Milan van Ewijk Appreciation Thread (11 Viewers)

[SleepyGinger]

The Maidstone game is much less important and *much* easier than the West Brom game. Seems like a golden opportunity to have our cake and eat it given the quality of our FA Cup opposition, but if we’d rather just keep running out the same players until they’re toast then so be it.

We’ve got 15 fit senior outfield players. Thats including Kelly who hasn’t played for months and Tavares who’s started 1 league game for us. Unless you’re suggesting we hand out about 5 debuts then some players are going to have to play against PNE and Maidstone

 

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[Deleted member 9744]

Torp is going to be injured isn’t he?

I’d honestly rather play two youngsters against Maidstone than make Eccles and Sakamoto play twice in four days. We have a huge game against WBA coming up and we need to be at full strength, why turn up the chance to rest players when you’ve been handed the easiest possible FA Cup draw?

Because this is not just a normal game for Maidstone. This is going to be by far the biggest game of most, if not all, of their players' careers. This isn't like playing them in a league match. They will be extremely committed and if we don't act professionally we will quite possibly lose, as we have done in the past to non league clubs, including when we have been a much stronger team than we are now.

This is not a match to start with youngsters, and indeed the more experience the better. The pressure would be immense on a young player and the potential shame of their debut being the defeat to Maidstone would create nerves from the start. If we were to go one down we couldn't expect a youth player to cope with that pressure and inspire a comeback. It could also impair their development as players in the longer term. I am sure the management wouldn't be foolish or cruel enough to do this.

If we are winning comfortably then by all means bring on youth players, although I am not sure quite what is to be gained out of it. Realistically the only way we are likely to lose is if we don't take it seriously and chuck in a few kids because it's only Maidstone innit.

 

[shmmeee]

A couple of the lads are going to have to unfortunately, especially if Torp is out. Yes it’s a favourable tie and I’d expect some rotation but we can’t just throw kids in and blow a chance to get to a FA cup quarter final.

Why would it blow our chance to play two players from our bench? Lusala is 21. Are we blowing the league by playing Thomas and Simms?

Really don’t get this mindset.

 

[shmmeee]

Because this is not just a normal game for Maidstone. This is going to be by far the biggest game of most, if not all, of their players' careers. This isn't like playing them in a league match. They will be extremely committed and if we don't act professionally we will quite possibly lose, as we have done in the past to non league clubs, including when we have been a much stronger team than we are now.

This is not a match to start with youngsters, and indeed the more experience the better. The pressure would be immense on a young player and the potential shame of their debut being the defeat to Maidstone would create nerves from the start. If we were to go one down we couldn't expect a youth player to cope with that pressure and inspire a comeback. It could also impair their development as players in the longer term. I am sure the management wouldn't be foolish or cruel enough to do this.

If we are winning comfortably then by all means bring on youth players, although I am not sure quite what is to be gained out of it. Realistically the only way we are likely to lose is if we don't take it seriously and chuck in a few kids because it's only Maidstone innit.

By this logic we should play debutants as it’ll also be the biggest games of their career.

We send u23s out to Maidstone’s level all the time FFS. Why do they keep loaning them if they’re so far off the level having one or two in a side is n instant defeat?

 

[Deleted member 9744]

By this logic we should play debutants as it’ll also be the biggest games of their career.

We send u23s out to Maidstone’s level all the time FFS. Why do they keep loaning them if they’re so far off the level having one or two in a side is n instant defeat?

Sure because to Maidstone this is like a normal league game. They won't be raising their levels at all.

And hopefully this won't be the biggest game of our youth players' careers. They will go onto much better providing we don't ruin them by playing them in exactly the wrong game.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

Why would it blow our chance to play two players from our bench? Lusala is 21. Are we blowing the league by playing Thomas and Simms?

Really don’t get this mindset.

But Lusala has hardly ever been close to the first team. He is only on the bench because of injuries and fatigue. He has struggled to get in the u21s for most if the time.

It's odd that you want to play players like this yet say you would rather us win the Cup than get promoted.

Bring them on if we're winning comfortably maybe, but not otherwise.

 

[SleepyGinger]

Why would it blow our chance to play two players from our bench? Lusala is 21. Are we blowing the league by playing Thomas and Simms?

Really don’t get this mindset.

Hardly comparable simms has played about 3 full seasons of professional men’s football, playing and scoring in the premier league and Thomas isn’t far behind. Lusala has played 0.

I’m not even saying don’t play a couple of the kids but we don’t have the squad depth to put out 2 completely different 11s.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

Hardly comparable simms has played about 3 full seasons of professional men’s football, playing and scoring in the premier league and Thomas isn’t far behind. Lusala has played 0.

I’m not even saying don’t play a couple of the kids but we don’t have the squad depth to put out 2 completely different 11s.

Lusala's first team experience consists of four appearances for Barwell, and I think I remember someone on here saw one of those and said he was substituted because he looked so poor. As you say hardly comparable with Thomas and Simms.

 

[shmmeee]

Lusala's first team experience consists of four appearances for Barwell, and I think I remember someone on here saw one of those and said he was substituted because he looked so poor. As you say hardly comparable with Thomas and Simms.

So your issue is he isn’t good enough, not in fact his age then? Regardless he’s the second best right back at the club

 

[wingy]

So your issue is he isn’t good enough, not in fact his age then? Regardless he’s the second best right back at the club

Don't make me say it!

 

[Deleted member 9744]

So your issue is he isn’t good enough, not in fact his age then? Regardless he’s the second best right back at the club

It's not just age it's experience and ability of course. I haven't seen him but from his record it doesn't sound like we should be playing him and others from the u21s in this match.

In my view you only play youth players when they have proved in the u21s and first team training that they are up to it and even then I doubt a 5th round FA Cup match against a non league team is the time to start them.

And he really isn't our second best choice at right back. Would be fourth choice at best and probably not even that.

 

[shmmeee]

Don't make me say it!

He’s at Lincoln!

 

[shmmeee]

It's not just age it's experience and ability of course. I haven't seen him but from his record it doesn't sound like we should be playing him and others from the u21s in this match.

In my view you only play youth players when they have proved in the u21s and first team training that they are up to it and even then I doubt a 5th round FA Cup match against a non league team is the time to start them.

Andrews and Lusala are the best we have by way of the fact they’ve been in the first team squad consistently.

I would be a substantial amount that next season Lusala is playing at or around Maidstone’s level week in week out. No he isn’t Championship quality, but neither are Maidstone. And if it’s let him struggle for a half at worst or risk one of our star players I know which I’d choose. We’d love to have a few Champ quality players knocking about to come in but that ship has sailed.

But I honestly don’t get the logic that because it’s their biggest game Maidstone will perform like Pele reborn, but Lusala will obviously have a nervous breakdown.

 

[wingy]

He’s at Lincoln!

He might be in accident and emergency, should be back soon.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

Andrews and Lusala are the best we have by way of the fact they’ve been in the first team squad consistently.

I would be a substantial amount that next season Lusala is playing at or around Maidstone’s level week in week out. No he isn’t Championship quality, but neither are Maidstone. And if it’s let him struggle for a half at worst or risk one of our star players I know which I’d choose. We’d love to have a few Champ quality players knocking about to come in but that ship has sailed.

But I honestly don’t get the logic that because it’s their biggest game Maidstone will perform like Pele reborn, but Lusala will obviously have a nervous breakdown.

I see no problem with playing players who you think will be around Maidstone's level next season with no first team experience above Barwell to their name. And a great game to start a 16/17 year old with less than a minute's experience.

 

[shmmeee]

I see no problem with playing players who you think will be around Maidstone's level next season with no first team experience above Barwell to their name. And a great game to start a 16/17 year old with less than a minute's experience.

You’d rather he played in a six pointer at WBA? Or more likely we have a patchwork team cos we overplayed our first team?

I get people are scared after Wrexham, but the vast majority of that team should tear Maidstone a new arsehole. A spine of Wilson (golden glove in the champ) Binks (on loan from Bologna) Kelly (club captain) Palmer (ripped lower league teams to shreds this season) Godden (second top scorer) should be able to support a couple of kids out wide.

If they have a mare they come off at half time having done the job of protecting our first team. Last season we lost to Wrexham cos our most experienced player (Moore) who we got from the PL had a mare. Not sure how you mitigate that?

 

[shmmeee]

Also the Wrexham team was proper patchwork, hadn’t played together at all. We had Bidwell in the middle of a back three, Waghorn and Tavares as a two up top. This season the vast majority of that team has been playing with each other. Wilson has more minutes than Collins, Eccles more than everyone bar Thomas, Lats almost as much as MvE, Godden more than Wright, Dasilva more than Bidwell, Kelly and Tavares are the only older players with less than 1k minutes this season. It’s an entirely different context to last year when the squad was less balanced and half our reserves hadn’t seen sunlight for six months.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We don’t have enough fit players to rest everyone who needs resting. But do have enough to protect some of them.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I'm certainly not in the flat Lusala camp, but if he's that bad why's he been on our subs bench?

 

[shmmeee]

I'm certainly not in the flat Lusala camp, but if he's that bad why's he been on our subs bench?

And if we haven’t got a single U22 player capable of a game against non-league opposition, what are we even doing at the academy?

 

[skybluecam]

And if we haven’t got a single U22 player capable of a game against non-league opposition, what are we even doing at the academy?

Lusala is basically a training cone. He went on loan last season to a club even lower down than Maidstone. Just there to make up the numbers.

 

[shmmeee]

Lusala is basically a training cone. He went on loan last season to a club even lower down than Maidstone. Just there to make up the numbers.

And yet he’s the best the academy has to offer. So why have an academy?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

And yet he’s the best the academy has to offer. So why have an academy?

Bristol City say hello

 

[skybluecam]

And yet he’s the best the academy has to offer. So why have an academy?

Well every so often it produces players like Eccles, Wilson, Maddison etc. And to do that you have to have a functional set up/squad which inevitably means keeping on players that really you know won't make it.

 

[Tommo1993]

Putting my money on Maidstone now. Apparently they can just become better players at the drop of a hat. We’re fucked.

 

[shmmeee]

Well every so often it produces players like Eccles, Wilson, Maddison etc. And to do that you have to have a functional set up/squad which inevitably means keeping on players that really you know won't make it.

I think you’re massively doing down out youth TBH. Most go on to a football career, calling them “cones” is a bit ridiculous just because only one every five years is Championship or above quality.

 

[skybluecam]

I think you’re massively doing down out youth TBH. Most go on to a football career, calling them “cones” is a bit ridiculous just because only one every five years is Championship or above quality.

I mean I'm just talking about for our purposes. If they're not championship standard they're not particularly useful to us.

Also I doubt Lusala would even get signed by an EFL club if he left us, would probably go to non league.

 

[shmmeee]

I mean I'm just talking about for our purposes. If they're not championship standard they're not particularly useful to us.

Also I doubt Lusala would even get signed by an EFL club if he left us, would probably go to non league.

But we’re playing a non-league team! This is my entire point. I’m not saying start him at West Brom. We’ve got a rare opportunity to use these players in a competitive game and give out first team a much needed break.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Lusala is basically a training cone. He went on loan last season to a club even lower down than Maidstone. Just there to make up the numbers.

Why is he on the bench rather than one of the younger ones, then?

 

[skybluecam]

Why is he on the bench rather than one of the younger ones, then?

Probably because the other options are 16/17 and nowhere near ready.

 

[skybluecam]

But we’re playing a non-league team! This is my entire point. I’m not saying start him at West Brom. We’ve got a rare opportunity to use these players in a competitive game and give out first team a much needed break.

It is a non league team but it's also arguably our most important game of the season so far, in terms of what a win would do for us.

Lati can play RB for that game.

 

[shmmeee]

It is a non league team but it's also arguably our most important game of the season so far, in terms of what a win would do for us.

Lati can play RB for that game.

Then you’re playing Thomas, who has played more than anyone else, and Eccles who has played the second most. RB is specifically a tight area, like the wide forwards, where we just don’t have much in terms of cover without stealing from other bits of the pitch.

 

[skybluecam]

Then you’re playing Thomas, who has played more than anyone else, and Eccles who has played the second most. RB is specifically a tight area, like the wide forwards, where we just don’t have much in terms of cover without stealing from other bits of the pitch.

Let's say we play MVE - Thomas - Kitching - Dasilva on Friday, we can play Lati - Binks - Kitching - Bidwell on Monday. Only one player will have to double up. Kelly can play midfield.

 

[shmmeee]

Let's say we play MVE - Thomas - Kitching - Dasilva on Friday, we can play Lati - Binks - Kitching - Bidwell on Monday. Only one player will have to double up. Kelly can play midfield.

Eccles plays three in a row? (Assuming Torp is out)

 

[PVA]

Football would be a strange old game if matches were won because 'it's the biggest game of their careers'.

Is every game just decided by which team has the most players in the side that the above line applies to?