Reserves and Academy 2025-26

[cdbearsfan]

The latter. Unused sub twice, brought on for last four minutes once. Played 59 minutes for their B team (who, ludicrously, play in the second tier) midweek.

[Mister E]

The latter. Unused sub twice, brought on for last four minutes once. Played 59 minutes for their B team (who, ludicrously, play in the second tier) midweek.

Hmmm, not particularly hopeful.

[cdbearsfan]

They're top of the league, to be fair, so might just be that the other players are doing well.

[Percy McCarthy]

Under-18s drew 2-2 with Norwich after being 2-0 down, Cole Ramsey & Fletcher Boyd (pen) the scorers.

Then we beat West Ham 3-1 with 2 from McGrath & 1 from Meade.

[LeeS]

They're top of the league, to be fair, so might just be that the other players are doing well.

I wonder if we bring him back then. What’s the point if him watching them play when he could be here learning from Unai?

[paul_e]

They're top of the league, to be fair, so might just be that the other players are doing well.

I wonder if we bring him back then. What’s the point if him watching them play when he could be here learning from Unai?

There's still benefit to training with the first team, under different coaches, etc. Probably not enough but it's not like he could play for us (at any level) if we recalled him before the summer so better staying there and hopefully forcing his way into the mix again.

[dcdavecollett]

U18s: Villa 3, West Ham 1. Two more for Jack McGrath.

[Percy McCarthy]

Under-21s: Leicester 2 Villa 3 (Burrowes, Carroll, Lynch).

[paul_e]

Burrowes has to be close to being properly involved with the seniors, 15 in 18 from the wing for the year when all of our options on the right have been disappointing. My only criticism of Emery is that he's given too many short appearances from the bench to poor performing senior players when we could be giving that time to the youngsters. Young and JJA showed that trusting the kids can be a good idea, and then both got loaned out.

[OCD]

It's surprising he doesn't give the kids more opportunities because he has at previous clubs.

[Mister E]

Burrowes has to be close to being properly involved with the seniors, 15 in 18 from the wing for the year when all of our options on the right have been disappointing. My only criticism of Emery is that he's given too many short appearances from the bench to poor performing senior players when we could be giving that time to the youngsters. Young and JJA showed that trusting the kids can be a good idea, and then both got loaned out.

totally agree

[eamonn]

Signed a new contract this week too, Burrowes.

[Mister E]

Burrowes, Rowe, Jimoh-Aloba, Hemmings, Routh, Carroll, Mosquera. KY, Broggio.
You'd think that Emery and his team might get a couple of regular first-teamers from that lot: surely makes staying at the Villa far more motivating than buggering off because SCR is hampering our recruitment planning.
Next season is the time to start doing this, to offset the ageing of the main first-teamers.