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moore_94

Development/Youth Squads 2025/2026 Thread - U18/U21

By moore_94, in Leicester City Forum

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Noahfence

Noahfence

Posted
Posted
Just now, FoxesTez said:

Page was dreadful tonight just as an FYI. Hard to pick anyone out really, pretty average all round. 

The last few u21 games (that I’ve been able to watch) have felt really flat 

honeybradger

honeybradger

Posted
Posted
Just now, FoxesTez said:

Page was dreadful tonight just as an FYI. Hard to pick anyone out really, pretty average all round. 

I remember the first year after we signed Fofana his old teammate Saliba was struggling in the Arsenal U21s. There was a debate over whether we had signed the better centreback despite the French saying Saliba was better.

 

It's interesting that one was one of the best centrebacks in the premier league that season and one was struggling to impress in youth football, yet the one struggling at youth level was actually the better player. 

 

Just goes to show how much of a talent drain getting dropped to the u21s is, if an elite player like Saliba can struggle that badly you can only imagine how it has/will affect Page.

  • Like 1
TommyK

TommyK

Posted
Posted

It's a really shit message from the club on Page. 

 

Around the first team, starting games then signs a contract and then back in the under 21s....

 

We did well shipping players out over the summer. But Kristiansan and Faes are taking up two valuable places in the squad. 

  • Like 3
FoxesTez

FoxesTez

Posted
Posted

I don't really buy the way people have taken the contract thing with Page. Let's not forget we have also signed JJ, Winks is back as a starter (didn't look probable when Page was in the squad), BDCR is back from injury and signing a striker means Ayew is also now competition for that number 10 spot.

 

He was needed in the early part of the season, now he needs to earn his place back in the squad. 

 

I really rate him btw, this isn't a post to be  critical of him. 

  • Like 2
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Ric Flair

Ric Flair

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

People must be bored to tears of me constantly repeating myself, well tough I have to deal with myself every day. 

 

We've been ran beyond hideously for several years and tried to right the wrongs quickly two years ago. It felt we may well have gotten away with it but with Enzo going and another horrifying transfer window we were embarrassed last season. The simple fact is the majority of these experienced players are not good enough for the Premier League and a large chunk of our normal fanbase have had enough of them. If for some reason we do scrape up again, then what? Same DoF, same Head of Recruitment and likely same outcome. 

 

There's currently very little squad value, a large number of players who'll likely leave on a free in the summer and if the academy players who we were led to believe would be part of the first team this season are then brought through then it would still leave me questioning why we wasted a year in doing so. 

 

This is the perfect year to do build our team around Nelson, Aluko, Page and Monga. Not always starting games but should be in the matchday squads. Jake Evans should be in amongst it too. Look at Sunderland, they had 3-4 academy players, as did Sheffield Utd and one went up at the expense of the other. This league is also wide open this season, it's not a gargantuan task even with taking the long term approach over short term success. The points deduction is another reason we should be adjusting our mindset, it should be a siege mentality from top to bottom that would land better with the fans with a message from the off that this is a new era, with utmost faith in these academy players who haven't let us down and to get behind them.

 

But instead there'll be silence, there's a manager who previously has brought through academy players but despite being faced with better academy players he is under pressure with a massive squad of failed players on huge money that his DoF failed to get rid of enough of them despite Marti clearly stating he prefers to work with a much smaller squad. Whilst i'm frustrated with him for being a little weak on this, i do get it. I just hope he is quick to drop underperforming players and explaining it to his superiors and then giving these academy players a chance like he's alluded to. Otherwise he's just the same as the rest of them and that'll be that with me.

 

Back to the academy itself. Some concerning signs of stalling and stagnation amongst the groups again. That U21 squad contains too many 20-22 year olds that are blocking the likes of Hutchinson, Motsi (possibly a year too early but Monga was in at his age) Riley Carr, Hugo De Lisle etc. Hopefully this will be rectified as the season goes on but not promoting Hutchinson yet is beyond bizarre. I'd be fascinated to understand why, he's evidently far too good for U18 now and needs that recognition to progress. He's fast and strong, it's not as if he's not robust enough for the step up yet. He's also committed to a pro deal so that threat of not doing so is no longer on the table. Weird.

  • Like 11
deep blue

deep blue

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

People must be bored to tears of me constantly repeating myself, well tough I have to deal with myself every day. 

 

We've been ran beyond hideously for several years and tried to right the wrongs quickly two years ago. It felt we may well have gotten away with it but with Enzo going and another horrifying transfer window we were embarrassed last season. The simple fact is the majority of these experienced players are not good enough for the Premier League and a large chunk of our normal fanbase have had enough of them. If for some reason we do scrape up again, then what? Same DoF, same Head of Recruitment and likely same outcome. 

 

There's currently very little squad value, a large number of players who'll likely leave on a free in the summer and if the academy players who we were led to believe would be part of the first team this season are then brought through then it would still leave me questioning why we wasted a year in doing so. 

 

This is the perfect year to do build our team around Nelson, Aluko, Page and Monga. Not always starting games but should be in the matchday squads. Jake Evans should be in amongst it too. Look at Sunderland, they had 3-4 academy players, as did Sheffield Utd and one went up at the expense of the other. This league is also wide open this season, it's not a gargantuan task even with taking the long term approach over short term success. The points deduction is another reason we should be adjusting our mindset, it should be a siege mentality from top to bottom that would land better with the fans with a message from the off that this is a new era, with utmost faith in these academy players who haven't let us down and to get behind them.

 

But instead there'll be silence, there's a manager who previously has brought through academy players but despite being faced with better academy players he is under pressure with a massive squad of failed players on huge money that his DoF failed to get rid of enough of them despite Marti clearly stating he prefers to work with a much smaller squad. Whilst i'm frustrated with him for being a little weak on this, i do get it. I just hope he is quick to drop underperforming players and explaining it to his superiors and then giving these academy players a chance like he's alluded to. Otherwise he's just the same as the rest of them and that'll be that with me.

 

Back to the academy itself. Some concerning signs of stalling and stagnation amongst the groups again. That U21 squad contains too many 20-22 year olds that are blocking the likes of Hutchinson, Motsi (possibly a year too early but Monga was in at his age) Riley Carr, Hugo De Lisle etc. Hopefully this will be rectified as the season goes on but not promoting Hutchinson yet is beyond bizarre. I'd be fascinated to understand why, he's evidently far too good for U18 now and needs that recognition to progress. He's fast and strong, it's not as if he's not robust enough for the step up yet. He's also committed to a pro deal so that threat of not doing so is no longer on the table. Weird.

I've always held the belief that if you keep back a youngster at a certain level for too long then he's bound to lose motivation and stagnate.  That reverberates with the comment on here that some of the team performances at youth levels seem so flat.   I agree that with so many youngsters coming through it looks like we get our timing wrong in bringing them up to the next level.  It's so important for next season, particularly if we end up promoted, that we've done the best we can to progress the youngsters who we judge to have a high ceiling and who, with the right encouragement, might be able to cope with a place in the squad in the Prem.

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Noahfence

Noahfence

Posted
  • Popular Post
Posted

I don’t even think Page should be starting for us (not every game anyway). But it’s so disappointing that as soon as Kristiansen & Reid are fit again they’re straight back in the squad. Probably naive of me to think otherwise.

 

if it was a choice between Aluko & Evans/Page on the bench or Kristiansen & Reid I know who I’m picking. 

  • Like 9
Ric Flair

Ric Flair

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Noahfence said:

I don’t even think Page should be starting for us (not every game anyway). But it’s so disappointing that as soon as Kristiansen & Reid are fit again they’re straight back in the squad. Probably naive of me to think otherwise.

 

if it was a choice between Aluko & Evans/Page on the bench or Kristiansen & Reid I know who I’m picking. 

Bang on

Noahfence

Noahfence

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Bang on

Probably getting carried away but what’s the harm in having Hutchinson on the bench for the odd game as well? A complete wildcard. 
 

Not like the senior strikers are doing anything is it! 

  • Like 1
Noahfence

Noahfence

Posted
Posted
Just now, Kinowe Soorie said:

How about we show some trust in the management team, that see them in training everyday? I’m all for playing the youth, if they are ready.

It’ll take a long time for me to trust any management team here again 

  • Like 1
studentofthegame

studentofthegame

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

People must be bored to tears of me constantly repeating myself, well tough I have to deal with myself every day. 

 

We've been ran beyond hideously for several years and tried to right the wrongs quickly two years ago. It felt we may well have gotten away with it but with Enzo going and another horrifying transfer window we were embarrassed last season. The simple fact is the majority of these experienced players are not good enough for the Premier League and a large chunk of our normal fanbase have had enough of them. If for some reason we do scrape up again, then what? Same DoF, same Head of Recruitment and likely same outcome. 

 

There's currently very little squad value, a large number of players who'll likely leave on a free in the summer and if the academy players who we were led to believe would be part of the first team this season are then brought through then it would still leave me questioning why we wasted a year in doing so. 

 

This is the perfect year to do build our team around Nelson, Aluko, Page and Monga. Not always starting games but should be in the matchday squads. Jake Evans should be in amongst it too. Look at Sunderland, they had 3-4 academy players, as did Sheffield Utd and one went up at the expense of the other. This league is also wide open this season, it's not a gargantuan task even with taking the long term approach over short term success. The points deduction is another reason we should be adjusting our mindset, it should be a siege mentality from top to bottom that would land better with the fans with a message from the off that this is a new era, with utmost faith in these academy players who haven't let us down and to get behind them.

 

But instead there'll be silence, there's a manager who previously has brought through academy players but despite being faced with better academy players he is under pressure with a massive squad of failed players on huge money that his DoF failed to get rid of enough of them despite Marti clearly stating he prefers to work with a much smaller squad. Whilst i'm frustrated with him for being a little weak on this, i do get it. I just hope he is quick to drop underperforming players and explaining it to his superiors and then giving these academy players a chance like he's alluded to. Otherwise he's just the same as the rest of them and that'll be that with me.

 

Back to the academy itself. Some concerning signs of stalling and stagnation amongst the groups again. That U21 squad contains too many 20-22 year olds that are blocking the likes of Hutchinson, Motsi (possibly a year too early but Monga was in at his age) Riley Carr, Hugo De Lisle etc. Hopefully this will be rectified as the season goes on but not promoting Hutchinson yet is beyond bizarre. I'd be fascinated to understand why, he's evidently far too good for U18 now and needs that recognition to progress. He's fast and strong, it's not as if he's not robust enough for the step up yet. He's also committed to a pro deal so that threat of not doing so is no longer on the table. Weird.

Ever since we switched to short term planning rather than longer term under Rodgers we have completely fallen apart

 

Almost every decision made seems to be about the immediate future now and it never works

 

This absolutely should have been the season to do a reset, move on the old guard that have no future here and blood the youth, and it is so disappointing to see that once again we have not learnt from previous mistakes 

  • Like 2

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