lookwhaticando Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Traffic problems fail to halt Young Foxes Traffic Problems Fail To Halt Young Foxes Leicester City's under 18 side stretched their lead at the top of the Group B table to six points following a 3-1 victory at Reading on Saturday. The closure of the M40 left the fledgling Foxes stranded on their way to the game - and the kick-off had to be delayed by 30 minutes. And when City finally made it to the ground they were forced to step off the coach and on to the pitch to face the league's second placed side. But after a slow start the Foxes soon hit their stride - Eric Odhiambo giving Leicester the lead going into half time. And goals from Scott Lycett (pictured) and Ryan Beswick would complete the scoring for City on the day, who now face Wolves in the FA Youth Cup third round on Wednesday evening. Walkers Youth Academy Manager Jon Rudkin said: "Our journey to the game was horrific - we literally had to walk off the coach and on to the pitch. So you could say that our preparation for the game wasn't ideal. "The first 15 minutes were a little scrappy, but we soon got going. "We've scored three goal on the day, but in all fairness we could have had more. "Reading are very strong side and they will be competitive right up until the end of the season - there is no doubt about that. "We've got two more games left now before a short break at Christmas, and they start against Wolves at the Walkers Stadium on Wednesday evening." City: Pentney, Magunda, Lycett, Garner, Mattock, Gradel (Rochester), King, Tejan-Sie, Beswick (Tuttle), Odhiambo, McKay (Rowe-Turner). :thumbsup:
cisono Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Traffic problems fail to halt Young Foxes :thumbsup: I'd say play the Academy team for the next Leic City fixture. Could they do any worse than we've seen today!?!?!?
Steven Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 I'd say play the Academy team for the next Leic City fixture. Could they do any worse than we've seen today!?!?!? Probably not.
cisono Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Probably not. And it would teach our first team a good lesson...
Fez of Mahrez Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Personally I would be tempted to keep the Academy players as far away as possible from the first team at the moment. They're not going to be able to change anything about the situation at the club and in the team. Let them develop and keep the winning habit going and then start them fresh from next season. If anyone thinks the kids are going to keep us up, they're deluded. The problem is the organisation and motivation of the team, not specific players. Players like Johansson, Johnson and Fryatt (5 minutes at the end) didn't play today and yet still we got tonked 4-1 even with "saviours" like Porter and Williams in the side. Putting the kids in now will just damage them.
cisono Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Personally I would be tempted to keep the Academy players as far away as possible from the first team at the moment. They're not going to be able to change anything about the situation at the club and in the team. Let them develop and keep the winning habit going and then start them fresh from next season. If anyone thinks the kids are going to keep us up, they're deluded. The problem is the organisation and motivation of the team, not specific players. Players like Johansson, Johnson and Fryatt (5 minutes at the end) didn't play today and yet still we got tonked 4-1 even with "saviours" like Porter and Williams in the side. Putting the kids in now will just damage them. I never suggested that we have the academy replace our first team and that our problems will be solved. Just wanted to teach the first team a lesson
lookwhaticando Posted 2 December 2006 Author Posted 2 December 2006 I think we should do the reverse. Play the "first team" against Academy opposition, see how they fare. Actually, better yet... does anyone know of a really big kids party coming up? If so, call the club - I hear they have a team of sixteen clowns available for hire.
hebangsthedrums Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Personally I would be tempted to keep the Academy players as far away as possible from the first team at the moment. They're not going to be able to change anything about the situation at the club and in the team. Let them develop and keep the winning habit going and then start them fresh from next season. If anyone thinks the kids are going to keep us up, they're deluded. The problem is the organisation and motivation of the team, not specific players. Players like Johansson, Johnson and Fryatt (5 minutes at the end) didn't play today and yet still we got tonked 4-1 even with "saviours" like Porter and Williams in the side. Putting the kids in now will just damage them. POTD
Thracian Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 At least the youngsters are giving us something to be proud of. It is also interesting to see three youngsters at the top end of the first team Player of the Month rankings too. And I can see it being the same next month if today was anything to go by because it is not ex-Academy players who were letting the side down today. No-one as far as I recall ever described Porter as a saviour, that is simply a comment which has been used from time to time to mock the kid. What Porter might have been described as is a proper footballer. That is a guy who can control a ball, pass, move, read the game, shoot (all attackers/midfielders) , track back/support attackers etc. Once again he was all that today. Sadly some of our first teamers can't do those things. In fact far too many of them because those qualities, to me, are the minimum requirement for the job. I don't think there are presently many more youngsters in the wings who can aspire to the first team short term. Alan Sheehan seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth again and there's no suggestion he's ever been considered really, people like Gradel and Odhiambo might be used from the bench at a pinch, Chambers is a long term injury and Joe Mattock too young. But there are two who are waiting. Andy King and Louis Dodds. Rob Kelly inexplicably chose to select Gareth Williams in our squad today, despite the fact he'd had a long lay off and showed himself to be way short of full fitness today. Why do that? Andy King has played all season in a team that has drawn two lost one and won every other game (about 12) to be top of its League by six points. King wouldn't start running with the ball in the back third of the field or get caught wanting for fitness. King's got 90 minutes in him any day. Porter was mocked by some when first mentioned but he's seemed to be a lot of people MoM or close to it in the last two or three games. Well don't imagine King is much worse than Porter. He's not. He's a different player, tall, a bit more awkward, but he works hard, he passes well, his close control is good, he gets in the box, he has shots and he scores goals. Even at his best Williams only does three of those five things. With Dodds there's a big problem. If Kelly continues to keep him idle his fitness levels will drop to that of too many other first squad teamers and be back to where they were at the start of the season when we had to loan him out to give him some action. I like Hume. I like Hammond and, when he's fit I'm happy enough with Fryatt. But Dodds should be second or third choice as striker right now. He's already scored some goals this season with strictly limited opportunities. He scored last season, the season before and the season before that - lots of times. He's no worse as a footballer than Porter either. Yet he doesn't even get on the bench. Trouble is he needs to retain his sharpness to be effective and, sadly, I've no faith in Leicester to facilitate that. Hopefully Dodds will have the sense to make sure he's fit and ready when the chance arises - if ever.
Leicester Lass Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Is it buy tickets on the gate on Wednesday?
Thracian Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Is it buy tickets on the gate on Wednesday? Yes. About £4 I think.
Joe. Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Yes. About £4 I think. Do you go and watch all the academy games Thracian?
lildave3 Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 I want to go to the Wolves match but don't think i can.
Thracian Posted 2 December 2006 Posted 2 December 2006 Do you go and watch all the academy games Thracian? Most of the home games.
Jonbluefox9 Posted 3 December 2006 Posted 3 December 2006 It doesn't matter if the young players in the first team have been better during the last month. It's a team game. Porter has been doing well but until the team as a whole shows signs of improvement then whether he's a good footballer or not will not effect our results. I agree with FotM. Just let the under 18s enjoy this winning feeling because at the moment, being promoted to the first team would feel like a depressing step for them and not a positive one, which it should.
MBK Posted 3 December 2006 Posted 3 December 2006 Personally I would be tempted to keep the Academy players as far away as possible from the first team at the moment. They're not going to be able to change anything about the situation at the club and in the team. Let them develop and keep the winning habit going and then start them fresh from next season. If anyone thinks the kids are going to keep us up, they're deluded. The problem is the organisation and motivation of the team, not specific players. Players like Johansson, Johnson and Fryatt (5 minutes at the end) didn't play today and yet still we got tonked 4-1 even with "saviours" like Porter and Williams in the side. Putting the kids in now will just damage them. Right but if Mandarich brings in new players, it will be even harder for them to break through the team. Just to quote another example from Italy; Fiorentina, Siena and Parma and Rennes (Ligue 1) play there academy players even in UEFA cup matches, and despite the contrast in physical stature, they win games. I'm dead certain but, given the team attitude, getting younger players on the bench at least will signal to the 1st team that no place is certain. Besides Porter played well from what i heard, pardoning the absent visual display (being a poor student in Malta doesn't allow for me to get to the walkers for games) despite the overall negativity of the team. That can only make a case for introduction of other kids. The difference is that such players if they don't prove their worth after a while, are replaced with those waiting in the line. Whoever comes in whether new players or our own promising kids, will be conditioned by negative tactics and inept team mates. It is up to introduction of players to change this.
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