FA Youth Cup u18’s | Page 4 | Vital Football

FA Youth Cup u18’s

Biggles said:
I know this thread is about the U18’s, but I just thought I’d mention that the U23’s drew 2-2 away v Brentford B this afternoon. 2-0 down at half-time, goals from Ndiaye and Brunt earned a draw.
In their previous game, Brentford beat Arsenal, so this looks to be a decent performance.
Click to expand...
Do you think them 2 have a chance of making it Bigglenaldo? UTB
 
Rod Currie said:
Do you think them 2 have a chance of making it Bigglenaldo? UTB
Click to expand...

I honestly haven’t seen enough of them to have a valid view Rod.
And as we all know.........
Just look at the team sheets of (say) the F.A. U18’s Youth Cup Finals of 5 or 6 years ago, between Chelsea and Man City (the real Academy powerhouses at the time) and see how comparatively few of those players made it into the big time. And their Academies, due to money available, are light years away from ours.
In other words, Rod, I have no idea - although I do harbour hopes (and that’s all it is - hope) with regard to several of our current crop.
 
Biggles said:
I know this thread is about the U18’s, but I just thought I’d mention that the U23’s drew 2-2 away v Brentford B this afternoon. 2-0 down at half-time, goals from Ndiaye and Brunt earned a draw.
In their previous game, Brentford beat Arsenal, so this looks to be a decent performance.
Click to expand...
I said we would use it for all the junior teams biggles I’ve put u23 stuff up on here it works ok
good battling point,shows character another ✔
 
Mahatmafoot said:
Was the game against Brentford any kind of league/cup game or just a friendly?
Click to expand...

As I understand it, because Brentford don’t have an Academy, they are not in any of those competitions. They do, however have a “B” team (what we used to call “the reserves”) in which they apparently give games to those not playing in the first team, those coming back from injuries and, regularly, for ”triallists” which, given their lack of an Academy, must be very useful for them. They have recently beaten Chelsea and Arsenal Academy teams, so (hopefully) it would also have been a useful work out for our lads.
 
Biggles said:
As I understand it, because Brentford don’t have an Academy, they are not in any of those competitions. They do, however have a “B” team (what we used to call “the reserves”) in which they apparently give games to those not playing in the first team, those coming back from injuries and, regularly, for ”triallists” which, given their lack of an Academy, must be very useful for them. They have recently beaten Chelsea and Arsenal Academy teams, so (hopefully) it would also have been a useful work out for our lads.
Click to expand...
Bring back the central league.
 
Biggles said:
As I understand it, because Brentford don’t have an Academy, they are not in any of those competitions. They do, however have a “B” team (what we used to call “the reserves”) in which they apparently give games to those not playing in the first team, those coming back from injuries and, regularly, for ”triallists” which, given their lack of an Academy, must be very useful for them. They have recently beaten Chelsea and Arsenal Academy teams, so (hopefully) it would also have been a useful work out for our lads.
Click to expand...
That's a real surprise that Brentford don't have an academy.
 
At a cost of around £2m a year, Brentford decided it was simply too much of a risk that their academy – with so much competition on its doorstep in London – would produce enough first-team players to make that investment worthwhile. Instead they are focused on recruiting young players between 17 and 20 who have been released by academies in the Premier League, as well as talent from “undervalued markets” overseas.

There recruitment has moved in a different direction, and they appear to make it work. There "B" team as they call it play friendly games against better teams in the UK and abroad which tests the players more than it would in a academy environment. There aim is to have at least one of the "B" squad make the step up into the first team squad every year. Seems to work for them, I would suggest that's all that matters.
Brentford report on match said they had 12 trialists, they must have a have a conveyor belt of players they look at.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.