U18/U21 Development Thread (23 Viewers)

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SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
skyblue93 said:
Jordan Ponticelli has been playing for the Strachan Football Foundation/Rugby Town youth team. He scores the 3rd and 4th goals in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UICEn9qy6ds
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I've heard his name a few times before but don't think he's ever signed for an academy
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U18s drew 2-2 away at Barnsley this afternoon. Kyle Finn (again) and trialist (probably Jordan Ponticelli) with the goals.
 
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SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
2 away games for the U18s today as the season comes to a close. Sheffield Wednesday (11am) and Huddersfield (11:30am). Huddersfield need to beat us to stand any chance of qualifying for the end of the season play offs whilst the highest we can finish is 5th. Age groups are going to be mixed to deal with the 2 games.

U21s also play their final games of the season next week as they look to finish the season unbeaten.

Monday - Brentford (H), Alan Higgs Centre (2pm)

Thursday - Hull (H), Alan Higgs Centre (2pm)

Monday - Huddersfield (H), Ricoh Arena (1pm)
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
2 away games for the U18s today as the season comes to a close. Sheffield Wednesday (11am) and Huddersfield (11:30am). Huddersfield need to beat us to stand any chance of qualifying for the end of the season play offs whilst the highest we can finish is 5th. Age groups are going to be mixed to deal with the 2 games.

U21s also play their final games of the season next week as they look to finish the season unbeaten.

Monday - Brentford (H), Alan Higgs Centre (2pm)

Thursday - Hull (H), Alan Higgs Centre (2pm)

Monday - Huddersfield (H), Ricoh Arena (1pm)
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2 away games today and they are at 11 am and 11.30 am?

Whoa, they are going to have to go some and be fitter than a butcher's dog I would have thought to get anything there.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U16s played Sheffield Wednesday as I think all fixtures have to be completed by today.

U16s drew 2-2 with Sheffield Wednesday. Goals from Lewis Green and Sion Green (previously at Derby, think he'll be part of the first year group next season).

U18s drew 3-3 with Huddersfield. Jordan Shipley with a brace and Kyle Finn with another. Should be highlights because Huddersfield usually upload the goals to YouTube.

7th placed finish with 46 points from 30 games.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U21s v Brentford (1pm):

Addai (GK), Whitmore, Di. Kelly-Evans (C), Harries, Hunt, Gadzhev, Stevenson, Spence, Dev. Kelly-Evans, Sayoud, Thomas

Subs:
Skuza (GK)
Hickman
Finn
Shipley
Maycock
 
lifeskyblue

lifeskyblue

Well-Known Member
How many of that team have a realistic expectation of making first team? Addai, both Kelly-Evans, gadzhev, sayoud, Thomas, and harries. Do whitmore, Stevenson & Spence?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
lifeskyblue said:
How many of that team have a realistic expectation of making first team? Addai, both Kelly-Evans, gadzhev, sayoud, Thomas, and harries. Do whitmore, Stevenson & Spence?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Spence and the Kelly Evans twins are only contracted until the end of the season. Can see the twins getting another year but not sure about Spence.

Stevenson should get more of a chance next season if Conor Thomas and Finch contracts aren't extended. It'll be his second year as a pro next season so he's got to be aiming to be around the first team squad.

Whitmore will most likely only be playing U21 football next season.
 
lifeskyblue

lifeskyblue

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
Spence and the Kelly Evans twins are only contracted until the end of the season. Can see the twins getting another year but not sure about Spence.

Stevenson should get more of a chance next season if Conor Thomas and Finch contracts aren't extended. It'll be his second year as a pro next season so he's got to be aiming to be around the first team squad.

Whitmore will most likely only be playing U21 football next season.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Good to know we have a few who might break thro next year or in a couple years. I'm worried that with the uncertainty re the academy we may lose out on young talent
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Match report:

Sky Blues frontman George Thomas scored two second-half goals, while Kyle Spence and Ben Stevenson chipped in with one each to put four past Brentford’s U21s.

City's U21s side have now dispatched Bristol City, Watford and Brentford in consecutive wins - scoring ten goals in the process in their best run of results all season.

Lee Glover’s side had to come from behind, as the Sky Blues were a goal down inside ten minutes when Jan Holldack slotted beneath Corey Addai to open the scoring for the visitors.

Thomas almost delivered immediate reply when clever forward play engineered a yard of space on the Brentford 18-yard line, but his shot drifted wide of the post.

Half an hour had passed before the home side were on level terms as Bilal Sayoud surged forward and produced a perfectly weighted cross for an onrushing Kyle Spence. Spence couldn’t fail to connect with the ball and headed home for the equaliser.

Barely a minute of the second-half had elapsed before Thomas had the Sky Blues in front, latching on to a Stevenson shot and finding the corner of the net. Thomas then turned provider for Stevenson, as the pair combined once again, this time with their roles reversed.

Thomas delivered a searching ball in to the area of in-decision between goalkeeper and defender and Stevenson was the quickest to react as he cooly found the net.

Seemingly in cruise control, a lapse in concentration allowed Brentford a way back in to the game as a long ball forward found the visitors’ Josh Bohui in space. The winger cut inside and found the bottom corner with a well taken finish to make it 3-2.

The Sky Blues dominance prevailed however, as Sayoud won City a penalty for a trip inside the Brentford area in the 85th minute. Thomas was the taker of the spot-kick and delivered a confident finish to cap a fine performance for the 19-year old - securing a 4-2 win for the young Sky Blues.
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http://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/match-report-coventry-u21s-brentford-u21s-alan-higgs-3066424.aspx

Glover post match:

Coventry City Under-21s coach Lee Glover has praised the recent form of midfielder Ben Stevenson following their third straight win.

The Under-21s secured another three points at the Alan Higgs Centre today as George Thomas nabbed a brace, Kyle Spence scored a header and Ben Stevenson completed the scoring.

The Sky Blues have now gone four games unbeaten with a 1-1 draw at Bolton Wanderers, a 4-0 win at Bristol City, a 2-0 win over Watford and today's 4-2 win over Brentford.

Glover has praised the side for the recent run of form and pointed out the impressive displays from midfielder Stevenson.

The City Under-21s coach said: "The boys have turned in another good performance and I was really impressed with our attitude across the pitch today.

"We're showing some excellent form at the moment with our third straight win and the boys should take a bit of confidence from that. Ben Stevenson was excellent again today and he has really impressed me since coming back from injury.

"I think he's given himself a real opportunity to push himself into the first-team picture. He looks like a player who can pick the ball up in midfield and turn the game to get us going forward.

"I've had a chat with him about some of the things he needs to do without the ball and he's really took that on board. He's been exceptional."

Bilal Sayoud played the full 90 minutes, his second Under-21s appearance since signing from the Nike Academy, and Vladimir Gadzhev also played 75 minutes.

Glover has also noted George Thomas' brace but admitted he should have scored a few more goals for the amount of opportunities he created.

He added: "He plays on the shoulder of defenders and he is relentless with his movement throughout the game, and he has got people behind him who can service that.

"He has just said to me in the dressing room how disappointed he is with just the two goals as he got several other chances to score and he'll want to be putting them away.

"Vlad put in a good shift and technically, his ability isn't in doubt. He's always looked good, even in training and we're looking at his fitness levels so for him to get 75 minutes is great for him.

"We're putting in a really strong end to the season but we've got a difficult end to the season coming up with Hull and Huddersfield. They're games we should look forward to though with the form we're on".
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http://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/lee-glover-coventry-city-brentford-ben-stevenson-3066521.aspx
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Terry Gibson's perm said:
Is it time to have a look at Stevenson around the first team squad or is it a bit soon?
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I think he should get a chance before the season ends. Wonderful short-medium-long passing range which would be an asset for any team, not a big goalscorer but certainly a player who will get a team to play football.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
And here's the U18s goals from Saturday's 3-3 draw with Huddersfield, Kyle Finn with the first and Jordan Shipley with the other two:

[video=youtube_share;s3_WTR7xcSw]http://youtu.be/s3_WTR7xcSw[/video]
 
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J

Jayno

New Member
Definitely needs to be in squad now. Great player who has not had much attention under Mowbray for some reason. Central midfielders with that skill and game play are hard to come by.
 
Winny the Bish

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
IrishSkyBlue said:
Who would ye say should be called up to first team for next season?
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In the first team squad: George Thomas, Ben Stevenson, Cian Harries definitely. Would also have Ivor Lawton in there as backup for Vincelot; unlucky to be injured this season but we have been lacking the bite and physicality he can provide.
 
shmmeee

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Jayno said:
Definitely needs to be in squad now. Great player who has not had much attention under Mowbray for some reason. Central midfielders with that skill and game play are hard to come by.
Click to expand...

He's been injured hasn't he?

Though to be fair, Incant think of a youngster Mowbray has blooded since he got here (Sambou for 5 mins maybe). I don't think youth is his thing.
 
W

wingy

Well-Known Member
shmmeee said:
He's been injured hasn't he?

Though to be fair, Incant think of a youngster Mowbray has blooded since he got here (Sambou for 5 mins maybe). I don't think youth is his thing.
Click to expand...
He's only referred to two or three of the young uns all season and sent a couple off on loan.
Only in the the last couple of weeks has he made a reference to the Academy offering potential to the team in general terms in the future.
So who knows?
 
covcity4life

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
where does ben stebvenson play? centre mid or out wide?

him,g thomas and harries will probably be in first team squad next year
 
skybluegod

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
Its hard to judge TM's youth policy, as we have gone from a a manager who threw in the kids at almost every opportunity, to a manager who wants to see them develop and mature before playing for the first team. I think he would prefer players to make mistakes in the u21's rather than the first team.
We haven't had a proper 21's squad for years if ever, as the u18's often have to play the two age groups.
Obviously our players aren't good enough yet or they would be in the team, and it seems TM is being smart by not giving too much exposure too soon

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SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U21s v Hull (1pm):

Addai, Di. Kelly-Evans, Finch, Harries, Willis, Sayoud, Stevenson, Maycock, Shipley, Thomas, Spence.

Bench:
Skuza (GK)
Whitmore
Hickman
Finn
Thompson

Devon Kelly-Evans is injured and Gadzhev according to a Bulgarian site is going to play some part on Saturday.

3-5-2 formation I think with Willis playing at centre back alongside Harries and Finch. Big test today to keep the unbeaten run going as Hull are a strong team and beat us heavily a few months back.
 
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