Giving first team ‘fringe’ players a game seems the right call to me. The result was good, but the usual fluency wasn’t there. Any fresh takes on Harvey Kedwell from newish watchers?
Miss the days of the SE Counties league which was a league for reserve teams and players not getting a first team game had a regular run out. Nowadays players can wait for months to get a run out and are expected to hit the ground running and take their chance.
From what I remember it was the Football Combination for the reserve teams, games usually played midweek.
The South East Counties League was for the under 18s. In the 1950’s and 1960’s all the teams were league sides with the exception of Bexleyheath & Welling Colts. I can remember watching Charlton Juniors play at the Valley on a Saturday morning.
Your correct that the South Eastern counties league was for under 18's. The Combination league team played on Saturday afternoons at the Valley when the first team was away. Attendance s would be about 8000. Later there was a London midweek league.
An enjoyable afternoon at Sparrows Lane in blustery conditions, Methven in attendance. We could have added a few more goals to the total if we had taken our chances, Dixon the most guilty of missing chances & being a bit selfish when other players were in better positions to score. Colchester had 5 trialists in their squad, one was the goalkeeper who looked a bit on the small side & struggled with crosses & corners.
I think there's a few real positives worth mentioning about the u21s this season.
Firstly they're consistently playing 3-5-2, matching the first team. They also mix it up and go direct at times, rather than being too possession focused, which must be fairly common at academy level. This can only help our players either break into the first team, or have careers elsewhere, as the first team play a similar style and formation, and not every lower or non-league club will play a possession game.
Our fitness levels appear to be good too, with us being dangerous in attack late on in games, just as we've seen with the first team. This is with a smaller u21 squad, a different approach compared to recent seasons in which we had big u21 squads. That gives players more game time, meaning it's even more important that they have the fitness to play regularly. Again this should help those who step up to the first team, as they'll need the fitness to play at the intensity Jones demands from his players.
I’ve said it before but I like the look of Enslin. Lots of energy, no little skill and took his goals well.
There was a bit at the end of the first half where Enslin hit the deck, maintained possession, got back up, held off the defender, had another tussle but kept the ball and had a look up and passed it out wide to Bower (I think). His balance was SOOOO good as was his awareness of his marker and his team mates.
They all played well but, once again, he shone. A very talented young man
Yes, that may also be an issue for Toby Bower, although it wasn't one for Chris Solly. I notice Jack Payne still gets a lot of playing time in the professional game, but it is worth noting that Kedwell has to make up for his size with a hard competitive edge.
Comments
The Combination league team played on Saturday afternoons at the Valley when the first team was away. Attendance s would be about 8000. Later there was a London midweek league.
Are the goals available anywhere?
answered above!
We could have added a few more goals to the total if we had taken our chances, Dixon the most guilty of missing chances & being a bit selfish when other players were in better positions to score.
Colchester had 5 trialists in their squad, one was the goalkeeper who looked a bit on the small side & struggled with crosses & corners.
Firstly they're consistently playing 3-5-2, matching the first team. They also mix it up and go direct at times, rather than being too possession focused, which must be fairly common at academy level. This can only help our players either break into the first team, or have careers elsewhere, as the first team play a similar style and formation, and not every lower or non-league club will play a possession game.
Our fitness levels appear to be good too, with us being dangerous in attack late on in games, just as we've seen with the first team. This is with a smaller u21 squad, a different approach compared to recent seasons in which we had big u21 squads. That gives players more game time, meaning it's even more important that they have the fitness to play regularly. Again this should help those who step up to the first team, as they'll need the fitness to play at the intensity Jones demands from his players.
They all played well but, once again, he shone. A very talented young man
he’s got a nasty edge to him and LOVES to mix-it but his frame works against him a lot in the modern game
I notice Jack Payne still gets a lot of playing time in the professional game, but it is worth noting that Kedwell has to make up for his size with a hard competitive edge.