Under-18s convincingly beat Leeds Utd

It's interesting that Dobbin is back playing U18s, maybe he's still getting back to full fitness, but Katia Kouyate seems to have at least temporarily leapt over him and Cannon into the U23s team. There are vague rumours that Cannon won't sign a pro contract, but who really knows the true story?

Maybe the U18s should be the first team????

Transfermarkt tells me that Cannon, Dobbin and Kouyate are all 17 but the latter would have been in the school year below. The former two will be 18 soon. I guess it's a nice problem to have if there's a depth of quality. But a shame if Cannon leaves.

Robert, yeah as you say Kouyate has not long turned 17 and has his pro deal. You're right about their quality, but I do have concerns about what I see as a lack of depth. Kouyate was the only named attacker in this year's intake, so if Simms, Broadhead, Bowler go out on loan, as they may do in January, we'll only have these three attackers covering U23 and U18.

I could see Cannon, Dobbin and Kouyate forming an effective if inexperienced front 3 at U23, but there's then no depth at U18.

I know we have at least two promising attackers at U16 so maybe the plan is to move them up early, but so far there's been no sign of them. Dobbin and Cannon played the full game here and we had no replacement for them, we ended up with three defenders remaining on the bench. It'll be intriguing to see how this develops.

Phill, I wonder if the end of our recruitment ban of teenagers will fill the gap you describe below Kouyate.

ps: Had you ever heard of Mohamed Ali-Cho? He was with us till being about 14/15 and now, age 16, he is getting first-team football with Angers in the French top flight.

Robert, yes hopefully next intake will address a few deficiencies, or even in January.

I was disappointed to learn Cho had chosen to move back to France. We got him at about 14 from PSG, he was dual qualified and played for England at U15 level along with players like Thierry Small and I think Welch, I can't quite remember. There was a YouTube video of his skills at the time. I kept expecting him to appear in our U18s as a Schoolboy but it never happened so I can't say I ever saw anything of him.

I noticed as I was flicking through TV last night that Zirkzee came on for Bayern. He was another we nearly got. He was hoiking himself around Europe about 2 years ago and actually played for us in a youth tournament as a trial. Then signed for Bayern Munich.