Liverpool Youth Teams Thread

The Albert
1215

If Rhys Williams could play every week in Championship, it would do wonders for his development. If I’m honest, I’m not sure he’s ready for that. He has limited pace/passing range and he’s not the tallest. 1st division may be better suited to him, but playing every week would be more beneficial to him than being 5th/6th choice here. I doubt he will play a minute for us if he stays. There is a reason Klopp stuck Henderson and Fabinho at CB before giving him a shot. I would expect him to do so again if a similar nightmare scenario unfolded this season.

It was a nice story for him last year to play and help us out, but lets not pretend Liverpool will be his level.

1216

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He’s 6’5"!

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1217

I don’t think anyone is making that point - at least as a regular. The discussion is more about whether he would be a worthwhile choice for a 5th CB, allowing the club to sell Phillips at a price we are unlikely to get next summer and giving us some assurance that we have options should we lose 3 of our main CBs to injury without automatically turning to Fabinho…

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1218

:woozy_face: well…he doesn’t play like Matip :see_no_evil:

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1219

I guess my point was if the choice is Fabinho or Williams for a cb slot klopp would (at least he did) pick Fabinho every time… so what’s the point of keeping Williams? Let him go and show what he can do on weekly basis and build a bit of value.

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1220

U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 23: Leicester City

Leicester City Youth Preview 2021/22

Another club who develop young players very effectively, Leicester will undoubtedly be disappointed with their relegation from Premier League Two, especially as some of the members of that team are considered as first team prospects.

At U18 level, Leicester also struggled finishing second bottom and with a top scorer - Will Russ - grabbing just eight goals. In response to the poor performances, fifteen players have been released as they try to narrow their focus on more talented individuals.

Brendan Rodgers is well known for his player development and can boast the likes of James Maddison as a successful example of his leadership but it is fair to say the quality of players coming up from Leicester’s academy is generally a level below the Premier League.

U23 Projected Starters
Pos
GK Jakub Stolarczyk
CB Darragh O’Connor
CB Ben Nelson
RB Vontae Daley-Campbell
LB Shane Flynn
CM Callum Hulme
CM Thakgalo Leshabela
CM Sidnei Tavares
RW Kasey McAteer
LW Thanawat Suengchitthawon
CF Jacob Wakeling
U18 Projected Starters
Pos
GK Arlo Doherty
CB Freddie Cook
CB Harvey Godsmark-Ford
RB Jahmari Lindsay
LB Thomas Wilson-Brown
CM Brandon Cover
CM Sammy Braybrooke
CM Zach Booth
RW Joe Wormleighton
LW Jack Butterfill
CF Kian Pennant
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Sidnei Tavares

  • Position: CM
  • Age: 19
  • Nationality: Portuguese

Tavares was fast-tracked into the first team fold in 2020, having appeared in just a handful of U23 matches, to fend off interest from Barcelona in the creative midfielder. Playing like a carbon copy of Youri Tielemens, Tavaras is a clever passer with excellent technical skills and a creative mind. He has a good long strike in the locker but mostly bases his game on passing. Also like Tielemens he struggles to get around the pitch at a high intensity making him a bit of a liability for high press systems. With Tielemens looking set to stay for another season, I expect to see Tavares given some opportunities to prove he can take over from the Belgian were he to leave in 2022.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

  • Position: DM
  • Age: 22
  • Nationality: English

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has spent the last two years on loan - first to Blackpool and then Luton with an impressive pre-season in 2020 squashed between the two. For Luton he quickly developed into one of the stand out players in the Championship. As a tenacious and tough tackling defensive midfielder the left-footer was a firm fans favourite and displayed a diverse skill set including long range passes, set piece taking and shooting. By the end of the year Luton fans were hailing him as the best player on their team. Wilfreid Ndidi is a terrific talent in defensive midfield and Boubakary Soumare has recently arrived but, at twenty-two years old, Dewsbury-Hall has done everything he possibly can to show he deserves more chances.

Kamal Sowah

  • Position: RW
  • Age: 21
  • Nationality: Ghanian

Having spent three years on loan at Leuven, before finally receiving a work permit this year, Kamal Sowah has earned plenty of first team experience with over fifty matches for the Belgian side. An impressive 2020/21 campaign saw him score eight goals and add in six assists from the wide right position. A slight figure, Sowah relies on pace to supplement a neat technical game. Having returned to Leicester this pre-season he has played an active part in the first team squad and Rodgers has apparently ruled out another short term move, with the Ghanaian international set to be given an opportunity to prove he belongs at the club.

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1221

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1222

I think he could get a championship, if Clarkson can so will Rhys imo. Get at centre half it’s difficult but he’s a big lad with prem experience and champions league experience aswell. Weaker championship clubs would go for that. I’d rather him go to a relegation battling club in the championship so he’s up against it every week and his weaknesses will be exposed which in the long term will help him massively.

He won’t play a minute here, u23s football after the season he has will be a massive back step, should push Jürgen for a loan move like Harvey did.

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1223

Did Elliott do that? First I’m hearing of it.

The pattern for our younger prospects who aren’t quite ready seems to be the same. Right after they come in, a season with the first team, and occasional appearance on bench or in cup games. Then loaned out, before coming back stronger. I don’t think it’s necessarily a push from Elliott.

1224

Thought I heard somewhere he asked at the start of last season, but just tried to find a link but can’t see anything so maybe I’m dreaming that up, apologise.

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1225

Yeah I remember it was Elliott asked to be allowed when they made the move for him on loan, the club probably would have rejected it otherwise.

1226

You mean except for in 5 of out last 7 league games?

1227

Wtf?

At no point did Rhys Williams relegate Fabinho to the bench. Whereas Fabinho did relegate Rhys to the bench. A clear indication as to who Klopp preferred at CB if it was a straight choice.

For the 5 games you’re talking about we either weren’t able to name a single CB on the bench or it was Koumetio. Koumetio was literally the only player you can definitively state was below Rhys in the pecking order.

1228

U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 24: Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Youth Preview 2021/22

Probably the only club in the North-East that can genuinely claim to be a quality youth academy is Middlesbrough. Last season Marc Bola, Dael Fry, Marcus Tavernier and Djed Spence - all graduates of the academy - played over two thousand minutes each. Financial constraints at the Riverside have contributed to this but Middlesbrough have always had an efficient youth system.

The fact is it is just not possible to turn every player into a world beater and some of the best talents may have already broken through here. Djed Spence and Dael Fry in particular look like Premier League players in waiting.

The current crop have achieved good results at U23 and U18 level so some of the players there are presumably still talented enough to make a push - especially as Middlesbrough’s money woes do not appear to have subsided.

U23 Projected Starters
Pos
GK Max Metcalfe
CB Nathan Wood
CB Jack Robinson
RB Daniel Dodds
LB Williams Kokolo
CM Isaac Fletcher
CM Hayden Hackney
CM Connor Malley
RW Sam Folarin
LW Alberto Balde
CF Josh Coburn
U18 Projected Starters
Pos
GK Henry Popple
CB Ben Beals
CB Frankie Whelan
RB George Gitau
LB Josh Marshall
CM Jack Stott
CM Alfie Doherty
CM Luke Woolston
RW Nathan Simpson
LW John Fenton
CF Calum Kavanagh
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Hayden Hackney

  • Position: CM
  • Age: 19
  • Nationality: English

Hackney is a former England schoolboy international who has played over forty times for Middlesbrough’s U23 team despite only turning eighteen in June. Having signed a new contract in May, Hackney has proceeded to earn significant game time in pre-season, building upon his exposure to first team training last year. Quick enough to play out wide, although more comfortable in the middle, Hackney is technically proficient with a nimble running style. Unusually for a central player he loves to run at players which helps to cause problems within the opposition defence but his slight frame makes playing often in the Championship something of a risk.

Nathan Wood

  • Position: CB
  • Age: 19
  • Nationality: English

Wood has been linked with a loan move this season but currently one has not emerged and the youngster is edging closer to a first team spot. Having spent the second half of last season as a regular at Crewe Alexandra, Wood returned to Middlesbrough and has been playing as part of a three man defence alongside Dael Fry and Paddy McNair. Wood is currently the youngest player to ever appear for Middlesbrough when he played against Notts County aged sixteen years and seventy-two days and the England U19 international is now well-placed to either have a strong loan spell or to make serious first team headway. A cultured defender with the ability to step into midfield, Wood is a real Premier League prospect.

Connor Malley

  • Position: CM
  • Age: 21
  • Nationality: English

Another central midfielder with potential to become a first teamer. Malley is slightly further down the road of development than Hackney with the twenty-one year old having made three league appearances last season and earning the man of the match award on his debut. Having spent short amounts of time with both Ayr United and Carlisle United, Malley will now be looking at becoming a regular in the first team squad given the lack of numbers in the squad. A composed midfielder, Malley is good at keeping possession and is always looking to create opportunities but is a fairly plodding runner. With Middlesbrough lacking depth currently, Malley could easily see himself making more appearances next season.

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1229

Fabinho in CM with Williams at CB is preferred to Williams on the bench, Fabinho at CB and someone like Keita or Ox in CM. Judging by last games of the season. Williams got taken out of the lime light when he had a difficult few games before Christmas. By the end of the season he was starting and impressing. He’s 19, he was 18 at the start of last season. He improved over the course of the season you seem to be taking his performances before Christmas as the judge of whether he was good enough, those included two CL games against a very very good attacking Atalanta side who we got a clean sheet against in one game. In the 5 games he started at the end of the season we only conceded 3 goals. He’s not as bad now as he was at the start of last year.

1230

No I don’t. For WIlliams to play instead of Fabinho, all the other CBs (minus 1 partner) would have to be injured, as well as Henderson and possibly one other CM, forcing Fabinho back into DM instead of CB, forcing Klopp to play Williams. Henderson was hurt for those last games, and we had very limited options at DM.

The boy did do well, but let’s not get carried away with expectations for him.

1231

Yep, against Southampton, United (conceded 2), West Brom, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

I’m judging him on his entire showing to date and I don’t think he’s good enough. He’s not going to prove otherwise in PL2, he should go out on loan.

1232

You’re missing the point. You said Klopp would pick Fabinho at CB over Williams buy he didn’t. He’d shown no hesitation playing Wijnaldum as the 6 and could have played Thiago there. Klopp decided Fabinho in midfield and Williams at CB was the better option and Williams did fine.

1233

So what did he do wrong in those games?

1234

He would and he did, but injuries in mid forced him to move Fab back up, and Williams had a nice run of games after. I would expect same again. There is a reason Gini, Milner, Thiago, etc. all had a go at DM before he decided to give Williams a chance and move Fab back up. If Henderson was fit, Williams would not have played imo.

All that said, I know you like to stick to your guns, so don’t want to keep going around in circles. I think it would be more beneficial to us and to Williams to send him on loan to boost value and gain experience, as I don’t really see the value of having a CB below some of our CMs on the depth chart in the squad, as I think his physical tools will mean he isn’t ever going to be suited to playing for Liverpool long term. Happy to be proven wrong, but don’t see it with him.

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