Academy & U21s

[Polky]

22 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Hedges scored after 6 minutes. Leonard assist. Tried to find a stream somewhere but no joy. I'm sure Leicester used to let you watch u21 games if you had a free account on their site.

 

[neophox]

Is this new under JDT that he let first teames play games with U21 between games league games.... did we do that with TM?

[rigger]

4 minutes ago, neophox said:

Is this new under JDT that he let first teames play games with U21 between games league games.... did we do that with TM?

It's more a case of JDT giving more younger players a first team chance. 

[Mike E]

28 minutes ago, neophox said:

Is this new under JDT that he let first teames play games with U21 between games league games.... did we do that with TM?

It's to keep the whole squad match fit, I believe.

[bluebruce]

Finished 1-0. Valuable win for the U21s, as Leicester are bottom of the league and we were sliding a bit too close for comfort. This opens up an 8 point gap between the two sides, and I believe only the bottom side gets relegated. Only 7 games remaining, so you'd expect us to be able to avoid relegation now.

I suspect this entered into the thinking when naming a strong side, although some players need fitness anyway of course. Surprised we didn't go on to win by more considering the experience and the early lead.

[rigger]

1 minute ago, bluebruce said:

Finished 1-0. Valuable win for the U21s, as Leicester are bottom of the league and we were sliding a bit too close for comfort. This opens up an 8 point gap between the two sides, and I believe only the bottom side gets relegated. Only 7 games remaining, so you'd expect us to be able to avoid relegation now.

I suspect this entered into the thinking when naming a strong side, although some players need fitness anyway of course. Surprised we didn't go on to win by more considering the experience and the early lead.

Two sides are relegated, so even with this very welcome 3 points we are only safe by two points. lots of work still to do.

[mr bishi]

19 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Finished 1-0. Valuable win for the U21s, as Leicester are bottom of the league and we were sliding a bit too close for comfort. This opens up an 8 point gap between the two sides, and I believe only the bottom side gets relegated. Only 7 games remaining, so you'd expect us to be able to avoid relegation now.

I suspect this entered into the thinking when naming a strong side, although some players need fitness anyway of course. Surprised we didn't go on to win by more considering the experience and the early lead.

Bottom 2 get relegated.

[had.e.nuff]

On 03/03/2023 at 14:31, bluebruce said:

The current U18s will also be more weakly stocked, as their best players have been needed in the U21s to fill the gap left by those moved up.

is the u18 best player not on the bench for the first team

[1874]

58 minutes ago, mr bishi said:

Bottom 2 get relegated.

And they play each other next week so we could drop back in

[joey_big_nose]

3 hours ago, neophox said:

Is this new under JDT that he let first teames play games with U21 between games league games.... did we do that with TM?

Tony Mowbray would play players in the U21s when coming back from injuries regularly, but the rotating fit players in there who didn't get a full 90 on the weekend is very much a JDT thing. Seems to be working a treat to be honest, lots of players have come back with big improvements after a spell with the U21s. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Tony Mowbray would play players in the U21s when coming back from injuries regularly, but the rotating fit players in there who didn't get a full 90 on the weekend is very much a JDT thing. Seems to be working a treat to be honest, lots of players have come back with big improvements after a spell with the U21s. 

Playing regularly has got to be an advantage as opposed to just training and sitting on the bench.

In Mowbray’s time the attitude appeared to be that senior players were selected to play at that level as some sort of punishment and was to be avoided.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[R0verb0y]

41 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Playing regularly has got to be an advantage as opposed to just training and sitting on the bench.

In Mowbray’s time the attitude appeared to be that senior players were selected to play at that level as some sort of punishment and was to be avoided.

Nowadays, thank goodness, JDT's attitude means that there's less chance of an "Us & Them" attitude between the "First team squad" and the U-21s.

Younger players - eg, JRC - are getting a fairer chance of developing, hence becoming valued members of the pool of first traders.

It must be good for their self-confidence.

Edited March 7, 2023 by R0verb0y
A second thought!

[Danny O.Brien]

I think it's brilliant that the first teamers and u21s are interchangeable. Especially with what seems to be such a talented crop coming through. It keeps first teamers match fit and shows a clear pathway to the first team for the youth side. 

[Mike E]

6 hours ago, Danny O.Brien said:

I think it's brilliant that the first teamers and u21s are interchangeable. Especially with what seems to be such a talented crop coming through. It keeps first teamers match fit and shows a clear pathway to the first team for the youth side. 

And more readily gets the u21s playing with/learning from the first team.

[arbitro]

A strange choice of kit for last night's match at Leicester particularly after we played last week against them and wore red. I wonder if we are struggling to provide enough kit for the under 21's given the shortage. We did however change our socks to red.

 

[rigger]

18 minutes ago, arbitro said:

A strange choice of kit for last night's match at Leicester particularly after we played last week against them and wore red. I wonder if we are struggling to provide enough kit for the under 21's given the shortage. We did however change our socks to red.

 

Perhaps the red kit hadn't been washed in time.

[riverholmes]

Seems like the standard of player coming through, injuries and, just maybe standard of coaching and management, comparatively, not to mention the reliance on U21 players in the firsts, is making the PL2 a struggle. Whilst fielding first teamers makes sense, we also need to push the U18s to step-up and takeover, as there will be a whole host of fringe players exiting this summer. The standard in the PL2 will, presumably, only increase with the huge sums being spent by Premier League clubs.

I have been wondering if the level of injury to the U21 squad is precedented - whether it's bad luck or something else going awry. As far as I can tell we have Barnes, Batty, Whitehall, Cirino, Burns and Baker all out long-term. Ethan Walker, Dan Pike (now on loan) and Jay Haddow have rarely or intermittently played, presumably due to injury and Gent seems to have been out recently too. That's nearly a full team of potential starters absent for games, whether injured or some other reason.

Edited March 8, 2023 by riverholmes

[Underground, Roverground]

3 hours ago, riverholmes said:

The standard in the PL2 will, presumably, only increase with the huge sums being spent by Premier League clubs.

Not necessarily.

Whilst I wouldn’t say U21s is inconsequential to them, think I read somewhere that these clubs worry less about U21s as players of this age are typically on loan. Diallo at Sunderland from United being a prime example.

More focus attached to the U18 teams. 

[Exiled_Rover]

On 07/03/2023 at 17:29, arbitro said:

A strange choice of kit for last night's match at Leicester particularly after we played last week against them and wore red. I wonder if we are struggling to provide enough kit for the under 21's given the shortage. We did however change our socks to red.

 

Genuinely think we should always play in red socks.

Of course I'm one that hates our current kits because they're not properly halved (or quartered, I guess) - and one that's disappointed that we've never capitalised on our brand by having halved (again, quartered) away kits every year. 

[bluebruce]

Dan Pike going to Fylde on loan again seems pointless, at least from our perspective. 21 years old now and returning to a National League North side for the third time. Obviously isn't going to make any real development by going there, clearly doesn't have a future here. One of the only (relatively) experienced players in our U21s, many of who are stepping up to a level they're unfamiliar with and are struggling. I'd definitely be keeping him here until the summer to help our U21s try to stay up, then he can go where he likes.

And before anyone bothers, no I don't care about the player's career as much as the wellbeing of Rovers. But it's just a few months, he can go there permanently in the summer if he likes. His contract is up...we have an extension option that I can't imagine we will be activating.

[1874]

Premier League Cup Quarter Final

Goal Soton 0 Rovers 1

Edited March 10, 2023 by 1874

[1874]

Goal Soton 0 Rovers 2

[1874]

Goal Soton 1 Rovers 2

[R0verb0y]

14 minutes ago, 1874 said:

Goal Soton 0 Rovers 2

It's at time like this that you (I!) regret having lost touch with the only Soton fan I ever knew!

[R0verb0y]

11 minutes ago, 1874 said:

Goal Soton 1 Rovers 2

Good job I'm a slow typist!!😉😂