Emile Acquah

[Yorkshire Blue]

Notched his 4th goal in 10 appearances for Barrow as they beat Doncaster 3-2 in L2.

 

[Mr Plow]

Notched the equaliser at MK Dons in the 95th minute.

 

[tottenham541]

Great goal also

 

[cerbera45]

scored a cracker

 

[chipmunx]

2-0 down after 92 mins and Acquah got the 95th min equaliser. Cracking goal, curled in the top corner from about 25 yards.

 

[chipmunx]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1713464792860508566

 

[Shrimp and two veg]

Well done Acquah, love seeing despairing players from that filthy club

 

[rigsby]

Well done Acquah, love seeing despairing players from that filthy club

Great finish. Love the pathetic clearance from MK. The modern player just refuses to put it in row z.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

It still surprises how a player can be poor at one club, and yet thrive at another.
We took a no-hoper at Crystal Palace and turned him into a star!
I guess it needs a while to find your feet - not that Acquah ever did with Blues.

 

[Strike Force]

It still surprises how a player can be poor at one club, and yet thrive at another.
We took a no-hoper at Crystal Palace and turned him into a star!
I guess it needs a while to find your feet - not that Acquah ever did with Blues.

Yeah a 19-year-old novice striker thrown into the worst Southend team of all time with tactics completely ill-suited to his style of play failed to impress. What a shock!

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Yeah a 19-year-old novice striker thrown into the worst Southend team of all time with tactics completely ill-suited to his style of play failed to impress. What a shock!

As a 20-year-old, and a career headed towards non-league, Freddy scored 7.7 seconds into his debut and went on to add another 23.
As said, it's interesting that a player becomes better at another club.
We all saw a lot of Emile in that 20-21 season, and in truth he couldn't trap a bag of cement. I'm not sure tactics has anything to do with that. Three goals in 31 appearances says much, one of those deflected in at Walsall, remember?
Glad it's working out for him now, but interested in what you think is his style of play?

 

[GBJ]

As a 20-year-old, and a career headed towards non-league, Freddy scored 7.7 seconds into his debut and went on to add another 23.

Fred’s career was literally headed in the polar opposite direction.

He was a goal machine at Grays and it was only a matter of time before some league club snapped him up. Luckily we got there first.

 

[OllieSteph44]

It always surprises me, the lack of consideration given to players who may be young, inexperienced, at clubs in bad situations, at various stages of their career etc etc etc

There’s always a bigger picture and lots of external factors to consider.

I have to qualify that and say that a) it’s not by everyone. It’s often just a smaller part of any fanbase at any club b) often the criticism at that moment is often justified in its observation if not it’s timing.

But it’s more often than not just not made with due consideration given to the whole story.

Players like Nathen Bishop, Emile, Isaac, Charlie, Lewis Gard, Richard Taylor, Miles MN, Tyrell….even players like Rene Batlowka and Michael Klass were all placed in a very very bad situation that was ever worsening, probably way ahead of their time.

For some (Nathen, Isaac / Charlie / Emile) they were fortunate that it looks like any damage done was at best not terminal and at least they’ve managed to succeed to a degree in spite of…..

But for others like Tyrell, MMN, Rene, Michael it may have been a major contributing factor to a short pro career…..we may never know.

What is certain though is although some of the criticism of some of these players may have been, at the time, seemed perfectly justifiable, it was probably ill-judged in respect of what was fair.

Isaac was flimsy. He was (and still is) inconsistent, he was (and still is ) poor in the air but it’s all a work in progress. He was trying to play Centre midfield in a league 1 team where we spent most of the game being overrun. He was 19 and about 11 stone. The very attributes he needed were the exact same attributes he was desperately needing nature to help him with. He didnt possess the game knowledge or the physicality to do what most fans wanted from him. The criticism was fair….the timing of it wasn’t. Technically he was good enough. Physically he wasn’t. Athletically he was good enough, mentally he wasn’t.

It’s the same for Emile. Emile’s problem was that physically he was ready and so to the naked eye it was frustrating for fans because it seemed so easy to at least “put yourself about a bit”. However mentally he had no idea how to use his physicality to his advantage. Also, technically he wasn’t ready and he was unable to do things that he now can.

These players were being asked to be men. To be leaders. But they were in teams that had little or no guidance alongside them….and for long spells at the helm…and they were finding it very very hard.

Add to that the off field issues that no player let alone young players should have to experience.

I make no apologies for it and I’m being completely honest, my genuine belief is, that Isaac is only just recovering from some mental scars that have affected his development as a player…..in some ways it’s helped him and made him resilient and experienced but also my feeling is there was some deep rooted “imposter syndrome” (also not helped by experienced elsewhere btw)

For Emile, I feel he’s coming into a period of his career where his technical and mental abilities are starting to align with his physical ones. As with Isaac I’m sure some of the experiences have helped shape him and make him what he is, whereas other experiences will have hindered him and been hard to shake off.

It is what it is. Who knows how you’re shaped without those bumps in the road….in another lifetime a sliding door moment makes Rene and Michael pro footballers and Isaac and Emile playing local non league…..who knows?

I’m pleased for Emile. I’m pleased for any player who shows the required level of resilience, determination and dedication to overcome adversity and make a success in anything they decide to do.

These lads were just kids. Literally kids. Their mates were getting p!ssed down the park and trying to earn enough money for a night out and hopefully a bit of fun with a local girl come closing time, at the same time they were getting pelters for trying to do a job they weren’t ready to do, in front of 5000 people

It makes some it breaks others….and don’t get me wrong there are and were many up sides and they experienced many things most of us can only dream of…..but I’ll always maintain it’s probably more likely in spite of rather than because of…

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Fred’s career was literally headed in the polar opposite direction.

He was a goal machine at Grays and it was only a matter of time before some league club snapped him up. Luckily we got there first.

I kinda get what you mean.
But by that same token, was Emile's career going upwards too when he got his chance in our first team?
It would be interesting to ask him what has changed since?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I kinda get what you mean.
But by that same token, was Emile's career going upwards too when he got his chance in our first team?
It would be interesting to ask him what has changed since?

Emile was thrown into men’s football from youth football because of necessity because we were under an embargo.

Freddy had scored bucket loads of goals in men’s football.

Acquah was playing the most physically demanding role in the team as a targetman up against players older, stronger and more experienced than him whereas Eastwood dropped into space where quickness (a young attribute) rather than strength (an older attribute) was important with all the hard work being done by Wayne Gray and later Shaun Goater.

Acquah was dropped into a terrible team lacking confidence after having who created nothing whereas Eastwood was in a quality team with the likes of Maher and Gower creating.

The two situations are about as far apart as you could get.

All that has changed is that Emile has matured physically, has gained experience and confidence and has a better team around him. These very points were made at the time people were dismissing him as useless. Emile will never be a goalscorer like Eastwood was but he’ll have a good pro career as a targetman and will have seasons when he scores at a good rate. A better comparison than Eastwood would be Cardwell.

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

Emile was thrown into men’s football from youth football because of necessity because we were under an embargo.

Freddy had scored bucket loads of goals in men’s football.

Acquah was playing the most physically demanding role in the team as a targetman up against players older, stronger and more experienced than him whereas Eastwood dropped into space where quickness (a young attribute) rather than strength (an older attribute) was important with all the hard work being done by Wayne Gray and later Shaun Goater.

Acquah was dropped into a terrible team lacking confidence after having who created nothing whereas Eastwood was in a quality team with the likes of Maher and Gower creating.

The two situations are about as far apart as you could get.

All that has changed is that Emile has matured physically, has gained experience and confidence and has a better team around him. These very points were made at the time people were dismissing him as useless. Emile will never be a goalscorer like Eastwood was but he’ll have a good pro career as a targetman and will have seasons when he scores at a good rate. A better comparison than Eastwood would be Cardwell.

A well reasoned post.
But I've seen Harlow in the Isthmian League, and calling it 'youth football' is a little wide of the mark.
Tackles there are mis-timed and then some! And yet he scored 8 in 27 appearances all found. He was18 or 19 at the time.

 

[rlb999]

It always surprises me, the lack of consideration given to players who may be young, inexperienced, at clubs in bad situations, at various stages of their career etc etc etc

There’s always a bigger picture and lots of external factors to consider.

I have to qualify that and say that a) it’s not by everyone. It’s often just a smaller part of any fanbase at any club b) often the criticism at that moment is often justified in its observation if not it’s timing.

But it’s more often than not just not made with due consideration given to the whole story.

Players like Nathen Bishop, Emile, Isaac, Charlie, Lewis Gard, Richard Taylor, Miles MN, Tyrell….even players like Rene Batlowka and Michael Klass were all placed in a very very bad situation that was ever worsening, probably way ahead of their time.

For some (Nathen, Isaac / Charlie / Emile) they were fortunate that it looks like any damage done was at best not terminal and at least they’ve managed to succeed to a degree in spite of…..

But for others like Tyrell, MMN, Rene, Michael it may have been a major contributing factor to a short pro career…..we may never know.

What is certain though is although some of the criticism of some of these players may have been, at the time, seemed perfectly justifiable, it was probably ill-judged in respect of what was fair.

Isaac was flimsy. He was (and still is) inconsistent, he was (and still is ) poor in the air but it’s all a work in progress. He was trying to play Centre midfield in a league 1 team where we spent most of the game being overrun. He was 19 and about 11 stone. The very attributes he needed were the exact same attributes he was desperately needing nature to help him with. He didnt possess the game knowledge or the physicality to do what most fans wanted from him. The criticism was fair….the timing of it wasn’t. Technically he was good enough. Physically he wasn’t. Athletically he was good enough, mentally he wasn’t.

It’s the same for Emile. Emile’s problem was that physically he was ready and so to the naked eye it was frustrating for fans because it seemed so easy to at least “put yourself about a bit”. However mentally he had no idea how to use his physicality to his advantage. Also, technically he wasn’t ready and he was unable to do things that he now can.

These players were being asked to be men. To be leaders. But they were in teams that had little or no guidance alongside them….and for long spells at the helm…and they were finding it very very hard.

Add to that the off field issues that no player let alone young players should have to experience.

I make no apologies for it and I’m being completely honest, my genuine belief is, that Isaac is only just recovering from some mental scars that have affected his development as a player…..in some ways it’s helped him and made him resilient and experienced but also my feeling is there was some deep rooted “imposter syndrome” (also not helped by experienced elsewhere btw)

For Emile, I feel he’s coming into a period of his career where his technical and mental abilities are starting to align with his physical ones. As with Isaac I’m sure some of the experiences have helped shape him and make him what he is, whereas other experiences will have hindered him and been hard to shake off.

It is what it is. Who knows how you’re shaped without those bumps in the road….in another lifetime a sliding door moment makes Rene and Michael pro footballers and Isaac and Emile playing local non league…..who knows?

I’m pleased for Emile. I’m pleased for any player who shows the required level of resilience, determination and dedication to overcome adversity and make a success in anything they decide to do.

These lads were just kids. Literally kids. Their mates were getting p!ssed down the park and trying to earn enough money for a night out and hopefully a bit of fun with a local girl come closing time, at the same time they were getting pelters for trying to do a job they weren’t ready to do, in front of 5000 people

It makes some it breaks others….and don’t get me wrong there are and were many up sides and they experienced many things most of us can only dream of…..but I’ll always maintain it’s probably more likely in spite of rather than because of…

Can’t disagree with any of this. So why does Sol Campbell get judged so harshly?

 

[Strykr]

Can’t disagree with any of this. So why does Sol Campbell get judged so harshly?

Many many reasons...

 

[Chris Powell's mate]

.

Many many reasons...

...one of which was to call us 'Southampton' at a post-match interview.
Where did you play your football, Sol? Oh, that's right: the Prem. I realise you had to slum it with us for a while, but I suppose Ron's generous offer made things easier, eh?

 

[OllieSteph44]

Can’t disagree with any of this. So why does Sol Campbell get judged so harshly?

There’s a bit of a myth that Sol Campbell was getting a tune out of young players. It’s exactly that. A myth. Based on one performance/ result against a Bristol Rovers side managed by Ben Garner who hadn’t won for 14 games. Garner was sacked even in spite of the season being curtailed due to covid.

Campbell started his reign v Ipswich, with a side containing some real experience and quality…he was picking a side containing Oxley, Dieng, Shaughnessy, Kiernan, Bwonono, Milligan, Mantom, Ralph, Cox, McLoughlin, Hopper and Humphries….at the time these players were getting pelters but the fact is they were all reasonable EFL players or better. Hutchinson was pretty much the only youngster featuring at this point.

Yes he lost Cox, Hopper (?) and Kiernan that January but largely due to his own treatment of them as only Hopper left for a fee (??) and the other two should’ve been offering more if managed correctly.

(Not sure what injuries hit but can’t remember anyone else actually leaving until the start of the following season?)

By the time he left (covid ended) he was picking a side containing Gunnarson, Clifford, Egbri, Gard, Kinali, Mitchell-Nelson, Phillips….in the main through choice…as he gradually sidelined players he’s fallen out with.

Yes those players beat Bristol Rovers but they’d also lost the previous 6 games on the spin…..

Emile didn’t start a single game under Campbell apart from a Papa John’s tie v West Ham u23s……

The large majority of Campbells games saw him start with Humphrey’s / Cox and Hopper up front (and once Hopper left Kelman did really well)….