Zemura & Ofoborh

NWCherries98

NWCherries98

Fans' Favourite
Hugely impressed with both of them in their two appearances so far. Especially Zemura who I’ll admit to not knowing much about beforehand. I think both could potentially improve the first team in the league if we start them. Would anyone really have a problem with them starting games sooner rather than later?
 
They look good enough to do a decent job in this league. I would imagine JT would not hesitate to use them if required. He said as much in his post match interview, that he trusts our youngsters and knows they will not let him down if he gives them an opportunity.

There has been a lot of talk about the number of games and the need to have a talented squad to fall back on. I think it might not be a case of either / or but that we will be looking to use the youngsters to give our more senior players a rest from time to time. It would make sense to be able to rotate the squad and not be forced into always picking the same players week in, week out. This league is a marathon and not a sprint and I get the feeling that JT is looking to rotate the players a bit more than Ed tended to do. I think for us at this point in time and in this league, that would be the sensible option and I think the youngsters will be a big part of that.
 
The youngsters have done well.


But don't please, think that this is some JT masterstroke of management.

Hes had no choice as we have a threadbare squad.

What senior players need a rest at this stage.

We're three games in.
 
dragonm8 said:
The youngsters have done well.


But don't please, think that this is some JT masterstroke of management.

Hes had no choice as we have a threadbare squad.

What senior players need a rest at this stage.

We're three games in.
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So he does have a choice. If the first team doesn't need a rest, as you suggest, then JT playing the youngsters is a decision he's taken, not because he was forced.

I've personally enjoyed seeing them get a run out and hope they can also start to make a contribution in the league
 
klaus_afcb said:
So he does have a choice. If the first team doesn't need a rest, as you suggest, then JT playing the youngsters is a decision he's taken, not because he was forced.

I've personally enjoyed seeing them get a run out and hope they can also start to make a contribution in the league
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Exactly. Realistically he HAS to play the youngsters in order to find out how they cope and WHETHER OR NOT they can be a viable part of the squad moving forwards. They have played in the cup games and acquitted themselves well, so JT can probably now start regarding them as part of his Championship squad.
He needed to take a look at them before deciding which positions in the squad need the most strengthening in this transfer window !
A good few of them have done enough to earn a place in the squad for this season IMO.
 
klaus_afcb said:
So he does have a choice. If the first team doesn't need a rest, as you suggest, then JT playing the youngsters is a decision he's taken, not because he was forced.

I've personally enjoyed seeing them get a run out and hope they can also start to make a contribution in the league
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I think JT knows that the league is way more important than the cup?

Therefore he rested some players (as always happens in the cups).

Its one thing playing the youngsters in a one off cup match v Man City.

They performed really well, and no problems with their performance at all.

Do you think he should have fielded his first team squad, 3 days before a league game?
 
It's been a long time since a youngster broke through into the first team from the youth ranks - Ramsdale doesn't really count as he came as an 18/19 year old.

It was understandable give the time lag between when youth players were recruited and the system they went through compared to how we moved up the leagues.

Despite the facilities, we do know we've been investing a lot more in the youth setup over the past 6-8 years so it's gratifying to start seeing some players come out of it that we can use.

As it happens Zemura is another we picked up at 18 (and Travers at 17) but we can certainly lay full claim to the development of Ofoborh and Surridge.

I'm hoping this is the start of a production line of youngsters we see come out of the youth team over the next five years, harvesting fruits from the Max and PL tv money spending on that aspect of the club,
 
kirsikka said:
It's been a long time since a youngster broke through into the first team from the youth ranks - Ramsdale doesn't really count as he came as an 18/19 year old.

It was understandable give the time lag between when youth players were recruited and the system they went through compared to how we moved up the leagues.

Despite the facilities, we do know we've been investing a lot more in the youth setup over the past 6-8 years so it's gratifying to start seeing some players come out of it that we can use.

As it happens Zemura is another we picked up at 18 (and Travers at 17) but we can certainly lay full claim to the development of Ofoborh and Surridge.

I'm hoping this is the start of a production line of youngsters we see come out of the youth team over the next five years, harvesting fruits from the Max and PL tv money spending on that aspect of the club,
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Think we picked up Ofoborh when he was 16/17 years old, same with Zemura, Travers and Anthony. Whereas the likes of Surridge, Simpson and Kyle Taylor have been with us from a much younger age.

I could not be getting this entirely correct, but I believe our academy status means we can’t sign up players from outside a certain radius before the age of 16/17. After that we usually bring in players who have been released by other clubs’ academies, like Zemura (Charlton) and Anthony (Arsenal).

That’s no slight on our academy though. These players would likely have been low on confidence after being let go, so we’d have done well to build it back up.

Plus we’ve got a number of our youth products throughout the league: Stockley at Preston, Cornick at Luton, Cargill at MK, then Hobson, Green, Goodship, Matthews and others elsewhere.
 
I'm really excited about both these players.

Oforboh less of a surprise because he's been progressing well although it is interesting how he's started in defence a few times. I'd love to know what he reckons his best position is and if playing in either bothers him.

Zemura has made rapid progress, a classic case of forcing yourself into the reckoning by being really good and getting you're head down. Great to see.

This is why I can't get too excited by lack of signings. For all we know we're skint so gambling on a £10m player is a massive risk. This season is a bit of a write off anyway so blooding the younguns could be a good move.

I know I'd rather our youngsters step up and do well than have some multi million pound player come in and do well.
 
Rapid progress is dropping down a league.

All of a sudden everyone looks half decent.

They all did well but its the reality of dropping down a league.

Hope they all do well.
 
dragonm8 said:
The youngsters have done well.


But don't please, think that this is some JT masterstroke of management.

Hes had no choice as we have a threadbare squad.

What senior players need a rest at this stage.

We're three games in.
Click to expand...
I think you hit the nail on the head, 3 games in & we are talking about resting players. It seems to me that they are either not fit enough or have some other problem, playing with some sort of injury. I watch the Man City game & saw a few players walking back not attempting to make it back to help defend. There are a few players that mark a space rather than an opponent.
 
dragonm8 said:
Rapid progress is dropping down a league.

All of a sudden everyone looks half decent.

They all did well but its the reality of dropping down a league.

Hope they all do well.
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They played against Man City last which included the player of the year. Lets not suggest they did well because we had dropped down the league?
 
Jimmy 306 said:
I think you hit the nail on the head, 3 games in & we are talking about resting players. It seems to me that they are either not fit enough or have some other problem, playing with some sort of injury. I watch the Man City game & saw a few players walking back not attempting to make it back to help defend. There are a few players that mark a space rather than an opponent.
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Most clubs in the top two divisions are resting players in the cups, we’re far from the only ones doing this.
 
Yes both did well but saddened that Oforbah was drawn into the defence tippy tippy too often. That said he did well. Honourable mention for Surridge too. He’s got fire in his belly. They were all over The back of him and Billing, our taller players last night. Have to be encouraged but try see youngsters and hope they get more game time and more consistently than in the past.
 
I've watched a lot of our U18 and U21 games in the last couple of years and I've been banging on about Jordan Zemura for ages.

I've also been impressed with Khavarn Williams and Jaidon Anthony. One I thought might get a look in following his loan spell last year at Kilmarnock is Mikael Ndjoli but haven't seen his name mentioned this season.

Also Christian Saydee who was doing well for the U18's before he got injured from a bad tackle which has put him back a bit but he will come through again.
 
Demure getting his chance because we are short at left back.saw him a few times for u21 and he is quick and has done well.taylor and kilkenny for me are potentially better than cook and billing
 
Druss_the_Legend said:
They played against Man City last which included the player of the year. Lets not suggest they did well because we had dropped down the league?
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They did do well because we dropped down a league.

Was nowhere near a full strength Man City.

Hence the Sterling and De Bruyne subsritutions that won them the game.
 
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