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The Spurs Youth Thread - 2017/2018

spurs9

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
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Winks was being eased in before injuries to others last season.His progress was only halted by his own injury.Which he admitted was still giving him pain this season.Hence dropping out of U21 squad earlier.As soon as has been fully fit he has featured.Edwards obviously isn’t ready and is still 18.TOB has featured at 17.KWP is being eased in.To Say poch doesn’t give kids a chance is ludicrous.
TBF, that is not what IG said, he said he is annoyed doesn't give MORE chances, and whilst I agree with what you are saying, I can see where IG is coming from.

It is hard to say what level of impact injuries have had in Winks getting game time. To me it was obvious that Winks was being eased in last season and it was only hampered by injury and I have no doubt he would have got game time in some of those games he has played this season, even with Wanyama and Dembele fit, however, I doubt he would have the minutes he has now if they were fully fit.
 

chinaman

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2003
17,974
12,423
While we are fighting for a CL place, it is hard to play a whole bunch of youngsters all at the same time. Poch has been very good in easing them in one, or at most two at a time and keeping us in the CL two years in a row. I'm sure we'll get in next year's CL as well.
 

spurs9

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
11,840
34,012
And Wenger doesn’t play these kids in league cup to bolster them.He does it to save his 1st squad.I remember 10 years ago Wenger being lorded for playing kids in league cup.How many of them actually progressed Ramsey wilshere iwobi Gibbs struggling to think of any others.Anyone can Just chuck kids in a league cup team.Is that really furthering them as players clearly not.Much better to drip them into PL games as poch does over a couple of seasons.
Ramsey was bought from Cardiff after a good showing in the FA Cup, but you can add Coquelin and Bellerin to the names and if you are talking last 10 years, Clichy too. Gnarby didn't break into Arsenal's 1st team but has done very well since moving on.
 

LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042

It's why I'm so annoyed he doesn't give more chances.
If he can just get past that initial worrying phase once in squad he will make them even better. Even Winks caught his break in 2 big matches as there were so many injuries.
Its a balancing act though.

Poch has to weigh the impact on senior players - who want to play as much as possible, and academy players who want to develop as quickly as possible, and ownership who want results more than they want development (and, while Levy and Co want player development, they want results even more).

Manager has to put that all into consideration - and his own job security - and find the right balance. Its not easy, and there are no "correct" answers - and plenty of people willing to question the decision no matter the outcome.

On the whole, I think Poch has gotten it more right than wrong when it comes to player development. He believes in a meritocracy - but he also gives youth a chance to stand and be accounted for - in 1st team training, and when players pass that test, they get match opportunity, and then when they pass that test, they move up the proverbial food chain. Nobody is tossed in the deep end, and everything is earned, not given - for all players. I have seen the first team train, and the younger players get a fantastic opportunity to be measured against their peers. The coaching staff is well positioned to determine when they are ready.

As for Winks - he earned his playing time. Even with the injuries, he would not have played if Poch did not think he had proven himself ready.
 

DezFitz

Well-Known Member
Dec 10, 2006
293
662
Of course it's Cirkin. Compeltely forgot about him, looking back at them walking out it does look like him. One way to confirm, @DezFitz did the LB look good? If so it will be him as he is talented.

I apologize, I didn't mean to imply I was attending the game. I was asking as in recent years you have suggested the next names coming through (Onomah, CCV, Edwards, TOB, Kirby, Skipp etc). I was actually just wondering who the next names from this age group are to watch out for.
Thank you for the insight you provided though!
 

glospur

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2015
2,608
9,806
Da Silva, Nelson, Willock all got on the pitch for Arsenal today and Nketiah scored a brace. I don't like Arsenal but I never mind seeing young players doing well. Let's hope no PL clubs actually start using their academy players properly as things would get a lot harder, though England would get a lot better. All of these players are better than Iwobi, and it's good their giving the chances to their best players. Let's see if it continues though. Nketiah has been scoring for fun in the last couple of years and he has done well today. Good thing he left Chelsea.

Would love to see some of our players get chances tomorrow. I imagine KWP will start, and maybe Georgiou could appear on the bench but I imagine that's it. 3 of the 4 players above are younger than Edwards. I don't expect them to all kick on and play but all of them are potentially top PL players. If Nketiah gets a couple of chances as a result he could be a problem as he takes the next step. Would love to see some of ours get this.
Little bit different for us this round of the League Cup though. There is a different expectation from Arsenal and their fans when they play 2nd tier Norwich compared to the expectations from us and our fans when we play against West Ham. If we were playing lower opposition I would expect to see a similar team sheet to Arsenals, perhaps not in a major London derby though.

In saying that, I hope we still see some of the younger guys and I hope that one of Edwards/Shashoua/Bennetts make the bench at least as well as Georgiou and KWP being in the squad.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
I just can’t see anyone in Academy that is crying out pick me apart from Edwards.I think TOB totally disproves not giving people a chance.Poch has Obviously seen something in him and effectively he has leap frogged Edwards.The fact is Edwards was making bench in Cup last season and travelling in CL.So for whatever reason he seems to have gone backwards.As said for me TOB shows if he thinks you’re ready you will get your chance.
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225
I just can’t see anyone in Academy that is crying out pick me apart from Edwards.I think TOB totally disproves not giving people a chance.Poch has Obviously seen something in him and effectively he has leap frogged Edwards.The fact is Edwards was making bench in Cup last season and travelling in CL.So for whatever reason he seems to have gone backwards.As said for me TOB shows if he thinks you’re ready you will get your chance.

let's not get ahead of ourselves with tob, he's played like two minutes at the end of a league cup game.
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,051
6,342
I just can’t see anyone in Academy that is crying out pick me apart from Edwards.I think TOB totally disproves not giving people a chance.Poch has Obviously seen something in him and effectively he has leap frogged Edwards.The fact is Edwards was making bench in Cup last season and travelling in CL.So for whatever reason he seems to have gone backwards.As said for me TOB shows if he thinks you’re ready you will get your chance.

I think Bennets is an easy player to play for the sake of playing youth, his fairly low risk his got pace and is playing well, but I dont think poch will play youth just for the sake of it, his goal is the good of the team long run, so if Edwards gets minutes it will because he wants / feels his earned the right to be developed. Be intriguing to see if Georgou gets minutes or his just there to bolster the squad.
 
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WindyCOYS

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2016
479
1,588
I just can’t see anyone in Academy that is crying out pick me apart from Edwards.I think TOB totally disproves not giving people a chance.Poch has Obviously seen something in him and effectively he has leap frogged Edwards.The fact is Edwards was making bench in Cup last season and travelling in CL.So for whatever reason he seems to have gone backwards.As said for me TOB shows if he thinks you’re ready you will get your chance.
KWP and Edwards, plus on this season's form you could argue Bennetts, Tanganga, and dare I say minutes here and there for Skipp.
 

nicdic

Official SC Padre
Admin
May 8, 2005
41,857
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KWP and Edwards, plus on this season's form you could argue Bennetts, Tanganga, and dare I say minutes here and there for Skipp.
Has Edwards actually performed at high enough a level this year? I don't feel like he has. Not slating, genuinely asking.

KWP is different in that he's part of the first team squad.

Bennetts is making a case for himself, as is Skipp I would say. But I would think Poch is in no rush to get Skipp in the first team. He's already playing up an age group right?
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,051
6,342
Has Edwards actually performed at high enough a level this year? I don't feel like he has. Not slating, genuinely asking.

KWP is different in that he's part of the first team squad.

Bennetts is making a case for himself, as is Skipp I would say. But I would think Poch is in no rush to get Skipp in the first team. He's already playing up an age group right?

Agree but Maybe Edwards needs a taste for it?
 

WindyCOYS

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2016
479
1,588
Has Edwards actually performed at high enough a level this year? I don't feel like he has. Not slating, genuinely asking.

KWP is different in that he's part of the first team squad.

Bennetts is making a case for himself, as is Skipp I would say. But I would think Poch is in no rush to get Skipp in the first team. He's already playing up an age group right?

Edwards clearly has the talent to have been involved far more than he has IMO. On his only outing he was really good vs Gillingham. I find it baffling that he's not had a few more bench appearances.

Bennetts and Skipp could have been on the bench vs Barnsley IMO and should be tonight; you're right that there's no hurry but I just don't see the harm in doing so.
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225
Has Edwards actually performed at high enough a level this year? I don't feel like he has. Not slating, genuinely asking.

KWP is different in that he's part of the first team squad.

Bennetts is making a case for himself, as is Skipp I would say. But I would think Poch is in no rush to get Skipp in the first team. He's already playing up an age group right?

how do you determine what a high enough level is? i mean tob and georgiou are with the first team so seemingly performances only play a small part.
 

kmk

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2014
4,145
27,497
England's XI are unchanged and have scored after 10 minutes, thanks to Rhian Brewster.

England XI: Curtis Anderson (Man City), Steven Sessegnon (Fulham), Joel Latibeaudiere (c) (Man City), Marc Guehi (Chelsea), Jonathan Panzo (Chelsea), George McEachran (Chelsea), Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Tottenham), Phil Foden (Man City), Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolves), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea), Rhian Brewster (Liverpool).
 
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