Youth Teams Discussion.

[accies1874]

4 minutes ago, Alan Twelve said:

I wondered myself if it might be that he's not physically ready for the older age group - looking at the picture of him in that tweet (obviously the best way to judge a player's physical attributes), he does seem rather slight for a professional footballer.

That's the first thing I noticed about him for the u21s against Malta last month

[2426255]

Can't wait for someone to question if being named in the u-21 squad means Doig or Johnston won't be involved in the senior team.

Edited November 7, 2023 by 2426255

[Ewanandmoreagain]

1 hour ago, 2426255 said:

Can't wait for someone to question if being named in the u-21 squad means Doig or Johnston won't be involved in the senior team.

Who are back ups for Taylor and Patterson ?

[Gordopolis]

7 hours ago, 2426255 said:

Can't wait for someone to question if being named in the u-21 squad means Doig or Johnston won't be involved in the senior team.

Glad you brought this up. Surely both deserved a shot in the big team?!?!?!?!?

 

[bleedingums]

3 hours ago, Gordopolis said:

Glad you brought this up. Surely both deserved a shot in the big team?!?!?!?!?

 

If it comes to the crunch, they’ll get picked, unless Kirk is making the selections.

[RandomGuy.]

On 06/11/2023 at 10:16, Alan Twelve said:

I wondered myself if it might be that he's not physically ready for the older age group - looking at the picture of him in that tweet (obviously the best way to judge a player's physical attributes), he does seem rather slight for a professional footballer.

A brief look at the Aston Villa seems to suggest he is seen as too small physically to be worth playing in the U21s ahead of others, and that U18 football is a better fit.

Better to excel at U18 than struggle at U21 until he bulks up.

[Alan Twelve]

4 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

A brief look at the Aston Villa seems to suggest he is seen as too small physically to be worth playing in the U21s ahead of others, and that U18 football is a better fit.

Better to excel at U18 than struggle at U21 until he bulks up.

Funnily enough, he got on for about 10 minutes at the end of the VIlla u-21s EFL Trophy defeat at Crawley last night. I guess that counts as his proper professional debut..?

On a related note, does anyone - a Dundee United fan, maybe - know much about Kerr Smith? He is a regular for Villa's u-21s and I think he was signed from United at the same time they signed Wilson from Rangers. Beyond that, and the fact that he's a defender of some sort, I know nothing about him though.

[Bing.McCrosby]

14 hours ago, bleedingums said:

If it comes to the crunch, they’ll get picked, unless Kirk is making the selections.

Lovey stuff what would you know about the crunch

[No_Problemo]

51 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

A brief look at the Aston Villa seems to suggest he is seen as too small physically to be worth playing in the U21s ahead of others, and that U18 football is a better fit.

Better to excel at U18 than struggle at U21 until he bulks up.

I suppose it depends how you look at it, but is it better to play at a level he is clearly too good for than challenge himself at a better one..

If he wants to be a striker at a good level, he is always going to come up against people more physical than him and it is about working out how to work around that. IMO, he will improve more physically and in general playing in the older age groups.

I guess a possible exception could be if Villa have him on a huge strength and conditioning plan to help him make that transition more easily next year. 
 

 

[bleedingums]

1 hour ago, Bing.McCrosby said:

Lovey stuff what would you know about the crunch

I’ve been there once.

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, No_Problemo said:

I suppose it depends how you look at it, but is it better to play at a level he is clearly too good for than challenge himself at a better one..

If he wants to be a striker at a good level, he is always going to come up against people more physical than him and it is about working out how to work around that. IMO, he will improve more physically and in general playing in the older age groups.

I guess a possible exception could be if Villa have him on a huge strength and conditioning plan to help him make that transition more easily next year. 
 

 

Aye the second sentence wasnt my opinion, was just how i think Villa must see it if their fans are right.

[No_Problemo]

1 hour ago, RandomGuy. said:

Aye the second sentence wasnt my opinion, was just how i think Villa must see it if their fans are right.

Yeah, I knew that! Turns eighteen in January, so it’ll be interesting if things start to change going into next year…

[ArabFC]

5 hours ago, Alan Twelve said:

On a related note, does anyone - a Dundee United fan, maybe - know much about Kerr Smith? He is a regular for Villa's u-21s and I think he was signed from United at the same time they signed Wilson from Rangers. Beyond that, and the fact that he's a defender of some sort, I know nothing about him though.

CB. Has great potential. But we all know that doesn't always translate. I thought Scott Banks would be a player when he left us at 17.

First time I saw Kerr was as a 15yo in a friendly against Sheff Utd's first team and he was a standout.

But no idea how he's been getting on in Villa's youth ranks.

[PSJ.84]

2 hours ago, ArabFC said:

But no idea how he's been getting on in Villa's youth ranks.

Had a look earlier and he’s played the full 90 in their last nine games or something after getting only a couple minutes off the bench in their first few games. 

[Alert Mongoose]

8 hours ago, Alan Twelve said:

Funnily enough, he got on for about 10 minutes at the end of the VIlla u-21s EFL Trophy defeat at Crawley last night. I guess that counts as his proper professional debut..?

On a related note, does anyone - a Dundee United fan, maybe - know much about Kerr Smith? He is a regular for Villa's u-21s and I think he was signed from United at the same time they signed Wilson from Rangers. Beyond that, and the fact that he's a defender of some sort, I know nothing about him though.

Puff piece here.

https://www.footballfancast.com/aston-villa-premier-league-tyrone-mings-unai-emery-kerr-smith/

 

[Alan Twelve]

Thanks for the feedback, @ArabFC and @Alert Mongoose

[RandomGuy.]

Was Kerr Smith not one who was already there physically at 16 but just needed to learn the game/how to use his body correctly?

That was my memory of him, thinking that once he hits ~100 senior games he'll suddenly explode and become a monster CB.

[albagubrath]

16 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Was Kerr Smith not one who was already there physically at 16 but just needed to learn the game/how to use his body correctly?

That was my memory of him, thinking that once he hits ~100 senior games he'll suddenly explode and become a monster CB.

Yeah, he was playing semi-regularly for Dundee United before Villa signed him. Already a big unit even then at 16 and technically (for a Scottsih centre back) very good.

He has been doing well at Villa - pretty sure he has captained their 21s a number of times and is very much a mainstay in the side.

Villa have a good crop of decent Scottish youngsters, not just Wilson and Smith but also Ewan Simpson (signed from Hearts) and Aidan Borland. Josh Feeney (also a CB) is also Scottish Qualified but very much in the English age-group system.

[BB_Bino]

On 04/11/2023 at 10:07, RandomGuy. said:

Does it feel like we're on the verge of having a decent stock of strikers?

Maybe not on the same trajectory as Wilson, but Kai Fotheringham at Dundee United is developing away just nicely. More of a wife Forward than a central one but he definitely looked the part at us last season and looks above the Championship with Dundee United I believe. My only surprise is he hasn't had an Under 21's cap already

[Elgin Macca]

1 hour ago, BB_Bino said:

Maybe not on the same trajectory as Wilson, but Kai Fotheringham at Dundee United is developing away just nicely. More of a wife Forward than a central one but he definitely looked the part at us last season and looks above the Championship with Dundee United I believe. My only surprise is he hasn't had an Under 21's cap already

Will maybe get a call up to the woman's team then mate....