FA Youth Cup tie to be streamed online next Wednesday

A good summary Michael, this won't be an easy game to win particularly given our poor Youth Cup record in recent years. But if we can't beat a Category 2 Academy, no matter how good, it will say something about our own Academy.

Phill. (1), you even wonder if the U18's have got a settled team ready to start this cup game, they've played a number of players in different formations game after game, it seems to me without getting any idea of a particular eleven, an the FA youth cup is a special trophy to go after, or it should be in my eyes.

Yes Dave, it is a prestigious trophy. It gives a chance for the young lads from all teams to really show their talent and get noticed. Paul Tait will be treating it seriously, as Phill says it won't look good if Wigan beat us.

Tony (3), well, to be honest, he didn't seem to taking it very serious last season in a 1-0 defeat in a very lacklustre performance at Derby County or the season before when, although they did better and went further, they never played two decent halves in one game.

They took a good lead in a couple of games then eased up before finally winning the game and then going out of the competition in a later round.

Just not good enough for me, the way the teams are set out, half-heartedly it appears.

What are posters thoughts re the set up of the youth teams systems?

Do they all set up in the same way?

Dave #2, & #4 I think Tait knows his best team though does give others a chance too with rotation. Sometimes, like in the Dowell/Davies/Walsh/Connolly days we brought back players from the the then u21s and still played poorly and lost as they all struggled to gel. Onyango is the only one who hasn't played u18 regularly, though Small, Dobbin and Kouyate have also stepped up. So I'm hoping they will all be on the same wavelength.

Thomas #5, it's hard to say at times what the set up is and different formations have been tried like 433, 4231, and what looked like 3 CBs and wingbacks at one game. Maybe they're copying the first team!
I think our strongest team is 433 with a front three of
Lewis Dobbin, Tom Cannon,Katia Kouyate,

Lewis Warrington, Tyler Onyango, Sean McAllister in the middle.
Left back. Thierry Small, right back Liam Higgins, goalkeeper Jan Luc Leban with one centre back Reece Welch and the other from Eli Campbell, Dylan Thompson, Sebastian Kristensen.

Others in the mix are midfielders Isaac Price, Charlie Whitaker and Luke Butterfield.
I've no idea who is injured or currently seen as inform.

Phill (6), I'll concede that you know more about the younger teams than me so I hope you are correct and they will start performing in this competition.

Tyler Onyango is the big disappointment for me, at this levelU18, he should be standing out with his build and athleticism but he never impresses me at all, especially his reading of the game, too often in the wrong place, maybe this will be the season he shines out.

Dave, I'm not putting any great faith in them performing in the Youth Cup, and I think you're right to be disappointed with previous years performances. It's time they stepped up in this competition.

We do disagree about Tyler Onyango though. I don't think he's played at u18 this season, it's been all U23s and when I've seen him he's always done okay as a 17-year-old playing against much older players. He's played far more U23 games as a 17-year-old than for instance Gordon did at the same age.

There's been too many disappointments in recent years to get too excited but Onyango is easily our best prospect in the current U18 ages. I have “cautiously optimistic” hopes that he will kick on further. He was also training with the first team last week for the Rotherham game, which is a nice pointer.

As ever though in football, two people watch the same player or game and have different views!

One more player to add to the mix that I forgot about Iman Seedy Jagne, the young Swedish player. On paper we've got some exciting prospects, but let's see if they can deliver.

Dave, I too was expecting a bit more from Onyango. Without his physical attributes he wouldn't stand out - but in fairness, as Phill says, he's still getting accustomed to U23s so probably just needs more time.

My disappointment this season is not seeing more of Dobbin. Not sure what's happened there.

Jagne might help the midfield. We could do with more quality in wide and attacking midfield too. Much like the first team in fact.

Isaac Price, is the player I want to watch Phill, because although it was a few years ago, Martin Waldron was predicting very big things for this kid

And just as we were building up a head of steam FA have announced 2020-21 FA Youth Cup is to be suspended until the national COVID-19 lockdown ends later this year.
Oh well.
Robert, that reminded me about Onyango, he was named by the Athletic as one of the 20 young Premier League players to watch out for in 2021 season.

Tony, it would have been intriguing to see just who Tait named in midfield, a good pointer as to who they currently rate. Price and Kouyate were the two Waldron named in one interview.