U21 Loan Watch

[Iron Duke]

I don’t know about you, but I love it when a player makes it through the ranks to become a first team regular. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often these days. This is a shame because giving young players a chance is an area where we could have an edge over the traditional top 6.

The current crop give me some cause for optimism, having won the FA Youth Cup and U18 League South a couple of seasons back. Maybe two or three can make it. No fewer than eight U21 players have gone out on a season loan to lower league clubs. Meanwhile, Casey, Scarles and Orford remain at the club. Hopefully, they will get a few minutes on the pitch, but I’m not holding my breath. Mubama had a few chances last season but mostly disappointed with his lack of technique. Inexplicably, he has now joined Man City to give Haaland competition.

So, to the eight who are currently out on loan. How are they getting on?

1. Callum Marshall - Huddersfield (League One). After a disappointing loan spell at West Brom last season, Marshall has dropped down to League One. So far, he has done quite well and already found the net. Yesterday, he played for 67 minutes before being replaced.

2. George Earthy - Bristol City (Championship). A lot of great things expected of Earthy. He didn’t make the squad yesterday. Is he injured?

3. Michael Forbes - Bristol Rovers (League One). Did not make the squad.

4. Freddie Potts - Portsmouth (Championship). Player of the season at Wycombe last year, but unused sub yesterday.

5. Krisztian Hegyi - Motherwell (Scottish Premier). Unused sub.

6. Patrick Kelly - Doncaster (League Two). Came on in the 78th minute.

7. Levi Laing - Cheltenham (League Two). Unused sub.

8. Gideon Kodua - Wycombe (League One). Came on in the 88th minute.

I make that 81 minutes of football between 8 players yesterday. Early days but a bit worrying. I’ll keep this updated throughout the season (if I can be bothered).

[Massive Attack]

excellent record past tense, he hasn't used any this season. this defending any/every criticism of this bloke is very similar to what I accuse the moyes nutcases of

 

He's been here 5 minutes and apparently he's supposed to be playing all these youth player's, usually with so many different senior player's to choose from. Even though there has been 9 different occasions he's had youth players on the bench in any case just 15 Premier League games in to his tenure.

[Takashi Miike]

excellent record past tense, he hasn't used any this season. this defending any/every criticism of this bloke is very similar to what I accuse the moyes nutcases of

[Massive Attack]

Well that's the other thing, like you say they've been experimenting where they can actually play him as he has a lot to his game - think Gareth Bale (not comparing exact ability before that's chucked at me).

It'll happen when he thinks the time is right and with his excellent track record of working with youth player's, I trust him more than a lot of other manager's who don't have that same experience. 

[Iron Duke]

Scarles rarely plays at left back these days. He’s more of a left sided midfielder or winger. He looks good in flashes but he should be dominating at this level.

Orford at times glides across the pitch. He definitely has potential. But again, he should be bossing these games.

I’m expecting more from these two.

[Massive Attack]

Yeah because he's been very quick to play Scarles rather than switch AWB to the left on occasions hasn't he?

What the fuck are you on about with regards to what I just said?

He'll start him in the Premier League when he thinks he's ready and has even had him on the bench already.

 

Isn't it fucking obvious? Despite your apparent determination to praise him at every opportunity, Lopetegui has shown absolutely no inclination to play our youth. He's even worse than Moyes in that department and that's fucking saying something

Even though I've criticised Lopetegui for his kamikaze highline, loaning out Ward-Prowse and weird formations at times, but of course you'd overlook that for just 3 clear examples youre talking bollocks...

Both Scarles and Casey have been on the Bench 3 times already this season and Mayers once. 

He even had both Mayers and Scarles on the bench vs Arsenal of all Teams and after seeing us concede 5 goals in the 1st half and an alleged bust-up between a senior Defender and himself, is it really any wonder he didn't turn to the kids giving them their debut in such circumstances...

[onsideman]

Yeah because he's been very quick to play Scarles rather than switch AWB to the left on occasions hasn't he?

What the fuck are you on about with regards to what I just said?

He'll start him in the Premier League when he thinks he's ready and has even had him on the bench already.

 

 

Isn't it fucking obvious? Despite your apparent determination to praise him at every opportunity, Lopetegui has shown absolutely no inclination to play our youth. He's even worse than Moyes in that department and that's fucking saying something

[Massive Attack]

 keeping awb in his proper position

 

Wan-Bissaka deputised successfully for us in the League Cup game vs Bournemouth as a Left-Back and did really well. One of our best performers on the night keeping a clean sheet against Premier League opposition. It's no wonder he prefers to rely on a seasoned Full Back who proved he can perform very well at Left Back for the meantime in Emersons absence. 

[Takashi Miike]

the scarles situation has been strange. he was brilliant in that one performance in romania, arguably the best crosser of a ball I've seen in the last few years yet never seen again. I appreciate he's still young, but even at eighteen would be a better bet covering for emerson and keeping awb in his proper position

[Massive Attack]

Yeah because he's been very quick to play Scarles rather than switch AWB to the left on occasions hasn't he?

What the fuck are you on about with regards to what I just said?

He'll start him in the Premier League when he thinks he's ready and has even had him on the bench already.

[onsideman]

Yeah because he's been very quick to play Scarles rather than switch AWB to the left on occasions hasn't he?

[Massive Attack]

Both Potts and Earthy I'm confident we will see next season (if Lopetegui remains).

Does everyone remember that quality Portugese Midfielder that left Wolves for big money to Saudi Arabia last season? It was Lopetegui who gave him his debut at Porto as a 17 year old and was brave enough to give him his start in his career before regularly playing him. 

If a youth player passes the Lopetegui smell test if he senses they've got it, he definitely plays them and isnt afraid to give them a chance even for one so young.

[Iron Duke]

Potts played 90 minutes again. Pompey drew 0-0 at home to Norwich and are out of the relegation zone.

Earthy came on for the second half and was involved in Bristol City’s goal. They conceded in injury time again though to draw 1-1 at Sunderland.

[With Kind Regards]

Thanks for the update ID. Appreciated.

[Iron Duke]

Earthy came on after 60 minutes but Pompey now 3-0 up.

Marshall off injured after 21 minutes. Hope he’s okay.

[Iron Duke]

Potts vs Earthy this afternoon.

Well, it would be if Earthy wasn’t sitting on the bench.

[Fauxstralian]

George Earthy on after 67mins
Bristol City leading WAYNE ROONEY’S Plymouth 3-0

Freddie Potts playing full game at Swansea for Portsmouth 
2-2 going into injury time

[Massive Attack]

Yes Marshall, my boy!  

[Iron Duke]

Marshall comes off the bench to score and secure the points at Orient.

Earthy came off the bench but Bristol City couldn’t rescue a point at Watford.

[Massive Attack]

Yeah, vs the Netherlands on Monday after a run out vs Spain just gone. 

[BillyJenningsBoots]

I don’t know about you, but I love it when a player makes it through the ranks to become a first team regular. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often these days. This is a shame because giving young players a chance is an area where we could have an edge over the traditional top 6.

The current crop give me some cause for optimism, having won the FA Youth Cup and U18 League South a couple of seasons back. Maybe two or three can make it. No fewer than eight U21 players have gone out on a season loan to lower league clubs. Meanwhile, Casey, Scarles and Orford remain at the club. Hopefully, they will get a few minutes on the pitch, but I’m not holding my breath. Mubama had a few chances last season but mostly disappointed with his lack of technique. Inexplicably, he has now joined Man City to give Haaland competition.

So, to the eight who are currently out on loan. How are they getting on?

1. Callum Marshall - Huddersfield (League One). After a disappointing loan spell at West Brom last season, Marshall has dropped down to League One. So far, he has done quite well and already found the net. Yesterday, he played for 67 minutes before being replaced.

2. George Earthy - Bristol City (Championship). A lot of great things expected of Earthy. He didn’t make the squad yesterday. Is he injured?

3. Michael Forbes - Bristol Rovers (League One). Did not make the squad.

4. Freddie Potts - Portsmouth (Championship). Player of the season at Wycombe last year, but unused sub yesterday.

5. Krisztian Hegyi - Motherwell (Scottish Premier). Unused sub.

6. Patrick Kelly - Doncaster (League Two). Came on in the 78th minute.

7. Levi Laing - Cheltenham (League Two). Unused sub.

8. Gideon Kodua - Wycombe (League One). Came on in the 88th minute.

I make that 81 minutes of football between 8 players yesterday. Early days but a bit worrying. I’ll keep this updated throughout the season (if I can be bothered).

If even just one or two of those players manage to break into the squad, let alone the first team, I imagine certain managerial/administrative level people at (or associated with) the club would be incandescent with rage over the risk to commission generation/brown envelope movements.

No doubt. The West Ham Way innit. 

But before we get to that point, I want to enjoy seeing them play first for a bit should they make the grade - Think Rice for 6 years. 

What would be a lovely thought is what if we produced a clutch of player's from this double youth cup winning side that elevated us as a Club/Squad much like what should have happened back in 1999 with the likes of Carrick, Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Defoe before it got broke up. The what-might-have-been era. Now I don't want to particularly go over the politics of that time and how we royally fucked it up thanks to that thick cսnt Brown, but rather look forward to learning lessons from it and making the most of this new batch, should they make the grade.

And no, I'm not saying any of the new kids on the block are as good as that special crop of talent but I am saying that if they are good in their own right, I want us to make the most of the opportunity to puff out our Team/Squad with them if they do turn out to be more than good enough for us. 

In a day and age where it's rare and harder than ever to see young kids break through in to the Premier League, how refreshing it would be for West Ham to be a shining example once again of how it can still be done well. Afterall we do have a rich history of occasionally producing excellent young talent successfully, all the way back to young Bobby, Martin and Geoffs day..

Wasn't Earthy called up to the U21s?

[Massive Attack]

I don’t know about you, but I love it when a player makes it through the ranks to become a first team regular. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often these days. This is a shame because giving young players a chance is an area where we could have an edge over the traditional top 6.

The current crop give me some cause for optimism, having won the FA Youth Cup and U18 League South a couple of seasons back. Maybe two or three can make it. No fewer than eight U21 players have gone out on a season loan to lower league clubs. Meanwhile, Casey, Scarles and Orford remain at the club. Hopefully, they will get a few minutes on the pitch, but I’m not holding my breath. Mubama had a few chances last season but mostly disappointed with his lack of technique. Inexplicably, he has now joined Man City to give Haaland competition.

So, to the eight who are currently out on loan. How are they getting on?

1. Callum Marshall - Huddersfield (League One). After a disappointing loan spell at West Brom last season, Marshall has dropped down to League One. So far, he has done quite well and already found the net. Yesterday, he played for 67 minutes before being replaced.

2. George Earthy - Bristol City (Championship). A lot of great things expected of Earthy. He didn’t make the squad yesterday. Is he injured?

3. Michael Forbes - Bristol Rovers (League One). Did not make the squad.

4. Freddie Potts - Portsmouth (Championship). Player of the season at Wycombe last year, but unused sub yesterday.

5. Krisztian Hegyi - Motherwell (Scottish Premier). Unused sub.

6. Patrick Kelly - Doncaster (League Two). Came on in the 78th minute.

7. Levi Laing - Cheltenham (League Two). Unused sub.

8. Gideon Kodua - Wycombe (League One). Came on in the 88th minute.

I make that 81 minutes of football between 8 players yesterday. Early days but a bit worrying. I’ll keep this updated throughout the season (if I can be bothered).

If even just one or two of those players manage to break into the squad, let alone the first team, I imagine certain managerial/administrative level people at (or associated with) the club would be incandescent with rage over the risk to commission generation/brown envelope movements.

No doubt. The West Ham Way innit. 

But before we get to that point, I want to enjoy seeing them play first for a bit should they make the grade - Think Rice for 6 years. 

What would be a lovely thought is what if we produced a clutch of player's from this double youth cup winning side that elevated us as a Club/Squad much like what should have happened back in 1999 with the likes of Carrick, Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Defoe before it got broke up. The what-might-have-been era. Now I don't want to particularly go over the politics of that time and how we royally fucked it up thanks to that thick cսnt Brown, but rather look forward to learning lessons from it and making the most of this new batch, should they make the grade.

And no, I'm not saying any of the new kids on the block are as good as that special crop of talent but I am saying that if they are good in their own right, I want us to make the most of the opportunity to puff out our Team/Squad with them if they do turn out to be more than good enough for us. 

In a day and age where it's rare and harder than ever to see young kids break through in to the Premier League, how refreshing it would be for West Ham to be a shining example once again of how it can still be done well. Afterall we do have a rich history of occasionally producing excellent young talent successfully, all the way back to young Bobby, Martin and Geoffs day..

[Mike Oxsaw]

I don’t know about you, but I love it when a player makes it through the ranks to become a first team regular. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often these days. This is a shame because giving young players a chance is an area where we could have an edge over the traditional top 6.

The current crop give me some cause for optimism, having won the FA Youth Cup and U18 League South a couple of seasons back. Maybe two or three can make it. No fewer than eight U21 players have gone out on a season loan to lower league clubs. Meanwhile, Casey, Scarles and Orford remain at the club. Hopefully, they will get a few minutes on the pitch, but I’m not holding my breath. Mubama had a few chances last season but mostly disappointed with his lack of technique. Inexplicably, he has now joined Man City to give Haaland competition.

So, to the eight who are currently out on loan. How are they getting on?

1. Callum Marshall - Huddersfield (League One). After a disappointing loan spell at West Brom last season, Marshall has dropped down to League One. So far, he has done quite well and already found the net. Yesterday, he played for 67 minutes before being replaced.

2. George Earthy - Bristol City (Championship). A lot of great things expected of Earthy. He didn’t make the squad yesterday. Is he injured?

3. Michael Forbes - Bristol Rovers (League One). Did not make the squad.

4. Freddie Potts - Portsmouth (Championship). Player of the season at Wycombe last year, but unused sub yesterday.

5. Krisztian Hegyi - Motherwell (Scottish Premier). Unused sub.

6. Patrick Kelly - Doncaster (League Two). Came on in the 78th minute.

7. Levi Laing - Cheltenham (League Two). Unused sub.

8. Gideon Kodua - Wycombe (League One). Came on in the 88th minute.

I make that 81 minutes of football between 8 players yesterday. Early days but a bit worrying. I’ll keep this updated throughout the season (if I can be bothered).

If even just one or two of those players manage to break into the squad, let alone the first team, I imagine certain managerial/administrative level people at (or associated with) the club would be incandescent with rage over the risk to commission generation/brown envelope movements.

[Massive Attack]

A bit of joy for our boys in the international front.

Orford got the winner for England U19s in a 2-1 win v Bulgaria. Casey kept a clean sheet in England U20s 4-0 thrashing of Germany. While Earthy played 20-odd minutes as a substitute as he made his England U21s debut in a 0-0 draw at Spain.

By next season, some of these boys shoukd be making the breakthrough in to our senior squad with the talent thrt have, that's if 1 or 2 don't before the end of this season. 

This isn't a mug crop of youth player's like any old run of the mill batch of kids at an Academy. This lot have something and by next season we've got to proactively get them amongst it. 

I was actually disappointed to see Earthy go out on loan as he made the breakthrough back end of last season and that should have continued on this season. He instantly looked the part bursting on to the scene and I really didn't see the point loaning him out to a lower quality side in a division below having made his mark the way he did. 

Winning the FA Youth Cup and League double in style the way these boys did, I'd find it very hard to believe none of them will make the grade and I want to see us giving them a real go in the Squad over the next 2 seasons. 

I also feel the senior squad is screaming out for some fearless, energetic youth to breathe some life into our side as it's too slow in places, in particular central midfield and Striker.

My hope is that 1 or more of Orford, Scarles, Potts, Earthy can step up in Midfield soon, Casey back-up centre half and Marshall as a back-up Striker by next season. 

[Iron Duke]

Thanks mate. Not that much effort really. I’m far too lazy for that. But it’s something that interests me. I feel our club should be leading the way in player development and youth opportunities but sadly not usually the case these days.

[With Kind Regards]

Thanks for these posts lD.  Always interesting to see how the loanees are coming along and it must take a bit of time and effort to do it so thanks again.