The Spurs Youth Thread – 2016/2017

[Blake Griffin]

sterling vs harrison depends on what you want from a striker. sterling's quicker/stronger and very much an off-the-shoulder type that also runs the channels. harrison's more ball into feet and technical link-up play. both can finish but i think right now sterling's superior physicality would make him the more effective of the two if either were thrown into the 1st team, he's also a year and a half younger so will hopefully improve other parts of his game by the time he's harrison's age.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

sterling vs harrison depends on what you want from a striker. sterling's quicker/stronger and very much an off-the-shoulder type that also runs the channels. harrison's more ball into feet and technical link-up play. both can finish but i think right now sterling's superior physicality would make him the more effective of the two if either were thrown into the 1st team, he's also a year and a half younger so will hopefully improve other parts of his game by the time he's harrison's age.

Harrison isn't exactly slow though. I think it's much easier to develop or compensate for a lack of physicality than it is a lack of technique and intelligence. Personally, I think the first team are crying out for a bit less hustle bustle and a bit more composure, and I think physicality is becoming much less of an imperative in modern football, I also don't think our push teams into deep defensive block philosophy really suits off-the-shoulder hand bags, I think a striker that can drop, has good technique to hold up and link intelligently with the Eriksen's and Alli's would be more viable.

But then I could be doing Sterling a disservice, maybe I've just never caught him on a blinding day, I've definitely seen less of him than you and some of the others.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Sorry mate cannot agree Sterling for me is the most frustrating player out of all the u18 players.

This echoes my experiences of Sterling too. Just seems like a thorny type who causes problems physically (pace/physique) but lacks intelligence. And I really don't get how @Hercules complains that Harrison's decision making is what lets him down and then offers up Sterling as a better option ?

 

[allpaths]

Some being really harsh on Sterling, think he has decent footballing intelligence and is good technical ability, he's much more than a battering ram or a last man on the shoulder type. i think his horrible injury record has hurt his growth as a footballer, so developmentally he may never catch up. But i've been really impressed since he's come back and i do have hope for him.

As for Harrison I've said on multiple occasions how much I like him, but I've always said he had an outside chance of making the first team and with this league two loan it shows he has to do a lot to get there.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Harrison isn't exactly slow though. I think it's much easier to develop or compensate for a lack of physicality than it is a lack of technique and intelligence. Personally, I think the first team are crying out for a bit less hustle bustle and a bit more composure, and I think physicality is becoming much less of an imperative in modern football, I also don't think our push teams into deep defensive block philosophy really suits off-the-shoulder hand bags, I think a striker that can drop, has good technique to hold up and link intelligently with the Eriksen's and Alli's would be more viable.

But then I could be doing Sterling a disservice, maybe I've just never caught him on a blinding day, I've definitely seen less of him than you and some of the others.

i'm hardly massive on physicality either but harrison is very slight, i don't want to project years down the line but right now it's very difficult to imagine him being at all effective at 1st team level as he'd simply be outmuscled off the ball and he doesn't have the acceleration or elusiveness of a kwp/edwards type player to compensate, sterling would at least be able to compete as he has the body for it. the first time i saw sterling as a 15 year old it was an instant "who's that kid?" moment, he looked incredibly sharp in and around the box and was a real handful, maybe i'm still holding onto that as he hasn't pushed on since but he's also had a couple of lengthy injuries in that time and is now only just being able to put a run together. harrison has some nice qualities but he's never really moved the needle massively for me. hopefully he goes on to prove me wrong and you right as quality strikers are incredibly hard to come by, let alone produce internally.

 

[allpaths]

Sterling's performances was poor before his injuries so that is no excuse.

Remember he has lost his starting spot for most of this season from Griffiths who is in his fist year for the u18s
and that has not been down to the injuries of Sterling,a lot of times he has been on the bench.

we'll just have to disagree, he was really sharp before his first injury, came back last year and looked really off the pace and got injured again. i dont think its wise in general to prematurely make up your mind either good or bad about strikers.

 

[Hercules]

Sterling's performances was poor before his injuries so that is no excuse.

Remember he has lost his starting spot for most of this season from Griffiths who is in his fist year for the u18s
and that has not been down to the injuries of Sterling,a lot of times he has been on the bench.

Cannot argue with that really.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Sterling's performances was poor before his injuries so that is no excuse.

Remember he has lost his starting spot for most of this season from Griffiths who is in his fist year for the u18s
and that has not been down to the injuries of Sterling,a lot of times he has been on the bench.

i'm not sure that's entirely how it happened. griffiths was playing whilst sterling was injured, he was then reintroduced slowly(mainly from the bench) but has been starting when fit lately. with harrison gone i guess we'll see who steps up to the u23s, i'd be amazed if griffiths gets the nod over sterling.

 

[edson]

i'm not sure that's entirely how it happened. griffiths was playing whilst sterling was injured, he was then reintroduced slowly(mainly from the bench) but has been starting when fit lately. with harrison gone i guess we'll see who steps up to the u23s, i'd be amazed if griffiths gets the nod over sterling.

Griffiths needs to stay with the u18s next year he is still very young and need to learn a lot more.

 

[allpaths]

Trust me I have been trying to see what others have.

Last season I was at all the home game and a couple away I am tying to see what others are and I hope I am wrong but as it stands I prefer Griffiths who is learning the role of a striker.

i dont think it's a bad policy to invest the playing time in reo, nothing bad in a little disagreement. i still think u have a great opinion on players, because u at least use reasoning behind your opinions.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

Great to see Tommy Carroll play so well today.

 

[allpaths]

Not just me a lot of members who post on here know their stuff but remember it is all about opinions and no one really knows how it is going to pan out.

it's why this is a top thread and is so enjoyable

 

[IGSpur]

As, some of you know I like Harrison, and I think this is an excellent loan for him.

Realistically he is not a top tier player, he is 2nd tier. We have hard Poch doesn't mind some players going out on loan he is a perfect one to go. He is a couple years behind Onomah and Winks in ability, development and experience. I don't think, other than pressing, the striker role in our team necessarily requires a specific style of play. So he isn't going to unlearn anything per se. He isn't going to get any games this year, so it gives him a chance, to get some experience. While he isn't big at all, and may struggle he may learn how to deal with big players. At the end of the day if he scores goals, he will fire himself into Poch's mind. he won't then look at him, and think 'no he's been ruined by league 2. At the end of the day if he learns to cope in league 2 he will be able to play in the same way both Kane and Janssen play. Poch seemingly wants someone who can hold the ball up Shayon will learn it in on loan.

Finally don't get caught up on what league he goes to. At this stage games are games. At his age he needs to be playing as it will become a developmental step, rather than just playing u23s. This is invaluable. The traditional top clubs have always been able to send their players higher up the ladder, that doesn't mean they're better. He has great technique can come deep, can play off the wing and importantly can find the net. If he learns how to deal with the physical element whether it be Championship, League One or League Two, that's what matters. We can only send a player to clubs that want him,that doesn't mean it's his level, it just means, as someone said above, there aren't meany clubs that are in a position where they can have an untested small 19 year old lead their line.

Re: our youth strikers, I think Harrison has a better all roudn game than Sterling. Sterling is definitely more explosive and powerful. That isn't to undermine his ability as he can play with back to goal but he has a lot less guile. One of the best ways to see the difference between their styles is how they play on the wing.

Sterling will be all work rate, closing down, sticking to the wing, trying to get in behind and try and meet balls at the back post. Whereas Harrison, will drop deeper, and come more central to find the ball and space and link up. I also think Harrison has a bit more skill/flair, in terms of flicks and maybe beating a man (would be more successful at that if eh was stronger). Sterling doesn't have many tricks which I noticed when he plays on the wings, but he he is the type of striker, than can get a shot off, from a small backlift or an awkward angle. Harrison probably pips Sterling in finishing for me. It's hard to say who is ahead of who.

Harrison never played for England whereas Sterling did, but the difference in ability in both age groups is a lot bigger, so it's hard to gauge on that. As @Blake Griffin said based on Sterling's physique at Harrison's age, I'd expect him to be a lot more ready for the first team, also because he offers something different to our other strikers. I believe though that Sterling, like Harrison is also one of our tier 2 players. That age group has a lot

 

[IGSpur]

Our u13s beat Zenit in the final of the Riga Cup. Haven't watched the final but we didn't concede a goal up until that match

http://www.rigacup.lv/winter/tournament/u-13/

Our first game against Santa Claus starts around 55mins. We won 7 nil, were gifting us goals



Other games later in that stream.

Almost through the game, and it looks like we have another Maghoma, Onomah, Madeuke, TOB type CM, who looks decent. Good little LB too.

Going on from this post. I've watched 2 games. Interesting things to note, this age group has a lot of talented little (and big) players. I must say they are impressive so far and play good football. Our CB reminds me of Eyoma in when he was younger, and is like Dembele at CB. Dribbling with the ball, doing tricks, but even if he doesn't grow for the next few years he'll still hold his own with adults.

You can see the Poch system is being implemented all the way through to this age group. Pressing up the field, very high, split CBs, passing out from back, high fall backs, all the way to the keeper trying to pick them out from goal kicks. I also noted, a lot of individual expression, and a lot of skill from our players, our a few. I've highlighted this before as being quite distinctive imo in our academy, I don't think we're the only ones, but I always see we seem to coach individual talent and then develop them later, and it seems we are doing so now.

Anyway, form admittedly 2 games, we have a promising CM (8), CB (5), and LB (3) here and Khalon Haysman(10) won player of the tournament. Very good on the ball, and dropped very deep in some games pinging the ball around, but good skill too. Frustratingly instead of reading off player numbers over the intercom at the start, they have a terrible commentator not offering anything to the game and doesn't know what they're doing. Don't give any idea of names.

Moving onto our u14s seems they play the final against Zenit (again) tomorrow. Beat Sampdoria on penalties in semi-finals. Haven't watched any of them yet but they open up with a 5 - 0 victory against Holmen IF at 1:12:15 here

 

[Romulus]

Going on from this post. I've watched 2 games. Interesting things to note, this age group has a lot of talented little (and big) players. I must say they are impressive so far and play good football. Our CB reminds me of Eyoma in when he was younger, and is like Dembele at CB. Dribbling with the ball, doing tricks, but even if he doesn't grow for the next few years he'll still hold his own with adults.

You can see the Poch system is being implemented all the way through to this age group. Pressing up the field, very high, split CBs, passing out from back, high fall backs, all the way to the keeper trying to pick them out from goal kicks. I also noted, a lot of individual expression, and a lot of skill from our players, our a few. I've highlighted this before as being quite distinctive imo in our academy, I don't think we're the only ones, but I always see we seem to coach individual talent and then develop them later, and it seems we are doing so now.

Anyway, form admittedly 2 games, we have a promising CM, CB, and LB here and Khalon Haysman one player of the tournament. The number 10, very good on the ball, and dropped very deep in some games pinging the ball around, but good skill too. Frustratingly instead of reading off player numbers over the intercom at the start, they have a terrible commentator not offering anything to the game and doesn't know what they're doing. Don't give any idea of names.

Moving onto our u14s seems they play the final against Zenit (again) tomorrow. Beat Sampdoria on penalties in semi-finals. Haven't watched any of them yet but they open up with a 5 - 0 victory against Holmen IF at 1:12:15 here

i agree with your assessment. the LB and especially the CB are England quality imo. you see the same quality that we saw from Edwards, Winks, Onomah, CCV etc at this tournament

 

[IGSpur]

i agree with your assessment. the LB and especially the CB are England quality imo. you see the same quality that we saw from Edwards, Winks, Onomah, CCV etc at this tournament

You talking about for the u13s ye, not the video in the post you replied to as that's u14s. Without jumping ahead, as it will be another season and a half before England u15 consideration, but I definitely see potential England players in that age group. Easier for me to compare them to Kirby and TOB age group as we saw them at the same age. These kids are good.

 

[Romulus]

You talking about for the u13s ye, not the video in the post you replied to as that's u14s. Without jumping ahead, as it will be another season and a half before England u15 consideration, but I definitely see potential England players in that age group. Easier for me to compare them to Kirby and TOB age group as we saw them at the same age. These kids are good.

yeah the u13s. obviously still so young but its very easy to see who the top players are.

 

[IGSpur]

yeah the u13s. obviously still so young but its very easy to see who the top players are.

The other player I mentioned initially was the number 8. Just checked a bit and I'm 95% sure that his name is Omari Forson. Went to see if I could find the rest of the squad online, and a few articles came up about him. Age and dates fit in so must be him.

Seems he was at West Ham from 5 with a lot of hype around him. Man City were looking to pick him when he was around 9, can only assume they haven't and he ended up with us.

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/omari-forson.302677/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...prodigy-aged-just-NINE-transfer-priority.html

I noticed in the videos above he could really dribble mainly on his left foot but it impressed me how he was comfortable to carry it on his right too. Think when he is old enough he will also be in England squad in the future. Looks a player

 

[Romulus]

The other player I mentioned initially was the number 8. Just checked a bit and I'm 95% sure that his name is Omari Forson. Went to see if I could find the rest of the squad online, and a few articles came up about him. Age and dates fit in so must be him.

Seems he was at West Ham from 5 with a lot of hype around him. Man City were looking to pick him when he was around 9, can only assume they haven't and he ended up with us.

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/omari-forson.302677/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...prodigy-aged-just-NINE-transfer-priority.html

I noticed in the videos above he could really dribble mainly on his left foot but it impressed me how he was comfortable to carry it on his right too. Think when he is old enough he will also be in England squad in the future. Looks a player

looks good doesnt he. looks like a raw version of Noni who i rate very highly. it looks like we are blessed at CM with him, Noni, Maghoma, Skipp, TOB, Winks and hopefully Onomah

 

[sly1]

Is there any word on whether Marcus Edwards has been back in training of playing in the youth teams?

If he's not even training by this weekend, it seems unlikely that he'll make it onto the bench for the Wycombe game.