Thracian Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 From the OS: Two more goals including the winner from............................MAX GRADEL (again!) Leicester City's under 18s made it six wins out of six with a 2-1 victory over Birmingham on Saturday afternoon. City went into the game on the back of an emphatic 8-0 mauling of Cardiff City. But the Foxes were given a much sterner test by the Blues - and had to wait until just two minutes before the end of the game to grab the winner. Max Gradel (pictured) gave City the lead on the half-hour mark from the penalty spot after the winger himself had been brought down in the Birmingham area. The Blues grabbed a goal back at the start of the second half, but Leicester would keep up their amazing run of victories when Gradel again slotted home from the spot at the death. Academy manager Jon Rudkin said: "We saw the other side of football today following on from our 8-0 victory last weekend. "Birmingham fielded a very strong team and did their best to nullify us. "It was a frantic and at times scrappy game, but we dug in when it mattered. "Overall it was a very gritty, hardworking performance from the lads." City: Pentney, Mgunda, Lycett, Garner, Mattock, Gradel, King, Tejan-Sie, Beswick (Rowe-Turner), Odihambo (Chambers), McKay.
lookwhaticando Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 Which six? Magunda, Lycett, MATTOCK, Gradel, King, Odihambo (?) I'm certain the first five form part of the six.
lookwhaticando Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 Born November '87 - so that makes him 18 at present, 19 in November.
Thracian Posted 30 September 2006 Author Posted 30 September 2006 Pardon my ignorance, how old is Gradel? 18/19.
lookwhaticando Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 And why is he not in the first team? Oh dear god. Let's just leave it at ''the Academy don't want to lose him just yet because he's winning things for them and keeping them top of the table'' Fact.
Finnegan Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 And why is he not in the first team? Don't give Thracian ammunition!
Thracian Posted 30 September 2006 Author Posted 30 September 2006 He looks a bit lightweight in some situations. But he's so dangerous...I've no idea why he's not at least on the bench. Anotherthing hedoesn't really strike you as an all-round footballer as Kelly likes. By that I mean he's not noted as a coverer and defender. Porter does those things naturally. Gradel is very much an old fashioned style of winger. Fast, tricky, direct. But what's not necessarily so old fashioned is that he gets deep into the box and he can finish. Not just occasionally but all the time.
cisono Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 He looks a bit lightweight in some situations. But he's so dangerous...I've no idea why he's not at least on the bench. Anotherthing hedoesn't really strike you as an all-round footballer as Kelly likes. By that I mean he's not noted as a coverer and defender. Porter does those things naturally. Gradel is very much an old fashioned style of winger. Fast, tricky, direct. But what's not necessarily so old fashioned is that he gets deep into the box and he can finish. Not just occasionally but all the time. Sounds like we should give him a run out sooner or later. Academy engagements permitting
Thracian Posted 30 September 2006 Author Posted 30 September 2006 Fair to compare him to McSheff? I never played left-back and watching Gradel I'm glad!.
shen Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 Which six? Magunda, Lycett, MATTOCK, Gradel, King, Odihambo (?) I'm certain the first five form part of the six. Take away Lycett and add Chambers But I think the topic header was referring to the six wins...
lookwhaticando Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 Take away Lycett and add Chambers But I think the topic header was referring to the six wins... That might be true... Shame really, I thought I'd nailed it with my six players suggestion.
Thracian Posted 30 September 2006 Author Posted 30 September 2006 Take away Lycett and add Chambers But I think the topic header was referring to the six wins... Correct.
Joe. Posted 30 September 2006 Posted 30 September 2006 Get Gradel in! If he's as good as you say he is, then he would surely make mincemeat of championship left backs with his pace and trickery
Thracian Posted 30 September 2006 Author Posted 30 September 2006 Get Gradel in! If he's as good as you say he is, then he would surely make mincemeat of championship left backs with his pace and trickery Shortish spells to start with. I don't think he's quite full strength yet and I don't think he's a good enough defender for Kelly's comfort.
Ric Flair Posted 2 October 2006 Posted 2 October 2006 Gradel is on fire yet again. It might take him another year or so to break through but if he keeps up this sort of form he'll get his chance. Porter was about in the youth/reserve teams for ages as was O'Grady and Logan and they ply their trade and get a chance. The coaches know when to give them a chance. Let's hope Gradel will be given that chance soon.
Bert Posted 2 October 2006 Posted 2 October 2006 Gradel is good for the u 18's yes. But whether he is ready for the 1st team is another question. Just because he is scoring goals and playing well doesn't neccessarily mean this, people will only be dissappointed if he fails to produce. Let him mature and improve as a player, and slowly breed him into things near the end of the season.
ROSSINDA Posted 2 October 2006 Posted 2 October 2006 Gradel is on fire yet again. It might take him another year or so to break through but if he keeps up this sort of form he'll get his chance. Porter was about in the youth/reserve teams for ages as was O'Grady and Logan and they ply their trade and get a chance. The coaches know when to give them a chance. Let's hope Gradel will be given that chance soon. I have an idea, the Foxes Trust claims to be the mouthpiece of the fan’s, why not see if they would be willing to “pass on out views about Gradel†to RK Via the board. Yes ok it would most probably be met with the “RK†picks the team not the fan’s etc etc, blah blah answer, but sometimes I get the feeling that managers on a whole seem to forget about the youth players on the principal of there respective age, and not look at the fact the player seems to be on form.
Dr The Singh Posted 2 October 2006 Posted 2 October 2006 Patience is the key word!! If you all say Gradel has the potential, then I suppose it will be only time. With our impotent midfield and attacking prowess it may be worthwhile putting him on the bench as Thracian suggested!!
Mark Posted 2 October 2006 Posted 2 October 2006 Gradel is good for the u 18's yes. But whether he is ready for the 1st team is another question. Just because he is scoring goals and playing well doesn't neccessarily mean this, people will only be dissappointed if he fails to produce. Let him mature and improve as a player, and slowly breed him into things near the end of the season. He scored 6/7 goals in consecutive games towards the end of last season for the Reserve team, he's not just performing at academy level, unfortunately now he can't do any other with no Reserve team. I'll be honest I was never very impressed with Porter, but when he got his chance he did well enough. Gradel scores goals and assists goals week in week out, he is being overlooked as proven when our manager favoured Sylla in the Hereford game. He needs a loan spell for a couple of months, it'll do no harm. As for being dissapointed if he fails to produce, no one else is producing so he couldn't possibly be a worse addition to the team
Thracian Posted 2 October 2006 Author Posted 2 October 2006 Gradel is good for the u 18's yes. But whether he is ready for the 1st team is another question. Just because he is scoring goals and playing well doesn't neccessarily mean this, people will only be dissappointed if he fails to produce. Let him mature and improve as a player, and slowly breed him into things near the end of the season. In an ideal world I'd agree. But Gradel was perfectly good for the Reserves last season as well and our team has needs now. What earthly reason is there against Gradel being introduced from the bench? Sylla came on at Hereford. Where's the benefit in that. Where's the forward thinking? Against Colchester we had Hughes on the right. How the hell could Gradel play worse than him on the day? Against Hull we were desperate for someone to open a packed defence. We lost 1-0 at home. What possible harm would it have done to try a player who has skills some of our old timers can only dream of. At the end of the season we might be relegated. Or certainly close enough for no-one to want to risk anything out of the ordinary (as happened last season). That's just a convenient kop out. If a guys good enough he's good enough for any game, any time anywhere. The sooner he's involved the sooner he'll learn. Cos playing in the Academy this season (after the Reserves for much of last) is not going to be taking him forward much. Let's be positive. And let's play positive players.
Bert Posted 2 October 2006 Posted 2 October 2006 I see what the pair of you are saying and your points made are both excellent. I have never seen Gradel play so i can't really say much about him, only from what i've heard from other people.
Thracian Posted 2 October 2006 Author Posted 2 October 2006 I see what the pair of you are saying and your points made are both excellent. I have never seen Gradel play so i can't really say much about him, only from what i've heard from other people. Gradel must have scored 20 times since last Christmas which, for a winger, is outstanding. Furthermore he spreads the goals out and I'd imagine he's scored in 60-70% these last nine months. He's a trditional winger. A guy who runs at defenders and has the pace and tricks to get by them. That's rare enough these days but what makes him special if that while many dribbling wingers are disappointing in the box, Gradel is direct and he is often lethal. Porter is not a scorer. I said that from day one. He is a supplier.The best we have. He gives dangerous passes and is a brilliant and often underrated support player. Gradel doesn''t have those type of strengths. He's direct and dangerous. Not very aggressive physically. Not a great tackler. Not a defender. Not the finished article. Just a bloomin' dangerous forward. Just the sort to unlock packed defences, especially if Stearman can offer support.
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