Liverpool Youth Teams Thread

Or it was a joke :roll_eyes:

For the record, I had a lot of time for Spearing as player. Iā€™m the opposite of those who seem to want our local lads to fail. Hopefully he can give a bring a lot of advice and experience to the younger players coming through.

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Jarell Quansah starts for England U19s tonight, with Luke Chambers on the bench .

Looks like Sean Wilson has signed for Stoke City

2021/2022 - Ones To Watch Season Review: Part One

10: Worldā€™s Best Player
9: World Class Player
8: Top European Club Regular
7: Elite League Regular
6: Elite League Squad Player
5: Championship Regular
4: League One Regular
3: League Two Regular
2: Vanarama National Regular
1: On the Bubble
0: Unlikely to make it in Professional Game

Arsenal

Folarin Balogun: 5.9 - After a brief foray into the Arsenal starting line up and once again ripping the U23s league apart, Balogunā€™s first chance of prolonged first team football was provided by a mid-season loan to Middlesbrough. Unfortunately the all-time leading goalscorer at U23 level managed just nine starts and supporters were left underwhelmed by his impact despite six goal involvements. The common complain was that the game passed him by regularly. In fairness to Balogun, the Championship is a high level to go into for a first loan spell.

Miguel Azeez: 3.8 - Azeez struggled for gametime having joined Portsmouth on loan to start the campaign. After a brief flirtation for the Pompey first team around November, where he impressed in flashes with his eye for a pass, he quickly fell back down the pecking order which resulted in his loan being cut short in January. Once back at Arsenal he was an ever present for the run in of the U23 campaign.

Omari Hutchinson: 5.2 - Another strong season in youth football saw Hutchinson grab eight goals and seven assists in twenty-one games. Named on the bench at first team level multiple times but did not make an appearance. However, was given a call up to the Jamaican national team to cap off his season.

Aston Villa

Jacob Ramsey: 7.4 - Ramsey was a revelation for Aston Villa, working his way into a starting role over the first half of the season before really coming promience under the guidance of new manager Steven Gerrard. Signed a new contract until 2027 amid rumours of interest from Manchester United. Heā€™s quick, strong and gets goalsā€¦ another good campaign and the big boys will come calling.

Louie Barry: 3.7 - Barry joined Ipswich to start the season but found himself crowded out by too many experienced players in rich veins of form for the high-flying Tractor Boys. Having cut short his spell at the club he immediately joined League Two Swindon and did ok, grabbing six goals.

Carney Chukwuemeka: 6.0 - Chukwuemeka was breaking through with Villa when word of his contract situation got out. His refusal to sign has seen him fade out of the team but he is currently linked with a move to Barcelona. Aston Villa fans, who last season turned on Jacob Ramsey, have now made Chukwuemeka the subject of their ire with a poor performance against Liverpool often highlighted as an indicator of his deficiencies. Itā€™s an unfair portrayal of an extremely young player who is performing far above the standards expected of an 18 year old.

Birmingham City

Jobe Bellingham: 4.2 - As expected Jobe made his breakthrough into the Birmingham first team, managing three appearances in total and has been linked with a move to Liverpool. However, the 16 year old currently looks settled and has the same level headed family as his brother. I donā€™t think they will be any great rush to leave St Andrews.

Rico Browne: 1.6 - Browne started the season as an U18 player and steadily grew into a starter at U23 level. Having turned down interest from Tottenham and West Ham to stay at Birmingham, the eighteen year old was likely expecting some first team action but under pressure manager Lee Bowyer decided he couldnā€™t risk two young central defenders - with Nico Gordon already in the first team - and so Browne was forced to watch from the sidelines.

Nico Gordon: 5.0 - Gordon missed the first half of the season with injury but retuned in March and played every game for the rest of the season, missing just 14 minutes from the final eleven games. His strong performances at the end of the campaign have drawn scouts from most of the top 6 English clubs - Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs have all been credited with an interest. He is strong in the air but vulnerable to to ball in behind him - something Championship teams have not yet been able to exploit.

Blackburn Rovers

Louie Annesley: 2.2 - Annesley made eighteen appearances for Woking but lost his place in the team in March. Annesley is expected to feature for the first team during pre-season but he at the moment he doesnā€™t project as earning any meaningful first team minutes.

Connor McBride: 1.4 - McBride was a bit-part player for Queenā€™s Park after heading there on loan in January, making just five starts. As a result Blackburn announced he would be released at the end of his contract this summer.

Dan Pike: 2.7 - Pike made a good impression during an injury hampered spell with Fylde in the National League, signing for the club twice after his loan was ended early the first time around. However, Blackburn have brought in James Brown from Drogheda which pushes Pike away from first team action.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Jakub Moder: 6.3 - Moder was excellent for a spell and displayed his trademark versatility across the Brighton midfield. Season was ended early though by a cruciate ligament rupture. When he returns from injury the Polish midfielder could well be positioned as the long term replacement for Yves Bissouma - which is probably his best position - despite having not featured in central midfield very often yet.

Andrew Moran: 2.0 - Suffering from the typical dip in form between U18 and U23 level, Moran grabbed just four goals at U23 level although he did get a first team appearance in the EFL Cup. Developing as an attacking midfielder now, he will likely be one of the best youth players for Brighton in 22/23.

Haydon Roberts: 4.1 - Made the Premier League bench 14 times but was never used. Three EFL Cup appearances to his name however and Roberts ended the season back in the U23 team where he started all of their final nine games. Graham Potter has spoken about his desire to get Roberts into the first team next season but with one year left on his current contract, the defender may look to move on with Sheffield Wednesday credited with interest.

Burnley

Anthony Gomez Mancini: 1.1 - Set back by injuries yet again, Mancini managed just eleven appearances but was relatively impressive when called upon. Despite this he was released at the end of the season, with many Burnley fans left questioning the widsom of that decision.

Richard Nartey: 0.8 - Nartey struggled to make any impact at all for Mansfield, starting twice before playing just one more minute for the next four months. He cut his loan short and returned to Burnley in March, playing regularly for the U23s. Was released at the end of the season.

Lewis Richardson: 2.2 - Richardson suffered a serious injury in pre-season and only returned late in the season. Facing a year in the Championship, Richardson could be one of the key beneficiaries and earn regular first team action.

Chelsea

Faustino Anjorin: 4.7 - After struggling for fitness with Lokomotiv Moscow, Anjorin cut his loan spell short and joined Huddersfield on loan. Once again however he couldn;t stay fit, hobbled by an ankle injury for much of the campaign. In his brief appearances for Huddersfield he did show his ability and there are rumours that Huddersfield could look to take him on loan again next season.

Armando Broja: 7.1 - Halfway through the season and it looked like Armando Broja could quickly establish himself as a superstar while on loan at Southampton. After seven goals before the end of January Chelsea slapped a 40m pricetag on his head and the Albanian strikerā€™s form dropped off a cliff. He scored just one league goal in his final sixteen league games and was criticised for a perceived lack of effort.

Jude Soonsup-Bell: 4.5 - Soonsup-Bell was elevated to U23 football and even managed a first team appearance in a League Cup game against Brentford. However, the forward did not look comfortable at either level and only thrived when he dropped back down into U18 football.

Crystal Palace

Jesurun Rak-Sakyi: 5.3 - In Crystal Palaceā€™s fledgling youth team, Jesuran Rak-Sakyi is now firmly established as the closest to breaking through. Another exemplary season at U23 level - nineteen goals and six assists - earned him a late season call up to the first team where he played fairly well in limited minutes. You would have to imagine he expects much more action this coming campaign.

Scott Banks: 3.6 - Banks is one of the best set piece takers in youth football and helped him to get 10 goals despite a spell of injuries. No first team appearances though and, as he turns 21 in September this campaign could be crucial for his prospects.

Malachi Boateng: 2.9 - Boateng played twenty-three times for Palaceā€™s youth team last season but was unable to get close to first team action. Heā€™ll be 20 at the start of next season and will likely be looking for full time first team football.

Derby County

Festy Ebosele: 5.6 - Having impressed while playing 37 times for Derby this year, the flying Irish wing back signed a pre-contract agreement with Udinese to join them this summer. Interestingly being at Udinese gives him easy route back into English football with the club being owned by the same family as Watford.

Jack Stretton: 4.2 - Stretton was set for a breakout season with Derby given their struggles off the pitch. Unfortunately the striker struggled for fitness, often missing extended runs of games and managed just 451 minutes total. Now playing in League One, Stretton will once again be hoping to enjoy a big campaign as he currently projects as the clubā€™s starting forward.

Eiran Cashin: 5.1 - Cashin finally came through as a starter towards the end of the season and immediately stood out as one of the best prospects at the club in recent years. After an eligibility delay he was also called into the Ireland U21 squad and will be a key player for Derby in League Oneā€¦ if he decides to stay. Cashin is out of contract this summer and has yet to agree terms with the Rams.

Everton

Niels Nkounkou: 5.4 - Nkounkouā€™s loan to Standard Liege was something of a surprise to most Everton fans as it left them slim at left back until January signing Mykolenko arrived. Nkounkou was underwhelming for the Belgian giants as they endured a horrendous campaign finishing 14th and winning just nine times. The full back was singled out for criticism early in his Liege career and didnā€™t recover his form with most of final appearances actually coming in midfield.

Anthony Gordon: 6.2 - Gordon certainly did step up this campaign and actually showed a side to his game that was not evident at youth level - blinding pace. I think with him being usually the most naturally talented player for Everton U23s he was often made to sit a bit deeper and use his vision and intelligence to influence the game. Now in the first team regularly, Gordon became the main attacking outlet for a bad Everton team, often breaking the lines and providing relief to a stuttering defence. The criticism of Gordon is clear however - he has a serious lack of end product - often preferring to draw a foul (or ā€œcreateā€ one) than looking to finish himself. You suspect he will need to improve this aspect of his game in future to maintain himself as a Premier League player.

Jarrad Branthwaite: 5.6 - Branthwaite earned himself more first team appearances this season but with Everton a total mess that was not always a great experience for him. Towards the end of the campaign he broke through into the first team only to be sent off then on his next outing the Blues were hammered 5-1. More positive was his impact under Rafa Benitez when he led a young Everton team to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, scoring with a booming near post header. He has been linked with a move to Manchester City, who are dire need of homegrown players.

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Conor Bradley heads to Bolton on loan

Good for him to get some experience. Suspect the incoming of Ramsay is indication Bradley hasnt done enough for Klopp, and this loan out is targetted at giving him game time and increasing his saleability. Never say never though.

Think heā€™s so young itā€™s probably nothing to do with ability if you get me. Was u23s best player at times and was needing of a challenge. Playing international football also shows heā€™s the talent. I doubt he will make it like most but reckon we are 2/3 years away from that tbh

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Doubt itā€™s that complicated. We usually tend to avoid loaning kids out the season right after we bring them in. Ramsay will need games, as will Bradley, so itā€™s the logical conclusion to loan Bradley out.

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Jakub Ojrzynski has joined Polish top flight team Radomiak Radom on loan.

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Do you think itā€™s a good move for him and us? Does he have any chance of making it with us?

Hard to say really given that I havenā€™t seen him play in over a year but I think he has shown more so far than Pitaluga.

Jaros is still my pick of the current youth goalkeepers.

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Koutmetio to Austria Wien on loan

Love that loan for Billy. Heā€™s always playing ahead of where he ā€œshouldā€ be for his age and now a chance to start at Austria Vienna, big opportunity. Needs to cut the mistakes out of his game but heā€™s still massively talented.

As an aside, I see that my fear for him a few years ago are true in that Twitter (cesspit that it is) has already labelled him as shite. I thought he was too raw to bring on the pre-season tour a couple of years ago and itā€™s still being to beat him over the head with.

I do think adult football will help him overcome some of these concentration issues.

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Yeah hopefully the pressure and intensity of the mens game now helps him mentally as we know he has the talent. Iron out a few flaws like most youngsters and letā€™s see how he is next season

The Neil Jones tweet saysā€¦

Interesting to me that he doesnā€™t mention Anderson Arroyo, Adam Lewis, Liam Hughes, Tom Clayton or Vitzslav Jaros.

Arroyo is on his last year of contract and had a good season. Iā€™ll imagine this is our only chance to get something for him.

Adam Lewis Iā€™m not even sure how he did. Looking at his age youā€™d say he will be sold.

Liam Hughes was unlucky with his car crash ending his season. Maybe due another loan to give him another chance? On holiday looking at his socials so doesnā€™t seem to be moving atm.

Tom Clayton mentioned he wanted a loan in January if I recall correctly. Didnā€™t get one. Heā€™s 21 now and is doing well for Scotland u21s. Surely he needs a move away. Iā€™d say he will be let go, unless we loan out Quansah, Billy etc so we need cover.

I watched Jaros in Ireland and heard accounts. Was one of the best in the league alongside an international for Ireland. Was surprised he moved so low to Notts County as ST Pats are probably League 1 equivalent. I can imagine a move to that league or maybe to Czech Republic on loan similar to ā€˜Kubaā€™.

I think Quansah will be loaned out. Looks very good for England u19s and is the only one who starts who hasnā€™t made his debut professionally yet. I reckon he might be looking for a debut soon.

Morton aswell maybe a loan? Then Jake Cain, Woltman and Stewart maybe?

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The Premier League U23s league will become the Premier League U21s league for 22/23 season.

These are the current Liverpool players who qualify to play either U21 or U18 football. Iā€™ve tried to order in a ā€œDepth Chartā€. The players highlighted in blue are likely starter for the U21s, players in yellow are likely starts for the U18s.

There are two players who are now overage for the U21s because of the changes - Tom Clayton and Anderson Arroyo.

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How kind of him to use his social media to remind people of this threadā€™s purpose! :joy:

Idk how I managed to copy that instead of the tweet!