Dortmund and United are already making moves for the younger Bellingham apparently.
Crazy that the Birmingham owners have taken that stance with the youth teams when it’s produced so many players and money for that club.
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 6: West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies gave thousands of minutes of football to U23 players last season with Dara O’Shea leading the way for academy graduates. The Irish international has emerged as a starting centre back for the midlands club. West Brom have a traditionally successful academy but it has struggled to replicate previous success in recent years. O’Shea’s development should provide hope that the route is not totally closed.
In terms of results, West Brom U23s struggled just as much as the first team did. They finished thirteenth in Division 2 while the U18s did not fare much better finishing eighth out of thirteen. Although results at this level are secondary, it does indicate that there is perhaps a lack of talent within the squads. Indeed it appears West Brom thought so - they allowed seventeen youth team players to walk this summer so both U23 and U18 sides will have completely new looks.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Ted Cann |
| CB | Zak Delaney |
| CB | Saul Shotton |
| RB | Taylor Gardner-Hickman |
| LB | Zac Ashworth |
| CM | Toby King |
| CM | Jamie Andrews |
| CM | Quevin |
| RW | Rayhaan Tulloch |
| LW | Rico Richards |
| CF | Owen Windsor |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Ronnie Hollingshead |
| CB | Daniel N’Goma |
| CB | Leon Machisa |
| RB | Reece Hall |
| LB | Lino Sousa |
| CM | MacKenzie Lamb |
| CM | Mark Chidi |
| CM | Josh Barrett |
| RW | Reyes Cleary |
| LW | Fenton Heard |
| CF | Samuel Okoka |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Saul Shotton
- Position: CB
- Age: 20
- Nationality: English
Former Bury defender Saul Shotton signed for West Brom in 2019 and spent the first part of 2020 on loan with National league side Woking where he made fifteen starts before being recalled in January. The talented defender was the most sought after free agent following Bury’s dissolution and he committed his future to the club by signing a new deal in November. With a slight build and primarily ‘footballing’ based approach to the game, Shotton could potentially struggle with the physical aspects of Championship football but in an attacking system, as the Baggie should be at this level, his comfort in possession can open up further offensive opportunities.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman
- Position: RB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
Promoted to the first team by Sam Allardyce for West Brom’s trip to Arsenal in May, Gardner-Hickman has started pre-season with an intensity of a player who knows he has a real chance of becoming a first teamer under new boss, Valerian Ismael. With Darnell Furlong the only other right back in the squad, and Gardner-Hickman consistently impressing at U23 level, the wing back has every chance of competing for first team action. Despite not being the quickest full back in the world, he consistently gets himself high up the field and into goal scoring opportunities. Defensively he is fine, but certainly getting forward is his main focus.
Rico Richards
- Position: RW
- Age: 17
- Nationality: English
Richards signed his first professional contract for West Brom in 2020 and has already seen himself burdened with the label of ‘wonderkid’. Already playing for England U19s, the forward is versatile and tricky but backs it up with strong technical ability which make him the designated free kick taker for West Brom U18s. Perhaps his most impressive performance was up against Liverpool’s Billy Koumetio - Richards consistently beat the French defender with speed and strength, turning him inside out at will and pinching the ball off his toes on numerous occasions causing mayhem within the Liverpool backline. The performance displayed everything great about his game; close control, strength, pace and a determination to win the ball back. Richards was prolific at U18 level but he projects as a slightly different forward at first team level, setting the press and winning possession to set off other goal scoring teammates.
3 Likes
@Sweeting do you think some of these young players, specially those in their 20s, will get considerable minutes with the senior team?
Pep Lijnders confirms Ben Woodburn has a future at Liverpool:
“Again, what a performance from Ben, I’m so happy for him. Like many of the team it didn’t come easy for him, but he has an Anfield future.” [LFC]
Called it
1 Like
The Welsh Mbappé
Llbappé, perhaps? 
2 Likes
Almost mate,it’s llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliombappembappembappe.
1 Like
They retired Jude Bellingham’s shirt number after the transfer. They have no grasp/understanding of Football. I actually fear for BCFC, having lost their ground and additionally (I believe) their training ground they have no assets and therefore no leverage with the banks.
My only optimism in terms of the ground, is that it is in the middle of a right sh*t hole and mainly commercial/industrial businesses. So i cant (touch wood) see them selling the land for residential property.
1 Like
The only Mbappe I want looks like a Teenage Turtle, puts the sh*tters up the opposition and in my opinion has the potential to take the best player in the world mantle off Harvey Elliot, sorry I mean Messi/Ronaldo.
On a serious note, I feel sorry for Woodburn to a certain degree.
When I first saw him play, I thought they would most likely try and develop him into a ‘Coutinho’ role/player. But our style of play has changed since then and not relied on a The false no.9.
I genuinely hope he builds on the positives of his recent performances and make
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 7: Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn come into the season off the back of a strong year with both good results at U23 & U18 level combined with lots of first team gametime for young players such as Tyrhys Dolan, Joe Rankin-Costello and John Buckley.
The Lancashire club have developed a reputation for high quality junior coaching and an efficient system of picking up teenagers released from local clubs, for example Lewis Travis is a key central midfielder picked up for free after Liverpool released him from their U18 squad.
For a Championship club, Blackburn are running a smoothly operating academy providing plenty of players capable of contributing at first team level. They should be considered a model for other similarly sized clubs to follow.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Pos | |
| GK | Jordan Eastham |
| CB | Sam Barnes |
| CB | Louie Annesley |
| RB | Dan Pike |
| LB | Lenni Cirino |
| CM | Isaac Whitehall |
| CM | Jalil Saadi |
| CM | Joe Nolan |
| RW | Connor McBride |
| LW | Sam Durrant |
| CF | Sam Burns |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Pos | |
| GK | Felix Goddard |
| CB | George Pratt |
| CB | Ashley Famuyiwa |
| RB | Jay Haddow |
| LB | Georgie Gent |
| CM | Kristi Montgomery |
| CM | Charlie Weston |
| CM | Adam Wharton |
| RW | Harrison Wood |
| LW | Ben Fyles |
| CF | Evan Cunningham |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Louie Annesley
- Position: CB
- Age: 21
- Nationality: Gibraltan
Annesley is one of those rare players who made an international appearance before playing a first team game (for Blackburn, at least). Capped nineteen times by the Gibraltar National team, the lanky central defender - previously on the books at Chelsea, Wimbledon, Cobham and Barnet - was picked up for next to nothing from Lincoln Red Imps in 2019. He possesses a calm temperament and a large physique, strong in the air but lacking athletically particularly when he gets turned thus leading to my comparison of Everton’s Michael Keane. Annesley is set for a loan move this year, having just signed a new contract, with League One clubs keen to take him. With Daniel Ayala struggling for fitness however, he may be kept around for the start of the season and possibly prove he can be trusted in the first team.
Connor McBride
- Position: AM
- Age: 20
- Nationality: Scottish
Currently more versatile than McNeil but it’s hard not to notice a striking resemblance between the two players. McBride takes every set piece and penalty for Blackburn while operating from the left wing, attacking midfield and sometimes the centre forward position. He isn’t the quickest player but he has excellent technical ability and quick feet, as well a strong build that allows him to consistently win in 1v1 situations at this level. McBride was both the top goal scorer and top assister in his first season after joining from Celtic, he could be set for a breakout year either on loan or at Blackburn.
Dan Pike
- Position: RB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
A real throwback of a full back. Despite starting his career as a winger, Pike has proven to be a solid defender in the traditional sense - late overlaps, tough tackling and good crosses from the byline. Pike began to make the push into Moybray’s reckoning at the end of last season, appearing on the substitutes bench three times. Blocking his path is the almost ever present Ryan Nyambe but Pike should be able to take up his place as the deputy right back this season. He may never be the most exciting wing back but Pike looks to be a very capable deputy and should see game time this season.
2 Likes
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 8: Tottenham Hotspur
Perhaps not surprisingly for a team that was led by Jose Mourinho last season Tottenham had a relatively low level of involvement from youth players, with only Steven Bergwijn breaking one thousand minutes. This time out Spurs have a much more youth friendly manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, at the helm and a talented group of players that could be pushing for meaningful minutes.
Having finished 3rd in the U23 Premier League last season there is obvious talent within the academy waiting to have their chance with the likes of J’Neil Bennett and Dilan Marakanday putting in impressive performances during this pre-season.
Another stand out performer has been sixteen year old Alfie Devine. Signed from Wigan in 2020 the midfielder went from an U18 to the first team squad in just a few months and will be a very important player for Tottenham U23s this coming season which promises another strong campaign at this level.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Joshua Oluwayemi |
| CB | Brooklyn Lyons-Foster |
| CB | Tobi Omole |
| RB | Marcel Lavinier |
| LB | Timothy Eyoma |
| CM | Nile John |
| CM | Alfie Devine |
| CM | Harvey White |
| RW | Dilan Markanday |
| LW | J’Neil Bennett |
| CF | Dane Scarlett |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Aaron Maguire |
| CB | Dermi Lusala |
| CB | Alfie Dorrington |
| RB | Dante Cassanova |
| LB | Jordan Hackett |
| CM | Jez Davies |
| CM | Khalon Haysman |
| CM | Oliver Turner |
| RW | Roshaun Mathurin |
| LW | Rio Kyerematen |
| CF | Jamie Donley |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Oliver Skipp
- Position: DM
- Age: 20
- Nationality: English
Skipp joined Norwich on loan for the 20/21 season aged nineteen and immediately established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Championship. Starting fourty-four of Norwich’s fourty-six league games, the England U21 international proved to have a great passing range and a nose for the defensive side of the game. He has that knack of being in the right place at the right time, rarely needing to go to ground to win the ball back but instead being a terrier nipping at a player’s ankles. While he is not the quickest player he is more than capable of moving through midfield with the ball to get himself out of trouble. With Harry Winks failing to impress recently there is every chance that Oliver Skipp will beat him out for a regular role in the Spurs midfield.
Ryan Sessegnon
- Position: LB
- Age: 21
- Nationality: English
Let’s be honest, you forgot Sessegnon existed didn’t you? The England U21 international spent last season on loan at Hoffenheim, which proved to be a decent stint for the young man who has lost his way slightly since lighting up the Championship as a teenager. Acknowledging his previous struggles, Sessegnon said that his time in Germany has made him calmer in possession - a clear area for improvement - and if he can transition that back to the Premier League then he instantly becomes one of the most intriguing prospects in English football. The rampaging left back is lightning quick and has an incredible eye for goal for a player who is, on paper at least, a defender. Also capable of playing on the left wing, Sessegnon’s versatility makes him a prime candidate to force himself into Santo’s first team squad for the coming year.
Dane Scarlett
- Position: CF
- Age: 17
- Nationality: English
If you were to ask any Tottenham supporter who the best player at their academy is right now then there is no doubt they would immediately respond “Dane Scarlett”. The London born centre forward has excelled at every level with an incredible scoring record catapulting him straight into first team contention at just seventeen-years-old. In pre-season, Scarlett has started well with a goal for the first team and Spurs management have reportedly ruled out a loan move as they see him staying in the first team squad as more important. A pure goal scorer, Scarlett has some strings to his bow but he is predominantly a finisher. A brief look at his youth career will show you every type of goal - headers, tap ins, penalties, long range strikes… he just loves scoring and there is nothing to suggest that will suddenly stop when he does indeed get more first team action.
5 Likes
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 9: Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton are currently well underway in their youth team redevelopment project which has included bringing in some top rated talent from around the world. Moises Caicedo, Jakub Moder, Jeremy Sarmiento and Andi Zaqiri to name a few.
As well as those players, Brighton also have plenty of English talent trying to break through. Teddy Jenks and Jenson Weir are both England youth international midfielders who have been sent out on loan for the first time, while Haydon Roberts completed a spell at Rochdale last season and has set aims this pre-season as earning a chance to replace the outgoing Ben White.
Graham Potter is certainly not adverse to promoting youth team talent and this year will likely see lots of minutes for teenaged players.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Pos | |
| GK | Tom McGill |
| CB | Lars Dendoncker |
| CB | Haydon Roberts |
| RB | Ayo Tanimowo |
| LB | James Furlong |
| CM | Marc Leonard |
| CM | Moises Caicedo |
| CM | Jack Spong |
| RW | Andy Moran |
| LW | Jeremy Sarmiento |
| CF | Cameron Peupion |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Pos | |
| GK | Tommy Reid |
| CB | Ben Jackson |
| CB | Leigh Kavanagh |
| RB | Casper Nilsson |
| LB | Zak Sturge |
| CM | Toby Collyer |
| CM | Samy Chouchane |
| CM | Jack Hinshelwood |
| RW | Jaami Qureshi |
| LW | Marcus Ifill |
| CF | Zak Emmerson |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Jakub Moder
- Position: CM
- Age: 22
- Nationality: Polish
An example of Brighton’s excellent scouting system, Moder was plucked from Lech Poznan after half a season of senior football and immediately sent back to the Ekstraklasa club. However, due to his outstanding performances in Poland, Brighton recalled him in January and began to ease him into the grind of the Premier League. Immediately, Moder shone. Starting seven of Brighton’s last ten games, he received immediate plaudits for his all-action style and genuine two-footed ability despite often being used in an unfavoured left wing position. As rumours circulate that Bissouma could be leaving, Moder may well be transitioned back to his central role although the goal-scoring, box-to-box midfielder is a very different type of player. Note: The Athletic described Moder as “like Sergio Busquets”. He’s not.
Andy Moran
- Position: LW
- Age: 17
- Nationality: Irish
Moran was a top scorer for Brighton’s U18 team and began to step up to U23 level in 2021. The diminutive winger looks physically undersized, which may limit his first team chances this season, but he is lightning quick and his low-centre of gravity makes him difficult to knock off the ball. To supplement that he has a fearless attitude on the ball, constantly looking to drive at opposition players and confident in his ability to take on anyone. Now being linked with moves to Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal, Moran is one of the best prospects in the Irish national system and if he can fill out his frame he could easily push for some first team action at both club and country this coming year.
Haydon Roberts
- Position: CB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
Roberts spent last season on loan at Rochdale, gaining a valuable two thousand minutes of football in a physically tough League One. As an England U19 international he has been a stand-out prospect for a number of years and his performances at Spotland have put him in a good position to fight for a first team place this coming year. Ben White leaving certainly helps his chances although Dan Burns, Leo Ostigard and any potential new signings are more senior and experienced options for him to overcome. Ostigard in particular is getting a lot of hype with Brighton fans after a good season at Coventry but he has expressed a desire to leave on a permanent basis unless he is given first team promises which are currently not forthcoming. Roberts is the ‘modern of the two’, a stylish and composed left footed centre back, he is confident stepping into midfield and using pace to beat opposition players. Runs right through the heart of the pitch are not uncommon and would be especially useful in Brighton’s three at the back system.
2 Likes
Why? It’s not like it’ll see much discussion elsewhere anyway.
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 10: Sunderland
Owning a Category One academy and living in League One, you would expect that Sunderland would be continually feeding a stream of youngsters into their first team but this has largely failed to happen with only Denver Hume and Jack Diamond from the U23 team playing over one thousand minutes at first team level (Dion Sanderson also did this as a loanee from Wolves).
Winger Diamond is probably a good example of this issue. For several years he has been the leading player for the Academy of Light and yet has been consistently overlooked for first team action until the 20/21 season aged twenty. There is seemingly a reticence within the Sunderland squad to rely on youthful players which is unfortunate at League One would seem to be a great breeding ground for those talented teenagers.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Anthony Patterson |
| CB | Patrick Almond |
| CB | Cameron Jessup |
| RB | Ethan Kachosa |
| LB | Tyrese Dyce |
| CM | Sam Wilding |
| CM | Josh Hawkes |
| CM | Daniel Neill |
| RW | Stephen Wearne |
| LW | Ellis Taylor |
| CF | Will Harris |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Adam Richardson |
| CB | Ben Williams |
| CB | Henry Fieldson |
| RB | Sam Irons |
| LB | Oliver Bainbridge |
| CM | Caden Kelly |
| CM | Lachriaj Singh |
| CM | Sonny Singh |
| RW | Ashley Akpan |
| LW | Francis Okoronkwo |
| CF | Harry Gardiner |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Dennis Cirkin
- Position: LB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
Sunderland were screaming out for a full back this summer and they finally landed their man just two days before the season started. Dennis Cirkin is a converted winger and England U19 international who was very highly rated at Tottenham but has been allowed to move on due to the congestion at first team level above him; Reguilon, Davies and Sessegnon. The defender is coming off the back of a tough year in which injury and personal tragedy pretty much destroyed his season and he will be hopeful that a move to Sunderland will allow him a full reset. He joins the League One club with a clear run at the first team and feels like a safe bet to prove himself a useful player at this level.
Patrick Almond
- Position: CB
- Age: 18
- Nationality: Scottish
Having just signed a new one year contract this summer, Patrick Almond will look to build upon a strong U23 season and find his way into the first team. The Scottish defender was the youngest regular at U23 level for Sunderland last season and he has been impressive in the early pre-season outings this year. A dominant central defender with excellent quality in the air, Almond could handle League One football physically if picked to do so and his early outings during pre-season suggest he has the requisite quality to do it also. It will need a change of approach from Sunderland management but Almond deserves at least a chance to make an impression this season.
Josh Hawkes
- Position: AM
- Age: 22
- Nationality: England
It’s actually quite ridiculous that Hawkes didn’t get a real shot at the first team last season. The twenty-two-year-old midfielder was a one man wrecking ball in the U23 squad, scoring fourteen goals and grabbing seven assists in less than two thousand minutes. The former Hartlepool player had been a stand out in the National League but Sunderland manager Lee Johnson overlooked his contributions citing him as being physically underdeveloped. Now, with rumoured interest from Norwich City and West Ham United, the midfielder has a full pre-season to gain the muscle the manager desires and follow in the footsteps of Adam Lallana - another late developing attacking midfielder.
2 Likes
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 11: Burnley
You get the impression Burnley really want a great youth academy but also that they aren’t prepared to put in any kind of investment to get it. While the coaching staff do an admirable job of maximising the talents of those in the system, ultimately the majority end up dropping out of the professional game shortly after leaving Burnley.
There are some bright sparks here though with a very small Burnley squad leading to an increasing use of the likes of Anthony Driscoll-Glennon to at least fill up the squad and sit on the bench. Can any of them develop enough to become first team regulars in a notoriously grizzled and experienced Burnley squad?
I originally had Josh Benson listed as one to watch following his breakthrough last season but Burnley have now sold him for peanuts… Sean Dyche and I are very different people.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Marc Richter |
| CB | Richard Nartey |
| CB | Bobby Thomas |
| RB | Marcel Elva-Fountaine |
| LB | Anthony Driscoll-Glennon |
| CM | Josh Benson |
| CM | Ne-Jai Tucker |
| CM | Anthony Gomez Mancini |
| RW | Max Thompson |
| LW | Lewis Richardson |
| CF | Arman Taranis |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Sam Waller |
| CB | Dan Sassi |
| CB | Benn Ward |
| RB | Jacson Coppack |
| LB | Keelan Williams |
| CM | Will Hugill |
| CM | Will Couch |
| CM | Joe Bauress |
| RW | Kade Ratchford |
| LW | Ruairi Behan |
| CF | Michael Mellon |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Richard Nartey
- Position: CB
- Age: 22
- Nationality: English
Richard Nartey joined Burnley from Chelsea and, in his first season, established himself as a player potentially capable of moving full time into the first team fold. A solidly built defender who is strong in the air, Nartey was on the bench several times last season as well as being a regular in the U23 squad. Having spent time on loan at Burton, whilst an employee at Chelsea, the defender has experience in the adult game but at twenty-two years old really needs to kick on and play more football. He signed a new twelve month contract this summer and has been vocal about his desire to play in the first team. Physically he will no doubt hold up fine, his technical ability may be his weakest aspect but in a Burnley side with very simple instructions on the ball it’s possibly not the greatest concern.
Lewis Richardson
- Position: CF
- Age: 18
- Nationality: English
18 year old Lewis Richardson has already made his Burnley debut, coming on for the final few minutes of games against Tottenham and Southampton. He is a regular member of the travelling squad for the first team now and is probably the best prospect in the Burnley youth system since Dwight McNeil. The striker is also capable of playing wide on the left but has started pre-season for the first eleven playing alongside Ashley Barnes in Burnley’s familiar 4-4-2. A former England U17 international, Richardson is quick and skilful with good instincts in front of goal without ever being a prolific centre forward (although that is partly because of the low quality of the players alongside him). Burnley have probably the smallest squad in the Premier League so Richardson is the kind of prospect you would expect Dyche to be relying upon.
Anthony Gomez Mancini
- Position: CM
- Age: 20
- Nationality: French
Signed from Angers after spending last season on loan with Burnley’s youth team, Anthony Gomez Mancini has started preseason as part of the first team fold and impressed fans with his energetic performances in an unfamiliar right wing position. The former France U19 international lacks true pace but he has an engine that allows him to get around the pitch and possesses an excellent passing range. With a classy first touch, he offers something a little different from Burnley’s industrious midfielders but it remains to be seen if Dyche will trust a player focused on the retention of possession in his team. Early indicators - shunting him out on the right wing - suggest Dyche will still expect a solid two banks of four rather than bringing the creative Mancini into the centre.
2 Likes
Sepp Van Den Berg has been called up for the Dutch u21 provisional squad. Big news for him and a sign of the progress he as made knowing the strength of the squad there.
4 Likes
U23 & U18 Premier League Preview - Episode 12: Stoke City
With a major focus on local players, Stoke has turned into a thriving academy and recently there have been a few who have broken through, including Nathan Collins who was sold to Burnley this summer for big money.
The U23s finished second in Division Two last season and many of those players could make the push for the first team with Stoke looking once again to cut their cloth and focus on youth development. Stoke have been excellent at youth promotion, giving thousands of minutes of football to players U23. Expect the same this season.
A notable youngster is Emre Tezgel. The striker scored seven goals for Stoke’s U18s aged just fifteen years old and looks set to be a dynamite prospect in his first full season as a scholarship player.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Nathan Broome |
| CB | Lewis Macari |
| CB | William Forrester |
| RB | Kieran Coates |
| LB | Edward Jones |
| CM | Dan Malone |
| CM | Tom Sparrow |
| CM | Gabriel Adebambo |
| RW | D’Margio Wright-Phillips |
| LW | Douglas James-Taylor |
| CF | Christian Norton |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Xander Parke |
| CB | Josh Roney |
| CB | David Okagbue |
| RB | Tom Curl |
| LB | Jake Cartwright |
| CM | Jack Griffiths |
| CM | Ryan Malbon |
| CM | Ted Cargill |
| RW | Sam Knowles |
| LW | Shilo Waldo |
| CF | Emre Tezgel |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Christian Norton
- Position: CF
- Age: 20
- Nationality: Welsh
Having joined from Southampton in 2020, Christian Norton made a good impact on the Stoke U23 squad scoring five times and making six appearances in the Stoke first team. Norton is a long-legged centre forward with a slight frame, a good target in the air and accomplished in the press. Although not a prolific goalscorer there is plenty of potential to work with for the Welsh U21 international. Norton is on the fringes of a permanent call up to the first team with his striker partner at U23 level, Ethon Varian, having already left the club on loan.
D’Margio Wright-Phillips
- Position: RW
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
The son of Shaun Wright-Phillips, D’Margio plays the same position but is a very different type of winger. More of a wide forward than a true winger, he likes to attack the penalty area often ending up as the centre forward on the end of crosses from the left wing. He’s quick but more heavy-set than his father and as a result is a touch less explosive. He makes up for that pace with a strong running style and is tall enough to be a threat aerially, especially when playing up against full backs. After failing to make the grade at Man City, he joined Stoke in February and has already worked his way into the first team picture, becoming a mainstay of the Stoke team during this pre-season.
Lewis Macari
- Position: CB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: Scottish
Grandson of Lou Macari, the former Stoke season ticket holder is a central defender making an impression on the Stoke first team during pre-season. Also capable of operating at right back, and probably this would be his route to the first team, Macari is comfortable playing out from the back and has pace to compete with any forward line. Although he isn’t one of the biggest defenders, he is still solid in the air and has been a goal scoring threat when he comes forward for set pieces. Having moved into the first team squad for the first time this season in May, Macari now has the momentum to press for more involvement.
2 Likes
Thanks again Sweeting. Maybe at the end you could do a 5 or 10 to watch. Always appreciated
1 Like
Watching st pats and a bad clash of heads here with Desmond and Jaros involved. Looked knocked out
Desmond had a seizure afterwards showing the impact of the collision