Reserves v Charlton

[Ric Flair]

Haha unbelievable.

When we do have old players in the reserves there used to be posts moaning about how the old players are holding back the youngsters. When the youngsters win, it's gloating about how good our youngsters are. When the youngsters lose, it's moaning there should be old players in the team!

1 or 2 experienced players is fine, last season we had 6 or 7 in there. Also we seemed to have better youngsters not getting much of a chance even for the reserves last season such as Dawson, Wesolowski, Dodds, etc who were being kept out of the side by the likes of Blake, Gemmill and co. But now it's different and a few experienced players alongside Chambers, Mattock, etc would help them no end.

[Steven]

1 or 2 experienced players is fine, last season we had 6 or 7 in there. Also we seemed to have better youngsters not getting much of a chance even for the reserves last season such as Dawson, Wesolowski, Dodds, etc who were being kept out of the side by the likes of Blake, Gemmill and co. But now it's different and a few experienced players alongside Chambers, Mattock, etc would help them no end.

Agreed.

[Milky]

All the players that have been loaned out needed to be loaned out so that they are playing competitive first team football. the reserve games won't help them, wilcox, wright and porter need the competitive action.

[Steven]

All the players that have been loaned out needed to be loaned out so that they are playing competitive first team football. the reserve games won't help them, wilcox, wright and porter need the competitive action.

Agreed.

[Thracian]

It has to be a matter of balance. Against Charlton the Reserves didn't even have their top youngsters like Chambers, Dodds and Graham. Those who were chosen were cruelly exposed.

I won't name names out of kindness but two or three will never make footballers so you had an inexperienced side with some really serious weaknesses while people like Tiatto, Hammill and Nils stayed at home.

The lads worked incredibly hard with their covering and challenging but it was speed, skill and strength against honest endeavour.

Nothing showed the City in a great light. I remember Magunda waiting to take one free-kick into the Charlton box. We had two smallish forwards against the packed ranks of Charlton's hefty defenders and there wasn't an flicker of movement from any City player. Magunda was so frustrated I wondered if he was ever going to take the kick and when he did, of course, it was wasted.

I saw Sheehan pass and move for a return that never arrived then just quietly shake his head in despair. Passing and moving should be one of the first things instilled into youngsters - it wasn't there.

Nor were the individual skills one would expect from novices. The close control, the little tricks, bits of cheekiness, the nutmeg attempts, people taking on one defender too many. Aspects of nievity which have to be worked on and honed to be effective.

All I saw were systematic clones. Kids with endless energy, who did much to close people down, who worked in support of each other but who all played the same somehow.

Sheehan apart, there was no-one with his head up trying to stand on the ball, trying to cleverly switch the play with a little dummy, no crossover runs, no clever pieces of dribbling.

Instil good habits by all means but don't stiffle individual creativity and personality, the things that set players apart.

Muggleton had an odd moment but couldn't pass accurately, the diminutive Tom Tejan-Sie, though hopelessly overwhelmed and outmuscled, never ever stopped getting on the ball and trying to make some headway and finally substitutes Odhiambo and Rochester briefly showed some clever skills.

But, if I were the directors taking this evidence and the lack of set plays/movement/clever corners in the first team, I'd be taking a serious look at strengthening our coaching staff. And our scouting system for that matter.

[Ric Flair]

It has to be a matter of balance. Against Charlton the Reserves didn't even have their top youngsters like Chambers, Dodds and Graham. Those who were chosen were cruelly exposed.

I won't name names out of kindness but two or three will never make footballers so you had an inexperienced side with some really serious weaknesses while people like Tiatto, Hammill and Nils stayed at home.

The lads worked incredibly hard with their covering and challenging but it was speed, skill and strength against honest endeavour.

Nothing showed the City in a great light. I remember Magunda waiting to take one free-kick into the Charlton box. We had two smallish forwards against the packed ranks of Charlton's hefty defenders and there wasn't an flicker of movement from any City player. Magunda was so frustrated I wondered if he was ever going to take the kick and when he did, of course, it was wasted.

I saw Sheehan pass and move for a return that never arrived then just quietly shake his head in despair. Passing and moving should be one of the first things instilled into youngsters - it wasn't there.

Nor were the individual skills one would expect from novices. The close control, the little tricks, bits of cheekiness, the nutmeg attempts, people taking on one defender too many. Aspects of nievity which have to be worked on and honed to be effective.

All I saw were systematic clones. Kids with endless energy, who did much to close people down, who worked in support of each other but who all played the same somehow.

Sheehan apart, there was no-one with his head up trying to stand on the ball, trying to cleverly switch the play with a little dummy, no crossover runs, no clever pieces of dribbling.

Instil good habits by all means but don't stiffle individual creativity and personality, the things that set players apart.

Muggleton had an odd moment but couldn't pass accurately, the diminutive Tom Tejan-Sie, though hopelessly overwhelmed and outmuscled, never ever stopped getting on the ball and trying to make some headway and finally substitutes Odhiambo and Rochester briefly showed some clever skills.

But, if I were the directors taking this evidence and the lack of set plays/movement/clever corners in the first team, I'd be taking a serious look at strengthening our coaching staff. And our scouting system for that matter.

What was Joe Mattock like? He stood out against Arsenal on the left wing and showed some great pace and skill to take players on.

[Milky]

I'd be taking a serious look at strengthening our coaching staff. And our scouting system for that matter.

Our under 18 side is flying high at the top of their respective league. you passing judegment on players who were out of their depth against top professional players who have made hundreds of appearances in the premiership, dutch and italian top flight, not to mention a few champions league appearances from rommedahl and sorondo, plus international games on top of that.

under 18's compared to other under 18 teams across the country are right near the top of the league. talk about a knee jerk reaction, put things into perspective man!!!!!!!

2nd in the under 18 league. ahead of the likes of tottenham and birmingham

plus we always field younger players than the opposition. the oppo usually field as many under 19's as aloud. we don't feild many under 19's at all. i rest my case.

[Thracian]

Our under 18 side is flying high at the top of their respective league. you passing judegment on players who were out of their depth against top professional players who have made hundreds of appearances in the premiership, dutch and italian top flight, not to mention a few champions league appearances from rommedahl and sorondo, plus international games on top of that.

under 18's compared to other under 18 teams across the country are right near the top of the league. talk about a knee jerk reaction, put things into perspective man!!!!!!!

2nd in the under 18 league. ahead of the likes of tottenham and birmingham

plus we always field younger players than the opposition. the oppo usually field as many under 19's as aloud. we don't feild many under 19's at all. i rest my case.

a) This wasn't an under 18 match. It isn't my fault or the fans fault that City fielded a younger side than Charlton and found themselves struggling.

b) The under 18's usually have young internationals among their number. They weren't there last night (another reason for using some fringe first teamers IMO).

c) My highlighting of the need for more/or specialist coaches relates to what I've seen not only last night but within the first team, and at Belvoir Drive, because some of the shortcomings were the same (which is pretty alarming to me)....

IE: 1) No apparent thought or planning going into set pieces.

2) Not enough apparent work on passing and moving.

3) Not enough apparent work on creating space either from static or fluid situations.

4) Not enough specialist work on goalscoring (not specific to last night but a serious first team problem)

The players seemed well enough drilled and certainly fit enough which suggests some good work is being done. It may be the coaches we've got haven't any more time for specialist work but the problems have been there long enough and need to be addressed.

Exactly which part of what I've said is out of perspective?.

[Thracian]

What was Joe Mattock like? He stood out against Arsenal on the left wing and showed some great pace and skill to take players on.

Joe had an early shot which went wide and seemed well involved in the first half linking up nicely down the left flank on several occasions.

He had to adjust his position in the second half (after Sheehan had been withdrawn) and had little chance to make attacking headway after that.

Overall one of our better performers on an impossibe night, certainly before the cause became hopeless. Not a time to judge him though and, in Osei Sankofa, he was up against an accomplished and confident right back.

[Milky]

c) My highlighting of the need for more/or specialist coaches relates to what I've seen not only last night but within the first team, and at Belvoir Drive, because some of the shortcomings were the same (which is pretty alarming to me)

and i suppose brilliant coaches can just be bought down at the local newsagents can they at 10 a penny. brilliant coaches don't grow on trees, you can't just go out and get one.

i'd also like a better coaching staff, but can we really realistically get any better?

[Thracian]

and i suppose brilliant coaches can just be bought down at the local newsagents can they at 10 a penny. brilliant coaches don't grow on trees, you can't just go out and get one.

i'd also like a better coaching staff, but can we really realistically get any better?

Are you always so negative?. There shouldn't be ANY coaches qualified at professional level unless they are able to teach the skills I mentioned.

There's no mystery to teaching free-kicks and corner strategies. Just a bit of imagination and a lot of practice. It's a delivery and timing thing once the idea's been established. If a coach hasn't got the demonstrative skills he can always use someone like Smithy for that.

Striker coaching is, again, about finding solutions that suit the players you've got, getting people to help make space and repeating various strategies so that the reaction on matchday is clinically accurate rather than rushed.

You don't need super strikers as coaches to achive this - but you do need motivators and people who will strive for perfection insted of being happy to cut corners.

Simple things can be made to work but they need precision so they need practice. The players have also gotta want to do it but that shouldn't be a problem.

I could give you endless ideas an examples but it would only labour the thread.

[shen]

The youngsters will develop better if they play alongside some experienced players and Leicester do have the opportunity to do this by playing players such as Hamill, Wilcox, Wright, O'Grady, Williams, etc. When players get dropped from the first team they should play for the reserves and help with the youngsters, Levein should perhaps also refrain from loaning alot of our fringe players out because although first team experience is essential for them it's also very beneficial for other other youngsters to play alongside quality players and give them confidence at a young age to move up. We really need to start recruiting some better youngsters, I know it takes time but Levein had promised he would sort the academy out and have 3 or 4 youngsters coming through each year.

I have watched the youngsters on a number of occasions and i'd say Joe Mattock, Ashley Chambers and the obvious Sheehan, Dodds and Graham are the only ones who have stood out for me so far this season.

What about Joseph Magunda? He must have some potential if he played for the England U-17/18?

[Milky]

What about Joseph Magunda? He must have some potential if he played for the England U-17/18?

i think one reason for joe's england selection is because of his body type. people are always on the lookout for the next excting black/dual heritage players such as ferdinand, ash cole, henry etc... as they are athletes

[Thracian]

What about Joseph Magunda? He must have some potential if he played for the England U-17/18?

It wasn't one of Joe's best nights. He worked hard but his distribution was iffy - not least because he rarely had anyone to pass to. It wasn't a day for flattering any Leicester reputations.