Norwich U18's v Chelsea U18's (FA Youth Cup)

[Tomo 21,751]

Agree with ja1 our academy quality was in a real state when Roman took over the club, our best academy player was Leon Knight ffs now where is he? he must be about 27 right now which should be his peak.

We should have produced more players to the first team yes, Cork at the very least should have been a squad player but the quality is getting better every season. Roman from everything i hear backs AVB to the hilt which means in time AVB might take more chances with the young players IE Piazon, Kane, Chalaboh in the near future.

Ive spoke to a few people on twitter about Chelsea young players and all have said our U14-16''s are some of the best this country has seen, whether that potential will develop into the first team material is for another debate but atleast it shows Roman is investing heavily into the academy, Esk could you concour if our U14-16's are actually that good?

Rome wasn't built in a day, give it time and i honestly believe we will have serious talent coming out of our academy every year.

[Peace. 4,352]

Why ? Because I've only noticed that Ferreira was still one of our players last month, when he played against Tottenham. Before that he was nowhere to be seen. So, if we have to have a player sitting on the bench to have an apparition every 36th of the month, I would choose hands down a young english player who came through our rank and who probably wouldn't be on a wage higer than £40k-a-week, than an old foreigner earning 60k pound a week, with no sale revalue.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He tweeted the scan wasn't good, another long-term lay-off I guess

So sad. These injuries will inevitably affect his development. It's a real shame.

[ja1 1,166]

Yes I see what you mean. So would I. Ideally Hutch will replace Ferriera in summer. But I don't think this should mean every youngster who comes back to the squad should be a squad player. I don't think the club have made any catastrophically wrong decisions in the selling of youth/loan players recently, that you sometimes see with over clubs. Stoch probably should have stayed and maybe Borini, but I would like to focus that that was the PLAYER leaving the club, not the over way round and TBH I would prefer a player of a mentality to Bertrand. He could have rejected that 4 year contract in summer and gone to be starting week in week out at any team upto Newcastle in quality IMO. But he was willing to stay and fight for a future team place.

Stoch was offered a new contract and Borini probably was but Stoch espiecally took the easy way out. Could have stayed and fought for his place at the club but went to an average club where he'd be a starting week in week out.

Anyway that doesn't really matter. I would prefer more academy players to be squad players but we just have to choose carefully. However this season and last the club are royally screwing up the treatment of Josh, Bertrand and Sturridge (last season). I hope the former two are all patient till the club/manager see sense as they both should have started alot kore games than they have.

So yes the club really has not been best in giving players a chance but I don't think that is all the clubs fault when you look at the quality of some of the players coming out

[Tomo 21,751]

Add this to the fact how many other top clubs have produced academy players in the last decade.

Cleverly and Welbeck have been the first at United since Fletcher. Tottenham haven't produced any one since King and Liverpool have only really produced Kelly since Gerrard. City had Richards, Hart, Anouha, Ireland, Johnson, Sturridge and Flood playing from their academy now the Sheiks took over all off them bar Hart and Richards got told they had no future's and even Hart was replaced by Given for a while, have they produced any one since the Sheiks took over? When was the last time someone came thorugh the academy at Madrid or AC Millan? Its only really Barca and Bayern out of the top European clubs that produce academy players on a regular basis.

We aren't the only one's responsible.

[zolayes 14,489]

which brings me back to the point I made earlier. It seems the academy is a massive waste of money and time.

[BlueDutchy 63]

The club did really make a mistake with letting Töre go. He is/was an amazing prospect and the type of winger we need right now...

[termninja 5,290]

The club did really make a mistake with letting Töre go. He is/was an amazing prospect and the type of winger we need right now...

I think he has a buy back clause or something like that.

[ja1 1,166]

Lalkovic is better than Tore.

[ja1 1,166]

And we get 50% of whatever he gets sold for, no buy back clause. That is Rajkovic but Bruma is better than him.

Zolayes so you would prefer no academy and no reserve team altogether because you're crying about what has largely been players who have later gone on to be football league players not making it at a title challenging club? What I said earlier about the players who went through the academy before we became a club with real title aspirations, it's clear. Only Bertrand has made it through that, and that's as he's been on loan so many times getting experience. The ones turning 20-21 who look like pushing for a squad place are all foreign talents who came into the academy late. (PVA, Kakuta, Bruma etc.) and only now we see players like McEachran and Chalobah who generally look like making it. Stop looking back and sobbing about it and being so negative and melodramatic. Look forward. The future is bright

[zolayes 14,489]

And we get 50% of whatever he gets sold for, no buy back clause. That is Rajkovic but Bruma is better than him.

Zolayes so you would prefer no academy and no reserve team altogether because you're crying about what has largely been players who have later gone on to be football league players not making it at a title challenging club? What I said earlier about the players who went through the academy before we became a club with real title aspirations, it's clear. Only Bertrand has made it through that, and that's as he's been on loan so many times getting experience. The ones turning 20-21 who look like pushing for a squad place are all foreign talents who came into the academy late. (PVA, Kakuta, Bruma etc.) and only now we see players like McEachran and Chalobah who generally look like making it. Stop looking back and sobbing about it and being so negative and melodramatic. Look forward. The future is bright

listen boy stop misquoting me . I said nothing about our reserve team. In fact I believe they should have a bigger and more demanding

fixture list.. And stop being so insulting about those who disagree with you.If you really continue you may well find I have a wider range of insults

than you do.

[BlueDutchy 63]

Tore is a better dribbler and imo a better 'footballer' than Lalkovic. I was always really impressed by him and was quite shocked when I heard he was sold to HSV.

[EskWeston 696]

Ive spoke to a few people on twitter about Chelsea young players and all have said our U14-16''s are some of the best this country has seen, whether that potential will develop into the first team material is for another debate but atleast it shows Roman is investing heavily into the academy, Esk could you concour if our U14-16's are actually that good?

Yes all of our age groups are of the highest quality you will see in the country. This current Youth cup squad also is ridiculously good (although they have played no-where near their level so far in the cup). The Youth teams are great, it is at reserve level that the problem comes. And then the step up to first team. Some massive improvements needed there, especially at the reserve level.

How come I've never heard of this Baker guy before seeing him yesterday? Is he in the same age group as Swift?

Yes he is the same age group as Swift and was playing U18's game before Swift. Excellent player Baker is, as with most of our youngsters now, so good on the ball. Was pleased to see him play the number 10 in this game as previously he has played the holding role.

The club did really make a mistake with letting Töre go. He is/was an amazing prospect and the type of winger we need right now...

Huge potential, but never got close to realising that potential. Could have destroyed teams but i can think of only 2 or 3 games where he played to what his ability was. Other than that was massively frustrated with him. Maybe if given the oppertunity to play in the first team he could have shown the quality, but to be honest he never really performed well enough to earn that chance.

Tore is a better dribbler and imo a better 'footballer' than Lalkovic. I was always really impressed by him and was quite shocked when I heard he was sold to HSV.

Lalkovic is a much more consistant player than Tore was, it is easy to look back when someone is doing well at another club but Tore never performed for us as he could have done. Lalkovic is a player i really want handled well, speed, skill and a good finish. Could be a new Robben for us, but needs to be allowed to develop not stagnate like to many before him.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

I really like Lalkovic. Bundles of pace, good on the ball and works very hard for the team. I still remember the goal he scored last youth cup against Arsenal when he ran down a back pass from the halfway line and scored.

[Igi26 346]

Yeah, Lalkovic is very good player. I hope he gets chance this or next season. Also he looks like really good person. He deserves chance.