Will youth win through?

"You will not win anything with kids" is a well used phrase.

My concern for a while has been that the kids playing in the reserves were usually well beaten when playing more experienced reserve teams. I have always advocated that more than 3 or 4 in the side had to be the maximum.

OK I appreciate that our precarious financial state and a new mind set in the club have forced the issue BUT have we turned the corner?

Saturday saw us almost hold a decent Cardiff side away from home.

Last night saw us win against a side buoyant from gaining promotion from the Conference to the 2nd Division. Teams with that winning confidence usually do well for a while.

OK so the stats show football possession very much in favour of the opposition but the kids will learn from that. As a unit they will collectively become stronger and tactically aware of each others strengths and weaknesses and compensate accordingly.

I am not getting carried away. We have a very tough test against Birmingham on Saturday but let’s treat it as another step on the steep learning curve.

But if they do well can we keep hold of them?

I think we can keep hold of them.

Happy Burffday WS

I think we will be fine, 2-1 saints,

But if they do well can we keep hold of them?

A fair point. As a Championship side with severe financial problems, if we have to sell to balance the books so be it. We will also have some players, who, if they make the grade will be ambitious and want to test themselves at a higher level. Nothing wrong with that.

It is the present and immediate future (ie this season) my comment was aimed at.

I think we will be fine, 2-1 saints,

We will be up against a very good Birmingham side. A daw would be a good result at this stage. The guys are still learning how to walk. Running comes later

I think we will be fine, 2-1 saints,

Every game?

I think we can keep hold of them.

 

Happy Burffday WS

Thanks MB

I was under the impression when the youth was playing in the reserves we did quite well?

The signs are looking good so far. I fully expect a few tonkings on the way through the season, but that happened with last years superstars as well didn't it. The more they play together, the better they'll get IMO.

look at it this way,we were beaten by peterboro at the same stage last season with the old guard,youngsters won last night.we probably will gat battered a couple of times this season but aslong as they take the positives into the next game so be it.we did alright at cardiff and deseved a draw,the youngsters have the hunger and thats what i want from saints,COYR

Play the best option we have in each position.

 

Beyond that, couldn't care less how old they are.

 

I think questions such as "Is Lloyd James an improvement on Wright or Ostlund?" are more sensible than the age of players.

 

Likewise Schneiderlin and Gillet being compared to Idiakez, Safri, Euell, JV, or Thomson being compared to Licka, JV or whoever else had been pushed out on the right that week.

 

I personally think James, Thomson, Schneiderlin, Lallana and McGoldrick will have good seasons. We need some established players to lead the way obviously, so we'll need Svensson, Perry, Surman, Davies and John to perform as much as possible.

 

 

The main point for me, is that now we know most of our first team, it's a question of playing them and letting them improve as a unit. That's a huge step forward, as for a couple of years we've just been changing the team every game hoping to blindly stumble upon the right formula, so we rarely had any understanding or momentum.

Good post and I agree entirely.

When you look at where the new players are coming in, you have to say they are individually an improvement on last year's incumbents.

I still worry about our lack of depth up front, as Rasiak is clearly off. If McG doesn't do the business and John gets injured or vice-versa - we are fooked for goals. We can't expect another youngster with zero experience (White or Paterson) to do the business in this league.

I for one am delighted that we have a crop of youngsters in the first team squad. They have come through the youth and reserve teams and now have a chance of playing for their club in the Chamionship. Before this season only the odd player now and again made it, such as Bale, Walcott and Surnam. Now, if they are good enough, they know that they can win a place, instead of having it filled by some overseas mercenary or journeyman pro on his last wage packet. I know we'll get thumped now and again, maybe on Saturday, but at least there appears to be some structure to the team. I went to Exeter last night and although they made hard work of it, it is early days and they are getting to know each other. John was fantastic when he came on and brought the likes of McG, Lallana, Gillett and Holmes much more into the game. With Kelvin and Svennson to come in and possibly Euell to add a bit of bite when needed, we do have a chance of doing something this season.

This is how football used to be before money and shady businessmen got involved and I much prefer it this way. The Championship is not awash with money (except QPR) and if we get the right blend there is no reason why we cant push for a play-off place.

I think it will be very important when playing the better teams to slow down a bit,and deny them as much possession as possible..The boys are rushing things in the final third and giving the ball away too easily,which we will be punished for if we do that against Birmingham.

Play the best option we have in each position.

 

Beyond that, couldn't care less how old they are.

 

I think questions such as "Is Lloyd James an improvement on Wright or Ostlund?" are more sensible than the age of players.

 

Likewise Schneiderlin and Gillet being compared to Idiakez, Safri, Euell, JV, or Thomson being compared to Licka, JV or whoever else had been pushed out on the right that week.

 

I personally think James, Thomson, Schneiderlin, Lallana and McGoldrick will have good seasons. We need some established players to lead the way obviously, so we'll need Svensson, Perry, Surman, Davies and John to perform as much as possible.

 

 

The main point for me, is that now we know most of our first team, it's a question of playing them and letting them improve as a unit. That's a huge step forward, as for a couple of years we've just been changing the team every game hoping to blindly stumble upon the right formula, so we rarely had any understanding or momentum.

This is a sound post. Just as you can't assume a young player will be full of energy etc you can't assume an older player will have a stronger character.

It's ridiculous for instance to say Schneiderlin is lightweight as he is 18, physically he is big for a midfielder and character we don't know yet. There are clear examples of young players doing well in the premiership and internationally.

A premiership all stars under 25 team would still be class.

It is about how good players are.

For example I predict that James will have a better season at RB than Wright (or Jesus by a mile).

I think that Lallana, Holmes, Gillet and Schneiderlin will be better than Viafara by a distance, whether they will be better than Euell, Safri, Skacel etc remains to be seen.

Its funny how the press seem to think we have got rid of stars and yet if you read our comments on the same players over the last season could they have done much worse?

This is a sound post. Just as you can't assume a young player will be full of energy etc you can't assume an older player will have a stronger character.

 

It's ridiculous for instance to say Schneiderlin is lightweight as he is 18, physically he is big for a midfielder and character we don't know yet. There are clear examples of young players doing well in the premiership and internationally.

A premiership all stars under 25 team would still be class.

 

It is about how good players are.

For example I predict that James will have a better season at RB than Wright (or Jesus by a mile).

I think that Lallana, Holmes, Gillet and Schneiderlin will be better than Viafara by a distance, whether they will be better than Euell, Safri, Skacel etc remains to be seen.

 

Its funny how the press seem to think we have got rid of stars and yet if you read our comments on the same players over the last season could they have done much worse?

In a word...No

Yes, it was pertinent to compare the players in the same positions rather than the whole team as a way of drawing comparisons as to whether we have progressed or not. There are only one or two flies in the ointment for doing this. Firstly, Burley had played many out of position, making comparisons difficult, as it was sometimes hard to know what their position was meant to be.

Secondly, I think it fair to say that there was a distinct lack of motivation in the team and in Burley himself. Players are written off as ageing journeymen, not particularly bothered. But many of them were once quite highly thought of when younger and playing at a higher level than we find ourselves now. It is arguable whether they have lost the skills or ability, or just the motivation.

I think that most are of the opinion that we need to have a balance between the youngsters and the older players that remain, as an element of experience is always an asset.

My two main worries currently are that we will have to sell any youngster that shines and that we are so thin on the ground that we lack sufficient cover in the event of injury or suspension. Also that confidence will play a huge part in our success and it is vital that we get a few decent results early on to boost the youngsters.

will be in a better position to answer after Saturday, win , lose or draw