U21s

[Hasta]

3 minutes ago, J*B said:

Bradley Dack scores goals. Who would have thought it. 

Has he been closing down though?

[BankEnd Rover]

Sounds like we’re playing really well. Markanday sounds lively along with Vale, however the latter sounds like he’s missed a few sitters. 

[arbitro]

An excellent football match tonight full of attacking, fast play which finished 4-3 to Rovers. There were some really good individual performances notably Garratt, Carter, Wood and Vale. Significantly Carter and Phillips both went off after 65 minutes which tells me that one of them will start at Middlesbrough on Saturday indicating Ayala will be out. Adam Wharton was withdrawn at half-time so he could be involved from the start at Middlesbrough too but for me Garratt could bring so much to the first team, things we just don't currently have.

[alcd]

1 minute ago, arbitro said:

An excellent football match tonight full of attacking, fast play which finished 4-3 to Rovers. There were some really good individual performances notably Garratt, Carter, Wood and Vale. Significantly Carter and Phillips both went off after 65 minutes which tells me that one of them will start at Middlesbrough on Saturday indicating Ayala will be out. Adam Wharton was withdrawn at half-time so he could be involved from the start at Middlesbrough too but for me Garratt could bring so much to the first team, things we just don't currently have.

Looks like Garratt would be an upgrade on Travis who has gone backwards in the past two seasons. 

[roversfan99]

Enjoyed todays game, the under 21's (albeit half were first teamers) certainly didn't play the same boring football that Tomasson is asking the first team to try and play.

I am certainly aware of how kids football is inevitably not comparable in competitiveness and therefore any conclusions are limited. Dack however was clearly the stand out player on the pitch, some of his passing was outstanding as was the composure for the goal. It is an outrage that he isn't a regular in the first team, especially when the reason often given is his inability to press when the whole first team doesn't press anyway, but physically he looks the same as he did pre injury.

Markanday is an interesting player, he can be quite sloppy at times but in the rare glimpses we have seen him, he really makes things happen and has loads of natural ability. His volley was superb and he also hit the post and won a penalty, I would think

Especially Dack but both of these could potentially give us alternative goal threats which we sorely lack. I can't help but feel that neither probably show up well on the data compared to the likes of Szmodics, Gallagher, Hedges, Dolan and Hirst who probably run a bit more and try less risky things in the final third, and perhaps that is the way that football is going, but I would fancy either to score and assist more over a season, especially Dack.

Elsewhere, if Kaminski goes to the World Cup and Belgium get far, we are screwed. Garrett impressed me, Buckley was poor and Vale could have played all night and not scored.

[Tom]

How was Clinton Mola?

[J*B]

1 minute ago, Tom said:

How was Clinton Mola?

Clinton Mola has all the hallmarks of a Tom M favourite. 

[roversfan99]

I don't think he stood out but it is hard to really come to a conclusion about someone playing left back in such a game.

To me, it feels like a loanee that will play the odd game and go back and be forgotten about, but I am glad that at least we have back up to Pickering that is not the inept Tayo Edun.

[rigger]

A good win for the U21s, it should have been more emphatic. Markanday in my view was poor, but then scored a cracker. Dack ran out of steam after 60 mins, but the skill is still there. Mola looked impressive at LWB/LFB. Vale and Leonard both looked better than Hirst.

[G Somerset Rover]

40 minutes ago, rigger said:

A good win for the U21s, it should have been more emphatic. Markanday in my view was poor, but then scored a cracker. Dack ran out of steam after 60 mins, but the skill is still there. Mola looked impressive at LWB/LFB. Vale and Leonard both looked better than Hirst.

What a surprise that is. Most pointless signing for quite some time - doing nothing but hampering our own youngsters progress.

[arbitro]

Highlights from last night's match. Dack's quality speaks for itself.

 

[Mattyblue]

‘But, but the High Press’… 

[J*B]

27 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Highlights from last night's match. Dack's quality speaks for itself.

 

I know its Wolfsburg's U21s, but I just can't get my head around how anyone can watch that and only give him 8 minutes. If that was a random Rovers U21 player we would find a way to give him minutes. 

[frosty]

Well played Dacky. Markanday looks like he has something about him too - just taking Tuesday's line up, surely we'd have been able to offer much more going forward with Dack and Markanday instead of Szmodics and Hirst. Hirst looking like a fish out of water out on the right touchline I just can't understand in particular.

Nice to see the camera the traditional (correct?) way round as well.

[rigger]

17 minutes ago, frosty said:

Well played Dacky. Markanday looks like he has something about him too - just taking Tuesday's line up, surely we'd have been able to offer much more going forward with Dack and Markanday instead of Szmodics and Hirst. Hirst looking like a fish out of water out on the right touchline I just can't understand in particular.

Nice to see the camera the traditional (correct?) way round as well.

Having been at the game I thought Markanday was poor. He scored a good goal though. Had he not just scored, I think he would have been hooked.

Edited October 13, 2022 by rigger

[Gutted]

Good to see those highlights with positive play, forward passing and chances being created. A marked contrast to the negative anti football in recent away games. 

[bluebruce]

People seem to be conveniently ignoring that Dack also missed a sitter there.

[Atko's Engine]

20 hours ago, rigger said:

Markanday in my view was poor, but then scored a cracker.

I'll take poor if it means hitting the post, winning a pen and scoring a goal each game! He clearly has pace & natural ability.

From those highlights Garrett looks v tidy, & Dack's experience was clearly a class above. I do hope he can get himself back involved in the 1st 11.

[Exiled_Rover]

Are they trying to convert Harlock into a RB?

 

[rigger]

6 minutes ago, Atko's Engine said:

I'll take poor if it means hitting the post, winning a pen and scoring a goal each game! He clearly has pace & natural ability.

From those highlights Garrett looks v tidy, & Dack's experience was clearly a class above. I do hope he can get himself back involved in the 1st 11.

He also got dispossesed countless times, broke up our attacks by cutting inside and, when he didn't lose the ball, he more often than not passed backwards. I think he is more likely to reproduce the poor parts of his game (80%), than the good parts (20%). I am of this opinion because from what I saw the poor parts to his game, are the basics.

[Andy]

Appreciate the level, but surely Garrett has to get a chance - particularly when Travis is currently looking out of sorts?

Just from the highlights, he moves the ball quickly and intelligently.

The unpredictability of Markanday is also surely going to be more effective than anything that Hirst has shown so far?

[Hasta]

5 hours ago, bluebruce said:

People seem to be conveniently ignoring that Dack also missed a sitter there.

So did Andy Cole but his goal scoring instinct to get into those places for those chances spoke for itself. Same with Dack.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Hasta

[AllRoverAsia]

6 hours ago, bluebruce said:

People seem to be conveniently ignoring that Dack also missed a sitter there.

Score 1, miss 1

Pretty damn good

[Atko's Engine]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

He also got dispossesed countless times, broke up our attacks by cutting inside and, when he didn't lose the ball, he more often than not passed backwards. I think he is more likely to reproduce the poor parts of his game (80%), than the good parts (20%). I am of this opinion because from what I saw the poor parts to his game, are the basics.

Fair enough, you saw the match and I didn't but I can't help thinking your analysis is harsh. Granted there's room for improvement; but if a young forward tries things and they don't come off I don't mind that (indeed it should be actively encouraged), so long as he's doing it in the right areas of the pitch. 

Because sometimes those things he tries result in a shot that hits the post that he or a teammate can score from on the rebound, or a penalty, or a goal. If a forward manages to score a goal and get an assist each match, that'll keep every manager happy.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Atko's Engine

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Score 1, miss 1

Pretty damn good

I was expecting him to do what he did for the first goal with that chance at the end. Dummy a left foot shot, switch the ball onto his right foot and open his body up for a shot back across goal. Instead he went goal at a narrow angle and gave the keeper a chance.