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I wasnt at the game correct.

I have been informed by a friend who was there.

Would you care to let me know what you honestly thought of his performance today? and Bouzid too?

Thanks
 
Thoroughly good performance I thought today. The highlight was obviously Kyle Asante's hat-trick; that's the first time he's completed 90 minutes in over a year, and he still looked fresh as he was warming down at the end. With about ten minutes to go, Graham Coughlan asked him if he was alright to continue; Asante gave him the thumbs up, so Coughlan brought on Anthony Furlonge for Ade Osifuwa. Five minutes later, Asante smashed in his third from Mark Phillips' knockdown and as he wandered back to the halfway line, Coughlan asked if he was alright with a massive grin on his face!

Asante's second goal in particular was an absolute cracker, picking the ball up 12 yards out and crashing it in ferociously to leave the Luton 'keeper with no chance. He now scored four goals in one start and three short sub appearances since returning from his injury, and he hasn't lost his pace or finishing ability, so hopefully he can push on now up to the end of the season. He and Crawford scored about 35 goals for the youth team and reserves between August and February last year, so it was no surprise to see the pair on the scoresheet again.

I thought after an initial 20/25 minutes where they didn't quite get going, Merrick James-Lewis and Alex Woodyard were excellent in the centre of midfield, helping to speed up the tempo of the passing which was something that Coughlan obviously wanted them to do. Sawyer was predictably energetic, but I felt that he faded slightly at the end and some of his passes didn't quite come off. Nonetheless it's useful that he's getting game-time under his belt for when he is inevitably required in midfield at some stage between now and May.

Phillips and David Obaze were commanding in the air, but neither of them were convincing when the ball was on the ground, and Phillips in particular just doesn't look comfortable on the ball. It will be an interesting call for Paul Sturrock to make if Coughlan and Bilel Mohsni (who watched the second half after arriving on crutches) are unavailable on Saturday whether he goes with Kane Ferdinand - who is a ball-playing centre-half - or the more typically lower league Phillips alongside Barker.

Glenn Morris was excellent, dominant in his area with his calling and made a couple of good saves. The one time he was beaten late on, substitute Ryan Dasilva was denied by the woodwork. Miguel Comminges had probably his best game since signing and Osifuwa was pacy at right-back. Which leaves Adam Bouzid who, I'm afraid, was pretty anonymous again![/QUOTE]


He is rubbish. Lets get him off the wage bill
 
I thought Bouzid had gone anyway..................Interesting that Rob, who knows a bit about the Reserves thought Merrick was ok......
 
I thought after an initial 20/25 minutes where they didn't quite get going, Merrick James-Lewis and Alex Woodyard were excellent in the centre of midfield, helping to speed up the tempo of the passing which was something that Coughlan obviously wanted them to do.

I wasnt at the game correct.

I have been informed by a friend who was there.

Who to believe ......

Also, I've heard Furlonge's name before, but not sure where. Has he got potential to make the first team in the future?
 
It will be an interesting call for Paul Sturrock to make if Coughlan and Bilel Mohsni (who watched the second half after arriving on crutches) are unavailable on Saturday whether he goes with Kane Ferdinand - who is a ball-playing centre-half - or the more typically lower league Phillips alongside Barker.

How do you rate Kane as a centre-half? He looks a little bit on the slight side, to me. Perfect in that holding role but I'd be worried about him playing at the back against some of the more physical lower league strikers.
 
I thought Bouzid had gone anyway..................Interesting that Rob, who knows a bit about the Reserves thought Merrick was ok......

He was on trial at Ross County, I assume they didn't want him, I doubt he will terminate the contract without having a club to go to and i doubt we can afford to pay him off.

A Loan beckons.....
 
I know Asante will "steal the headlines" but I thought Ade Osifuwa looked very promising at right back. The best person i can relate him to is Micah Richards. Really likes joining in and going forward and has loads of energy and pace! He set up Crawfords goal and they had worked a similar move just a moment beforehand when Crawfords shot was cleared off the line after he'd beaten the keeper.

Morris in goal made some fine stops and when he was beaten, he was saved by Furlonge's clearance off the line and the post just after. His kicking still lets him down on occasions but thats my only grumble about him. Obaze and Phillips won absolutely everything in the air but like Rob says, they both look a bit suspect on the deck. Phillips looked very "awkward" all game IMO and looked stiff to me. I certainly wouldn't be confident of chucking him straight in the deep end and IMO we definetely need to dip into the loan market to get a CB! Commingues was steady at LB and his versitility is the main reason he is at the club IMO.

I thought Woodyard started VERY slowly and was poor in the first half hour. He woke up after that, but was subbed on the hour mark, just as he was getting into it. Merrick wasn't great either IMO but was better than Woodyard. Bouzid barely touched the ball and Sawyer oozes class but does try and be too clever at times! Crawford didn't really do too much but looked ok and Asante's hat-trick stole the limelight. Looked speedy, determined and you couldnt tell he'd been out for so long. His 2nd and 3rd goals were excellent and it was a good win for the stiffs overall.

Billy turning up at HT on crutches wasn't promising and looks like he will be out for a lengthy time. Left ankle looked very swollen and could hardly put pressure on it!

Kev
 
Exile.

Who in your opinion is next off the conveyor belt?

Tough one. I keep telling people that the youth team that we've got at the moment is the strongest we've ever had in terms of individuals, and luckily they've gelled enough times as a team to have had a really good season results-wise as well.

The second-years this season are getting some good time in reserve matches (when they actualy take place!); Alex Woodyard has already made his first-team debut away to Shrewsbury after having a great start to the season, but if you look at the centre of midfield it's going to be difficult for him because - especially with Ferdinand earmarked by Sturrock as a holding midfielder or full-back - we have plenty of bodies there (Easton and Grant are always going to be starters, Sawyer's waiting in the wings, too) so he's going to have to keep getting better. I thought he struggled in the Senior Cup match at Chelmsford, but he has been better at Grays last week and today, and Monday night will be a big fixture for him to shine. With Ferdinand unlikely to play due to his first-team involvement, he's the big 'name' in the side.

For the same reason, James Stevens could struggle to break through, but he's doing everything in his power to get himself noticed! His passing range and technique is impeccable, his goalscoring record is superb this season and he can play anywhere in the middle of the park. He came on as a sub today and had a hand in the fourth goal, plus he took a decent free-kick (his dead-ball delivery is unbelievable) that Phillips fired into the 'keeper's gloves.

Daniel Bentley is an excellent 'keeper who has kept improving this year, so if one of Evans or Morris isn't here next year, I wouldn't be disappointed to see him staying at all. In fact, even if they both remain with us, we could keep Bentley on and get him experience via a long-term loan at a Conference or Conference South club.

Big Duane Ofori-Acheampong grabs plenty of headlines with his height, and he's scored 15 times for the Under-18s and reserves this term, but he needs to impose himself on matches more. Sometimes a situation will be crying out for him to make an impact, and he doesn't quite do it, so he has to focus hard.

Of the next crop, Anthony Furlonge is the obvious candidate: powerful, athlete, tall, can play at right-back or centre-back. Good on the ball, has got a decent cross, plus capable of scoring goals in the opposition penalty area. I wouldn't be surprised to see him move to centre-half next season due to his height, just as long as he doesn't switch off as he's had a couple of lapses there recently filling in for Ferdinand in the Under-18s (neither of which have led to a goal, but as you step up a level, that's the sort of thing you need to cut out). If I was pushed, I would say he's the next cab on the rank, but as this year's FA Youth Cup run has proved, there are plenty of candidates and it's an exciting time for the Youth Department.
 
How do you rate Kane as a centre-half? He looks a little bit on the slight side, to me. Perfect in that holding role but I'd be worried about him playing at the back against some of the more physical lower league strikers.

I guess he's how you would expect him to be as a centre-half, the opposite to Phillips in many ways. He's decent in the air, and hasn't struggled at youth level playing there, even against the more powerful forwards, but I think it's a massive step-up to go into League Two and do it. In many ways, it would probably be easier for him to play there in League One, actually! Because he's so classy on the ball, I think he can comfortably play there alongside someone like Coughlan or - if he'd had more game-time - Phillips, someone who will take care of whoever the opposition's big lad is up front, so that they can win the ball, Kane can keep it and offload it.

When interviewed after the Oxford match in which Ferdinand made his debut, Sturrock said that he was looking at him as either a holding midfielder or as a full-back. He doesn't have much experience in either position but, as his appearances so far in 2011 have shown, he's a quick learner and I'd be reticent to disrupt that now. He's developing brilliantly with Easton alongside him and Barker behind him, plus Coughlan's knowledge to gain from, so if he maintains his current levels of performance, I'd expect to see him carrying on where he is, in the short-term at least.
 
Daniel Bentley is an excellent 'keeper who has kept improving this year, so if one of Evans or Morris isn't here next year, I wouldn't be disappointed to see him staying at all. In fact, even if they both remain with us, we could keep Bentley on and get him experience via a long-term loan at a Conference or Conference South club.

Heard on BBC Essex on Saturday that Bentley played in goal for Braintree Town on Saturday as an emergency loan - apparently played well (their manager praised him and thanked Southend for loaning him to them). I think they're top of the Blue Sq South so that's a decent level of football for him to be testing himself at.

Report on the game here: http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx?id=4373
 
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Heard on BBC Essex on Saturday that Bentley played in goal for Braintree Town on Saturday as an emergency loan - apparently played well (their manager praised him and thanked Southend for loaning him to them). I think they're top of the Blue Sq South so that's a decent level of football for him to be testing himself at.

Report on the game here: http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx?id=4373

I believe he played again tonight in Braintree Towns 2-1 away win at Dover - a result which puts Braintree 10 points clear at the top of Blue Square South.
 
Heard on BBC Essex on Saturday that Bentley played in goal for Braintree Town on Saturday as an emergency loan - apparently played well (their manager praised him and thanked Southend for loaning him to them). I think they're top of the Blue Sq South so that's a decent level of football for him to be testing himself at.

Report on the game here: http://www.theenquirer.co.uk/read.aspx?id=4373

Isn't Nathan MacDonald also a former Youth team keeper of ours?
 
Tough one. I keep telling people that the youth team that we've got at the moment is the strongest we've ever had in terms of individuals, and luckily they've gelled enough times as a team to have had a really good season results-wise as well.

The second-years this season are getting some good time in reserve matches (when they actualy take place!); Alex Woodyard has already made his first-team debut away to Shrewsbury after having a great start to the season, but if you look at the centre of midfield it's going to be difficult for him because - especially with Ferdinand earmarked by Sturrock as a holding midfielder or full-back - we have plenty of bodies there (Easton and Grant are always going to be starters, Sawyer's waiting in the wings, too) so he's going to have to keep getting better. I thought he struggled in the Senior Cup match at Chelmsford, but he has been better at Grays last week and today, and Monday night will be a big fixture for him to shine. With Ferdinand unlikely to play due to his first-team involvement, he's the big 'name' in the side.

For the same reason, James Stevens could struggle to break through, but he's doing everything in his power to get himself noticed! His passing range and technique is impeccable, his goalscoring record is superb this season and he can play anywhere in the middle of the park. He came on as a sub today and had a hand in the fourth goal, plus he took a decent free-kick (his dead-ball delivery is unbelievable) that Phillips fired into the 'keeper's gloves.

Daniel Bentley is an excellent 'keeper who has kept improving this year, so if one of Evans or Morris isn't here next year, I wouldn't be disappointed to see him staying at all. In fact, even if they both remain with us, we could keep Bentley on and get him experience via a long-term loan at a Conference or Conference South club.

Big Duane Ofori-Acheampong grabs plenty of headlines with his height, and he's scored 15 times for the Under-18s and reserves this term, but he needs to impose himself on matches more. Sometimes a situation will be crying out for him to make an impact, and he doesn't quite do it, so he has to focus hard.

Of the next crop, Anthony Furlonge is the obvious candidate: powerful, athlete, tall, can play at right-back or centre-back. Good on the ball, has got a decent cross, plus capable of scoring goals in the opposition penalty area. I wouldn't be surprised to see him move to centre-half next season due to his height, just as long as he doesn't switch off as he's had a couple of lapses there recently filling in for Ferdinand in the Under-18s (neither of which have led to a goal, but as you step up a level, that's the sort of thing you need to cut out). If I was pushed, I would say he's the next cab on the rank, but as this year's FA Youth Cup run has proved, there are plenty of candidates and it's an exciting time for the Youth Department.


Great post.

I cant see any reason why Sturrock doesnt sign Ferdinand (of course), Woodyard, Stevens, Bentley and Duane all on pro deals next year. They all have undoubted quality. Would be cheaper (wages) than majority of subs we have now and they develop next year in the reserves / first team fringes. Also id add Kyle Asante to that list too.

Bouzid, Herd, Evans, Patterson, Prosser all out.

I can see Grant being sold in the summer too, along with Monshi. Hopefully get decent money for them two and you cant blame either of them for furthering their football careers.

Now I agree that the youth players listed at this moment are not as good or experienced as these players but they have incredible potential and as stated would not command high wages. They would all be involved next season and compete with a first team squad. This would also drastically cut the wage bill and a club like ours this needs to be done with the ongoing debt within the club.
Im confident like Ferdinand the other boys would come in and do the business.
With a club on a shoestring budget I feel this would be a good approach.
 
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From what I've seen of Big Duane O'Archie, I don't personally think he'll make it... yet.

He's a big lad, and he's considerably more powerful than some of those he comes against and that gives him a significant advantage. Although he doesn't impose himself as much as he possibly could, there's definitely an air of dominance and he just won't get that against senior defenders. He needs to add something else to his game if he's going to have an impact IMO... Drogba's big and boisterous, but he's also devastatingly clinical. Corr's a physical presence, but when he's free of back trouble he's also surprisingly mobile for a big lad.

I've got a feeling he'll do something similar to Adameno. He left here as a bag of pace but not much else, found himself a decent club and progressed to such a stage where he was linked with MK Dons and would've got the move if Crawley weren't asking for such a ridiculous price.
 
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