Nextgen vs Spurs tonight

[John101]

To be honest, Sterling has looked ridiculously good against poor teams who have no clue tactically. He gets one and one and no one can stick with him. Aginst teams who have an ounce of footballing intelligence like Sporting, they double up on him well and neutralise him massively.

 

Thats no bad thing as he's only a kid. He needs to come up against this sort of thing more, which is why i think the reserve league which is glorified reserve football is pointless long term.

 

 

To answer the second point, Suso is nowhere near Wilshere

 

Hopefully after a season in the reserves playing against older lads and getting sed to it, he will be loaned out and get some proper league football and see if he has the brain to go with the physical talent.

[Bellflower]

Assuming he starts, I'd take Bellamy off and give Sterling the last 15 mins against Brighton.............

[Red Hot]

The Mold of U21s to U 23s standard got turned on its head with the likes of Fowler , SG and Owen braking through of a young age. What is the best age for young talent to brake through.

Best to judge on a personal level. Lets hope the likes of Wisdom and others, lots of them can follow Martin Kellys path. Lucky to get one every now and then, confeident on our backroon set up to produce the goods.

[Guest San Don]

Our performances at U18 and reserve team level are not generally very good. Think the club needs to look at who is running the U18 and Reserve team and act if results dont increase from now to the end of the season.

 

We've invested quite heavily at this level yet many of the players just dont look capable of progressing to the first team.

 

Sterling looks good and has potential. His finishing reminds me of tom ince, lots of good positions but cant put it in the net. People have been calling for morgan to be given first team opportunity but if you've seen him at Reserve team level, you'll know he's struggled of late.

 

Pelosi looks good from what i have seen of him. Whether he can step up in a year or two, who knows? Ibe has just joined and has looked good the fleeting glimpses I've had of him.

 

But, if the right coaching isnt being delivered at U18 \ Reserve team level, they wont progress.

[piscinin]

Just a Q. What was Little Jay's role in the youth setup. I never saw him play for the youth. Was he part of a 2 man CM?

 

He played all the over the place RB, CH (yes even center half) but in the reserves it was as CM in a 2 and usually as the primary ball carrier much like Adam in out first team setup. He was always very good and showed he has more to his game than we've seen in the 1st team. Given he's learning the DM role, he's done real well.

[Whelan]

@JamesPearceEcho

James Pearce #lfc reinstated in nextgen series after spurs withdraw due to fielding ineligible player.

[sh#t waffle]

The two sweetest words in the english language: de fault, de fault..

[Lee909]

Next Gen twitter have posted it aswell

 

Up next...a bumming at the hands of Barcelona

[WaltonRed]

Do we play Barca away or is it two legs?

[Lee909]

Looking at the website spurs were due to play the winners of Barca-Ajax at home.

I had heard that the semi and final would be held in Abu dhabi or Dubai.

[Randy Marsh]

Great news!

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Great news for the youngsters. More competitive games at the top level (for their age group).

[WaltonRed]

If it would of been two legs i'd of gone the anfield one

[navbasi]

Next Gen twitter have posted it aswell

 

Up next...a bumming at the hands of Barcelona

 

Fuck Barcelona. We'll do them.

[navbasi]

Liverpool FC through to Semi-Finals after Tottenham Withdraw from the Tournament

 

We can announce today that Tottenham Hotspur have decided to withdraw from the semi finals of the NextGen Tournament following an inadvertent breach of a competition regulation.

 

A spokesperson for the NextGen Series, said:

“Following conversations with senior Tottenham Hotspur officials, we have agreed to accept their withdrawal from the semi final stages of the event.

This is hugely unfortunate and we are sorry to see that such a hard fought encounter as witnessed at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night should have this conclusion. However, we can only applaud the Club for demonstrating such impeccable levels of sportsmanship and for acting in a manner which recognises the good spirit of both the Tournament and the game itself. We thank both clubs for their help and support in making this first year of the event such a success and we look forward to welcoming Liverpool to the semi-finals.”

 

Liverpool Football Club will now progress to the semi final stage where they will face the winners of the FC Barcelona versus Ajax encounter which takes place next week, 8th February 2012.

 

The NextGen Series - Liverpool through after Tottenham withdraw

[Gym Beglin]

Can't believe how wasteful Ngoo was.

 

Spurs were proper headless chickens in the middle of the park.

[gkmacca]

Good news. Great experience for the kids.

[zico]

Great news for the lads..... A real downer for the Spurs kids though - unforgivable mistake by their management

[John101]

Spurs goalscorer Obafemi Martins was unavailable for comment

[Trumo]

Based on how the team played, they deserved to get through by rights. To get through on a technicality is unexpected but welcome, and I can certainly understand the disappointment from the Spurs point of view. Fair play to the Spurs camp for realising and responding in the correct manner. The story on the offal doesn't make it clear what rule was breached though. Did Spurs field an ineligible player? It must be something to do with that - be it that one of their players was suspended, cup-tied (unlikely) or overage - because the only other possibility I can think of is that they either used too many subs or had an extra player on the field for a short period of time. Both of which I would think are extremely unlikely. Although having said that, the ref that night was a useless twunt which does shorten those odds somewhat.

[Hooch]

Why would Spurs volunatarily declare that though? Strange.

[TheHitman]

Bring on the camp nou for our players.

[OOTer]

Twitter is reporting that they have withdrawn because the Nextgen organisers deemed they have fielded OVERAGE players. But it now turns out that was a spelling mistake and it was in fact for fielding AVERAGE players (6)

 

 

He played all the over the place RB, CH (yes even center half) but in the reserves it was as CM in a 2 and usually as the primary ball carrier much like Adam in out first team setup. He was always very good and showed he has more to his game than we've seen in the 1st team. Given he's learning the DM role, he's done real well.

 

Thanks Piscinin. Yeah I think there have certainly been glimpses of Jays ability to link up midfield to attack with good incise passing. I can see why people were talking of him as our next 'Gerrard' although not sure I fully agree... two players rarely have all the same attributes.

 

Talking about making the step up to 1st team. IMO the main thing lacking when the kids step up are an appreciation of how much less time you have on the ball and to make a decision. I think we saw this when Jay came through in that at first he seemed to be chasing shadows in the DM role (much like Lucas was) and when he was on the ball sometimes he would try to pass through a gap that was being closed down. Jonjo seemed to have a heavy 1st touch allowing the oppo to close him down. I don't think it was because he had a bad touch, just he was used to playing when he was afforded more time to get it under control and didn't need to react to his 1st touch as quickly. I can see this being a problem for a few of our youth players coming through. Which is why I said in my earlier thread why I though Roddan's 1st touch was the best on display vs Spurs on Wed night.

 

Not amazingly happy we're through by default. And I hope it doesn't effect the lads' mentality going into the Barca game. Should be an excellent opportunity for them and I hope they relish in it. Rudolfo must be ecstatic! Be nice to have an interview with him about it.

 

One last point. And again, only my opinion. I have a feeling Suso would make a top rate player in DM doing Lucas' and Jay's role. He's as tenacious as those two, doesn't mind getting stuck in. Challenges for every header, has good 1st time passing and cross field balls and great awareness of space and his team-mates. At least from what I observed on Wed. OK, like I said he stamina seemed to fade. But he's got enough attributes to play anywhere in the last 2/3 effectively. Maybe not as effective as an out and out winger but his game intelligence suggests the capability to play that role.

 

Was really impressed with the whole team on Wed. YNWA lads, keep playing like that but just put the chances away please. :yes:

[Guest LFD]

I have a feeling Suso would make a top rate player in DM doing Lucas' and Jay's role.

 

Not for me!

 

Maybe as a ball playing centre midfielder, but not as a ball winner.

[OOTer]

I don't think its the position that best utilises his attributes. But I certainly think he can do a very good job there and with his awareness and passing range and technical ability I think he could be a DM that sits deep but also sets up attacks. Think the love-child of Alonso and Lucas. Although I would sometimes worry that experience may mean he tries to take on players in dangerous positions if asked to sit so deep. And again, it probably would mean we wouldn't see the best of his creative side.

 

Just a thought though and only based on the little I've seen of him streamed online via crappy links, a few youtube highlights and now one full game live. I definitely think he's got the right stuff between his ears though. Time will tell I guess.

 

EDIT - actually, thinking about it. Can't really think how good he is in the tackle. So maybe he's not got all the vital attributes for that role. But saying that, I'm happy with a DM that stays on his feet most of the time.

Edited February 3, 2012 by OOTer
Thought about it some more...