larry_david
Well-Known Member
So question is, how good is he and how good can he be?
William Bapaga (3 Viewers)
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Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
Don't really know and unlikely we will for some time. N'Gandu was (and still is) even more highly thought of but has yet to make his mark. Though he is still technically an academy second year.
SBchimp
Well-Known Member
Will is the no1 prospect right now. Still very raw but has great natural ability and belief. Needs to physically mature and make some better decisions on the pitch but a great talent. I’d imagine he’ll be involved tomorrow night.
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
The club seem to be looking at the idea of Ngandu playing as a 4 or 8 rather than a 10 and I think that may be the best position for him going forward. Watched the 23s game against Blues and he was impressive there making plenty of tackles and interceptions and breaking the lines. Whenever I’ve seen him play higher up the pitch he’s always looked a tad indecisive.
Gazolba
Well-Known Member
Rumour has it that he can only pass the ball forwards.
The emphasis in the academy is to drill into him how to pass the ball sideways and backwards so he can fit into the first team.
AStonesThrow
Well-Known Member
First some reason that just threw me back to the Isaac Osbourne days, even when played at right back that lad just could not pass forwards
better days
Well-Known Member
He's highly rated but not thought ready for the physicality of men's football yet
Could feature tonight against Southampton U21s though
Could feature tonight against Southampton U21s though
Winny the Bish
Well-Known Member
The physicality issue is a real thing. Was watching this video earlier of Troy Deeney training with Watford U23s and the difference in body shape between Deeney and the kids is crazy. Do the lads do any gym work these days to get themselves ready to go against actual grown men in league football?
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
In fairness Troy Deeney has a larger body shape than most seasoned professionals. Lads in their teenage years are still developing.
I don't think gym work really does much compared to just getting out there and playing, it helps
CanadianCCFC
Well-Known Member
How did he play?
robbiekeane
Well-Known Member
Think he means in terms of bulking up
Legia Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
It's quite hard to be completely objective about his performance last night as you can't ignore the fact he has just turned 17, and making the team this early (even in this competition), obviously shows he must be a really top prospect. Last night he was certainly knocked to the ground a lot, and didn't get as many fouls given for him as he might have expected. He doesn't appear to have blistering pace, but he does seem to have good ball control, where he looks to jink in and out, making it difficult for a defender to commit to tackling him, and he did well doing that when he drew a Southampton defender into making a rash challenge and winning our penalty. He doesn't look ready for a place in our League team yet, but last night's experience will hopefully help bring him on, and given his age he has scope to improve very quickly. If that were to be the case, as the season goes on he might feasibly get the occasional subs bench role as an impact sub against tiring opposition. We just have to trust Robins to know when that time is right.
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
Alkhen
Well-Known Member
yep a lad i play 5-a-side with is constantly squealing in pain when his shoulder pops out. He has had it all his adult life, there is definitely some weakness there. Ive done mine once and the pain was horrific
Liquid Gold
Well-Known Member
Makes MR sound like some cockney urchin
Skyblueweeman
Well-Known Member
Yeah, similar to Alkhen, I had a mate who used to do his all the time. Can't remember how many weeks he was out for when we played football (albeit at County, not professional level) but it's weeks rather than months.
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
My view is that Bapaga looked good. He was positive on the ball with direct passing and tricky dribbling. A really good performance for him.
Maybe it’s be being a big rugby lad, but I thought he was bit lightweight in that foul where he ended up dislocating his shoulder. That strength is something he will naturally develop as he grows up.
Maybe it’s be being a big rugby lad, but I thought he was bit lightweight in that foul where he ended up dislocating his shoulder. That strength is something he will naturally develop as he grows up.
Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Any comment from Steve Evans about how bad the push was that brought it about ?????
No thought not
No thought not
Mucca Mad Boys
Well-Known Member
He thought Baka should have got a red card. Steve Evans and his teams are always the victim, it’s never their fault.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Bryan Robson dislocated his and then it happened a few times, (once against us), but he had an op and it remedied it.
Think Lloyd McGrath may have had a similar op.
Think Lloyd McGrath may have had a similar op.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
Was that a McGrath shove into the advertising hoardings?
JimmyHillsbeard
Well-Known Member
Thing is he wasn’t really wrong about that was he? And even if that foul was only worthy of a yellow, he was extremely lucky to stay on the pitch after a second poor challenge in the second half.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
it was, at O/T.
Nick
Administrator
The foul on dabo was worse and didn't get a booking?
The ref wasn't consistent,
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Fuck em. Bunch of diving shits, that’s what you get when you cry wolf.
I was at that game Lloyd McGrath gave a Lloydy tackle, not a foul, and Robson became wedged between the perimeter wall and what looked like a some sort of electric box, took them ahead to free him I think it knackered his England World Cup or European championship chance.
Should say ages to free him not ahead.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
I remember it. I had a girlfriend there at the time and my idea of a day out that day was rock up in the morning already pissed - get more pissed - go in away end followed by more booze and a late night curry. She ditched me that night - some people never know what’s good for them
hill83
Well-Known Member
What curry did you go for?
mark82
Super Moderator
What put her off? Was it the football?
Legia Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
The first time Robson did his was against us. My recollection was of McGrath shoulder charging him into the Stretford End railings rather than pushing him. His shoulder then went again, soon after in the 1986 World Cup finals.
I have had 2 ops on my right arm and 1 on my left due to dislocations. Usually if there is a weakness in one, it will be in the other as well. No joke ive probably dislocated mine well over 50 times over the years. hurts like hell every time, but since my last set of operations they have been fine. The key hole surgery procedure and the material they pack the shoulder with is so much better today then when i had my first op. Hopefully he can get it sorted till the closed season then have the op. Means about 3 months out per arm.
larry_david
Well-Known Member
Hopefully it's not too long. Great performance and I'd imagine Evans would have been tapping uus up for him as well after Tues