Villa Reserves 7 Wolves Reserves 1

[Matt Collins]

Very encouraging, and hopefully the likes of Gardner and others will be playing themselves into contention. Incidentally, whenever I've seen the youngsters play, Johnson looks every bit as good as Gardner and with more 'zip' to his game. Anyone else take this view.

But we also need to bear in mind that the Wolves opposition was a long way off premier league standard. I don't recognise  single name from this line up (below). Weimann, Bannan and Fonz were all in the Championship earlier this year and none of them ripped up any trees, while Gardner and Lichaj did well, neither of them were as good as the likes of Kyle Walker or Jonjo Shelvey had been in the same league. I'd need to see one of our kids take the championship by storm before I joined others in decrying Mcleish for not giving them a starting berth.

McCarey, Kostrna, Cranston, Price, Bashford, Ebanks-Landell, Ismail (McAlinden 65), Whittall, Cassidy, Winnall (capt), Gorman.

[old man villa fan]

I don't want to do them down here, but does anyone have any idea of the strength of the side Wolves put out?

It seems to me that they play so well collectively, after having been together for so long, that the reason some haven't shown similar form for the senior side is that they have trouble adjusting, as they're so used to knowing eachothers games so well?

Just a thought.

We will only see the real benefit of a good academy if the club plays the same system from 1st team down to academy level so that when young players are introduced into the 1st team they know the way they are asked to play. 

[flybo]

Highlights now on AVTV

[Somniloquism]

Ebanks-Landell

Is that Ebanks-blakes younger brother?

[Mazrim]

Very encouraging, and hopefully the likes of Gardner and others will be playing themselves into contention. Incidentally, whenever I've seen the youngsters play, Johnson looks every bit as good as Gardner and with more 'zip' to his game. Anyone else take this view.

But we also need to bear in mind that the Wolves opposition was a long way off premier league standard. I don't recognise  single name from this line up (below). Weimann, Bannan and Fonz were all in the Championship earlier this year and none of them ripped up any trees, while Gardner and Lichaj did well, neither of them were as good as the likes of Kyle Walker or Jonjo Shelvey had been in the same league. I'd need to see one of our kids take the championship by storm before I joined others in decrying Mcleish for not giving them a starting berth.

McCarey, Kostrna, Cranston, Price, Bashford, Ebanks-Landell, Ismail (McAlinden 65), Whittall, Cassidy, Winnall (capt), Gorman.

Ismail is highly rated, thats all I know of them.

Anyway, the likes of Shelvey and Walker came through at a club in the Championship and they played first team football. That's not the same as being a youth player at a PL club going for a short spell at a club they're not familiar with. Gabby did absolutely nothing on loan in the championship either and still came through strongly. Its no way to base an opinion on a player. Its just to get them experience.

[Matt Collins]

Walker and shelvey were both on loan from prem clubs to championship sides in the periods I was talking about. Take the point on gabby, but he's an exception not the rule in my view. I don't think many would have predicted that the 18 yr old would go on to be the player he is now. Cahill for example was superb for burnley. Man utd and arsenal's best kids have done it at premier league clubs.

[Mazrim]

Walker came through at Sheffield United. Going on loan to QPR was going to familiar territory with him.
Likewise Shelvey coming through at Charlton before going to Blackpool. It's a different scenario.
I wouldn't judge the players we send out on loan purely on how they play there. Too many variables.

We do have to be more clever with how we bring these guys through though.
We're good at producing the players but not really sure what happens after that.
Currently however, if we didn't have a great academy we'd be screwed because it has or is (and most likely will increasingly be) providing a fair portion of the squad.

[richard moore]

Yes, Maz, you are right. We seem to produce lots quantity wise but very few who then go on to stand out as top individuals. Is it better to produce a hundred Liam Ridgewells (remember how highly he was thought of at the time by all of us?) or one Wayne Rooney?

[Mazrim]

Why not both?

The hope is you produce outstanding players who can make the difference but in the meantime if you produce players that help the squad out and get into the starting XI and if not be sold to help run the club.

For what it's worth I always thought Cahill would do better than Ridgewell and I consider Clark to be better than Cahill. Although where he ends up playing on the pitch is currently a mystery.

[Monty]

We will only see the real benefit of a good academy if the club plays the same system from 1st team down to academy level so that when young players are introduced into the 1st team they know the way they are asked to play. 

The most important point made on this thread. The various strategies at  the club seem so disconnected, the way we've been bringing through young players totally at odds with how the first team plays in general or would use them.

[Mazrim]

That was kind of my point regarding how we bring them through and how we have to be smarter about it.

Clearly the reserves and academy play a more expansive fluent game than our first team. There's less pressure of course but there's more to it than that. With Sid and K Mac on the senior coaching set up I expected better football than we're seeing but perhaps their influence is limited.

In any case, there does have to be some consistency of thought and planning from youth to senior squad. An identity. A philosophy. We have so many pieces in the right places but fundamentally flawed in others.

[nigel]

It will. Lichaj to start ahead of Hutton and Gardner to be given an opportunity at some point. Stevens/Clark/Herd (anyone!) ahead of Warnock. Weimann for a cameo performance up-front. Bannan and/or Ireland.

Does that lot make sense?

Wouldn't it be great.
Would the supporters accept, basically, throwing this season away and really going with the young guns and see what happens? I would.
Or maybe AMcL should get us safe first then play the lads ready for next season?
Back 4: Lichaj, Clark, Cuellar/Baker  & Stevens with Herd as the defensive midfielder

[Hoppo]

I think it was John who brought up the wolves team yeah they are kids but that was due to their 'big' game last night. You can only beat who you play. Im a big fan of the reserves and youth I realise possibly only 2/3 will be the bees knees but without them where would our squad be? The point about how we play being replicated through the the teams is the biggest single issue weve got at Villa. If Randy had a clue about football this should have been the biggest single factor in the appointment of the new manager. Weve missed a trick with Tony McAndrew as from what ive been told he is the 'brains' about how the academy and reserves play. Kevin MacDonald and Sid are first class coaches but have no imput into first team selection. I would go as far as saying Big Eck put the in just to win abit of time with us 'fickle' fans.

[Hoppo]

Nigel. That would have been the best thing to happen this season by a country mile! We would have had hope!

[Dante Lavelli]

Whilst manager of Germany, Klinnsman made it his policy to introduce young players in batches as it meant the dynamics and fluency of the U21 team could be maintained and transferred into the first team.  I think this has largely been carried on by Lowe. 

Anyway, it would be brave but maybe Villa should take such approach.  Trying to promote a few youngsters at the same time.  For example bringing Bannan AND the Fonz on together for 30 minutes at the ends of matches as these pair should know each other's games well.