Match Thread Coventry City vs. Arsenal U21 Match Thread - Wednesday 12th Sep (8 Viewers)

Nick

Administrator
To the guys that went - would you have any of the Arsenal U21s here on loan? If so, who?

All of them. Especially the one who was flying into some decent tackles and nearly put Alllasanni into the commentator's booth. I think he might have been their captain too.
 

ceetee

Well-Known Member
Years ago that would have been the reserves, a team of fringe players and recovering players. But we don't have reserve teams any more so apart from the odd training session they will not have played together as a team. And it showed, although towards the end of the first half there were some good moments. I can forgive the TEAM performance but you would have expected individuals to be making more of an effort to put themselves into first team contention. Nobody impressed. Allasani showed some good touches but was often isolated. Bakayako showed signs that there is a player there. Hiwula has flashes but was inconsistent. I'm a bit surprised by the adoration of Camwell because I thought his defending was naive. O'Brien's handling was good and Kelly's comeback was promising. Davies was his usual self. A bit surprising that, after his pre-season build up, Andreu is a fringe player but you can't change a team to accommodate one player.
Only Kelly and Davies are knocking on the first team door on that showing.
 

Nick

Administrator
Years ago that would have been the reserves, a team of fringe players and recovering players. But we don't have reserve teams any more so apart from the odd training session they will not have played together as a team. And it showed, although towards the end of the first half there were some good moments. I can forgive the TEAM performance but you would have expected individuals to be making more of an effort to put themselves into first team contention. Nobody impressed. Allasani showed some good touches but was often isolated. Bakayako showed signs that there is a player there. Hiwula has flashes but was inconsistent. I'm a bit surprised by the adoration of Camwell because I thought his defending was naive. O'Brien's handling was good and Kelly's comeback was promising. Davies was his usual self. A bit surprising that, after his pre-owned season build up, Andreu is a fringe player but you can't change a team to accommodate one player.
Only Kelly and Davies are knocking on the first team door on that showing.

We have the U23's don't we which is effectively reserves?

Bakayoko, Hiwula, Sterling, Ogogo and Andreu have all played together.

Kelly won't have played with most of them because of injury and Davies his suspension and then injury.
 
A mixture of our youth, our reserves, our bench warmers and the odd first treamer who haven’t been playing regularly losing to the U21’s of one of the wealthiest clubs in the world. I am not too upset.
I would be more concerned if it was our first 11 team losing like that.
Would have liked to have seen a bit more aggression though.
 

Nick

Administrator
A mixture of our youth, our reserves, our bench warmers and the odd first treamer who haven’t been playing regularly losing to the U21’s of one of the wealthiest clubs in the world. I am not too upset.
I would be more concerned if it was our first 11 team losing like that.
Would have liked to have seen a bit more aggression though.

The issue isn't so much about the fact we lost, it's more the manner we lost.

Most of the issues mirrored the first team as well.
 

djr8369

Well-Known Member
The issue isn't so much about the fact we lost, it's more the manner we lost.

Most of the issues mirrored the first team as well.

I wasn’t disappointed by the result but I agree it’s odd that a complete different starting 11 had the same issues we’ve had in the league.


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Nick

Administrator
It's baffling why Robins makes a point of saying Hiwula is a striker and has confidence issues but then just sticks him Right Midfield? It's as if he just doesn't like him generally.

It was the stubbornness as well.
 

Nick

Administrator
There was a bloke near me telling his son how bakayoko was rubbish because Hiwula put a shot miles over.
 

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
All of them. Especially the one who was flying into some decent tackles and nearly put Alllasanni into the commentator's booth. I think he might have been their captain too.
Their captain was Julio Pleguezuelo - a CB who's had 2 loan spells in the Spanish 2nd division. I do hope Robins is making some contacts with Arsenal this morning about getting one or two in. We need players in CB and CM who are comfortable on the ball.
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
Their captain was Julio Pleguezuelo - a CB who's had 2 loan spells in the Spanish 2nd division. I do hope Robins is making some contacts with Arsenal this morning about getting one or two in. We need players in CB and CM who are comfortable on the ball.
It's a long time til January.
 

ceetee

Well-Known Member
We have the U23's don't we which is effectively reserves?

Bakayoko, Hiwula, Sterling, Ogogo and Andreu have all played together.

Kelly won't have played with most of them because of injury and Davies his suspension and then injury.
I'm thinking of the whole eleven playing as a team rather than some
But, as first team hopefuls they should have done better,

What bothers me the most is that Arsenal u21s, as a whole rather than the odd individual, looked bigger, stronger and fitter than our players
 

Nick

Administrator
Did anybody notice the athleticism difference as well? Think some of ours might need to get in the gym.

At one point Ogogo genuinely did look as if he had come from a pub league.
 

ceetee

Well-Known Member
You can accept that some players are more skillful than others, after all, our players are in Div 3 for a reason, but there's absolutely no excuse, other than players recovering from injury, for full-time professional footballers not being fit
 

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
agogo was excellent first day of season. maybe hes still recovering from injury

we need to play so much better though by all accounts. worried for saturday!
 

Magwitch

Well-Known Member
Their captain was Julio Pleguezuelo - a CB who's had 2 loan spells in the Spanish 2nd division. I do hope Robins is making some contacts with Arsenal this morning about getting one or two in. We need players in CB and CM who are comfortable on the ball.
Couldn’t agree more especially regarding midfield I think over the next few matches our deficiency in that department will show. I like Michael Doyle always gives 100% always has, but his legs have gone, just watch his recovery when he loses the ball, it’s not there anymore, certainly after an hour or so. I’ve noticed the opposition tend to put fresh legs on after around an hour or so making it tougher on Doyle
 

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
Couldn’t agree more especially regarding midfield I think over the next few matches our deficiency in that department will show. I like Michael Doyle always gives 100% always has, but his legs have gone, just watch his recovery when he loses the ball, it’s not there anymore, certainly after an hour or so. I’ve noticed the opposition tend to put fresh legs on after around an hour or so making it tougher on Doyle

It's exactly this. Looking down the spine of the team, we have two options with our squad:
1) Players that can run fast/all day but get scared with the ball at their feet - Willis, Kelly, Ogogo, Davies.
2) Comfortable with the ball but can't run - Doyle, Andreu.

The team is in desperate need, midfield especially, of players who can do both.
 

djr8369

Well-Known Member
It's exactly this. Looking down the spine of the team, we have two options with our squad:
1) Players that can run fast/all day but get scared with the ball at their feet - Willis, Kelly, Ogogo, Davies.
2) Comfortable with the ball but can't run - Doyle, Andreu.

The team is in desperate need, midfield especially, of players who can do both.

Bayliss and Shipley?


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Magwitch

Well-Known Member
Bayliss and Shipley?


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Shipley perhaps, but Bayliss is a different type, more of an attacking midfielder in the Frank Lampard mould. I was hoping Ogogo would step into Doyle’s shoes but as yet hasn’t. Don’t know what Westbrooke offers either. Our midfield issues could be addressed within.
 

djr8369

Well-Known Member
Shipley perhaps, but Bayliss is a different type, more of an attacking midfielder in the Frank Lampard mould. I was hoping Ogogo would step into Doyle’s shoes but as yet hasn’t. Don’t know what Westbrooke offers either. Our midfield issues could be addressed within.

As others have said Ogogo looked good first game but like he has struggled since.

I would have liked to have seen more of Westbrooke last night.


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steve82

Well-Known Member
There was a bloke near me telling his son how bakayoko was rubbish because Hiwula put a shot miles over.

Had someone near me questioning what JJ had done to his hair and why he seemed shorter than normal but at least he’s got pace still after the injury

Oh and was a joke as to why Kelly was dropped from the squad.


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Covstu

Well-Known Member
Consistently is the issue with his delivery for me, and his defensive work.
Be good for him to go out on loan in the national league again for longer than a month and get a good run in a side fighting for a shirt each week while developing his game competitively in games that matter.
Ironing out moments like last night at the end.


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at least in this cup he is getting a semi competitive game, we obviously wont progress so I agree get him loaned out after we get knocked out.
 

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